Partner Visa Change of Passport

What happens to a partner visa when you get a new passport?

Nothing happens automatically when you get a partner visa new passport: the visa or application stays linked to the old passport number until you tell the Department of Home Affairs and the new passport is linked. The partner visa itself does not end, and the application does not restart. But the Department's records, the Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) system and airline check-in systems all look for the passport number on the record. If the partner visa new passport details have not been updated, those systems may show no visa at all.

This guide explains the partner visa new passport process from start to finish. It covers the onshore Subclass 820 partner visa, the offshore Subclass 309 partner visa, the Subclass 300 Prospective Marriage visa and the permanent Subclass 801 and Subclass 100 stages. If you are still deciding which pathway applies to you, the complete guide to partner visas in Australia explains how each subclass works.

A passport change sounds like a small administrative task. In most cases it is. But a partner visa new passport can also raise legal issues. The passport may show a different name after marriage. The applicant may hold two citizenships. The passport may have been lost or stolen. A child included in the application may need a first passport. Each of these situations touches on two grant criteria: the passport requirement in public interest criterion (PIC) 4021, and the identity requirement in PIC 4020. When either criterion is not met, the visa cannot be granted.

Who needs to think about a partner visa new passport?

Three groups of people usually need to act. The first group is applicants whose application is still being processed and who receive a new passport before a decision. The second group is visa holders, such as Subclass 820 or Subclass 309 holders waiting for the permanent stage, or Subclass 801 and Subclass 100 holders, who renew their passport after grant. The third group is applicants whose passport will expire before the Department is likely to decide the application. Each group has a different reason to update, but the partner visa new passport steps are similar.

The sponsor is in a different position. An Australian citizen sponsor does not hold an Australian visa, so the sponsor's passport is not linked to a visa record in the same way. However, if the sponsor's name changes, or the sponsor's identity documents change, the sponsorship details in the file should still be kept accurate. We return to this point later in the guide.

Why is a partner visa linked to a passport?

A partner visa is linked to a passport because Australia records every visa electronically against the holder's travel document number, rather than placing a label in the passport. The Department stopped issuing visa labels on 1 September 2015. Since then, the visa exists only as an electronic record in the Department's central database. That record is linked to a passport, or to an ImmiCard, through the document's unique number.

This is the core reason the partner visa new passport update matters. The Department has stated that if you have been issued a new passport since your visa was granted, you must notify it of the new passport details. It has also explained that when you check in for a flight to Australia, airline staff use your passport details to check whether you hold a valid visa to travel. If the airline enters the number from a partner visa new passport that has never been linked, the system may return no visa.

The same applies to VEVO. Employers, banks, universities and other organisations use VEVO to confirm a person's visa status and conditions. A VEVO search uses the passport number. If you give an employer the number from your partner visa new passport before the Department has linked it, the check may fail. That can cause stress at a new job or delay a rental application, even though your visa is perfectly valid.

The electronic visa record and your grant letter

Your visa grant notice records the passport number used at the time of grant. When you get a partner visa new passport, the old grant notice still shows the old number. That is normal. Once the Department links the new passport, the record changes, and VEVO will show your visa against the new number. Keep your grant notice and keep a copy of the old passport biodata page with it. Together, they show the history of the visa if anyone asks.

If you hold a Subclass 010 Bridging A visa while your Subclass 820 application is processed, that bridging visa is also recorded electronically against your passport. A partner visa new passport update made against the application should flow through to the bridging visa record. If VEVO still shows the old passport after the update is confirmed, contact the Department in writing rather than assuming the bridging visa has a problem. Our guide to bridging visas in Australia explains how bridging visas attach to a substantive application.

What does the passport requirement (PIC 4021) say?

Public interest criterion 4021 requires a partner visa applicant to hold a valid passport at the time of decision, unless it would be unreasonable to require the applicant to hold one. PIC 4021 is a criterion for the grant of the Subclass 820 visa (clause 820.226), the Subclass 100 visa (clause 100.222), the Subclass 309 visa, the Subclass 300 visa for family members, and the Subclass 801 visa for secondary applicants (clause 801.325). The Department's policy refers decision makers to the passport requirement at every partner visa stage.

Under PIC 4021(a), the passport must meet three conditions. It must have been issued to the applicant by an official source. It must be in the form issued by that source, which means it has not been altered. And it must not belong to a class of passports the Minister has specified in a written instrument. That instrument is the Migration (IMMI 18/001: Class of Passports) Instrument 2018. It lists unacceptable characteristics, such as damaged passports and group passports, and specific unacceptable travel documents.

Valid at the time of decision

The Department's policy states that a valid passport must be in effect, not cancelled or expired, at the time of decision. This point is often misunderstood. Many applicants believe the passport only needs to be valid when they lodge. That is wrong. A partner visa can take a long time to decide. A passport that was valid at lodgement may expire before the decision, and the decision maker then assesses PIC 4021 against the passport position on the decision date. This is why a partner visa new passport is often needed during processing, not only after grant.

The policy also notes that some visas can remain in effect beyond the expiry date of the passport. In other words, an expiring passport does not cancel a granted visa. But a granted visa that is still linked to an expired passport is of little practical use when you travel or prove your status, so the partner visa new passport update is still needed.

What the decision maker checks

To assess PIC 4021, the decision maker must be satisfied that the applicant has provided a copy of a current and valid passport, and that the passport belongs to that person. The policy says the biographical details must be consistent with other identity documents the applicant has provided. At a minimum, the Department needs a copy of the passport biodata page. If no passport copy is provided, the decision maker may send a section 56 request for more information, but policy also allows the decision maker to refuse without a request where that is warranted.

This is a practical warning. A partner visa new passport that is not uploaded can leave the file with only an expired passport. If the decision maker reaches the file at that point, the application may be refused for failing PIC 4021 even though the relationship evidence is strong. A refusal for a missing passport is avoidable, and it is painful because the relationship itself was never the problem. Our article on why partner visas get refused explains other procedural grounds that catch couples out.

When PIC 4021 can be satisfied without a valid passport

PIC 4021(b) is satisfied if it would be unreasonable to require the applicant to hold a passport. Policy gives examples such as where a new passport cannot be issued because of natural disaster, war or similar events. The decision maker considers whether the applicant has taken all reasonable steps to get a passport, whether the applicant holds another passport valid for travel, the time the issuing authority says it needs, and the consequences of refusal or delay. Policy states the test is a high one. The word "unreasonable" is given its ordinary meaning, such as beyond the limits of fairness, or excessive.

PIC 4021 is not a "one fails, all fail" criterion. If one family member in the application cannot meet it, the primary applicant and other family members can still meet it if they hold valid passports. However, policy also tells decision makers to consider how that failure affects other criteria, such as custody arrangements for children.

How do you update partner visa new passport details while the application is pending?

While the application is pending, the usual way to update partner visa new passport details is through ImmiAccount. The Department's instructions are: log in to ImmiAccount, select your application, select "Edit" or "View details" to reach the application home screen, select "Update details", then select "Change of passport details". You then enter the new passport details and attach the required document copies. If you do not yet have an account, our guide on how to create an ImmiAccount walks through the set-up.

The Department states that it will link a new passport to the visa application or existing visa after the update is received. It publishes an expected time for this step, which can change. Do not plan travel or a VEVO check around that time. Wait until the update is confirmed.

When to use the New Passport Details web form instead

The Department's guidance says to use its New Passport Details web form rather than ImmiAccount in several situations. These include where you cannot import your application into ImmiAccount, where your travel document is a Titre de Voyage or Certificate of Identity, where you applied for a partner visa and it is not visible in your ImmiAccount, where your application ID begins with "IRIS", where you have had a change of sex or gender, and where your date of birth has changed on your passport.

The partner visa exception is important. Some older partner visa applications, and some applications lodged by paper, do not appear in ImmiAccount. If your partner visa new passport cannot be added in ImmiAccount for that reason, the web form is the correct path. Keep a copy of the submission and any reference number it generates.

What to upload with a partner visa new passport update

Upload a clear colour copy of the biodata page of the new passport. If the new passport shows any difference from the old one, such as a different name, a different spelling, a changed date of birth or a different place of birth, upload the evidence that explains the difference. Also keep a copy of the old passport biodata page. If the old passport was cancelled by the issuing authority, keep any page showing the cancellation.

The partner visa new passport details you enter must match the passport exactly. Check the passport number letter by letter. Check the expiry date format. Check the order of given names and family name. A small typing error can produce exactly the mismatch the update is meant to fix.

Do you also need Form 1022 for a partner visa new passport?

Usually no, if the only change is the passport and the ImmiAccount passport function or web form is used. But section 104 of the Migration Act requires an applicant to tell the Department about changes in circumstances that make an answer in the application incorrect. If the new passport reflects a wider change, such as a change of name or a change of citizenship, a Form 1022 notification of changes in circumstances may also be needed. The safest approach is to treat the passport update and the change of circumstances as two separate questions, and answer both.

If a lawyer acts for you and is recorded through Form 956 or Form 956A, the lawyer can lodge the partner visa new passport update and the related notifications on your behalf, and receive the Department's correspondence about them.

How do you update partner visa new passport details after the visa is granted?

After grant, the partner visa new passport update is made in the same way: through ImmiAccount if the visa is visible there, or through the Department's New Passport Details web form if it is not. The Department's instruction for visa holders is direct. If you have been issued a new passport since your Australian visa was granted, you must notify it of the new passport details. Until you do, the visa remains linked to the old number.

The most common post-grant situations are these. A Subclass 820 holder renews a passport while waiting for the Subclass 801 decision. A Subclass 309 holder renews a passport before travelling to Australia, or after arriving. A Subclass 801 or Subclass 100 holder renews a passport years after becoming a permanent resident. A Subclass 300 holder renews a passport before travelling to marry the sponsor. Each of these people needs the partner visa new passport update before relying on the visa for travel or for proof of status.

Subclass 820 holders waiting for the Subclass 801 decision

A Subclass 820 holder is assessed for the permanent Subclass 801 visa later in the process. Our guide to Subclass 820 versus Subclass 801 explains the two stages. During that waiting period, the Subclass 820 visa is the visa you rely on for work, Medicare and travel. If you renew your passport, update the Department straight away. The partner visa new passport details are relevant to both the Subclass 820 visa you hold and the Subclass 801 application still being assessed. PIC 4021 applies again at the permanent stage for those applicants who must meet it, so the Department needs a valid passport on file when it decides the Subclass 801 application.

The Subclass 820 partner visa guide and the Subclass 820 visa step-by-step guide explain the permanent stage requirements in more detail.

Subclass 309 holders before travel

For an offshore applicant, the partner visa new passport issue is most urgent just before travel. A Subclass 309 visa holder who renews a passport after grant must link the new passport before flying. If the new passport is not linked, airline staff checking the passport may not see the visa. The holder may be refused boarding, or may face questions at the border. The Subclass 309 visa does not need to be granted again. It needs to be linked to the partner visa new passport.

If you are still waiting for a Subclass 309 decision and your passport is about to expire, renew it and update the Department before the decision. Remember also that, in most cases, the Subclass 309 applicant must be outside Australia when the visa is granted. Our page on the offshore partner visa covers that rule.

Permanent residents with a partner visa new passport

Subclass 801 and Subclass 100 holders are permanent residents, but the permanent visa still sits on an electronic record linked to a passport. Permanent visas include a travel facility that allows the holder to leave and re-enter Australia for a set period. That travel facility depends on the airline being able to see the visa. A partner visa new passport that has not been linked can cause problems at check-in even for a permanent resident. Update the passport before you book.

Checking VEVO after the update

Once the Department confirms the update, check VEVO using the new passport number. VEVO should show the same visa, the same grant date and the same conditions, now against the partner visa new passport. If VEVO shows no visa, or shows the old passport, do not give the new number to an employer or airline yet. Contact the Department in writing and keep the confirmation of your update. If you are on a bridging visa, our guide to Subclass 820 work rights and bridging visas explains what VEVO should show while the application is pending.

What if your passport will expire before a partner visa decision?

If your passport will expire before the Department decides your partner visa, renew it early and give the Department the partner visa new passport details as soon as the new passport is issued. Do not wait for the Department to ask. PIC 4021 is assessed at the time of decision. An expired passport on the file at that moment is a ground for refusal unless the waiver in PIC 4021(b) applies.

Plan the renewal around processing

Partner visas can take a long time to decide, and processing times change. Our articles on Subclass 820 processing time and how long an onshore partner visa takes explain why. A passport with a short remaining validity at lodgement is likely to expire during processing. Many applicants renew the passport before it expires, then lodge the partner visa new passport update immediately. That leaves no gap in which the file holds only an expired passport.

Some issuing authorities take a long time to produce a new passport. Some require the applicant to attend an embassy or consulate in person. If you are in Australia on a Subclass 010 Bridging A visa and the renewal requires travel overseas, you may need a Subclass 020 Bridging B visa before leaving. Many applicants can renew through their embassy or consulate in Australia instead. Check the renewal process with your issuing authority early.

A Tribunal decision on an expired passport

In Derbas (Migration) [2019] AATA 391, a Subclass 820 matter, the reported issue was holding a valid passport at the time of decision. The applicant's Lebanese passport had expired, and the passport had since been renewed. The Tribunal remitted the matter to the Department. The point for applicants is simple. The passport position at the time of decision matters, and a renewed passport placed on the file can change the outcome on PIC 4021. It is far better to deal with the partner visa new passport before the Department decides than to fix it on review.

What if a renewal is refused or delayed?

If the issuing authority refuses to renew your passport, or cannot issue one within a reasonable time, collect evidence. Keep the application receipt, correspondence from the embassy or consulate, and any written reason for the delay or refusal. Give that evidence to the Department with a written explanation. The decision maker then considers whether PIC 4021(b) applies. Policy tells decision makers to consider whether the applicant has taken all reasonable steps, including contacting the relevant authorities, and to seek corroborating evidence where possible. Policy also allows flexibility in processing to give time for a passport to be issued, where a delay is the only barrier to grant. But policy also says the decision maker is not required to wait indefinitely.

Partner visa new passport with a changed name

A partner visa new passport that shows a changed name must be supported by evidence of the name change, such as a marriage certificate or an official change of name certificate. The most common reason is marriage. Many applicants take their spouse's family name after the wedding and then renew their passport in the new name. The Department needs to understand that the person in the new passport is the same person who applied.

What evidence explains a name change?

For a name change through marriage, the usual evidence is the marriage certificate, showing the name before marriage. Some countries record the new name on a separate document, or on a national identity card. For a name change by deed poll or registration, the usual evidence is the official change of name certificate from the registry that recorded it. Upload the evidence with the partner visa new passport update. Make sure any document not in English has an accredited English translation.

The name in the passport, the name in the application, the name on the marriage certificate and the name on the police certificates should all connect. If a police certificate was issued in the old name, it may still be acceptable, but the link between the two names must be clear. If a new police certificate is requested later, apply in the name the Department expects and disclose all previous names.

Notify the name change, not only the passport

A changed name is a change in circumstances. Under section 104, applicants must notify the Department of changes that make an earlier answer incorrect. A partner visa new passport update tells the Department about the new travel document. A separate notification tells the Department that your name has changed. Form 1022 is commonly used for that purpose. Doing both avoids an inconsistency in which the passport record shows one name and the application shows another.

Relationship evidence in the old name

Many couples worry that relationship evidence in the old name, such as a joint lease or a bank account, is no longer useful. It remains useful. The Department assesses the relationship across its history. Older documents in the old name and newer documents in the new name both show the relationship over time. What matters is that the name change is explained. Our guides on partner visa relationship evidence and preparing evidence of a genuine relationship explain how evidence is assessed across the four aspects: financial aspects, the nature of the household, social aspects and the nature of the commitment.

If the sponsor changes name, the same principle applies. The sponsor's identity documents, the sponsorship form and the relationship evidence must connect. Form 888 supporting witness statements from friends and family may refer to the sponsor by either name. That is acceptable if the file explains the change.

Which passport should dual citizens use for a partner visa?

A dual citizen should use one passport for the partner visa application, declare every citizenship held, and keep the passport linked to the visa the same as the passport used for travel. The visa is linked to one travel document at a time. If you apply using one passport and later travel on the other, the airline will not see the visa unless the travel passport is the one linked.

Declare every citizenship

Partner visa application forms ask about all citizenships held. Form 80, the personal particulars form, asks about citizenships and passports in detail when the Department requests it. Every passport held, including expired passports, should be disclosed where the form asks. A dual citizen who discloses only one citizenship risks an inconsistency later, especially if biometrics or another agency's records show the second nationality.

Choosing the passport for the partner visa new passport link

In practice, most dual citizens choose the passport they will travel on most often. If you later switch passports, treat the switch as a partner visa new passport update. Link the passport you intend to use before you travel. The Department's policy on PIC 4021 includes an example in which an applicant presented a passport that was not acceptable, then provided a second nationality's passport, which met the requirement. Policy also gives an example in which an applicant appeared to hold a second nationality but did not provide that passport or explain why. In that example, PIC 4021 was not met. The lesson is that a second passport can solve a problem, and a hidden second passport can create one.

Australian sponsors who are dual citizens

An Australian citizen sponsor does not need a visa to enter Australia. An Australian citizen should travel on an Australian passport when entering and leaving Australia. The sponsor's foreign passport is not linked to any Australian visa. The sponsor's dual citizenship does not usually affect the partner visa new passport process for the applicant. It may still need to be disclosed in the sponsorship form, depending on the questions asked.

What should you do if your passport is lost or stolen?

If your passport is lost or stolen, report it to the issuing authority and, for theft, to the police, then obtain a replacement and lodge the partner visa new passport details with the Department as soon as the replacement is issued. A passport reported lost or stolen is normally cancelled by the issuing authority. A cancelled passport is not a valid passport for PIC 4021, even if it is found later.

Keep the reporting evidence

Keep the police report number, the issuing authority's acknowledgement of the loss, and any receipt for the replacement application. Upload these with the partner visa new passport update if the replacement passport is issued under a new number. If the replacement passport takes a long time, the evidence also supports any explanation you give the Department about the delay.

Identity risk after a lost passport

A lost passport can be misused by another person. If you suspect misuse, tell the Department in writing. The Department may later see records of travel or applications under the lost passport number. Your written report, made at the time, helps show that those records do not relate to you. Identity concerns are taken seriously in partner visa decisions, as explained later in this guide.

How do children's passports work in a partner visa application?

Each child included in a partner visa application needs a valid passport of their own, and each child's partner visa new passport must be linked to their own application or visa. PIC 4021 applies to secondary applicants, including children. A child's passport often expires sooner than an adult's passport. Many countries issue children's passports with a shorter validity. This makes a partner visa new passport update for a child one of the most common updates in a family application.

Children who get their first passport

Some children are added to an application before they have a passport, or are born during processing. The Department will still need a passport, or a reason it would be unreasonable to require one, before granting the visa to that child. Apply for the passport early. Obtaining a child's passport may need consent from both parents, and if one parent is overseas or not involved, that can take time. The Department's policy on the best interests of minor children and custody also applies to children in partner visa applications, so the passport application and the custody evidence often need to be prepared together.

When one child's passport is delayed

Because PIC 4021 is not a "one fails, all fail" criterion, a child's missing passport does not automatically stop the primary applicant's grant. But policy tells decision makers to consider the impact on other criteria, including custody criteria in PIC 4017 and PIC 4018. If a child's partner visa new passport is delayed, tell the Department and explain the expected issue date. Do not leave the file silent.

If you are applying with children, our partner visa document checklist and the Subclass 820 evidence checklist explain the identity documents commonly needed for dependent children.

Can you travel on your old passport after getting a new one?

No. In most cases you cannot rely on the old passport once a new passport has been issued, because the issuing authority usually cancels the old passport and the visa needs to be linked to the passport you actually present. Some issuing authorities return the old passport with a cancelled mark. Others keep it. Either way, the old document is no longer a valid passport for travel.

Link before you book

The safest rule is this: do not book international travel until the partner visa new passport is linked and VEVO confirms the visa against the new number. Airlines check visa status at check-in using the passport you present. If the visa is still linked to the old number, the check may fail. You could miss the flight while the problem is resolved.

Bridging visa holders and travel

Travel is a separate question from the passport. A person in Australia on a Subclass 010 Bridging A visa generally has no permission to travel and return. A Subclass 020 Bridging B visa is needed to leave and come back while a Subclass 820 application is pending. If you apply for a Bridging B visa, apply using the partner visa new passport details already linked to the application, not the old passport. Mixed details across applications create avoidable questions.

What if you must travel urgently?

If a family emergency requires urgent travel and the partner visa new passport has not been linked, contact the Department and explain the urgency in writing. Keep evidence of the emergency. Do not travel on a passport that is not linked to a visa and hope the airline will accept it. If you are unsure, urgent immigration lawyer advice before booking can prevent a problem at the airport.

Why does identity consistency matter in a partner visa new passport update?

Identity consistency matters because partner visa applicants must also satisfy PIC 4020, and PIC 4020(2A) requires the applicant to satisfy the decision maker as to their identity. Every partner visa new passport adds a new identity document to the file. If the new document conflicts with earlier documents, the decision maker may ask questions. If the conflict is not explained, it can become a ground for refusal.

The three pillars of identity

The Department's policy on PIC 4020 describes three pillars of identity: biometrics, documents and life story. Biometrics are physical identifiers such as a facial image and fingerprints. Documents include passports, birth certificates and national identity cards. Life story is the account of a person's history, including names used, places lived and family details. A partner visa new passport sits in the documents pillar. It must match the other two pillars. If the passport shows a date of birth that differs from earlier applications, or a name spelling that differs from the birth certificate, the decision maker will look for an explanation.

Policy states that the onus is on the applicant to satisfy the decision maker as to their identity. A decision maker may be satisfied even where a document has problems, and may not be satisfied even where documents look genuine. If identity discrepancies cannot be resolved, policy says the applicant will likely not satisfy PIC 4020(2A).

Why an identity refusal is serious

An identity refusal is more serious than many other refusals. PIC 4020(2B) means that a person refused a visa for failing PIC 4020(2A) faces a ten-year period in which other visas subject to PIC 4020 cannot be granted. Policy states there is no waiver for the identity requirements in PIC 4020(2A) or the ten-year period in PIC 4020(2B). This is why a partner visa new passport that shows different details must be explained properly at the time it is lodged.

A separate part of PIC 4020, PIC 4020(1), deals with bogus documents and information that is false or misleading in a material particular. A three-year non-grant period can follow a refusal under that provision, with a limited waiver. Where a passport detail differs because the old passport was wrong, say so and give the evidence. An explained correction is different from an unexplained inconsistency. If the Department raises a concern, it must usually give the applicant a chance to respond. Our guide to the section 57 natural justice letter explains how those letters work and why the response deadline is short and strictly applied.

Remitted Tribunal decisions on identity details

Several published Tribunal decisions on identity details in partner visa matters were remitted to the Department. In 2311969 (Migration) [2025] ARTA 1666, a Subclass 820 matter, the reported issue was identity, including name, date of birth, ethnicity and citizenship, with different spellings of names and places and other discrepancies. In Mohamed (Migration) [2023] AATA 3621, a Subclass 309 matter, the reported issues included identity details, passports and identity documents, and variations of names. In Tipong (Migration) [2019] AATA 5652, a Subclass 309 matter, the reported issue was identity, with previous visitor visa applications using different identity details and earlier documents issued with wrong details. In Ahmadi (Migration) [2023] AATA 2810, a Subclass 309 matter, the reported issue was PIC 4020 and identity requirements, with variations in recorded dates of birth that were outside the applicant's control. Each was remitted to the Department. These decisions show that name variations and documents with wrong details arise in real partner visa files, and that they need careful explanation with evidence.

How to keep identity details consistent

Before lodging a partner visa new passport update, compare the new passport against every earlier document the Department holds. That includes earlier visa applications, earlier passports, the birth certificate, the marriage certificate, police certificates, and the personal details in the relationship statement. If anything differs, prepare a short written explanation and attach the evidence that supports it. Do not leave the decision maker to discover the difference alone.

If you previously applied for an Australian visa with details that were wrong, for example a misspelt name or a wrong date of birth, address it. Your current partner visa new passport may show the correct details. The Department's systems may still hold the earlier version. A clear explanation, with the evidence that shows which details are correct, is the best protection.

Common partner visa new passport mistakes

The most common partner visa new passport mistakes are delay, partial updates, and travel before the update is linked. Each is avoidable.

The first mistake is waiting. Applicants renew the passport and put the update aside, sometimes for months. Then the Department decides the application while the file holds only the expired passport. Lodge the update as soon as the new passport arrives.

The second mistake is updating only one record. A family may update the primary applicant's passport but not a child's. Or a Subclass 820 holder may update the Subclass 820 record but not the bridging visa application lodged later. Each person and each pending application needs the correct partner visa new passport details.

The third mistake is a name change without a change of circumstances notice. The passport record then shows a new name while the application still shows the old one.

The fourth mistake is a typing error. One wrong digit means the new passport is not properly linked.

The fifth mistake is booking flights before the partner visa new passport is linked and confirmed in VEVO.

The sixth mistake is failing to explain differences between the new passport and earlier documents. A different spelling, a corrected date of birth or a new place of birth must be explained with evidence, because PIC 4020 identity concerns can lead to refusal.

If a mistake has already led to a refusal, act quickly. The time limit to apply for review by the Administrative Review Tribunal is short and strictly applied. Our pages on partner visa refusals, partner visa refused appeal options and what to expect at the ART after a refusal explain the review process. For refusals across all visa types, see our visa refusals page. The Subclass 820 visa refusals guide covers onshore refusals in detail.

When a passport issue sits alongside other problems

A partner visa new passport issue rarely sits alone. It may arrive together with a Schedule 3 issue for an applicant who was unlawful when lodging, a no further stay condition on an earlier visa, a relationship breakdown, or sponsorship limitations. A person who moved from a visitor visa may also have questions about the move from a tourist visa to a partner visa. Where family violence is involved, the family violence provisions may also be relevant. If a visa has been cancelled, see our visa cancellations page. The passport update is easy to fix. The other issues are not, and they should be reviewed together.

How My Migration Lawyers handles partner visa new passport and identity issues

My Migration Lawyers acts in many partner visa matters where a partner visa new passport, a name change, a dual citizenship or an identity discrepancy needs to be managed during processing or after grant. The firm handles complex cases of this type, including files where earlier applications were made under different details, and is capable of managing them carefully from the first review through to the decision. We make no promise about any outcome. What we can do is make sure the Department has accurate, consistent and properly explained identity information in front of it.

What we do on a partner visa new passport matter

First, we review the whole file. We compare the new passport against every identity document the Department holds, including earlier visa applications, earlier passports, birth and marriage certificates, police certificates and the relationship statement. We identify every difference in name, spelling, date of birth, place of birth and citizenship.

Second, we check timing. We assess whether the current passport will remain valid at the likely time of decision under PIC 4021, and whether any child's passport will expire sooner. Where a renewal is needed, we plan it so the file never holds only an expired passport.

Third, we lodge the partner visa new passport update through the correct channel, either ImmiAccount or the Department's web form, with the evidence that explains any difference. Where a name or citizenship has changed, we prepare the separate change of circumstances notification under section 104.

Fourth, we present the explanation in the form the law requires. Where an earlier document was wrong, we set out the applicant's own account of why, supported by the applicant's documents. We do not create evidence. We organise and explain the evidence the client already holds.

Fifth, we confirm the update has been linked, and we advise on travel, bridging visa applications and VEVO before the client relies on the visa. If the Department issues a section 56 request or a section 57 letter about identity or the passport, we prepare the response within the period set.

The work is supervised by Weiwei Zhang, Principal Lawyer. You can read more about My Migration Lawyers and our partner visa lawyers service. Our immigration lawyer for partner visa guide explains how a lawyer fits into the process, and our partner visa lawyer versus doing it yourself article sets out when legal help adds the most value. If you already lodged without help, see hiring an immigration lawyer after visa lodgement. If you already have a lawyer and want a fresh view, our second opinion service may help.

We act for clients across Australia by video consultation. Clients regularly contact our partner visa lawyers in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, the Gold Coast, Hobart and Parramatta about partner visa new passport questions, name changes and identity issues. Our same-sex partner visa and de facto partner visa pages cover the specific issues those couples face. What to expect from a first meeting is explained in our immigration lawyer consultation guide.

Book a consultation about a partner visa new passport

If you have a partner visa new passport, a passport that will expire before a decision, a name change, two citizenships or an identity discrepancy in your file, speak with us before you lodge the update or book travel. Book a Consultation and tell us which partner visa you hold or applied for and what has changed. You can also call 1300 040 300.