Partner Visa Commitment Evidence

Partner visa commitment evidence is the part of a partner visa application that proves the couple is committed to each other for the long term, to the exclusion of all others. The Department of Home Affairs does not accept a promise of commitment on its own. It looks for partner visa commitment evidence in documents, in the couple's relationship statement and in what other people say about the relationship.

This guide is practical. It explains what partner visa commitment evidence the Department looks for, which documents carry weight, how future plans are covered in the single relationship statement, how Form 888 supporting statements help, what couples who have spent time apart should provide, and how the evidence is updated for the permanent stage. For the wider picture of every partner visa stage, see our complete guide to partner visas in Australia. If you would like advice on your own evidence, our partner visa lawyers can review it before anything is lodged.

What is partner visa commitment evidence?

Partner visa commitment evidence is any document, statement or record that shows the Department that both partners have a mutual commitment to a shared life together, that the relationship is long term and that it is exclusive. It is the evidence the Department uses to assess the fourth aspect of the relationship, the nature of the couple's commitment to each other.

The Department assesses every partner visa relationship by considering all of the circumstances, including four aspects of the relationship. Those aspects are the financial aspects, the nature of the household, the social aspects and the nature of the commitment. Commitment is often the aspect couples think about least, because it feels like something that is obvious to them. To a decision maker who has never met the couple, it is not obvious. It has to be shown.

Good partner visa commitment evidence answers a simple question: if something happened to one partner tomorrow, how would the other partner be affected, and what have they already done about it? A couple who has named each other in their wills, nominated each other for superannuation, planned where they will live in five years and cared for each other through illness has strong partner visa commitment evidence. A couple who has only a marriage certificate and photographs from the wedding day has very little.

Our general guide to partner visa relationship evidence covers all four aspects. This article focuses only on the commitment aspect and the practical evidence that supports it.

Who needs partner visa commitment evidence?

Every couple applying for a partner visa needs partner visa commitment evidence. That includes couples applying onshore for the Subclass 820 and Subclass 801 visas, couples where the applicant is outside Australia, and same-sex couples, who are assessed on exactly the same terms. Our comprehensive Subclass 820 partner visa guide explains the onshore requirements in full, and our article on the onshore Subclass 820 visa gives a shorter overview.

The amount and type of evidence varies with the relationship. A couple who has lived together for ten years and raised children will have different partner visa commitment evidence from a couple who married last year after a long-distance relationship. Both can succeed. The task is to present the evidence each couple actually has in the way the Department assesses it.

Why commitment evidence matters to a decision maker

A decision maker reads the application on paper and must be satisfied that the relationship meets the legal definition. The financial, household and social evidence shows how the couple lives now. Partner visa commitment evidence shows why the relationship will last. When a decision maker has doubts about a relationship, the commitment aspect is often where those doubts are resolved, one way or the other. Our article explaining what an immigration lawyer does and when you need one sets out how professional review fits into this process, and our guide to immigration lawyers in Australia explains how to find the right help.

Where the commitment aspect sits in the law

The commitment aspect comes from the Migration Act 1958 and the Migration Regulations 1994, and the Department applies it to every onshore and offshore partner visa. Knowing where it comes from explains why partner visa commitment evidence is not optional.

Section 5F of the Migration Act

Section 5F of the Migration Act 1958 sets out when two people are in a married relationship for migration purposes. Paragraph 5F(2)(b) requires the couple to have a mutual commitment to a shared life as a married couple to the exclusion of all others. Paragraph 5F(2)(c) requires the relationship to be genuine and continuing. Paragraph 5F(2)(d) requires the couple to live together, or not to live separately and apart on a permanent basis.

Each of those requirements is about commitment in some form. Exclusivity, continuity and the intention to live together are all things partner visa commitment evidence must prove.

Regulation 1.15A(3)(d): the nature of the commitment

Regulation 1.15A of the Migration Regulations 1994 lists the matters the Department must consider for married couples applying for the Subclass 820, Subclass 801, Subclass 309 and Subclass 100 visas. Paragraph 1.15A(3)(d) deals with the nature of the persons' commitment to each other. It directs the Department to consider:

• the duration of the relationship;
• the length of time the couple has lived together;
• the degree of companionship and emotional support the couple draw from each other; and
• whether the couple see the relationship as a long-term one.

The Department's own policy guidance tells decision makers to assess the mutuality of the commitment. It gives examples of how mutuality can be shown, including each partner's knowledge of the other's personal circumstances and evidence of an intention that the relationship be long term, such as the extent to which the couple has combined their affairs and provided for each other, for example as beneficiaries of each other's will or superannuation.

That guidance is the best map of what partner visa commitment evidence should contain. The sections below follow it closely.

The four aspects are weighed together

No single aspect decides an application. The Department's guidance says that decision makers must not count how many aspects are satisfied and how many are not. They weigh all the circumstances together. A couple with modest financial evidence can still succeed if the commitment evidence is strong, and a couple with strong finances can still be refused if nothing shows a real long-term commitment.

The four aspects are assessed aspects of one relationship. They are not four separate documents or four separate statements. Partner visa commitment evidence is simply the evidence, wherever it sits in the application, that speaks to the commitment aspect. Our partner visa document checklist shows how all of the evidence fits together.

What partner visa commitment evidence does the Department look for?

The Department looks for partner visa commitment evidence that shows six things: how long the relationship has lasted, how long the couple has lived together, the support they give each other, their long-term intentions, how well they know each other and whether the relationship is exclusive. Each of these is explained below with the documents that usually prove it.

Duration of the relationship

The duration of the relationship is the starting point. The Department wants to know when the relationship began, how it developed and how long it has continued. There is no minimum length for a married couple under this aspect, but a longer relationship naturally gives more material to work with.

Evidence of duration is usually a timeline supported by records from across the whole relationship. Useful records include early messages and call logs, travel bookings for the first visits, photographs with dates across different years, cards and gifts, and documents that show when the couple first shared an address. The point is to show continuity. Gaps of a year or more with no evidence at all weaken partner visa commitment evidence, even when the relationship continued normally.

Length of time living together

The time the couple has lived together is listed separately from the duration of the relationship. A couple may have known each other for five years but lived together for one. Both facts matter.

Evidence of living together overlaps with the nature of the household aspect. Leases, mortgage documents, utility accounts, correspondence addressed to both partners at the same address and records showing both names on a property all help. For commitment purposes, the question is not only whether the couple lives together, but whether they chose to build a home together and kept doing so over time.

Companionship and emotional support

The degree of companionship and emotional support is the most personal part of partner visa commitment evidence. It asks whether the partners rely on each other, comfort each other and share their daily lives.

This is often shown through the relationship statement, which can describe real events: one partner supporting the other through a death in the family, a job loss, study pressure or a health problem. Documents can support those events, for example hospital visitor records, a carer letter, leave records showing a partner took time off to look after the other, or messages showing daily contact. Our guide on preparing evidence of a genuine relationship explains how events like these can be documented without overwhelming the application.

Intention that the relationship be long term

Whether the couple see the relationship as long term is the heart of partner visa commitment evidence. The Department looks for evidence that the couple has acted on that intention, not only spoken about it.

The policy guidance gives the most important examples: the extent to which the couple has combined their affairs and provided for each other, such as being beneficiaries of each other's will or superannuation. Other strong examples include joint savings for a home, a joint loan for a long-term purchase, plans for children, and decisions about where the couple will live and work. These documents are explained in detail in the next section.

Knowledge of each other's personal circumstances

The Department's guidance says knowledge of each other's personal circumstances, including background and family situation, may show the mutuality of the commitment and could be tested at interview. A couple who is committed to each other knows each other's families, history, health, work, debts, hopes and daily routines.

The relationship statement is where this knowledge is shown. Each partner should be able to describe the other's family, upbringing, education, work history and important life events accurately. Inconsistencies between the two partners' accounts are a common source of concern. Couples who are invited to an interview should expect questions on these points. Our article on why partner visas get refused explains how inconsistencies are treated.

Exclusivity

A partner visa relationship must be to the exclusion of all others. Partner visa commitment evidence should therefore deal with previous relationships clearly. Divorce orders, death certificates of a former spouse or other proof that earlier relationships have ended are part of the commitment picture.

Where one partner has children with a former partner, regular contact with that former partner is normal and expected. The evidence should explain the arrangements honestly, so the decision maker understands that contact relates to the children and not to a continuing relationship.

Documents that prove a long-term commitment

The documents that prove a long-term commitment are the ones that bind the couple's futures together in a legal or practical way. Partner visa commitment evidence is strongest when it shows that each partner has made a decision that would be costly, difficult or awkward to undo if the relationship were not genuine.

Wills naming each other

A will that names the other partner as a main beneficiary or as executor is one of the clearest pieces of partner visa commitment evidence. It is a formal legal document, it is made with thought, and the Department's own guidance mentions it. Couples who have not made wills often choose to do so when they start planning their lives together. A copy of each will, or a letter from the lawyer who prepared them confirming the beneficiary arrangements, is usually enough.

A will made the week before lodgement is still evidence, but it carries less weight than one made earlier in the relationship. Wills should be made because the couple wants them, not as a last-minute addition to the application.

Superannuation beneficiary nominations

A superannuation death benefit nomination naming the other partner shows that each partner has provided for the other. The Department's guidance specifically refers to superannuation. A current statement from the fund showing the nominated beneficiary is the usual evidence. Where the applicant partner has no Australian superannuation yet, the Australian partner's nomination alone is still useful.

Life and income protection insurance beneficiaries

Insurance policies that name the other partner as beneficiary, or that cover both partners together, work in the same way. Private health insurance at a couple or family level is also useful, because it shows that the couple has arranged essential cover as one unit. Policy schedules or certificates showing both names and the beneficiary arrangements are the documents to provide.

Combining affairs

Combining affairs means bringing two separate lives into one. Joint bank accounts, a joint mortgage or loan, joint ownership of a car, adding a partner as an authorised user on accounts, giving each other enduring power of attorney, and listing each other as next of kin with employers, banks, doctors and schools are all examples. Many of these documents also count for the financial aspects, and that is not a problem. The same document can speak to more than one aspect.

What matters for partner visa commitment evidence is the direction of travel. The decision maker wants to see the couple's affairs becoming more connected over time, not staying separate.

Long-term plans: property, children and the future

Long-term plans show that the couple sees a future together. Evidence of a joint savings plan for a home, a pre-approval for a home loan, a contract for land, inquiries about schools or child care, fertility consultations, plans for a wedding or family celebration, or a joint business plan are all useful. The plans do not need to be completed. They need to be real, shared and supported by something more than words.

Where the couple already has children together, birth certificates showing both parents and evidence of shared parenting are some of the strongest partner visa commitment evidence possible.

Caring for each other

Caring for each other through illness, injury, pregnancy, disability or a family crisis is direct evidence of commitment. A medical letter that names the partner as carer, hospital records showing the partner as the contact person, leave records, or receipts for care paid for by one partner for the other all help. The relationship statement should describe these events in the couple's own words.

Family recognition

How each family treats the relationship also says something about commitment. Evidence that each partner has been introduced to and accepted by the other's family, has attended family events, is included in family plans, or supports family members overseas together, shows that the commitment is not hidden. This evidence overlaps with the social aspects. Our LGBTI and same-sex partner visa page explains how the Department treats cases where a family or community does not openly accept a relationship, which can affect this kind of evidence.

Partner visa commitment evidence for couples applying soon after marriage

Couples who apply soon after their wedding often have little documentary partner visa commitment evidence yet. That is common and it is not fatal. The marriage itself is evidence of commitment, and the evidence can show how the couple reached that decision and what they have done since. A couple in this position should focus on the history of the relationship before the wedding, the reasons for marrying, the plans they made together and the first steps they have taken to combine their affairs. Couples who came to Australia on a visitor visa should also read our guide to moving from a tourist visa to a partner visa in Australia before they lodge.

How the relationship statement covers commitment and future plans

The relationship statement covers commitment and future plans in one document, written in the couple's own words. There is one relationship statement. There is no separate commitment statement, no future plans statement and no statement for each aspect. Future plans are simply a section within that one relationship statement, and partner visa commitment evidence in documents supports what the statement says.

Many couples are told, incorrectly, that they must write a separate statement about each of the four aspects. That approach usually produces repetitive, artificial documents that read as if they were written to a template. The Department wants one honest account of the relationship from the people who live it. Our detailed guide to the partner visa relationship statement explains its structure and gives examples.

What the relationship statement should say about commitment

The relationship statement should explain, in plain words, why the couple is committed to each other and how that commitment has shown itself. Useful topics include:

• when each partner knew the relationship was serious, and why;
• the decision to live together and to marry;
• difficult periods the couple went through together and how they supported each other;
• the steps they have taken to provide for each other, such as wills, superannuation and insurance;
• how they have combined their affairs and how decisions are made in the household; and
• their plans for the future.

Each of these points should match the documents. If the statement says the couple has named each other in their wills, the wills should be in the application. Partner visa commitment evidence is most persuasive when the statement and the documents tell the same story.

How future plans are covered inside the one relationship statement

Future plans are covered as a section of the one relationship statement, usually towards the end. The section should be specific. A sentence such as "we plan to grow old together" adds very little. A paragraph explaining that the couple is saving for a deposit, has spoken to a lender, plans to start a family within two years, intends to bring a parent to visit, or plans to move closer to one partner's work gives the decision maker something concrete.

Where a plan is supported by a document, the statement should mention it so the decision maker can find it. That is how future plans become partner visa commitment evidence rather than a wish list.

The statement is the couple's own evidence

The relationship statement is the couple's own evidence. It must be true and it must be theirs. A representative can explain what the law requires, review the draft for gaps and inconsistencies, and present it in the right form, but the account itself comes from the couple, who review and correct every word before it is signed. Giving false information to the Department is a serious offence and can lead to refusal and to longer-term consequences. Our guide on immigration lawyers for partner visas explains the role a lawyer plays in this process.

How Form 888 supporting statements speak to commitment

Form 888 supporting statements speak to commitment by giving the Department the view of people who know the couple and the history of their relationship. A Form 888 is a supporting statement from a witness. It is not the couple's own evidence, and it is not one of the four aspects.

The current Form 888 says it must be completed by a person who knows the visa applicant and their partner and the history of their relationship, and who is at least 18 years of age. The witness provides evidence of their identity and, where applicable, their Australian citizenship or permanent residence. The form asks how the witness knows the couple, how often they are in contact, and whether the witness believes the relationship is genuine and continuing, with reasons. The Department may ask for up to three separate statements during processing and may contact the witness.

The Department's form says its purpose is to help assess the social aspects of the relationship. In practice, a well-written Form 888 also supports partner visa commitment evidence, because a witness who has watched the couple over several years can describe their commitment from the outside.

What a Form 888 can say about commitment

A Form 888 can describe what the witness has actually seen. Examples include the couple supporting each other through a family death, the way they talk about their future, their involvement in each other's families, their care for each other's children or parents, and how they have managed periods apart. Specific events and dates make the statement credible. General praise does not.

Our guides on who can make a Form 888 and what it should say and on Form 888 example answers and common mistakes cover the detail. Each Form 888 should be written by the witness in the witness's own words.

Choosing witnesses who can speak to commitment

The best witnesses for partner visa commitment evidence are people who have known the couple for a long time, who have seen the relationship develop and who can speak about specific events. A family member who has watched the couple care for each other, a long-standing friend who knew the couple before and after they moved in together, or a colleague who saw one partner support the other through a difficult period can all be valuable. Several short, generic statements from people who barely know the couple add little.

Partner visa commitment evidence for couples who have spent time apart

Couples who have spent time apart can still meet the commitment aspect, but their partner visa commitment evidence must show that the separation was temporary, explain why it happened and show how the relationship was maintained. The Department's guidance says that where a couple is, or recently was, living separately and claims the separation is not permanent, the decision maker must consider the reasons for the separation and whether they are consistent with a mutual commitment.

Time apart is common. Partners are separated by work contracts, study, visa requirements, caring for parents overseas, military service, travel restrictions and many other reasons. What matters is not that the couple was apart, but how the time apart is explained and evidenced.

Explaining the reason for the separation

The first part of partner visa commitment evidence for a couple who spent time apart is the reason. The relationship statement should explain why the couple was apart, who decided, and why the decision made sense for the relationship. Documents should support the reason, for example an employment contract, an enrolment letter, a medical letter about a parent, or a visa decision.

A separation with a clear, documented reason that both partners agreed on is consistent with commitment. A separation with no explanation invites the decision maker to wonder whether the relationship had ended.

Showing contact during the separation

The second part is evidence of contact. Call logs, video call records, messaging history and social media contact across the whole period show that the relationship continued. The evidence should be representative. Selected screenshots across each month are usually more useful than thousands of pages of raw message history. Our Subclass 820 evidence checklist explains how communication evidence is usually organised.

Showing visits and financial support

The third part is evidence of visits and support. Flight bookings, boarding passes, passport stamps, accommodation records and photographs from each visit show that the couple made the effort to be together. Money transfers from one partner to the other, payment of each other's bills, or joint saving during the separation show that the couple continued to act as one financial unit.

Showing the plan to reunite

The fourth part is evidence of the plan to live together again. Paragraph 5F(2)(d) of the Migration Act requires that a married couple live together or not live separately and apart on a permanent basis. Partner visa commitment evidence for a couple who spent time apart should therefore show a definite plan to reunite: a lease in both names, a job transfer request, the end date of a contract, or a booked relocation.

Couples whose relationship has been conducted partly at a distance may also find our guide to partner visa lawyers in Australia useful when deciding whether to seek advice. Where the applicant partner is currently overseas, the Australian partner may also wish to read our Subclass 309 visa page, while engaged couples should see our Subclass 300 Prospective Marriage visa page.

Weak versus strong partner visa commitment evidence

Strong partner visa commitment evidence is specific, documented, mutual and spread across the whole relationship. Weak partner visa commitment evidence is general, recent, one-sided or unsupported. The difference is often not how much material the couple has, but what kind of material it is.

Examples of weak partner visa commitment evidence

The following kinds of evidence tend to carry little weight on their own:

• statements of love or devotion with no events, dates or actions to support them;
• a will, insurance nomination or joint account created only days before lodgement, with nothing earlier;
• evidence from only one partner, for example the Australian partner supporting the applicant financially with nothing flowing the other way;
• a large number of photographs from one or two occasions;
• future plans described in vague terms with no supporting step;
• Form 888 supporting statements from people who have met the couple once or twice; and
• unexplained gaps in the relationship history.

None of these items is harmful in itself. The problem is relying on them alone. The decision maker is looking for evidence that persuades, and generic material rarely does.

Examples of strong partner visa commitment evidence

The following kinds of evidence tend to carry real weight:

• wills naming each other, made at a meaningful point in the relationship;
• superannuation and insurance beneficiary nominations naming each other;
• joint long-term financial commitments, such as a mortgage, a home loan pre-approval or a long-term joint savings plan;
• birth certificates of children together and evidence of shared parenting;
• records of one partner caring for the other through illness, injury or a family crisis;
• evidence that each partner is part of the other's family life;
• a clear, documented explanation of any time apart, with contact and visits throughout; and
• a relationship statement and Form 888 supporting statements that match the documents.

Mutuality is the test

Mutuality runs through all of this. The Department's guidance frames the commitment aspect as an assessment of the mutuality of the commitment. Partner visa commitment evidence that shows only one partner's commitment, for example the Australian partner naming the applicant in a will but not the other way around, is weaker than evidence that runs in both directions. Couples should look at their evidence and ask whether it shows both of them making commitments to each other.

Quality over quantity

A larger file is not a stronger file. Decision makers have limited time, and an application with thousands of pages of unsorted material can hide the best partner visa commitment evidence. The better approach is to select the strongest documents for each point, label them clearly and refer to them in the relationship statement. Our article on the most common Subclass 820 refusal reasons shows how poorly organised evidence contributes to refusals.

How the Department may test commitment

The Department may test partner visa commitment evidence by asking for more information under section 56 of the Migration Act, by inviting the couple to an interview, or by putting adverse information to the couple for comment. Our guides to responding to a section 56 request for more information and to answering a natural justice letter for a partner visa explain those steps. When the Department raises a concern about commitment, the response should be targeted and supported by documents, not a general reassurance.

The onshore pathway is explained in our Subclass 820 visa service page, our Subclass 820 visa explainer and our guide to Subclass 820 requirements and documents. Couples who have not yet lodged an application can create their online account using our guide on how to create an ImmiAccount.

Updating partner visa commitment evidence for the permanent stage

Partner visa commitment evidence must be updated for the permanent stage, because the Department assesses whether the relationship is still genuine and continuing when it decides the permanent visa. The onshore and offshore partner visas are two-stage visas. The temporary Subclass 820 visa is decided first and the permanent Subclass 801 visa is assessed later, generally about two years after the combined application was lodged. Our article on the difference between Subclass 820 and Subclass 801 explains how the two stages connect.

For the Subclass 801 visa, the applicant must continue to be the spouse of the Australian partner. That means the Department looks again at all four aspects of the relationship, including the commitment aspect. Evidence that was strong at lodgement may be two or more years old by the time the permanent stage is assessed. It needs to be brought forward.

What updated commitment evidence should show

Updated partner visa commitment evidence should show that the commitment has continued and deepened since lodgement. Useful updates include:

• current superannuation and insurance statements still naming each other as beneficiaries;
• any new or updated wills;
• evidence of new joint commitments, such as a home purchase, a new lease, a joint loan or a car;
• birth certificates of any children born since lodgement;
• evidence of care given to each other since lodgement;
• evidence of family events attended together; and
• an updated account of the relationship covering the period since the first stage.

Where the couple has spent time apart since lodgement, the same approach applies as at the first stage: the reason, the contact, the visits and the plan to reunite.

Keeping evidence as you go

The simplest way to prepare partner visa commitment evidence for the permanent stage is to keep it as life happens. Couples who save statements, policy schedules, travel records and key documents every few months find the permanent stage far easier than couples who try to rebuild two years of evidence at the last minute.

Processing times and the permanent stage

Processing times affect how much updating is needed. As at October 2026, the Department's published processing time guide for the Partner visa (Subclass 820) shows 50% of applications processed in 22 months and 90% processed in 30 months. The Department updates these figures regularly. Our guides to current Subclass 820 processing times and to how long a partner visa 820 onshore takes explain the stages in more depth.

Changes in circumstances

If circumstances change during processing, for example a change of address, the birth of a child or a change in the relationship, the Department must be told. Our guide to Form 1022 change of circumstances explains when it is used. Where the relationship ends, different rules apply, and our article on what happens to a Subclass 820 application if the relationship breaks down and our family violence partner visa page explain them.

Onshore applicants usually hold a bridging visa while the first stage is processed. Our guides to bridging visas in Australia, the Bridging Visa A, the Bridging Visa B for travel and working while waiting for a Subclass 820 visa explain those arrangements. Travel records from a Bridging Visa B trip can themselves become partner visa commitment evidence when the couple travels together.

Common mistakes with partner visa commitment evidence

The most common mistakes with partner visa commitment evidence are treating it as an afterthought, splitting it into artificial separate statements, and providing material that does not match what the couple says. Each of these mistakes can be avoided before lodgement.

Writing separate statements for each aspect

Some couples write a financial statement, a household statement, a social statement and a commitment statement. The law does not require this, and the result is usually repetitive and unconvincing. There is one relationship statement. Commitment and future plans are covered inside it.

Relying on words instead of documents

A relationship statement full of feeling but without supporting documents is weak partner visa commitment evidence. Every important claim should be supported where a document reasonably exists.

Creating documents only for the application

Wills, joint accounts or insurance nominations created days before lodgement, with nothing earlier, can draw attention rather than reassure. Couples should take these steps because they are genuinely committed, and they should take them when it makes sense in their lives. If a document is recent, the relationship statement can explain why the couple made that decision when they did.

Ignoring time apart

Leaving a period of separation unexplained is one of the most damaging gaps in partner visa commitment evidence. Every period apart should be explained, with evidence of contact and a plan to reunite.

Inconsistent accounts

The two partners' accounts, the Form 888 supporting statements and the documents must agree on dates, places and events. Inconsistencies about how the couple met, when they moved in together or how they spent a period apart can lead the Department to doubt the whole relationship. Inconsistencies with forms such as the Form 80 personal particulars form also matter.

Forgetting the permanent stage

Some couples prepare strong partner visa commitment evidence at lodgement and then provide almost nothing new at the permanent stage. The relationship must still be shown to be genuine and continuing, and fresh evidence is expected.

Overlooking visa history

Commitment evidence does not cure a validity problem. Applicants whose visa carries a No Further Stay condition 8503, or who do not hold a substantive visa and must address the Schedule 3 criteria, need those issues dealt with first. Our Schedule 3 waivers page and our article on applying without a substantive visa explain them. Applicants with a previous refusal should read our guide to applying for a partner visa after a visa refusal.

What to do if the Department doubts the commitment

If the Department doubts the commitment, the couple should respond with targeted partner visa commitment evidence that answers the specific concern, within the time allowed. A concern raised during processing is an opportunity to fix a gap before a decision is made.

If a partner visa is refused because the decision maker was not satisfied about the relationship, review may be available at the Administrative Review Tribunal. Review deadlines are short and strictly applied, so couples should act as soon as a decision arrives. Our pages on partner visa refusals, partner visa appeal options, what to expect at an ART review and when you need a visa appeal lawyer explain the process. Our wider pages on visa refusals and visa cancellations cover related issues. Couples who already have a representative and want a fresh view can read about getting a second opinion from an immigration lawyer, and where time is short, our guide to urgent immigration lawyer advice explains what to prepare.

Getting help with partner visa commitment evidence where you live

My Migration Lawyers reviews partner visa commitment evidence for couples across Australia, and consultations are held by video. We act for couples in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, the Gold Coast, Canberra, Hobart and Parramatta. Couples whose situation also involves other visa issues can find our general immigration pages for Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, the Gold Coast, Canberra, Hobart and Parramatta.

Couples comparing representatives may find our guides on how to choose a partner visa lawyer in Australia, whether to use a migration agent or a lawyer for a partner visa, using a partner visa lawyer or doing it yourself, hiring a lawyer after lodging your own application, appointing a representative with Form 956 and what to expect from an immigration lawyer consultation useful.

How My Migration Lawyers helps with partner visa commitment evidence

My Migration Lawyers acts in many partner visa matters where the commitment aspect needs careful attention, and many of those matters are complex. They include couples who married soon after meeting, couples who spent long periods in different countries, couples with very different cultural or family backgrounds, couples whose families do not openly accept the relationship, couples with children from earlier relationships, and couples responding to a Department concern about commitment. The firm deals with complex cases as a regular part of its partner visa practice and is capable of handling them.

On partner visa commitment evidence, the firm's work follows clear steps. It reviews the couple's relationship history and identifies what the Department will look for under each part of the commitment aspect: duration, time living together, companionship and support, long-term intention, knowledge of each other and exclusivity. It identifies which documents the couple already holds, such as wills, superannuation and insurance nominations, joint commitments and records of care, and where gaps remain. Where the couple has spent time apart, it works with the couple to document the reason, the contact, the visits and the plan to reunite. It reviews the one relationship statement, which remains the couple's own account, reviewed and corrected by them, and checks that it matches the documents and the Form 888 supporting statements. It then presents the evidence in the form the law requires, organised so a decision maker can find the strongest material quickly.

The firm also prepares couples for the permanent stage, explaining what updated partner visa commitment evidence will be needed so it can be kept as life happens. Where the Department raises a concern, it prepares a targeted response. The work is led by Weiwei Zhang, Principal Lawyer. You can read more about My Migration Lawyers and our Australian immigration lawyers.

If you want your partner visa commitment evidence reviewed before you lodge, or before the permanent stage, book a consultation or call 1300 040 300.