Key Takeaways
- A partner visa double grant is the grant of the temporary Subclass 820 visa and the permanent Subclass 801 visa together, which happens when the couple was already in a long-term partner relationship on the day the application was made.
- The legal basis is subclause 801.221(6A) of the Migration Regulations 1994: a long-term partner relationship means at least three years together, or at least two years where there is a dependent child of both partners (a step-child does not count).
- The relationship length is measured at the time of application, not at the time of decision, so time that passes during processing never creates a partner visa double grant.
- The evidence must prove the relationship start date and cover the whole qualifying period across the four aspects of the relationship, with one consistent start date in every document.
- There is no separate form: the partner visa double grant claim is made at lodgement through accurate application answers, organised evidence and a written submission.
- If the requirements are not met, the application continues on the normal two-stage path, with the permanent stage assessed once two years have passed since the application was made.
A partner visa double grant happens when the Department of Home Affairs grants the temporary Subclass 820 visa and the permanent Subclass 801 visa together, one immediately after the other, instead of making the couple wait for a second stage. A partner visa double grant is not a separate visa and there is no separate form for it. It is the result of one specific rule in the Migration Regulations 1994: if the couple was already in a long-term partner relationship when the application was made, the usual two-year wait before the permanent visa does not apply.
This guide explains exactly when a partner visa double grant is available, the clause that creates it, the date on which the relationship length is measured, the evidence that proves it, how to ask the case officer to consider it, and what happens if the requirements are not met. For the wider picture of every partner pathway, see our complete guide to partner visas in Australia. For couples who want advice on their own facts, our partner visa lawyers assess eligibility for a partner visa double grant before anything is lodged.
What is a partner visa double grant?
A partner visa double grant is the grant of both stages of the onshore partner visa, the Subclass 820 temporary visa and the Subclass 801 permanent visa, at the same time, because the couple met the long-term partner relationship requirement when they applied. The couple receives permanent residence at the end of the first assessment instead of holding a temporary visa for about two years first.
How the onshore partner visa normally works
The onshore partner visa is one combined application for two visas. The couple lodges once, in ImmiAccount, and the Department charges one application charge for both stages. The Subclass 820 temporary partner visa is decided first. The Subclass 801 permanent visa is decided later, as the second stage of the same application. Our article on the difference between Subclass 820 and Subclass 801 explains how the two stages connect.
In most cases, paragraph 801.221(2)(d) of Schedule 2 to the Migration Regulations 1994 requires at least two years to have passed since the application was made before the Subclass 801 visa can be granted. That is why most couples hold the Subclass 820 visa for a period, and then provide updated evidence for the permanent stage.
What changes with a partner visa double grant
With a partner visa double grant, that two-year requirement is switched off. The case officer assesses the Subclass 820 visa, grants it, and then immediately assesses the Subclass 801 visa. If the Subclass 801 criteria are met, the permanent visa is granted straight away. The couple does not need to wait for the second stage, and the applicant becomes an Australian permanent resident at the end of the first decision.
The term "partner visa double grant" is not used in the legislation. It is the common description of this outcome. The legal wording is the "long-term partner relationship" exception. Understanding that wording is what allows a couple to work out whether a partner visa double grant is realistic for them. The offshore Subclass 309 and Subclass 100 pathway contains an equivalent long-term relationship rule in subclause 100.221(5), and the Subclass 309 visa page explains that pathway separately.
The legal basis for a partner visa double grant: subclause 801.221(6A)
The legal basis for a partner visa double grant is subclause 801.221(6A) of Schedule 2 to the Migration Regulations 1994, which provides that the two-year waiting requirement does not apply to an applicant who, at the time of making the application, was in a long-term partner relationship with the sponsoring partner. Everything else about a partner visa double grant follows from that one subclause and the definition it relies on.
The standard rule: two years must have passed
Clause 801.221 sets out the relationship criteria for the permanent Subclass 801 visa. The standard provision, subclause 801.221(2), requires the applicant to hold a Subclass 820 visa, to continue to be sponsored, to continue to be the spouse or partner of the sponsoring partner, and, under paragraph 801.221(2)(d), for at least two years to have passed since the application was made. The Department's policy for case officers states that in most cases applicants are not eligible for the Subclass 801 visa until at least two years after they lodged the application.
Paragraph 801.221(2)(d) is expressly "subject to subclauses (6A) and (7)". Subclause (6A) is the partner visa double grant rule. Subclause (7) deals with other situations, discussed later in this guide.
The exception: a long-term partner relationship at the time of application
Subclause 801.221(6A) qualifies the two-year requirement. The Department's policy describes the effect plainly: the requirement for two years to have passed does not apply to an applicant who, at the time of making the application, was in a long-term partner relationship with their sponsor.
"Long-term partner relationship" is defined in regulation 1.03 of the Migration Regulations 1994. According to the Department's policy, it means a relationship of not less than three years, or not less than two years if there is a dependent child, other than a step-child, of both the applicant and the sponsor. Those two periods are the core of every partner visa double grant assessment.
What the Department tells case officers to do
The Department's procedural instruction for the Subclass 801 visa states that under subclause 801.221(6A) the Subclass 801 visa can be granted immediately following grant of the Subclass 820 visa if the relationship was a long-term partner relationship when the application was made. It directs the case officer, where the applicant is otherwise eligible for the Subclass 820 visa and satisfies the long-term partner relationship criterion, to assess the Subclass 801 application immediately after granting the Subclass 820 visa, and to grant the Subclass 801 visa if the Schedule 2 criteria are satisfied.
In practical terms, a partner visa double grant is therefore part of the ordinary decision process. It is not a discretionary favour. If the facts meet the definition and the evidence proves those facts, the policy points the case officer towards granting both visas together. Our Subclass 820 visa explainer and our guide to Subclass 820 requirements and documents describe the first-stage criteria that must be met before the second stage is reached.
The Subclass 801 criteria still apply
Subclause 801.221(6A) removes the waiting period. It does not remove the other Subclass 801 criteria. The applicant must still hold the Subclass 820 visa, which happens at the moment it is granted. The applicant must still be sponsored and must still be the spouse or partner of the sponsoring partner. The public interest criteria for the permanent visa, including health and character, must also be satisfied. A partner visa double grant is the fastest route to permanent residence on the onshore pathway, but it is still a full legal assessment.
Who qualifies for a partner visa double grant?
An applicant qualifies for a partner visa double grant if, on the day the combined Subclass 820 and Subclass 801 application was made, the couple had been in their relationship for at least three years, or for at least two years where there is a dependent child of both partners, and all other criteria for both visas are met. There are only two qualifying routes, and each has a precise meaning.
Route one: three years in the relationship
The first route is a relationship of not less than three years at the time of application. This applies to every couple, whether married or not, and whether or not there are children. The three years must be three years of the relationship itself, as a couple in a genuine and continuing partner relationship. It is not three years since the couple first met, first spoke online or first went on a date.
For example, a couple who met in early 2021, began a committed relationship and moved in together in mid-2023, and lodged in early 2026, may not have a three-year relationship at lodgement, depending on when the relationship in the legal sense began. The start date is the critical fact, and it is explained in more detail below.
Route two: two years with a dependent child of the relationship
The second route is a relationship of not less than two years at the time of application, where there is a dependent child of both the applicant and the sponsor. The Department's policy expressly excludes a step-child. The child must be the child of both partners. A child of only one partner from a previous relationship does not shorten the period, even if the couple raises that child together.
The term "dependent child" is defined in regulation 1.03 of the Migration Regulations 1994. In general terms, it covers a child of the person who is not married or engaged and is not in a partner relationship, and who is either under 18 or, if older, dependent on the parent. For a partner visa double grant, the important point is that the child is a child of both partners and is a dependent child within that definition when the application is made.
Married and unmarried couples
Married couples and unmarried couples are treated the same way under subclause 801.221(6A). The definition refers to the relationship, not to the marriage. A married couple whose wedding took place one year before lodgement can still qualify for a partner visa double grant if the relationship as a whole had existed for three years at the time of application. Equally, a couple who has never married can qualify on the same basis.
Marriage does not shorten the required period, and a marriage certificate does not by itself prove the length of the relationship. Our guide to preparing evidence of a genuine relationship explains how married and unmarried couples document the history of the relationship.
Same-sex couples
Same-sex couples have access to the partner visa double grant on exactly the same terms as opposite-sex couples. The three-year and two-year periods are the same, and the evidence is assessed in the same way. Our page on partner visas for same-sex and LGBTI couples addresses practical issues that can arise where a relationship could not be openly acknowledged in a home country, which can affect how the start date is proved.
Applicants who are not eligible for the Subclass 820 visa
A partner visa double grant is only available to an applicant who is first eligible for the Subclass 820 visa. If the applicant cannot make a valid onshore application, for example because the current visa carries condition 8503, or cannot meet the Schedule 3 criteria where those criteria apply, the double grant question never arises. Our articles on whether you can apply for a Subclass 820 visa with condition 8503 and on the Schedule 3 criteria when applying while unlawful explain those threshold issues. Our Schedule 3 waiver service page and our guide to applying for a partner visa after a visa refusal cover applicants whose history makes the first stage itself the main question. Where the first stage is uncertain, the partner visa double grant is a secondary issue, and the threshold problem must be solved first.
When is the relationship length measured for a partner visa double grant?
The relationship length for a partner visa double grant is measured at the time the application is made, which is the date the combined Subclass 820 and Subclass 801 application is lodged. It is not measured at the date of decision. This single point decides more partner visa double grant outcomes than any other.
Why the decision date does not help
Many couples assume that, because processing takes a long time, the relationship will be three years old by the time the case officer looks at the file. That is correct as a matter of arithmetic, but it is legally irrelevant. Subclause 801.221(6A) asks whether the applicant was in a long-term partner relationship "at the time of making the application". A relationship that reaches three years during processing does not create a partner visa double grant.
This is the error most frequently repeated online. A couple who lodged at two years and ten months, with no child of the relationship, does not qualify for a partner visa double grant, even if the case officer decides the application when the relationship is four years old. The couple will follow the normal two-stage path.
Lodging a few weeks early can cost the double grant
Because the test is fixed at lodgement, the timing of lodgement is a legal decision. A couple who is close to the three-year mark, or close to the two-year mark with a child of the relationship, should consider whether waiting a short period before lodging would make them eligible for a partner visa double grant. The answer depends on the applicant's current visa, its expiry date and its conditions. An applicant whose visa is about to expire may not be able to wait, because the onshore application generally needs to be made while the applicant holds a visa that allows it.
Our article on moving from a tourist visa to a partner visa in Australia explains why visitors in particular need to check their visa before choosing a lodgement date, and our overview of bridging visas in Australia explains how the applicant stays lawful after a valid application is made.
Establishing the start date of the relationship
The relationship start date is the anchor for every partner visa double grant claim. It is the date from which the three-year or two-year period is counted. The Department will look at when the couple made a mutual commitment to a shared life, when they began living together or began a relationship in which they were not living separately and apart on a permanent basis, and how the relationship has been presented to family, friends and institutions since then.
Couples often give different start dates in different documents without realising it. One partner may treat the first date as the start. The other may treat the day they moved in together as the start. The application form may give a third date. Inconsistent start dates are a common reason why a case officer is not satisfied that the long-term partner relationship requirement was met at the time of application. A partner visa double grant claim should identify one start date, explain why that date is correct, and use it consistently in every document.
The child must exist at the time of application
For the two-year route, the dependent child of the relationship must exist when the application is made. A pregnancy at the time of lodgement does not satisfy the two-year route, because the definition requires a dependent child, and a child who is born after lodgement was not a child of the relationship at the time of application. A couple expecting a child and close to the two-year mark should obtain advice before lodging, because the order of events can decide whether a partner visa double grant is available.
What evidence proves the relationship length for a partner visa double grant?
The evidence that proves the relationship length for a partner visa double grant is evidence that shows the relationship existed as a genuine partner relationship from the claimed start date, continuously, up to the date of application, and, for the two-year route, evidence that a dependent child of both partners existed at that date. The burden is on the applicant. A case officer will not assume the length of the relationship from the couple's word alone.
Evidence of the start of the relationship
The most important partner visa double grant evidence relates to the beginning of the period. Documents created at or near the start date carry the most weight, because they were not prepared for the visa application. Useful examples include a lease or rental agreement in both names, utility accounts in both names, the opening of a joint bank account, correspondence addressed to both partners at the same address, travel bookings taken together, and messages or photographs that show the relationship was established at that time.
Where the couple lived in different places at the start, the evidence needs to show that the relationship nevertheless existed as a committed partner relationship from that date. Our guide to partner visa relationship evidence explains how a relationship conducted partly at a distance is usually documented.
Evidence across the four aspects of the relationship
The Department assesses every partner relationship by looking at four aspects set out in the regulations: the financial aspects of the relationship, the nature of the household, the social aspects of the relationship and the nature of the commitment. For a partner visa double grant, the evidence across those four aspects needs to cover the whole qualifying period, not only the months before lodgement.
A file that contains strong evidence for the last six months and very little for the first two years may prove that the relationship is genuine today, but it may not prove that it was a long-term partner relationship at the time of application. Spreading the evidence across the full period is the difference between an ordinary partner visa file and a partner visa double grant file. Our partner visa document checklist and our evidence checklist for the Subclass 820 visa list the types of documents usually provided under each aspect.
The relationship statement
Each partner provides one relationship statement in their own words. For a partner visa double grant, the statement should give the history of the relationship in date order, identify when and how the relationship became a committed partner relationship, explain where the couple has lived and when, and explain any periods apart. It should state the start date clearly and should match the start date given in the application form.
The statement is the couple's own evidence. It is not written by a representative. My Migration Lawyers reviews it for legal relevance and consistency with the documents, and the couple corrects it so that it is accurate. Our guide to the partner visa relationship statement explains what a strong statement covers.
Form 888 supporting statements
Form 888 supporting statements from people who know the couple can help prove how long the relationship has existed. A Form 888 supporting statement from someone who has known the couple since the beginning of the relationship, and who can describe specific events with approximate dates, is particularly useful for a partner visa double grant. A Form 888 supporting statement that only says the couple is "in a loving relationship" adds little on the question of length. Our guides to who can make a Form 888 and what it should say and to Form 888 example answers and common mistakes explain how these statements are prepared.
Evidence of the dependent child of the relationship
For the two-year route, the evidence must prove that the child is a child of both partners and is a dependent child within the regulation 1.03 definition. The usual evidence is the child's full birth certificate naming both partners as parents. Where the birth certificate does not name both parents, other evidence of parentage may be required. The evidence should also show the child's date of birth, so the case officer can see that the child existed when the application was made.
Periods apart and gaps in the evidence
Periods apart do not automatically break a relationship. Couples are sometimes separated by work, study, family obligations or visa restrictions. For a partner visa double grant, the question is whether the relationship continued as a committed partner relationship during the period apart. The evidence should show regular contact, financial support where relevant, visits, and a shared intention to resume living together.
A period during which the couple separated and later reconciled is different. If the relationship ended and later resumed, the case officer may count the long-term period only from the reconciliation. A couple with this history should obtain advice before relying on a partner visa double grant.
Consistency between every document
Consistency is critical to a partner visa double grant. The start date, addresses, living arrangements and periods apart must match across the application form, the sponsorship information, the relationship statements, the Form 888 supporting statements and any Form 80 the Department requests. Small inconsistencies invite questions. Larger inconsistencies can lead the case officer to doubt the claimed start date, and with it the claim to a partner visa double grant.
How to ask the case officer to consider a partner visa double grant
The way to ask the case officer to consider a partner visa double grant is to lodge the combined application with accurate relationship dates, evidence covering the whole qualifying period, and a written submission identifying subclause 801.221(6A) and showing how the long-term partner relationship requirement was met at the time of application. There is no separate application, form or charge for a partner visa double grant.
Complete the application form accurately
The application form asks for the date the relationship began and related relationship details. Those answers are the starting point of the case officer's assessment. They should be accurate, consistent with every supporting document, and consistent with the partner visa double grant claim. An answer given casually in the form can undermine a carefully prepared submission.
Lodge a written submission at lodgement
A written submission is not legally required, but it is the clearest way to place a partner visa double grant claim before the case officer. A well-prepared submission does four things. It identifies subclause 801.221(6A) and the regulation 1.03 definition of long-term partner relationship. It states the start date of the relationship and the date of application, and shows the period between them. It identifies the dependent child of the relationship, if the two-year route is relied on. It indexes the evidence by period, so the case officer can see the relationship at each point from the start date to the date of application.
Making the claim at lodgement matters. A case officer who sees the claim and the evidence on the first review of the file can assess the Subclass 801 application immediately after granting the Subclass 820 visa, as the Department's policy directs. A claim that is buried in a large bundle of unlabelled documents may not be identified.
Organise the evidence by period
For a partner visa double grant, evidence organised by date is easier to assess than evidence organised only by type. One useful approach is to present the evidence in date order within each of the four aspects, so that the earliest documents appear first and the case officer can see continuity. Another is a short chronology of key events, cross-referenced to the documents. Either approach helps the case officer confirm that the relationship had reached the required length at the date of application.
Respond carefully to any request for more information
If the case officer asks for more information under section 56 of the Migration Act 1958, the response is an opportunity to strengthen the partner visa double grant claim. The response should answer the request fully and, where relevant, add further evidence of the early period of the relationship. Our guide to responding to a section 56 request explains how to approach these requests, and our guide to responding to a section 57 natural justice letter explains what to do if adverse information is put to the applicant.
Keep the Department informed of changes
Applicants must notify the Department of relevant changes in circumstances during processing, including a change of address or a change in the relationship. Changes are notified using Form 1022. The birth of a child after lodgement should also be notified, although it will not create a partner visa double grant on the two-year route if the child was born after the application was made.
What else must be met before a partner visa double grant?
Before a partner visa double grant can be made, the applicant must meet every criterion for the Subclass 820 visa and every criterion for the Subclass 801 visa except the two-year waiting period. The long-term partner relationship rule shortens the timing. It does not lower the standard.
The Subclass 820 criteria come first
The case officer must first be satisfied that the applicant meets the Subclass 820 criteria. These include a valid application, a genuine and continuing relationship with an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen who sponsors the applicant, and the public interest criteria. Our comprehensive Subclass 820 partner visa guide covers these requirements. Only once the Subclass 820 visa is granted can the partner visa double grant follow.
The relationship must still exist at the time of decision
The Subclass 801 criteria require the applicant to continue to be the spouse or partner of the sponsoring partner at the time of decision. The Department's policy describes this as a fresh assessment based on the evidence before the case officer at the time of decision. A partner visa double grant is therefore assessed on two dates at once: the relationship length at the time of application, and the continuing relationship at the time of decision. Couples should update the evidence before a decision is likely, particularly where processing has taken a long time.
If the relationship has ended before the decision, a partner visa double grant is not available. Our article on what happens to a Subclass 820 application when the relationship breaks down explains the position.
Health and character
The Subclass 801 visa requires the applicant to satisfy public interest criteria including health and character. In a partner visa double grant, these are assessed for the permanent visa at the same time as, or immediately after, the temporary visa. Health examinations and police certificates must be current when the decision is made. A police certificate that has expired during processing may need to be replaced before a partner visa double grant can be made.
Secondary applicants
Dependent children who are included in the application as secondary applicants must also meet the relevant criteria. Under the Subclass 801 secondary criteria, a family member cannot be granted the permanent visa until the primary applicant has been granted it. In a partner visa double grant, the family members' visas generally follow the primary applicant's grants in the same decision process.
Partner visa double grant and processing times
A partner visa double grant does not speed up the first decision. It removes the second stage. The Department of Home Affairs publishes a visa processing times guide. As at October 2026, the Department's published guide figure for the Partner visa (Subclass 820) is that 50% of applications are processed in 22 months and 90% are processed in 30 months. The Department updates these figures regularly, so the current guide should be checked before relying on them. Our article on Subclass 820 processing times and our guide to how long the onshore partner visa takes explain how to read the processing guide.
Why the two-year clock still matters when processing is slow
The two-year waiting period in paragraph 801.221(2)(d) runs from the date the application was made, not from the date of the Subclass 820 grant. When the Subclass 820 stage takes close to two years, the applicant who does not qualify for a partner visa double grant may become eligible to be assessed for the permanent visa relatively soon after the Subclass 820 grant. This is an important point that is often missed.
That does not make the partner visa double grant unimportant. The permanent stage still requires a further assessment, further evidence and a further decision, and that second assessment takes its own time. A partner visa double grant removes that second assessment altogether. The applicant receives permanent residence at the end of the first decision, with no second stage to prepare for, no second round of police certificates and no second period of uncertainty.
Working and living in Australia while waiting
While the combined application is processed, an onshore applicant who held a substantive visa at lodgement is usually granted a Bridging Visa A. The Department's policy states that Subclass 820 and Subclass 801 applicants who are eligible for an associated Bridging Visa A or Bridging Visa B are granted that bridging visa with no conditions imposed. Our article on working while waiting for a Subclass 820 visa explains the position. An applicant who needs to travel during processing usually needs a Bridging Visa B granted before departure.
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What happens if the partner visa double grant requirements are not met?
If the partner visa double grant requirements are not met, the application does not fail for that reason. The case officer grants the Subclass 820 visa if its criteria are met, and the Subclass 801 application remains part of the same combined application, to be assessed on the normal two-stage path once at least two years have passed since the application was made.
The normal two-stage path
On the normal path, the applicant holds the Subclass 820 visa after it is granted. The Subclass 820 visa allows the holder to stay in Australia until the permanent visa is decided, to work and study, and to travel in and out of Australia. When the applicant becomes eligible for the permanent stage, the Department asks for updated information and evidence that the relationship is continuing. The applicant uploads that information in ImmiAccount, and the case officer then decides the Subclass 801 visa.
A couple who claimed a partner visa double grant and did not receive it is not penalised. The claim simply did not succeed, and the application continues on the normal path. However, a claim that is inconsistent with the evidence, for example a start date that the documents do not support, can raise doubts about the relationship generally. That is a reason to make the partner visa double grant claim carefully and accurately, not a reason to avoid making it.
Preparing for the second stage
Couples on the normal path should keep collecting evidence of the relationship throughout the temporary period, across all four aspects of the relationship. They should keep their contact details current, respond to the Department's correspondence promptly and prepare updated police certificates when they are requested. Our guide to why partner visas get refused and our analysis of the most common Subclass 820 refusal reasons explain the problems that most often arise.
If a partner visa is refused
A refusal of a Subclass 820 or Subclass 801 visa made in Australia is generally reviewable by the Administrative Review Tribunal. Review deadlines are short and strictly applied, so a couple who receives a refusal should act immediately. Our pages on partner visa refusals, partner visa appeal options and what to expect at an ART review explain the process, and our visa appeal lawyer guide explains when legal representation helps. Our general visa refusals service covers refusals of other visas that sometimes affect a partner visa application.
Other ways the permanent visa can be granted early
Apart from the partner visa double grant, the Subclass 801 criteria allow the permanent visa to be granted within the two-year period in a small number of other situations, but these are different provisions with different purposes. They are not a partner visa double grant, because they apply after the relationship has ended or the sponsor has died, rather than because the relationship was long-term at lodgement.
Where the sponsor has died
Subclause 801.221(5) applies where the sponsoring partner has died since the Subclass 820 visa was granted. The applicant must show that the relationship would have continued if the sponsor had not died, and must have developed close business, cultural or personal ties in Australia. The applicant is not required to wait two years.
Where the relationship has ended and family violence or child arrangements are involved
Subclause 801.221(6) applies where the relationship has ended since the Subclass 820 visa was granted, and either the applicant or a relevant child has suffered family violence committed by the sponsoring partner, or there are custody, access or maintenance arrangements for a child of the kind described in the clause. Under subclause 801.221(7), the permanent visa can be granted at any time within the two-year period in these cases. Our page on family violence and partner visas explains these provisions.
These provisions protect applicants whose circumstances have changed. The partner visa double grant is different, because it rewards a relationship that was already long-term on the day the couple applied.
Partner visa double grant myths
Several myths about the partner visa double grant are repeated online and in conversations between applicants. Each one can lead a couple to lodge at the wrong time, prepare the wrong evidence or form the wrong expectations.
Myth: the relationship only needs to be three years old when the case officer decides
This is wrong. The long-term partner relationship must exist at the time the application is made. Time that passes during processing does not count towards a partner visa double grant. This is the most important correction in this guide.
Myth: the length of the marriage is what counts
This is wrong. The definition refers to the relationship, not to the marriage. A couple who married recently but has been in a committed relationship for more than three years at lodgement can qualify. A couple who has been married for three years but whose relationship began on the wedding day needs the full three years from that date.
Myth: a partner visa double grant needs a separate application or form
This is wrong. A partner visa double grant is an outcome of the combined Subclass 820 and Subclass 801 application. There is no separate application, form or charge. What matters is that the claim is made clearly and supported by evidence when the application is lodged.
Myth: any child the couple raises shortens the period to two years
This is wrong. The child must be a dependent child of both the applicant and the sponsor. The Department's policy expressly excludes a step-child. A child of only one partner does not satisfy the two-year route.
Myth: a pregnancy at lodgement is enough
This is wrong. The two-year route requires a dependent child of the relationship. A child who is born after the application was made did not exist at the time of application. A couple in this position may still qualify on the three-year route, or may follow the normal path.
Myth: a partner visa double grant is automatic once the dates are met
This is wrong. A partner visa double grant depends on the case officer being satisfied, on the evidence, that the long-term partner relationship existed at the time of application and that every other criterion for both visas is met. A claim made without evidence of the early period of the relationship may not succeed.
Myth: a partner visa double grant means the relationship is assessed less closely
This is wrong. The relationship is assessed with the same care. In practice, the case officer looks at a longer period of the relationship, because the claim depends on its history as well as its present state.
Myth: the double grant is only for married couples
This is wrong. Married and unmarried couples, and same-sex and opposite-sex couples, have access to the partner visa double grant on the same terms.
Getting advice on a partner visa double grant anywhere in Australia
My Migration Lawyers advises couples across Australia on partner visa double grant eligibility, and consultations are held by video. The law is the same in every state and territory, but many couples prefer advice that reflects where they live. We act for couples in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, the Gold Coast, Canberra, Hobart and Parramatta.
Couples whose circumstances involve other visa issues can find our general immigration pages for Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, the Gold Coast, Canberra, Hobart and Parramatta.
Couples who want to understand what a lawyer does on a partner visa double grant claim can read our partner visa lawyer guide and our explainer on what an immigration lawyer does and when you need one. Couples comparing representatives may find our guides on how to choose a partner visa lawyer in Australia, when you need an immigration lawyer for a partner visa, the difference between a migration agent and a lawyer for a partner visa and using a partner visa lawyer compared with applying yourself useful. Couples who have already lodged their own application and now want to raise a partner visa double grant claim can read our guide to hiring an immigration lawyer after lodging your own visa application, and our article on appointing a representative using Form 956 explains how a lawyer is added to an existing application. Our guide to booking an immigration lawyer consultation explains what to prepare.
How My Migration Lawyers helps couples secure a partner visa double grant
My Migration Lawyers acts in many onshore partner visa matters in which the couple's relationship is long-term at lodgement and a partner visa double grant is in issue, and the firm deals with complex cases as a regular part of its partner visa practice. These include couples whose relationship start date is difficult to document, couples who spent long periods apart, couples relying on the two-year route with a child of the relationship, applicants with complicated visa histories, and couples who have already lodged without making the claim. The firm is capable of handling these matters from first advice to decision.
Before anything is lodged, the firm works out whether a partner visa double grant is available. It identifies the relationship start date from the couple's own account and documents, calculates the period to the proposed lodgement date, and checks whether the three-year route or the two-year route applies. Where the couple is close to a qualifying date, the firm advises in writing whether waiting is legally possible given the applicant's current visa, its expiry date and its conditions, and what the couple gains or risks by waiting.
The firm then reviews the evidence for the whole qualifying period across the four aspects of the relationship, identifies gaps in the early period, and advises the couple on the documents that can fill them. The relationship statements remain the couple's own evidence, reviewed and corrected by them, and the firm presents their account and evidence in the form the law requires. The firm prepares a written submission at lodgement identifying subclause 801.221(6A), the regulation 1.03 definition and the evidence for each period, and it handles any later requests from the Department so that the partner visa double grant claim stays consistent throughout.
Our work is led by Weiwei Zhang, Principal Lawyer. You can read more about My Migration Lawyers, our Subclass 820 visa service and our partner visa lawyers, or contact the firm.
If you believe your relationship may qualify for a partner visa double grant, the time to check is before the application is lodged. Book a consultation or call 1300 040 300.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a partner visa double grant?
A partner visa double grant is the grant of the temporary Subclass 820 visa and the permanent Subclass 801 visa together, one immediately after the other. It happens when the couple was already in a long-term partner relationship on the day the combined application was made. In that case, subclause 801.221(6A) of the Migration Regulations 1994 removes the usual requirement for two years to pass before the permanent visa is granted, so the applicant becomes a permanent resident at the end of the first decision.
How long do we need to be together to get a partner visa double grant?
You need to have been in the relationship for at least three years on the day the application is made. The period is at least two years if there is a dependent child of both you and your partner at that date. A step-child does not count. The period is the length of the relationship as a committed couple, not the time since you first met, and not the length of the marriage alone.
Is the relationship length measured at application or at decision?
The relationship length is measured at the time of application. Subclause 801.221(6A) asks whether the applicant was in a long-term partner relationship at the time of making the application. Time that passes while the application is being processed does not count. A couple who lodges a few months short of three years, without a child of the relationship, does not qualify for a partner visa double grant, even if the relationship is four years old when the case officer makes the decision.
Do we need to apply separately for a partner visa double grant?
No. There is no separate application, form or charge for a partner visa double grant. It is an outcome of the combined Subclass 820 and Subclass 801 application. The claim should be made at lodgement by giving an accurate relationship start date in the application form, providing evidence that covers the whole qualifying period, and including a written submission that identifies subclause 801.221(6A) and explains how the long-term partner relationship requirement was met.
Does a step-child count for the two-year partner visa double grant rule?
No. The Department's policy states that the two-year period applies where there is a dependent child, other than a step-child, of both the applicant and the sponsor. A child of only one partner from a previous relationship does not shorten the required period, even if the couple has raised the child together for many years. A couple in that position needs a relationship of at least three years at the time of application to qualify for a partner visa double grant.
Does being pregnant when we apply count as having a child?
No. The two-year route requires a dependent child of the relationship at the time the application is made. A child who is born after lodgement was not a child of the relationship on that date. A couple who is expecting a child and is close to the two-year mark should obtain advice about timing before lodging. If the relationship is already three years old at lodgement, the three-year route may apply instead.
Can married couples who married recently still get a partner visa double grant?
Yes. The long-term partner relationship test looks at the length of the relationship, not the length of the marriage. A couple who married last year but has been in a committed relationship for at least three years at the date of application can qualify. The evidence must prove when the relationship began, because the wedding date alone does not show how long the couple has been together.
Can same-sex couples get a partner visa double grant?
Yes. Same-sex couples have access to the partner visa double grant on exactly the same terms as opposite-sex couples. The required periods of three years, or two years with a dependent child of both partners, are the same. The evidence is assessed in the same way, across the same four aspects of the relationship. Where the relationship could not be openly acknowledged in a home country, the evidence of the start date may need careful explanation.
What evidence proves the relationship length for a partner visa double grant?
The strongest evidence is created at or near the start of the relationship and continues through to the date of application. Examples include leases and utility accounts in both names, joint bank accounts, shared travel bookings and correspondence to both partners at the same address. Each partner's relationship statement should give one clear start date. Form 888 supporting statements from people who have known the couple since early in the relationship can also help prove its length.
Is a partner visa double grant automatic if we meet the time requirement?
No. The case officer must be satisfied, on the evidence, that the long-term partner relationship existed at the time of application. The applicant must also meet every other requirement for both the Subclass 820 and Subclass 801 visas, including health and character, and must still be in the relationship when the decision is made. A partner visa double grant claim without evidence of the early period of the relationship may not succeed.
What happens if we do not qualify for a partner visa double grant?
The application continues on the normal two-stage path. If the Subclass 820 criteria are met, the temporary visa is granted. The Subclass 801 permanent visa is then assessed once at least two years have passed since the application was made. At that point, the Department asks for updated information and evidence that the relationship is continuing. Not qualifying for the double grant is not, by itself, a reason for refusal.
Does a partner visa double grant make processing faster?
It does not speed up the first decision, but it removes the second stage. As at October 2026, the Department's published guide figure for the Subclass 820 visa is that 50% of applications are processed in 22 months and 90% in 30 months, and the Department updates these figures regularly. With a partner visa double grant, the permanent visa is granted at the end of that first decision, so there is no second assessment to wait for.
Can I ask for a partner visa double grant after I have already lodged?
Yes, if the relationship was already long-term on the day the application was made. The test is fixed at the date of application, so a couple who qualified at lodgement but did not make the claim clearly can still provide a submission and evidence before the decision. The claim should be consistent with the answers already given in the application form. Any inconsistency in the start date should be explained, not ignored.
Does the relationship still need to be ongoing for a partner visa double grant?
Yes. The applicant must still be the spouse or partner of the sponsoring partner when the Subclass 801 decision is made. The Department's policy describes this as a fresh assessment based on the evidence at the time of decision. A partner visa double grant is therefore assessed on two dates: the relationship length at the time of application, and the continuing relationship at the time of decision.
Do periods apart stop us qualifying for a partner visa double grant?
Not necessarily. Periods apart for work, study, family obligations or visa reasons do not automatically break a relationship. The evidence must show that the relationship continued as a committed partner relationship during the separation, through regular contact, visits, financial support and a shared plan to live together again. If the relationship ended and later resumed, the long-term period may be counted only from the reconciliation.
Are both partner visas granted on the same day in a partner visa double grant?
Usually, yes, or very close to it. The Department's policy directs the case officer, where the long-term partner relationship criterion is met, to assess the Subclass 801 application immediately after granting the Subclass 820 visa, and to grant it if the criteria are satisfied. The applicant therefore normally receives two grant notices in quick succession. The Subclass 801 visa is a permanent visa and replaces the Subclass 820 visa once granted.
Weiwei Zhang is the Principal Lawyer and Managing Director of My Migration Lawyers. My Migration Lawyers is one of Australia's leading immigration law firms, dedicated exclusively to Australian immigration law. The firm represents individuals, families and businesses across all areas of migration law, with particular expertise in complex immigration matters, Partner Visas, Protection Visas, corporate migration, visa refusals, Administrative Review Tribunal reviews, judicial reviews and visa cancellations.
