Australian Partner Visa for Egyptian Citizens

What is a partner visa for Egyptian citizens?

A partner visa for Egyptian citizens is the ordinary Australian partner visa, applied for by an Egyptian national who is married to, or in a de facto relationship with, an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen. There is no separate visa for Egyptian citizens. The law, the criteria and the government charge are the same for every nationality. What changes is the evidence. A partner visa for Egyptian citizens is built on Egyptian civil documents, an Egyptian marriage contract in most cases, Arabic translations, an Egyptian criminal record certificate and relationship evidence that reflects how Egyptian families introduce, engage and marry couples.

This guide explains how Australian partner visa requirements apply to Egyptian documents and Egyptian relationship patterns. It is written for the Egyptian partner and for the Australian partner, who is usually the sponsor and, for offshore applications, usually the person who instructs the firm. For the general rules that apply to all couples, read the complete guide to partner visas in Australia. For advice on a particular file, speak with our partner visa lawyers.

The reason a partner visa for Egyptian citizens deserves its own guide is practical. Decision makers do not refuse applications because the applicant is Egyptian. They refuse applications because a marriage cannot be recognised, a previous divorce is not proved, a translation does not match the original, a document cannot be verified, or the relationship evidence does not show a genuine and continuing relationship. Each of those problems has a recognisable Egyptian form, and each can usually be dealt with before lodgement if it is identified early.

What the Department must be satisfied of

Every partner visa for Egyptian citizens turns on the same core question. The Department must be satisfied that the couple are spouses or de facto partners within the meaning of sections 5F and 5CB of the Migration Act 1958, that they have a mutual commitment to a shared life to the exclusion of all others, that the relationship is genuine and continuing, and that they live together or do not live separately and apart on a permanent basis. For a married couple, the marriage must also be a valid marriage for the purposes of the Act. That last requirement is where Egyptian marriage law and Australian law meet, and it is discussed in detail later in this article. The partner visa relationship evidence guide explains how the genuineness test is applied in general.

Which pathway suits a partner visa for Egyptian citizens?

The right pathway for a partner visa for Egyptian citizens depends on where the Egyptian partner is when the application is lodged and whether the couple are married, in a de facto relationship or engaged. An Egyptian partner in Australia usually applies for the combined Subclass 820 and Subclass 801 visa. An Egyptian partner outside Australia usually applies for the combined Subclass 309 and Subclass 100 visa. An engaged couple who intend to marry in Australia may consider the Subclass 300 prospective marriage visa.

Onshore: Subclass 820 and Subclass 801

The Subclass 820 onshore partner visa is the temporary first stage, and the Subclass 801 is the permanent second stage. Both are applied for together, and one government charge covers both stages. The Subclass 820 vs Subclass 801 explainer sets out how the stages fit together, and the Subclass 820 visa guide covers the documents and process. An Egyptian partner in Australia must be able to make a valid application in Australia. That depends on the visa they hold, any conditions on it and their visa history, which is discussed in the next section.

Offshore: Subclass 309 and Subclass 100

When the Egyptian partner is in Egypt or another country, the application is for the Subclass 309 offshore partner visa, with the permanent Subclass 100 as the second stage. The application is lodged online. Nobody posts an application from Cairo. In practice, the person who usually contacts My Migration Lawyers about an offshore partner visa for Egyptian citizens is the Australian partner, who is also the sponsor. The Australian partner gathers the Australian evidence, coordinates the Egyptian documents with the Egyptian partner and their family, and is the person who applies for review if a Subclass 309 is refused while the Egyptian partner is outside Australia.

Engaged couples: Subclass 300

The Subclass 300 prospective marriage visa is for a couple who have met in person, intend to marry, and plan to marry in Australia within the visa period. Egyptian couples need to take care here. In Egypt, the signing and registration of the marriage contract is commonly the legal marriage, even if the wedding celebration and the start of married life happen later. A couple who have already signed and registered an Egyptian marriage contract are usually already married. Applying for a prospective marriage visa on the basis that they are "only engaged" can produce an application that describes the relationship incorrectly. The couple should obtain advice on their actual marital status before choosing between a Subclass 300 and a spouse application.

The government charge as at October 2026

As at October 2026, the partner visa application charge published by the Department of Home Affairs starts from AUD 11,710 for most applicants, and from AUD 1,955 for Subclass 300 holders who apply for the partner visa in Australia. One charge covers both stages of the combined application. Charges are reviewed each 1 July. The Department's page also states that a lower charge applies from 1 July 2026 to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens, which does not apply to a partner visa for Egyptian citizens. Police certificates, health examinations, translations, document authentication and biometrics are extra costs. The article on what a Subclass 820 partner visa costs explains each charge.

Married or de facto

Most Egyptian couples who apply are married, because a relationship in Egypt usually moves from family introduction to engagement to the marriage contract. Some couples, particularly those who met in Australia, apply as de facto partners. A de facto relationship generally needs 12 months of relationship before the application, unless an exception applies, such as registration of the relationship in an Australian state or territory. The article on the de facto partner visa and the 12-month rule and the guide on whether 12 months is really needed for a Subclass 820 explain the rules. A de facto pathway can also matter where an Egyptian marriage cannot be recognised, as explained later.

Egyptian citizens already in Australia: visitor, student and other visas

An Egyptian citizen in Australia can generally apply onshore for a partner visa if they hold a substantive visa without a no further stay condition and have no refusal history that triggers section 48. Problems arise where the visitor visa carries condition 8503, where the Egyptian partner has no substantive visa, or where a previous visa was refused or cancelled since the last arrival. These checks must be done before a partner visa for Egyptian citizens is lodged in Australia, because a mistake at this stage can make the application invalid.

Visitor visas and condition 8503

Many Egyptian partners first come to Australia on a visitor visa to meet the Australian partner's family or to spend time together. Many visitor visas carry condition 8503 (No Further Stay). A person whose visa carries condition 8503 cannot make a valid application for most substantive visas in Australia, including a partner visa, unless the condition is waived. A waiver is only available in limited circumstances. The article on the Subclass 820 visa and condition 8503 explains the waiver rules, and the tourist visa to partner visa guide lists what should be checked before the couple decide to apply onshore.

A couple who plan to marry during a visit should also be careful about what the Egyptian partner said in the visitor visa application. If the visitor application described the purpose of travel as tourism and the couple married within days of arrival, the decision maker may ask questions. The answer is not to hide the plan. The answer is to make sure the visitor application and the later partner visa for Egyptian citizens tell the same true story.

Student visas

Egyptian students in Australia who form a relationship can usually lodge a partner visa for Egyptian citizens onshore while their student visa is in force, provided no condition prevents it. The partner application, once valid, normally gives a bridging visa that takes effect when the student visa ends. The bridging visas in Australia guide and the article on Bridging visa A work rights explain how this works, and the guide on working while a Subclass 820 is processed covers work conditions. Travel back to Egypt during processing usually needs a Bridging visa B.

No substantive visa: Schedule 3

An Egyptian partner who does not hold a substantive visa when the application is lodged, for example because a visitor or student visa has expired, faces Schedule 3 criteria 3001, 3003 and 3004. These criteria can be waived only where there are compelling reasons. The articles on Schedule 3 criteria for partner visas and the Schedule 3 partner visa waiver explain the test, and our Schedule 3 waiver service page explains how My Migration Lawyers acts in these matters.

A previous refusal: section 48

Section 48 of the Migration Act 1958 limits onshore applications by a person without a substantive visa who has had a visa refused or cancelled since last entering Australia. A partner visa is one of the visas that can still be applied for, but extra validity rules apply. One of them requires two statutory declarations from Australian citizens, permanent residents or eligible New Zealand citizens, made no more than 6 weeks before lodgement, under subparagraph 1124B(3)(e)(iii) of Schedule 1 to the Migration Regulations 1994. Form 888 statements do not satisfy that rule. The partner visa after a visa refusal guide covers the strategy for these applicants, and our Visa Cancellations page deals with cancellation histories.

The Egyptian partner's visa history

An Egyptian partner may have applied for Australian visas before, sometimes years earlier and sometimes through an agent. Earlier answers about marital status, employment and family members will be on the Department's records. My Migration Lawyers obtains that visa history itself, so the couple do not need to search for old application forms or grant notices. What matters is that the new partner visa for Egyptian citizens is consistent with what was said before, or that any difference is explained honestly.

Egyptian marriage contracts: how marriages are registered in Egypt

An Egyptian marriage is usually evidenced by a written marriage contract that is registered with the Egyptian authorities, and for a partner visa for Egyptian citizens the registered marriage certificate or contract is the primary evidence of the marriage. How the marriage was formed depends on the religion of the parties and whether one of them is a foreign national. The Department will look at the document, the date it records and whether the marriage it records can be recognised under Australian law.

Marriages registered by an authorised registrar (ma'zoun)

Marriages between Muslim Egyptian nationals are commonly concluded before an authorised marriage registrar, known as a ma'zoun, who records the marriage contract and registers it. The contract records the names of the parties, the date of the contract, the witnesses and other details, often including the mahr (the marriage gift payable to the wife) and the wife's guardian or representative. A partner visa for Egyptian citizens that relies on a ma'zoun-registered marriage should include the registered document and an accurate English translation of the whole document, not only the first page.

Christian marriages

Egyptian Christian marriages are commonly performed by the church and then registered with the civil authorities. The document relied on should be the document that shows the marriage is registered, together with any church certificate the couple hold. Where the couple have a church document only, they should obtain advice on whether further civil registration evidence is needed before the partner visa for Egyptian citizens is lodged.

Marriages between an Egyptian and a foreign national

Where one party is not Egyptian, the process is different. The Australian Embassy in Cairo states that, under Egyptian law, non-Egyptians who wish to undertake a legal marriage in Egypt need to conduct a civil marriage at the Foreigners' Marriage Office at the Ministry of Justice. An Australian citizen marrying in Egypt usually needs a Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage from the Australian Embassy, which must then be authenticated by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For an Australian partner who is not Egyptian, the marriage certificate from the Foreigners' Marriage Office is usually the key document. An Australian partner who is also an Egyptian citizen may marry through the Egyptian process instead, and the couple should be clear about which process was used.

The contract date and the celebration date

Egyptian couples often have several events: a family agreement, a formal engagement, the signing of the marriage contract, and later a wedding celebration after which the couple begin living together. These events can be months apart. For a partner visa for Egyptian citizens, the date of marriage is the date on the registered contract or certificate. It is not the date of the wedding party. Forms, the relationship statement and Form 888 statements must use the contract date for the marriage, and should explain the other events separately and accurately. An application that gives the wedding party date as the marriage date, while the certificate shows an earlier date, creates an inconsistency that a decision maker will notice.

Why the period between contract and celebration matters

Some Egyptian couples sign the marriage contract and then live apart, each with their own family, until the celebration. That is a recognised cultural pattern. It also means that, for part of the marriage, the couple may not have lived together. The relationship statement should explain this honestly, including why the couple lived apart and how the relationship developed during that time. The partner visa relationship statement guide explains how to describe the history of the relationship.

Is an Egyptian marriage valid for an Australian partner visa?

Yes, an Egyptian marriage is generally recognised for an Australian partner visa if it was valid under Egyptian law when it was made and it is not excluded from recognition under Australian law. Section 12 of the Migration Act 1958 applies Part VA of the Marriage Act 1961, without section 88E, to decide whether a foreign marriage is valid for the purposes of the Act. Certain marriages are excluded even if they were valid in Egypt.

What Australian law will not recognise

The Department's policy on assessing married relationships states that some marriages that may be recognised in the country where they were solemnised are not recognised for the purposes of the Migration Act. These include certain polygamous marriages, marriages between persons within a prohibited degree of relationship, and certain underage marriages. Foreign marriages where the consent of either party was not real consent are also not recognised. Real consent is not given where consent was obtained by duress or fraud, where a party was mistaken about the identity of the other party or the nature of the ceremony, or where a party did not understand the nature and effect of the ceremony.

Marriages between cousins are not prohibited under the Marriage Act, so a cousin marriage registered in Egypt can be capable of recognition. Arranged marriages are also capable of recognition, provided both parties gave real consent. What the Department examines is consent, not who first introduced the couple. A partner visa for Egyptian citizens based on an arranged marriage should show, in the couple's own words, that each of them chose to marry.

Polygamous marriages: only the first marriage counts

Egyptian law permits a man to have more than one wife in some circumstances. Australian law does not recognise a polygamous marriage as a valid marriage for a partner visa except in a narrow sense. The Department's policy states that only the first marriage in polygamous marital situations is capable of being recognised as a valid marriage under the Act. It also states that where either party has a concurrent polygamous marital relationship, neither party can satisfy the requirement of a mutual commitment to a shared life to the exclusion of all others.

The policy goes further. A second marriage that took place before the first marriage ended is not a valid marriage under the Act, even if the first spouse later dies or the first marriage later ends in divorce. The later ending of the first marriage does not change the non-recognition of the second. In that situation, the parties to the surviving relationship may be able to apply as de facto partners, provided theirs is the only ongoing partner relationship. For a partner visa for Egyptian citizens, this means a previous marriage of either party, and the date it ended, must be checked against the date of the current marriage contract before anything is lodged.

Proxy marriages and guardians

In some marriages a party is represented at the contract by another person. The Department's policy states that a proxy marriage may be recognised if the law of the country where it was solemnised permits consent by proxy, the marriage was solemnised in accordance with that law, and both parties gave real consent. Where a guardian or representative signed an Egyptian marriage contract for a party, the couple should be ready to show that the party consented. The partner visa document checklist lists the marriage evidence the Department usually expects.

Marrying in Australia instead

Some Egyptian couples marry in Australia under the Marriage Act 1961, with or without a religious ceremony as well. An Australian marriage certificate issued by the state or territory registry is the evidence of that marriage. A couple who hold a Subclass 300 visa must marry within the visa period before applying for the onshore partner visa. A couple who also sign an Egyptian marriage contract after an Australian marriage should make sure both dates are disclosed and explained.

Previous marriages and divorce records

Where either partner was married before, a partner visa for Egyptian citizens must prove that the earlier marriage ended before the current marriage was entered into, usually by a registered divorce document or a death certificate. In Egypt, divorce can occur in more than one way, and the Department may look closely at whether the divorce is one that Australian law recognises.

Egyptian divorce documents

Egyptian divorces may be recorded as a divorce registered by a ma'zoun, or as a court judgment, including a judgment in proceedings brought by the wife. The document relied on should be the registered divorce certificate or the final court judgment, together with a full English translation. A verbal or informal divorce that was never registered is unlikely to be accepted as proof that the earlier marriage ended. If the divorce was registered late, both the date of the divorce and the date of registration should be explained.

When Australia recognises a foreign divorce

The Department's policy states that, under section 104 of the Family Law Act 1975, Australia will recognise an overseas divorce if it was effected in accordance with the law of that country and, in general terms, at least one party had a specified connection with that country when the proceedings began, such as domicile or nationality. The policy notes that questions of validity arise most often where a party travelled to a country for a short visit to obtain a divorce, or where the divorce was granted only under customary or religious practices. Where a divorce is in doubt, the Department assesses validity under Australian law, and the couple should obtain advice before relying on it.

When the Australian sponsor was divorced in Australia

An Australian partner who was divorced in Australia should provide the divorce order and evidence of the date it took effect. A divorce order in Australia generally takes effect one month and one day after it is granted. An Australian partner who wishes to marry in Egypt should also allow for Egyptian requirements. The Australian Embassy in Cairo notes that, under Sharia law, a divorced woman can only remarry after three months from the date her divorce became absolute. A marriage contract signed in breach of the rules that apply in Egypt may create a validity problem that is difficult to correct later.

Sponsorship limitations

If the Australian partner has sponsored a partner before, or was themselves granted a partner visa, regulation 1.20J may apply. In general terms, a person cannot sponsor more than two partners in a lifetime, and cannot sponsor a new partner within five years of an earlier sponsorship, unless there are compelling circumstances. Our sponsorship limitations service and the article on when a sponsor cannot sponsor a partner visa explain the rule. This often affects an Australian partner who sponsored a former Egyptian spouse in the past.

Authentication and legalisation of Egyptian documents

Egypt is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, so Egyptian public documents are not authenticated by apostille. Where authentication is needed, it is done through the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Whether a particular partner visa for Egyptian citizens needs authenticated documents depends on what the Department asks for. Many applications are lodged with clear colour scans of the originals and full translations, and the Department may later ask for certified copies, originals or authenticated documents.

Egyptian documents usually needed for a partner visa for Egyptian citizens

The usual Egyptian documents in a partner visa for Egyptian citizens are:

• the Egyptian passport, including pages showing travel and earlier visas;
• the Egyptian national identity card;
• the birth certificate;
• the registered marriage contract or marriage certificate;
• any registered divorce certificate, final divorce judgment or death certificate for an earlier spouse;
• birth certificates of any children included in the application;
• evidence of any change of name;
• the Egyptian criminal record certificate.

Consistency across Egyptian records

Egyptian names are often written in Arabic and transliterated into English in different ways. The same person may appear as Mohamed, Mohammed or Muhammad, and family names may be written with or without the article "El" or "Al". The father's and grandfather's names often form part of the full name. A partner visa for Egyptian citizens should use one consistent spelling that matches the passport, and should explain any other spellings that appear in other documents. Dates of birth, places of birth and the date of the marriage contract must also match across every document. Inconsistencies of this kind are a common reason for further requests. The Form 80 guide explains how personal particulars must be completed, and the article on responding to a section 56 request explains what happens when the Department asks for more.

Documents the couple do not need to find

Couples sometimes worry that they need copies of every earlier Australian visa grant, bridging visa notice or old application form. They do not. My Migration Lawyers obtains the Egyptian partner's Australian visa history itself. The couple are asked only for documents they can realistically obtain, such as their civil documents, current police certificates and their own relationship evidence.

Arabic translations for a partner visa for Egyptian citizens

Every Egyptian document that is not in English must have an accurate English translation, and the translation should cover the whole document, including stamps, annotations and the back of the page. Department guidance indicates that translations made in Australia should be done by a translator certified by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI). Translations made outside Australia should be done by a professional translator whose details are shown on the translation.

Common translation problems

The translation problems that most often arise in a partner visa for Egyptian citizens are partial translations of marriage contracts, names transliterated differently from the passport, dates converted incorrectly, and annotations on the back of a document that were not translated at all. An annotation on a birth certificate or marriage contract may record a later divorce, a correction or a remarriage. If it is not translated, the decision maker may later find that the application did not disclose something the original document showed. The preparing evidence of a genuine relationship guide explains how translated evidence should be presented.

Translating relationship evidence

Relationship evidence in Arabic also needs translation where it is relied on. That includes family messages, invitations to the engagement or wedding, and Arabic Form 888 supporting material. The couple should select the parts that matter and have those translated, rather than lodging hundreds of untranslated pages. A short, accurately translated sample is more useful to a decision maker than a large volume of material that cannot be read.

Egyptian criminal record certificate and other police certificates

A partner visa for Egyptian citizens usually needs an Egyptian criminal record certificate, issued through the Egyptian Ministry of Interior, together with a police certificate from every other country where the Egyptian partner has lived for 12 months or more in the last 10 years since turning 16. The Australian partner may also need an Australian police certificate. The Department will tell the applicant when to provide police certificates if they were not provided with the application.

How Egyptian citizens obtain the certificate

Egyptian official sources describe the certificate as a criminal record certificate or police clearance certificate. Egyptian citizens in Egypt usually apply through the Ministry of Interior. Egyptian citizens abroad can apply through Egyptian consular channels, and Egyptian government sources describe an online criminal record certificate service for Egyptians abroad. The certificate should be current when it is provided, and it should be accompanied by a full English translation.

Other countries

Many Egyptian partners have lived and worked in Gulf states or other countries before coming to Australia. Each country where the Egyptian partner lived for 12 months or more in the relevant period will usually require its own police certificate, issued by that country's authority. Where a country is difficult to obtain a certificate from, the couple should not guess. They should obtain advice on what the Department accepts.

Character concerns in a partner visa for Egyptian citizens

A partner visa for Egyptian citizens must satisfy the character requirements in public interest criterion 4001. If the Egyptian partner has any criminal history in Egypt, Australia or anywhere else, it must be disclosed accurately. A disclosed and explained record is treated very differently from an undisclosed record that the Department later finds. False or misleading information can also engage public interest criterion 4020, which is discussed in the article on why partner visas get refused.

Family introductions, engagement and the four aspects of the relationship

Egyptian relationship patterns, such as family introductions, a formal engagement, a short period of courtship and marriage before the couple live together, are compatible with a genuine relationship under Australian law, but the evidence must show how the relationship actually developed. The Department assesses four aspects of every relationship under regulation 1.15A: the financial aspects, the nature of the household, the social aspects and the nature of the commitment.

How Egyptian couples often meet

Some Egyptian couples are introduced by family or community members, and the families meet before the couple spend much time alone together. Others meet through work, study, friends or online. Both patterns are consistent with a genuine relationship. The relationship statement should say plainly how the couple met, who introduced them, when the families met, and when and how the decision to marry was made. Decision makers become concerned when the story is vague, when the two partners tell it differently, or when the timeline in the forms does not match the timeline in the statement.

A short courtship

A short courtship is common in many Egyptian marriages, especially where families are closely involved. A short courtship is not a reason for refusal. It does, however, put more weight on the evidence that comes after the marriage. A partner visa for Egyptian citizens lodged soon after the contract should show the couple's contact, visits, plans and growing practical commitment, and should not rely only on the marriage certificate. The Form 888 partner visa guide explains how family and friends can describe what they have seen.

Financial aspects: mahr, gifts and the couple's own arrangements

The financial evidence in a partner visa for Egyptian citizens often includes the mahr recorded in the marriage contract, engagement gifts, family contributions to the home or furniture, and money transfers between the partners. These arrangements are part of the couple's history and can be explained. The Department will also look for the couple's own financial arrangements, such as joint accounts, shared expenses, transfers for household costs and financial support while apart. Where the couple live in different countries, regular transfers from the Australian partner to the Egyptian partner, or the reverse, are relevant evidence. The 820 partner visa evidence checklist lists the financial documents decision makers usually see.

Nature of the household

Where the couple live together, the household evidence includes a lease or property documents in both names, shared bills and correspondence at the same address. Where the Egyptian partner lives with the Australian partner's family, or the couple lived with the Egyptian partner's family after the wedding, that should be explained honestly. Where the couple have not yet lived together because the Egyptian partner is still in Egypt, the household evidence will be limited, and the other aspects of the relationship must carry more weight.

Social aspects: family and community recognition

In Egyptian families, the engagement and marriage are usually public family events. Photographs of the engagement, the contract signing and the wedding celebration, invitations, and Form 888 statements from people who attended can be strong evidence of the social aspects of the relationship. Evidence that the Australian partner's family and friends know about the marriage is equally important. The Form 888 examples and common mistakes article explains what supporting witnesses should and should not say.

Nature of the commitment

The commitment evidence shows that the couple intend a long-term shared life. That includes the time they have spent together, their knowledge of each other's circumstances, plans for where they will live, steps taken to move to Australia, and each partner's support of the other during separation. Where one partner has family who disapproved of the relationship at first, the relationship statement can explain how the couple dealt with it.

The relationship statement

A partner visa for Egyptian citizens has one relationship statement setting out the history of the relationship. It is the couple's own evidence, in their own words. My Migration Lawyers reviews it, identifies gaps and inconsistencies with the forms and documents, and the couple correct and confirm their own words. The firm does not write the couple's relationship for them. A statement that reads like a template is less persuasive than an honest account that matches the documents.

Communication evidence for Egyptian couples

Communication evidence for Egyptian couples usually comes from WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, phone calls and video calls, and it should be presented as a representative sample with dates, names and translations of any Arabic content. Communication evidence matters most in a partner visa for Egyptian citizens where the couple have spent long periods in different countries.

How to present messaging evidence

A useful approach is to choose samples spread across the whole relationship, including the period before the engagement, around the marriage contract and during separation. Each sample should show the names or numbers of both partners and the date. Call logs showing regular video calls are also useful. Messages in Arabic, or in Egyptian Arabic written in Latin letters, should be translated where they are relied on. The couple should not lodge thousands of screenshots. A decision maker cannot read them, and important messages are lost among unimportant ones.

Communication is not enough on its own

Communication evidence shows contact. It does not, by itself, show the financial, household and social aspects of the relationship. A partner visa for Egyptian citizens that relies mostly on chat screenshots is weaker than one that combines communication with visits, transfers, family recognition and plans for a shared life. The Subclass 820 visa refusals article explains why limited evidence is one of the most common reasons for refusal.

Visits to Egypt and time together

In an offshore partner visa for Egyptian citizens, evidence of the Australian partner's visits to Egypt, such as passport stamps, boarding passes, hotel bookings and photographs with the Egyptian partner's family, is valuable. So is evidence of the Egyptian partner's visits to Australia. Where the couple could not visit each other for a period, the reason should be explained.

Processing and changes after lodgement

After a partner visa for Egyptian citizens is lodged, the Department may ask for more information, invite comment on adverse information, or ask for police certificates and health examinations. Processing times vary, and the article on how long a Subclass 820 partner visa takes and the guide to onshore Subclass 820 processing explain what affects them.

Natural justice letters

If the Department has information that may lead to refusal, it will usually give the applicant a chance to comment under section 57. That may relate to an Egyptian document that could not be verified, an inconsistency with an earlier visa application or a concern about the relationship. The article on responding to a section 57 natural justice letter explains how to respond. The response should be prepared carefully and on time.

Changes in circumstances

During processing of a partner visa for Egyptian citizens, a change of address, a new child, a change of passport or a change in the relationship must be notified to the Department. The article on Form 1022 and change of circumstances explains how. If the relationship ends and there has been family violence, the family violence provisions may allow the applicant to continue, and our family violence partner visa lawyers act in those matters. The article on what happens when a Subclass 820 relationship breaks down explains the wider rules.

Why partner visa applications by Egyptian citizens are refused, and the 28-day review deadline

A partner visa for Egyptian citizens is usually refused because the Department is not satisfied that the relationship is genuine and continuing, because the marriage cannot be recognised, because a previous divorce was not proved, because information or a document was found to be false or misleading, or because an onshore applicant did not meet Schedule 3 or condition 8503 requirements. Each reason needs a different response, and every response depends on acting within the review deadline.

The ART deadline and fee as at October 2026

Under subsection 347(3) of the Migration Act 1958, an application for review of a refused partner visa must be made within 28 days after the day the applicant is notified of the decision, or 7 days if the applicant is in immigration detention. The time cannot be extended. A late application is not properly made, and the Administrative Review Tribunal has no jurisdiction to hear it.

As at October 2026, the ART fee for review of a reviewable migration decision is AUD 3,727 for fees paid on or after 1 July 2026. The fee must be paid before the deadline. A 50% reduction may be granted for financial hardship, and the ART refunds 50% of the fee if the decision is set aside, varied or remitted to the Department.

Who applies for review

For an onshore Subclass 820 refusal, the applicant applies for review and must be in Australia. For a Subclass 309 refusal where the Egyptian partner is outside Australia, the Australian sponsor applies for review under subsection 338(5). Our Partner Visa Refusals and Visa Refusals pages, the guide to appeal options after a partner visa refusal and the ART review guide explain the process. A couple who have just received a refusal should read about urgent immigration lawyer advice and when a visa appeal lawyer is needed, and act straight away.

What Tribunal decisions show for Egyptian partner visa files

Tribunal decisions show that the issues that most often arise in a partner visa for Egyptian citizens, including the validity of a marriage, religious marriages alongside an earlier marriage, divorce documents, the registration of marriages, family involvement and couples living in different countries, are examined closely on review. Every decision listed below was remitted, which means the Tribunal sent the matter back to the Department to reconsider. The headnotes of these decisions do not state the nationality of any party, and nothing about nationality should be read into them. They are listed because their reported issues match the risk points discussed in this article.

• Cabsari (Migration) [2021] AATA 1432, Subclass 820: the reported issues were a Federal Circuit Court remittal, whether the parties were de facto partners at the time of application, a religious marriage while the sponsor was legally married to a first wife, and credibility.
• 1900688 (Migration) [2021] AATA 1812, Subclass 820: the reported issues were false or misleading information, previous relationships, the applicant not having obtained a divorce from a previous spouse, and the validity of the parties' marriage.
• 1808089 (Migration) [2022] AATA 2861, Subclass 820: the reported issues were a genuine and continuing partner relationship, a bogus document, a divorce certificate, and a de facto relationship.
• Faruque (Migration) [2024] AATA 3889, Subclass 309: the reported issues were whether the applicant had submitted a bogus document, independent information about the marriage registration process, and a finding that the marriage certificate submitted was not a bogus document.
• Pham (Migration) [2021] AATA 4350, Subclass 820: the reported issues were false or misleading information in a previous visitor visa application, the applicant having answered "married" while separated at the time and later divorced, and a credible witness and evidence.
• Koroma (Migration) [2026] ARTA 200, Subclass 309: the reported issues were a genuine and continuing relationship, a valid marriage in the home country, and limited financial, household and social aspects of the relationship while the parties lived in different countries.
• Danquah (Migration) [2023] AATA 1378, Subclass 309: the reported issues were a genuine and continuing relationship, the rapid inception of the relationship, its consistency with cultural beliefs, and money transfers.
• Kamara (Migration) [2018] AATA 5834, Subclass 300: the reported issues were a genuine intention to live together as spouses, financial support to the applicant and her brother, strong engagement between the families, and credible witnesses.
• Ergetu (Migration) [2020] AATA 3790, Subclass 300: the reported issues were that the parties validly married in a third country between the delegate's decision and the Tribunal's determination, and that the regulations required remittal for consideration as a partner visa.

These decisions do not decide any other couple's case, and each turned on its own evidence. What they show is that a religious marriage entered into while an earlier marriage continued, an unproved divorce, an earlier visa answer about marital status, a challenged marriage certificate and a fast-moving relationship are issues decision makers take seriously, and that they can be addressed when the evidence is explained properly and on time.

How My Migration Lawyers handles a partner visa for Egyptian citizens

My Migration Lawyers handles a partner visa for Egyptian citizens by confirming the couple's marital status under both Egyptian and Australian law first, then checking every Egyptian contract, divorce record, translation and police certificate against the forms, the relationship statement and the Egyptian partner's visa history before anything is lodged. The firm acts in many partner matters involving Egyptian citizens and their Australian partners, deals with complex cases such as earlier marriages, religious divorces, condition 8503, Schedule 3 and section 48 as a regular part of its work, and is capable of handling these matters from first advice to decision.

The work on a partner visa for Egyptian citizens follows a set sequence.

• Marital status and validity check. The firm reviews the Egyptian marriage contract or certificate, the dates of any engagement, contract and celebration, and any earlier marriage of either partner, and advises whether the marriage can be recognised under section 12 of the Migration Act or whether a de facto or Subclass 300 pathway is more appropriate.
• Pathway and visa check. The firm obtains the Egyptian partner's Australian visa history itself, confirms whether a Subclass 820, Subclass 309 or Subclass 300 application fits, and checks for condition 8503, Schedule 3, section 48 and sponsorship limitations.
• Egyptian document plan. The firm tells the couple which Egyptian documents their facts require, such as the registered marriage contract, divorce certificates or judgments, birth certificates, the national identity card and the criminal record certificate, and which documents may need authentication through the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• Translation and name check. The firm checks that every Arabic document relied on has a complete English translation, including annotations, and that the transliteration of every name matches the passport or is explained.
• Evidence review. The relationship statement and Form 888 statements are the couple's and the witnesses' own evidence. The firm reviews them with the financial, family and communication evidence, identifies gaps and inconsistencies, and the couple correct and confirm their own words.
• Lodgement and processing. The firm lodges the application, responds to Department requests, and advises on any section 56 request or section 57 letter.
• Review if refused. If a decision goes against the couple, the firm advises immediately on the 28-day deadline, the ART fee and the review strategy.

Weiwei Zhang, Principal Lawyer, leads the firm's partner visa practice. You can read more about My Migration Lawyers and about Weiwei Zhang, and see how the firm works as partner visa lawyers in Australia. The firm also explains when an immigration lawyer is needed for a partner visa, how a partner visa lawyer compares with doing it yourself, the differences between a migration agent and a lawyer for a partner visa and how to choose a partner visa lawyer in Australia. The firm charges fixed fees under a written costs agreement, and the article on what a fixed-fee quote should include explains how that works. Couples who have already lodged their own application can read about hiring an immigration lawyer after lodgement or getting a second opinion.

Consultations are held by video, and My Migration Lawyers acts for Egyptian citizens and their partners across Australia, including clients of our partner visa lawyers in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, the Gold Coast, Canberra, Hobart and Parramatta. For other visa matters, the firm's immigration lawyers act for clients in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, the Gold Coast, Canberra, Hobart and Parramatta. The article on booking an immigration lawyer consultation explains what to prepare.

The firm cannot promise any outcome. It can make sure that a partner visa for Egyptian citizens is lodged on the right pathway, with a marriage that Australian law can recognise, complete Egyptian documents, accurate translations and evidence that a decision maker can follow.

Book a Consultation with My Migration Lawyers to have your partner visa for Egyptian citizens reviewed before you lodge, or as soon as a problem arises. You can also call 1300 040 300.