Australian Partner Visa for Sierra Leonean Citizens

What is a partner visa for Sierra Leonean citizens?

A partner visa for Sierra Leonean citizens is an Australian partner visa granted to a citizen of Sierra Leone 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 Sierra Leone. The applicant applies for the same visas as every other partner applicant, and the Department of Home Affairs applies the same Migration Act 1958 and Migration Regulations 1994. What differs is how a partner visa for Sierra Leonean citizens is checked. The documents come from Sierra Leone's civil registration system, many births are registered late, marriages may be civil, religious or customary, and many couples spend long periods living in different countries.

This guide explains the checks the Department makes on a partner visa for Sierra Leonean citizens, in the order a case officer usually works through them. It is written for the Australian partner who will sponsor the application and for the Sierra Leonean partner who will be the applicant. For the full legal framework that sits behind every partner application, read the complete guide to partner visas in Australia. Couples who want the checks done on their own documents before they lodge can speak with our partner visa lawyers.

The checks matter because a partner application is decided on the papers in most cases. The case officer reads the forms, the identity documents, the civil records and the relationship evidence, and compares them. When the details agree, the file moves. When they do not agree, the case officer asks questions, and an answer that contradicts something already lodged can lead to refusal. A partner visa for Sierra Leonean citizens is therefore won or lost largely on consistency, and consistency is something the couple can control before lodgement.

Who this guide is written for

This guide is for three groups. The first is an Australian partner whose spouse or de facto partner lives in Sierra Leone or a third country. The second is a Sierra Leonean partner already in Australia on a student, visitor or other visa. The third is a couple whose partner visa for Sierra Leonean citizens has been refused, or who have received a letter from the Department raising concerns about documents or identity. The third group should read the sections on public interest criterion 4020 and on the Tribunal first, because time limits apply.

Which checks does the Department make on a partner visa for Sierra Leonean citizens?

The Department makes nine main checks on a partner visa for Sierra Leonean citizens: whether the right visa has been applied for in the right place, whether the sponsor can sponsor, who the applicant is, what the birth records show, whether the marriage is valid and recorded, whether the documents are genuine, whether the applicant meets the character requirement, whether the relationship is genuine and continuing, and whether the health requirement is met. Some of these checks are pass or fail. Others are weighed on the evidence as a whole.

The list below is a summary. Each check is explained in its own section.

• Pathway and validity. Is the application for the correct subclass, lodged from the correct place, by a person who is allowed to apply?
• Sponsor eligibility. Is the Australian partner eligible, and do any sponsorship limitations apply?
• Identity. Can the Department be satisfied who the applicant is?
• Birth records. Do the birth certificate and the other records give the same name, date and place of birth?
• Marriage validity. If the couple claim to be married, is the marriage valid under Australian law, and is it recorded?
• Document integrity. Are the documents genuine, and is the information given true, under public interest criterion 4020?
• Character. Does the applicant meet the character requirement, supported by police certificates?
• The relationship. Is the relationship genuine and continuing, looked at through the four aspects the regulations list?
• Health. Has the applicant completed the health examinations the Department asks for?

A partner visa for Sierra Leonean citizens can fail at any one of these checks. Most refusals do not come from a single dramatic problem. They come from small differences that were never explained: a date of birth that changes between documents, a marriage record that does not match the couple's own account, or a relationship that looks thin on paper because the couple have lived apart. The guide to why partner visas get refused shows how often these themes repeat across all nationalities.

Check 1: is it the right visa, lodged from the right place?

The first check on a partner visa for Sierra Leonean citizens is whether the application is for the correct visa and was validly made, because an invalid application cannot be granted and does not give the applicant any bridging visa. The choice of visa depends mainly on where the Sierra Leonean partner is when the application is lodged and whether the couple are married, in a de facto relationship or engaged.

Offshore: Subclass 309 and Subclass 100

If the Sierra Leonean partner is outside Australia, the couple usually apply for the Subclass 309 offshore partner visa and the permanent Subclass 100 together, as one combined application. The applicant must be outside Australia when the application is lodged and when the temporary visa is granted. The application is lodged online through ImmiAccount, so nobody needs to post a paper file from Freetown. In practice the Australian partner often manages the online account, the sponsorship and the evidence, and is the person who instructs the firm. The guide to creating an ImmiAccount explains the account itself.

Onshore: Subclass 820 and Subclass 801

If the Sierra Leonean partner is in Australia, the couple usually apply for the Subclass 820 onshore partner visa and the permanent Subclass 801 together. The applicant must be in Australia when the application is lodged. The Subclass 820 vs Subclass 801 explainer sets out how the two stages fit together, and the Subclass 820 partner visa guide covers requirements, cost and processing in detail. An onshore applicant who lodges a valid application while holding a substantive visa will usually receive a bridging visa, which is explained in the article on work rights on a bridging visa while the Subclass 820 is processed.

Engaged couples: Subclass 300

A couple who are engaged and intend to marry in Australia can consider the Subclass 300 prospective marriage visa. The applicant must be outside Australia. The couple must have met in person as adults and must marry within the period the visa allows. After the marriage, the applicant applies for the onshore partner visa at a reduced charge.

Married or de facto

A couple do not have to be married to apply. A de facto relationship can support a partner visa for Sierra Leonean citizens, but the couple will usually need to show the de facto relationship existed for at least 12 months before the application, unless an exception applies. The article on de facto partner visas and the 12-month rule and the article asking whether 12 months of de facto relationship are really needed for a Subclass 820 explain the exceptions. For many Sierra Leonean couples, the more important question is whether a ceremony that has already taken place created a valid marriage at all. That question is dealt with under Check 5.

The government charge as at October 2026

As at October 2026, the Department's base application charge for a partner visa starts at AUD 11,710 for most applicants. The charge is AUD 1,955 for a Subclass 300 holder who applies for the onshore partner visa in Australia. One charge covers both stages of the combined application. The Department also lists a lower charge from 1 July 2026 for eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens, which does not apply to Sierra Leonean citizens. Charges are reviewed each 1 July, so the current figure should be checked on the Department's website before lodging. Police certificates, health examinations, biometrics and any translations are extra costs. The article on how much a Subclass 820 partner visa costs lists the categories of cost.

Sierra Leonean partners already in Australia: three traps

A Sierra Leonean partner who is already in Australia should not lodge until three validity and eligibility traps have been checked.

The first is condition 8503 (No Further Stay). Many visitor visas carry it. While it applies, the holder cannot make a valid application for most substantive visas in Australia, including a partner visa, unless the condition is waived first. The article asking whether you can apply for a Subclass 820 visa with a No Further Stay condition and the guide to moving from a tourist visa to a partner visa in Australia explain the waiver.

The second is Schedule 3. An applicant who does not hold a substantive visa when the application is lodged, for example because a student or visitor visa has expired, must meet the Schedule 3 criteria 3001, 3003 and 3004, or have them waived for compelling reasons. The guides to Schedule 3 criteria for applicants who are unlawful and to the Schedule 3 partner visa waiver explain the test, and our Schedule 3 waiver service is for couples in that position.

The third is section 48 of the Migration Act. A person in Australia who does not hold a substantive visa and who has had a visa refused or cancelled since last entering Australia can still apply for a partner visa, but extra validity rules apply. One of them is that two statutory declarations must be lodged with the application, each made by an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen, no more than six weeks before lodgement, under item 1124B(3)(e)(iii) of Schedule 1. Form 888 statements do not satisfy that rule. The guide to a partner visa after a visa refusal covers this group in detail.

Check 2: can the Australian partner sponsor?

The second check on a partner visa for Sierra Leonean citizens is whether the Australian partner is eligible to sponsor, because a partner visa cannot be granted without an approved sponsor. The sponsor must be an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen, and is usually required to be at least 18.

The Department also checks whether a sponsorship limitation applies. Under regulation 1.20J, a sponsor generally cannot sponsor more than two partners in a lifetime, and cannot sponsor a new partner within five years of a previous partner sponsorship, unless there are compelling circumstances. A sponsor who was granted their own permanent visa as a partner may also face a five-year limit. These rules catch Australian partners who were themselves once sponsored, which is common in diaspora communities. Our page on partner visa sponsorship limitations and the article on when a sponsor cannot sponsor a partner visa explain the exceptions.

The sponsor's history is checked as well. Where the applicant has a child under 18 included in the application, the Department may also consider whether the sponsor has convictions for certain offences, and may ask for police certificates from the sponsor. A sponsor who has been in a relationship that involved family violence should seek advice early. Our family violence partner visa lawyers act in that area.

Check 3: can the Department be satisfied who the applicant is?

The third check on a partner visa for Sierra Leonean citizens is identity: the Department must be satisfied of the applicant's identity before the visa can be granted, and a refusal on identity grounds under public interest criterion 4020 cannot be waived. Identity is not proved by one document. It is proved by a set of documents and records that agree with each other and with what the applicant has told the Department in the past.

The documents that establish identity

For a Sierra Leonean applicant, the identity set usually includes the passport, the national identity card or national identification number record issued by the National Civil Registration Authority, the birth certificate, and any earlier passports the person still holds. The Department will also compare these with the applicant's own forms and with any earlier Australian visa applications. The National Civil Registration Act 2016 established the National Civil Registration Authority and gave it the function of issuing national identification numbers to every citizen and resident in Sierra Leone, along with birth, marriage and other certificates. The Authority describes the birth certificate as necessary for establishing identity and as proof used to obtain passports and national identity cards.

That chain matters. In Sierra Leone the birth record is usually the base document from which the passport and the national identity card are later issued. If the birth record was created late and contains a different date or a different spelling of a name, the error can flow into every later document, or the later documents may differ from the birth record. Either way, the Department will notice.

Matching identity data across every record

The Department compares the same data points in every document: full name and order of names, spelling, date of birth, place of birth, parents' names and, for a married applicant, the spouse's name. A partner visa for Sierra Leonean citizens commonly involves names that are spelt in more than one way, a family name that changed, a person known by a religious or customary name in daily life, or a date of birth that was estimated when the birth was registered. None of these is wrong in itself. Each must be disclosed, recorded consistently in the forms, and explained with evidence.

The forms are part of the identity check. The applicant lists other names, previous passports and personal history in the application, and may be asked to complete Form 80. The guide to completing Form 80 without errors explains the personal particulars form. An address history that does not match the passport stamps, or a list of other names that omits a name used in an earlier application, gives the case officer a reason to ask questions.

Earlier Australian visa applications

Many Sierra Leonean applicants have applied for an Australian visa before, often a visitor or student visa. The Department keeps those records. When a partner visa for Sierra Leonean citizens is lodged, the case officer can compare the new identity details with the details given years earlier. Differences are among the most common triggers for a section 56 request or a section 57 letter. My Migration Lawyers obtains the applicant's visa history directly from Department records rather than asking the couple to find old grant letters or forms, so the comparison can be made before the Department makes it.

Check 4: birth records and late registration in a partner visa for Sierra Leonean citizens

The fourth check on a partner visa for Sierra Leonean citizens is the birth record: the Department looks at when the birth was registered, what the certificate says, and whether its details match every other document. A late-registered birth certificate is not a problem in itself, but it is a document the Department reads with care, because it was created long after the event it records.

What the National Civil Registration Act 2016 says about late registration

Sierra Leone's National Civil Registration Act 2016 requires births to be registered with the National Civil Registration Authority. Section 46 provides that a registration officer must not register a birth more than 12 months after the date of birth without the written consent of the Director-General. The Authority's own guidance states that births should be registered within three months and that registrations after that are treated as late registrations.

In practice, many Sierra Leonean adults did not have their birth registered at the time. Their birth certificate was issued later, often when they needed a passport, a school record or a national identity card. The certificate may show a registration date many years after the date of birth. Some show a date of birth that was estimated, or a birth place recorded as a district rather than a town. A partner visa for Sierra Leonean citizens with a late-registered birth certificate is normal. What matters is whether the rest of the evidence is consistent with it.

Why a late-registered certificate attracts questions

A late-registered birth certificate records what someone told the registrar at the time of registration. It is evidence of the details given, but it is not contemporaneous evidence of the birth. The Department knows this. When a case officer sees a birth certificate registered decades after the birth, the officer will usually look for older records that show the same name and date of birth, such as school records, baptismal or religious records, an early passport, or earlier visa applications.

If the older records show a different date of birth or a different name, the case officer will ask which is correct and why the difference exists. An applicant who has used two dates of birth over the years, for example one in a school certificate and another in a passport, should explain that in the application, with evidence, rather than wait to be asked. The danger is not the old error. The danger is a new answer that does not fit the records.

Supporting a late-registered birth certificate

A late-registered birth certificate in a partner visa for Sierra Leonean citizens is usually stronger when it is supported by other records. These can include:

• school records or certificates showing the same name and date of birth;
• baptismal, church, mosque or other religious records made close to the birth;
• earlier passports or identity cards;
• the national identification number record; and
• a short written explanation by the applicant of how and when the birth was registered, and why.

The applicant should not obtain a fresh certificate with different details to fix a problem. A new certificate that changes a date of birth to match another document, without a lawful correction process and a clear explanation, can itself be treated as a document obtained on false information. If a record genuinely needs correcting, the correction should be made through the issuing authority and the change explained in the application. The guide to the partner visa document checklist lists the identity and civil documents the Department generally expects for every applicant.

Children included in the application

If a child is included in a partner visa for Sierra Leonean citizens, the child's birth record is checked in the same way, and the Department will also check that the child is a member of the family unit and that any parent who is not migrating has given consent or that the law otherwise allows the child to travel. A child's birth certificate that names the parents differently from the parents' own documents, or that was registered after the visa application was planned, will attract questions. Parentage evidence may be needed in some cases.

Check 5: is the marriage valid, and is it recorded?

The fifth check on a partner visa for Sierra Leonean citizens is whether a claimed marriage is a valid marriage under Australian law and whether the evidence of it is reliable, because a couple who rely on a marriage that is not valid must instead prove a de facto relationship. Sierra Leone recognises more than one way of marrying, so the Department needs to know which form of marriage took place and how it was recorded.

Forms of marriage in Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone law provides for civil, Christian, Muslim and customary marriages, and the National Civil Registration Act 2016 requires marriages to be registered with the National Civil Registration Authority. Section 61 of that Act deals with marriage registration, and it treats a customary marriage registered under the Registration of Customary Marriage and Divorce Act 2009 as complying with the registration requirement. A couple applying for a partner visa for Sierra Leonean citizens should therefore be able to say which form of marriage they entered, where it was registered, and what record exists.

The Department does not decide whether a Sierra Leonean marriage is valid under every detail of Sierra Leone law. It assesses whether the marriage is valid for Australian purposes. In general, a marriage that was valid where and when it took place is recognised in Australia unless an exception applies, for example where one party was already married, where the parties are too closely related, or where a party did not genuinely consent. Couples who are unsure whether their ceremony created a valid marriage should get advice before they lodge, not after the Department raises it. The 820 visa guide to requirements, documents and how to apply lists the marriage evidence usually provided.

Customary marriage registration with the local council

Under the Registration of Customary Marriage and Divorce Act 2009, a local council maintains the register of customary marriages. Section 8(2) requires an application to register a customary marriage to be made within six months of the marriage. Section 15 provides for the council to issue a certified copy of the entry in the register. Dissolution of a registered customary marriage must also be recorded by the local council, under sections 12 and 13.

For a partner visa for Sierra Leonean citizens, this has practical consequences. A customary marriage that was celebrated with both families but never registered may leave the couple without an official record. The couple may still have a genuine relationship and may still qualify as de facto partners, but they will need to prove the relationship rather than rely on the marriage certificate. A customary marriage registered years after the ceremony, or shortly before the visa application, is likely to be compared with the couple's own account of when they married. If the dates differ, the Department will ask why.

Bride price and family ceremonies

Many Sierra Leonean marriages involve family introductions, the exchange of gifts or payments between families, and celebrations in more than one place. These events are good evidence of the social side of a relationship, because they show that both families and the wider community know about the marriage. They should be described in the couple's own words in the relationship statement and supported with photographs, invitations and statements from people who attended. The guide to preparing evidence of a genuine relationship explains how to present events like these.

Previous marriages and divorces

The Department checks whether either partner was married before and whether that marriage ended. A previous marriage that was never dissolved can make the current marriage invalid for Australian purposes, and a previous relationship that was not disclosed can lead to a finding that false or misleading information was given. The applicant and the sponsor should both disclose every previous marriage and de facto relationship, whether civil, religious or customary, with the dates and the record of how it ended. Where a customary marriage was dissolved, the record of dissolution from the local council, or other reliable evidence, should be obtained.

Marrying in Australia instead

Some couples choose to marry in Australia after the Sierra Leonean partner arrives on another visa. A marriage under the Marriage Act 1961, with notice given and a registered celebrant, produces an Australian marriage certificate. That removes the question of foreign marriage validity, but it does not remove the other checks. The article on the Subclass 820 onshore partner visa explained covers the onshore route that usually follows. The relationship must still be genuine, and the applicant must still be able to apply from where they are.

Check 6: document integrity and public interest criterion 4020

The sixth check on a partner visa for Sierra Leonean citizens is document integrity: the Department decides whether any document is a bogus document and whether any information given is false or misleading, under public interest criterion 4020. This is the check that turns small inconsistencies into serious legal consequences, so it deserves careful attention.

What public interest criterion 4020 tests

The Department's policy on public interest criterion 4020 describes two key elements. The first concerns fraud: bogus documents and information that is false or misleading in a material particular. The second concerns identity: whether the decision maker is satisfied of the applicant's identity. Public interest criterion 4020(1) requires that there is no evidence that the applicant has given, or caused to be given, a bogus document or false or misleading information in relation to the application, or in relation to a visa the applicant held in the 12 months before applying.

Information is false or misleading in a material particular if it was false or misleading when given and is relevant to a matter the decision maker may consider. The Department's policy states that where the decision maker does not find purposeful falsity, the criterion is met. An honest mistake that is explained is therefore treated very differently from a deliberate misstatement.

What a bogus document is

A bogus document is defined in section 5(1) of the Migration Act 1958. In broad terms, it is a document that purports to have been issued to a person but was not, that is counterfeit or was altered without authority, or that was obtained because of a false or misleading statement. The last limb is the one that catches people. A birth certificate issued by a genuine registry can still be a bogus document if it was obtained on information the person knew was wrong.

This is why the applicant in a partner visa for Sierra Leonean citizens should never obtain documents through a third party who offers to arrange them quickly. A document arranged that way may be genuine paper, but if the details on it were invented or the proper process was not followed, it can be found to be bogus. The Department's verification process is designed to find exactly that.

How the Department verifies documents

The Department can verify a document in several ways. It can examine the document's physical features and compare it with known genuine examples. It can compare its details with the applicant's other documents and with the Department's own records, including earlier visa applications. It can also seek to confirm the document with the office that issued it, through Australian officials overseas. If the issuing office cannot confirm the record, or confirms different details, the case officer will usually put that information to the applicant before deciding.

The consequences of a public interest criterion 4020 refusal

A refusal under public interest criterion 4020(1) means the visa is refused, and it also affects later applications. Public interest criterion 4020(2) creates a period during which a later visa cannot be granted, generally three years, after a refusal for bogus documents or false or misleading information. Public interest criterion 4020(2A) requires the decision maker to be satisfied of the applicant's identity, and a refusal on that limb leads to a 10-year period under public interest criterion 4020(2B). There is no waiver for the identity limb. Our partner visa refusals page explains how the firm acts when a refusal of this kind has already been made.

The waiver for partner visas

Public interest criterion 4020(4) allows a decision maker to waive the requirements in 4020(1) and 4020(2) where there are compelling circumstances affecting the interests of Australia, or compassionate or compelling circumstances affecting the interests of an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen. In a partner visa for Sierra Leonean citizens, the Australian partner and any Australian children are usually central to that argument. A waiver is a safety net, not a plan. The aim is to lodge a file that does not need one.

Requests for information and natural justice letters

If the Department is concerned about a document or about identity, it will usually write before deciding. A request under section 56 asks for more information. A letter under section 57 sets out adverse information and invites the applicant to comment. Both have short deadlines, and a reply becomes part of the record the Tribunal will later read if the visa is refused. The guides to responding to a section 56 request for more information and to answering a section 57 natural justice letter for a partner visa explain what to do. An applicant for a partner visa for Sierra Leonean citizens who receives either letter should get advice before replying, because the first answer is often the one that decides the outcome.

Check 7: character and the police certificate for a partner visa for Sierra Leonean citizens

The seventh check on a partner visa for Sierra Leonean citizens is character: the applicant must meet the character requirement, and the Department generally asks for police certificates from each country where the applicant has lived for 12 months or more in the last 10 years since turning 16. For most Sierra Leonean applicants, that means a police clearance certificate issued by the Sierra Leone Police, and police certificates from any other country where the person has lived for that long.

The Sierra Leone police certificate

The Sierra Leone police certificate is requested from the Sierra Leone Police. Applicants should follow the process published by the issuing authority or by the Department's own country guidance at the time of applying, and should not use intermediaries who offer to obtain a certificate without the applicant's own application and fingerprints where those are required. A police certificate obtained improperly creates exactly the kind of document integrity problem described under Check 6.

Timing matters. Police certificates are usually requested when the Department is ready to assess character, and they have a limited period of validity for visa purposes. A certificate obtained too early may need to be replaced. A certificate that shows a different name or date of birth from the passport will need an explanation, and may need to be reissued.

Other countries and Australia

A Sierra Leonean applicant who has lived in another country, for example in another West African country, in the United Kingdom or in the Middle East, may need a police certificate from that country as well. An applicant who has lived in Australia for 12 months or more in the last 10 years will generally need an Australian National Police Certificate. If the applicant has any criminal record, anywhere, it should be disclosed and advice should be obtained before lodging. The Department may also ask for Form 80, which asks about criminal history, military service and past travel.

Check 8: is the relationship genuine and continuing?

The eighth check on a partner visa for Sierra Leonean citizens is the relationship itself: the Department must be satisfied that the couple have a mutual commitment to a shared life as spouses or de facto partners 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. The regulations direct the Department to consider four aspects of the relationship: the financial aspects, the nature of the household, the social aspects, and the nature of the commitment.

The Department looks at the whole history, not a single document. The guide to partner visa relationship evidence explains each aspect in detail, and the 820 partner visa evidence checklist shows how the evidence is usually organised for an onshore file.

Couples living in different countries

Many couples in a partner visa for Sierra Leonean citizens have spent long periods apart: the Australian partner works in Australia while the Sierra Leonean partner lives in Freetown or another city, and they meet when the Australian partner can travel. Living apart does not mean the relationship is not genuine. The test is whether the couple are living separately and apart on a permanent basis, and temporary separation for work, family or visa reasons is common.

What the Department expects is evidence that the relationship continued across the distance. That usually includes:

• travel records and passport stamps showing visits, with the dates matching the relationship statement;
• evidence of time spent living together during visits, such as accommodation records;
• regular communication across the whole period, not only in the months before lodgement;
• money sent between the partners and contributions to each other's expenses; and
• evidence that both families and friends treat the couple as a couple.

Money transfers deserve a particular note. Many Sierra Leonean families support relatives through remittances. Transfers from the Australian partner to the applicant are good evidence of financial commitment, but transfers to members of the applicant's family should be explained so the case officer understands why they are evidence of the couple's own shared life. A clear explanation of who the money went to and why turns a list of transfers into evidence.

Communication evidence

Couples who live apart usually communicate by messaging and video calls. For many Sierra Leonean couples that means WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, video calls and ordinary phone calls. Communication evidence should be a representative sample across the whole relationship, with dates visible and the participants identifiable, rather than thousands of pages. Call logs that show regular, long calls are often more persuasive than selected messages. Messages in Krio or another language may need an English translation of the parts relied on.

Communication evidence supports a relationship. It does not prove it on its own. The Department wants to see the couple's lives joined in the other aspects as well, so communication evidence should sit alongside the financial, household, social and commitment evidence, not replace it.

The relationship statement and Form 888 statements

Each partner usually provides a relationship statement describing, in their own words, how they met, how the relationship developed, the key events, periods apart and future plans. The statement is the couple's own evidence. It should match the documents: dates of travel, the date and form of the marriage, previous relationships and children. The guide to writing a partner visa relationship statement explains what it should cover.

Supporting witnesses, who must be Australian citizens or Australian permanent residents, can provide Form 888 statements about what they know of the relationship. The guide to Form 888: who can make one and what it should say and the article on Form 888 example answers and common mistakes explain the form. Witnesses from the Sierra Leonean community in Australia who attended the wedding, or who know the couple well, are often the most useful.

Check 9: health examinations and biometrics

The ninth check on a partner visa for Sierra Leonean citizens is health: the applicant must complete the health examinations the Department asks for, usually with a panel physician approved by the Department, and the results must meet the health requirement. The Department tells the applicant which examinations are needed after the application is lodged, or the applicant can arrange them earlier where the system allows. Applicants may also be asked to provide biometrics, usually fingerprints and a photograph, at a designated collection point. Biometrics link the applicant's identity to the application and are compared with earlier records, which is another reason why identity data must be consistent.

Translations and the language of Sierra Leonean documents

Most official documents issued in Sierra Leone are in English, which is the official language, so a partner visa for Sierra Leonean citizens usually needs fewer translations than an application from a non-English-speaking country. Any document that is not in English, such as a religious record in Arabic or a message thread in Krio, must be accompanied by an English translation. Translations made in Australia should be done by a translator accredited by NAATI. A translation should reproduce every name and date exactly as it appears in the original, because a translation error can create an inconsistency that never existed in the source document.

After lodgement: processing and changes of circumstances

After lodgement, a partner visa for Sierra Leonean citizens is processed in two stages. The first stage decides the temporary visa (Subclass 820 or Subclass 309). The second stage decides the permanent visa (Subclass 801 or Subclass 100), usually about two years after the combined application was lodged. The Department checks the relationship again at the second stage. The article on how long a Subclass 820 partner visa takes and the article on partner visa 820 onshore processing explain the timeframes.

Changes must be reported. A new address, a new passport, the birth of a child, or a change in the relationship must be notified to the Department, usually through Form 1022. The guide to Form 1022 and when to lodge it explains the form. A new passport issued with different details from the old one is a change that needs particular care. If the relationship ends while the application is being processed, the article on what happens to a Subclass 820 application if the relationship breaks down explains the options.

What happens if a partner visa for Sierra Leonean citizens is refused?

If a partner visa for Sierra Leonean citizens is refused, the decision can usually be reviewed by the Administrative Review Tribunal, but the review application must be made within 28 days after the day the applicant is notified of the decision, or within 7 days if the applicant is in immigration detention. That deadline is set by subsection 347(3) of the Migration Act 1958. It cannot be extended. A late application is not a valid application, and the Tribunal has no power to hear it.

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, the applicant applies for review in their own name, even from outside Australia, under section 338(9) of the Migration Act 1958 and regulations 4.02(4)(saa) and 4.02(5)(raa) of the Migration Regulations 1994. This matters for a partner visa for Sierra Leonean citizens lodged offshore, because the review must be lodged by the Sierra Leonean partner, not the Australian sponsor.

The Tribunal fee as at October 2026

As at October 2026, the Administrative Review Tribunal fee for review of a partner visa refusal is AUD 3,727 for fees paid on or after 1 July 2026. The fee must be paid by the review deadline. A 50% reduction may be granted for financial hardship. If the Tribunal sets aside or varies the decision, or remits the matter to the Department, 50% of the fee paid is refunded.

What to do in the first days after refusal

The decision record explains why the visa was refused. If the refusal turns on identity or documents, the review is an opportunity to put evidence that the Department did not have, explain inconsistencies properly, and answer the concerns the case officer raised. Our partner visa refusals page explains how the firm acts on refused files, and the guides to partner visa refusal appeal options, what to expect in an ART review, the seven most common reasons Subclass 820 visas are refused and when you need a visa appeal lawyer set out the next steps. Our visa refusals page covers refusals of other visa types, and our visa cancellations page covers cancelled visas.

What Tribunal decisions show about the Department's checks on partner files

Tribunal decisions show that each of the checks described in this guide, from identity and documents to marriage validity and couples living in different countries, is regularly reviewed, and that the Tribunal can reach a different view when the evidence is properly put. Every decision listed below was remitted. A remittal means the Tribunal sent the matter back to the Department to reconsider, usually with a finding that one or more criteria are met. A remittal is not a visa grant, and the Department must still finish the assessment. The headnotes of these decisions do not state the nationality of the parties, and nothing here suggests the nationality of any party. Each decision is described only by the issues reported in its headnote.

• Koroma (Migration) [2026] ARTA 200, Subclass 309: the reported issues were a genuine and continuing relationship, the parties being validly married in their home country, and limited financial, household and social aspects of the relationship while living in different countries.
• Hussain (Migration) [2022] AATA 256, Subclass 309: the reported issues were a genuine spousal relationship, the parties being validly married in their home country, and limited evidence of the financial, household and social aspects of the relationship while living in different countries.
• TOURI (Migration) [2021] AATA 4570, Subclass 309: the reported issues were a genuine and continuing relationship, a valid marriage, limited financial arrangements, and social aspects of the relationship as culturally appropriate.
• Rezai (Migration) [2020] AATA 5489, Subclass 309: the reported issues were a bogus document, no valid identity documents, satisfaction of the applicant's identity, and identification documentation obtained.
• Chea (Migration) [2021] AATA 2824, Subclass 309: the reported issues were that the applicant meets public interest criterion 4020(2A), that identity documents and evidence were provided, and that the Tribunal was satisfied as to the applicant's identity.
• 1620095 (Migration) [2019] AATA 400, Subclass 309: the reported issues were false information, inconsistent information submitted, the Tribunal being satisfied of the applicant's identity, and a genuine and continuing relationship.
• 1621746 (Migration) [2018] AATA 2516, Subclass 309: the reported issues were a bogus document, identity requirements, originating identification documents, and the applicant being unable to travel to the home country.
• 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.
• Pham (Migration) [2021] AATA 4350, Subclass 820: the reported issues were false or misleading information in a previous visitor visa application, an answer of married when the person was separated at the time and later divorced, and a credible witness and evidence.
• 2609287 (Migration) [2026] ARTA 1520, Subclass 309: the reported issues were a member of the family unit, a child of the family head and her spouse, the applicants being unaware of age-related visa requirements, and an exact date of birth that was unknown.
• Bah (Migration) [2024] AATA 222, Subclass 309: the reported issues were criminal history and Sierra Leone Police Clearance Certificates provided upon review. The headnote does not state the nationality of the parties.
• Sesay (Migration) [2024] AATA 28, Subclass 309: the reported issues were criminal history and an updated Australian Federal Police National Police Certificate provided upon review.

These decisions point to four lessons for a partner visa for Sierra Leonean citizens. First, a relationship that has been conducted across two countries can be accepted as genuine when the couple's evidence is organised around the four aspects. Second, identity concerns can be resolved, but only with identity documents and evidence that the decision maker can rely on. Third, a statement in an earlier visa application that was not accurate is examined closely, and a credible explanation supported by evidence matters. Fourth, missing police certificates are a common and avoidable reason for a matter to reach the Tribunal at all. None of these decisions decides a future case, and each turned on its own evidence.

How My Migration Lawyers handles a partner visa for Sierra Leonean citizens

My Migration Lawyers handles a partner visa for Sierra Leonean citizens by running the Department's own checks on the couple's file before anything is lodged, so that the case officer receives an application in which the identity data, the civil records, the marriage evidence and the relationship evidence all tell the same story. The firm deals with complex cases, acts in many partner matters involving late-registered births, customary marriages, identity questions and couples who have lived in different countries, and is capable of handling these matters from the first review through to a Tribunal hearing if a refusal is reviewed.

On a partner visa for Sierra Leonean citizens, the firm's work usually follows these steps.

• Pathway and validity check. The firm confirms whether the Subclass 309, Subclass 820 or Subclass 300 fits. If the Sierra Leonean partner is in Australia, the firm checks condition 8503, Schedule 3 and section 48 before anything else, and obtains the visa history directly from Department records rather than asking the couple for old documents.
• Sponsor check. The firm checks the Australian partner's eligibility, any previous sponsorships under regulation 1.20J, and any history that could affect sponsorship.
• Identity audit. The firm sets out every identity data point from the passport, national identity card, birth certificate, earlier passports and earlier Australian visa applications in one table, and identifies every difference that needs an explanation or a corrected record.
• Birth and marriage records review. The firm reviews how and when the birth was registered, which form of marriage the couple entered, where it was registered, and whether any earlier marriage was ended and recorded, and advises on whether the couple should rely on the marriage or on de facto evidence.
• Document integrity advice. The firm advises on obtaining documents directly from the issuing authorities, so that no document can later be said to have been obtained through a third party or on false information, and on the police certificates needed from Sierra Leone and every other relevant country.
• Relationship evidence review. The relationship statement and the Form 888 statements are the couple's and the witnesses' own evidence. The firm reviews them against the documents, identifies gaps and inconsistencies, and the couple and the witnesses correct and confirm their own words. For couples who have lived in different countries, the firm advises on how travel, communication and financial evidence should be organised.
• Lodgement and Department correspondence. The firm lodges the application, manages health examination and biometrics requests, and prepares responses to any section 56 request or section 57 letter.
• Refusal and review. If a refusal is received, the firm checks the 28-day deadline, confirms whether the applicant or the sponsor must apply, lodges the Tribunal application and prepares the evidence and submissions for review.

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 a partner visa lawyer in Australia. The firm charges fixed fees under a written costs agreement, which is explained in the guide to fixed-fee immigration lawyers. The articles on when an immigration lawyer is needed for a partner visa, on a partner visa lawyer compared with doing it yourself, on what happens in an immigration lawyer consultation and on hiring a lawyer after lodging your own application help couples decide what help they need. Couples who already have advice can ask for a second opinion from an immigration lawyer, and couples facing a deadline should read what to prepare for urgent immigration advice.

Consultations are held by video, and My Migration Lawyers acts for Sierra Leonean partners and their Australian sponsors across Australia, including clients of our partner visa lawyers in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, the Gold Coast, Canberra, Hobart and Parramatta. The firm's immigration lawyers also act in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, the Gold Coast, Canberra, Hobart and Parramatta.

The firm cannot promise any outcome. What it can do is make sure that a partner visa for Sierra Leonean citizens is lodged after the Department's checks have already been run on the file, with every inconsistency explained and every document obtained from the proper source.

Book a Consultation with My Migration Lawyers to have your Sierra Leonean documents and your partner visa pathway checked before you lodge. You can also call 1300 040 300.