Australian Partner Visa for Thai Citizens

What does a partner visa for Thai citizens require?

A partner visa for Thai citizens requires the same thing as every Australian partner visa: proof that the Thai partner and the Australian partner are in a genuine and continuing relationship, either as a married couple or as de facto partners, together with health, character and identity checks. There is no separate visa for Thailand. What makes a partner visa for Thai citizens different is the evidence. Thai marriage registration, Thai identity records, sin sod and family support, Thai translations and the Thai police certificate all raise questions that a decision maker will ask, and the couple must answer them in the documents.

This article is written for Thai citizens who are in a relationship with an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen, and for the Australian partner, who is often the person organising the application. It explains which pathway fits, what Thai documents are needed, how Thai relationship customs show up in the evidence, and where a partner visa for Thai citizens most often goes wrong. For the full framework of every partner subclass, start with the complete guide to partner visas in Australia. Couples who want their documents checked before lodging can speak with our partner visa lawyers.

The legal test in plain terms

The legal test is set by the Migration Act 1958 and the Migration Regulations 1994. Section 5F of the Act defines a spouse relationship and section 5CB defines a de facto relationship. Both require a mutual commitment to a shared life as a couple to the exclusion of all others, a genuine and continuing relationship, and living together or not living separately and apart on a permanent basis. Regulation 1.15A then directs the decision maker to consider all the circumstances of the relationship, including four aspects: the financial aspects of the relationship, the nature of the household, the social aspects of the relationship and the nature of the commitment.

Those four aspects are what a partner visa for Thai citizens is assessed against. They are not separate statements or separate forms. They are the headings under which the decision maker weighs everything the couple provide. The firm's guide to evidence of a genuine relationship explains each aspect in detail, and the guide to preparing evidence of a genuine relationship explains how to organise it.

Why documents decide most cases

Documents decide most cases because a decision maker usually never meets the couple. The officer reads the application, the Thai civil records, the translations and the relationship evidence, and forms a view from that material alone. A partner visa for Thai citizens that has a gap, such as an unregistered marriage described as a marriage, a name that does not match across documents, or large payments to a Thai family that nobody explains, can be refused even where the relationship is real. A refusal on the papers is still a refusal. That is why this article is built around evidence and documents rather than general eligibility.

Common document mistakes in Thai files

The same document mistakes appear again and again in Thai files. The most common are using the ceremony date as the date of marriage, spelling the Thai partner's name differently in the passport, the forms and the translations, leaving out an earlier name or an earlier marriage, providing translations of only the front page of a record, and lodging LINE screenshots with no dates or names visible. Each of these can be fixed before lodgement in a few hours. After a refusal, the same mistake can take months to repair. A partner visa for Thai citizens should therefore be checked as a complete file before it is lodged, not document by document.

Which partner visa pathway fits a Thai citizen?

The pathway for a partner visa for Thai citizens depends on where the Thai partner is when the application is made and whether the couple are married, in a de facto relationship or engaged. There are three main options, and the same relationship test applies to each.

Applying in Australia: Subclass 820 and Subclass 801

A Thai partner who is in Australia can usually apply for the combined Subclass 820 onshore partner visa and the permanent Subclass 801. The Subclass 820 is temporary. The Subclass 801 is assessed later, generally about two years after the application was lodged, and the relationship must still be genuine at that point. The Subclass 820 vs Subclass 801 explainer sets out how the two stages work, and the complete guide to the Subclass 820 partner visa covers requirements, cost and timing.

An onshore application normally gives the Thai partner a bridging visa while the application is processed, which matters for work and travel. The firm's article on work rights while waiting for a Subclass 820 visa explains the Bridging Visa A, and the article on Bridging Visa B explains travel while an application is pending.

Applying when the Thai partner is in Thailand: Subclass 309 and Subclass 100

When the Thai partner is outside Australia, the couple usually apply for the Subclass 309 offshore partner visa and the permanent Subclass 100. The application is lodged online, so nobody sends paper files from Bangkok. In practice the Australian partner is usually the person who organises the application and is the firm's client, because the Australian partner is the sponsor and is the person who can seek review in Australia if the visa is refused. For an offshore partner visa for Thai citizens, the Thai partner must be outside Australia when the Subclass 309 is granted.

Engaged couples: Subclass 300

A Thai partner who is engaged to an Australian partner and intends to marry in Australia can apply for the Subclass 300 prospective marriage visa. The couple must have met in person, must genuinely intend to marry, and must marry within the visa period. After the marriage, the Thai partner can apply for the Subclass 820 and Subclass 801 in Australia at a lower charge.

The government charge as at October 2026

As at October 2026, the Department of Home Affairs charge for a partner visa is from AUD 11,710 for most applicants. A Subclass 300 holder who applies for the Subclass 820 and Subclass 801 in Australia pays from AUD 1,955. One charge covers both stages of the combined application. Charges are reviewed each 1 July. Police certificates, health examinations, translations and biometrics are extra. The firm's guide to every Subclass 820 visa cost explains how the charge works for an onshore partner visa for Thai citizens, and the guide to Subclass 820 processing times explains how long it may take.

Thai partners on visitor, student or working holiday visas

Many Thai partners are already in Australia on a temporary visa when the couple decide to apply, and the conditions on that visa can decide whether an onshore partner visa for Thai citizens is possible at all. The three most common situations are a visitor visa, a student visa and a working holiday arrangement.

Visitor visas and condition 8503

Thai citizens usually visit Australia on a Visitor visa (Subclass 600). Many visitor visas carry condition 8503 (No Further Stay). While that condition applies, the holder generally cannot make a valid application for a further substantive visa in Australia, including a partner visa, unless the condition is first waived. A waiver is only possible in limited circumstances that arose after the visa was granted. The firm's guide to applying for a Subclass 820 visa with condition 8503 explains the rule, and the guide to moving from a tourist visa to a partner visa in Australia explains what to check first.

The visitor visa application itself also matters. The Department compares what the Thai partner said in the visitor visa application, such as marital status, the purpose of the visit and the relationship to the Australian partner, with what the partner visa application says. If a visitor visa application said "single" and the partner visa application says the couple were in a de facto relationship at that time, the difference must be explained. A partner visa for Thai citizens that ignores an earlier answer invites a concern about false or misleading information.

Student visas and working holiday visas

Thai citizens also come to Australia as students and under the Work and Holiday arrangement. A student visa or working holiday visa does not usually carry condition 8503, but it can carry other conditions, and it expires. The safe course is to lodge the partner visa while the Thai partner still holds a substantive visa. The firm's guide to the 820 visa requirements and how to apply explains the onshore steps.

When the Thai partner's visa has expired: Schedule 3

If the Thai partner does not hold a substantive visa when the partner visa application is made, Schedule 3 criteria 3001, 3003 and 3004 apply. In broad terms they require the application to be made within a set time after the last substantive visa ended, unless there are compelling reasons not to apply them. The firm's guides to the Schedule 3 criteria for applicants who are unlawful and the Schedule 3 partner visa waiver explain the rules, and the firm's Schedule 3 waiver service explains how the firm acts on these cases.

A previous refusal: section 48

Section 48 of the Migration Act limits the visas a person can apply for in Australia if the person does not hold a substantive visa and has had a visa refused or cancelled since last entering Australia. A partner visa can still be applied for, but extra validity rules apply, including two statutory declarations from Australian citizens, permanent residents or eligible New Zealand citizens, made no more than 6 weeks before lodgement, under Schedule 1 item 1124B(3)(e)(iii). Form 888 statements do not satisfy that rule. The guide to a partner visa after a visa refusal explains this pathway, and the firm's visa refusals and visa cancellations pages explain how earlier decisions affect a later partner visa for Thai citizens.

The firm obtains the Thai partner's Australian visa history itself. The couple do not need to find old visa grant notices or old application forms.

Thai marriage registration at the district office

A Thai marriage is created by registration with the registrar at a district office, which is called an amphoe in the provinces and a khet in Bangkok, and not by the wedding ceremony. For a partner visa for Thai citizens, this is the single most important document point. If the couple married by registration, they are spouses. If the couple held a wedding ceremony but did not register, they are generally not married under Thai law, and they must usually apply as de facto partners instead.

Registration, not the ceremony, creates the marriage

Thai weddings often include a Buddhist blessing with monks, a water pouring ceremony and a large family celebration. These events are culturally important and are excellent social evidence. Under the Thai Civil and Commercial Code, however, a marriage is generally valid only when it has been registered. Australian law recognises a marriage celebrated overseas if it was valid under the law of the place where it was celebrated, subject to the Marriage Act 1961. So the question for a partner visa for Thai citizens is a factual one: was the marriage registered at the district office, and on what date?

The date matters as much as the fact of registration. Many Thai couples hold the ceremony on one date and register on another. The relationship statement, the forms and the evidence should use the registration date as the date of marriage and describe the ceremony separately. When the two dates are confused, the Department may doubt the account of the relationship.

The marriage certificate and the registration record

After registration, the district office issues a marriage certificate, commonly known as the Kor Ror 3 form, and keeps a marriage registration record, commonly known as the Kor Ror 2 form. A partner visa for Thai citizens should include a clear colour scan of the marriage certificate and a full English translation. Where the Department wants to verify a marriage, it can make enquiries with the issuing authority, so the documents provided must be genuine and complete.

Some couples registered their marriage at a Thai embassy or consulate outside Thailand, or registered a marriage in another country and later recorded it in Thailand. Each situation produces different documents. Couples in that position should get advice on which documents prove the marriage, rather than providing every record they hold and hoping the officer sorts it out.

Previous marriages and Thai divorce records

If either partner was married before, the earlier marriage must have ended before the new marriage was registered, and the evidence must show how and when it ended. In Thailand a divorce by mutual consent is generally registered at a district office, and a contested divorce is granted by a court. Either way, a partner visa for Thai citizens should include the divorce record or court judgment with an English translation. The Australian partner's divorce order is needed too if the Australian partner was previously married.

The Department assesses whether the new marriage is valid under Australian law. If an earlier divorce was never registered, or was granted in a third country, the couple should get advice before lodging, because a doubt about the earlier divorce becomes a doubt about the marriage itself. Previous de facto relationships and children from earlier relationships must also be declared in the forms, even when the earlier relationship ended many years ago.

Marrying in Australia instead

A Thai citizen who is in Australia can marry an Australian partner in Australia under the Marriage Act 1961, with an authorised celebrant and a Notice of Intended Marriage lodged at least one month before the wedding. An Australian marriage certificate is then the proof of marriage. This is often simpler for an onshore partner visa for Thai citizens, but the Thai partner's visa position must be checked first, because the wedding does not fix a visa problem such as condition 8503.

Same-sex Thai couples

Thailand amended its law to allow same-sex couples to register a marriage, with the change taking effect in early 2025. Australia has recognised same-sex marriage since 2017. Same-sex couples can apply for a partner visa on the same terms as other couples, whether married or de facto. The firm's LGBTI partner visa page explains how it acts for same-sex couples.

Buddhist ceremony without registration: applying as de facto partners

A Thai couple who held a Buddhist or family wedding but never registered the marriage can usually still apply for a partner visa as de facto partners, but the application must be framed and evidenced as a de facto relationship, not as a marriage. This is a common situation in a partner visa for Thai citizens, especially where the couple held a ceremony in the Thai partner's home province and the Australian partner later returned to Australia.

Calling an unregistered ceremony a marriage on the application is a serious error. It misstates the relationship type, it can conflict with the Thai partner's own civil status records, and it can raise an issue under public interest criterion 4020 about false or misleading information. The safer course is to describe the ceremony accurately as a ceremony, provide the photographs and guest evidence as social evidence, and apply on the de facto basis.

The 12-month rule and its exceptions

For a de facto partner visa, the couple generally must have been in a de facto relationship for at least 12 months immediately before the application, unless an exception applies. One exception is where the relationship has been registered under an Australian state or territory relationship register. Other exceptions apply in compelling and compassionate circumstances, such as where the couple have a child together. The firm's guides to the de facto partner visa and the 12-month rule and to whether 12 months of de facto relationship is really needed explain the exceptions.

What evidence works for a ceremony-only couple

For a ceremony-only couple, the evidence must show 12 months of a de facto relationship, which includes living together or not living separately and apart on a permanent basis. Useful evidence for a partner visa for Thai citizens in this situation includes:

• a joint lease or a letter from the landlord in Thailand or Australia, together with utility bills, delivery records or mail at the shared address;
• photographs and guest evidence from the ceremony, described accurately;
• evidence of trips and time spent together, including flights and accommodation;
• bank transfers showing the couple sharing living costs, explained in the relationship statement; and
• Form 888 statements from people who know the couple as a couple, such as family members in Thailand and friends in Australia.

Sin sod, family support and the financial aspects of the relationship

Sin sod is a payment made by the groom, or the groom's family, to the bride's family as part of a Thai engagement or wedding, and it should be explained in a partner visa for Thai citizens rather than left for the officer to interpret. A large cash transfer to a Thai family, or gold shown at the ceremony, can look like a commercial arrangement to a decision maker who does not know the custom. Explained properly, it is evidence of family recognition and of the seriousness of the commitment.

How to present sin sod

The relationship statement should say what was agreed, who paid it, when, how much in general terms, and whether any part was returned to the couple after the ceremony, which is common. Photographs of the engagement procession and the presentation of the sin sod are useful social evidence. Bank records of the payment, where they exist, help show that the account is consistent. A partner visa for Thai citizens should never describe sin sod as a purchase or as a condition of the relationship. It is a cultural payment within a relationship that already exists, and the evidence should show that relationship first.

Money sent to parents in Thailand

Many Thai partners send money to their parents each month, and many Australian partners contribute. This reflects a widely held expectation that adult children support their parents. For a partner visa for Thai citizens, these transfers are not a problem in themselves. They become a problem when they are the only financial evidence in the file, because they show money moving to a third party, not the couple sharing their own finances.

The relationship statement should explain the family support arrangement briefly, and the financial evidence should then show the couple's own arrangements: who pays rent, how food and bills are covered, any joint account, any shared savings and any joint purchases. The firm's guide to the 820 partner visa evidence checklist lists the financial documents decision makers look for, and the partner visa document checklist lists what to gather before lodging.

When the Australian partner supports the Thai partner

In many couples the Australian partner earns most of the income, especially while the Thai partner is still in Thailand or is studying in Australia. One-way financial support is common in genuine relationships and is not a reason for refusal on its own. A partner visa for Thai citizens should show what the support is for, how it changed when the couple began living together, and how decisions about money are made jointly. Evidence that the Thai partner contributes in other ways, such as managing the household, paying certain bills, or contributing income when working, helps balance the picture.

Thai identity documents: ID card, house registration and name changes

Identity is checked closely in every partner visa, and a partner visa for Thai citizens should provide the Thai passport, the Thai national identity card and, where relevant, the house registration book and any name change certificate. Each must match the others and match the forms.

Passport and national identity card

The Thai passport is the primary identity document. The Thai national identity card carries a 13-digit identification number that also appears on other Thai civil records. Clear colour scans of both documents should be provided, and the details on them, including the spelling of the name in English, should be used consistently throughout the application.

House registration (tabien baan)

The house registration book records the people registered at an address in Thailand. It is often useful to show the Thai partner's family details and residential history, and the Department may ask for it. It should be translated if provided.

Name changes and nicknames

Name changes are common in Thailand. Thai citizens often change their given name or surname, and many are known by a short nickname in daily life. If the Thai partner has changed names, a name change certificate issued by the district office should be provided with a translation, and every earlier name must be declared in the forms. Nicknames that appear in messages and photographs should be explained in the relationship statement. A partner visa for Thai citizens with an undeclared earlier name can trigger identity concerns that are entirely avoidable.

Form 80 and earlier applications

Form 80 asks for personal particulars, addresses, employment, travel and family details. The firm's guide to completing Form 80 without errors explains the common mistakes. Every date and name in Form 80 should match the Thai civil records, the passport and any earlier Australian visa application. Where a mistake is found after lodgement, it should be corrected using Form 1022 to notify a change of circumstances or a written correction, not left for the officer to find.

Thai police certificates and character

The Thai police certificate for a partner visa for Thai citizens is issued by the Police Clearance Service Center of the Special Branch Bureau, Royal Thai Police, in Bangkok. As a general rule, the Department 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 Thai applicants that includes Thailand, and it includes Australia if the Thai partner has lived in Australia for that long.

Police certificates have a limited validity period for visa purposes, so the timing of the request matters. Ordering certificates too early can mean they expire before the decision. The Department usually says when to provide them, and a request that arrives during processing should be answered within the time given. The firm's article on responding to a section 56 request for more information explains these requests.

When there is a character issue

If either partner has a criminal record in Thailand, Australia or anywhere else, it must be declared. The Australian sponsor's history also matters, because sponsorship limitations can stop a sponsor with certain convictions, or a sponsor who has sponsored before, from sponsoring a partner. Regulation 1.20J limits a sponsor to two partners in a lifetime, at least five years apart, unless there are compelling circumstances. The guide to when a sponsor cannot sponsor a partner visa explains the rules.

Translating Thai documents into English

Every Thai document relied on in a partner visa for Thai citizens must have an English translation. The Department expects translations done in Australia to be completed by a translator accredited by NAATI, and translations done outside Australia to include the translator's full name, address, telephone number and details of their qualifications and experience. A translation should reproduce the whole document, including stamps, seals and handwritten notes.

Which Thai documents need translating

The documents that most often need translating in a partner visa for Thai citizens are the marriage certificate, the birth certificate, the national identity card, the house registration pages provided, any name change certificate, any divorce record, and any court or police record. If the Thai police certificate is issued in Thai, it also needs translating. A translation of the wrong page, or a translation that leaves out a stamp showing a later change, can create a mismatch the officer will notice.

Translating relationship evidence

Relationship evidence in Thai, such as LINE messages, cards, wedding invitations and messages from family, does not need to be translated in full. A sample of messages over the length of the relationship, with English translations, is usually enough to show regular contact and the nature of the relationship. The translations should be accurate and should not be summarised in a way that changes the meaning. Where Thai family members provide Form 888 statements, the statements must be in English or accompanied by a translation.

Relationship evidence for Thai couples: the four aspects

Relationship evidence for a partner visa for Thai citizens is assessed under the same four aspects as for any couple, but what that evidence looks like in a Thai family is often different, and the evidence should reflect the couple's real life rather than a generic checklist.

Financial aspects

The financial aspects of the relationship are shown by how the couple share money and responsibility, as discussed above in relation to sin sod and family support. Joint accounts, shared bills, transfers between the partners, joint assets and the way the couple plan their finances are the core evidence.

Nature of the household

The nature of the household is shown by where the couple live and how they share the work of the home. Thai couples often live with or near the Thai partner's parents for periods, especially before moving to Australia. That arrangement is not a weakness. It should be explained, with evidence of the address, who lives there, and how the couple divide household tasks.

Social aspects: Thai family and community recognition

The social aspects of the relationship are shown by whether the couple are known as a couple to family, friends and the community. In Thailand that recognition often comes through the engagement, the wedding ceremony, merit-making at the temple, family visits and festivals such as Songkran. Photographs over time, invitations, messages from family and Form 888 statements from relatives in Thailand and friends in Australia help prove this aspect of a partner visa for Thai citizens. The firm's guides to what Form 888 should actually say and Form 888 example answers and common mistakes explain how witnesses should complete them.

Nature of the commitment

The nature of the commitment is shown by the length of the relationship, the couple's knowledge of each other's circumstances, their plans for the future and the way they have supported each other through difficulties. For a partner visa for Thai citizens where the couple spent long periods apart, evidence of visits, daily contact and future plans is especially important.

One relationship statement, written by the couple

A partner visa has one relationship statement, which is the couple's own account of how they met, how the relationship developed, and how they share their lives under each of the four aspects. It should be written in the couple's own words and should explain the Thai specifics: the registration date versus the ceremony date, the sin sod, family support, nicknames and any periods apart. The firm's guide to the partner visa relationship statement explains how to approach it. The firm reviews the statement against the documents, identifies gaps and inconsistencies, and the couple correct and confirm their own words.

LINE, Facebook and communication evidence

LINE is the most widely used messaging app in Thailand, and LINE call logs and chat histories are often the strongest communication evidence in a partner visa for Thai citizens. Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and video calling apps are also common. Communication evidence matters most for couples who spent time apart, such as while the Australian partner worked in Australia and the Thai partner remained in Thailand.

Good communication evidence is selective and organised. Screenshots should show the names or profile details of both partners, the dates, and a spread of messages across the whole relationship, not one week. Call logs showing frequency and duration are useful. A short explanation of the platforms used and why helps the officer read the material. Communication evidence supports a partner visa for Thai citizens but does not replace evidence of the four aspects.

Age difference and how the Department approaches it

An age difference between the Thai partner and the Australian partner is not a criterion in the Migration Regulations, and it is not a reason to refuse a partner visa on its own. It can, however, lead a decision maker to look more closely at how the couple met, how fast the relationship developed, and whether the couple know each other well. A partner visa for Thai citizens where there is a significant age difference should address that scrutiny directly with detailed evidence of the relationship's development and of daily life together.

Meeting online or through friends

Many Thai couples meet online, through friends, or while the Australian partner is travelling or working in Thailand. None of these is a problem. What matters is that the relationship statement explains the meeting honestly and that the timeline is consistent with the travel records, messages and photographs. Where the couple married quickly after meeting, the evidence should show why the decision was made and how the relationship has continued since.

Why a partner visa for Thai citizens is refused, and the 28-day ART deadline

A partner visa for Thai citizens is most often refused because the decision maker is not satisfied that the relationship is genuine and continuing, because the relationship type was misdescribed, or because of an inconsistency between documents, forms and earlier visa applications. The firm's guide to why partner visas get refused and the article on the most common reasons Subclass 820 visas are refused explain the patterns.

Before refusing, the Department may send a section 57 natural justice letter inviting the applicant to comment on adverse information. That letter is often the last chance to fix a problem before a decision, and it should be answered fully and on time.

The review deadline and the ART fee as at October 2026

If a partner visa for Thai citizens is refused, the decision can usually be reviewed by the Administrative Review Tribunal. Under subsection 347(3) of the Migration Act 1958, the review application must be made within 28 days after the day the applicant is notified of the decision, or 7 days if the person is in immigration detention. The deadline cannot be extended. A late application is not properly made and the Tribunal has no jurisdiction.

For an onshore Subclass 820 and Subclass 801 refusal, the Thai applicant applies for review and must be in Australia. For a Subclass 309 refusal where the Thai partner is outside Australia, the Australian sponsor applies for review under subsection 338(5). 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, and it must be paid before the deadline. A 50% fee reduction may be granted for financial hardship. The ART refunds 50% of the fee if the decision is set aside or varied, or if the matter is remitted to the Department.

The firm's guides to partner visa refusal appeal options, what to expect at an ART review and when a visa appeal lawyer is needed explain the process. The firm's partner visa refusals page explains how it acts on review. Where the relationship has broken down during processing, the article on what happens if the relationship breaks down applies, and where there has been family violence, the firm's family violence partner visa page explains the special provisions.

Tribunal decisions on the evidence issues Thai couples face

Tribunal decisions show that the evidence issues that arise in a partner visa for Thai citizens, such as unregistered religious ceremonies, bride price payments, age differences, earlier visitor visa answers and couples living in different countries, are matters the Tribunal examines on review. Every decision listed below was remitted, which means the Tribunal sent the matter back to the Department to reconsider it in line with the Tribunal's findings. Decisions dated before October 2024 were made by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, which the Administrative Review Tribunal replaced. 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 in this article.

• Mahrami (Migration) [2019] AATA 4654, Subclass 309: the reported issues were a genuine spouse or de facto relationship, a valid marriage, a religious wedding not properly registered in the home country, and a remarriage in another country.
• Nguyen (Migration) [2023] AATA 241, Subclass 300: the reported issues were a genuine intention to marry within the visa period and live together as spouses, and a civil ceremony in the home country that was not valid for the purposes of the Act.
• 1930048 (Migration) [2025] ARTA 966, Subclass 820: the reported issues were a genuine and continuing relationship, a valid marriage, a significant dowry claimed by the sponsor's family, and representation as married to relatives, friends and the employer.
• Tay (Migration) [2023] AATA 574, Subclass 309: the reported issues were persuasive evidence consistent with the sponsor's commitment to a relationship with the visa applicant, a substantial age difference, and a copy of the marriage certificate provided.
• Rahmani (Migration) [2022] AATA 3881, Subclass 309: the reported issues were commitment to a shared life together, a valid marriage in a third country, an age difference with the sponsor wife being significantly older, and very little time spent together.
• TRUONG (Migration) [2024] AATA 680, Subclass 820: the reported issues were false or misleading information in a material particular, a previous visitor visa application, marital status, and being separated but still living together.
• 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 credible witness and evidence.
• Danquah (Migration) [2023] AATA 1378, Subclass 309: the reported issues were a genuine and continuing relationship, the rapid inception of the relationship, consistency with cultural beliefs, and money transfers.
• Wang (Migration) [2024] ARTA 822, Subclass 820: the reported issues were a genuine and continuing relationship, a valid marriage two months after meeting, the financial, household and social aspects of the relationship and the nature of commitment, and future plans.
• 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 living in different countries.
• Sixto (Migration) [2024] AATA 814, Subclass 820: the reported issues were a genuine and continuing relationship, the financial, household and social aspects of the relationship and the nature of commitment, and a relationship registered after the visa application was made.
• Dau (Migration) [2023] AATA 1156, Subclass 820: the reported issue was that the applicant did not meet criterion 3001 in Schedule 3 because the applicant was not the holder of a substantive visa at the time of application.

These decisions do not decide any other couple's case, and each turned on its own evidence. What they show is that ceremony and registration issues, bride price, age differences, earlier visa answers and time apart are taken seriously, and that they can be dealt with when the evidence explains them clearly. For an onshore applicant, the last decision is a reminder that Schedule 3 must be checked before lodgement, not after.

How My Migration Lawyers handles a partner visa for Thai citizens

My Migration Lawyers handles a partner visa for Thai citizens by settling the relationship type and the visa position first, then testing every Thai document, translation and piece of relationship evidence against the forms before the application is lodged. The firm regularly deals with complex partner cases, acts in many matters for Thai citizens and their Australian partners, and is capable of handling the issues that make these files difficult, including unregistered ceremonies, sin sod and family support, name changes, condition 8503, Schedule 3, section 48 and earlier visitor visa answers.

On a partner visa for Thai citizens, the firm's work usually runs as follows.

• Relationship type. The firm establishes whether the couple are married under Thai or Australian law by checking the registration record and date, or whether the application must be made on a de facto basis, and whether the 12-month rule or an exception applies.
• Visa position. The firm obtains the Thai partner's Australian visa history, checks the current visa for condition 8503, and advises on Schedule 3 and section 48 before any lodgement date is set.
• Thai document list. The firm sets out exactly which Thai documents the couple need for their facts, such as the marriage certificate, identity card, house registration pages, name change certificates and the Thai police certificate, and which translations are required.
• Earlier answers. The firm compares what the Thai partner said in visitor, student or other visa applications with the partner visa forms and identifies anything that needs an explanation.
• Relationship evidence review. The relationship statement and Form 888 statements are the couple's and the witnesses' own evidence. The firm reviews them against the LINE records, financial evidence and photographs, points out where sin sod, family support or time apart is not explained, and the couple correct and confirm their own words.
• Lodgement and requests. The firm lodges the application, manages requests for further information and police certificates, and responds to any section 57 letter.
• Review. If the visa is refused, the firm advises immediately on the 28-day deadline and the ART fee, and acts on the review.

Weiwei Zhang, Principal Lawyer, leads the firm's partner visa work. You can read more about My Migration Lawyers and about Weiwei Zhang. The firm charges fixed fees under a written costs agreement, and its guide to fixed-fee immigration lawyers explains what a quote should include. Couples comparing their options can read about when an immigration lawyer is needed for a partner visa, the difference between a migration agent and a lawyer for a partner visa, and what to expect from a consultation. Couples who already lodged their own application can read about hiring an immigration lawyer after lodgement.

Consultations are held by video, and the firm acts for Thai citizens and their Australian partners across the country, including through its partner visa lawyers in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, the Gold Coast, Canberra, Hobart and Parramatta. For other visa matters, its immigration lawyers act for clients in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, the Gold Coast, Canberra, Hobart and Parramatta.

The firm does not promise outcomes. What it does is make sure a partner visa for Thai citizens is lodged on the correct basis, with Thai documents that match each other and the forms, and with evidence a decision maker can follow.

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