Future Plans in a Partner Visa Relationship Statement

Partner visa future plans are a short but important part of every relationship statement. This guide explains what partner visa future plans are, why the Department of Home Affairs looks at them, what to write about your shared future, and the evidence that backs those plans up.

There is one point to make clear at the start. A partner visa has one relationship statement from each partner. There is no separate document for the future. Partner visa future plans are simply one part of that single relationship statement, usually near the end, where each partner explains how they see their life together continuing.

The firm's main guide on the partner visa relationship statement explains how to write the whole statement, with examples. This article focuses on one part of it. It explains how to write the future plans part well, how specific to be, how to keep both partners consistent, and how to support those plans with documents. It applies to the onshore Subclass 820 and Subclass 801 partner visa, the offshore Subclass 309 and Subclass 100 partner visa and, with some differences, the Subclass 300 Prospective Marriage visa.

What are partner visa future plans and where do they belong?

Partner visa future plans are the couple's own description of the life they intend to share: where they will live, how they will support each other, whether they intend to have or raise children, how they will manage money and property, and how they will care for family. They belong inside the relationship statement, not in a separate document.

Each partner writes their own relationship statement. The applicant writes one and the sponsor writes one. Each statement tells the story of the relationship from that partner's point of view: how the couple met, how the relationship developed, how they live now and how they see the future. The partner visa future plans part is the last chapter of that story.

The relationship statement is the client's own evidence. It must be written from the client's own knowledge and in the client's own words, and the client must read, correct and confirm it before it is lodged. A lawyer can explain what the Department looks for, check the statement against the documents and point out gaps or inconsistencies. The facts, including the partner visa future plans, must be the couple's own.

Why future plans are not a separate document

Some online material suggests that each part of the relationship needs its own separate document. That is not how a partner visa works. The Department assesses four aspects of the relationship: the financial aspects, the nature of the household, the social aspects and the nature of the commitment. These are aspects of the relationship that the Department assesses. They are not separate statements that the couple must write.

A couple who prepares several separate statements risks repeating themselves, contradicting themselves, or giving the impression that the application has been assembled from templates. One clear relationship statement from each partner, covering the whole relationship including partner visa future plans, is the correct approach.

For an overview of how the relationship requirements fit into the wider application, see the firm's complete guide to partner visas in Australia.

Why the Department looks at partner visa future plans

The Department looks at partner visa future plans because the law asks whether the relationship is genuine, continuing and based on a mutual commitment to a shared life. A relationship that is genuine and continuing usually has a future the couple can describe. Partner visa future plans are one of the clearest ways for a couple to show that the relationship is expected to last.

The nature of commitment under regulation 1.15A(3)(d)

For a married couple, section 5F of the Migration Act 1958 requires a mutual commitment to a shared life as a married couple to the exclusion of all others, a relationship that is genuine and continuing, and a couple who live together or do not live separately and apart on a permanent basis.

Regulation 1.15A of the Migration Regulations 1994 sets out how this is assessed. For the Subclass 820, Subclass 801, Subclass 309 and Subclass 100 visas, the decision maker must consider all the circumstances of the relationship, including four matters listed in subregulation 1.15A(3). The fourth matter, in paragraph 1.15A(3)(d), is the nature of the persons' commitment to each other. The Department's policy explains that this is assessed having regard to the duration of the relationship, the length of time the parties have lived together, the degree of companionship and emotional support they draw from each other, and whether they see the relationship continuing for the long term.

That last factor is where partner visa future plans matter most. A couple who can explain, in concrete terms, how they see the years ahead gives the decision maker direct evidence on whether they see the relationship as a long-term one. The Department's policy also says that the mutuality of commitment may be assessed by looking at evidence of intentions that the relationship be long term, such as the extent to which the partners have combined their affairs and provided for each other, for example by being beneficiaries of each other's will or superannuation.

The commitment aspect is broader than future plans alone. It also covers the history and depth of the relationship. This article deals only with the future plans part. The firm's guide on how to prove your relationship is genuine explains all four aspects in detail.

Future plans also appear in the social aspects

Partner visa future plans are not only relevant to commitment. The Department's policy on the social aspects of the relationship, under paragraph 1.15A(3)(c), says those aspects may be shown by the basis on which the couple plan and undertake joint social activities. The examples given include joint travel plans and other plans for the future.

This means partner visa future plans can support two of the four aspects at once. A planned trip to meet family overseas, a booked holiday together, or a shared plan to join a community group shows both a social life as a couple and an expectation that the relationship will continue.

The four aspects are weighed together

The four aspects are not a scorecard. The Department's policy says the decision maker must consider all of them, together with any other relevant information, and decide on balance whether the relationship meets the legal requirements. A couple does not pass or fail on partner visa future plans alone. Strong plans cannot rescue a relationship with no history, and modest plans will not sink a relationship that is otherwise well evidenced. Partner visa future plans are one piece of a larger picture, and they should fit the rest of it.

What the Tribunal decisions show

Future plans and long-term commitment do appear in review decisions. In Wang (Migration) [2024] ARTA 822, a Subclass 820 matter that the Tribunal remitted, the reported issues included a genuine and continuing relationship, a couple validly married two months after meeting, the financial, household and social aspects of the relationship and the nature of commitment, and future plans. In Gaspar (Migration) [2024] AATA 4055, a Subclass 820 matter that the Tribunal remitted, the reported issues included that the parties see their relationship as a long-term commitment.

These decisions do not establish any rule about what a couple must plan. They show that review bodies look at whether the parties see the relationship as long term, and that future plans can be part of that assessment.

Where future plans sit in the relationship statement

Partner visa future plans usually sit at the end of the relationship statement, after the account of how the couple met, how the relationship developed and how they live now. That order is logical. The decision maker first reads the history and the present, and then reads where the couple sees the relationship going. Future plans that grow naturally out of the history are more convincing than plans that appear from nowhere.

The future plans part should also refer back to facts already given. If the statement has described a joint savings account, the future plans part can explain what the couple is saving for. If the statement has described a parent's illness overseas, the future plans part can explain how the couple will share that responsibility.

For onshore applicants, the relationship statement is lodged with the combined application described in the firm's Subclass 820 partner visa guide. Applicants who hold a bridging visa while the application is processed can read about bridging visas in Australia. Couples who appoint a representative do so with Form 956 or Form 956A, and the firm's overview of partner visa lawyers explains how a representative reviews a statement without writing the client's evidence for them.

What to cover in the partner visa future plans part of your statement

The partner visa future plans part of the relationship statement should cover the areas of life the couple has actually discussed and decided. Not every couple has plans in every area, and that is normal. What matters is that the plans described are real, specific and shared. The topics below are the ones that usually matter.

Where you will live

Explain where the couple intends to live, and why. This may be the current home, a planned move to another suburb or city, or a plan to buy a home. If the couple currently lives apart for a reason such as work, study or visa status, explain when and where they intend to live together.

Location matters because the law asks whether the couple lives together or does not live separately and apart on a permanent basis. A clear plan to live together, with a realistic timeframe, is important where the couple is not yet under one roof.

Work, study and careers

Describe each partner's work and study plans and how the couple will support each other in them. For example, one partner may plan to finish a qualification while the other supports the household, or both may plan to change jobs to live closer together. Plans about work often explain other plans, such as where the couple will live and when they intend to buy property.

Applicants who are in Australia and want to know about work rights during processing can read about working while waiting for a Subclass 820 visa.

Children and family

If the couple intends to have children, or has discussed it and decided not to, that can be stated. If either partner already has children, explain how the couple will raise them, where they will live and how the other partner will be involved. Plans for children are personal, and nobody should feel pressured to make a claim they do not mean. An honest answer that the couple has not yet decided is better than an invented plan.

Where children are included in the application, partner visa future plans should be consistent with the living arrangements and care arrangements shown in the rest of the application.

Property and finances

Describe how the couple manages money now and how they plan to manage it in future. This may include saving for a home deposit, paying off a loan together, planning to open a joint account or combining superannuation planning. These plans connect directly with the financial aspects of the relationship.

Caring for parents and family overseas

Many couples have parents or relatives who will need care or support. Explain any shared plans, such as sending money to family overseas, planning visits, or arranging for a parent to visit or live nearby. These plans show that each partner has accepted the other's family obligations as part of their shared life.

Travel and time with family overseas

Describe planned trips together, especially trips to meet family, attend a family event or celebrate a milestone. The Department's policy expressly mentions joint travel plans as an example of social aspects. Where travel during processing is planned, onshore applicants on a bridging visa should read about Bridging Visa B before booking, because leaving Australia without the right visa can have serious consequences.

Marriage or wedding plans

For couples who are married, partner visa future plans may include a wedding celebration in a second country, a religious ceremony, or a plan to register the marriage in a home country. For couples who are engaged and applying for the Subclass 300 Prospective Marriage visa, the plan to marry is central to the application itself. In each case, the plan described should match the documents and the plans described by the other partner.

How specific should partner visa future plans be?

Partner visa future plans should be specific enough that a decision maker can see a real, shared intention, and realistic enough that they fit the couple's actual circumstances. A good test is whether the plan includes who, what, where and roughly when. "We will be together forever" is a feeling. "We plan to move to Geelong when our lease ends next year, so that my husband is closer to his new job" is a plan.

Why vague promises carry little weight

Decision makers read many relationship statements. Statements that say "we love each other and want to spend our lives together" are common. They are not wrong, but on their own they do little to show a long-term commitment, because almost anyone could write them. The weight given to partner visa future plans grows when the plans are detailed, consistent and connected to the couple's real life.

A vague statement also creates a missed opportunity. The partner visa future plans part is one of the few places in the application where the couple can show, in their own words, how they think and plan as a unit. Using it only for general sentiment wastes that opportunity.

The following comparison shows the difference.

• Vague: "We want to buy a house one day."
• Specific: "We have been saving into our joint account each month since we moved in together. We have started looking at two-bedroom units in the western suburbs and hope to buy within the next few years."
• Vague: "We will have a family."
• Specific: "We have talked about having children after I finish my nursing degree. We would like to stay near my wife's parents because they have offered to help with childcare."
• Vague: "We will visit my family."
• Specific: "We plan to travel together to see my parents at the end of the year. It will be my husband's second visit, and my parents are planning a family dinner so he can meet my extended family."

A plan is not a promise of an outcome

Partner visa future plans are statements of intention. Nobody expects a couple to predict the future perfectly. Plans change when jobs change, when family needs change, or when finances change. What matters is that the plans are genuinely held when the statement is signed. If a plan later changes, that is not a problem in itself, as long as the change is explained honestly when the Department asks, or at the permanent stage.

Short relationships and recent marriages

Partner visa future plans matter even more where the couple has been together for a short time, or married soon after meeting. A short history gives the decision maker less evidence of commitment from the past, so the couple's plans for the future, and the steps already taken towards them, carry more of the load. Plans in this situation should be especially concrete and well supported.

The sponsor's history can also be relevant. Where the sponsor has sponsored a partner before, the decision maker may look closely at the new relationship. The firm's article on when a sponsor cannot sponsor a partner visa explains the limits. Couples deciding what kind of help they need can read the firm's guides on whether to use a migration agent or a lawyer for a partner visa and on what an immigration lawyer does.

How long should the future plans part be?

There is no required length. In most relationship statements, the partner visa future plans part is a few paragraphs. It should be long enough to cover the plans that genuinely exist, and no longer. Padding it with repeated statements of love or generic hopes does not help.

Keeping both partners' accounts consistent

Both partners' accounts of their partner visa future plans must match. Each partner writes their own statement, in their own words, so the wording will differ. The substance must not. If one partner says the couple plans to move to Perth and the other says they plan to stay in Sydney, the decision maker will ask why.

Inconsistency in future plans is one of the easier problems to avoid. Before either statement is finalised, the couple should talk through their plans together. That conversation is useful in itself. It also reduces the risk of contradictions that might suggest the couple has not discussed their life together.

Different emphasis is natural

Consistency does not mean identical wording. Each partner will naturally focus on what matters most to them. One partner may write in detail about career plans and the other about family. That is normal and can make the statements more credible. Identical paragraphs in both statements can look copied and may reduce the weight given to them. The aim is two honest accounts that agree on the facts.

Consistency with Form 80, Form 888 statements and documents

Partner visa future plans are not read in isolation. The decision maker reads them alongside everything else in the file. That includes:

• Form 80 and other personal history forms. If the relationship statement says the couple plans to stay in a particular city, but a Form 80 or other form shows recent or planned moves elsewhere, the difference should be explained. The firm's guide on completing Form 80 without errors explains why accuracy across forms matters.
• Form 888 statements. Form 888 is a supporting statement from an Australian citizen or permanent resident who knows the couple. It is not a statutory declaration. Witnesses often mention what they know of the couple's plans, such as an engagement, a planned move or a planned family visit. Those details must match what the couple says. The firm's articles on who can make a Form 888 and what it should say and on Form 888 example answers and common mistakes explain how these statements work.
• Documents. If the statement says the couple is saving for a home, the bank statements should show savings. If the statement says the couple has nominated each other as superannuation beneficiaries, the nomination should be on file.
• Earlier visa applications. If an earlier application described different plans, for example a plan to return home after study, the change in plans should be explained rather than ignored.

The firm's partner visa document checklist and 820 partner visa evidence checklist show the documents that partner visa future plans should be checked against.

Interviews and questions from the Department

The Department may interview one or both partners, or ask questions in writing. Questions about plans for the future are a natural part of that process. If the relationship statement describes partner visa future plans that only one partner knows about, the inconsistency may come out at interview. Couples should be able to speak about their plans naturally, because the plans are genuinely theirs.

The Department may also request more information under section 56 of the Migration Act 1958. The firm's guide on responding to a section 56 request for more information explains how to respond within the time given.

Evidence that supports partner visa future plans

Partner visa future plans carry more weight when documents back them up. A plan that the couple has already started acting on is far more persuasive than a plan that exists only in words. The Department's policy itself refers to evidence of intentions that the relationship be long term, such as combined affairs and provision for each other through wills or superannuation.

The following types of evidence commonly support partner visa future plans. Not every couple will have all of them, and nobody should create documents only for the visa. The point is to provide evidence of steps that are real.

Joint savings and financial planning

Statements from a joint savings account, regular transfers towards a shared goal, or a written household budget can support a plan to buy property, pay for a wedding or start a family. The Department's policy notes that accounts operated with reasonable frequency over a reasonable period carry more weight than recently opened accounts with few transactions.

Property searches, leases and home loans

Evidence of property searches, inspections, a loan pre-approval or correspondence with a lender supports a plan to buy a home. A lease in both names, or an agreement to move into a larger home together, supports a plan about where the couple will live.

Wills and powers of attorney

A will that names the other partner as a beneficiary is direct evidence of providing for each other, which the Department's policy specifically mentions. A power of attorney, where one partner gives the other authority over financial or medical matters, can also show a long-term commitment.

Superannuation beneficiary nominations and insurance

A superannuation beneficiary nomination in favour of the other partner, or a life, health or home insurance policy that covers both partners or names the other as beneficiary, shows the couple has planned for each other's future.

Arrangements for children

Where the couple is raising children, evidence of school arrangements, childcare, shared medical arrangements or parenting arrangements supports the plans described. Where the couple is planning children, it is not necessary or appropriate to provide medical documents. The plan can simply be described.

Visa and travel plans

Bookings, itineraries and messages about planned trips support travel plans. For couples who are apart, evidence of steps towards living together, such as a job application in the other partner's city or a plan for one partner to relocate after the visa is decided, supports the plan to reunite.

Evidence should be current and explained

A document only helps if the decision maker understands why it is there. A short reference in the relationship statement, such as "we nominated each other as superannuation beneficiaries after our wedding", connects the document to the plan. The firm's article on preparing evidence of a genuine relationship explains how evidence is organised.

Future plans that raise questions

Some partner visa future plans can raise questions rather than answer them. That does not mean they should be hidden. It means they should be explained clearly, with context. A plan left unexplained can be read in the least favourable way.

Planning to live apart long term

The law requires that a married couple live together, or not live separately and apart on a permanent basis. The Department's policy says that where a couple is living separately, the onus is on the applicant to satisfy the decision maker that the separation is temporary and that they will live together in the future. The policy also says there is no fixed timeframe for when the couple must live together, and each case is considered on its own facts.

Partner visa future plans that describe a long or open-ended period of living apart, without a clear plan to reunite, can therefore cause real difficulty. If work, study, caring for a parent or another reason requires time apart, the relationship statement should explain the reason, how the couple will stay connected and when they intend to live together again. In Marcos (Migration) [2023] AATA 103, a Subclass 309 matter that the Tribunal remitted, the reported issues included limited financial, household and social aspects of the relationship while the parties were living in different countries, and the nature of commitment.

Plans that contradict the evidence

A plan that conflicts with the documents can damage the credibility of the whole application. For example, a statement that the couple plans to stay in Australia permanently sits badly beside evidence that one partner has recently accepted a long contract overseas without the other. A statement that the couple is saving for a home sits badly beside bank statements showing no savings at all. Where there is an apparent conflict, the explanation should be in the statement.

Plans that look visa-driven

Partner visa future plans that are tied entirely to the visa outcome can raise concern. For example, a plan to "start living together once the visa is granted", where nothing prevents the couple from living together now, may suggest that the visa is driving the relationship rather than the other way around. Plans should show a life the couple intends to share whatever happens with the visa. Practical steps that depend on the visa, such as a job that requires work rights, can be mentioned, but they should not be the whole picture.

Plans that change dramatically

If partner visa future plans change completely between the application and a later stage, for example from buying a home together to one partner moving overseas alone, the Department may ask what happened to the relationship. A change of plans is not a problem in itself. An unexplained change can be. The firm's guide on what happens if the relationship breaks down during a Subclass 820 application explains the position where the relationship itself has changed, and the firm's family violence partner visa page explains the separate provisions that may apply.

Illustrative examples of partner visa future plans

The examples below are generic illustrations, not accounts of any client. They show how the partner visa future plans part of a relationship statement can be written in a specific, honest way. Each couple's plans will be different, and each statement must be written in the partner's own words.

Example one: a married couple living together in Australia

"We live together in a rented two-bedroom unit in Parramatta. Our lease ends in March and we plan to renew it for one more year while we save for a deposit. We have a joint savings account for this and we transfer money into it each fortnight. We would like to buy a small home within a few years, closer to my husband's work. We have talked about having children once we have our own home. My parents live overseas and are getting older. We plan to visit them together every year, and we have discussed sponsoring them for a visit so they can meet my husband's family."

Example two: a couple temporarily apart for work

"My wife is finishing a twelve-month work contract in another state, which she accepted before we married. We speak every day and I visit her every month. Her contract ends in June. She has already applied for jobs in Brisbane, where we live, and we plan to live together again from July. We have renewed our lease in both names and kept our joint account for household costs. We do not plan to live apart again after her contract ends."

Example three: an engaged couple applying for a Subclass 300 visa

"We plan to marry in Melbourne in the spring after my fiancée arrives. We have spoken to a celebrant and chosen a date. After the wedding we will live in my apartment until we find a larger home. My fiancée plans to continue her career in accounting and has started looking at the requirements to work in Australia. We plan to visit her family together for a second celebration with her relatives."

These examples share features: they are specific, they are realistic, they connect to evidence, and they explain anything that might otherwise raise a question. That is what partner visa future plans should do.

Updating partner visa future plans at the permanent stage

For onshore applicants, a single application covers both the temporary Subclass 820 visa and the permanent Subclass 801 visa. The permanent stage is generally assessed about two years after the combined application was lodged. The Department's policy says the assessment of the relationship at the permanent stage is a fresh assessment based on the evidence before the decision maker at that time.

This makes the permanent stage an important moment for partner visa future plans. The Department will usually look at what the couple said two years earlier and what has happened since. If the couple said they planned to buy a home, and they have done so, the purchase is strong evidence of commitment. If they have not, a short explanation of why, such as changes in the property market or a change in jobs, keeps the account credible.

What to include in an updated account

At the permanent stage, each partner's updated relationship statement should briefly explain how the relationship has developed, what plans from the original statement have been carried out, what plans have changed and why, and what the couple's plans are now. Partner visa future plans at this stage are often more concrete, because the couple has had more time together.

The firm's article comparing Subclass 820 and Subclass 801 explains the two stages in more detail. Where circumstances change during processing, the Department may need to be told. The firm's guide to Form 1022 change of circumstances explains when to lodge it.

Offshore applicants

Offshore applicants follow a similar two-stage process from the Subclass 309 visa to the Subclass 100 visa. The same principle applies: partner visa future plans described at the first stage should be revisited and updated for the second stage, with honest explanations of what has changed.

Common mistakes with partner visa future plans

Most problems with partner visa future plans come from a small number of avoidable mistakes.

• Putting future plans in a separate document. There is one relationship statement from each partner. Future plans belong inside it.
• Being too vague. General statements of love and hope do not show a long-term commitment on their own. Specific, realistic plans carry weight.
• Partners describing different plans. If one partner plans to move interstate and the other does not mention it, the decision maker will notice.
• Copying the same wording. Identical paragraphs in both statements can look prepared from a template rather than written by each partner.
• Inventing plans. Plans that are not genuinely held can fall apart at interview or at the permanent stage, and false or misleading information can have serious consequences.
• Ignoring plans that look unhelpful. A planned period apart, a change of career or a move overseas should be explained, not hidden.
• Not linking plans to evidence. A plan to buy a home is stronger with savings records. A plan to provide for each other is stronger with a will or a superannuation nomination.
• Forgetting to update. Plans described at the temporary stage should be revisited and updated at the permanent stage.
• Using material from earlier applications without checking. Old statements may describe different plans. Any change should be explained.

The firm's articles on why partner visas get refused and the most common reasons Subclass 820 partner visas are refused explain how evidence problems, including weak or inconsistent accounts of the relationship, can lead to refusal.

Partner visa future plans in particular situations

The same principles apply across the partner visa family, but some situations need extra care.

Couples who moved from a visitor or student visa

Applicants who came to Australia on a visitor or student visa may have described different plans in that earlier application, such as a plan to return home. That is not unusual, because plans change as relationships develop. The change should be explained in the relationship statement rather than ignored. The firm's article on moving from a tourist visa to a partner visa in Australia explains the issues to check.

Applicants without a substantive visa

Applicants who apply onshore without a substantive visa must generally meet the Schedule 3 criteria unless they are waived. Partner visa future plans can be relevant to the overall picture of the relationship in those applications, but they do not replace the Schedule 3 submissions. The firm's Schedule 3 waiver page and its article on Schedule 3 criteria for unlawful applicants explain the requirements.

Applicants with an earlier refusal

Applicants who have had a visa refused before need to take particular care that partner visa future plans are consistent with what they said in earlier applications. The firm's article on applying for a partner visa after a visa refusal explains the issues.

Same-sex couples

Same-sex couples follow the same rules. Partner visa future plans may need to address practical issues, such as where the couple can safely live together or visit family. The firm's LGBTI partner visa page covers the issues specific to those applications.

Sponsors with an earlier sponsorship

Limits apply to how many partners a person can sponsor and how soon after an earlier sponsorship. These rules are separate from future plans, but the sponsor's history is read with the rest of the file. The firm's page on partner visa sponsorship limitations explains them.

When future plans are raised in a refusal or review

If the Department has doubts about the relationship, it will usually give the applicant an opportunity to respond before deciding. A natural justice letter may refer to weak or inconsistent partner visa future plans, among other concerns. The firm's guide on the section 57 natural justice letter for a partner visa explains how to respond.

Where a partner visa is refused because the Department is not satisfied the relationship is genuine and continuing, review may be available at the Administrative Review Tribunal. Review deadlines are short and strictly applied, so anyone who receives a refusal should get advice immediately. The firm's articles on partner visa refusal appeal options and what to expect at an ART review, and the partner visa refusals page, explain the process. The firm's general visa refusals page and visa cancellations page cover related situations.

At review, the couple can usually give updated evidence about their relationship, including what has happened to the partner visa future plans they described earlier. A review hearing is a chance to show how the relationship has continued and how the couple's plans have developed.

Applicants who lodged their own application and now have concerns can read about hiring an immigration lawyer after lodging your own application or getting a second opinion from an immigration lawyer. The comparison of a partner visa lawyer and doing it yourself and the article on when you need an immigration lawyer for a partner visa may also help.

Getting help with partner visa future plans wherever you live

The firm's partner visa work is national, and consultations are held by video. My Migration Lawyers acts for couples in New South Wales through its pages for partner visa lawyers in Sydney and partner visa lawyers in Parramatta, in Victoria through partner visa lawyers in Melbourne, and in Queensland through partner visa lawyers in Brisbane and partner visa lawyers on the Gold Coast. Couples in other states and territories often find the firm through partner visa lawyers in Perth, partner visa lawyers in Adelaide, partner visa lawyers in Canberra and partner visa lawyers in Hobart.

Couples comparing options can read the guides on how to choose a partner visa lawyer in Australia, choosing a partner visa lawyer in Sydney, choosing a partner visa lawyer in Melbourne and choosing a partner visa lawyer in Brisbane, as well as the article on what happens at an immigration lawyer consultation. Wider requirements for onshore applicants are set out in the guides to the Subclass 820 visa and the Subclass 820 requirements and documents.

How My Migration Lawyers helps with partner visa future plans

My Migration Lawyers acts in many partner visa matters where the strength and consistency of the relationship evidence decides the outcome, including complex cases involving short relationships before marriage, periods living apart, earlier visa refusals and changed plans between the temporary and permanent stages. The firm is capable of handling these matters from the first application through to any review.

On partner visa future plans specifically, the firm's work is practical and focused.

• Explaining what the law looks for. The firm explains to both partners how the Department assesses the nature of commitment and the social aspects of the relationship, and why partner visa future plans matter, so each partner can write an informed account in their own words.
• Reviewing each partner's relationship statement. The firm reviews both statements, identifies vague passages and points out where plans are described differently by each partner. Each partner then corrects and confirms their own statement, because it is their own evidence.
• Checking plans against the file. The firm checks partner visa future plans against Form 80, the Form 888 statements, earlier visa applications and the financial and household documents, and identifies any conflict before lodgement.
• Identifying supporting evidence. The firm identifies the documents the couple already holds that support their plans, such as savings records, leases, wills, superannuation nominations and insurance, and presents them in the form the Department expects.
• Explaining plans that raise questions. Where plans involve time apart, a change of career or a move, the firm advises on how the couple can explain the circumstances clearly and accurately.
• Preparing the permanent stage. The firm compares the original partner visa future plans with what has happened since, and advises each partner on updating their account for the fresh assessment.
• Responding to concerns. Where the Department or the Tribunal has raised doubts about the relationship, the firm prepares the response and the legal submissions.

The firm's partner visa practice is described on the partner visa lawyers page, and is overseen by its Principal Lawyer, Weiwei Zhang. More about the firm is on the about page and on the firm's general partner visa lawyer guide.

If you are preparing your relationship statement and want your partner visa future plans checked before lodgement, or the Department has questioned your plans, book a consultation online, or call 1300 040 300.