Partner Visa Lawyer Cost: What Drives the Quote

What determines partner visa lawyer cost?

Partner visa lawyer cost is determined by the amount and difficulty of the legal work a particular file needs, not by the name of the visa. The main drivers are the pathway (onshore, offshore or prospective marriage), the applicant's visa history, issues affecting the sponsor, the volume and quality of the relationship evidence, the number of applicants, whether the matter is a first application or a Tribunal review, and how quickly the work must be done. Two couples applying for the same subclass can therefore receive very different quotes for partner visa lawyer cost, and both quotes can be fair.

This article explains what drives partner visa lawyer cost in Australia, why a complex file needs more legal work than a simple one, and how to compare written scopes from different lawyers so that you compare like with like. It does not set out fee figures. My Migration Lawyers does not publish fee figures or ranges, because a figure without a scope tells a couple very little. What a couple needs to know is what work their own file needs, and what a written quote includes and excludes. For the wider picture of the visa itself, read the complete guide to partner visas in Australia.

The question of partner visa lawyer cost usually arrives at the same moment as a more important question: is the file straightforward, or does it carry a risk the couple has not yet seen? A low quote on a complex file is not a saving if the work the file needs is not in the scope. A higher quote on a straightforward file may include work the couple does not need. The way to tell the difference is to understand the drivers. Couples who want their own file assessed can speak with our partner visa lawyers.

The short answer

Partner visa lawyer cost rises when the file has legal problems that must be solved before or during the application. Common examples are an applicant in Australia without a substantive visa, a visitor visa with a no further stay condition, an earlier refusal or cancellation, a sponsor who has sponsored a partner before, a character issue, a short or interrupted relationship, or an existing refusal that must be taken to the Administrative Review Tribunal within a strict deadline. Each of these adds legal analysis, advice, evidence work and submissions.

Partner visa lawyer cost is lower when the file is what lawyers call clean: the applicant holds a substantive visa or is outside Australia, there is no adverse visa history, the sponsor has never sponsored a partner before, the relationship is well documented, and there are no character or health issues. A clean file still needs careful legal work. It simply needs less of it.

Why the quote is not one number for everyone

A partner visa is not a form. It is a set of legal criteria in the Migration Act 1958 and the Migration Regulations 1994, applied to the facts of one couple. Some criteria are tested at the time of application, some at the time of decision, and some only if a particular fact exists. A lawyer quoting a fixed fee is estimating how much of that legal work the file will need. That is why responsible firms do not quote partner visa lawyer cost until they understand the facts, usually at a paid consultation. The articles on what an immigration lawyer does and when you need an immigration lawyer for a partner visa explain what that legal work involves.

A clean file compared with a complex file

Consider two onshore files for the same subclass. In the first, the applicant holds a current student visa, has never had a visa refused, the sponsor has never sponsored a partner, and the couple have lived together for three years with joint finances. The legal work is to confirm eligibility, advise on the evidence, review the relationship statement and Form 888 statements, check the forms and lodge. In the second, the applicant arrived on a visitor visa with condition 8503, later had another application refused, now holds a bridging visa, and the sponsor sponsored a former spouse four years ago. Before anything is lodged, the lawyer must analyse section 48, the Schedule 3 criteria, the condition 8503 position and the sponsorship limitation, advise on each, and prepare submissions and evidence for the waivers the file needs.

These two files share a subclass and a government charge. They do not share a partner visa lawyer cost, because the second file needs several separate pieces of legal work that the first does not. These examples are general illustrations of how the law applies. They are not client stories.

What does not drive the quote

Partner visa lawyer cost should not depend on how anxious a couple are, how quickly they want an answer at the consultation, or which city they live in. My Migration Lawyers acts by video across Australia, so the location of the couple does not change the legal work. What changes the work is the law that applies to the facts. A quote that cannot explain itself by reference to the issues on the file is a quote worth questioning.

Why partner visa lawyer cost is usually quoted as a fixed fee

Partner visa lawyer cost is usually quoted as a fixed fee because a fixed fee gives the couple certainty about the legal cost of each stage before the work starts. A fixed fee is a price for a defined scope of work. It is not a promise that every possible piece of work is included, and it is only as useful as the written scope that sits behind it.

My Migration Lawyers charges fixed fees under a written costs agreement. The costs agreement names the work, the stages and what is excluded. The firm's article on fixed-fee immigration lawyers and what a quote should include deals with fixed fees across visa types. This article stays with the partner visa and the factors that make a partner visa lawyer cost quote higher or lower.

Fixed fees compared with hourly billing

Under hourly billing, the client pays for the time the lawyer spends, so the final partner visa lawyer cost is not known until the work is finished. Under a fixed fee, the client knows the legal cost of each stage in advance, and the firm carries the risk that the work takes longer than expected within the agreed scope. For most couples a fixed fee is easier to plan around. The trade-off is that the scope must be written carefully, because anything outside it is not covered by the fixed fee.

What fixed means, and what it does not

A fixed fee is fixed for the work described. If the facts change in a way that creates new legal work, such as a new refusal, a relationship breakdown or a Department request that raises a new issue, the work may fall outside the original scope. A well-written quote says what happens then. The article on immigration lawyer fees in Australia explains the general position, and the partner visa lawyers fees guide explains how partner visa fees are structured.

Why some firms will not quote over the phone

A firm that quotes partner visa lawyer cost before it knows the visa history is guessing. The guess may be right for a clean file and wrong for a complex one. Asking the couple about visa history, previous relationships, previous sponsorships, character and the evidence they hold is how a lawyer works out what the file actually needs. That is why a quote is best given after a paid immigration lawyer consultation, when the lawyer has seen enough of the facts to scope the work.

The pathway: how the subclass affects partner visa lawyer cost

The pathway affects partner visa lawyer cost because each subclass has different validity rules, different timing and a different client to advise. The three main pathways are the onshore Subclass 820 and Subclass 801, the offshore Subclass 309 and Subclass 100, and the Subclass 300 prospective marriage visa.

Onshore: Subclass 820 and Subclass 801

The Subclass 820 onshore partner visa is applied for in Australia together with the permanent Subclass 801. Onshore files carry the most variation in partner visa lawyer cost, because the applicant's current visa and visa history in Australia decide what validity rules and Schedule 3 criteria apply. An applicant who holds a student or work visa with no adverse history presents a very different file from an applicant on a bridging visa after a refusal. The Subclass 820 vs Subclass 801 explainer and the Subclass 820 visa guide explain how the two stages fit together.

Onshore files also raise bridging visa questions. A valid onshore application usually gives the applicant a bridging visa, and the lawyer must advise on its conditions, work rights and travel. The articles on working while waiting for a Subclass 820 visa and Bridging visa A cover that advice.

Offshore: Subclass 309 and Subclass 100

The Subclass 309 offshore partner visa is applied for together with the permanent Subclass 100. The application is lodged online. In practice the client of the law firm is usually the Australian partner, who is the sponsor and who often deals with the firm while the applicant is overseas. Offshore files avoid the onshore Schedule 3 questions, but partner visa lawyer cost on an offshore file can still rise where documents come from several countries, where translations are extensive, or where the couple have spent long periods apart.

Prospective marriage: Subclass 300

The Subclass 300 prospective marriage visa is for a couple who intend to marry. The file includes evidence that the couple have met, that they genuinely intend to marry and that there is a real plan for the marriage. A Subclass 300 holder who marries and then applies in Australia for the Subclass 820 and Subclass 801 is a later matter with its own scope, and the Department's application charge for that later application is different, as explained below.

Partner visas for same-sex couples

The law applies to same-sex couples in the same way as to other couples. Same-sex couples may face particular evidence questions, such as relationships that could not be openly recognised in another country. Our LGBTI partner visa page explains how the firm acts on those files. The partner visa lawyer cost depends on the same drivers as any other file.

Visa history: the factor that changes partner visa lawyer cost the most

Visa history changes partner visa lawyer cost more than any other factor, because an adverse visa history can decide whether a valid onshore application can be made at all and what extra criteria must be met. The lawyer has to establish the history, analyse it against the law and advise before anything is lodged.

My Migration Lawyers obtains the visa history itself. Couples are not asked to find old bridging visa grant notices or old application forms that people realistically do not keep. The firm uses the records available to it, and then asks the couple only for what they can readily produce. Analysing that history is legal work, and it is often the work that most separates one partner visa lawyer cost quote from another.

Section 48 and the extra validity rules

Section 48 of the Migration Act 1958 limits onshore applications by a person who does not hold a substantive visa and who has had a visa refused or cancelled since last entering Australia. The partner visa is one of the visas that can still be applied for onshore, but only on extra conditions. One of them requires two statutory declarations from Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents or eligible New Zealand citizens, made no more than 6 weeks before lodgement, under subparagraph 1124B(3)(e)(iii) of Schedule 1. Form 888 statements do not satisfy that rule. A mistake makes the application invalid. Checking these rules is part of what a section 48 file costs. The article on a partner visa after a visa refusal explains the pathway.

The Schedule 3 criteria

Schedule 3 criteria 3001, 3003 and 3004 apply to onshore applicants who did not hold a substantive visa when they applied. They can be waived where there are compelling reasons. A Schedule 3 file needs legal analysis of when the last substantive visa ended, why the applicant did not apply earlier, and what compelling reasons exist, and it usually needs written submissions supported by evidence. That work is a common reason for a higher partner visa lawyer cost. Our Schedule 3 waiver page, the article on Schedule 3 criteria when you are unlawful and the Schedule 3 partner visa waiver guide explain the criteria.

Condition 8503 on a visitor visa

Condition 8503 (No Further Stay) on many visitor visas prevents the holder from making a further substantive visa application in Australia unless the condition is waived. A couple who want to apply onshore while the applicant holds a visitor visa with condition 8503 face a separate legal step before the partner application can be made. Advising on that step, and on whether the circumstances support a waiver request, adds to partner visa lawyer cost. The articles on the Subclass 820 visa and condition 8503 and on moving from a tourist visa to a partner visa set out the issues.

Earlier refusals and cancellations

An earlier refusal or cancellation affects more than section 48. It can mean the Department already holds adverse information, or that answers given in an earlier application must now be reconciled with the partner application. Where earlier information was incorrect, the integrity public interest criterion may be engaged. Reviewing the earlier decision record, identifying inconsistencies and advising on how to address them is legal work that a clean file does not need. Our visa cancellations and visa refusals pages explain the firm's work in those areas.

Bridging visas and travel

An applicant on a bridging visa may need advice before travelling, and may need a Bridging visa B to return. The bridging visas in Australia guide explains the types. A file where the applicant's bridging visa position is uncertain needs more advice than one where the applicant holds a substantive visa, and that difference is reflected in partner visa lawyer cost.

Sponsor issues that affect partner visa lawyer cost

Sponsor issues affect partner visa lawyer cost because the Australian partner must be approved as a sponsor, and some sponsors face legal limits that require their own advice, evidence and submissions. The most common are the sponsorship limitation in regulation 1.20J and character concerns about the sponsor.

The sponsorship limitation in regulation 1.20J

Regulation 1.20J limits sponsorship to two partners in a lifetime, and generally requires five years between sponsorships, subject to compelling circumstances. A sponsor who has sponsored a partner before, or who was themselves sponsored as a partner, may be caught. A file affected by the limitation needs advice on whether it applies, whether the five years have passed, and whether compelling circumstances exist to waive it. Where a waiver is needed, the lawyer must prepare submissions and the supporting evidence. That work is a clear driver of partner visa lawyer cost. Our sponsorship limitations page and the article on when a sponsor cannot sponsor a partner visa explain the rule.

Sponsor character concerns

A sponsor with a significant criminal record, or with convictions for certain offences, may face an assessment of whether it is reasonable to approve the sponsorship. That assessment requires the lawyer to review the history, obtain the relevant records and prepare submissions on the sponsor's circumstances and the time that has passed. A file with that issue carries a higher partner visa lawyer cost than one where the sponsor has no record.

Advising the sponsor as well as the applicant

On many files the sponsor is the person who contacts the firm, signs the costs agreement and gives most of the instructions, especially on offshore files. The lawyer must explain the sponsor's obligations, the sponsor's role in the evidence, and the sponsor's position if a refusal is reviewed. That advice is part of the scope and part of partner visa lawyer cost.

Relationship facts and evidence: how they change partner visa lawyer cost

Relationship facts and the volume of evidence change partner visa lawyer cost because the Department assesses whether the relationship is genuine and continuing across four aspects (financial aspects, the nature of the household, social aspects and the nature of the commitment), and a file with gaps in any of them needs more legal work to identify and address those gaps.

Short relationships and the de facto 12-month rule

A de facto couple generally must have been in the relationship for 12 months before applying, unless an exception applies, such as a registered relationship. Advising on whether the requirement is met, or whether an exception is available, is part of the work. The article on the de facto 12-month rule and its exceptions and the article on whether you really need 12 months of de facto relationship explain the position. A short relationship also tends to have less documentary evidence, which means more review.

Living apart or in different countries

Couples who have lived apart for work, study, visa reasons or family reasons need to explain why, and to show how the relationship continued. The lawyer reviews that explanation and the supporting evidence for gaps and inconsistencies. A file with long periods apart usually needs more of that review than one where the couple have lived together throughout.

The relationship statement and Form 888 statements

A partner visa has one relationship statement. It is the couple's own account of the relationship in their own words. Supporting witnesses give Form 888 statements, which are the witnesses' own evidence. The lawyer does not write the couple's account for them. The lawyer reviews the relationship statement and the Form 888 statements against the documents, identifies gaps and inconsistencies, and the couple and the witnesses correct and confirm their own words. The more evidence there is to check, and the more inconsistencies the review finds, the more work the file needs. The guides to the partner visa relationship statement, Form 888 and Form 888 example answers and common mistakes explain what each document is for.

Volume of documents and translations

Partner visa lawyer cost reflects how much material the lawyer must review. A couple with ten years of joint finances, property records and travel history produce a large file. A couple from a country where civil records are hard to obtain may produce a smaller file that needs more analysis. Documents not in English need English translations, and translations done in Australia should be by a NAATI-certified translator. The cost of translation is paid to the translator and is separate from the legal fee. The partner visa document checklist, the 820 partner visa evidence checklist, the guide to partner visa relationship evidence and the article on preparing evidence of a genuine relationship explain what the evidence usually covers.

Previous relationships, divorce and marriage validity

Where either partner has been married before, the file must show that the earlier marriage ended before the current marriage, or that the current relationship is otherwise recognised. Overlapping relationships, divorces that are hard to document, and marriages held overseas whose validity in Australia must be assessed all add legal analysis. Errors about previous relationships also flow into the forms, including Form 80 personal particulars, which must be accurate and consistent with the rest of the file.

Number of applicants: dependent children and family members

The number of applicants affects partner visa lawyer cost because each dependent child included in the application has their own documents, their own health and character requirements where applicable, and, where a child has another parent who is not part of the application, extra evidence about custody and consent. A file with two children from an earlier relationship needs more legal work than a file with one applicant.

Children can also arise during processing. A child born to the couple after lodgement may need to be added, and the Department must be told about the change. The article on Form 1022 and when to lodge it explains how changes of circumstances are notified. A written scope should say whether adding a child or notifying a change is included in the fixed fee.

Character and health: work that varies from file to file

Character and health requirements affect partner visa lawyer cost when the file contains a criminal record, a police certificate that is hard to obtain, or a health issue that needs further assessment. On a clean file these requirements involve obtaining the certificates and examinations and checking that they are current. On a file with an issue, the lawyer must analyse the record or the health outcome and prepare submissions.

Police certificates are generally required from each country where the person has lived for 12 months or more in the last 10 years since turning 16. A person who has lived in several countries produces several certificates, and some are slow to obtain. Certificates also expire. A file where a certificate expires during processing needs further work to obtain and provide a current one. The cost of the certificates and the health examinations is paid to third parties and is not partner visa lawyer cost, but managing them is legal work.

Where the applicant has a criminal record, the lawyer must consider the character test, the information that must be disclosed in the forms, and how the record should be addressed. Disclosure must be complete and accurate. Incomplete disclosure creates a separate integrity problem that is much harder to fix later. The article on why partner visas get refused explains how character and integrity issues lead to refusals.

Review versus first application: why partner visa lawyer cost differs at the Tribunal

Partner visa lawyer cost at the Administrative Review Tribunal differs from the cost of a first application because review is a different kind of legal work. The lawyer must analyse the refusal decision, identify each finding that must be answered, prepare written submissions and further evidence, and prepare the applicant, the sponsor and any witnesses for a hearing.

The 28-day review deadline

Under subsection 347(3) of the Migration Act 1958, an application for review of a reviewable migration decision 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. The timeframe cannot be extended. A late application is not properly made and the Tribunal has no jurisdiction. A couple who receive a refusal should seek advice straight away, while they can still act. The ART review guide and the article on partner visa appeal options explain what follows.

Who applies for review

For an onshore Subclass 820 and Subclass 801 refusal, the applicant applies for review, and the applicant must be in Australia. For a Subclass 309 refusal where the applicant is outside Australia, the Australian sponsor applies for review under subsection 338(5). The lawyer must make sure the right person applies within time, and that the fee is paid. Our Partner Visa Refusals page explains how the firm acts on review.

The ART fee as at October 2026

As at October 2026, the Tribunal fee for review of a reviewable migration decision, which includes a partner visa refusal, is AUD 3,727 for fees paid on or after 1 July 2026. The fee must be paid before the deadline for applying for review. A 50% fee reduction may be granted for financial hardship. The Tribunal refunds 50% of the fee paid if the decision is set aside or varied or the matter is remitted to the Department. The Tribunal fee is a government fee. It is not part of partner visa lawyer cost.

What review work involves

The scope of review work depends on the reasons for refusal. A refusal based on a missing police certificate may need only that document and short submissions. A refusal based on the genuineness of the relationship, a Schedule 3 finding, a sponsorship limitation or an integrity finding needs detailed analysis, further evidence, submissions and hearing preparation. That is why review partner visa lawyer cost is quoted separately from the first application, and why a couple should not assume that the first application quote covers review. The articles on when you need a visa appeal lawyer and why Subclass 820 visas are refused explain the issues that review must answer.

Urgency and timing: when partner visa lawyer cost rises

Urgency raises partner visa lawyer cost when the work must be done in days rather than weeks, because the lawyer must prioritise the file, review the evidence quickly and still get every validity requirement right. Common urgent situations are an applicant whose substantive visa is about to expire, a refusal with the 28-day review deadline running, and a Department request with a short response period.

Applying before a visa expires

An applicant who applies onshore while still holding a substantive visa may avoid the Schedule 3 criteria altogether. A couple who leave the application until the last week may need the lawyer to compress weeks of work into days. The work is the same, but it must be done faster. The article on urgent immigration lawyer advice explains what to prepare when time is short.

Department requests during processing

A section 56 request for more information or a section 57 natural justice letter sets a response period. A section 57 letter puts adverse information to the applicant and invites comment. Responding properly may require further evidence and submissions within a short time. A written scope should say whether these responses are included in partner visa lawyer cost or charged as a separate stage.

Processing time and the second stage

Partner visa processing takes time, and the permanent stage is assessed after the temporary visa is granted. The articles on how long a Subclass 820 takes and Subclass 820 onshore timing explain the general position. A quote should say whether the second stage is included or quoted later.

Government charges are separate from partner visa lawyer cost

Government charges are separate from partner visa lawyer cost: they are paid to the Department of Home Affairs or the Administrative Review Tribunal, not to the law firm, and a written quote should list them separately so that the couple can see what is a legal fee and what is not.

The partner visa application charge as at October 2026

As at October 2026, the Department lists the partner visa application charge for the Subclass 820 and Subclass 801 from AUD 11,710 for most applicants. For a Subclass 300 holder applying in Australia for the Subclass 820 and Subclass 801, it starts from AUD 1,955. One charge covers both stages of the combined application, whether onshore (Subclass 820 and Subclass 801) or offshore (Subclass 309 and Subclass 100). Charges are reviewed each 1 July. The Department also states that a lower charge applies from 1 July 2026 for eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens, and the current figure should be checked on the Department's own page. The Subclass 820 visa cost guide and the Subclass 820 partner visa requirements guide explain the charge in more detail.

Third-party costs

Police certificates, health examinations, translations and biometrics, where required, are paid to the providers. Their cost varies by country and provider. They are not partner visa lawyer cost. A good quote names them as costs the couple pays directly, so they are not mistaken for legal fees.

Why mixing charges and fees misleads

A quote that gives one total figure for "the partner visa" without separating the government charge from the legal fee makes comparison impossible. Two quotes may look different only because one includes the application charge and the other does not. When comparing partner visa lawyer cost, take the government charge out of both quotes first, then compare the legal fees against the written scope.

How to compare written scopes from different partner visa lawyers

The way to compare partner visa lawyer cost between firms is to compare the written scopes, not the headline figures: check that each quote names the same pathway, the same stages and the same issues, and that each one says clearly what is excluded. A lower figure for less work is not a lower price.

Put the quotes side by side

List the following for each quote. Where a quote is silent, ask the firm in writing.

• The pathway named: Subclass 820 and Subclass 801, Subclass 309 and Subclass 100, or Subclass 300.
• Who the firm acts for: the applicant, the sponsor, or both, and any dependent children.
• The issues the quote has identified on your file, such as section 48, Schedule 3, condition 8503, a sponsorship limitation, character, or an earlier refusal.
• Whether advice in writing is included, and when it is given.
• Whether the firm reviews the relationship statement and Form 888 statements against the documents for gaps and inconsistencies.
• Whether the firm obtains your visa history itself.
• Whether section 56 requests and section 57 letters are included.
• Whether the second stage (Subclass 801 or Subclass 100) is included.
• Whether Tribunal review is included or quoted separately.
• Which government charges and third-party costs you will pay directly.
• What happens if the facts change.

Compare the issues, not only the stages

Two quotes may both list "lodgement" and "processing", but only one may have identified that the applicant needs a Schedule 3 waiver. The quote that has not identified the issue is not cheaper. It is incomplete. If one firm names an issue the other has not mentioned, ask the second firm whether it has considered it. The guides to how to choose a partner visa lawyer in Australia and how to choose Australian migration lawyers cover other points to check.

Check who does the legal work

A quote should make clear that the legal work will be done by a lawyer, and who supervises it. A registered migration agent may also lawfully provide immigration assistance. The differences are factual, and are explained in the articles on a migration agent compared with an immigration lawyer and a partner visa migration agent or lawyer. What matters for partner visa lawyer cost is that you know who is doing the work you are paying for.

Check the written costs agreement

The quote should become a written costs agreement before substantive work starts. The agreement sets out the scope, the stages, the fixed fee for each stage, the exclusions and your rights. The firm appoints itself as your representative with Form 956 once the agreement is signed. If a quote is not in writing, you cannot compare it with anything.

Signs a quote may be incomplete

• No pathway or subclass is named.
• The visa history was not discussed, but the quote says the file is simple.
• There is no mention of exclusions.
• The government charge is mixed into the legal fee.
• Review is said to be included, but no reasons for refusal can be known yet and no scope for hearing preparation is given.
• The quote promises an outcome. No lawyer can promise that a visa will be granted.

Is a lower partner visa lawyer cost always the better choice?

No. A lower partner visa lawyer cost is the better choice only if the scope covers the work the file actually needs. On a clean file, a lower quote with a full written scope may be good value. On a complex file, a quote that leaves out the Schedule 3 analysis, the sponsorship limitation or the character issue may cost the couple far more if the application is refused or found invalid.

The real cost of getting a partner visa wrong is often outside the legal fee. An invalid application does not give the applicant a bridging visa, and the application charge may be lost. A refusal leads to the Tribunal fee and a review that may take a long time. A missed review deadline cannot be fixed. Couples comparing partner visa lawyer cost with preparing the application themselves can read the article on a partner visa lawyer compared with doing it yourself.

Already lodged, or already with another adviser

A couple who have lodged their own application, or who are unhappy with their adviser, can still obtain legal help. The articles on hiring an immigration lawyer after lodging your own application, getting a second opinion and changing your immigration lawyer explain how partner visa lawyer cost is approached when a file is taken over part way through. A file taken over after lodgement must first be reviewed to see what was lodged, which is work of its own.

Family violence and relationship breakdown

Where a relationship ends during processing, the applicant may still be able to continue if family violence provisions in Division 1.5 of the Migration Regulations 1994 apply, or if other exceptions apply. That is a new legal claim, with its own evidence and advice. It is not usually within the original scope, and it changes partner visa lawyer cost. Our family violence partner visa lawyers page and the article on what happens when a Subclass 820 relationship breaks down explain the position.

What Tribunal decisions show about complex partner visa files

Tribunal decisions show what complexity looks like in practice: Schedule 3 waivers, sponsorship limitations, sponsor character issues, expired police certificates, earlier misleading information and family violence claims all appear in partner visa refusals that were later reviewed. Each decision below was remitted, which means the Tribunal sent the matter back to the Department to reconsider in accordance with the Tribunal's directions. A remittal is not itself a visa grant. Each case is described only by the issues reported in its headnote, and the headnotes do not state the nationality of any party. Decisions with an AATA citation were made by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal before the Administrative Review Tribunal replaced it in October 2024.

• Sandhu (Migration) [2018] AATA 1483, Subclass 820: the reported issues were whether compelling reasons exist for not applying the Schedule 3 criteria, the length of the relationship and the difficulty of relocating offshore while the application is processed.
• Bedi (Migration) [2020] AATA 5208, Subclass 820: the reported issues were an application made more than 28 days after the last substantive visa held, compelling reasons for not applying the criteria, and an Australian citizen child of the relationship.
• Wang (Migration) [2018] AATA 2629, Subclass 820: the reported issues were the Schedule 3 criteria, no substantive visa at the time of application, compelling reasons, and the applicant's care for the sponsor's children.
• 2002289 (Migration) [2023] AATA 4513, Subclass 820: the reported issues were the sponsorship limit, two previous sponsorships and associated visas, compelling circumstances to waive the requirement, and a longstanding, committed, registered relationship.
• Promthong (Migration) [2024] AATA 2472, Subclass 820: the reported issues were sponsorship limitations and a prior sponsorship approved within 5 years of the time of the primary decision.
• Ellis (Migration) [2024] AATA 3411, Subclass 820: the reported issues were sponsorship approval, a sponsor convicted of a relevant offence, a significant criminal record, and whether it was reasonable to approve the sponsorship.
• Fouracres (Migration) [2024] AATA 61, Subclass 820: the reported issues were criminal history, an AFP certificate that expired before the visa was finalised, a new certificate provided to the Tribunal, and a decision made without a hearing being necessary.
• Khakpour (Migration) [2023] AATA 4366, Subclass 820: the reported issues were a Federal Court remittal, misleading information in a previous visa application, a bogus degree certificate and transcripts, and compassionate or compelling circumstances.
• Siyad (Migration) [2025] ARTA 2129, Subclass 820: the reported issues were that the relationship had ceased, a genuine and continuing relationship before family violence, coercive control, and joint utility and tenancy accounts.

These decisions do not decide anything about legal fees. What they show is the kind of issue that turns a straightforward file into a complex one. Each issue listed above is one that a lawyer should identify at the start, scope in writing and address in the application, because each can lead to a refusal. That is the practical reason partner visa lawyer cost differs between files.

How My Migration Lawyers works out partner visa lawyer cost for your file

My Migration Lawyers works out partner visa lawyer cost by identifying, at a paid video consultation, every legal issue on the file, and then giving a written fixed-fee costs agreement that names the pathway, the issues, the stages and the exclusions. The firm deals with complex partner visa cases, acts in many partner visa matters with Schedule 3, section 48, condition 8503, sponsorship limitation, character and review issues, and is capable of handling these matters from the first advice to the decision.

The firm does not publish fee figures. The quote depends on the file, and the firm prefers to give one quote that reflects the actual work rather than a figure that does not.

• Facts first. At the consultation the lawyer asks about the applicant's current visa, visa history, previous relationships, the sponsor's history, children, character and the evidence the couple holds.
• Issues identified. The lawyer identifies the legal issues that drive the work, such as section 48, Schedule 3, condition 8503, regulation 1.20J, character, health or an existing refusal with the review deadline running.
• Written fixed-fee scope. The firm gives a written costs agreement that names the subclass, the people the firm acts for, each stage, the fixed fee for each stage, the issues covered and the exclusions. Government charges and third-party costs are listed separately.
• Visa history obtained by the firm. Once engaged, the firm obtains the visa history itself and does not ask the couple for old immigration documents they do not keep.
• Evidence review. The relationship statement and 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 people correct and confirm their own words.
• Submissions where needed. Where the file needs a Schedule 3 waiver, a sponsorship limitation waiver or character submissions, the firm prepares them with the supporting evidence.
• Lodgement and processing. The firm lodges the application and deals with Department requests within the agreed scope, and advises in writing before any work outside the scope begins.

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 acts as partner visa lawyers in Australia and as partner visa lawyers for couples onshore and offshore.

Consultations are held by video, and My Migration Lawyers acts for couples across Australia, including clients of our partner visa lawyers in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, the Gold Coast, Canberra, Hobart and Parramatta. For other visa matters, the firm's immigration lawyers act for clients in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, the Gold Coast, Canberra, Hobart and Parramatta.

The firm cannot promise any outcome. It can tell you, in writing and before you sign, what your file needs and what your partner visa lawyer cost covers.

Book a Consultation with My Migration Lawyers to have your file assessed and receive a written fixed-fee scope. You can also call 1300 040 300.