Partner Visa Lodgement Confirmation

What is a partner visa lodgement confirmation?

A partner visa lodgement confirmation is the set of records that shows the Department of Home Affairs has received a partner visa application: the Transaction Reference Number (TRN) issued on submission, the payment receipt, the application status in ImmiAccount and the acknowledgement letter the Department sends after lodgement. No single document carries the whole partner visa lodgement confirmation. Each record proves a different thing, and each one should be checked.

Many couples treat the moment they press submit as the end of the process. It is not. The days after lodgement are when errors are easiest to find and cheapest to fix. A wrong date of birth, a passport number with two digits reversed or a child who was never added to the application can all be seen on the partner visa lodgement confirmation before they cause harm. Left alone, the same errors can surface years later at the permanent stage, or at a border, when they are much harder to explain.

This guide explains what happens in the minutes and days after a partner visa in Australia is lodged. It covers the TRN, payment confirmation, the ImmiAccount status, the acknowledgement letter and what to check on it, the bridging visa grant for onshore applicants, the difference between confirmation and validity, what to do if no confirmation arrives or a detail is wrong, and how to keep records. It applies to the onshore Subclass 820 visa and Subclass 801 visa, and to the offshore Subclass 309 visa and Subclass 100 visa, with differences noted where they matter.

The records that together make up a partner visa lodgement confirmation

There are four records to look for. The first is the submission page in ImmiAccount, which shows the TRN. The second is the payment receipt for the visa application charge. The third is the status of the application in the ImmiAccount list of applications. The fourth is the acknowledgement letter, which the Department sends to the applicant or to the applicant's authorised recipient. For most onshore applicants there is a fifth record: the bridging visa grant notice.

A partner visa lodgement confirmation is complete only when all of these records exist and agree with each other. A TRN without a payment receipt may mean the application was never submitted. An acknowledgement letter with a wrong passport number is still a confirmation, but it is a confirmation of an error that must be dealt with.

Why the partner visa lodgement confirmation matters more than people think

The partner visa lodgement confirmation is the first document the Department produces about the application. It records the date of application, which is the date many criteria are tested against. For a Subclass 820 visa, the time of application criteria in Subdivision 820.21 of Schedule 2 to the Migration Regulations 1994 are assessed as at that date. The confirmation also records who the applicants are. A family member who is not on the application is not an applicant, whatever the couple intended.

For onshore applicants, the partner visa lodgement confirmation is also closely tied to lawful status. The bridging visa granted with the application is what keeps an onshore applicant lawful after the current visa ends. Understanding exactly what the confirmation says, and what it does not say, is therefore part of protecting the applicant's right to stay in Australia while the Subclass 820 visa explained guide's two-stage process runs its course.

What happens in the first minutes after you submit a partner visa application?

In the first minutes after submission, ImmiAccount shows a confirmation screen with the TRN, asks for or confirms payment of the visa application charge, and changes the application's status from saved to submitted. These are the first parts of the partner visa lodgement confirmation, and they should be saved immediately. The online form used for the Subclass 820 and Subclass 801 visas is form 47SP (Internet), which ImmiAccount titles "Application for migration to Australia by a partner".

Under the two-stage partner visa arrangements, the applicant applies for the temporary and permanent visas on one combined form. Paragraph 1214C(3)(a) of Schedule 1 to the Migration Regulations 1994 requires the Subclass 820 application to be made at the same time and place as the Subclass 801 application. The partner visa lodgement confirmation for an onshore couple therefore covers both visas, even though the permanent stage will not be assessed for some time. The offshore Subclass 309 and Subclass 100 visas work the same way.

The submission screen and the Transaction Reference Number

The Transaction Reference Number, or TRN, is the reference ImmiAccount assigns to the application. It appears on the submission screen and in the account's list of applications. The Department's own guidance tells applicants to keep a record of the TRN. Supporting documents such as Form 888 statements ask for it, and it is used to identify the application in correspondence.

Save the submission screen as a PDF or screenshot the moment it appears. If the browser closes or the session times out, the TRN can usually be found again in ImmiAccount, but a saved copy removes any doubt. The TRN is not a visa grant number and it is not a file number. It is a reference to the online transaction. Once the Department creates its own records, the acknowledgement letter usually shows further identifiers as well. The guide on how to create an ImmiAccount explains how the account itself is set up.

Payment confirmation

Payment confirmation is the part of the partner visa lodgement confirmation that shows the visa application charge was paid. The Subclass 820 visa has a nil charge under subitem 1214C(2), but a charge is payable for the Subclass 801 visa under subitem 1124B(2). Because both applications are made together, the charge must be paid when the combined application is lodged. This article does not state the amount, which changes from time to time and is published by the Department. The guide on how much a Subclass 820 partner visa costs covers the cost question separately.

Save the payment receipt with the TRN. Check that the payer's name and the date match what you expect. If the card was declined, or the bank shows a pending charge but ImmiAccount does not show the application as submitted, do not assume the application was lodged. An application for which the required charge has not been paid is not a valid application. The payment record is often the quickest way to work out what happened.

The application status in ImmiAccount

The application status in ImmiAccount is the live part of the partner visa lodgement confirmation. Before submission, an application appears as saved or in progress. After submission it appears as submitted, and later statuses show that the Department has received and started working on it. The exact wording of each status is set by the Department and can change.

The status is useful, but it has limits. The Department says it cannot give updates on the processing status of an application. A status of submitted shows that the transaction went through. It does not show that the application is valid, that every applicant was included, or that the details are correct. Those questions are answered by reading the acknowledgement letter and the lodged form itself. Couples who later want a complete copy of what they lodged should keep a PDF of the full application from ImmiAccount as part of their records.

When does the partner visa lodgement confirmation arrive?

The acknowledgement letter, which is the formal part of the partner visa lodgement confirmation, usually arrives after the online submission, by email to the address given in the application or by message in ImmiAccount. The Department's published guidance for online visa applications states that it will let applicants know it has received their application by sending an acknowledgement letter. Timing varies. Some letters arrive within minutes. Others take longer.

There is no statutory deadline for the Department to send an acknowledgement letter. That is why couples should rely first on the TRN, the payment receipt and the ImmiAccount status in the hours after lodgement, and treat the acknowledgement letter as the document that confirms the Department's own record of the application.

The acknowledgement of application received letter

The acknowledgement letter is the Department's written confirmation that the application has been received. It usually sets out the applicants' names and dates of birth, the visa class and subclasses applied for, the date of application, the TRN or another application reference, and information about what happens next. For onshore applicants it often refers to the bridging visa that was granted with the application.

The acknowledgement letter is the part of the partner visa lodgement confirmation most people keep, and it is the part most people do not read closely enough. It is not a visa grant. It does not mean the application has been assessed. It does not mean the relationship has been accepted. It is a record of what the Department believes was lodged. If that record is wrong, the error will follow the application.

Who receives the partner visa lodgement confirmation

The partner visa lodgement confirmation goes to the person the Department is told to correspond with. If the applicant lodged the application personally, it goes to the applicant. If a lawyer or registered migration agent has been appointed with Form 956, the Department sends correspondence to that representative. If someone has been appointed only as an authorised recipient, correspondence goes to that person.

This matters when a confirmation seems to be missing. A couple who appointed a representative but who are waiting for the letter in their own inbox may be looking in the wrong place. A couple who mistyped their email address in the form may never receive any email at all. The appointment and the contact details in the form decide where the partner visa lodgement confirmation is delivered.

What does a partner visa lodgement confirmation show, and what should you check?

A partner visa lodgement confirmation shows the Department's record of who applied, for which visas, on what date, and under what reference, and every one of those items should be checked against the passports and the couple's real circumstances on the day it arrives. A few minutes of checking can prevent a problem that takes months to repair.

Read the letter with the passports, the birth certificates and a copy of the lodged form open at the same time. Do not check from memory. People read what they expect to see, especially in their own names.

Names and dates of birth

Check that each applicant's family name and given names appear exactly as they appear in the passport, in the same order and with the same spelling. Check every date of birth digit by digit. Day and month are often swapped, particularly where the applicant's home country writes dates in a different order. A name that differs from the passport, or a date of birth that is wrong, can affect identity checks, the bridging visa record and the eventual grant record.

If the applicant has used other names, those should appear where the form asked for them. The Form 80 guide explains why other names and identity history matter, because the same details are usually asked again later in the process.

Passport numbers and nationality

Check the passport number character by character, including the difference between the letter O and the number zero, and between the letter I and the number one. Check the country of passport and the nationality. A visa, including a bridging visa, is linked in the Department's systems to a passport. A wrong passport number on the partner visa lodgement confirmation can lead to a visa record that does not match the passport the applicant actually holds. That can cause problems with checks by employers and others who rely on the Department's records, and with travel.

If the applicant has a new passport since lodgement, that is not an error in the application. It is a change of circumstances, and it is dealt with differently, as explained later in this guide.

Applicants included

Check that every person who should be an applicant is named. For most couples, the only applicant is the partner who is applying. Where a dependent child is meant to be included, the child must appear as an applicant in the partner visa lodgement confirmation. A child mentioned in the form as a family member but not included as an applicant is not applying for the visa.

Also check the reverse. Make sure nobody has been added who should not be there. Errors of this kind are rare, but they do happen when a form is copied from an earlier draft.

Visa subclasses and the date of application

Check that the letter refers to the correct visas. An onshore couple should see the Subclass 820 and Subclass 801 visas. An offshore couple should see the Subclass 309 and Subclass 100 visas. A couple who are engaged rather than married or in a de facto relationship may have applied for the Subclass 300 prospective marriage visa, which is a different visa with different requirements.

Check the date of application. Regulation 2.10C of the Migration Regulations 1994 sets the time at which an internet application is taken to have been made, by reference to the time in the Australian Capital Territory. For an applicant lodging late at night from Perth, or from overseas, the date shown may be the next calendar day in local terms. That date can matter where a visa was about to expire, or where time of application criteria turn on what visa the applicant held on that day. The Subclass 820 partner visa guide explains the time of application criteria in more detail.

Partner visa lodgement confirmation and the bridging visa

For an onshore applicant, the partner visa lodgement confirmation is usually accompanied by a bridging visa grant, because a valid Subclass 820 and Subclass 801 application made in Australia is generally also an application for an associated bridging visa. Which bridging visa is granted depends on the applicant's visa status on the day of lodgement. The Department's bridging visa policy states that, depending on visa status, a Bridging visa A, a Bridging visa C or a Subclass 050 Bridging visa E is granted in association with both the Subclass 820 and the Subclass 801 applications.

The bridging visa is a separate visa with its own grant notice, its own conditions and its own rules about when it is in effect. It should be read as carefully as the acknowledgement letter. The guide to bridging visas in Australia explains the different classes. This section focuses on how the bridging visa relates to the partner visa lodgement confirmation.

Bridging visa A for applicants who hold a substantive visa

A Bridging visa A is generally available to an applicant who held a substantive visa at the time the partner visa application was made. Under subclause 010.211(2) of Schedule 2 to the Migration Regulations 1994, the applicant must have made a valid application in Australia for a substantive visa that can be granted while they are in Australia, the application must not have been finally determined, and the applicant must have held a substantive visa when the application was made. The Department's policy notes that an application made over the internet is an application made in Australia.

In many cases the Bridging visa A is granted automatically soon after lodgement, and a grant notice is sent with or shortly after the partner visa lodgement confirmation. The guide to the Bridging visa A explains its work rights, conditions and travel rules, and the guide on work rights while waiting for a Subclass 820 visa explains how those rules apply day to day.

When the Bridging visa A comes into effect

A Bridging visa A granted with a partner visa application generally does not come into effect while the applicant still holds the substantive visa they held when they applied. Under clause 010.511, it comes into effect when that substantive visa ceases. Until then, the applicant is "holding" the bridging visa but remains on the conditions of the current visa.

This is one of the most misunderstood parts of the partner visa lodgement confirmation. A student or visitor who receives a Bridging visa A grant notice sometimes assumes the new visa replaces the old one immediately, including its work conditions. In most cases it does not. The old visa continues, with its conditions, until it expires. Only then does the Bridging visa A take over. An applicant who acts on the bridging visa's conditions before it is in effect can breach the conditions of the visa that is actually in effect. Couples moving from a visitor visa should also read the guide on moving from a tourist visa to a partner visa.

When the Subclass 820 visa is later granted, the bridging visa stops being in effect. The Department's policy explains that the applicant may still technically hold it until the Subclass 801 application is decided, because it is also associated with that application.

Applicants who do not hold a substantive visa when they lodge

An applicant who does not hold a substantive visa at the time of lodgement cannot be granted a Bridging visa A on that application. Depending on their circumstances, they may be granted a Bridging visa C or a Bridging visa E, or they may receive no bridging visa at all. These applicants also face the Schedule 3 criteria, which apply to applicants who are not holding a substantive visa when they apply. The partner visa can still be granted, but only if those criteria are met or waived.

The guides on Schedule 3 criteria when you are unlawful and the Schedule 3 partner visa waiver explain how this works. For these applicants, the partner visa lodgement confirmation and the bridging visa grant notice must be read together with great care, because the bridging visa's conditions may be tighter and its terms may be different. My Migration Lawyers acts in Schedule 3 waiver matters, which are among the more complex partner visa cases.

Offshore applicants do not receive a bridging visa

An applicant who lodges the offshore Subclass 309 and Subclass 100 application does not receive a bridging visa with the partner visa lodgement confirmation. Under regulation 2.07A, an application for a visa that can only be granted outside Australia is not a valid application for an associated bridging visa. An offshore applicant's status in Australia, if they visit while the application is processed, is governed by whatever visa they hold for that visit.

The Subclass 309 visa service page explains the offshore process. Offshore couples should still check the acknowledgement letter with the same care, because the same errors in names, dates of birth and passport numbers can occur.

Travel while holding a Bridging visa A

A Bridging visa A does not of itself allow the holder to leave Australia and return. An applicant who needs to travel while the application is processed should consider a Bridging visa B before leaving. Travel decisions should be made only after checking which visa is in effect at the time and what its terms allow. Leaving without the right visa can affect the applicant's ability to return and, in some cases, their position under the partner visa application itself.

Is a partner visa lodgement confirmation proof that the application is valid?

No. A partner visa lodgement confirmation proves that an application was received, not that it is a valid application under the Migration Act 1958. Validity depends on the requirements in section 46 of the Act and in Schedule 1 to the Migration Regulations 1994. Under subsection 47(3) of the Act, the Minister is not to consider an application that is not valid.

This is the most important point in this guide. Couples often assume that an acknowledgement letter means everything is in order. In most cases the application is valid. But an invalid application can still produce a TRN, a payment receipt and, in some cases, an acknowledgement letter. The partner visa lodgement confirmation is evidence of receipt. It is not a ruling on validity.

Validity under Schedule 1 items 1214C and 1124B

For an onshore partner visa, the validity requirements are set out in item 1214C of Schedule 1, for the Partner (Temporary) (Class UK) visa that contains the Subclass 820 visa, and item 1124B, for the Partner (Residence) (Class BS) visa that contains the Subclass 801 visa. These items require, among other things, that the application is made on the specified form and in the specified manner, that the required charge is paid, that the applicant is in Australia but not in immigration clearance, and that the Subclass 820 application is made at the same time and place as the Subclass 801 application.

The offshore Subclass 309 and Subclass 100 visas have their own Schedule 1 items with similar structure. In every case, the question is the same: did the application, on the day it was lodged, meet every Schedule 1 requirement for the class of visa applied for?

Common validity traps the partner visa lodgement confirmation will not reveal

Several common problems can make an application invalid even though a partner visa lodgement confirmation was received.

The first is a "no further stay" condition. A person whose current visa is subject to condition 8503 generally cannot make a valid application for most other visas while in Australia unless the condition has been waived. The guide to a Subclass 820 with a no further stay condition explains this trap in detail.

The second is the section 48 bar. A person in Australia who has had a visa refused or cancelled since last entering Australia, and who does not hold a substantive visa, can apply only for certain prescribed classes of visa. Partner (Temporary) and Partner (Residence) visas can be among them, but only in prescribed circumstances. Couples applying after an earlier refusal should read the guide to a partner visa after a visa refusal.

The third is the regional visa rule. Paragraphs 1214C(3)(g) and (h) require holders of certain regional skilled visas to have held that visa for a minimum period before they can validly apply for a Subclass 820 visa.

The fourth is the sponsor. Sponsorship limitations under the Migration Regulations 1994 can prevent a person from sponsoring a partner, and some limitations go to whether the sponsorship can be approved at all. The guide on when a sponsor cannot sponsor a partner visa and the sponsorship limitations service page explain these rules.

None of these issues is visible on the face of an acknowledgement letter. They are found only by checking the applicant's and sponsor's history against the law, ideally before lodgement and, if not, as soon as possible after it.

What happens if the application is not valid

If the Department determines that an application is not valid, it is not considered. The Department's policy treats this as a determination that the application is invalid, not as a decision to refuse a visa. A determination of invalidity is generally not reviewable by the Administrative Review Tribunal, because there is no refusal decision to review.

For an onshore applicant, the consequences can be serious. An invalid application does not support a bridging visa. Where a bridging visa was granted on the strength of an application later found to be invalid, the applicant's lawful status must be checked immediately. An applicant whose substantive visa has already ended may be unlawful. Anyone who receives a notice that their partner visa application is invalid should treat it as urgent and get urgent immigration lawyer advice without delay.

What to do if no partner visa lodgement confirmation arrives

If no partner visa lodgement confirmation arrives, the first step is to check ImmiAccount for the application's status and the TRN, then check the payment record, then check the email address and spam folders, before taking any other action. In most cases, the application was lodged and the letter is simply delayed or misdirected.

Check the account first

Log in to ImmiAccount and look at the list of applications. If the application shows as submitted with a TRN, the transaction went through. If it shows as saved or in progress, it was not submitted. The most common reason is that the payment step was not completed, or the session ended before the final confirmation.

Check the payment

Look at the card or bank statement. A completed charge with a matching description suggests the application was submitted. A pending charge that later disappears, or no charge at all, suggests it was not. Keep any payment receipt or email that ImmiAccount generated.

Check where correspondence is going

Check the email address in the lodged application for typing errors. Check spam and junk folders. Check whether a Form 956 appointment means correspondence is going to a representative or an authorised recipient. If the email address in the application is wrong, it should be corrected through ImmiAccount or by written notification so that future correspondence, including any request for information, reaches the right place.

Do not lodge a second application

A missing partner visa lodgement confirmation is not a reason to lodge again. A second application can create a duplicate charge, two sets of records and confusion about which application is the operative one. If the first application was in fact submitted, the second may create further problems rather than solve any. Couples who cannot work out whether their application was lodged should get advice before doing anything else. The guide on hiring an immigration lawyer after lodging your own application explains how a lawyer can step in at this point.

Timing pressures

Timing matters most when the applicant's current visa is about to expire. An onshore applicant who must lodge before a visa ends needs certainty that the application was lodged, and lodged validly, before that date. Where there is any doubt, check the TRN and the status on the same day, and save the evidence. If the visa has already expired and there is real doubt about whether the application was lodged, that is a matter for immediate legal advice, because the applicant's lawful status and the Schedule 3 criteria may both be affected.

What to do if details on the partner visa lodgement confirmation are wrong

If details on the partner visa lodgement confirmation are wrong, the first step is to work out whether the error was in an answer given in the application or in the Department's own record, and then to notify the Department in writing with the correct details as soon as practicable. The right method depends on the type of error. The wrong method can leave the error in place.

Act quickly. The Migration Act 1958 imposes obligations on applicants to correct wrong answers and to notify changes. Delay makes the correction look less like an honest mistake and more like something the applicant hoped would go unnoticed.

Errors in the answers you gave

Most errors on a partner visa lodgement confirmation come from the form itself. If the letter shows a wrong date of birth, a mistyped passport number or a misspelled name, check the lodged application. If the same error appears in the form, the error is in the answer the applicant gave, and the Department's letter is simply repeating it.

Under section 101 of the Migration Act 1958, a non-citizen must complete the application form so that all questions are answered and no incorrect answers are given. Under section 105, if the applicant becomes aware that an answer in the application form was incorrect when it was given, they must notify an officer in writing of the incorrectness and the correct answer as soon as practicable. Subsection 105(2) makes clear that this obligation continues even after a visa is granted.

Using Form 1023 for incorrect answers

The Department's form for this purpose is Form 1023, Notification of incorrect answer(s). The form asks which document contained the incorrect information, what was incorrect, what the correct details are, and why the incorrect information was provided. It is usually uploaded to the application in ImmiAccount. Supporting evidence, such as a clear copy of the passport biodata page, should be attached.

The explanation should be short, honest and specific. A typing error should be described as a typing error. If the wrong answer came from a misunderstanding of the question, say so. The form itself warns that failing to correct incorrect information can lead to cancellation of a visa, so this is not a step to skip because the error seems small. The guide on why partner visas get refused shows how credibility problems that begin with small inconsistencies can grow.

Changes after lodgement are different

A change that happens after lodgement is not an incorrect answer. If the applicant receives a new passport, moves house, changes phone number or email, or has a change in relationship status after the partner visa lodgement confirmation arrives, that is a change of circumstances. Under section 104 of the Migration Act 1958, if circumstances change so that an answer in the application becomes incorrect, the applicant must inform an officer in writing of the new circumstances and the correct answer as soon as practicable.

The Department's form for this purpose is Form 1022, Notification of changes in circumstances, and some changes can be made directly through ImmiAccount. The guide to Form 1022 change of circumstances explains when it must be used. Form 1023 itself directs applicants to use Form 1022 for changes in circumstances, so using the right form matters.

Errors made by the Department

Occasionally the lodged form is correct and the acknowledgement letter is wrong. In that case, the applicant has not given an incorrect answer. The right step is to write to the Department through ImmiAccount, identify the error, attach the evidence, and ask for the record to be corrected. Keep a copy of the request. Check the next piece of correspondence to confirm that the record has been fixed.

When an applicant was left out

If a dependent child or another family member who should have been an applicant was not included, the partner visa lodgement confirmation will show that. Whether that person can be added to the existing application depends on the Migration Regulations 1994 and on the person's relationship to the applicant. In some cases it is possible to add a family member after lodgement and before a decision. In others, a separate application may be needed. This is not something to guess at. The guide to the partner visa document checklist explains what is usually needed for family members, but the question of who can be added is a legal one.

When the relationship details are wrong

Errors in relationship details are the most serious kind. A wrong date for when the couple started living together, a wrong marriage date, or the wrong relationship type can affect the core criteria of the visa. For a de facto couple, the date the relationship began can matter to the 12-month requirement, as explained in the guide to the de facto partner visa and the 12-month rule and the guide on whether you really need 12 months of de facto relationship.

Errors of this kind should be corrected through Form 1023, with a clear explanation, and the partner visa relationship statement and supporting evidence should be checked for consistency. A date that differs between the form, the statement and the documents is exactly the kind of inconsistency that leads a decision maker to doubt the relationship.

What happens after the partner visa lodgement confirmation?

After the partner visa lodgement confirmation, the application waits in the Department's queue until a case officer reviews it, and in the meantime the applicant may be asked for health examinations, police certificates, biometrics or further information. Couples should use this period to keep the application complete and up to date. The guides on how long a Subclass 820 partner visa takes and partner visa 820 onshore processing explain the waiting period.

Health examinations, police certificates and biometrics

The Department may ask applicants to undergo health examinations, provide police certificates or attend an appointment to provide biometrics. Some of these requests appear in ImmiAccount soon after lodgement. Others arrive later. Each request usually comes with a deadline. Missing a deadline can lead to a decision being made on the information already available.

Further evidence and requests for information

Applicants can generally upload further documents while the application is being processed. The Department may also send a formal request for more information under section 56 of the Migration Act 1958, or invite comment on adverse information under section 57. Both are explained in the guides on responding to a section 56 request and the s57 natural justice letter for a partner visa. The partner visa lodgement confirmation records the contact details these requests will be sent to, which is another reason to make sure those details are correct.

Evidence of the relationship over time

The relationship is assessed when the Subclass 820 visa is decided, and again at the permanent stage. Couples should keep building evidence after lodgement rather than treating the partner visa lodgement confirmation as the end of the evidence. The guides to partner visa relationship evidence, preparing evidence of a genuine relationship and the 820 partner visa evidence checklist explain what is usually needed. The Subclass 820 vs Subclass 801 guide explains how the two stages differ.

If the relationship changes

If the relationship ends after lodgement, the Department must be told. The guide on what happens if the relationship breaks down explains the consequences. Where family violence is involved, special provisions in Division 1.5 of the Migration Regulations 1994 may allow the application to continue, and the family violence service page explains how My Migration Lawyers approaches these matters.

Keeping records of your partner visa lodgement confirmation

Every part of the partner visa lodgement confirmation should be kept in one place for the whole life of the application, because the same records may be needed years later at the permanent stage, at a border, on review, or in a later application. A partner visa can take a long time from lodgement to permanent grant. Email accounts are closed, phones are replaced and ImmiAccount passwords are forgotten.

What to keep

Keep the submission screen showing the TRN. Keep the payment receipt. Keep the acknowledgement letter. Keep the bridging visa grant notice, if there is one. Keep a full PDF copy of the lodged application and every document uploaded with it. Keep copies of every Form 1022 and Form 1023 lodged, with the date each was lodged. Keep every later letter from the Department, including requests for information and the responses.

How to keep it

Store the partner visa lodgement confirmation records in at least two places, such as a secure cloud folder and an offline copy. Name each file clearly, with the date and a short description. Both partners should know where the records are kept. If a representative has been appointed, they will usually keep their own file, but the couple should still keep copies of the key records.

Why the records matter later

At the permanent stage, the Department will look at the original application again. If the original contained an error that was never corrected, it may come to light at that point. If the error was corrected, the Form 1023 and the Department's acknowledgement of it show that the applicant acted honestly and promptly. On review, if a refusal is taken to the Administrative Review Tribunal, the partner visa lodgement confirmation records help establish the date of application and the applicant's status at that time. The guide on what to expect at an ART review explains the review process, and the guide to partner visa refused appeal options explains the options after a refusal. Review deadlines are short and strictly applied.

Common mistakes after partner visa lodgement confirmation

The most common mistakes after partner visa lodgement confirmation are not reading the acknowledgement letter, assuming the bridging visa is already in effect, using the wrong form to correct an error, and lodging a second application when a confirmation is slow to arrive. Each is easy to avoid with a careful check in the first days after lodgement.

Not reading the letter

The acknowledgement letter is often filed without being read. Errors in names, dates of birth and passport numbers then remain in the Department's records for months or years. Reading the partner visa lodgement confirmation line by line on the day it arrives is the simplest protection available.

Misunderstanding the bridging visa

Applicants sometimes assume a Bridging visa A replaces the current visa immediately. As explained above, it generally does not come into effect until the current substantive visa ends. Acting on the wrong visa's conditions can create a breach.

Correcting with the wrong form

Using Form 1022 for an answer that was wrong from the start, or Form 1023 for a genuine change after lodgement, can confuse the record. The distinction is simple: Form 1023 for answers that were wrong when given, Form 1022 for circumstances that changed afterwards.

Treating confirmation as approval

Some couples treat the partner visa lodgement confirmation as a sign that the application has been accepted on its merits. It has not. The relationship, the sponsorship, health, character and every other criterion are still to be assessed. Evidence should keep being gathered. The guide to the most common Subclass 820 refusal reasons explains what decision makers look for.

Ignoring a validity problem

Where there is any sign that the application may not be valid, such as a condition 8503 on the previous visa, an earlier refusal, or a lodgement made after a visa ended, the issue should be checked straight away. Waiting for the Department to raise it can mean the applicant loses time and, in some cases, lawful status.

How My Migration Lawyers helps after partner visa lodgement confirmation

My Migration Lawyers helps couples after partner visa lodgement confirmation by checking the lodged application, the acknowledgement letter and the bridging visa grant against the passports and the couple's circumstances, confirming whether the application is valid, and preparing any correction the Department needs to receive. The firm acts in many partner visa matters at this exact stage. It regularly deals with complex cases, including applications lodged by couples themselves, applications made close to a visa expiry date, applications affected by condition 8503 or an earlier refusal, and applications where the applicant had no substantive visa when they lodged. The firm has the experience to handle these matters carefully and with attention to detail.

What the firm does after lodgement

First, the firm reviews the full lodged application and every part of the partner visa lodgement confirmation, including the TRN, the payment record, the acknowledgement letter and any bridging visa grant notice. Second, it checks the application against Schedule 1 items 1214C and 1124B, or the equivalent offshore items, to confirm that the application is valid. Third, it identifies any incorrect answers and any changes of circumstances, and explains to the couple which need to be notified under section 105 or section 104 of the Migration Act 1958. Fourth, the couple confirm the correct details, and the firm prepares Form 1023 or Form 1022, with a clear, honest explanation and the supporting documents. Fifth, it confirms which bridging visa is held, when it comes into effect and what its conditions allow. Sixth, it reviews the relationship evidence already lodged and advises what should be added while the application is processed.

Where the firm is appointed to act, it lodges Form 956 so that the Department corresponds with the firm, which means future letters and requests are received and acted on promptly. Where the Department later sends a section 56 request or a section 57 letter, the firm prepares the response. Where the application has already been refused, the firm reviews the decision and the options, including through the partner visa refusals service and the broader visa refusals practice.

When couples come to the firm

Many couples come to My Migration Lawyers after they have lodged their own application and something on the partner visa lodgement confirmation does not look right. Others want a second opinion from an immigration lawyer on an application prepared elsewhere, or want to understand whether a partner visa lawyer or doing it yourself is the right path for the rest of the process. Some are deciding whether to change immigration lawyer. The guide on when you need an immigration lawyer for a partner visa and the overview of what a partner visa lawyer does explain the role. The guide to booking an immigration lawyer consultation explains what happens at the first meeting, and the firm works on a fixed-fee basis.

Who leads the work

Partner visa work at My Migration Lawyers is led by Weiwei Zhang, Principal Lawyer. More about the firm is on the About My Migration Lawyers page and the partner visa lawyers page. My Migration Lawyers is an Australian immigration law firm that acts for couples across the country, including partner visa clients in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, the Gold Coast, Canberra, Hobart and Parramatta, with consultations by video. Couples comparing firms can read the guide to choosing the best partner visa lawyer in Australia.

Book a consultation about your partner visa lodgement confirmation

If something on your partner visa lodgement confirmation is wrong, if no confirmation has arrived, or if you are not sure your application is valid or which bridging visa you hold, the right time to get advice is now, while the error is still easy to correct. Book a Consultation with My Migration Lawyers to have your lodged application and confirmation reviewed. You can also call 1300 040 300.