Partner Visa Processing Delays: What You Can Do

Partner visa delays are one of the most stressful parts of applying to live in Australia with your partner. Many couples who search for answers about partner visa delays are not dealing with a slow system in general. They are dealing with one file that has stopped moving, and they want to know why and what they can do about it.

This article explains how to tell a normal wait from a genuine delay, what usually causes partner visa delays on a particular application, and which steps actually help. It does not repeat the general processing time explanation found in our guide to how long a Subclass 820 partner visa takes. Instead it focuses on the file in front of you. If you are still deciding whether to apply at all, start with our complete guide to partner visas in Australia. If you already know your application is stuck and you want it reviewed, our partner visa lawyers work on exactly this problem every week.

What are partner visa delays, and when is a wait actually a delay?

A partner visa application is delayed when it has been with the Department of Home Affairs for longer than the Department's own published processing guide, or when it has stopped moving because of an issue on the file that nobody has resolved. A long wait is not, by itself, a delay. Partner visas are slow to process for everyone, and many couples treat ordinary processing time as if it were a problem with their application.

The distinction matters because it decides what you can do. If your application is still inside the normal range, the Department will not discuss its progress with you, and there is very little anyone can do to move it. If your application is outside the normal range, or if a specific issue is holding it up, there are practical steps that can help. Most of the partner visa delays we see fall into the second group, but couples often do not realise it until the file is reviewed.

The Department's published processing figure

The Department publishes a visa processing times guide for each visa. As at October 2026, the Department's guide for the Partner visa (Subclass 820) shows that 50% of applications were processed in 22 months and 90% of applications were processed in 30 months. The Department updates these figures regularly, so the numbers you see on the day you check may be different.

The figure is based on how long it took to process applications that were recently decided. It is a guide, not a promise. The Department states that the guide does not check specific information about your application, and that applications are not necessarily decided within the timeframe shown. Our article on how long the Partner visa 820 onshore application takes explains the figure in more detail.

Within standard processing timeframe, or outside it

The Department's online guide allows you to enter your visa type and the date you lodged. It then tells you whether your application is "within standard processing timeframe". That simple answer is the most important fact in any discussion about partner visa delays.

• If the guide says your application is within standard processing timeframe, your application is not yet delayed in the Department's terms. The Department states that if your application is within the standard processing time, it cannot give you further information even if you call.
• If the guide says your application is outside the standard processing timeframe, you may contact the Department about it, and a review of your file becomes more urgent.

Think of the 90% figure as the point where most partner visa delays become worth investigating. An application that has gone well past the 90% figure is in the slowest tenth of applications. Something on that file is very often different from a routine case.

How to tell a normal wait from real partner visa delays

The quickest way to tell a normal wait from real partner visa delays is to check four things in order: the processing guide, the status in ImmiAccount, any requests the Department has sent, and how long it has been since the Department last did anything on the file.

Step one: check the processing guide

Check the Department's processing times guide using your exact lodgement date. Do not rely on a figure a friend quoted, a figure from an online forum, or the figure that applied when you lodged. The guide changes, and the answer for your lodgement date today is the one that counts.

Step two: check the status in ImmiAccount

Log in to ImmiAccount and read the status of the application and every attachment request. If you do not yet have an account, or you lodged on paper and later moved online, our guide on how to create an ImmiAccount explains the steps. ImmiAccount shows whether the application has been received, whether it is under assessment, and whether the Department has asked for anything. It also shows correspondence the Department has sent, which some couples miss because it went to an old email address or to a representative who no longer acts for them.

Step three: check whether the Department has asked for anything

Many partner visa delays are caused by a request that is waiting for an answer. Look for any request for health examinations, police certificates, a Form 80, further relationship evidence, or a letter under section 56 or section 57 of the Migration Act 1958. A request that has not been answered stops the clock on your side, not the Department's side. The application usually cannot move until the answer arrives.

Step four: check the date of last activity

Note the last date on which anything happened on the file: a request, a health result, a document upload, or a status change. A file that has had no activity for many months after the 90% figure has passed is the clearest sign of real partner visa delays. A file that had a request two months ago is simply moving through its process.

Why the order of processing affects partner visa delays

The order in which the Department decides partner visa applications is set by a Ministerial Direction, and that order explains part of the partner visa delays some couples experience. The Department's family visa processing priorities page states that family visa applications are considered under Ministerial Direction No. 117, which sets the order for considering and disposing of Family visa applications under sections 47 and 51 of the Migration Act 1958.

Under that Direction, applications by a partner or a dependent child sit near the top of the family visa order. Only family applications that have been the subject of ministerial intervention sit above them. The Department also states that the Direction gives priority to family applications made while the applicant was in Australia for visas that are granted in Australia, such as the onshore Subclass 820 partner visa. Applications where the applicant was outside Australia at application, or must be outside Australia at grant, receive a lower priority within that framework.

This has two practical consequences for couples worried about partner visa delays:

• The order of processing is fixed by the Direction. A phone call, an email or a complaint does not move an application ahead of others in the same priority group.
• An application can only move outside that order in limited circumstances, where there are special circumstances of a compassionate nature and compelling reasons to depart from the order of priority. We explain how that works later in this article.

Couples sometimes ask whether partner visa delays come from staff shortages, annual planning levels or caps. The Department does not publish file level reasons, and it is not useful to speculate. What a couple can control is the state of their own file, and that is where the rest of this article focuses. For an overview of the onshore visa itself, our Subclass 820 visa explainer and our complete guide to Subclass 820 requirements cover the criteria.

The most common causes of partner visa delays on a specific file

The most common causes of partner visa delays on a specific file are an incomplete application, health examinations that have not been completed or finalised, police certificates that are missing or have expired, identity issues, and an outstanding Form 80. Each of these can stop an otherwise straightforward application. Each also has a practical fix.

An incomplete application at lodgement

An incomplete application is one of the most common causes of avoidable partner visa delays. When the Department opens a file and finds key documents missing, the officer has to send a request, wait for the answer, and then return to the file. Each request adds time. A file with several gaps may go through that cycle more than once.

The Department encourages applicants to lodge a decision ready application, meaning one that includes everything needed to decide it. That includes identity documents, relationship evidence across all four aspects of the relationship, Form 888 supporting statements, police certificates and evidence of any previous relationships or name changes. Our partner visa document checklist and our 820 partner visa evidence checklist set out what a complete file looks like, and our guide to 820 visa requirements, documents and how to apply explains the application stage.

If your application was lodged with gaps, it is rarely too late to fill them. Uploading the missing material through ImmiAccount, in a clear and labelled form, often reduces partner visa delays caused by an incomplete file.

Thin or poorly organised relationship evidence

The Department assesses the relationship by looking at four aspects: the financial aspects of the relationship, the nature of the household, the social aspects of the relationship, and the nature of the commitment. Where the evidence for one or more aspects is thin, the officer may need to ask for more, or may refer the file for closer assessment. Both add time.

The couple's relationship statement is their own account of the relationship. It is their evidence, and it must be accurate. A clear, honest relationship statement, supported by documents and Form 888 supporting statements from people who know the couple, makes a file faster to assess. Our guides on partner visa relationship evidence, preparing evidence of a genuine relationship and writing the partner visa relationship statement explain what officers look for. For Form 888, see who can make a Form 888 and what it should say and our Form 888 example answers and common mistakes.

Outstanding health examinations

Health examinations are a frequent cause of partner visa delays. The applicant, and any family members included in the application, must meet the health requirement. The Department usually asks for health examinations through ImmiAccount, and the applicant then books them with an approved panel clinic.

Delays happen when the examinations are not booked, when a clinic has not uploaded the results, when further tests are required, or when the results are referred for further assessment. Delays can also happen when results expire before a decision is made. Department policy treats health and character checks as valid for no more than 12 months. If the file is not decided within that time, the Department may ask for the checks to be done again, which adds further time.

If ImmiAccount shows a health request as outstanding, check whether the examinations were completed and whether the clinic finalised them. A health request that appears complete on your side but outstanding on the Department's side is one of the quieter causes of partner visa delays.

Police certificates that are missing or expired

Police certificates are needed to assess the character requirement. The Department usually asks for certificates from Australia and from other countries where the applicant has lived for the periods it specifies. Some overseas police certificates take a long time to obtain, and a missing certificate stops the file.

As with health checks, Department policy treats police certificates as valid for no more than 12 months for this purpose. Couples who supplied police certificates at lodgement are sometimes surprised to receive a request for new ones later in processing. That is normal. Responding quickly is the practical way to stop the request becoming another source of partner visa delays.

Identity issues

Identity must be established before any visa can be granted. Partner visa delays often follow where identity documents are inconsistent. Common examples include a name spelled differently in different documents, a date of birth that differs between a passport and a birth certificate, a previous name that was not declared, or a passport that has been replaced during processing.

None of these is necessarily fatal. They do need to be explained, with documents, before the Department will move on. Where an inconsistency is innocent, a short explanation with supporting evidence usually resolves it. Where it is not explained, the officer may need to make further enquiries, and the file can sit for some time.

Form 80 personal particulars

The Department may ask an applicant to complete Form 80, the personal particulars form for assessment including character. Form 80 asks for a detailed personal, travel, employment and address history. It is long, and gaps or inconsistencies with earlier visa applications can prompt further questions.

An outstanding Form 80 is a common source of partner visa delays, especially where the applicant has travelled widely or held several visas. Our guide on completing Form 80 without errors explains how to answer it accurately and consistently. The goal is not speed for its own sake. The goal is a Form 80 that does not generate a second round of questions.

How section 56 requests cause partner visa delays

A section 56 request causes partner visa delays because the Department cannot decide the application until it receives the information it has asked for, or until the time to respond has passed. Section 56 of the Migration Act 1958 allows the Department to invite an applicant to give additional information before a decision is made. The request states what is needed and the time allowed to provide it.

A section 56 request is not, on its own, a sign that the application will be refused. It usually means the officer needs something more to be satisfied of a criterion. Common requests ask for further relationship evidence, updated identity documents, evidence about a child included in the application, or an explanation of something in the file.

The response matters. If the information is not provided in the time stated, the Department can decide the application on the information it already has. A rushed or incomplete answer can lead to a further request, which adds to the partner visa delays the couple is trying to end. Our guide to responding to a section 56 request for more information explains how to answer clearly and within time.

If you need more time to gather the requested material, ask for an extension before the deadline, in writing, and explain why. Do not let a deadline pass silently.

Section 57 natural justice letters and partner visa delays

A section 57 letter, often called a natural justice letter, is a strong sign that the application has reached a critical stage, and it often follows a period of partner visa delays while the Department considered adverse information. Section 57 of the Migration Act 1958 requires the Department, in many onshore applications, to give the applicant particulars of relevant information that would be the reason, or part of the reason, for refusing the visa, and to invite a response.

The information might come from a third party, from an earlier visa application, from social media, from a site visit, or from another government agency. It might suggest that the relationship is not genuine or continuing, that a previous statement was inaccurate, or that a document is not reliable.

A section 57 letter is not a refusal. It is the applicant's chance to answer the adverse information before a decision is made. The response should be precise, should deal with each piece of information in turn, and should be supported by evidence. A weak response can lead directly to refusal. A strong response can resolve the concern and allow the application to proceed. Our guide on how to respond to an S57 natural justice letter for a partner visa explains the process in detail.

If the application has already been refused, the issue is no longer partner visa delays. It is a refusal, and review deadlines are short and strictly applied. Our partner visa refusals team and our visa refusals service deal with that situation. Our article on why Subclass 820 partner visas are refused and our guide to why partner visas get refused explain the common grounds, so you can deal with them while the application is still being processed.

Character and security checks

Character and security checks can cause long partner visa delays, and the Department will not usually say that a check is the reason. Every partner visa applicant must meet the character requirements, which include the character test in section 501 of the Migration Act 1958 and the relevant public interest criteria in Schedule 4 to the Migration Regulations 1994. Applicants must also meet the security requirement, which may involve an external security assessment.

These checks run largely outside the applicant's control. The Department does not usually disclose that a security assessment is under way, and it does not publish how long such assessments take. For that reason, unexplained partner visa delays on a file that is otherwise complete may be the result of a check that is still running.

What the applicant can control is the accuracy and completeness of the information supplied. Applicants with any criminal history, in Australia or overseas, should disclose it fully and early. Non-disclosure is a far more serious problem than the underlying history in many cases, and it can raise integrity concerns as well as character concerns. Where there is a conviction, court documents and evidence of the circumstances should be on the file before the officer asks for them.

If a character concern is raised, the Department will usually write to the applicant and invite comment. That letter should be treated with the same care as a section 57 letter. Where a visa that the applicant already holds is under threat, our visa cancellations service may also be relevant.

Changes in circumstances that were never notified

An unreported change in circumstances is a common and avoidable cause of partner visa delays. Section 104 of the Migration Act 1958 requires an applicant to tell the Department, as soon as practicable, if circumstances change so that an answer given in the application is no longer correct. The usual way to do this is Form 1022, Notification of changes in circumstances, or the update function in ImmiAccount.

Changes that must be notified commonly include a new address, a new passport, a change of name, the birth of a child, a new email address, a change in the relationship, or new charges or convictions. Many partner visa delays begin with a simple failure to update contact details. The Department sends a request to an old email address. Nobody answers. The file then waits, or is decided without the information.

A change in the relationship deserves special care. If the relationship has ended, different rules apply, and the couple should get advice before notifying the Department. Our guide on what happens to your Subclass 820 application if the relationship breaks down explains the position. Where family violence is involved, the law provides specific protections, and our family violence partner visa lawyers act in those matters.

Our guide on Form 1022 change of circumstances and when to lodge it explains the process. A correctly lodged Form 1022 removes one of the easiest causes of partner visa delays to fix.

Other file level causes of partner visa delays

Several other file level issues can cause partner visa delays, even where the application looked complete at lodgement.

A change of representative

If the couple changes representative during processing, the Department needs a correct Form 956 or Form 956A on the file. Until then, it may write to the old representative, or to nobody. Our guide to Form 956 and 956A explains the forms, and our article on how to change your immigration lawyer in Australia explains the practical steps.

Visa history issues

An applicant's earlier visa history can slow assessment. Examples include an earlier visa refusal or cancellation, a period without a substantive visa, or a visa that carried condition 8503. Where the applicant did not hold a substantive visa when the application was made, the Schedule 3 criteria may apply, and the officer must assess whether they are met or should be waived. That assessment takes time, and an application lodged without a clear Schedule 3 submission is more likely to suffer partner visa delays. Our guides on the Schedule 3 criteria and on the Schedule 3 partner visa waiver explain what the Department looks for, and our Schedule 3 waiver lawyers prepare those submissions.

For applicants who came to Australia on a visitor visa, our article on moving from a tourist visa to a partner visa in Australia explains the checks to make, and our article on whether you can apply for a Subclass 820 visa if your visa has a No Further Stay condition 8503 deals with that condition. Where there was a previous refusal, see our guide to applying for a partner visa after a visa refusal.

Sponsor side issues

Sometimes partner visa delays arise on the sponsor's side, for example where the Australian partner's police certificates or sponsorship information are still needed; our page on partner visa sponsorship limitations covers the sponsor rules separately.

Children and other family members

Where a child or another family member is included in the application, each person must meet the relevant criteria. A missing health examination, birth certificate or custody document for one family member can hold up the whole application. Check each person's requirements in ImmiAccount, not only the main applicant's.

Delays at the permanent Subclass 801 stage

Waiting for the permanent stage is not the same as partner visa delays at the temporary stage. The onshore application is a combined application for the temporary Subclass 820 visa and the permanent Subclass 801 visa. The permanent stage is generally assessed once two years have passed since the combined application was lodged, and the Department asks for updated information and evidence that the relationship is continuing.

So a Subclass 820 holder who has not yet been granted the Subclass 801 visa may simply not have reached the point where the permanent stage can be assessed. Once eligible, the same causes of delay can apply: outdated evidence, unanswered requests, and changes in circumstances that were not reported. Our article on the difference between Subclass 820 and Subclass 801 explains how the two stages connect. Couples who married after holding a Prospective Marriage visa, and same-sex couples, whose relationships are assessed on exactly the same terms, follow the same staged process; see our Subclass 300 Prospective Marriage visa page and our LGBTI partner visa page.

What you can do about partner visa delays

The most effective thing you can do about partner visa delays is to make your file decision ready and keep it that way, then contact the Department only once your application is outside the standard processing timeframe. The steps below are in the order we recommend.

Check ImmiAccount every month

Log in to ImmiAccount at least once a month. Read every message and check every request. Confirm that your email address, phone number and residential address are current. Many partner visa delays begin with a message that sat unread for weeks.

Make the application decision ready

Read the application as an officer would. Ask whether every criterion is supported by evidence on the file. Check that identity documents are current and consistent, that the relationship statement is accurate and up to date, that Form 888 supporting statements are on file, and that health and police checks are current or have been requested. Upload anything missing, with clear file names.

Many couples who lodged their own application find that a second look by a lawyer identifies gaps they did not see. Our article on hiring an immigration lawyer after lodging your own visa application explains how that works, and our guide to getting a second opinion from an immigration lawyer explains what to expect.

Keep relationship evidence current

Partner visa delays mean the relationship evidence on file grows older every month. An officer deciding the application two years after lodgement wants to see that the relationship is genuine and continuing now, not only at lodgement. Upload fresh evidence every few months: recent joint financial records, evidence of the shared household, recent travel or social evidence, and anything showing ongoing commitment. Keep the uploads proportionate. A small, well chosen set of recent documents is more useful than hundreds of pages.

Respond to every request in full and on time

Treat every request as urgent. Answer it completely, within time, and in an organised way. If you cannot meet a deadline, ask for an extension in writing before it expires. An incomplete answer often causes the partner visa delays you were trying to avoid, because the officer has to ask again.

Report every change in circumstances

Use Form 1022 or the ImmiAccount update function as soon as practicable after any relevant change. Do not wait to be asked. A change the Department discovers for itself is far more likely to raise questions than a change the applicant reported promptly.

Get advice before the problem becomes a refusal

If you have received a section 56 request you do not understand, a section 57 letter, a character letter, or simply no activity for a long time after the processing guide has passed, get advice. Our partner visa lawyer guide and our article on when you need an immigration lawyer for a partner visa explain what a lawyer does on a file that is already lodged.

When and how to contact the Department about partner visa delays

You should contact the Department about partner visa delays only when the processing times guide shows that your application is outside the standard processing timeframe, or when there is a specific file issue the Department needs to know about. The Department states that if your application is within the standard processing time, it cannot give you further information even if you call. It directs applicants who applied online to check their status in ImmiAccount.

Once the application is outside the standard processing timeframe, you can contact the Department through its published contact channels, including its online enquiry options and its telephone service for matters that require access to your details. Keep any enquiry short and factual. Include:

• the applicant's full name, date of birth and ImmiAccount or application reference number
• the visa subclass and the date of lodgement
• a statement that the processing times guide shows the application is outside the standard processing timeframe
• a list of anything provided recently, such as health results, police certificates or a response to a request
• a request to confirm whether anything further is needed

A clear enquiry of this kind sometimes reveals that the Department is waiting for something the couple did not know about. That is the real value of an enquiry about partner visa delays: it identifies the missing piece. It does not move the application ahead of other applications in the same priority group.

If you have a representative, the enquiry should usually come from the representative, who is the Department's contact on the file. Our guide on the difference between a partner visa migration agent and a lawyer explains how representation works, and our broader article on migration agents and immigration lawyers sets out the factual differences between the two.

Asking for priority processing in compelling circumstances

Priority processing is available only in limited circumstances, where there are special circumstances of a compassionate nature and compelling reasons to depart from the order of priority set by the Ministerial Direction. The Department states that any decision to prioritise a Family stream application is made case by case, after considering the individual circumstances.

A request for priority processing is not a way to deal with ordinary partner visa delays. Every couple waiting for a partner visa experiences hardship, separation or uncertainty in some form. A request that relies only on the length of the wait, or on general inconvenience, is unlikely to be treated as compelling.

Circumstances that may justify a request are serious and specific. Examples could include a serious medical condition affecting the applicant or a close family member where a decision is needed for treatment or care, or other circumstances of a genuinely compassionate nature where delay would cause real harm. Each request needs evidence. A short letter that explains the circumstances, attaches independent documents such as medical reports, and states clearly why the order of priority should be departed from, is far more persuasive than a long letter with no evidence.

Before asking for priority, make sure the application is decision ready. A request that succeeds in moving a file to the front of the queue achieves nothing if the officer then has to send a section 56 request for missing documents. Our article on urgent immigration lawyer advice and what to prepare before you call explains how to gather what is needed quickly. For background on processing order and times, see our guides on Subclass 820 processing times and on the Subclass 820 onshore partner visa.

Living with partner visa delays: bridging visas, work and travel

Most onshore applicants live in Australia on a bridging visa while they wait, and understanding that bridging visa is the key to living with partner visa delays without creating new problems. Our guide to bridging visas in Australia explains the main types.

Bridging Visa A and work rights

An applicant who held a substantive visa when lodging the onshore partner application is usually granted a Bridging Visa A. Under a legislative instrument referred to in Department policy, a Bridging Visa A granted in association with a Subclass 820 or Subclass 801 application has no conditions attached, which means the holder can generally work while the application is processed. Our guides on Bridging Visa A work rights, conditions and travel and on working while waiting for your Subclass 820 visa explain the detail.

The Bridging Visa A comes into effect when the applicant's substantive visa ends. Before then, the conditions of the substantive visa still apply. This matters during partner visa delays, because some applicants assume the work rights of the bridging visa apply from the day of lodgement.

Travelling on a Bridging Visa B

A Bridging Visa A does not allow the holder to return to Australia after leaving. An applicant who wants to travel overseas and return during partner visa delays usually needs a Bridging Visa B, granted before departure. Our guide on how to apply for a Bridging Visa B explains the process.

The decision maker must be satisfied that the applicant has substantial reasons for wishing to leave and re-enter Australia. Department policy gives examples, including visiting a seriously ill family member, attending a wedding or funeral, work or study obligations, and obtaining documents needed for the application. Importantly for couples facing partner visa delays, Department policy also states that where processing of the substantive application has been protracted, this can be a factor in assessing whether the applicant has substantial reasons to travel for personal reasons, including a holiday. Decision makers are told to check the published processing times when considering such a claim.

The Bridging Visa B allows travel within a specified period. Leaving Australia without a valid Bridging Visa B, or returning after the travel period ends, can leave the applicant outside Australia without a visa to return. That is a much bigger problem than partner visa delays, and it should be avoided.

If the applicant has no bridging visa

Some applicants hold a Bridging Visa C or Bridging Visa E rather than a Bridging Visa A, usually because they did not hold a substantive visa when they applied. Different conditions and rules apply. Before planning work or travel, check exactly which bridging visa you hold and what conditions it carries.

What not to do during partner visa delays

The most important rule during partner visa delays is not to take any step that creates a new problem while trying to solve the old one. The following steps are common, and they usually make matters worse.

Do not lodge a second partner visa application

Lodging a duplicate partner visa application does not join a faster queue. It creates a second file, may lead to confusion about which application is being assessed, and can create other legal complications. If the first application has a problem, the answer is to fix that application.

Do not withdraw the application out of frustration

Withdrawing a partner visa application can have serious consequences for the applicant's lawful status and for any future application in Australia. Some couples consider withdrawing so that the offshore pathway can be used instead, such as the Subclass 309 partner visa. That decision should never be made without advice on the effect of withdrawal, the bridging visa and the applicant's ability to apply again.

Do not send repeated enquiries or complaints

Sending the same enquiry every week, or lodging complaints while the application is still within the standard processing timeframe, does not change the order of processing. It does not move partner visa delays forward, and it can bury useful correspondence among repeated messages. One clear enquiry, sent at the right time, with the information listed above, is more useful.

Do not let evidence or checks lapse

Do not let a passport expire without updating the Department, and do not ignore a request for new health or police checks because you provided them earlier. Policy treats those checks as current for a limited period, and repeated requests are a normal part of long partner visa delays.

Do not travel without checking your bridging visa

Never leave Australia during processing without confirming that you hold a Bridging Visa B, or another visa that permits return, valid for the dates you will travel.

Do not overstate hardship in a priority request

A priority request must be accurate and supported by evidence. Overstating the circumstances can damage the credibility of the whole application.

If partner visa delays end in a refusal

If partner visa delays end in a refusal, the focus shifts immediately to review rights, and review deadlines are short and strictly applied. Many onshore partner visa refusals can be reviewed by the Administrative Review Tribunal. Our guides on partner visa refusal appeal options, what to expect at an ART review and when you need a visa appeal lawyer explain the next steps. The time to act is the day the refusal arrives.

Choosing help with partner visa delays

Choosing help with partner visa delays is about finding someone who will read the whole file, identify the specific cause of the hold up, and fix it, rather than simply sending an enquiry. Our article on whether a partner visa lawyer is worth it compared with doing it yourself explains the trade offs, and our guides on how to choose a partner visa lawyer in Australia, what an immigration lawyer does and how to find, check and choose an Australian migration lawyer set out what to look for. Our article on booking an immigration lawyer consultation explains what happens in a first meeting.

Where we act

My Migration Lawyers acts for couples across Australia, with consultations by video. We act for clients of our partner visa lawyers in Sydney and Parramatta, our partner visa lawyers in Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide, and our partner visa lawyers on the Gold Coast, in Canberra and in Hobart. Couples with wider immigration questions can also see our immigration lawyers in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, or our overview of immigration lawyers in Australia. More articles on partner visas and other topics are on our blog, and you can read more about My Migration Lawyers or visit our home page for immigration lawyers Australia.

How My Migration Lawyers helps with partner visa delays

My Migration Lawyers helps with partner visa delays by reviewing the whole file, finding the specific reason the application has stopped, and fixing it in the form the Department needs. We deal with complex cases and act in many matters where a partner visa has stalled, and we are well placed to handle files that have gone well past the processing guide, files with an unanswered section 56 request, and files where a section 57 letter has arrived.

On a delayed partner visa file, we take these steps:

• We check the Department's processing guide against your lodgement date, so we know whether the application is within or outside the standard processing timeframe.
• We read the ImmiAccount history, every request and every response, to identify anything the Department is still waiting for.
• We check identity documents, health examinations, police certificates and Form 80 for gaps, inconsistencies or expired results.
• We review the relationship evidence across the four aspects, and we help you update your own relationship statement and evidence so that it shows the relationship as it is now.
• We prepare clear responses to section 56 requests, section 57 letters and character letters, presenting your own account and evidence in the form the law requires.
• We lodge a Form 1022 for any change in circumstances that was never notified, and a Form 956 so the Department deals with us directly.
• Where the application is outside the standard processing timeframe, we contact the Department on your behalf with a precise enquiry, and where there are genuinely compelling compassionate circumstances, we prepare a properly evidenced request for priority.
• We advise on bridging visa work rights and on a Bridging Visa B before any travel, so that partner visa delays do not turn into a status problem.

This work is led by Weiwei Zhang, Principal Lawyer. If your application has stalled and you want to know why, the first step is a file review. Partner visa delays are rarely solved by waiting longer. They are solved by finding the cause. You can also send us a message through our contact page.

Book a Consultation or call 1300 040 300.