Partner Visa Sponsor Whose Previous Sponsorship Was Refused

A partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused does not use up one of your two sponsorships. If your earlier partner or fiance sponsorship ended in a refusal, the partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused history is not counted under regulation 1.20J of the Migration Regulations 1994, because only a sponsorship that led to the grant of a visa counts.

That is the good news. The harder truth is that a refusal does not disappear. The Department keeps the file, the decision record and the evidence. When you sponsor again, whether for the same partner or a new one, the case officer can see why the earlier application failed. This guide is written for the Australian sponsor. It explains why a refused sponsorship is not counted, how a refusal of the sponsorship differs from a refusal of the visa, when a refused sponsorship later becomes a counted one, what carries forward into a new application, and how to plan the next step. The commercial page on partner visa sponsorship limitations explains the wider rules, and the hub article on when a sponsor cannot sponsor a partner visa gives the full overview.

Does a refused sponsorship count toward the partner visa sponsor limits?

No. A partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused does not count toward the lifetime limit of two sponsorships in regulation 1.20J(1)(a), and it does not start the 5 year period in regulation 1.20J(1)(b).

The Department's instruction on sponsorship limitations is direct. It says a sponsorship connected to a visa application that was refused does not count, because the sponsorship must have resulted in the grant of a visa. The critical factor is the grant. If there was no grant, there is nothing to count.

The partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused question is one of the most common misunderstandings in this area. Many sponsors believe that every sponsorship form they have ever signed is one of their two. That is not the law. A partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused can still have two counted sponsorships available, provided no other sponsorship has resulted in a grant. The page on whether you can sponsor more than one partner explains the basic count, and the guide to partner visa sponsor requirements explains the other criteria a sponsor must meet.

Why a partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused is not counted

Regulation 1.20J is built around grants. Each of its limits looks at whether a person has been granted a visa, or another relevant permission, because of a sponsorship.

• Regulation 1.20J(1)(a) limits a sponsor to two approved spouse, de facto partner or prospective spouse sponsorships. The current wording looks at how many other people have been granted a visa or relevant permission as the sponsor's partner or fiance. A refused applicant was not granted anything.
• Regulation 1.20J(1)(b) stops a sponsor from having another sponsorship approved until 5 years after an earlier visa application was made, where the sponsor has sponsored a partner or fiance. Department policy reads this with the same grant-based approach, so a partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused does not start that 5 year period.
• Regulation 1.20J(1)(c) applies to a sponsor who was themselves sponsored as a partner or fiance. That limit is about your own visa history, not about people you sponsored, and it is not affected by a refused sponsorship of someone else.

The purpose of regulation 1.20J, according to the Department, is to prevent abuse of the partner and fiance migration provisions. A sponsorship that produced no visa gave no one a migration outcome, so it is outside that purpose. The guide on when partner visa sponsorship approval is decided explains how approval fits into the visa decision.

A refusal caused by the limits does not reset them

There is one trap. If your earlier sponsorship was refused because of regulation 1.20J, the refusal itself does not count, but the earlier granted sponsorships that caused it still do. A partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused for this reason will usually face the same limit again, unless enough time has passed or the waiver in regulation 1.20J(2) is accepted.

For example, consider a sponsor who sponsored a spouse whose application was made in 2022 and granted. The sponsor then sponsored a new partner in 2024, and that sponsorship was refused under regulation 1.20J(1)(b) because 5 years had not passed. The 2024 refusal does not count. But the 2022 sponsorship still does, and the 5 year period still runs from 2022. A new application will succeed on that point only if the decision is made after the 5 years end, or if compelling circumstances are accepted. The page on how to challenge a refusal involving sponsorship limitations explains the review route.

Refusal of the visa versus refusal of the sponsorship in a partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused case

A refused visa and a refused sponsorship are related but different decisions. The difference matters, because the reason for the earlier refusal tells you what must be fixed before you sponsor again.

For the Subclass 300, Subclass 309 and Subclass 820 visas, approval of the sponsorship is a time of decision criterion. The sponsorship is assessed inside the visa decision, and there is no separate decision letter sent to the sponsor. If the sponsorship is not approved, the visa must be refused. But a visa can also be refused while the sponsorship itself raised no problem, for example where the case officer was not satisfied that the relationship was genuine and continuing.

So a partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused history can mean any of the following:

• The sponsorship was not approved. Common reasons include the regulation 1.20J limits, regulation 1.20KA for certain Contributory Parent visa holders, the sponsor character provisions in regulations 1.20KB and 1.20KC, the sponsor not being eligible, the sponsorship form not being lodged, or requested sponsor police checks not being provided.
• The sponsorship was acceptable but the visa was refused for another reason. Examples include genuineness, health, character of the applicant, Schedule 3 for some onshore applicants, or PIC 4020 for false information.
• Both. A decision record can contain several reasons.

In every one of these cases, there was no grant, so the sponsorship does not count under regulation 1.20J. But the next step is very different depending on which reason applied. The guide to the partner visa refusal letter and the page on how to understand the reasons in your partner visa refusal letter explain how to read the decision. The page on what happens if your partner's sponsorship is refused explains the immediate effect, and the general guide to partner visa refusal reasons lists the most common grounds.

Why the sponsor may never have seen the reasons

Because there is no separate notice to the sponsor, a partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused has often never read the decision record. The refusal notice is sent to the visa applicant or the applicant's representative. If the relationship ended after the refusal, the sponsor may have only a vague idea of what went wrong. That is a problem, because the case officer on the next application will have the full file. The guide to the partner visa sponsorship assessment explains what the Department checks about the sponsor, and the guide to partner visa sponsorship not lodged explains one of the most common, and most avoidable, sponsorship refusals.

When a partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused later counts

A refused sponsorship becomes a counted sponsorship if the refusal is later overturned and the visa is granted. At that point there is a grant, and the sponsorship is treated like any other.

This happens most often after review. The Administrative Review Tribunal can set aside a refusal and remit (send back) the application to the Department with a direction. If the Department then grants the visa, the sponsorship has resulted in a grant. A partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused at first instance but granted after remittal therefore has used one of the two sponsorships, and the 5 year period in regulation 1.20J(1)(b) runs from the date that earlier visa application was made.

Several decisions in our records show refused sponsorships being sent back after review. They are described here only by the issues recorded:

• Martine (Migration) [2023] AATA 690 concerned a Subclass 309 application where the applicant had failed to provide Form 40SP, a completed form was provided at review, and the Tribunal found the applicant was now sponsored. The matter was remitted.
• Naqshbandi (Migration) [2023] AATA 3967 concerned a Subclass 820 application involving understanding of sponsorship obligations, a failure to complete Form 40SP, and a Form 888 submitted. The matter was remitted.
• Sathandla Halli Vijayakumar (Migration) [2022] AATA 91 concerned a Subclass 820 application involving insufficient information concerning the sponsor, the sponsorship declaration and a National Police Check. The matter was remitted.

These decisions show that, for a partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused by the Department, the refusal is not always the end of the matter. They also show why a sponsor must keep track of what happened afterwards. If a remitted case was later granted, the earlier refusal is no longer the full story. The page on whether a Tribunal remittal means the visa will be granted explains what happens after remittal.

Partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused: answers by situation

The answer to "does it count?" depends on what happened after the refusal. The following summary covers the situations that arise most often.

• Refused by the Department, never reviewed. In this partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused situation, nothing counts. There was no grant.
• Refused, reviewed, and the refusal affirmed by the Tribunal. Nothing counts. The Tribunal affirmed the refusal, so no visa was granted.
• Refused, reviewed, remitted and then granted. The sponsorship counts, because the application ultimately resulted in a grant.
• Refused, reviewed, remitted, but still being processed. The outcome is not yet known. If the visa is granted, it will count.
• A refused fiance (Subclass 300) application. A partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused for a fiance is treated the same way. If the Subclass 300 visa was refused, it does not count.
• A refused Subclass 801 or Subclass 100 permanent stage after the temporary visa was granted. This is not a refused sponsorship in the relevant sense. The earlier grant of the Subclass 820 or Subclass 309 visa already counts, and the two-stage process is counted once.

That last point catches many sponsors. A partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused at the permanent stage has still had a counted sponsorship, because the temporary visa was granted on that sponsorship. The page on what happens to your 820 and your right to stay if your 801 is refused and the guide to a partner visa second stage refusal explain the second stage.

What if a review is still pending?

If the earlier refusal is still under review, the outcome is not yet known. A sponsor in that position should not lodge a new sponsorship for a different partner without advice, because the pending review may end in a grant that counts. The page on whether you can apply for a partner visa with an ART case pending explains the practical issues.

What carries forward from a partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused decision

The count does not carry forward, but the reasons do. In a partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused case, the Department will usually have the earlier application, the evidence, any interview records, any section 57 correspondence and the decision record. The new case officer can rely on that material.

That does not mean the new application will be refused. It means the new application must be prepared knowing what is already on the file. Inconsistency between the old material and the new material is one of the fastest ways to a second refusal.

Genuineness findings in a partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused file

If the earlier refusal was based on a finding that the relationship was not genuine and continuing, that finding is not binding on a later decision maker, but it will be read. If you are sponsoring the same partner again, the new application must answer the earlier concerns directly. If you are sponsoring a new partner, the earlier finding may still prompt questions about your relationship history and how quickly the new relationship began.

The guide to the genuine and continuing relationship test, the guide to a partner visa non-genuine relationship refusal and the page on what to do if your relationship was found not genuine explain how these findings are addressed.

Sponsor character findings

If the earlier sponsorship was refused under the sponsor character provisions, the same issue will arise again. Regulation 1.20KB deals with sponsors who have convictions or unresolved charges for certain offences where an applicant is under 18. Regulations 1.20KC and 1.20KD allow a sponsorship to be refused where the sponsor has been convicted of a relevant offence and has a significant criminal record, unless it is reasonable to approve it. A partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused on these grounds should expect the same assessment, updated with any new information, such as time since sentence or rehabilitation.

The guides to sponsor relevant offences under regulation 1.20KC, significant criminal record under regulation 1.20KD and a partner visa sponsor with a criminal record explain these provisions.

Findings about false or misleading information

If the earlier visa was refused under Public Interest Criterion 4020 because the applicant gave, or caused to be given, false or misleading information or a bogus document, the consequences can continue. Under PIC 4020(2), an applicant refused under PIC 4020(1) can be refused a further visa applied for within three years, and that non-grant period also extends to members of the applicant's family unit. The three-year period can be waived in certain circumstances, including compelling or compassionate circumstances affecting the interests of an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen. For a sponsor, that can be relevant if you are sponsoring the same partner again.

Department policy also says that information a sponsor gives in support of a sponsorship is usually given on the sponsor's own behalf. Whether the applicant gave it, or caused it to be given, depends on the facts. The guide to a partner visa false information refusal, the guide to partner visa PIC 4020 risks and the page on what PIC 4020 is and how it affects a partner visa explain the rule in detail.

Findings about the sponsor's credibility

Even where the earlier refusal did not turn on the sponsor, the sponsor's own statements are on the file. Earlier relationship statements, interview answers and Form 888 statements will be compared with the new ones. One decision in our records illustrates the risk. Nguyen (Migration) [2023] AATA 3868 concerned a Subclass 309 application where the recorded issues were the sponsor's migration history and credibility concerns, and the sponsor's marital history. The matter was remitted. The guides to partner visa interview inconsistencies and partner visa conflicting statements explain how inconsistency is treated.

How the Department approaches a partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused case

The Department assesses each new application on its own merits, against the law at the time of decision. A partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused does not start a new application at a disadvantage in law. In practice, though, the case officer starts with more information than usual.

Case officers are told to have regard to the sponsor's answers on the sponsorship form and to the Department's sponsorship records. Those records show earlier sponsorship applications and their outcomes. Where the earlier refusal raised concerns about the sponsor, the case officer may ask further questions, request documents, or invite the sponsor to an interview. The guide to a partner visa sponsor interview explains what the Department may ask.

If the case officer proposes to refuse the new application because of adverse information, section 57 of the Migration Act 1958 generally requires the Department to give the applicant particulars of that information, explain why it is relevant, and invite comment, where the application can be reviewed. There are exceptions, including information that the applicant gave for the purpose of the application and information that is not specifically about the applicant or another person. A partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused should therefore make sure that any response to a section 57 letter deals with both the sponsor's and the applicant's history. The page on how to respond to a section 57 letter explains the process.

The Department also considers the sponsor's own immigration history where it is relevant. A sponsor whose own visa history raises questions may find those questions repeated. The guide to a partner visa sponsor with their own visa history problems explains how that is handled.

When the sponsor was the refused applicant

Sometimes the refused application in the sponsor's past was not a sponsorship at all. The sponsor was once the visa applicant, sponsored by an earlier partner, and that application was refused. The sponsor later became a permanent resident or citizen another way.

Regulation 1.20J(1)(c) applies to a sponsor who was themselves sponsored as a spouse, de facto partner or fiance, and stops them sponsoring a partner until 5 years after their own visa application was made. Department policy approaches the sponsorship limits on the basis that a sponsorship counts only where it resulted in the grant of a visa. On that approach, an earlier partner visa application by the sponsor that was refused, and never granted, would not usually trigger regulation 1.20J(1)(c). That point should be confirmed on the facts before relying on it, especially where the sponsor's own earlier application was withdrawn rather than refused.

If the sponsor's own earlier partner visa was granted, even if the relationship later ended, the position is different. That grant can engage regulation 1.20J(1)(c), and a partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused in some other application does not change it. The page on whether you can sponsor a partner if you were sponsored on a partner visa explains that limit.

Getting the earlier decision record and file

A partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused should obtain the earlier decision record before anything new is lodged. Advice given without the earlier reasons is guesswork.

The usual sources are:

• The refusal notice and decision record. These were sent to the applicant or the applicant's representative. If you are sponsoring the same partner, they should have them.
• Section 57 correspondence. If the Department invited comment on adverse information before refusing, that letter shows what the case officer relied on. The guide to a section 57 natural justice letter for a partner visa explains these letters.
• A Freedom of Information request. The sponsor can request the sponsor's own records. The applicant can request the applicant's records. The guide to a partner visa FOI request explains how.
• Any Tribunal decision. If the refusal was reviewed, the Tribunal's reasons may be published or held by the representative.

The page on what documents to take to a lawyer about a refusal gives a practical list, and the page on how to organise evidence to address every refusal reason explains how that material is used.

Disclosing a partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused history

You should disclose the earlier refused application accurately in the new application and sponsorship, even though it does not count toward the limits. Department policy tells officers to check the information the sponsor gives on the sponsorship form against the Department's sponsorship records, so an earlier application will be visible whether or not it is mentioned.

The sponsorship form asks about the sponsor's history. The applicant's form asks about the applicant's previous visa applications and refusals. Answers must be accurate and consistent across both forms. A sponsor who omits an earlier refused sponsorship, or describes it inaccurately, creates a credibility problem that did not need to exist. The guide to the partner visa Form 40SP explains the sponsorship form, and the page on whether you need to disclose a previous visa refusal explains the applicant's obligations.

A partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused should also explain the refusal where it helps. A short, factual explanation of what happened and what has changed often reads better than silence. The guide to a partner visa with a previous partner visa refusal and the page on extra lodgement requirements after a previous refusal explain how this is approached.

Common partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused scenarios

The following hypothetical scenarios show how the rules apply in practice. They are illustrations only, not client stories.

The sponsorship form was never lodged

Consider a sponsor whose partner lodged a Subclass 820 application, but the sponsor never completed the sponsorship. The visa was refused because there was no approved sponsorship. In this partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused scenario, nothing counts under regulation 1.20J. The problem was administrative, and it can be fixed. If the refusal can still be reviewed, the Tribunal can consider a sponsorship provided during the review, as Martine shows. If review is no longer available, a new application with a properly lodged sponsorship is usually the path. The guide to partner visa sponsorship lodgement explains when the sponsor must lodge.

The sponsor did not provide police checks

Consider a sponsor who was asked for police checks and did not provide them, so the sponsorship was not approved. In this partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused scenario, the refusal does not count, but the next application will raise the same request. The sponsor should obtain the checks before lodging again. The guides to a partner visa sponsor police check and a partner visa sponsor police check not provided explain the process.

The relationship was found not genuine

Consider a sponsor whose partner's Subclass 309 application was refused because the case officer was not satisfied the relationship was genuine. In this partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused scenario, the sponsorship may have raised no issue at all. The count is unaffected. The real task is to rebuild the evidence of the relationship, including financial, household, social and commitment evidence, and to explain any gaps the case officer identified. The guide to weak partner visa evidence explains how to strengthen a case.

The visa was refused, then granted after review

Consider a sponsor whose partner's application was refused, reviewed by the Tribunal, remitted and then granted. In this partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused scenario, the sponsorship counts, because it resulted in a grant. If that relationship later ended, a new sponsorship will be tested against the lifetime limit and the 5 year period from the date of the earlier application.

Sponsoring the same partner again after a refusal

Yes, a sponsor can sponsor the same partner again after a refusal. A partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused may support a fresh application or a review. Nothing in regulation 1.20J bars a fresh application by the same person, but the first choice is usually between Tribunal review and a new application.

Review or a new application?

Review by the Administrative Review Tribunal is available for a refusal of a Subclass 820, Subclass 309 or Subclass 300 visa, including a refusal because the sponsorship was not approved. The deadline is 28 days after the day the applicant is notified, or 7 days if the applicant is in immigration detention, and it cannot be extended. For a Subclass 820 refusal and a Subclass 309 refusal, the visa applicant applies. For a Subclass 300 refusal, the Australian sponsor applies.

The Tribunal application fee for a migration review is $3,727 for fees paid on or after 1 July 2026. A 50% reduction is available for financial hardship, and 50% is refunded if the decision is set aside or remitted. A new partner visa application carries its own visa application charge, which starts from AUD 11,710. The Tribunal decides on the law and the facts at the time of its own decision, so new evidence can be given and changes since the refusal can be considered.

The guide to partner visa appeal versus reapplication and the page on whether to seek review or lodge a new partner visa application explain the choice. The guides to the partner visa ART review process, partner visa ART fees and the partner visa appeal deadline explain each step, and the page on how much a Tribunal review costs and whether the fee can be reduced explains the fee reduction.

Onshore applicants and section 48

An applicant who was refused a visa while in Australia, and who has not since been granted a substantive visa, is generally subject to section 48 of the Migration Act 1958. Section 48 limits the visas that can be applied for onshore. A Subclass 820 and Subclass 801 application is one of the visas that can still be made, but the application must include extra material to be valid. Department policy says this includes a completed sponsorship form signed by the sponsoring partner and two supporting statements from Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents or eligible New Zealand citizens, made no more than 6 weeks before the application. In practice, those supporting statements are made on Form 888.

For a partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused onshore, this means the sponsor's role is not optional. The sponsorship must be completed and lodged with the application itself. The guide to the partner visa section 48 bar and the guide to Form 888 witness statements explain these requirements. If the applicant has also become unlawful, Schedule 3 may apply, and the guide to Schedule 3 criteria for applying when unlawful explains that further hurdle.

Onshore applicants who apply for review usually remain on their bridging visa while the review is pending. The guide to the bridging visa after a partner visa refusal and the page on what happens to your bridging visa if your partner visa is refused explain the position.

Offshore applicants

An applicant outside Australia who was refused a Subclass 309 visa is not affected by section 48. A new Subclass 309 application can be made, subject to the usual criteria. The page on whether you can get a partner visa after your previous partner visa was refused and the guide to reapplying for a partner visa after refusal explain how a second application should be prepared.

Sponsoring a different partner after a refused sponsorship

A partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused can sponsor a different partner. The refused sponsorship does not count toward regulation 1.20J, so it does not use up one of the two sponsorships and does not start a 5 year period.

In a partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused case involving a new partner, the new application will still be read alongside your history. The case officer may ask how and when the earlier relationship ended, when the new relationship began, and whether any finding in the earlier decision bears on the new one. A new relationship that began while the earlier application was still being processed may attract questions. Clear dates and honest explanations help. The page on applying for a partner visa with a new partner after a previous one and the guide to partner visa previous relationship history explain how relationship history is assessed.

If you have other sponsorships that were granted, those still count. A partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused who also has one granted sponsorship within the last 5 years, or two granted sponsorships in total, must still deal with regulation 1.20J for those grants. The hub article on when a sponsor cannot sponsor a partner visa explains each limit, and the guide to partner visa compelling reasons and waiver evidence explains the waiver.

Preparing a new application after a partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused

A strong second application starts with the first decision, and a partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused should treat that decision as the brief for the new one. In a partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused case, preparation usually follows these steps.

• Obtain the earlier decision record and file. Identify every reason for refusal, including those that concerned the sponsor.
• Separate sponsor issues from applicant issues. Decide whether the problem was the sponsorship, the visa criteria, or both.
• Check the regulation 1.20J count. Confirm which earlier sponsorships resulted in a grant and calculate any 5 year period from the earlier application dates.
• Fix the sponsor issues first. Lodge the sponsorship correctly, obtain police checks, and prepare any character submission.
• Address each earlier reason with evidence. Do not simply lodge the same material again. The page on how to organise evidence to address every refusal reason explains the method.
• Keep every statement consistent with the file. Where something has changed or was wrong before, say so plainly and explain why.
• Disclose the history accurately. Earlier applications, refusals and sponsorships should be stated correctly on both forms.

The guides to partner visa relationship evidence, a partner visa sponsor risk assessment before lodgement and partner visa application review before lodgement explain how a careful second application is built. A partner visa second opinion can also help where the first application was prepared without advice.

Will the earlier refusal affect future visas?

A refusal stays on the applicant's record and must be disclosed where forms ask about it. It does not of itself prevent a later grant, except where a specific rule applies, such as the PIC 4020 non-grant period or section 48 for onshore applicants. The page on whether a partner visa refusal affects future visa applications explains the wider effects, and the page on getting a partner visa after multiple refusals covers repeated refusals.

Questions to answer before sponsoring again

Before lodging anything new, a partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused should be able to answer each of these questions with documents.

• Was the earlier application refused by the Department, affirmed by the Tribunal, or remitted and later granted?
• Was the refusal about the sponsorship, the visa criteria, or both?
• Has any other sponsorship of yours resulted in a grant, and when was that earlier application made?
• Is the applicant onshore and subject to section 48, or offshore?
• Did the earlier decision make any finding under PIC 4020, and if so, when?
• What has changed since the refusal, and what evidence proves it?

If any answer is uncertain, the partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused case is not ready to lodge. The pillar guide to partner visas in Australia explains each pathway, and the page on why partner visas are refused explains the grounds a new application must avoid.

Mistakes to avoid after a partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused

Most second refusals repeat a problem that was visible in the first decision. The following mistakes are the ones that most often turn a partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused into a second refusal.

• Lodging the same material again. If the evidence was not enough the first time, the same evidence will not be enough the second time. Each earlier reason must be answered.
• Assuming the refusal used up a sponsorship. Some sponsors delay a new relationship's application for years because they believe the refusal counted. It did not. A partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused may be free to sponsor now.
• Assuming the refusal reset the limits. The opposite mistake is just as serious. If the refusal was caused by earlier granted sponsorships, those grants still count.
• Missing the review deadline while deciding. The 28 day deadline, or 7 days in immigration detention, cannot be extended. If review may be the better option, the decision must be made quickly. The page on what to do if the Tribunal deadline is close explains urgent steps.
• Leaving the sponsorship until later. Onshore applicants subject to section 48 need the sponsorship with the application. Others still need it lodged promptly.
• Telling a different story. A partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused must keep the history consistent. If something in the earlier application was wrong, the new application should say so and explain why, rather than quietly changing the account.
• Not reading the decision record. A sponsor who never saw the reasons cannot fix them.

At the Tribunal, new evidence can be given. The page on whether you can give the Tribunal new evidence and the guide to partner visa ART evidence explain how evidence is prepared for review. The guide on what a partner visa refusal lawyer does explains the work involved.

How My Migration Lawyers helps a sponsor after a refused sponsorship

My Migration Lawyers acts for Australian sponsors who want to try again after a refusal and need to know exactly where they stand. A partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused matter is usually about two questions at once: what the law counts, and what the Department remembers.

The firm deals with complex refused sponsorships and acts in many matters of this exact type, including refusals for sponsorship forms not lodged, sponsor police checks not provided, sponsor character concerns, genuineness findings and regulation 1.20J limits. The team is capable of handling these cases from reading the earlier file through to a fresh application or a Tribunal review.

In a partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused case, My Migration Lawyers will:

• obtain and read the earlier decision record and identify every reason for refusal;
• confirm whether the earlier sponsorship counts under regulation 1.20J, including whether a later review led to a grant;
• advise whether review or a new application is the better course, and act within the Tribunal deadline where review is chosen;
• prepare the sponsor's side properly, including the sponsorship, police checks and any character submission;
• rebuild the relationship evidence so it answers the earlier concerns and is consistent with the file; and
• make sure every earlier application, refusal and sponsorship is disclosed accurately.

Our partner visa lawyers work by video with sponsors across Australia and overseas. The pages on partner visa refusals, urgent ART visa refusal applications and whether a lawyer can help with a partner visa sponsorship refusal explain how this work is handled, and the Partner Visa Questions hub answers many related questions.

If you are a partner visa sponsor previous sponsorship refused and you want to get the next application right, Book a Consultation with My Migration Lawyers, or call 1300 040 300.