Partner Visa Travel Evidence

What is partner visa travel evidence?

Partner visa travel evidence is any document or record that shows a couple travelled to see each other, travelled together, or met each other's families, and that helps prove their relationship is genuine and continuing. Partner visa travel evidence includes e-tickets, boarding passes, itineraries, passport stamps, accommodation bookings, dated photographs and international movement records. It is not a separate visa requirement. It is one kind of evidence the decision maker weighs with everything else when deciding a partner visa in Australia.

For many couples, partner visa travel evidence is some of the most important material in the file. Couples who met overseas, who lived in different countries before applying, or who spend periods apart rely on trips to show that the relationship is real. Couples who live together use joint holidays and trips to visit family to show that they share a social life and present themselves as a couple. In both cases, travel records are independent evidence created at the time, which is why decision makers find them useful.

This guide explains how partner visa travel evidence fits the legal test, what kinds of travel records carry weight, how to request international movement records, how to build a travel timeline, how to deal with gaps and lost records, and the common mistakes that weaken travel evidence. It applies to the onshore Subclass 820 visa and Subclass 801 visa, the offshore Subclass 309 visa and Subclass 100 visa, and the Subclass 300 prospective marriage visa. It does not cover whether an applicant can travel while an application is being processed, which is a separate issue.

Why travel records persuade decision makers

Travel records persuade because they are hard to create after the event. A boarding pass, an airline booking or a hotel confirmation is generated by a third party at the time of the trip. Photographs with metadata, entries in a passport and movement records held by the Department are similar. Together they give the decision maker a timeline of the relationship that does not depend only on what the couple say. That is why partner visa travel evidence often carries more weight than broad statements about how close the couple are.

Travel evidence is supporting evidence, not proof on its own

Travel alone does not prove a relationship. Friends travel together. Family members visit each other. A decision maker will look at partner visa travel evidence alongside the couple's finances, household, social life and commitment. Travel records show that the couple were together at certain times and places. The relationship statement, Form 888 statements and other documents show what those trips meant. Good partner visa travel evidence is therefore part of a whole picture, not a substitute for one.

How does partner visa travel evidence fit the legal test?

Partner visa travel evidence fits the legal test mainly through the social aspects of the relationship and the nature of the commitment, which are two of the four matters a decision maker must consider under the Migration Regulations 1994. It can also support the financial aspects and help explain the household.

The relationship test

For married couples, section 5F of the Migration Act 1958 requires a valid marriage, a mutual commitment to a shared life to the exclusion of all others, a genuine and continuing relationship, and living together or not living separately and apart on a permanent basis. For de facto couples, section 5CB contains similar requirements. Under regulations 1.15A and 1.09A, the decision maker must consider all the circumstances of the relationship, including the financial aspects, the nature of the household, the social aspects and the nature of the commitment. The guide to partner visa relationship evidence explains the whole framework.

Travel and the social aspects

The Department's policy on de facto relationships lists, as examples of evidence of joint social activities, "joint travel and plans for the future". The policy on married relationships gives "joint travel plans and other plans for the future" as examples. In other words, the Department's own guidance identifies travel as evidence of the social aspects of a relationship. Partner visa travel evidence that shows the couple travelling together, attending family events abroad or being introduced to friends overseas speaks directly to how the couple present themselves to others.

Travel and the commitment

Travel also supports the nature of the commitment. The policy says the commitment is assessed by looking at its mutuality, including the duration of the relationship, the companionship and emotional support the partners draw from each other, and whether they see the relationship as long-term. Repeated visits across years, expensive or difficult journeys made to be together, and trips planned around important family moments are strong evidence of commitment. If parties are or were living separately and claim the separation is temporary, the policy says decision makers need to consider the reasons and whether they are consistent with a mutual commitment. Partner visa travel evidence of regular visits during time apart is often the clearest way to show that consistency.

Travel and the financial aspects

Travel can support the financial aspects too. A sponsor who pays for the applicant's flights, a joint credit card used for accommodation, or a shared savings account drawn on for a holiday all show pooled resources. Keep the payment records with the booking confirmations, because they show who paid as well as where the couple went.

Travel and the household

For couples who lived together abroad, travel records help prove where and when they shared a home. Entry and exit records, residence documents in another country and accommodation records over a long stay can support the nature of the household for that period.

Who needs partner visa travel evidence most?

Every couple can use partner visa travel evidence, but it matters most for couples who met overseas, couples who lived in different countries before applying, offshore Subclass 309 couples, prospective marriage couples, and couples who have spent periods apart during processing.

Couples who met overseas or lived in different countries

Where a couple met while one partner was travelling, or lived in different countries for much of the relationship, travel records are often the backbone of the evidence. They show when and how often the couple met, how long they spent together, and how the relationship developed. A decision maker will expect partner visa travel evidence for each significant visit.

Offshore and prospective marriage couples

For offshore Subclass 309 couples, the applicant is outside Australia while the application is processed. Visits by the sponsor, and trips the couple take together, are central evidence. For Subclass 300 couples, the law requires the applicant and the sponsor to have met in person, and travel records are usually the main proof of that meeting and of later visits.

Couples with time apart

Couples who have spent time apart for work, family or visa reasons need evidence that the relationship continued. Visits during the separation are some of the strongest evidence available. The guide to preparing evidence of a genuine relationship explains how travel fits with communication and financial evidence.

Couples who live together

Couples who live together often underestimate partner visa travel evidence. Joint holidays, weekends away, and trips to visit each other's families show shared social life and recognition by family. They are worth including, in moderation, alongside household and financial evidence.

De facto couples

De facto couples rely on evidence that the relationship existed and continued over time. Joint trips during the period before the application can help show the relationship was already established. The guides to the de facto partner visa and to whether you need 12 months of de facto relationship explain the de facto requirements.

How decision makers read partner visa travel evidence

Decision makers read partner visa travel evidence for patterns: how often the couple met, how long they spent together, who made the effort to travel, whether families were involved, and whether the trips fit the account of the relationship given elsewhere. A single trip says little. A pattern of trips across time says a great deal.

Frequency and duration

Regular visits over a long period suggest a relationship that both partners are working to maintain. Longer stays suggest the couple can share daily life, not only holidays. A decision maker will usually look at the whole history, so partner visa travel evidence should show the full pattern rather than only the most recent trip.

Effort and cost

Travel that involves real effort or cost, such as long-haul flights, travel during difficult periods, or using annual leave repeatedly to visit, can show commitment. Records showing who paid, and how the couple managed the cost, help the decision maker understand the effort involved.

Family and social involvement

Trips that involve meeting family, attending family events or being introduced to friends show that the relationship is recognised by others. This is the social aspect of the relationship in action. Partner visa travel evidence that shows only the two partners alone is useful, but evidence that shows the couple within their families and communities is usually stronger.

Timing relative to the application

Decision makers may notice when travel happened in relation to the application. A relationship supported by trips across several years before lodgement reads differently from one where most travel happened shortly before the application was made. Neither is automatically a problem, but the relationship statement should explain how the relationship developed so the timing makes sense.

Consistency

Above all, decision makers check that partner visa travel evidence is consistent with the forms, the relationship statement and any interview answers. A single unexplained contradiction can undermine an otherwise strong travel record.

Partner visa travel evidence for each visa type

Partner visa travel evidence is relevant to every partner visa, but the role it plays differs between the onshore Subclass 820 and Subclass 801 visas, the offshore Subclass 309 and Subclass 100 visas, and the Subclass 300 prospective marriage visa.

Onshore Subclass 820 applicants

Many onshore applicants met their partner while visiting Australia or while the sponsor was overseas. Partner visa travel evidence often shows how the relationship began and developed before the applicant came to Australia, and joint trips after arrival show a shared social life. The guides to the Subclass 820 visa, the Subclass 820 visa requirements and documents and the complete Subclass 820 partner visa explain the wider requirements. Applicants who came to Australia as visitors should also read the guide to moving from a tourist visa to a partner visa, because earlier visitor visa applications and travel history will be compared with the partner application.

Offshore Subclass 309 applicants

For offshore applicants, visits by the sponsor and holidays together are usually the main evidence of time spent together. A clear record of each visit, combined with evidence of contact and financial support between visits, is the core of most offshore files.

Subclass 300 prospective marriage applicants

For prospective marriage applicants, partner visa travel evidence proves that the couple have met in person and know each other personally, which the visa requires, and shows how the relationship developed toward the intended marriage.

The permanent stage

At the Subclass 801 and Subclass 100 stage, the relationship is assessed again on the evidence at that time. Recent trips together, and trips to see family, help show that the relationship has continued and deepened since the first application. The guide to the most common Subclass 820 refusal reasons shows why stale evidence can be a problem.

Partner visa travel evidence when a couple lived together overseas

Where a couple lived together overseas before coming to Australia, partner visa travel evidence shows when each partner arrived in and left that country, and helps prove the period of shared household. In this situation, travel records work alongside residence evidence rather than replacing it.

What to combine with the travel records

Useful records include the lease or property documents in the other country, utility bills, residence permits or visas held there, employment records, and correspondence addressed to both partners at the same address. Entry and exit records, movement records showing departures from and returns to Australia, and flight bookings for the move show the start and end of the period. Together they give the decision maker a clear picture of where the couple lived and for how long.

Explaining moves between countries

Couples who moved between countries, or who split time between two homes, should explain the pattern simply in the relationship statement and support it with a timeline. Translations are needed for documents not in English. The guide to preparing evidence of a genuine relationship explains how to combine evidence from more than one country.

What partner visa travel evidence carries the most weight?

The partner visa travel evidence that carries the most weight is evidence created by a third party at the time of travel that names one or both partners and shows dates and places: e-tickets, boarding passes, airline booking confirmations, accommodation bookings, passport entries and the Department's movement records. Dated photographs and payment records then add context.

E-tickets, booking confirmations and boarding passes

An airline booking confirmation or e-ticket names the passenger, the route and the dates. A boarding pass confirms that the passenger actually checked in for the flight. Together they are strong partner visa travel evidence. Where both partners flew together, a booking that lists both names on one reservation is especially useful, because it shows planning as a couple. Keep the confirmation emails, not only screenshots, because the emails show the sender and date. If boarding passes were mobile only, airline account histories or receipts can often fill the gap.

Itineraries and travel plans

Itineraries show how a trip was planned. A shared itinerary for a holiday, a plan to visit both families in one trip, or messages planning a visit can show the commitment behind the travel. Itineraries are weaker on their own, because plans can change, so pair them with tickets or accommodation records that show the trip actually happened.

Passport entries and visas

Passport stamps and visa labels show entry to and exit from a country. They are useful partner visa travel evidence where they exist, but many countries no longer stamp passports, and electronic visas may not appear in the passport at all. Copy the relevant pages clearly, including the personal details page. Where a visa was granted for the trip, such as a visitor visa to see a partner, the grant notice can also be included.

Accommodation bookings

Hotel, apartment and short-stay bookings show where the couple stayed and for how long. A booking in both names, or a booking for two guests made by one partner, is useful partner visa travel evidence. If the couple stayed with family, a short statement from the host, or photographs at the family home, can show this instead.

Dated photographs

Photographs show the couple together, with family and friends, in recognisable places. Choose a small number of clear photographs for each trip rather than dozens of similar images. Add a short caption with the date, place and who appears in the photo. Photographs with family and friends are more persuasive than photographs of the couple alone, because they show recognition of the relationship by others. Photographs that show the same couple across different years and places also show continuity.

Payment records

Bank or card statements showing flights, accommodation and spending during a trip confirm the dates and show who paid. A sponsor paying for the applicant's travel, or a joint card used for shared costs, also supports the financial aspects of the relationship. Highlight the relevant entries so the decision maker does not have to search.

Evidence of meeting each other's families

Trips to meet family are some of the most meaningful partner visa travel evidence. Evidence includes photographs at family gatherings, invitations to weddings or celebrations addressed to both partners, and travel to attend important family events such as a funeral or a religious ceremony. Form 888 statements from people who travelled with the couple, or who met them on a trip, can describe what they saw. The guides on who can make a Form 888 and Form 888 example answers explain how witness statements work.

Evidence that is usually weaker

Some material adds little. Generic tourist photographs with neither partner in them, social media posts with no date, travel insurance quotes, and booking enquiries that were never completed rarely help. Large volumes of near-identical holiday photographs can make it harder for the decision maker to see the strong evidence. Quality matters more than quantity.

How do you get international movement records for a partner visa?

You can request international movement records from the Department of Home Affairs using its online form, "Request for international movement records". The records show your entries to and exits from Australia. They do not show which countries you travelled to or from. They are useful partner visa travel evidence because they independently confirm the dates on which each partner left and returned to Australia.

What movement records show and do not show

According to the Department, international movement records show your entries and exits from Australia, and will not show which countries you travelled to or from. The Department also states that a separate request is not needed for every passport, because the records are available across all of your passports, current and old. For records before 1981, the Department refers people to the National Archives of Australia. Because the records do not show destinations, they should be combined with tickets, bookings or passport entries that show where the partner went.

Who can request movement records

The Department's page states that a person can request their own records, can request records for someone else in some circumstances, and can request records for a child under 18 with some exceptions. Where a person requests another person's records, the Department's form indicates that consent is needed. In practice, each partner usually requests their own records, and the couple then decide which parts are relevant to the application.

When movement records are worth requesting

Movement records are worth requesting where a couple's relationship involved many trips in and out of Australia, where boarding passes or tickets have been lost, where the dates of visits are uncertain, or where the Department has questioned when the couple were together. They are also useful for the Australian sponsor, whose travel to visit the applicant overseas will appear as exits from and entries to Australia. Check the records against the relationship statement before lodging, because an error in remembered dates is easier to correct before the decision maker finds it.

Movement records and other forms

Movement records can also help couples complete forms accurately. Where the Department asks for travel history, for example in Form 80, the movement records help confirm dates. Accurate dates across the forms, the relationship statement and the partner visa travel evidence avoid avoidable inconsistencies.

How to build a partner visa travel timeline

The best way to present partner visa travel evidence is to build a simple travel timeline that lists each trip in date order, with the dates, places, who travelled, the purpose, and the documents that prove it, and then to group the supporting documents by trip in the same order. A timeline turns a pile of tickets into a clear story the decision maker can follow.

Step 1: List every significant trip

Start by listing every trip that matters to the relationship: the first meeting, each visit while living apart, joint holidays, trips to meet family, attendance at weddings or funerals, and periods spent living together overseas. Do not include every short domestic trip unless it is relevant. The aim is to show the pattern of the relationship.

Step 2: Record the key facts for each trip

For each trip, record the start and end dates, the places, which partner travelled or whether both did, the purpose, and who else was there. Keep it factual. If you are unsure of a date, check movement records, booking emails or bank statements before writing it down.

Step 3: Match documents to each trip

For each trip, choose the two or three strongest documents: for example, the e-ticket, the accommodation booking and two dated photographs with family. Label each file clearly with the trip and document type, such as "Trip 3, Manila, March, accommodation booking". The partner visa document checklist and the 820 partner visa evidence checklist explain how evidence is usually organised.

Step 4: Check the timeline against the rest of the file

Compare the travel timeline with the relationship statement, the application form, Form 80, any Form 888 statements and any earlier visa applications. Dates and places must match. If the relationship statement says the couple met in a particular month and the tickets show a different month, fix the error before lodgement. The guide to the partner visa relationship statement explains why the statement must be consistent with the documents.

Step 5: Keep it proportionate

A timeline is a guide, not a second relationship statement. A one or two page table is usually enough. Supporting documents should be clear and legible. Translate any document that is not in English. If the couple are uploading to ImmiAccount, the guide on how to create an ImmiAccount explains the online system.

Step 6: Keep adding after lodgement

Partner visa travel evidence does not stop on the day of lodgement. Trips taken while the application is processed, and especially before the permanent stage, show the relationship continuing. Upload new evidence as it arises. The Subclass 801 stage is a fresh assessment of the relationship at the time of decision, so recent trips can be valuable. The guide to Subclass 820 vs Subclass 801 explains the two stages.

How to describe trips in the relationship statement

Trips should be described in the relationship statement briefly and accurately, as part of the story of the relationship, with the partner visa travel evidence doing the work of proving dates and places. The statement explains what the trips meant. The documents prove they happened.

Keep descriptions short and specific

For each important trip, one or two sentences are usually enough: where the couple went, roughly when, why, and anything significant that happened, such as meeting a parent for the first time or deciding to marry. Avoid long travel diaries. Specific details, such as the name of a town or a family event, are more convincing than general statements that the couple "travelled a lot".

Let each partner remember in their own words

A partner visa has one relationship statement, written in the couple's own words. Where each partner contributes, their memories of a trip may differ slightly in detail, which is normal. What matters is that the dates and places match the records. Check the dates against the travel timeline before the statement is finalised.

Do not overstate travel

It is tempting to describe every trip as a romantic holiday or to round up the number of visits. If the records show fewer or shorter trips, the overstatement becomes a credibility problem. Describe the trips as they were.

Refer to the timeline

The statement can refer the decision maker to the travel timeline and supporting documents for full details, which keeps the statement readable and makes the partner visa travel evidence easy to find. Couples preparing their own application can read about the trade-offs in the guide on whether a partner visa lawyer is worth it compared with doing it yourself.

A hypothetical example of partner visa travel evidence

Consider a hypothetical couple. They met while the sponsor was on holiday in the applicant's home country. Over the next two years, the sponsor visited four times and the couple took one holiday together in a third country. On the third visit, the applicant's family held a celebration to mark the couple's engagement.

Their partner visa travel evidence is organised as a one page timeline listing the five trips. For each trip, they provide the sponsor's e-ticket or booking confirmation, the accommodation booking, two or three dated photographs, and the bank entries showing the sponsor paid for the flights and some of the applicant's costs. For the engagement trip, they add photographs with both families and an invitation addressed to both of them. The sponsor's international movement records confirm the exit and entry dates for each trip. The relationship statement describes each visit briefly and explains how the relationship developed between them.

This couple's travel evidence is clear, independent and consistent. It shows the couple chose to spend time together repeatedly, at real cost, and that both families recognised the relationship. It does not prove the relationship on its own, but it gives the decision maker a reliable framework against which every other document can be read.

What if partner visa travel evidence is missing or lost?

If partner visa travel evidence is missing or lost, the couple should explain the gap honestly and provide whatever secondary records exist, such as movement records, airline account histories, bank statements, emails, messages and photographs. A gap with an honest explanation is far less damaging than a gap that is ignored, and far less damaging than a document that has been reconstructed.

Common reasons travel records are missing

Travel records go missing for ordinary reasons. Paper boarding passes are thrown away. Email accounts are closed. Phones are lost or replaced. Old passports are cancelled and returned to the issuing authority. Some trips were booked by a family member or a travel agent. Some countries do not stamp passports. Decision makers understand these realities. What they need is a clear explanation and the best available alternative evidence.

Secondary records that can fill the gap

Several secondary records can rebuild partner visa travel evidence for a trip. International movement records confirm when a partner left and returned to Australia. Airline frequent flyer or account histories may list past flights. Bank or card statements show flight purchases and spending abroad. Old emails from airlines or hotels may still be searchable. Messages between the partners before and during a trip show it was planned and happened. Dated photographs and their file information can show where and when they were taken. Statements from people who were there can describe the trip.

Old passports and cancelled documents

Passport stamps are often in old passports that were cancelled or kept by the issuing authority when a new passport was issued. If an old passport is still available, copy the relevant pages. If it is not, say so, and rely on movement records and other records instead. The Department's movement records cover entries and exits across current and old passports, which makes them particularly useful where an old passport has been lost.

Trips booked by someone else

Where a trip was booked by a family member, an employer or a travel agent, ask that person or business for a copy of the booking or an itinerary. A short letter confirming the booking, with any supporting receipt, can help. Explain in a sentence why the partner does not hold the original record.

Never reconstruct or alter a travel document

Never create, edit or "recreate" a ticket, booking or boarding pass, even to replace one that genuinely existed. A document that was not issued by the airline or hotel in that form is not genuine, whatever the intention. Under public interest criterion 4020, providing a bogus document or false or misleading information can lead to refusal and, in some cases, a period during which further visas cannot be granted. If a record is lost, say so and use secondary evidence. The guide to why partner visas get refused explains how integrity concerns can override otherwise good evidence.

Explaining a gap in the relationship statement

Where a trip is important to the history of the relationship but the records are incomplete, explain it in the relationship statement or a short note: when the trip happened, why the primary records are not available, and what secondary records are provided instead. Keep the explanation brief and factual.

Common mistakes with partner visa travel evidence

The most common mistakes with partner visa travel evidence are uploading too much, uploading records that do not name either partner, using travel to cover a lack of other evidence, and allowing travel records to contradict the rest of the file.

Uploading too much

Hundreds of holiday photographs or every receipt from a trip make it hard for the decision maker to find what matters. Select the strongest two or three documents for each trip and present them with a timeline.

Records that do not identify the couple

A beautiful photograph of a beach proves nothing about the relationship. A booking confirmation that does not name either partner may not show who travelled. Choose records that identify one or both partners, and explain any that do not.

Treating travel as the whole case

Travel shows time together, but it does not show shared finances, a shared household or long-term plans by itself. Couples who live together should not rely only on holidays. Couples who live apart should combine partner visa travel evidence with evidence of communication, financial support and recognition by family. The guide to partner visa relationship evidence explains the balance.

Contradictions with other evidence

Travel records that contradict the forms are damaging. A trip abroad during a period the application says the couple lived together, a visit date that differs from the relationship statement, or a holiday that was not mentioned when an earlier visa application asked about travel can all raise questions. Check every date before lodgement. If a deadline is close and the file needs urgent attention, the guide to urgent immigration lawyer advice explains what to gather.

Hiding travel with someone else

If a partner travelled with a former partner, or travelled for a reason that might raise questions, do not hide it. Undisclosed travel that later appears in movement records or other documents creates a credibility problem. Disclose it, explain it and get advice if you are unsure how it will be read.

How partner visa travel evidence is tested by the Department

The Department tests partner visa travel evidence by comparing it with the couple's forms, statements, other documents and, sometimes, answers given at interview. Where something does not line up, the officer may ask for more information or invite comment before deciding.

At interview

An officer may ask each partner about trips: where they went, when, who they met and what they did. Each partner should answer honestly from their own memory. The travel timeline is a useful reminder for the couple before any interview, because it helps both partners recall the trips accurately without rehearsing answers.

Requests for information and natural justice letters

If the officer wants more partner visa travel evidence, they may ask for it under section 56 of the Migration Act. If the officer intends to rely on information that would be a reason to refuse, such as a contradiction between travel records and the forms, section 57 generally requires the officer to give particulars and invite comment. The guides to responding to a section 56 request and the s57 natural justice letter for a partner visa explain how to respond. A response should explain each issue and provide the records that resolve it.

Correcting an error in the travel history

If the couple discover that a date or trip in the application is wrong, they should correct it. Section 104 of the Migration Act requires applicants to notify changes in circumstances, and section 105 allows incorrect information to be corrected. Get advice before correcting, so the correction is accurate and complete. The guide to Form 1022 change of circumstances explains the notification process.

If the visa has been refused

If a partner visa has been refused and the decision maker was not satisfied about the relationship, travel evidence that was missing or poorly presented may be relevant on review at the Administrative Review Tribunal, which replaced the Administrative Appeals Tribunal on 14 October 2024. Review deadlines are short and strictly applied. The guides to partner visa refused appeal options and what to expect at an ART review explain the process, and the partner visa refusals page explains how a refusal is assessed.

What Tribunal decisions show about partner visa travel evidence

Tribunal decisions show that joint travel, visits and trips to see family are regularly recorded as issues in partner visa reviews, and that travel is weighed with the rest of the relationship evidence. The decisions below are remittals: in each, the Tribunal sent the matter back to the Department to reconsider. The descriptions are limited to the issues recorded for each decision and do not mean any later outcome was a grant.

Joint international travel and holidays

In Nguyen (Migration) [2024] AATA 559, a Subclass 820 matter, the recorded issues included joint financial commitments and joint international travel. In Khruapanich (Migration) [2023] AATA 147, a Subclass 820 matter, the issues included the de facto relationship for at least 12 months, pooling of financial resources and shared overseas holidays. In Nguyen (Migration) [2024] AATA 2783, the issues included shared international travel, a lengthy relationship and a joint tenancy agreement.

Travel to visit family

In HUANG (MIGRATION) [2026] ARTA 1553, a Subclass 820 matter, the recorded issues included shared financial arrangements and joint travel to visit family. In ZHENG (Migration) [2023] AATA 1297, a Subclass 820 matter, the issues included a joint home and car purchase, a joint bank account and shared travel to visit families.

Visits while living apart

In Tunnage (Migration) [2023] AATA 341, a Subclass 309 matter, the recorded issues included regular international visits, substantial evidence of correspondence conveying mutual support and substantial money transfers. In Ahmadi (Migration) [2020] AATA 1936, a Subclass 309 matter, the issues included weddings in Australia and Iran and multiple mutual visits, including in third countries. In Kandel (Migration) [2024] AATA 160, a Subclass 309 matter, the issues included the sponsor's visits to Nepal and different registered marriage dates, a reminder that travel records and civil documents must be read together.

Tickets and photographs

In White (Migration) [2018] AATA 4497, a Subclass 300 matter, the recorded issues were meeting in person, travel to the applicant's home country, airline tickets and photographic evidence. In Fathi (Migration) [2019] AATA 781, a Subclass 309 matter, the issues included social activities and travel, and limited photographic evidence. Together, these decisions show that partner visa travel evidence is examined closely and in context, and that tickets, photographs and visits matter most when they fit with the rest of the file. A visa appeal lawyer can assess whether a refusal is worth taking further.

How My Migration Lawyers organises partner visa travel evidence

My Migration Lawyers organises partner visa travel evidence by working with the couple to identify every significant trip, selecting the strongest records for each one, building a clear travel timeline, and checking every date against the forms, the relationship statement and the Form 888 statements before anything is lodged. The firm acts in many partner visa matters where travel is central, including couples who met overseas, offshore Subclass 309 and Subclass 300 couples, and couples with long periods apart, and it regularly handles complex cases involving lost records, inconsistent dates and prior refusals.

What the firm does, step by step

First, the firm takes instructions on the history of the relationship and lists the trips that matter. Second, it reviews the travel records the couple already hold and identifies gaps. Third, it advises whether international movement records should be requested and what secondary records can fill gaps, without ever creating or altering a document. Fourth, it builds the travel timeline and matches documents to each trip, with clear labels. Fifth, it checks the timeline against the application, Form 80 and the couple's own relationship statement, which the couple correct and confirm. Sixth, it keeps the travel evidence up to date through processing and the permanent stage. Where the Department raises concerns about travel or dates, the firm prepares the response to a section 56 request or section 57 letter. Where a visa has been refused, it reviews the decision record and acts quickly because the review deadline is short.

The firm also advises on related issues that often arise with travel-heavy relationships, including Schedule 3 waivers, sponsorship limitations and LGBTI partner visa cases where couples could not travel openly together in a home country.

When couples come to the firm

Some couples come before lodging, with a box of tickets and photographs and no clear way to present them. Some lodged their own application and want it checked, which is covered in the guide to hiring an immigration lawyer after lodging your own application. Some want a second opinion from an immigration lawyer. Others come after a refusal, including couples considering a partner visa after a visa refusal. Where the firm is appointed, it lodges Form 956 so the Department corresponds with the firm. The guide to booking an immigration lawyer consultation explains the first meeting, and the guide on when you need an immigration lawyer for a partner visa explains the role.

Who acts for you

Partner visa work at My Migration Lawyers is led by Weiwei Zhang, Principal Lawyer. The firm is an Australian immigration law firm, and more about its approach is on the About My Migration Lawyers page and the main partner visa lawyers page. The firm acts for couples Australia-wide with consultations by video, including partner visa clients in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, the Gold Coast, Canberra, Hobart and Parramatta. Couples comparing firms can read about choosing the best partner visa lawyer in Australia and what a partner visa lawyer does.

Book a consultation about your partner visa travel evidence

If your relationship involves trips, visits or time in different countries and you are unsure how to present your partner visa travel evidence, get advice before you lodge or respond to the Department. Book a Consultation with My Migration Lawyers to have your evidence reviewed and organised. You can also call 1300 040 300.