Sponsoring a Partner From the Bahamas

To sponsor partner from the Bahamas, the Australian partner must be an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident or an eligible New Zealand citizen, must be at least 18, and must be approved as a sponsor by the Department of Home Affairs. The Bahamian partner then applies for a partner visa as a spouse or de facto partner, or for a prospective marriage visa if the couple is engaged. A sponsor partner from the Bahamas application succeeds or fails on three things: whether the sponsor can lawfully sponsor, whether the relationship is genuine and continuing, and whether the applicant meets the health, character and identity criteria.

This guide is written for Australians whose relationship began somewhere other than home. Many couples who want to sponsor partner from the Bahamas met while one or both of them were travelling, working on a cruise ship or a yacht, or working in hospitality or tourism in the Caribbean. That history creates particular evidence questions. It also raises a question many sponsors do not expect: whether the sponsor's own past sponsorships, or their own partner visa, limit what they can do now.

The firm's partner visa lawyers page explains how My Migration Lawyers runs these matters. For the full framework of every subclass, the complete guide to partner visas in Australia is the starting point.

Can an Australian sponsor partner from the Bahamas?

Yes. An Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen can sponsor partner from the Bahamas for a partner visa, as long as the sponsor meets the sponsorship criteria in Division 1.4B of the Migration Regulations 1994 and the relationship meets the legal definition of a spouse or de facto partner.

There is no special visa for Bahamian citizens. The same partner visa law applies to every nationality. What changes is the evidence: the documents issued in the Bahamas, the police certificate process, the travel history of the couple and the way the relationship developed. The firm's guide on how to apply for a partner visa sets out the general lodgement steps, and the short answer on which partner visa to apply for compares the options.

There are three main pathways when you sponsor partner from the Bahamas:

• Subclass 820 and Subclass 801. The Bahamian partner applies while in Australia. The temporary Subclass 820 partner visa is assessed first, and the permanent Subclass 801 is assessed later.
• Subclass 309 and Subclass 100. The Bahamian partner applies while outside Australia. The Subclass 309 partner visa is the temporary stage and the Subclass 100 is the permanent stage.
• Subclass 300. The Subclass 300 prospective marriage visa suits a couple who are engaged and intend to marry after the partner arrives in Australia.

The partner visa two-stage process applies to the first two pathways. One combined application covers both stages, and the permanent stage is usually assessed about two years after the combined application was lodged.

What the Department must be satisfied about

For a spouse or de facto partner visa, the Department looks at the four aspects in regulation 1.15A (spouses) and regulation 1.09A (de facto partners): the financial aspects of the relationship, the nature of the household, the social aspects of the relationship and the nature of the couple's commitment to each other. The firm's guide on the four pillars of a partner visa explains each one. The decision maker must also be satisfied that the couple have a mutual commitment to a shared life as spouses or de facto partners to the exclusion of all others, that the relationship is genuine and continuing, and that they live together or do not live separately and apart on a permanent basis. The short answer on what genuine and continuing means summarises that test.

Who can sponsor partner from the Bahamas under Australian law?

A person can sponsor partner from the Bahamas if they are at least 18 and are an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident or an eligible New Zealand citizen. A permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen sponsor generally also needs to be usually resident in Australia.

The detailed rules are explained in the firm's guide to partner visa sponsor eligibility. Each group of sponsors has its own points to check:

• Australian citizens. A citizen can sponsor whether living in Australia or overseas. The guide for an Australian citizen partner visa sponsor explains the documents a citizen sponsor provides, including proof of citizenship.
• Permanent residents. The permanent resident partner visa sponsor guide explains the usual residence test and why a sponsor who has spent long periods working in the Caribbean should check their resident return position.
• New Zealand citizens. Most New Zealand citizens living in Australia are not eligible sponsors. The guide on the New Zealand citizen partner visa sponsor explains the eligible New Zealand citizen definition.

A sponsor who has been working overseas for a long period is a common profile in a sponsor partner from the Bahamas matter. Crew members, dive instructors, hospitality workers and seasonal workers may have been out of Australia for years. A citizen sponsor living overseas can still sponsor, but should be ready to show plans to live together in Australia. The article on the partner visa sponsor living overseas and the short answer for an Australian living overseas who wants to sponsor a partner deal with that situation. A sponsor who is returning to Australia ahead of the partner can read the guide for a partner visa sponsor returning to Australia.

Does your prior sponsorship history stop you? Regulation 1.20J and a sponsor partner from the Bahamas application

It can. Regulation 1.20J limits how many partners a person can sponsor and how soon they can sponsor again, and these limits apply in a sponsor partner from the Bahamas case in the same way as any other partner visa.

Under regulation 1.20J, the Department must refuse to approve the sponsorship if:

• the sponsor has already been approved as the sponsor of two or more partners for a partner or prospective marriage visa;
• the sponsor sponsored a previous partner and the earlier visa application was made less than five years before the new application; or
• the sponsor was themselves granted a partner visa as a sponsored spouse or de facto partner, and their own visa application was made less than five years before the new application.

The five-year period runs from the date the earlier visa application was made, not the date the earlier visa was granted. The firm's guide on when a sponsor cannot sponsor a partner visa explains the counting in detail, and the commercial page on partner visa sponsorship limitations explains how the firm handles these matters.

Compelling circumstances can override the limit

The limits are not absolute. Regulation 1.20J(2) allows the Department to approve a sponsorship despite the limits where there are compelling circumstances affecting the sponsor. One example in Department policy is where the applicant and the sponsor have a dependent child. The article on compelling reasons for a partner visa explains how those submissions are prepared, and the guide on compelling reasons where children are involved covers the child-focused arguments.

Why this matters for couples who met in the Caribbean

Travel and overseas work often attract people who have had earlier relationships abroad. A sponsor who sponsored a former partner from another country, or who came to Australia on a partner visa themselves, needs to check the dates before planning to sponsor partner from the Bahamas. The short answers on a sponsor who has sponsored before and sponsoring more than one partner explain the practical options. A sponsor who was previously sponsored and now wants to sponsor someone new can read the answer on a sponsored partner sponsoring a new partner.

The previous relationship also matters to genuineness. The Department will usually ask about the sponsor's earlier relationships, and inconsistent answers cause problems. The guide on partner visa previous relationships explains how to disclose that history accurately.

Met while travelling or working in the Caribbean: how is that relationship assessed?

A relationship that began while travelling or working in the Caribbean is assessed under the same legal test as any other relationship. The Department does not treat a holiday or workplace meeting as a negative factor on its own. It looks at how the relationship developed after the first meeting and what the couple's life together looks like now.

The common patterns in a sponsor partner from the Bahamas file include:

• Crew relationships. Both partners worked on the same cruise ship or yacht. They lived in shared crew quarters, rotated on contracts, and spent leave periods together in the Bahamas, Australia or elsewhere.
• Resort and hospitality work. The Australian partner worked in the Bahamas for a season or longer, and the couple lived together there before the sponsor came home.
• Holiday meetings. The couple met while the sponsor was on holiday, kept in contact, and built the relationship through repeated visits.
• Third-country meetings. The couple met somewhere else in the Caribbean or in North America, and neither of them lived in the other's country until later.

Each pattern raises its own evidence questions. Crew couples may not have a lease or household bills because their accommodation was provided by an employer. Seasonal workers may have lived together for months but have no joint bank account. Holiday couples may have strong communication records but limited time under the same roof. The article on partner visa intermittent cohabitation and the short answer on what counts as living together explain how broken periods of living together are treated.

Evidence that fits a travel-based relationship

A sponsor partner from the Bahamas application built on a travel or work history should use the evidence that actually exists rather than trying to imitate a suburban household. Examples include employer letters confirming shared postings, crew accommodation records, rosters showing shared leave, flight and boarding records, passport stamps, accommodation bookings in both names, photographs across different locations and dates, and messages showing planning for the next meeting. The firm's guide on partner visa travel evidence and the short answer on travel together as evidence set out what decision makers find persuasive.

Where the couple has never had an ordinary shared home, the guide on partner visa informal living arrangements helps explain that history honestly. The firm presents the couple's own account of how the relationship developed, which each partner reviews and corrects before it is lodged.

Which visitor visa does a Bahamian partner need to visit Australia?

A Bahamian citizen generally needs a Visitor visa (Subclass 600) to visit Australia, because Bahamian passports are not on the eligibility lists for the Electronic Travel Authority (Subclass 601) or the eVisitor (Subclass 651). The Visitor visa is lodged online and is assessed on whether the applicant genuinely intends to visit temporarily.

This matters for anyone planning to sponsor partner from the Bahamas because the visitor visa is often the first time the couple can live together in Australia. It is also the visa on which many couples consider lodging an onshore partner visa. The firm's guide on moving from a tourist visa to a partner visa explains that path, and the short answer on a partner visa on a tourist visa gives the quick version.

The genuine visitor test and an existing relationship

A Visitor visa application should be honest about the relationship. A Bahamian partner who hides an Australian partner when applying for a Visitor visa creates a credibility problem that can follow into the partner visa. The short answer on whether to mention your partner on a visitor visa application explains the risk. The Department may grant the Visitor visa with condition 8503, which is discussed below.

A Visitor visa refusal does not prevent a later sponsor partner from the Bahamas application, but it must be disclosed. The guide on a partner visa after a visitor visa refusal covers that situation. A Bahamian partner who is already a dual citizen of a country eligible for the Electronic Travel Authority or eVisitor should take advice on which passport to use, because the visa is linked to the passport used at entry.

Subclass 820 or Subclass 309: where should the Bahamian partner apply?

The right subclass depends on where the Bahamian partner will be on the day of lodgement. A Subclass 820 application must be made while the applicant is in Australia. A Subclass 309 application must be made while the applicant is outside Australia, and the applicant must also be outside Australia when the Subclass 309 is granted.

The firm's comparison of onshore and offshore partner visas explains the practical trade-offs. For a sponsor partner from the Bahamas application, the main considerations are:

• Condition 8503. If the Visitor visa carries condition 8503 "No Further Stay", the Bahamian partner cannot lodge a Subclass 820 application in Australia unless the condition is first waived. The firm's guide on condition 8503 and the Subclass 820 and the article on partner visa 8503 waivers explain the waiver test, which is narrow.
• Bridging visa. A valid Subclass 820 application made while the applicant holds a substantive visa usually results in a Bridging visa A, which lets the applicant stay in Australia while the application is processed. The guide on the partner visa bridging visa explains how that works.
• Schedule 3. If the visitor visa expires before an onshore application is made, the Schedule 3 criteria apply. The firm's guide to the partner visa Schedule 3 criteria explains that test, and the commercial page on Schedule 3 waivers explains how the firm responds.
• Living arrangements. A Subclass 309 applicant can usually visit Australia on a visitor visa while the application is processed, but must leave Australia for the grant. The short answer on visiting Australia while a Subclass 309 is processed explains the rules.

A sponsor partner from the Bahamas plan should be settled before the Bahamian partner travels, because the choice of subclass shapes everything that follows. Lodging the wrong subclass, or lodging from the wrong place, can make an application invalid. The firm's guide on an invalid partner visa application explains the consequences.

Not yet together for 12 months? Registering a relationship in an Australian State

A de facto couple who cannot show 12 months of a de facto relationship immediately before lodgement can avoid that requirement by registering the relationship under a relationship register in an Australian State or Territory. A married couple does not need to meet the 12-month requirement at all.

The 12-month rule is in regulation 2.03A of the Migration Regulations 1994. It applies to de facto partner applicants for the Subclass 820 and Subclass 309, and it does not apply to spouses or to Subclass 300 applicants. The firm's guide on the Subclass 820 de facto 12 months requirement and the short answer on when the 12-month de facto period starts explain how the period is calculated.

For a sponsor partner from the Bahamas application, this is often the critical step, particularly for a couple who met while working in the Caribbean. Their time together may have been intense but short, or broken by contracts and visa limits. Registration under an Australian State or Territory law removes the 12-month requirement, but it is not a substitute for evidence that the relationship is genuine and continuing.

Which States and Territories have a register

New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory have relationship registers. Western Australia does not. The rules differ between registers, including residence requirements, cooling-off periods and how a partner who is overseas signs the application. The firm's short answers explain each register:

• registering a de facto relationship in NSW;
• registering a de facto relationship in Victoria;
• registering a de facto relationship in Queensland;
• registering a de facto relationship in Western Australia; and
• where to register a relationship in Australia.

A couple who plan to sponsor partner from the Bahamas while the Bahamian partner is still overseas should read the answer on registering a relationship with a partner overseas. Couples who will be in Australia together can read the answer on registering a relationship while on a tourist visa. A registration made overseas, for example a civil union registered in another country, generally does not remove the 12-month requirement. The answer on overseas registered relationships explains why.

Bahamas police certificate: what does the sponsor partner from the Bahamas file need?

The Bahamian partner generally needs a Police Character Certificate, also called a Police Record, issued by the Royal Bahamas Police Force. The Department requires police certificates from each country where the applicant has lived for a total of 12 months or more in the last 10 years since turning 16.

The Government of the Bahamas lists the Police Character Certificate as a Royal Bahamas Police Force service available through its online government portal. A former resident who now lives outside the Bahamas may need to contact the Criminal Records Office of the Royal Bahamas Police Force about the process, and fingerprints may be needed. The process can change, so on every sponsor partner from the Bahamas matter the firm checks the current Department of Home Affairs country page for the Bahamas at the time of the application.

The firm's guide to partner visa overseas police certificates explains the 12-month counting in detail. The short answer on what to do if you cannot get a police certificate deals with delays, and the answer on police certificate and health check validity explains when a certificate may need to be replaced.

Other countries the Bahamian partner has lived in

Couples who sponsor partner from the Bahamas after meeting at work in the Caribbean often have complicated residence histories. A Bahamian partner who worked in the United States, Canada or another Caribbean country for 12 months or more in total in the last 10 years will usually need a police certificate from that country too. Time spent working on ships raises its own questions about which country, if any, counts as the place lived. The firm reviews the full travel and work history before deciding which certificates to request. For an Australian sponsor who spent time living in the Bahamas, the same history may matter if the Department asks the sponsor for overseas police checks.

The partner visa character requirements guide explains the character test in Schedule 4 of the Migration Regulations. A Bahamian partner with a conviction anywhere should read the article on partner visa overseas convictions before applying.

Identity, civil and marriage documents from the Bahamas

A sponsor partner from the Bahamas application usually includes the Bahamian partner's passport, birth certificate, any change of name evidence, any divorce or death certificates from earlier relationships, and the marriage certificate if the couple is married. English is the official language of the Bahamas, so most Bahamian civil documents will not need translation.

Any document in a sponsor partner from the Bahamas application that is not in English must be translated. A translation made in Australia should be made by a NAATI-certified translator. The firm's guide on partner visa evidence translation explains the requirements. This becomes relevant where the couple's evidence comes from more than one country, for example messages in Spanish from a posting elsewhere in the Caribbean.

A marriage in the Bahamas

A marriage that took place in the Bahamas is generally recognised in Australia if it was valid under the law of the Bahamas and none of the exceptions in Part VA of the Marriage Act 1961 applies. The exceptions include one party already being married, a prohibited relationship and a lack of real consent. The firm's guides on whether an overseas marriage is recognised in Australia and on the partner visa marriage certificate explain the evidence. A marriage certificate is strong evidence of a legal marriage, but on its own it does not prove the relationship is genuine. The short answer on whether a marriage certificate is enough explains why.

Where names or dates differ across documents, the inconsistency should be explained before lodgement. The answer on different names and dates on documents covers common fixes.

Sponsor partner from the Bahamas: what is the order of steps?

The order of steps matters because some decisions cannot be undone once the Bahamian partner travels or the application is lodged. A sponsor partner from the Bahamas matter usually follows this sequence.

• Check the sponsor first. Confirm the sponsor's status, age and residence, and check regulation 1.20J against any earlier sponsorship or the sponsor's own partner visa. This is the step most often skipped by couples who want to sponsor partner from the Bahamas quickly.
• Choose the relationship basis. Decide whether the couple will apply as spouses, as de facto partners, or as an engaged couple for the Subclass 300. If the couple is de facto and has less than 12 months together, decide whether to register the relationship or wait.
• Choose the subclass and the place of lodgement. Decide whether the Bahamian partner will apply from outside Australia for the Subclass 309 or from inside Australia for the Subclass 820, taking condition 8503 into account.
• Request the police certificates early. Apply for the Royal Bahamas Police Force certificate and any other overseas police certificates as soon as the plan is settled, because the time to obtain them varies.
• Gather identity and civil documents. Collect the passport, birth certificate, marriage certificate or registration certificate, and any divorce papers.
• Assemble the relationship evidence. Organise the evidence under the four aspects and prepare the relationship statements and Form 888 statements.
• Lodge the visa application and the sponsorship. The applicant lodges the visa application online, and the sponsor then lodges the sponsorship. The firm's guide on partner visa sponsorship lodgement explains how the two parts connect.
• Complete health examinations and biometrics. The Department will tell the applicant when to do these. The short answer on biometrics for a partner visa explains what to expect.

The sponsorship must be approved before the visa can be granted. If the sponsor never lodges the sponsorship, the application will fail. The article on a partner visa sponsorship that was not lodged explains that risk. Couples who want a full document list for a sponsor partner from the Bahamas application can work from the firm's partner visa document checklist.

What the sponsor provides

The sponsor's own documents usually include proof of Australian citizenship, permanent residence or eligible New Zealand citizen status, identity documents, evidence of usual residence where relevant, and the sponsor's relationship statement. The guide on partner visa sponsor documents lists them. A sponsor who intends to sponsor partner from the Bahamas while still working overseas should also gather evidence of the plan to live in Australia, such as a job offer, a lease or a return ticket.

Relationship evidence when you met on a cruise ship, yacht or resort posting

A couple who met while working in the Caribbean should build the sponsor partner from the Bahamas evidence around the four aspects of the relationship, using records from their actual working and travelling life. The Department weighs the evidence as a whole. No single document is required, and no single gap is fatal.

Financial aspects

Couples who worked for the same employer may have had accommodation and meals provided, so ordinary shared bills may not exist. Evidence can include money transfers between the partners, shared travel bookings paid by one partner for both, a joint account opened after the relationship became serious, and evidence of financial support during periods apart. The guide on partner visa financial evidence and the short answer on money transfers as relationship evidence explain what decision makers look for. A couple without a joint account can read the article on a partner visa without a joint bank account.

Nature of the household

Shared crew cabins, shared staff housing and shared rentals during leave are all forms of living together. The firm's guide on partner visa household evidence explains how to show the division of household responsibilities, even where the household was temporary.

Social aspects

Colleagues, crew members, friends in Australia and family in the Bahamas can each give evidence that they know the couple as a couple. Form 888 statements from Australian citizens or permanent residents are part of the evidence for onshore and offshore applications. The guide on Form 888 for a partner visa explains who can sign, and the short answer on statements from overseas friends explains how statements from people outside Australia are used.

Nature of commitment

Commitment is often the weakest part of a sponsor partner from the Bahamas file, because travel-based relationships can look temporary. It is shown through plans, choices and sacrifices. A sponsor partner from the Bahamas file might show the couple leaving a shared posting together, one partner turning down a contract to stay with the other, wills, insurance nominations or joint plans for life in Australia. The article on partner visa nature of commitment covers this pillar.

Relationship statements and the timeline

In every sponsor partner from the Bahamas application, each partner gives a personal statement describing how they met, how the relationship developed and their plans. For a relationship that moved between ships, islands and countries, a clear timeline is important. The firm's guides on the partner visa relationship statement and the partner visa relationship timeline explain how to present the history consistently. Statements from both partners should be consistent with each other and with the travel records.

What sponsor checks does the Australian partner face?

The Australian partner faces the sponsorship limitation in regulation 1.20J and the character-based sponsorship rules in regulations 1.20KB and 1.20KC. A sponsor partner from the Bahamas application may be refused if the sponsor cannot be approved, even where the relationship is genuine.

Regulation 1.20KB applies where the application includes a child under 18 and the sponsor has a conviction or an outstanding charge for a registrable offence. Regulation 1.20KC applies where the sponsor has been convicted of a relevant offence, such as an offence involving violence, and also has a significant criminal record for that offence as defined in regulation 1.20KD. Even then, the Department may approve the sponsorship if it is reasonable to do so. The Department can ask the sponsor for Australian and overseas police checks, and the sponsor must consent to the Department disclosing relevant offence convictions to the applicant. The firm's guides on the partner visa sponsor police check and partner visa sponsor relevant offences explain each step.

A sponsor who lived and worked in the Bahamas for 12 months or more may be asked for a Bahamian police certificate as well, which is a point many people who sponsor partner from the Bahamas do not anticipate. The short answer on a sponsor with a criminal record gives an overview of how the Department treats sponsor convictions.

Refusals and review: what if a sponsor partner from the Bahamas application is refused?

A refused application can usually be reviewed at the Administrative Review Tribunal. The application for review must be lodged within 28 days after the applicant is notified of the decision, or 7 days if the applicant is in immigration detention. For a Subclass 309 refusal, the visa applicant lodges the review application in their own name under regulation 4.02(5)(raa) of the Migration Regulations 1994, not the sponsor. For a Subclass 300 refusal, the Australian sponsor lodges it.

The Tribunal fee for review of a partner visa refusal is AUD 3,727, applying from 1 July 2026. Half of the fee is refunded if the Tribunal sets aside, varies or remits the decision. The firm's guide on what to expect at an ART review and the short answer on who applies for review of an offshore refusal explain the process.

Tribunal decisions on sponsorship limits and genuineness

Published Tribunal decisions show how sponsorship and relationship issues are reviewed. Each case turns on its own facts, and none of the decisions is connected to any particular nationality.

• In Le (Migration) [2025] ARTA 2620, a Subclass 309 matter, the recorded issues were the sponsorship limitation requirement, no approved sponsorship and a significant criminal record. The Tribunal remitted the matter, which means it was sent back to the Department for reconsideration.
• In Osman Kerim (Migration) [2025] ARTA 1644, also a Subclass 309 matter, the recorded issues were the sponsorship limitation, compelling reasons, two divorces and two wives who had departed Australia. The matter was remitted to the Department.
• In Kesserwani (Migration) [2024] AATA 1470, a Subclass 309 matter, the recorded issues were a genuine and continuing relationship, a valid marriage, money transfers and neighbouring families. The matter was remitted to the Department.

These decisions are relevant to anyone planning to sponsor partner from the Bahamas with a previous sponsorship history, because the first two show that the sponsorship limitation and compelling reasons are assessed on the evidence actually put before the decision maker, and the third shows that financial support and family connections form part of the genuineness assessment. The firm's commercial page on partner visa refusals and the guide on how to appeal a partner visa refusal explain the review process. The short answer on challenging a refusal based on sponsorship limitations is directly relevant where regulation 1.20J was the reason for refusal.

How much does it cost to sponsor partner from the Bahamas?

The Department's visa application charge for the combined Subclass 820 and Subclass 801 application, and for the combined Subclass 309 and Subclass 100 application, is AUD 11,710 from 1 July 2026. Other costs include health examinations, police certificates, translations where needed and the Visitor visa if the partner visits first.

The charge is paid when the application is lodged. The firm's guide to partner visa cost explains the components, and the short answer on who pays the partner visa fee explains that either partner may pay. A refused or withdrawn application does not usually result in a refund of the charge, so the sponsor partner from the Bahamas application should be ready before it is lodged.

Common mistakes in a sponsor partner from the Bahamas application

The most common mistakes are avoidable. Most of them come from lodging too early, lodging from the wrong place, or assuming the Department will understand a travel-based relationship without explanation.

• Ignoring the sponsor's history. A sponsor partner from the Bahamas application that is lodged without checking regulation 1.20J may be refused even though the relationship is genuine. The visa application charge is not usually refunded.
• Lodging as de facto partners too early. Couples who met on a contract or a holiday sometimes count their time together from the first meeting. The 12-month period is counted from when the de facto relationship began, not from when the couple met.
• Travelling on a Visitor visa with condition 8503. A couple who plan to sponsor partner from the Bahamas onshore should check the Visitor visa grant notice before relying on an onshore lodgement.
• Inconsistent accounts. Each partner's statement, the travel records and the answers in the application forms should match. Small differences in dates can look like larger problems. The guide on partner visa conflicting statements explains how inconsistencies are treated.
• Missing police certificates from third countries. A partner who worked in another country for 12 months or more needs that certificate too.
• Too little evidence of commitment. A sponsor partner from the Bahamas file with photographs and messages but no evidence of future plans can look like a holiday romance rather than a committed relationship.

The firm's guide on partner visa application mistakes covers further examples, and the article on why partner visas get refused explains the refusal grounds decision makers rely on most often.

Can the Department interview the couple?

Yes. The Department may interview the Bahamian partner, the sponsor or both, by telephone, video or in person. Interviews usually test how well each partner knows the other's circumstances and whether their accounts match.

For a sponsor partner from the Bahamas application, an interview may focus on how the couple met in the Caribbean, where they lived together, how they managed time apart and what their plans are in Australia. The firm's guides on partner visa interview questions and the partner visa sponsor interview explain how to prepare. Honest and consistent answers matter more than rehearsed ones.

What happens after the Bahamian partner is granted the temporary visa?

The Bahamian partner holds the Subclass 820 or Subclass 309 until the permanent stage is decided. The Subclass 309 holder must enter Australia within the time stated in the grant. Both visas allow the holder to work and study in Australia.

For a sponsor partner from the Bahamas matter, the permanent Subclass 801 or Subclass 100 is usually assessed about two years after the combined application was lodged. The Department asks for updated evidence that the relationship is continuing. The guides on the partner visa second stage documents and the partner visa sponsor at the second stage explain what to provide. A couple who keep moving between Australia and the Caribbean during processing should read the guide on partner visa overseas travel.

How My Migration Lawyers helps you sponsor partner from the Bahamas

My Migration Lawyers deals with complex partner visa cases and acts in many matters for Australian sponsors whose partners come from overseas, including relationships that began through travel and work abroad. The firm is capable of handling a sponsor partner from the Bahamas matter from the first assessment of the sponsor's history through to the permanent stage, and through review if a refusal occurs. The firm's Principal Lawyer is Weiwei Zhang, and the firm's approach is explained on the about My Migration Lawyers page.

On a sponsor partner from the Bahamas matter, the firm:

• checks the sponsor's citizenship, residence and visa history, including any earlier partner sponsorship or the sponsor's own partner visa, against regulation 1.20J before anything is lodged;
• prepares a compelling circumstances submission under regulation 1.20J(2) where the sponsorship limit applies;
• advises on the Visitor visa (Subclass 600), condition 8503 and whether the Subclass 820, Subclass 309 or Subclass 300 suits the couple;
• advises whether registering the relationship in an Australian State or Territory, or marrying, is needed to deal with the 12-month de facto requirement;
• maps every country the Bahamian partner lived in, including periods working at sea, and manages the Royal Bahamas Police Force certificate and any other police certificates;
• organises evidence from crew postings, resort work and travel into the four aspects of the relationship;
• presents each partner's own account of the relationship, which they review and correct, together with Form 888 statements; and
• responds to requests for information and natural justice letters, and acts on review at the Administrative Review Tribunal if the visa is refused.

The firm acts for sponsors across Australia through its partner visa lawyers in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and the Gold Coast. Sponsors still living overseas can read the answer on an offshore partner visa lawyer, and those with a complicated history can read the answer on a partner visa lawyer for complex cases.

The right time to plan how to sponsor partner from the Bahamas is before the Bahamian partner applies for a Visitor visa or books a flight. Book a consultation with My Migration Lawyers, or call 1300 040 300.