Sponsoring a Partner From Bangladesh

Australians who want to sponsor partner from Bangladesh can do so through the Australian partner visa system. To sponsor partner from Bangladesh, the Australian partner must be an eligible sponsor, the couple must be married or in a de facto relationship, and the relationship must be genuine and continuing. The sponsor files the sponsorship, and the Bangladeshi partner applies for the visa.

This guide is written for the Australian sponsor. It explains which visa usually fits, how Bangladeshi marriages are registered and proved, how family-introduced marriages are assessed, which police certificates are needed from Bangladesh, how to deal with Bangla documents and name spellings, visitor visas while waiting, and what happens if the application is refused. A sponsor partner from Bangladesh application is not difficult because of the country. It becomes difficult when the evidence does not match the way the couple actually met, married and lived. The firm's partner visa lawyers prepare these matters for sponsors across Australia.

Many sponsors who sponsor partner from Bangladesh are themselves of Bangladeshi heritage. Some met their partner through family. Some married in Bangladesh after a short period of contact. Others met in Australia while the partner was studying. Each of those profiles needs a different evidence strategy, and this guide deals with each one. For a broader overview of the pathways, the complete guide to partner visas sets out every subclass and stage, and the firm's guide to the Australian partner visa for Bangladeshi citizens is written from the applicant's side.

Can you sponsor partner from Bangladesh as an Australian citizen or permanent resident?

Yes. An Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident or an eligible New Zealand citizen can sponsor partner from Bangladesh, provided the sponsor is at least 18, is not barred by the sponsorship limitations, and the Department approves the sponsorship at the time of decision.

The sponsor does not need to earn a minimum income, own a home or have lived in Australia for a set time. The sponsor must, however, meet the rules in the Migration Regulations 1994. The most important are:

• Regulation 1.20J. A person cannot sponsor more than two partners in a lifetime, and cannot sponsor a new partner within five years of a previous partner sponsorship or within five years of the sponsor's own grant of a partner visa, unless there are compelling circumstances.
• Regulation 1.20KB. Where children are included in the application, a sponsor with certain child-related offences can be refused.
• Regulations 1.20KC and 1.20KD. Since 18 November 2016, the sponsor can be asked for police checks, and a sponsor with a conviction for a relevant offence and a significant criminal record can be refused, subject to a discretion.

These rules sit within Department policy VM-5930. The firm's page on partner visa sponsorship limitations explains how they interact, and the guide to partner visa sponsor eligibility sets out who qualifies. An Australian citizen who acquired citizenship by descent and has never lived in Australia can still sponsor partner from Bangladesh, which is explained in the guide on citizen by descent partner visa sponsors. A permanent resident sponsor should read the guide for a permanent resident partner visa sponsor, and a New Zealand citizen sponsor should read the guide for a New Zealand citizen partner visa sponsor.

A sponsor who was once sponsored as a partner, and who now wants to sponsor partner from Bangladesh, must check the five-year rule carefully. This is common where the sponsor first came to Australia on a partner visa, that relationship ended, and the sponsor later married again in Bangladesh. The answer on whether a sponsored partner can sponsor a new partner explains the limit.

Which visa do you need to sponsor partner from Bangladesh?

The visa depends on where the Bangladeshi partner is when the application is lodged. A partner who is outside Australia applies for the Subclass 309 visa. A partner who is in Australia usually applies for the Subclass 820 visa. A couple who are engaged but not yet married can consider the Subclass 300 visa.

Partner's situationUsual visaSecond stageLiving in Bangladesh or another countrySubclass 309 (offshore)Subclass 100In Australia on a student, visitor or other visaSubclass 820 (onshore)Subclass 801Engaged, intending to marry, outside AustraliaSubclass 300Subclass 820 after marriage

In most sponsor partner from Bangladesh matters, the partner is in Bangladesh when the couple marries, so the Subclass 309 partner visa is the starting point. The applicant must be outside Australia when the visa is lodged and when it is granted. The second stage, Subclass 100, is assessed about two years after lodgement. The guide to the offshore partner visa explains the process, and the answer on help with an offshore Subclass 309 and 100 application explains what representation involves.

Where the Bangladeshi partner is already in Australia, often as a student, the Subclass 820 partner visa is usually more practical, because the applicant can remain in Australia on a bridging visa while the application is processed. The guide comparing onshore and offshore partner visas explains the trade-offs.

A couple who are engaged, and who plan to marry in Australia, can use the Subclass 300 Prospective Marriage visa. The marriage must take place within the visa period. This option suits couples who want a civil wedding in Australia rather than a Nikah in Bangladesh. The answer on whether to choose a fiance visa or a partner visa explains the choice.

How is a marriage in Bangladesh proved for an Australian partner visa?

A marriage in Bangladesh is proved with the official marriage registration record, supported by evidence of the ceremony and the relationship. For a marriage solemnised under Muslim law, the registration record is created by a Nikah Registrar under the Muslim Marriages and Divorces (Registration) Act 1974.

Section 3 of that Act requires every marriage solemnised under Muslim law in Bangladesh to be registered. A Nikah Registrar holds a licence from the Government for a particular area. If the Nikah Registrar solemnised the marriage, he registers it immediately. If someone else solemnised it, the bridegroom must report it to the Nikah Registrar within thirty days so that it can be registered. Failure to follow the reporting and registration steps is an offence under that Act.

For a sponsor partner from Bangladesh application, this has three practical consequences:

• A religious ceremony alone is not enough. The Department will expect the registration record. A couple who held a Nikah but did not complete registration should regularise the position before lodging.
• The record must be legible and translated. Registration books and certificates are often handwritten and in Bangla. An accurate English translation is required.
• Dates must match. The date of the Nikah, the date of registration and any later reception or walima are often different. The relationship statement should explain each date so that the Department does not see an inconsistency.

Will Australia recognise the Bangladeshi marriage?

Usually, yes. Australia generally recognises a marriage that was valid where it took place, subject to exceptions in the Marriage Act 1961, such as where either party was already married, where the parties were too closely related, where either party did not genuinely consent, or where a party was not of marriageable age. The guide on overseas marriages recognised in Australia explains the rules, and the answer on whether an overseas marriage is recognised for a partner visa gives a short summary.

Two issues arise often enough in sponsor partner from Bangladesh matters to mention directly. First, if either partner had an earlier marriage, the divorce must be final and properly documented before the new marriage. The guide on a partner visa while still married explains the risk. Second, a marriage that is not valid in Australia does not end the matter. A couple can still apply as de facto partners if they meet the de facto requirements. The guide on an overseas marriage that is not recognised explains that fallback.

Marriages under other personal laws

Bangladesh applies different personal laws to different communities. Registration practices for Hindu, Christian and other marriages differ from the Muslim registration system. A sponsor partner from Bangladesh application for a couple married under another personal law should identify early which document is the official record of the marriage and whether registration was completed. Where registration was not completed, the answer on an unregistered marriage and a marriage visa and the answer on a religious or cultural marriage for a partner visa explain the options.

Can a family-introduced or arranged marriage be accepted?

Yes. An arranged or family-introduced marriage can be a genuine and continuing relationship for an Australian partner visa. The Department does not refuse a sponsor partner from Bangladesh application because the families introduced the couple. It refuses when the evidence does not show a real, mutual commitment to a shared life.

Regulation 1.15A requires the Department to consider all the circumstances of the relationship, including four aspects: the financial aspects, the nature of the household, the social aspects, and the nature of the persons' commitment to each other. These four aspects are explained in the guide to the four pillars of a partner visa.

In a family-introduced marriage, the four aspects often look different from a couple who met and lived together in Australia. The couple may have spent limited time together before the wedding. They may not have lived together before marriage, for cultural or religious reasons. Their families may have been closely involved. None of that is a problem in itself. The issue is whether the evidence shows what the couple's relationship actually is now.

A strong sponsor partner from Bangladesh application in this situation usually shows:

• How the introduction happened. Who introduced the couple, when they first spoke, and when each of them agreed to the marriage.
• Real contact before and after the wedding. Call logs, messaging history and video call records over time, not only in the weeks before lodgement.
• Time together. Each visit, the wedding, and any time living together after the wedding, supported by travel records and photographs.
• Mutual commitment. Plans for where the couple will live, how they will support each other, and how they are dealing with the separation.
• Free consent. Both partners' own accounts of agreeing to the marriage. Consent is central to recognition of the marriage under Australian law.

The guides on a partner visa for an arranged marriage and on a partner visa refused for an arranged marriage explain the Department's approach in more detail. The answer for couples who married soon after meeting and the answer on cultural or religious reasons for not living together are also directly relevant.

There is one relationship statement for the application, prepared from the couple's own account. It is not a script. A statement that sounds like a template, or that does not match what each partner says at interview, is one of the most common problems in this type of matter. The guide on the partner visa relationship statement explains what it should cover.

What relationship evidence works when you sponsor partner from Bangladesh from a distance?

The evidence that works best is evidence created naturally over the life of the relationship, across all four aspects in regulation 1.15A, and organised so that the Department can follow the couple's story from first contact to lodgement.

Most couples who sponsor partner from Bangladesh spend long periods apart before the visa is granted. The sponsor works in Australia. The partner lives with family in Bangladesh. The Department understands that couples who sponsor partner from Bangladesh often live apart for long periods. What it looks for is evidence that the couple's lives are connected despite the distance.

Financial aspects

Money sent by the sponsor to the partner, or to the partner's household, can show financial support and commitment. Transfers through banks or authorised remittance services leave a record. Informal transfers through relatives do not, so they are harder to prove. A sponsor partner from Bangladesh application should present the records clearly and explain what the money was for. The answer on money transfers as relationship evidence and the guide on partner visa financial evidence explain how this evidence is weighed. A couple without a joint account should read the guide on a partner visa without a joint bank account.

Nature of the household

Where the couple has not yet lived together in Australia, the household aspect focuses on any time spent together in Bangladesh after the wedding and on the plans for the household in Australia. Living with the partner's family, or with the sponsor's family, is common and acceptable. The guide on a partner visa while living with parents and the answer on living with family for a partner visa explain how this is presented.

Social aspects

Social evidence when you sponsor partner from Bangladesh includes the wedding itself, photographs with both families, invitations, and statements from people who know the couple. Supporting statements from friends and family use Form 888. Statements can come from people in Bangladesh as well as in Australia, but the witness must meet the Form 888 requirements. The guide on Form 888 for a partner visa explains who can sign, and the answer on statements from overseas friends explains how statements from people in Bangladesh are handled.

Nature of commitment

Commitment is shown by the length of the relationship, the couple's knowledge of each other, the plans they have made, and how they have stayed connected. Regular calls and messages matter here. Where messages are in Bangla, a selection should be translated. The answer on translating messages for a partner visa explains what to translate and how much. The guide on partner visa evidence for a long distance relationship covers the wider strategy.

A sponsor partner from Bangladesh application should not be built from a single box of documents gathered the month before lodgement. The guide on how much evidence is needed for a partner visa and the guide on partner visa evidence organisation explain how to build the file over time.

What police certificate does a Bangladeshi partner need?

The Bangladeshi partner needs a police certificate from Bangladesh if the partner has lived there for 12 months or more in the last 10 years since turning 16. In Bangladesh, the Police Clearance Certificate is issued by Bangladesh Police.

According to Bangladesh Government missions, the Police Clearance Certificate is applied for online through the official Bangladesh Police portal, and it is issued through the police station that covers the applicant's permanent address in Bangladesh. For a partner living in Bangladesh, the process for a sponsor partner from Bangladesh application is usually straightforward. For a partner living outside Bangladesh, the position is harder:

• A Bangladeshi mobile number is required for the online application. A partner overseas without one may need a relative in Bangladesh to apply on their behalf.
• The passport copy must be attested. Bangladesh missions overseas attest a copy of the applicant's passport for this purpose, and an authorisation letter may be needed for a relative to collect the certificate.
• Delivery is local. The police station contacts the applicant or the authorised person when the certificate is ready.

A partner who has lived in another country for 12 months or more in the last 10 years, for example for work in the Middle East or for study in Malaysia, will need a police certificate from that country as well. This is common in sponsor partner from Bangladesh applications and is often overlooked. The guide on partner visa overseas police certificates explains the general rules, and the answer on what happens when an applicant cannot get a police certificate explains the options. The guide on partner visa character requirements explains how the certificates are assessed.

Police certificates used to sponsor partner from Bangladesh have a limited validity. A certificate obtained too early may expire before the decision. The guide on partner visa expired police checks explains when it is sensible to update, and the answer on police certificate and health check validity gives a short summary.

Does the Australian sponsor need a Bangladesh police certificate?

Possibly. The Department can ask the sponsor for an Australian National Police Check and a police check from each country where the sponsor has lived for 12 months or more, in total, in the relevant period since turning 16. A sponsor who lived in Bangladesh for 12 months or more in that period can be asked for a Bangladesh Police Clearance Certificate.

This catches many sponsors who sponsor partner from Bangladesh. A sponsor who migrated to Australia as an adult, or who returned to Bangladesh for an extended period to be with family, may have more than 12 months of cumulative residence in Bangladesh within the relevant period. The request is made to the sponsor, not to the applicant. Department policy treats 28 days as a reasonable time to respond with the checks or, at a minimum, with evidence that they have been requested.

A sponsor who lives in Australia and has no current Bangladeshi mobile number will face the same practical problems as an overseas applicant. Planning early matters. The guide on the partner visa sponsor police check explains the rule, and the guide on a partner visa sponsor police check not provided explains what happens if the sponsor misses the request. The Australian check is explained in the guide on the partner visa AFP police check.

Which Bangladeshi documents are needed, and how should names be handled?

A sponsor partner from Bangladesh application usually needs the partner's passport, national identity documents, birth registration record, the marriage registration record, any divorce or death records from an earlier marriage, police certificates, and evidence of the relationship. Every document not in English needs an accurate English translation.

The general document list is set out in the partner visa document checklist and in the answer on partner visa documents. The sponsor's own documents, including proof of citizenship or residence, are explained in the guide on partner visa sponsor documents.

Name and date differences

Names from Bangladesh are often transliterated from Bangla into English in different ways. A partner's name can appear one way in the passport, another way in the national identity record, and a third way in the marriage registration record. Some records use a family name. Others do not. Dates of birth can also differ between educational certificates and identity records.

These differences are common in a sponsor partner from Bangladesh application, and they are not fraud. But the Department needs them explained. A sponsor partner from Bangladesh application should include a short explanation of each variation and, where possible, a document that links the variations together. The answer on different names and dates in documents explains how this is done. An unexplained inconsistency can lead to questions about identity and, in serious cases, to concerns under public interest criterion 4020. The guide on PIC 4020 for partner visas explains that risk.

Translations

Documents in Bangla must be accompanied by accurate English translations. The translation should identify the translator. The guide on partner visa evidence translation explains the Department's expectations, and the answer on translating a marriage certificate deals with the marriage record specifically.

Can a Bangladeshi spouse visit Australia while the Subclass 309 is processed?

Yes, a Bangladeshi spouse can apply for a visitor visa while the Subclass 309 is being processed, but there is no right to one, and the visitor visa is assessed on its own criteria, including whether the stay is genuinely temporary.

Many couples who sponsor partner from Bangladesh want the partner to visit while they wait. The Department can grant a Visitor visa (Subclass 600) to a person with a pending Subclass 309 application, but the applicant must show that they intend to visit only and will comply with the visa conditions. A visitor visa can be granted with condition 8503 (No Further Stay), which would prevent the partner from lodging an onshore Subclass 820 application during that visit.

The partner must also be outside Australia when the Subclass 309 is granted. A partner who is in Australia on a visitor visa when the Department is ready to decide will need to leave. The guide on a visitor visa during partner visa processing, the answer on visiting Australia while a Subclass 309 is processing and the answer on a spouse visitor visa explain the details. Mentioning the pending sponsor partner from Bangladesh application in the visitor visa application is important. The answer on whether to mention your partner on a visitor visa explains why honesty matters.

A refused visitor visa can affect later applications. The guide on a partner visa after a visitor visa refusal explains the position.

Can you sponsor partner from Bangladesh if the partner is already in Australia?

Yes. If the Bangladeshi partner is in Australia, the couple can usually apply for the Subclass 820 visa onshore, provided the partner's current visa does not carry condition 8503 and the partner either holds a substantive visa or can meet or be waived from the Schedule 3 criteria.

Many couples who sponsor partner from Bangladesh met in Australia while the partner was studying. A student who meets an Australian citizen or permanent resident, enters a de facto relationship or marries, and then applies onshore is a familiar pattern. The firm's guide on a partner visa on a student visa and the answer on a lawyer for a partner visa on a student visa explain the timing.

The key onshore risks for a sponsor partner from Bangladesh application are:

• Condition 8503. If the partner's current visa has a No Further Stay condition, an onshore partner application cannot be made unless the condition is waived. The guide on partner visa condition 8503 explains the rule.
• Schedule 3. If the partner's visa has expired, or the partner holds a bridging visa other than a Bridging A, B or C visa, the Schedule 3 criteria apply. The firm's Schedule 3 waivers page and the guide on partner visa Schedule 3 criteria explain how compelling reasons are presented.
• Section 48. A partner who has been refused a visa in Australia and has no substantive visa may be barred from some applications, although the partner visa is generally available. The guide on the partner visa section 48 bar explains this.
• The de facto period. An unmarried couple generally needs 12 months of de facto relationship before lodgement, unless the relationship is registered or compelling circumstances apply. The answer on when the 12-month de facto period starts explains the rule.

Where a student visa is about to expire, lodging a valid Subclass 820 application before expiry is critical. The firm's urgent partner visa lodgement service exists for that situation, and the guide on a partner visa application before visa expiry explains why the date matters.

What are the sponsor's obligations when you sponsor partner from Bangladesh?

When you sponsor partner from Bangladesh, you lodge the sponsorship, give truthful information, cooperate with Department requests, and undertake to support your partner. The sponsorship is assessed at the time of decision, so the sponsor's obligations continue until the visa is decided.

The sponsorship is made on Form 40SP, usually online in ImmiAccount. The guide on Form 40SP for a partner visa and the guide on partner visa sponsorship lodgement explain the process. The sponsor also gives an undertaking of support, explained in the guide on the partner visa sponsor undertaking and the guide on partner visa sponsor obligations.

Practical obligations that matter in a sponsor partner from Bangladesh matter include:

• Keeping contact details current. Department requests to the sponsor go to the sponsor's email address. The guide on a partner visa change of address explains how to update them.
• Responding to sponsor requests. These can include police checks, consent to disclosure of convictions and further information. A sponsor who wants a lawyer to receive these requests must appoint the lawyer separately. The guide on Form 956 and Form 956A explains how.
• Disclosing past sponsorships honestly. The sponsorship form asks about earlier sponsorships. An incorrect answer creates serious problems.
• Attending interviews if asked. The guide on the partner visa sponsor interview explains what to expect.

A sponsor with a criminal record should obtain advice before lodging. The guide on a partner visa sponsor criminal record explains how regulation 1.20KC is applied.

How much does it cost to sponsor partner from Bangladesh, and how long does it take?

At the time of writing, the Partner visa application charge for the main applicant is AUD 11,710. That charge covers both stages of the visa. Processing times change and vary from case to case, so a sponsor partner from Bangladesh application should be prepared as though the Department will look at it closely.

The application charge is paid when the application is lodged. Other costs, such as police certificates, medical examinations, translations and travel, are separate. The guide on partner visa cost explains the components, and the answer on who pays the partner visa fee explains that either partner can pay.

The Department does not process applications in a fixed order, and there is no reliable way to predict how long an individual sponsor partner from Bangladesh application will take. Applications that are complete when lodged are generally easier to decide. The answer on a decision ready partner visa explains what that means, and the guide on partner visa processing delays explains what to do when an application takes longer than expected.

What happens if the Department asks for more information or proposes to refuse?

The Department can ask for more information under section 56 of the Migration Act 1958, and it must put adverse information to the applicant under section 57 before refusing on that information. Both requests have deadlines, and both should be answered with evidence, not only with explanations.

In sponsor partner from Bangladesh matters, common requests include clarification of how the couple met, more evidence of contact, an explanation of name differences, police certificates, or proof that an earlier marriage ended. A section 57 letter may raise concerns from an interview, a previous visa application or information from a third party. The guides on responding to a section 56 request and on the section 57 natural justice letter explain both processes. The answer on how to respond to a section 57 letter gives the steps.

A partner visa interview, sometimes by telephone, is also possible. Inconsistent answers between the sponsor and the partner are a frequent concern. The guides on partner visa interview questions and on partner visa interview inconsistencies explain how to prepare honestly.

Can a refusal be reviewed when you sponsor partner from Bangladesh?

Yes. A refusal of a Subclass 309 or Subclass 820 visa can be reviewed by the Administrative Review Tribunal. The application must be made within 28 days after the decision is notified, and at the time of writing the Tribunal fee for a partner visa review is AUD 3,727.

For a Subclass 820 refusal, the visa applicant applies for review. For a Subclass 309 refusal, the visa applicant applies in their own name, under section 338(9) of the Migration Act 1958 and regulations 4.02(4)(saa) and 4.02(5)(raa), which were inserted in 2023. This means a Bangladeshi partner living in Bangladesh can apply for review directly. The answer on who applies for review of an offshore refusal explains the rule.

On review, the Tribunal considers the application again and can take into account new evidence. In a sponsor partner from Bangladesh matter, that may include further evidence of contact, statements from both families, translated records, or evidence that an identity concern has been resolved. The firm's partner visa refusals page, the guide on the partner visa appeal deadline and the guide on partner visa ART evidence explain the process. A refusal can also affect later applications, which is explained in the guide on reapplying for a partner visa after refusal. The firm's urgent visa refusal review page is for couples who have recently received a refusal and are within the time limit.

How My Migration Lawyers helps you sponsor partner from Bangladesh

My Migration Lawyers acts for Australian sponsors and their Bangladeshi partners in partner visa matters, from the first assessment of the sponsor through to Administrative Review Tribunal review. The firm deals with complex cases, acts in many matters of this type, and is capable of handling a sponsor partner from Bangladesh application where the marriage, the documents or the history need careful work.

The firm's work to help clients sponsor partner from Bangladesh usually includes:

• Assessing the sponsor first. Checking regulation 1.20J, any earlier partner sponsorships, the sponsor's own visa history, and whether the sponsor lived in Bangladesh long enough to be asked for a Bangladesh police certificate.
• Reviewing the marriage record. Checking that a Nikah was registered with a Nikah Registrar, that the dates align, that any earlier marriage ended properly, and that the marriage will be recognised in Australia.
• Working through Bangladeshi documents. Identifying name and date variations across passports, national identity records, birth registration and marriage records, and preparing an explanation before the Department asks.
• Planning police certificates. Advising on the Bangladesh Police Clearance Certificate for the partner and, where needed, the sponsor, and on certificates from any third country.
• Presenting relationship evidence across distance. Helping the couple organise call logs, remittance records, visits, wedding evidence and Form 888 statements, with translations where needed. The relationship statement is the couple's own account, which they review and correct.
• Preparing the application. Subclass 309, Subclass 820 or Subclass 300, with the sponsorship lodged correctly.
• Responding to Department requests. Section 56 requests, section 57 letters and sponsor police check requests.
• Review. Preparing and presenting an Administrative Review Tribunal review after a refusal.

Consultations are by video, so sponsors anywhere in Australia, and partners in Bangladesh, can take part. Sponsors in particular cities can read about the firm's work as partner visa lawyers in Sydney, partner visa lawyers in Melbourne, partner visa lawyers in Brisbane or partner visa lawyers in Perth. The answer on whether a lawyer can help bring a spouse from Bangladesh to Australia gives a short summary, and the guide on complex partner visa lawyer work explains how complex matters are handled. Sponsorship and refusal matters are supervised by Weiwei Zhang, Principal Lawyer. More answers are collected in the partner visa FAQ centre.

If you want to sponsor partner from Bangladesh and need advice on the marriage record, the documents or a Department request, Book a Consultation with My Migration Lawyers, or call 1300 040 300.