Sponsoring a Partner From Benin

To sponsor partner from Benin, the Australian partner must be an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident or an eligible New Zealand citizen, and the couple must show a genuine and continuing married or de facto relationship. The Beninese partner then applies for a Subclass 309 partner visa from outside Australia, a Subclass 820 partner visa from inside Australia, or a Subclass 300 prospective marriage visa.

The legal test is the same for every nationality. What makes a sponsor partner from Benin application different is the paperwork and the history behind it. Civil status records from Benin are generally issued in French. The police certificate comes from the justice system rather than the police. Many couples met online and have spent long periods apart. Identity records sometimes show different dates of birth or different spellings of a name. Each of those points can be managed, but each can also cause a refusal if it is ignored.

This guide explains how to sponsor partner from Benin, what the Department of Home Affairs looks at, which documents matter most and where applications from this part of West Africa tend to run into trouble. For the wider framework, the firm's complete guide to partner visas in Australia sets out each subclass and stage, and the partner visa lawyers page explains how My Migration Lawyers acts in these matters.

Can an Australian sponsor partner from Benin?

Yes. An Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident or an eligible New Zealand citizen who is at least 18 can sponsor partner from Benin, provided the sponsor is not barred by the sponsorship limitations and the couple are married, in a de facto relationship, or engaged to marry.

Nationality is not a criterion for the partner visa. Benin is treated the same way as any other country. The questions the Department asks are the same questions it asks of every couple:

• Is the sponsor an eligible sponsor?
• Is the relationship genuine and continuing?
• Do the couple live together, or not live separately and apart on a permanent basis?
• Does the applicant meet the health, character and public interest criteria?
• Are the identity documents reliable?

The detail of who can sponsor is set out in the firm's guides to partner visa sponsor eligibility, partner visa sponsor requirements and the short answer on who can sponsor a partner visa. Sponsors who are citizens can read the guide for an Australian citizen partner visa sponsor, and permanent residents can read the guide for a permanent resident partner visa sponsor.

A person who holds a temporary visa or a bridging visa cannot sponsor. That point surprises some sponsors who have lived in Australia for years on student or work visas. The short answer on whether a temporary visa holder can sponsor a partner explains why.

How to sponsor partner from Benin: the steps in order

The process to sponsor partner from Benin follows the same order in almost every case. Getting the order right avoids most of the delays that couples experience.

• Check the sponsor first. Confirm the sponsor's citizenship or permanent residence, any earlier partner sponsorship, and any criminal history. A sponsor partner from Benin application that fails at the sponsor stage fails regardless of how strong the relationship is.
• Choose the visa. Decide between the Subclass 309, Subclass 820 and Subclass 300, based on where the Beninese partner will be and whether the couple are married, de facto or engaged.
• Collect and check identity documents. Gather the passport, birth certificate and any national identity card, and compare every name spelling and date of birth.
• Obtain translations. Send every French document to a qualified translator, ideally one translator for the whole file.
• Prepare relationship evidence. Gather each partner's account, Form 888 statements, travel evidence, communication evidence and financial evidence.
• Lodge the visa application. The Beninese partner lodges online through ImmiAccount and pays the application charge.
• Lodge the sponsorship. The sponsor lodges the sponsorship online, linked to the visa application.
• Respond to requests. Provide police certificates, the medical examination, biometrics and any further information when the Department asks.

The firm's guides to how to apply for a partner visa, partner visa sponsorship lodgement and partner visa biometrics explain each step. The short answer on what happens after lodging a partner visa covers the waiting period, and the guide to partner visa evidence after lodgement explains how to keep the file current.

Anyone planning to sponsor partner from Benin should treat step 3 as the most important. Most of the problems discussed later in this guide begin with an identity document that was never checked against the others.

Which visa is used to sponsor partner from Benin?

The visa depends on where the Beninese partner is when the application is lodged and on the stage the relationship has reached.

• Subclass 309 (offshore). The Beninese partner applies from outside Australia and must usually be outside Australia when the visa is granted. The Subclass 309 partner visa leads to the permanent Subclass 100.
• Subclass 820 (onshore). The Beninese partner applies in Australia, usually while holding a visitor visa or another temporary visa. The Subclass 820 partner visa leads to the permanent Subclass 801.
• Subclass 300 (prospective marriage). The couple are engaged, have met in person, and intend to marry in Australia. The Subclass 300 prospective marriage visa allows the Beninese partner to enter Australia to marry.

In practice, most people who sponsor partner from Benin use the offshore Subclass 309. The firm's comparison of onshore and offshore partner visas and the short answer on the difference between the Subclass 820 and Subclass 309 explain the trade-offs.

The partner visa is a two-stage visa. The temporary visa is granted first, and the permanent visa is assessed later. The guide to the partner visa two-stage process explains how the stages connect.

The Department lists the base application charge for the combined Subclass 820 and Subclass 801 application, and for the combined Subclass 309 and Subclass 100 application, as AUD 11,710 from 1 July 2026. The firm's partner visa cost guide covers who pays and what else is involved.

Sponsor partner from Benin: can the partner apply onshore on a visitor visa?

Sometimes. A Beninese partner who is in Australia on a Visitor Subclass 600 visa can usually apply for a Subclass 820 partner visa, unless the visitor visa carries condition 8503 "No Further Stay" or another bar applies.

Beninese passport holders do not appear on the eligibility lists for the Electronic Travel Authority (Subclass 601) or the eVisitor (Subclass 651). In practice, a Beninese partner who wants to visit Australia applies for a Visitor Subclass 600 visa. That visa is often granted with condition 8503. If it is, the partner cannot apply for a partner visa in Australia unless the condition is first waived.

A sponsor partner from Benin plan that relies on an onshore application should therefore start by reading the visitor visa grant notice. The firm's guides to condition 8503 and partner visas, the partner visa 8503 waiver and applying for a partner visa while on a tourist visa explain the rules.

The visitor visa must also be applied for honestly. A visitor visa is for a genuine visit. Where the couple already intend to lodge a partner visa in Australia, that intention should not be concealed. The short answer on whether to mention a partner on a visitor visa application explains why honesty at this step protects the later application.

What documents do you need to sponsor partner from Benin?

The core documents fall into four groups: identity, relationship status, relationship evidence and character. To sponsor partner from Benin successfully, each group must be complete and consistent with the others.

Identity documents for the Beninese partner

• the current passport, with all pages that carry a stamp or visa;
• the birth certificate;
• the national identity card, if held;
• evidence of any change of name.

Relationship status documents

• the marriage certificate, if married;
• divorce or death certificates for any earlier marriage of either partner;
• evidence of relationship registration, if the couple rely on a registered relationship.

Relationship evidence

• Form 888 statements from people who know the couple;
• each partner's own account of the relationship;
• financial, household, social and commitment evidence.

Character documents

• the Benin police certificate and police certificates from any other country where the applicant lived for 12 months or more in the last 10 years;
• for the sponsor, an Australian Federal Police check and any foreign police certificates requested.

The firm's partner visa document checklist, its partner visa checklist and the guide to partner visa sponsor documents set out the full lists. The short answer on what documents a partner visa needs gives a quick overview.

How do French-language civil status documents affect a sponsor partner from Benin application?

They must be translated into English, and the translation must be good enough for a case officer to rely on it. A French birth or marriage record with a poor translation is one of the most avoidable delays in a sponsor partner from Benin file.

French is the official language of Benin, so civil status records, court judgments and many official letters are issued in French. The Department requires an English translation of any document that is not in English. The firm's guide to partner visa evidence translation explains the standard in detail. In short:

• a translation made in Australia should be made by a translator accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI) and should show the NAATI practitioner number;
• a translation made outside Australia does not have to be made by a NAATI translator, but it must identify the translator by full name, address, phone number and qualifications in the language;
• the translation should be uploaded together with a clear colour scan of the original French document;
• translations should not be prepared by the applicant, the sponsor or a family member.

For a sponsor partner from Benin matter, the practical advice is to use one NAATI certified French translator for every civil status document. That keeps the spelling of names, places and dates consistent across the whole file. When two different translators render the same name in two different ways, the case officer sees two different spellings and asks why.

Chat messages and letters written in French or a local language raise the same issue. The short answer on translating messages for a partner visa explains how to select and translate a representative sample rather than translating thousands of messages. The answer on couples who speak different languages deals with how the couple communicate when neither speaks the other's first language fluently.

Where a marriage certificate needs translation, the answer on translating a marriage certificate and the guide to the partner visa marriage certificate cover what the Department expects.

Sponsor partner from Benin: how is the Benin police certificate obtained?

The Department of Home Affairs lists the Benin police certificate as the Extract from Judicial Record (Extrait de Casier Judiciaire), with the Ministry of Justice as the issuing authority. It is a court record certificate, not a certificate issued by the police.

According to the Department's country information, a person who was born in Benin or lives there applies in person to the Tribunal Court (Tribunal de Première Instance), or to the Court of Appeal (Cour d'Appel). The Department also states that the certificate can be requested online through the Benin government's public service portal, and that this online service is available to Beninese citizens and to foreigners who live or have lived in Benin. The documents the Department lists include:

• the applicant's birth certificate;
• proof of address, occupation, dependants and marital status;
• a certificate of Beninese nationality, for citizens born outside Benin;
• for non-citizens, a copy of all passport pages and evidence of immigration status in Benin.

A fee is payable. The Department's general rules then apply. A police certificate is usually requested from every country where the applicant has lived for 12 months or more in the last 10 years after turning 16. Police certificates are treated as valid for 12 months from the date of issue, and they must cover the period from age 16, or the whole time the person was in the country.

Two practical points matter for anyone who wants to sponsor partner from Benin. First, the certificate is issued in French, so it needs an English translation like every other civil document. Second, the birth certificate is one of the supporting documents. If the birth certificate shows a different date of birth from the passport, the problem can surface at the police certificate stage before it ever reaches the Department.

Partners who have lived in Nigeria, Togo, Ghana, France or another country for 12 months or more will need a police certificate from that country too. The firm's guide to overseas police certificates for partner visas explains the rules, and the short answer on what to do if you cannot get a police certificate covers delays. The answer on police certificate and health check validity explains timing, and the guide to expired police checks explains what happens when a certificate lapses during processing.

Health checks when you sponsor partner from Benin

The Department's location finder states that there is no approved panel clinic in Benin. A Beninese partner who is asked to complete an immigration medical examination must attend an approved panel physician in another country.

That fact should be built into the timeline of every sponsor partner from Benin application. Travel to a neighbouring country for the medical examination takes planning, a valid passport and, sometimes, a visa for that country. The Department sets a deadline for the health examination, and missing it can lead to a refusal. The guides to the partner visa medical examination and the partner visa health requirements explain the process.

How does the Department test a relationship that began online?

The Department accepts that many genuine relationships begin online. It does not refuse a sponsor partner from Benin application because the couple met on a dating site, a social platform or through an online group. It tests whether the relationship that followed is genuine and continuing.

Under regulations 1.09A and 1.15A of the Migration Regulations 1994, the Department considers all the circumstances, including the four pillars: the financial aspects of the relationship, the nature of the household, the social aspects of the relationship, and the nature of the persons' commitment to each other. The firm's guides to the four pillars of a partner visa and to the genuine and continuing relationship test explain how each pillar is weighed.

For a couple who met online, the questions the case officer usually asks are practical:

• How and when did the couple first make contact?
• When did they first meet in person, and where?
• How often have they spent time together since then?
• Does each partner know the other's family, work, history and plans?
• Is there evidence of financial support or shared responsibility?
• Do family and friends in both countries know about the relationship?

The firm's guides to partner visas for couples who met online, lawyers for couples who met online and de facto visas for couples who met online cover these issues. For a Subclass 300 application, the couple must have met in person since turning 18. The answer on whether a fiancé visa couple must have met in person explains that requirement.

Online evidence that helps, and evidence that does not

Communication evidence is useful in a sponsor partner from Benin application when it is selected well. A sponsor partner from Benin file that uploads every message ever sent is not stronger than one that uploads a careful sample. What helps is evidence that shows the relationship developing over time: regular calls, plans made together, discussion of family events, decisions about money and the future.

The guides to chat evidence for partner visas, to messages, emails and call records and to social media evidence explain how to choose and present communication evidence.

Visits and time together

For most couples who sponsor partner from Benin, the most persuasive evidence is time spent together in person. Boarding passes, passport stamps, accommodation bookings, photographs with family and evidence of shared activities during each visit all show the relationship moving beyond a screen. The guide to partner visa travel evidence and the answer on travel together as evidence set out what to keep.

Money transfers

Sponsors often send money to a partner in Benin. That support can be evidence of commitment, but it can also prompt questions if it is the only evidence of the relationship. A sponsor partner from Benin file should show the purpose of transfers and how they fit into the couple's shared plans. The answer on money transfers as relationship evidence and the guide to partner visa financial evidence explain how this evidence is read.

Long-distance evidence between Australia and Benin

Most couples who sponsor partner from Benin live in different countries for long periods. The law accepts that. A married or de facto couple can live apart temporarily, for work, family or visa reasons, and still meet the test, provided they do not live separately and apart on a permanent basis.

The Department looks for evidence that the separation is temporary and that the couple are working towards living together. In a sponsor partner from Benin file, that evidence usually includes:

• a clear explanation of why the couple live apart and for how long;
• a record of each visit, including dates, places and who the couple spent time with;
• regular communication across the whole period, not only before lodgement;
• financial support or shared spending, with a clear purpose;
• concrete plans for living together in Australia, such as housing, work or study plans for the Beninese partner.

The firm's guides to long-distance relationships and partner visas, to partner visas without living together and to temporary separation explain how the Department approaches these cases. The guide to partner visa future plans explains how to show where the relationship is heading.

Social evidence is often the weakest area for couples in this position. Friends in Australia may never have met the Beninese partner. Family in Benin may know the sponsor only from calls. Form 888 statements from people who have met both partners, photographs with family members during visits, and evidence of family involvement in an engagement or wedding all help. The answer on overseas friends' statements and the guide to partner visa social evidence explain what works.

Children of a Beninese partner

A Beninese partner's dependent children can usually be included in the partner visa application. Where the other parent of a child is not migrating, the Department will normally need evidence that the child can lawfully leave Benin and live in Australia. That usually means the other parent's written consent, or a court order that allows the move.

For a sponsor partner from Benin application that includes children, the consent documents and any court orders will also need translation. Where children under 18 are included, regulation 1.20KB applies to the sponsor, which means the sponsor's police checks will be examined for offences of concern to children. The guides to adding children to a partner visa and to child custody and consent, and the answer on the other parent's consent, explain what is required.

Short relationships and quick marriages

A short relationship is not a bar to a partner visa. A couple who married within months of meeting in person can still be granted a visa if the relationship is genuine. The Department will, however, look closely at how the decision to marry was made and at what evidence exists of commitment.

Where a sponsor partner from Benin application rests on a recent marriage after a short in-person relationship, the couple's own accounts matter more than usual. Each partner should explain, in their own words, how the relationship developed and why they decided to marry when they did. The guides to short relationships and partner visas and the answer on marrying soon after meeting explain how these cases are assessed. The guide to the partner visa relationship statement explains how those accounts are written.

Does a marriage in Benin count for an Australian partner visa?

Yes, generally. A marriage celebrated in Benin is usually recognised in Australia if it was valid under the law of Benin at the time and would not be void under Australian law, for example because one party was already married or under age.

For a sponsor partner from Benin application, the Department will want to see a marriage certificate issued by the civil registration authority, translated into English. Where the couple had a traditional or religious ceremony, the question is whether that ceremony created a marriage that is valid under Beninese law. If it did not, the couple may rely on a de facto relationship instead, or marry again in a form that is legally recognised. The firm's guides to overseas marriages recognised in Australia, to overseas marriages that are not recognised and to religious and cultural marriages explain the options.

Australian law does not recognise a polygamous marriage for partner visa purposes where either party was already married at the time. The answer on polygamous marriages and spouse visas explains the position, and the guide to applying while still married to someone else deals with earlier marriages that have not yet been dissolved.

De facto partners from Benin

Couples who are not married can still sponsor partner from Benin by relying on a de facto relationship. A de facto couple must usually have been in the relationship for at least 12 months before the application, unless the relationship is registered in an Australian State or Territory or another exception applies.

For a couple who met online and have spent most of their time apart, the 12-month requirement can be difficult. Time apart does not automatically break a de facto relationship, but the couple must show that they have a mutual commitment to a shared life and that they do not live separately and apart on a permanent basis. The guides to de facto partner visas in Australia, to the Subclass 820 de facto 12-month rule and the answer on registering a relationship while the partner is overseas explain the options for someone who wants to sponsor partner from Benin without first marrying.

Why do dates of birth matter so much when you sponsor partner from Benin?

Because identity is a threshold issue. If the Department is not satisfied of the applicant's identity, it can refuse the visa, and if it finds that a document is bogus or that information is false or misleading, public interest criterion 4020 can apply.

Inconsistent dates of birth are common in many countries, including countries where births were registered late or records were reconstructed. A passport may show one date, a birth certificate another, and a school certificate a third. A name may be spelled one way in a passport and another way in a civil record. None of this is automatically fraud. But in a sponsor partner from Benin application, an unexplained inconsistency invites the Department to ask whether the applicant is who they say they are.

The safest approach is to identify every inconsistency before lodgement and deal with it openly:

• list every identity document the applicant holds, and every date of birth and name spelling it shows;
• obtain the record that underlies each document, such as the original birth registration;
• where a record was corrected or issued late, obtain the official document that explains the correction;
• explain the inconsistency in a short written statement supported by evidence;
• make sure the visa application form, Form 80 (if requested) and every statement use the same details.

The firm's answer on different names and dates on documents, its answer on partner visas and a different identity and the guide to Form 80 for a partner visa explain the process.

Public interest criterion 4020

PIC 4020 is the integrity criterion. It allows the Department to refuse a visa where a bogus document or false or misleading information has been given. A refusal under PIC 4020 can also prevent the grant of certain further visas for a period. For a sponsor partner from Benin application, that makes accuracy far more important than speed. The guides to PIC 4020 and partner visas, to false documents and to false information refusals explain how the criterion works. The answer on an honest mistake versus PIC 4020 explains the difference between an error and a misrepresentation.

If a document is unavailable, the answer is not to obtain a replacement from an informal source. The answer on what to do if you cannot get a birth or marriage certificate explains the lawful alternatives.

Sponsor partner from Benin: the sponsor's own obligations

The sponsor must be approved, and approval is a time of decision criterion. The Beninese partner lodges the visa application first, and the sponsor then lodges the sponsorship online using the application's transaction reference number.

Three sponsor rules apply to every sponsor partner from Benin case:

• Regulation 1.20J. A sponsor can have at most two approved partner sponsorships, cannot have a second approved within five years of the first visa application, and a sponsor who was sponsored as a partner generally cannot sponsor within five years of their own application. Compelling circumstances can waive these limits.
• Regulation 1.20KB. Where a child under 18 is included in the application, the sponsor must not have a conviction or unresolved charge for a registrable offence.
• Regulation 1.20KC. The sponsor must not have a conviction for a relevant offence together with a significant criminal record for that offence, unless it is reasonable to approve the sponsorship. The sponsor must also consent to the Department disclosing relevant convictions to the applicant.

The sponsor also gives an undertaking to support the applicant. Every sponsor who plans to sponsor partner from Benin should read that undertaking carefully before signing it. The firm's guides to partner visa sponsorship limitations, the sponsor police check, the sponsor's relevant offences, sponsor obligations and Form 40SP explain each step. The commercial page on partner visa sponsorship limitations explains how the firm handles these issues.

Some sponsors are themselves of Beninese or West African background and became Australian citizens or permanent residents after arriving on a partner visa. Those sponsors should check the five-year rule before lodging. The answer for a sponsor who was sponsored before explains the issue.

When is the right time to sponsor partner from Benin?

The right time to sponsor partner from Benin is when the relationship evidence, the identity documents and the sponsor's position are all ready, not simply when the couple feel ready. Lodging early with gaps usually leads to requests for more information, and sometimes to a refusal.

A few timing points are specific to this kind of matter:

• Police certificates and medical examinations expire. Police certificates are generally treated as valid for 12 months. Obtaining them too early can mean obtaining them twice.
• The 12-month de facto period runs to the application date. A de facto couple who lodge one month too early can fail the requirement unless the relationship is registered or another exception applies.
• Visitor visas run out. For an onshore Subclass 820, the application must usually be lodged while the Beninese partner still holds a substantive visa. Lodging after the visa expires brings in Schedule 3 criteria.
• The sponsor's five-year period runs to the decision. A sponsor close to the end of a regulation 1.20J period should take advice on timing.

The firm's guides to the best time to lodge a partner visa, the minimum relationship length, lodging before a visa expires and Schedule 3 criteria explain each point. A sponsor partner from Benin application built on the right timeline is more likely to be decided on its merits rather than on a technical point.

Common reasons a sponsor partner from Benin application is refused

Refusals in this area tend to follow a small number of patterns:

• the relationship evidence shows contact but not a shared life;
• the couple's accounts of how they met or when they married do not match;
• identity documents show inconsistent dates of birth or names, without explanation;
• translations are incomplete, unidentified or inconsistent;
• police certificates or health examinations are not provided on time;
• the sponsor is caught by a sponsorship limitation that was not identified before lodgement.

The firm's guides to why partner visas get refused, non-genuine relationship refusals, conflicting statements and insufficient evidence refusals explain each pattern. Before a decision, the Department will often send a request under section 56 or a natural justice letter under section 57. The guides to section 56 requests and the section 57 natural justice letter explain how to respond.

What happens if a sponsor partner from Benin application is refused?

A refused partner visa can usually be reviewed by the Administrative Review Tribunal, and that includes a refused sponsor partner from Benin application. The application for review must be made 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 applies for review in their own name under regulation 4.02(5)(raa) of the Migration Regulations 1994, not the Australian sponsor. For a Subclass 300 refusal, the Australian sponsor applies. The FAQ on who applies for review of an offshore refusal explains the difference.

The Tribunal fee for review of a partner visa refusal is AUD 3,727 from 1 July 2026. Half of the fee is refunded if the Tribunal sets aside, varies or remits the decision. The Tribunal looks at the matter afresh and can consider new evidence. The firm's guides to the partner visa appeal deadline, who can lodge a partner visa appeal, the ART review process and evidence at the ART explain each step.

Published Tribunal decisions show how character, sponsorship and visa history issues can be dealt with on review. Each case turns on its own facts, and none of the following decisions concerned a sponsor partner from Benin application:

• In Budiongo (Migration) [2025] ARTA 440, a Subclass 309 matter, the issues recorded were criminal history and police clearance certificates provided upon review. The Tribunal remitted the matter to the Department for reconsideration.
• In Naureen (Migration) [2024] ARTA 468, a Subclass 309 matter, the issues recorded were whether it was reasonable to approve the sponsorship, the sponsor's significant criminal record, the elapse of time since the last imprisonment, and limited time together because of travel restrictions. The Tribunal remitted the matter.
• In Taylor (Migration) [2024] AATA 945, a Subclass 309 matter, the issues recorded were visa history including overstay, previous applications, withdrawal of a previous sponsorship and a claim of family violence, a valid marriage, and supporting statements. The matter was sent back to the Department for reconsideration.

These decisions show that missing police certificates, a sponsor's criminal history and a complicated visa history are not always the end of an application. They also show why it is better to deal with those issues before lodgement. The firm's partner visa refusal lawyers page and the guide to reapplying after a refusal explain the options.

How My Migration Lawyers helps you sponsor partner from Benin

My Migration Lawyers deals with complex partner visa cases, acts in many matters for Australian sponsors whose partners are from West Africa and other French-speaking countries, and is capable of handling a sponsor partner from Benin application from the first assessment through to review. 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 Benin matter, the firm:

• confirms that the sponsor is eligible and checks regulation 1.20J, 1.20KB and 1.20KC before anything is lodged;
• advises whether the Subclass 309, Subclass 820 or Subclass 300 is the right visa, including the condition 8503 position on any visitor visa;
• reviews every French civil status document, compares the dates of birth and name spellings across the passport, birth certificate and other records, and identifies inconsistencies that need an explanation;
• coordinates certified translations so that names, places and dates are rendered consistently across the whole file;
• explains the Benin Extract from Judicial Record process, the police certificates needed from other countries, and the panel physician requirement outside Benin;
• presents the couple's own account of how the relationship began online and developed in person, which each partner reviews and corrects, together with Form 888 statements and selected communication, travel and financial evidence;
• responds to section 56 requests and section 57 letters; and
• acts on review at the Administrative Review Tribunal if the visa is refused.

The firm acts for sponsors across Australia, including through its partner visa lawyers in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide. Sponsors whose case already has a difficult feature can read the guide to complex partner visa applications, and those weighing professional help can read the answer on what makes a partner visa complex and the wider partner visa FAQ hub.

The best time to get advice on how to sponsor partner from Benin is before the visitor visa is applied for, before the documents are translated and before the application is lodged. Book a consultation with My Migration Lawyers, or call 1300 040 300.