Sponsoring a Partner From Cyprus

To sponsor partner from Cyprus, the Australian partner must be an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident or an eligible New Zealand citizen, and the couple must prove a genuine and continuing married or de facto relationship. The Cypriot partner then applies for a Subclass 820 partner visa in Australia, a Subclass 309 partner visa from outside Australia, or a Subclass 300 prospective marriage visa if the couple are engaged.

People who search how to sponsor partner from Cyprus are usually in one of three situations. Some are Cypriot-Australians who met their partner while visiting family in Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaca or Paphos. Some met a Cypriot partner while working or studying in Europe. Others are Australians who have lived in Cyprus for years and now want to come home with their partner. Each situation raises different questions about the visa pathway, the marriage or civil partnership documents, police certificates and translations.

This guide explains how the sponsor partner from Cyprus process works under the Migration Act 1958 and the Migration Regulations 1994. It covers who can sponsor, which visa to choose, how a Cypriot civil marriage and a Cypriot civil partnership are treated in Australia, what evidence the Department of Home Affairs expects, and where these applications go wrong. For the full framework, the complete guide to partner visas in Australia explains every subclass and stage.

Can you sponsor partner from Cyprus to Australia?

Yes. An eligible Australian sponsor can sponsor partner from Cyprus on an Australian partner visa, provided the couple are married or in a de facto relationship, or are engaged and intend to marry, and the relationship is genuine and continuing.

There is no special visa for Cypriot nationals. The sponsor partner from Cyprus pathway uses the same partner visa criteria that apply to every applicant, regardless of nationality. What changes from country to country is the practical detail. That includes which visitor visa the partner can hold, how the marriage was registered, which police certificate is required, and which language the documents are in.

The partner visa is a two-stage visa. The first stage is temporary: Subclass 820 in Australia or Subclass 309 outside Australia. The second stage is permanent: Subclass 801 or Subclass 100. Both stages are covered by one application and one application charge. The article on the partner visa two-stage process explains how the permanent stage is assessed, usually around two years after the combined application was lodged.

A sponsor partner from Cyprus application is assessed on four broad areas of the relationship. These are the financial aspects, the nature of the household, the social aspects and the nature of the commitment. The guide to the four pillars of a partner visa explains each one. A Cypriot passport does not make the application easier or harder. The quality of the evidence does.

What the relationship test requires

For a married couple, section 5F of the Migration Act requires a valid marriage, a mutual commitment to a shared life as spouses to the exclusion of all others, a genuine and continuing relationship, and that the couple live together or do not live separately and apart on a permanent basis. For a de facto couple, section 5CB sets out the same core elements without the marriage. A de facto couple must also generally show 12 months of de facto relationship before the application is lodged, unless an exception applies.

The genuine and continuing relationship FAQ explains how decision makers approach that test in practice.

Who is an eligible sponsor for a sponsor partner from Cyprus application?

An eligible sponsor is an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident or an eligible New Zealand citizen who is at least 18 and is the applicant's spouse, de facto partner or, for a Subclass 300 visa, fiancé or fiancée.

The sponsor's status is tested when the application is lodged. A person who is still waiting for permanent residence cannot sponsor partner from Cyprus until that status is granted. The detailed guide to partner visa sponsor eligibility sets out each requirement, and the who can sponsor a partner visa FAQ gives the short answer.

The three sponsor categories work differently:

• Australian citizens. A citizen can sponsor even while living overseas. The guide for the Australian citizen partner visa sponsor explains how citizenship is proved.
• Australian permanent residents. A permanent resident must be usually resident in Australia. The guide for the permanent resident partner visa sponsor explains why long periods in Cyprus can create problems.
• Eligible New Zealand citizens. Not every New Zealand citizen in Australia qualifies. The guide for the New Zealand citizen partner visa sponsor explains the protected status test.

Cypriot-Australian sponsors and dual citizenship

Many people who want to sponsor partner from Cyprus are Cypriot-Australians who hold, or are entitled to, Cypriot citizenship as well as Australian citizenship. Holding a second citizenship does not stop an Australian citizen from being a sponsor. What matters is that the sponsor can prove Australian citizenship with an Australian passport or citizenship certificate. The article on the partner visa sponsor who is a dual citizen covers the practical points, including travel on two passports and how identity details must match.

A sponsor who was born in Cyprus to an Australian parent and holds Australian citizenship by descent is also a citizen for sponsorship purposes. The guide for the citizen by descent partner visa sponsor explains the evidence. The prove the sponsor is an Australian citizen FAQ lists acceptable documents.

Sponsors who are not eligible yet

A temporary visa holder in Australia cannot be a sponsor. That includes a sponsor on a skilled, student or graduate visa. The temporary visa holder sponsor FAQ explains the options, which usually involve waiting for permanent residence or applying as a secondary applicant in the partner's own visa application.

Subclass 820 or Subclass 309: which pathway suits a sponsor partner from Cyprus case?

The Subclass 820 is lodged while the Cypriot partner is in Australia, and the Subclass 309 is lodged while the Cypriot partner is outside Australia. Both lead to permanent residence, and both carry the same application charge.

The choice depends on where the couple want to live during processing, what visa the Cypriot partner holds, and whether there are any conditions or history that would stop a valid onshore application. The comparison of onshore and offshore partner visas sets out the full trade-offs, and the Subclass 820 versus Subclass 309 FAQ gives a short summary.

When the onshore Subclass 820 suits a sponsor partner from Cyprus

The onshore route suits couples who want to live together in Australia while the application is processed. The Cypriot partner must be in Australia when the application is lodged. After lodgement, the partner usually receives a bridging visa that keeps them lawful in Australia until a decision is made. The onshore partner visa guide explains bridging visa rights, work rights and travel during processing.

The onshore route is only available if the Cypriot partner's current visa allows a further application in Australia. A visitor visa with condition 8503 can block an onshore application unless the condition is waived.

When the offshore Subclass 309 suits a sponsor partner from Cyprus

The offshore route suits couples who are content for the Cypriot partner to stay in Cyprus, or elsewhere outside Australia, while the application is processed. The Subclass 309 must be lodged while the applicant is outside Australia, and the applicant must generally be outside Australia when the visa is granted. The offshore partner visa guide explains the process, and the FAQ on being outside Australia when the Subclass 309 is granted explains the timing rule.

The Cypriot partner can usually visit Australia while the Subclass 309 is being processed, provided they hold a visitor visa. The FAQ on visiting Australia while a Subclass 309 is processing covers the practical risks.

The prospective marriage option

Couples who are engaged and plan to marry in Australia can use the Subclass 300 prospective marriage visa. For a sponsor partner from Cyprus couple who want the wedding in Australia with the Australian side of the family present, this is often the natural choice. The applicant must be outside Australia when the application is lodged and when it is granted. The couple must marry within the visa period, and must have met in person. The FAQ on marrying overseas on a prospective marriage visa explains what happens when a couple decide to marry in Cyprus instead.

Can a Cypriot partner use an eVisitor before applying onshore?

Yes, in many cases. A Cypriot passport is listed as an eVisitor eligible passport, so a Cypriot national can usually visit Australia on an eVisitor (Subclass 651), and some couples then lodge a Subclass 820 application while the partner is in Australia.

The Department's eVisitor page states that the visa allows a stay of up to three months each time the holder enters Australia, and allows visits as often as the holder wishes within a 12-month period. The Department also lists the eVisitor as free to apply for. Eligibility depends on the passport. The legislative instrument specifying eVisitor eligible passports lists Cyprus, with the condition that the passport indicates the applicant is a national of Cyprus.

That makes the eVisitor a practical way for many couples to spend time together in Australia, meet family and build relationship evidence. It also makes it a common starting point for a sponsor partner from Cyprus onshore application. The guide on moving from a tourist visa to a partner visa in Australia explains how that transition works.

Check the grant notice for condition 8503

Before a Cypriot partner travels intending to lodge onshore, the couple should check the visitor visa grant notice for condition 8503 "No Further Stay". Where that condition applies, the holder cannot be granted most other visas while in Australia, which includes a Subclass 820, unless the condition is first waived. The guide to Subclass 820 and condition 8503 explains the effect, and the article on the partner visa 8503 waiver explains when a waiver may be granted. The condition 8503 and partner visa FAQ gives the short answer.

Lodge before the eVisitor stay ends

Timing matters. If the Cypriot partner's visitor visa ceases before the Subclass 820 is lodged, the partner becomes unlawful, and the application must then satisfy the Schedule 3 criteria. That is a much harder test. The guide to the Schedule 3 criteria for a partner visa explains it. The firm's Schedule 3 waivers page sets out how those cases are argued.

A couple planning to sponsor partner from Cyprus this way should also be honest about intentions when applying for the eVisitor. An eVisitor is for a genuine visit. Questions on the visitor application must be answered truthfully, because inconsistent answers can later be raised under public interest criterion 4020. The guide to PIC 4020 in partner visas explains the risk.

Is a civil marriage in Cyprus recognised in Australia?

Yes. A marriage that was legally valid under the law of Cyprus is generally recognised in Australia, provided none of the grounds in Part VA of the Marriage Act 1961 apply.

That rule matters to every sponsor partner from Cyprus couple who married in Cyprus. The couple do not need to marry again in Australia, and there is no separate process for registering a foreign marriage in Australia before lodging. The firm's FAQ on whether an overseas marriage is recognised for a partner visa sets out the rule, and the article on overseas marriage recognition in Australia explains it in more detail.

Part VA lists the grounds on which an overseas marriage is not recognised. They include that one party was already married to someone else, that the parties were in a prohibited relationship, that one party was under the permitted age, or that one party did not give real consent. A marriage that was never legally valid where it took place is also not recognised. The article on a partner visa where the overseas marriage is not recognised explains the options in that situation.

Civil and religious ceremonies in Cyprus

Couples marry in Cyprus in a civil ceremony or in a religious ceremony. For Australian purposes, the question is not which kind of ceremony was held. The question is whether the marriage was valid under Cypriot law and properly registered. A sponsor partner from Cyprus application should include the official marriage certificate issued by the competent Cypriot authority, not only a church or ceremonial document. The FAQ on religious and cultural marriages for a partner visa explains why the civil registration record matters.

The article on the partner visa marriage certificate explains what the Department looks for in the certificate itself, including names, dates, places and the registration number.

Previous marriages and divorces

If either partner in a sponsor partner from Cyprus case was previously married, the application must show that the earlier marriage ended before the new one. That usually means a divorce decree or a death certificate. If an earlier divorce is not recognised in Australia, the later marriage may not be recognised either. The article on a partner visa after divorce covers the evidence. Where a divorce is still being finalised, the article on a partner visa while still married explains why some couples apply as de facto partners instead.

Documents from the northern part of Cyprus

Some couples have family connections or documents from the northern part of the island. Smartraveller notes that Australia does not recognise the self-proclaimed "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus". Where a marriage, birth or other civil document for a sponsor partner from Cyprus application was issued by authorities in the north, the couple should obtain specific advice before relying on it. The firm's FAQ on different names and dates across documents explains how inconsistencies between records are handled, and the FAQ on what to do if you cannot get a birth or marriage certificate covers alternative evidence.

Sponsor partner from Cyprus: civil partnerships and registered relationships

A Cypriot civil partnership is not a relationship registered under an Australian State or Territory law, so it does not by itself waive the 12-month de facto requirement for a partner visa.

Under regulation 2.03A of the Migration Regulations, a de facto applicant must generally show that the couple have been in a de facto relationship for at least 12 months before the application is lodged. That requirement does not apply where the relationship is registered under a prescribed law of an Australian State or Territory. An overseas civil union or registered partnership does not meet that test. The firm's FAQ on overseas registered relationships for a partner visa explains this point in detail.

What a Cypriot civil partnership still proves

A Cypriot civil partnership is still valuable evidence in a sponsor partner from Cyprus application. It shows a formal and public commitment made in the country where the couple lived. For a sponsor partner from Cyprus de facto application, the civil partnership certificate sits alongside evidence of a shared household, finances and social recognition. A couple in a civil partnership generally applies as de facto partners rather than as spouses. The FAQ on spouse versus de facto visa explains the difference.

The 12-month de facto requirement

A de facto couple who have not lived together for 12 months, and have not registered their relationship in Australia, will usually need to wait or find another basis. The guide to the Subclass 820 de facto 12-month rule explains how the 12 months are counted. Time spent living together in Cyprus counts. The FAQ on living together overseas for 12 months explains the evidence that proves it.

Registering the relationship in Australia

Some couples register their relationship in an Australian State or Territory that has a relationship register, which removes the 12-month requirement. Registration usually requires both partners to meet that register's rules, and couples living in Cyprus often cannot register from overseas. The FAQ on registering a de facto relationship for a partner visa explains the process.

Same-sex couples

Same-sex couples are assessed under the same partner visa criteria. A same-sex couple who married in a country where that marriage was valid is assessed as a married couple if the marriage is recognised in Australia. A same-sex couple in a civil partnership generally applies as de facto partners. The firm's LGBTI partner visa page and the FAQ on a same-sex de facto visa explain the approach.

What relationship evidence does a sponsor partner from Cyprus application need?

A sponsor partner from Cyprus application needs evidence across the financial aspects, the nature of the household, the social aspects and the nature of the commitment, together with detailed Form 888 statements and personal statements from both partners.

The Department does not set a fixed list. It weighs the whole relationship. The guide to partner visa relationship evidence explains what carries weight, and the partner visa document checklist gives a structured list.

Evidence for couples who lived together in Cyprus

Where a sponsor partner from Cyprus couple lived together in Cyprus, the strongest evidence is usually a joint lease or property record, shared utility accounts, joint bank statements and correspondence addressed to both partners at the same address. The article on the nature of the household explains how shared domestic life is assessed. The article on the financial aspects of a partner visa explains why shared expenses matter even where incomes are kept separate.

Evidence for long-distance couples

Many couples who want to sponsor partner from Cyprus have spent long periods apart, with one partner in Australia and the other in Cyprus. That is not fatal. The application needs to explain how the relationship was maintained. That usually means communication records, travel records, evidence of visits and evidence of financial support. The guide to a partner visa long-distance relationship explains what decision makers look for, and the article on partner visa travel evidence explains how to present trips together.

Social evidence and family recognition

In many families, relatives in Australia and in Cyprus know the couple well. For a sponsor partner from Cyprus application, that family recognition can be strong social evidence. Photographs of family events, invitations, and Form 888 statements from relatives and friends in Australia and Cyprus help show that the relationship is known and accepted. The article on the social aspects of a partner visa explains the weight given to this evidence, and the FAQ on whether families must know about the relationship addresses common concerns.

Form 888 statements and personal statements

Each Form 888 statement must be made by an Australian citizen or permanent resident who knows the couple. The guide to Form 888 for a partner visa explains who can sign and what to include. The personal statements from both partners should tell the history of the relationship in their own words, consistently. The guide to the partner visa relationship statement explains the structure.

Sponsor partner from Cyprus: the Cyprus police certificate and other character checks

The Cypriot partner must usually provide a criminal record certificate from the Cyprus Police, together with police certificates from every other country where the partner lived for 12 months or more in the last 10 years since turning 16.

The Cyprus Police publish an application for the issue of a clear criminal record certificate. That is the certificate the Department generally expects for a sponsor partner from Cyprus applicant who has lived in Cyprus. The method of applying, including whether an application can be made through a representative or a Cypriot embassy abroad, should be checked with the Cyprus Police or the nearest Cypriot diplomatic mission at the time. The guide to overseas police certificates for a partner visa explains the general rule.

Timing of the police certificate

Police certificates have a limited period of use. A certificate obtained too early may need to be replaced before the decision. The FAQ on police certificate and health check validity explains how long they are generally accepted. If a certificate cannot be obtained, the FAQ on what to do if you cannot get a police certificate explains the alternatives.

The Australian police check

If the Cypriot partner has spent 12 months or more in Australia in the last 10 years, an Australian Federal Police check is also required. The article on the partner visa AFP police check explains which type of check the Department accepts.

Health examinations and biometrics

The Cypriot partner must also meet the health requirement and may be asked to provide biometrics. In a sponsor partner from Cyprus application, the Department issues health examination instructions through the online account once the application is lodged. The guide to partner visa health requirements and the article on partner visa biometrics explain each step.

Do Greek or Turkish documents need translating?

Yes. Every document that is not in English must be uploaded with a full English translation, and the original document must be uploaded with it.

Greek and Turkish are the official languages of the Republic of Cyprus. Cypriot civil certificates, police certificates and other records may be issued in Greek, and some may be in Turkish or bilingual. Any part that is not in English must be translated. That includes stamps, seals and handwritten notes on civil documents. The guide to partner visa evidence translation explains the rules.

Who can translate

A translation made in Australia should be made by a NAATI certified translator. A translation made outside Australia does not need a NAATI credential, but it must identify the translator, including the translator's full name, address, telephone number and qualifications. Where a sponsor partner from Cyprus couple have their documents translated in Cyprus, the translator's details and qualifications must therefore appear on each translation. Neither partner, nor a relative, should translate the documents. The FAQ on how to translate a marriage certificate for a marriage visa gives a worked explanation.

Transliteration of Greek names

Greek names can be transliterated into English in more than one way. A sponsor partner from Cyprus application must use the spelling in the passport consistently across the forms, the statements and the translations. A different spelling of a surname or a parent's name in a translated certificate is a common reason for a request for more information. The translator should be told the passport spelling so that the translation matches it.

Translating messages and social evidence

Chat messages, cards and social media posts in Greek or Turkish do not all need to be translated word for word. A representative selection, translated properly, is usually enough. The FAQ on how to translate messages for a partner visa explains the approach.

Can anything stop the sponsor from sponsoring a partner from Cyprus?

Yes. The sponsorship can be refused if the sponsor has already sponsored two partners, sponsored a partner within the last five years, or was sponsored as a partner within the last five years, unless there are compelling circumstances. It can also be refused because of certain criminal convictions.

These rules sit in Division 1.4B of the Migration Regulations. They apply to every sponsor partner from Cyprus application at the Subclass 820, Subclass 309 or Subclass 300 stage. The firm's page on partner visa sponsorship limitations sets out each limitation, and the guide to when a sponsor cannot sponsor a partner visa explains how they are applied.

The two-sponsor limit and five-year rule

Regulation 1.20J limits a sponsor to two partner sponsorships in a lifetime and generally requires five years between the first application sponsored and a new sponsorship. A person who was sponsored as a partner generally cannot sponsor a new partner within five years of their own partner visa application. These limits can be waived where there are compelling circumstances affecting the sponsor. A child of the new relationship is often an important part of that assessment. The FAQ on whether a person can sponsor more than one partner explains the rule. The FAQ on compelling and compassionate circumstances for a partner visa explains how those circumstances are argued.

Sponsor police checks and relevant offences

Under regulation 1.20KC, the Department can ask the sponsor for police checks. A sponsor who has been convicted of a relevant offence and has a significant criminal record for that offence must be refused unless it is reasonable to approve the sponsorship. The sponsor must also consent to the Department disclosing relevant convictions to the applicant. The guide to the partner visa sponsor police check explains which certificates are needed.

A Cypriot-Australian sponsor who has lived in Cyprus for a total of 12 months or more in the last 10 years since turning 16 may be asked for a Cyprus Police criminal record certificate as well as an Australian Federal Police check. That is often overlooked in a sponsor partner from Cyprus application. Where the applicant is under 18, regulation 1.20KB requires the sponsor to provide police checks, and a registrable child sex offence conviction leads to refusal unless an exception applies.

The sponsor undertaking

In every sponsor partner from Cyprus application, the sponsor must undertake to provide adequate accommodation and financial assistance to the applicant for two years. The guide to the partner visa sponsor undertaking explains what that means in practice.

Sponsor partner from Cyprus: Cypriot-Australian sponsors returning home

A Cypriot-Australian sponsor who has been living in Cyprus can still sponsor, but the sponsor's own status and the timing of the move to Australia must be planned before the application is lodged.

An Australian citizen has no residence requirement to be a sponsor. A permanent resident does. A permanent resident who has lived in Cyprus for years may no longer be usually resident in Australia, and may also need a Resident Return visa to travel back. The article on a partner visa sponsor living overseas explains these points, and the guide to the partner visa sponsor returning to Australia explains how to time the move.

Choosing between moving first and applying first

Some sponsor partner from Cyprus couples lodge a Subclass 309 while still living together in Cyprus and move once it is granted. Others move to Australia together, with the Cypriot partner travelling on an eVisitor, and lodge a Subclass 820 in Australia. Each approach has risks. The FAQ for an Australian living overseas who wants to sponsor a partner explains the main considerations.

Evidence to collect before leaving Cyprus

Evidence of shared life in Cyprus is easier to collect while the couple still live there. Before leaving, the couple should keep copies of leases, utility bills, bank statements, insurance policies and correspondence addressed to both partners. Evidence of the commitment to resettle in Australia, such as job offers, a new lease or school enrolments for children, also supports the application. The article on the nature of commitment explains why plans for the future matter.

Children from Cyprus

Where the Cypriot partner has children, they may be included in the sponsor partner from Cyprus application. If the other parent remains in Cyprus, their consent or a court order is usually needed. The guide to adding children to a partner visa explains the requirements.

What does it cost to sponsor partner from Cyprus?

The Department of Home Affairs lists the partner visa application charge from 1 July 2026 as AUD 11,710 for the combined Subclass 820 and Subclass 801 application, and AUD 11,710 for the combined Subclass 309 and Subclass 100 application.

Those charges cover both the temporary and the permanent stage. Other costs for a sponsor partner from Cyprus application include health examinations, police certificates, translations and any biometrics. The guide to partner visa cost explains these items, and the FAQ on partner visa cost gives a short summary. Charges change, so the current figure should be confirmed on the Department's website before lodging.

What are the common mistakes in a sponsor partner from Cyprus application?

The most common mistakes in a sponsor partner from Cyprus application are lodging onshore when the visitor visa does not allow it, relying on a Cypriot civil partnership as if it were an Australian registered relationship, and uploading translations that do not match the passports.

Each of these mistakes is avoidable. Each can also cause a refusal, an invalid application or a long delay. The guide to partner visa application mistakes covers errors that arise in every country. The points below are the ones that arise most often in a sponsor partner from Cyprus matter.

• Travelling without checking condition 8503. A Cypriot partner who arrives on a visitor visa with condition 8503 cannot lodge a valid Subclass 820 without a waiver. The sponsor partner from Cyprus couple should check the grant notice before booking flights, not after arrival.
• Letting the visitor visa expire. If the eVisitor stay ends before the Subclass 820 is lodged, Schedule 3 applies. That is a far harder test than the ordinary criteria.
• Treating a civil partnership as a registration. A Cypriot civil partnership is good evidence, but it does not remove the 12-month de facto requirement. A sponsor partner from Cyprus couple who have lived together for less than 12 months need a different basis.
• Uploading only a church document. A religious certificate without the civil registration record can leave the Department unsure whether the marriage was registered under Cypriot law.
• Inconsistent Greek name spellings. Different transliterations of the same name across documents prompt requests for information. Every sponsor partner from Cyprus application should use one spelling, taken from the passport.
• Forgetting the sponsor's own Cyprus Police certificate. A sponsor who lived in Cyprus for 12 months or more may be asked for one. Leaving it until the Department asks can delay the sponsorship.
• Thin evidence of time apart. Long-distance periods need an explanation and records of contact, visits and support. The guide on weak partner visa evidence explains how gaps are addressed.
• Statements that do not match. The sponsor's statement and the applicant's statement must tell the same history. The article on partner visa conflicting statements explains how inconsistencies are treated.

A review of the full application before lodgement can identify these problems. The article on a partner visa application review explains what a pre-lodgement review covers.

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

A refused partner visa can usually be reviewed by the Administrative Review Tribunal, but the review application 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. For a Subclass 820 refusal, the applicant lodges it. The FAQ on who applies for review of an offshore refusal explains this rule. The Tribunal application fee for review of a partner visa refusal is AUD 3,727 from 1 July 2026, and half is refunded if the Tribunal sets aside, varies or remits the decision. The article on partner visa ART fees explains the refund.

Missing the deadline usually ends the review right. The guide to the partner visa appeal deadline explains how the 28 days are counted, and the guide to the partner visa ART review process explains what happens after lodgement. The firm's page on partner visa refusals explains how refusals are approached, and the urgent visa refusal review page is for couples close to the deadline.

Common refusal reasons

The most common reasons a partner visa is refused are that the Department is not satisfied the relationship is genuine and continuing, the evidence is thin or inconsistent, the sponsorship cannot be approved, or a document is found to be false or misleading. The guide to partner visa refusal reasons explains each one.

Tribunal decisions that turned on the evidence

Published Tribunal decisions show how review can change the outcome where new evidence or a fresh assessment is put forward. Each case turns on its own facts. Three examples, described only by the issues recorded in the decisions:

• WELDEMARIAM (Migration) [2024] ARTA 112. A Subclass 309 matter about the sponsorship limitation, where there was a child of the relationship and another child expected. The Tribunal remitted the matter, sending it back to the Department for reconsideration.
• Khen (Migration) [2024] AATA 1061. A Subclass 300 matter about an impediment to marriage under Australian law and the applicant's marital status, involving a Certificate of Celibacy and a Single Status Certificate. The matter was remitted to the Department.
• HOWLADER (Migration) [2024] AATA 865. A Subclass 309 matter where the parties were validly married in the applicant's home country, with a small wedding before the sponsor's departure, followed by financial support, communication and two visits. The matter was remitted to the Department.

These decisions do not predict the outcome of any other case. They show that the Tribunal looks at the evidence afresh, including evidence that was not before the Department. The FAQ on new evidence at a Tribunal review explains how to present it.

Reapplying instead of reviewing

In some cases a new application is a better option than review. The comparison of partner visa appeal versus reapplication explains the factors, including the sponsorship limitations and the cost of a second application charge.

How My Migration Lawyers helps Cypriot-Australian couples sponsor a partner from Cyprus

My Migration Lawyers deals with complex partner visa cases and acts in many matters for Australian sponsors whose partners come from overseas, including from Europe and the eastern Mediterranean. The firm is capable of handling a sponsor partner from Cyprus matter from first advice through to the permanent stage, and through review if a refusal occurs.

Every sponsor partner from Cyprus matter is different. A couple married in a Limassol civil ceremony, a couple in a Cypriot civil partnership, and a returning Cypriot-Australian sponsor with an expired travel facility each need a different plan. On a matter of this kind, the firm:

• confirms the sponsor's status, including citizenship by descent, dual citizenship or permanent residence and usual residence in Australia;
• advises whether the Cypriot partner should lodge onshore after arriving on an eVisitor, or offshore from Cyprus, and checks the visitor visa grant notice for condition 8503 before the partner travels;
• reviews the Cypriot marriage certificate or civil partnership certificate, any earlier divorce, and the documents from both sides of the family, and advises whether the couple should apply as spouses or as de facto partners;
• identifies which police certificates are needed for both partners, including a Cyprus Police criminal record certificate for a sponsor who lived in Cyprus;
• checks every Greek or Turkish translation against the passport spelling, so that names and dates match across the application;
• presents the couple's own account of their relationship and their own evidence in a clear structure, which the couple review and correct before lodgement; and
• responds to any request for information from the Department and, if a refusal occurs, advises on review within the 28-day deadline.

The firm's partner visa lawyers work with clients across Australia, including through the Sydney partner visa lawyers, Melbourne partner visa lawyers and Adelaide partner visa lawyers pages. Consultations are by video, so a sponsor partner from Cyprus couple can meet the firm together whether one partner is in Australia and the other is in Cyprus. The FAQ on partner visa help for complex cases explains what makes a matter complex, and the partner visa FAQ hub answers many other common questions.

Matters are supervised by Principal Lawyer Weiwei Zhang. More information about the firm is on the About My Migration Lawyers page.

Anyone who wants to sponsor partner from Cyprus, or whose Cypriot partner has received a refusal, can Book a consultation with My Migration Lawyers, or call 1300 040 300.