Sponsoring a Partner From Hungary

Australians who want to sponsor partner from Hungary usually face a set of problems that has little to do with the visa forms. A Hungarian partner can often visit Australia on an eVisitor, the couple may have lived together in Budapest, Vienna or Berlin, and the partner's documents write names in a different order from Australian documents. Each of these facts helps or hurts the application depending on how it is handled. This guide explains how to sponsor partner from Hungary, step by step, for the Australian sponsor.

The guide covers who can sponsor, which visa to use, how the eVisitor affects the onshore and offshore choice, Hungarian name order and married names, Hungarian civil certificates, translation, the Hungarian police certificate, evidence from life together in Europe, government charges and refusal risks. It is general information, not legal advice for your situation.

My Migration Lawyers acts for Australian sponsors in partner visa matters. The firm's partner visa lawyers page explains how the firm approaches these matters, and the complete guide to partner visas in Australia sets out every subclass in detail.

Can an Australian sponsor partner from Hungary?

Yes. An Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident or an eligible New Zealand citizen can sponsor partner from Hungary if the couple is married, in a de facto relationship, or engaged to marry, and the sponsor meets the sponsorship requirements in the Migration Regulations 1994.

The sponsor must usually be at least 18 years old. The sponsor must not be barred by the sponsorship limitations, which restrict how often a person can sponsor partners and whether a person who was sponsored as a partner can sponsor a new partner within five years. The firm's guide to who can be a partner visa sponsor explains the basic test. The article on partner visa sponsor eligibility goes through each condition.

The type of sponsor matters less than people think when you sponsor partner from Hungary. An Australian citizen sponsor, a permanent resident sponsor and an eligible New Zealand citizen sponsor all follow the same basic structure. The rules to sponsor partner from Hungary are the same rules that apply to a partner from any other country. What changes is the evidence, the documents and the practical choices.

Many Australians of Hungarian descent also hold Hungarian citizenship. A sponsor who is an Australian citizen and a Hungarian citizen can still sponsor, and the article on dual citizen partner visa sponsors explains what the Department asks a dual citizen to prove.

Which visa do you use to sponsor partner from Hungary?

The visa you use to sponsor partner from Hungary depends on where the Hungarian partner will be when the application is lodged, and on whether the couple is married, de facto or engaged. There are three options.

Subclass 309 and Subclass 100 (offshore)

The Subclass 309 partner visa is lodged online while the Hungarian partner is outside Australia. The partner must also be outside Australia when the visa is granted. The Subclass 309 is a temporary visa, and the permanent Subclass 100 is assessed later as the second stage of the same application. The firm's guide to the offshore partner visa explains the full process.

Subclass 820 and Subclass 801 (onshore)

The Subclass 820 partner visa is lodged while the Hungarian partner is in Australia. It normally gives the partner a bridging visa so they can stay in Australia while the application is processed. The permanent Subclass 801 is assessed later. The guide to the onshore partner visa sets out the requirements.

Subclass 300 (engaged couples)

The Subclass 300 prospective marriage visa is for a Hungarian partner who is engaged to the Australian sponsor and intends to marry in Australia. The partner must be outside Australia when the application is lodged and when it is granted. After the wedding, the couple applies for the onshore partner visa.

A side by side comparison is in the firm's explanation of onshore versus offshore partner visas and the FAQ on the Subclass 820 compared with the Subclass 309.

Can a Hungarian partner visit Australia on an eVisitor?

Yes. Hungary is listed as an eVisitor eligible passport in the Migration (Specification of eVisitor eligible passport) Instrument (LIN 23/064) 2023. A Hungarian citizen with a Hungarian passport can therefore apply online for an eVisitor (Subclass 651) to visit Australia for tourism or business visitor activities.

This matters a great deal for couples who want to sponsor partner from Hungary. Many partners from countries without eVisitor access must apply for a Visitor (Subclass 600) visa, which is assessed more closely and can be refused. A Hungarian partner usually has a simpler path to spend time in Australia. That opens the possibility of lodging an onshore Subclass 820 application while the partner is in Australia.

The eVisitor is still a visitor visa. It is granted for a visit, and the partner must be a genuine visitor when applying for it. The Department can look back at what was said in the eVisitor application if it later decides the partner never intended to visit only. The firm's article on using a visitor visa during partner visa processing explains the risks, and the FAQ on mentioning a partner in a visitor visa application answers the question couples ask most.

Does condition 8503 affect a Hungarian partner on an eVisitor?

It can. Condition 8503 is the "no further stay" condition. If it is attached to a visa, the holder cannot be granted most other visas while in Australia, including the Subclass 820, unless the condition is first waived. An eVisitor is not always granted with condition 8503, but the grant notice must be checked before any onshore plan is made.

The rule is simple. Before a Hungarian partner flies to Australia intending to lodge an onshore application, the couple should read the eVisitor grant notice and confirm which conditions apply. If condition 8503 appears, the onshore route is closed unless a waiver is granted, and waivers are only available in narrow circumstances that arose after the visa was granted. The firm's guide to the Subclass 820 and condition 8503 explains the problem, and the article on condition 8503 waivers explains what a waiver request requires.

An eVisitor holder who lodges a Subclass 820 application while still holding the eVisitor, and without condition 8503, usually meets the requirement to hold a substantive visa at the time of application. A partner whose eVisitor has expired is in a different position. The Schedule 3 criteria then apply, and the partner must usually show compelling reasons to be granted the visa. The firm's page on Schedule 3 waivers explains why this is one of the most common reasons onshore applications fail.

Onshore or offshore: how to decide when you sponsor partner from Hungary

The onshore or offshore decision is the first strategic decision when you sponsor partner from Hungary, and it should be made with the facts on the table rather than by default. The following questions guide the decision.

Where does the couple want to live during processing? A Subclass 820 applicant normally stays in Australia on a bridging visa with work rights. A Subclass 309 applicant normally waits outside Australia, although they can visit Australia on a separate visitor visa while the application is processed.

Is the Hungarian partner working or studying in Hungary or elsewhere in the European Union? Some partners do not want to leave a job, a degree or a family member in Europe until the visa is granted. For them, the Subclass 309 often fits better.

Can the partner be in Australia legally on the day of lodgement? The onshore route depends on holding a substantive visa, usually the eVisitor, without condition 8503. If the timing is uncertain, the Schedule 3 risk is real.

Is the relationship ready for lodgement? A de facto couple must usually show 12 months of de facto relationship before the application, unless the relationship is registered in an Australian state or territory. A married couple must have a valid marriage.

The couple's answers point to a pathway. There is no universally better choice. The article on moving from a tourist visa to a partner visa and the guide to applying for a partner visa on a tourist visa explain the onshore option in more detail. The Subclass 309 partner visa lawyer article explains why some couples prefer to apply from Europe.

The decision to sponsor partner from Hungary onshore also affects the bridging visa. A partner who lodges onshore while holding an eVisitor usually receives a Bridging Visa A, which comes into effect when the eVisitor ends. The article on the partner visa bridging visa explains how this works and what happens if the partner needs to travel.

Hungarian name order and why it matters

Hungarian name order is one of the most practical problems when you sponsor partner from Hungary. In Hungarian usage, and in Hungarian civil documents, the family name is written first and the given name second. A woman called Anna Kovács in English order is Kovács Anna in Hungarian order.

Australian forms ask for the family name and the given names in separate fields. That is helpful, because the separate fields remove the confusion about order. The problem arises when documents, translations and statements write the same person's name in different orders, and the Department of Home Affairs has to work out whether the documents relate to the same person.

Family name and given names in the forms

The application forms must use the name exactly as it appears in the Hungarian passport, with the family name in the family name field and all given names in the given names field. A Hungarian partner with two given names must include both. The Form 80 personal particulars form and the online application must match. The firm's guide to Form 80 for a partner visa explains the form in detail.

Translations and certificates

A certified translator will usually render a Hungarian certificate in the order it appears in the original. A translation that reads "Kovács Anna" next to a passport that reads "KOVACS ANNA" in the machine-readable line is not a problem if the case officer understands Hungarian name order. It becomes a problem if the relationship statement, the Form 888 statements or the sponsor's documents call the same person "Anna Kovacs", "Kovács Anna" and "Anna K." without explanation. The FAQ on different names and dates across documents explains how to deal with inconsistencies.

Accents and special characters

Hungarian names use accented letters, such as á, é, í, ó, ö, ő, ú, ü and ű. Some systems cannot display them, and passport machine-readable lines use plain letters. The application should use the name exactly as the passport shows it, and the relationship statement can note that the accented and unaccented versions refer to the same person.

Married names

A Hungarian partner who married before, or who has changed a name on marriage, may have a different name on a birth certificate, a marriage certificate and a passport. Hungarian embassies state that a person who married in Hungary, or whose marriage abroad has been registered in Hungary, can request a married name or a change back to a birth name. Every former name must be declared in any application to sponsor partner from Hungary. The FAQ on name changes after marriage and the article on changing passports during a partner visa application explain the process.

Name inconsistencies are not just administrative. A case officer who cannot match identity documents may raise concerns about identity, and an unexplained difference can lead to a request for more information under section 56 of the Migration Act 1958. The FAQ on partner visas and different identities explains how serious identity concerns become. When you sponsor partner from Hungary, a single table in the relationship statement or a short covering note that lists every version of the partner's name avoids most of these problems.

Hungarian civil documents needed to sponsor partner from Hungary

The core documents needed to sponsor partner from Hungary are the partner's passport, birth certificate, evidence of any change of name, evidence that any previous marriage has ended, and, if the couple is married, the marriage certificate. Each document must be clear, complete and, where it is not in English, translated.

Hungarian civil status records are kept in the Hungarian civil register, and most documents needed to sponsor partner from Hungary come from it. Birth, marriage and death events are recorded there, and certificates are issued from it. A Hungarian partner who was born in Hungary can usually obtain a birth certificate extract. A partner who was born outside Hungary but holds Hungarian citizenship may have had the birth registered in Hungary through a consulate.

The firm's partner visa document checklist explains what the Department usually expects, and the FAQ on partner visa documents answers common questions. If a document cannot be obtained, the FAQ on what to do when a birth or marriage certificate cannot be obtained explains the alternatives.

Previous marriages and divorce records

Previous marriages are where many applications to sponsor partner from Hungary run into trouble. If either partner was previously married, the Department needs evidence that the earlier marriage has ended. For a Hungarian partner, that is usually a court decision dissolving the marriage, or a death certificate if the former spouse died. If the divorce took place in another European country, the divorce document from that country is needed.

Couples who sponsor partner from Hungary should check the divorce date against the date of any new marriage. A marriage entered into while one partner was still married to someone else is not a valid marriage under Australian law. The couple may still be in a de facto relationship, but the visa must be approached on that basis. The article on applying for a partner visa while still married to someone else and the guide to partner visas after divorce explain the options.

Should you marry in Hungary or in Australia?

Couples who want to sponsor partner from Hungary can marry in Hungary, in Australia or in a third country, and a marriage that is valid where it took place is generally recognised in Australia under Part VA of the Marriage Act 1961, subject to the exceptions in that Part. The right place to marry depends on where the couple will be, which visa they will use and how quickly they need to lodge.

Marrying in Hungary. A civil marriage in Hungary is conducted before a Hungarian registrar. The Australian sponsor will usually need to prove identity and that they are free to marry, and documents from Australia may need an apostille and a Hungarian translation for use there. The requirements are set by Hungarian authorities, and the sponsor should confirm them directly with the registrar's office before booking a date.

Marrying in Australia. A Hungarian partner on an eVisitor can marry in Australia. The couple must give a Notice of Intended Marriage at least one month before the wedding. The FAQ on the Notice of Intended Marriage and the guide on how to get married in Australia explain the process.

Engaged and marrying later. If the partner is outside Australia and the couple intends to marry in Australia, the Subclass 300 may suit them better than marrying first.

For most couples who sponsor partner from Hungary, the deciding factor is where the partner will be on the day of lodgement. The firm's article on whether an overseas marriage is recognised in Australia explains the recognition rules in plain language, and the FAQ on what makes a valid marriage for a spouse visa explains the elements the Department checks.

Registering a marriage abroad in Hungary

A Hungarian citizen who marries outside Hungary, for example in Australia, can have the marriage registered in the Hungarian civil register through a Hungarian embassy or consulate. Hungarian embassies state that a person must register a marriage contracted abroad before they can request a change of married name in Hungary.

Registration in Hungary is not required to sponsor partner from Hungary on an Australian partner visa. An Australian marriage certificate is enough evidence of a marriage that took place in Australia. Registration in Hungary matters for the partner's own Hungarian records, passport and name. It can also create a new Hungarian document that shows a different name from the one used in the visa application, which must then be declared.

For couples who sponsor partner from Hungary after marrying in Australia, the practical advice is to decide which name the partner will use before the Australian application is lodged, and to keep it consistent. A name change during processing is not fatal, but it must be notified. The firm's guide to the Form 1022 change of circumstances notice explains how to notify the Department.

Translating Hungarian documents

Every Hungarian document provided with an application to sponsor partner from Hungary must be accompanied by an English translation. That includes the birth certificate, any marriage certificate, divorce decision, name change record and the police certificate.

The Department's practice is to accept translations prepared by a translator accredited in Australia or, for applications lodged outside Australia, by a qualified translator in the country where the document was issued. The translation should include the translator's details and should translate the whole document, including stamps and handwritten notes. The firm's article on partner visa evidence translation explains the standards, and the FAQ on translating a marriage certificate answers the most common question.

Translation costs add up quickly, so couples who sponsor partner from Hungary should translate selectively. Relationship evidence in Hungarian, such as messages, cards or letters, does not need to be translated in full. A sample of key messages, with English translations, is usually enough to show the nature of the communication. The FAQ on translating messages for a partner visa explains how to choose what to translate.

Do Hungarian documents need an apostille?

No, not usually for the partner visa itself. The Department generally accepts clear colour scans of original documents uploaded to ImmiAccount, together with English translations. An apostille is a certificate that confirms the origin of a public document for use in another country, and Hungary and Australia are both parties to the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents.

An apostille becomes important when documents move in the other direction, which happens when couples who sponsor partner from Hungary decide to marry in Hungary. If the Australian sponsor marries in Hungary, Hungarian authorities may require Australian documents with an apostille. The Australian sponsor should obtain the apostille through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade before travelling.

The Department can ask for original documents or certified copies at any stage. The FAQ on certified copies for a partner visa explains when they are needed.

The Hungarian police certificate

The Hungarian police certificate is the Official Certificate of Good Conduct, called the hatósági erkölcsi bizonyítvány in Hungarian. It is issued by Hungarian authorities under the Ministry of Interior. The Hungarian Embassy in Canberra states that the certificate is issued only in Hungarian and is valid for three months.

The certificate is a standard requirement to sponsor partner from Hungary. A Hungarian partner who is in Australia can apply through the Hungarian Embassy in Australia. The embassy states that applications are made in person at its Sydney or Melbourne office, that a legalised English translation can be ordered for an additional fee, and that processing takes about five days as a general rule. A partner who is in Hungary can apply through the Hungarian authorities directly. A partner living in another country can apply through the nearest Hungarian embassy or consulate. Couples who sponsor partner from Hungary while living in a third country should allow extra time for this step.

Three practical points arise when you sponsor partner from Hungary.

Timing. The Department usually asks for police certificates when it is ready to assess them, or the applicant provides them with the application. A certificate obtained too early may expire under Hungarian rules or may no longer be considered current by the Department. The FAQ on police certificate and health check validity and the article on expired police checks explain the timing.

Translation. The certificate must be translated into English. If the embassy's legalised English translation is ordered, that translation can be provided. Otherwise a separate accredited translation is needed.

Names. The certificate will show the name in Hungarian order. That is expected, but it must match the passport details.

The Department of Home Affairs publishes country-specific police certificate instructions, including for anyone who wants to sponsor partner from Hungary, on its website. Those instructions should be checked at the time of application, because they change. The firm's guide to overseas police certificates for partner visas explains the general rules, and the FAQ on police checks for partner visas answers common questions.

Police certificates from other European countries

Hungarian partners often lived in other European countries for study or work. Requirements to sponsor partner from Hungary therefore often extend beyond Hungary. The general rule is that an applicant aged 16 or over must provide a police certificate from each country where they spent a total of 12 months or more in the last 10 years. For a Hungarian partner who worked in Austria, Germany or the United Kingdom, that may mean two or three certificates, each with its own process and timing.

The person to sponsor partner from Hungary is often the one coordinating these certificates, because the partner may be busy working or may not know the process in a third country. A simple list of every country, every period of residence and the certificate required is worth preparing early. If a certificate genuinely cannot be obtained, the FAQ on what to do when a police certificate cannot be obtained explains the Department's approach, and the article on partner visa character requirements explains the wider character test.

What the sponsor must provide

To sponsor partner from Hungary, the Australian sponsor must provide evidence of Australian citizenship, permanent residence or eligible New Zealand citizenship, identity documents, and, for the Subclass 309, Subclass 820 and Subclass 300, an Australian police certificate when the Department asks for it. The sponsor also gives the sponsorship undertaking.

The sponsor's police certificate is assessed under the sponsorship limitation rules in regulations 1.20KB and 1.20KC of the Migration Regulations 1994. Most sponsors have nothing to declare. A sponsor with a conviction for an offence listed in those rules should obtain advice before lodgement. The guide to the sponsor police check and the page on sponsorship limitations explain the rules.

The sponsor's role in an application to sponsor partner from Hungary does not end at lodgement, and the sponsor's obligations continue after grant. The article on partner visa sponsor obligations explains them, and the guide to sponsor documents lists what the sponsor should gather.

Couples who lived together in Europe: evidence that travels with you

Couples who lived together in Hungary or elsewhere in Europe can use that period as strong evidence of a de facto relationship or a marriage, because the Department assesses the whole history of the relationship, not only the time spent in Australia. The difficulty is practical: the documents are in Hungarian, German or another language, they are held by landlords, banks and local offices overseas, and they become harder to obtain once the couple has left.

The time to collect European evidence is before the couple leaves Europe. Once the lease ends and the bank account closes, obtaining records can take months. When you sponsor partner from Hungary after living together in Europe, gather the following while you still can.

Household evidence from Europe

• Leases or rental agreements in both names, or in one name with evidence the other partner lived there.
• Address registration records showing both partners at the same address, where the country keeps them.
• Utility bills, internet bills and insurance documents addressed to both partners or to the shared address.
• Correspondence from employers, universities or government offices addressed to each partner at the shared address.

The FAQ on living together overseas for 12 months explains how overseas cohabitation counts, and the FAQ on what counts as living together explains the Department's view. The firm's article on partner visa household evidence goes into detail.

Financial evidence from Europe

• Joint bank account statements, or statements showing transfers between the partners.
• Evidence of shared rent, shared bills and shared large purchases.
• Insurance policies naming the other partner.

The articles on partner visa financial evidence and joint bank account evidence explain how the Department reads financial records.

Social evidence from Europe

• Photos with friends and family in Hungary and elsewhere, with dates and places.
• Invitations, travel bookings and records of holidays taken together.
• Form 888 statements from Australian citizens or permanent residents who know the couple, and letters from Hungarian friends and family.

The four aspects the Department assesses are financial aspects, the nature of the household, social aspects and the nature of the commitment. The firm's guide to the four pillars of a partner visa explains each of them, and the guide to partner visa relationship evidence explains how the evidence fits together.

Evidence in Hungarian or German needs translation. Couples who sponsor partner from Hungary do not need to translate every bank statement line by line. It is usually enough to translate the parts that show the names, the address and the period covered, with an explanation in the relationship statement.

When the couple lives apart between Hungary and Australia

Many couples who sponsor partner from Hungary have spent long periods apart, because the sponsor returned to Australia for work or family while the partner stayed in Europe. Living apart does not end a relationship, but the Department will ask why the couple lives apart and what keeps the relationship going.

The relationship statement should explain the reason for each separation, how the couple stayed in contact and how they planned to be together again. Evidence of regular communication, visits and financial support carries the weight during periods apart. The firm's article on long-distance partner visa relationships, the article on partner visa travel evidence and the FAQ on messages, emails and call records explain what works.

A sponsor who lives in Hungary with the partner and plans to return to Australia should read the firm's guide for sponsors living overseas and the FAQ on Australians living overseas who sponsor a partner. The Department will want to see that the sponsor intends to live in Australia with the partner.

The de facto 12 month rule for couples who sponsor partner from Hungary

A de facto couple must usually show that they have been in a de facto relationship for at least 12 months before the application is lodged. Time spent living together in Hungary or anywhere else in Europe counts towards that period. Time in a dating relationship before the couple lived together, or before they committed to a shared life, may not count.

There is an exception. If the relationship is registered under a law of an Australian state or territory, the 12 month requirement does not apply. Hungarian or other European registrations are treated differently, and the couple should obtain advice about whether a registration made outside Australia helps. The article on the Subclass 820 de facto 12 month rule, the guide to de facto partner visas in Australia, and the FAQ on registering a de facto relationship for a partner visa explain the rules. The FAQ on overseas registered relationships explains how foreign registrations are treated.

One relationship statement, written for the case officer

An application to sponsor partner from Hungary has one relationship statement from each partner telling the story of the relationship, supported by evidence. The statement should explain how the couple met, how the relationship developed, where they lived, why they lived apart if they did, and what they plan for the future in Australia. It should address the four aspects the Department assesses, rather than presenting them as separate documents.

Names, dates and places in the statement must match the documents. If the Hungarian partner uses the family name first in conversation, the statement should still use one consistent form. The firm's guide to the relationship statement and the article on Form 888 for partner visas explain both documents. The FAQ on statements from overseas friends explains how letters from Hungarian friends and family can be used.

What recent Tribunal decisions show

The Administrative Review Tribunal regularly reviews refused partner visas, and a number of recent decisions show where applications fall short. The Tribunal decisions below were all remitted to the Department for reconsideration, which means the Tribunal found the refusal should be looked at again.

In Feng (Migration) [2025] ARTA 2425, a Subclass 309 matter, the issues were joint bank statements, evidence of communication and periods of cohabitation. That combination is common for couples who sponsor partner from Hungary after living together in Europe and then spending time apart. Evidence of the periods spent together, and of communication between those periods, mattered.

In Tran (Migration) [2025] ARTA 2243, also a Subclass 309 matter, the issues were an updated relationship statement, shared family commitments and family recognition. An updated relationship statement can explain how the relationship has developed since lodgement.

In 2305833 (Migration) [2026] ARTA 1686, a Subclass 820 matter, the issues were identity details and multiple birth certificates. That decision is a reminder that inconsistent identity documents are examined closely. The careful handling of Hungarian name order and married names discussed above is directly relevant.

In Popov (Migration) [2025] ARTA 2388, a Subclass 309 matter, the issues were money transfers, joint bank accounts and shared expenses. Financial records from a shared life in Europe are exactly this kind of evidence.

Each decision turned on its own facts. None of them predicts the outcome of another application to sponsor partner from Hungary.

Health examinations and the online application

The Hungarian partner will need to complete health examinations when the Department asks for them, or at an earlier stage if the couple chooses. The firm's guide to partner visa medical examinations explains the process. The application is lodged online through ImmiAccount. The article on how to create an ImmiAccount and the guide to the online partner visa application explain the steps.

If the Subclass 309 is granted, the Hungarian partner must be outside Australia at the time of grant. The FAQ on being outside Australia when a Subclass 309 is granted explains the timing, and the article on the first entry deadline explains when the partner must first enter Australia.

How much does it cost to sponsor partner from Hungary?

At the time of writing, the Department's visa application charge for the main applicant for a partner visa (Subclass 309 and Subclass 100, or Subclass 820 and Subclass 801) is AUD 11,710. That charge covers both stages of the partner visa. Additional charges apply for dependent children included in the application.

Other costs to sponsor partner from Hungary include translations, the Hungarian police certificate and any other police certificates, health examinations, and travel. The firm's guide to partner visa costs explains the government charges, and the FAQ on who pays the partner visa fee answers a common question. Government charges can change, so the charge should be checked on the Department's website before lodgement.

What if the partner visa is refused?

A refused partner visa can usually be reviewed by the Administrative Review Tribunal. For a refused Subclass 820 application, the review application must be lodged within 28 days after the applicant is notified of the decision. For a refused Subclass 309 application, the review is applied for by the visa applicant in their own name, from anywhere, and the time limit is short and strictly applied. It runs from when the refusal is taken to have been received.

At the time of writing, the Administrative Review Tribunal application fee for a partner visa review is AUD 3,727. The firm's page on partner visa refusals, the guide on what to do after a partner visa refusal, the FAQ on who applies for review of an offshore refusal and the article on ART fees for partner visas explain the review process.

Mistakes to avoid when you sponsor partner from Hungary

The same mistakes appear again and again in applications to sponsor partner from Hungary. Most of them can be avoided with preparation.

• Flying to Australia on an eVisitor without checking condition 8503. The grant notice should be read before travel.
• Letting the eVisitor expire before lodging onshore. Schedule 3 then applies, and the case becomes much harder.
• Using inconsistent name order across documents. The relationship statement and every form should use one consistent version of each name.
• Leaving European evidence behind. Leases, bills and bank records are harder to obtain once the couple has left.
• Missing police certificates from other countries. A Hungarian partner who lived in Austria, Germany or the United Kingdom may need certificates from each.
• Lodging a de facto application before the 12 months have passed. Unless the relationship is registered in Australia, the application may fail.
• Not declaring a previous marriage or name. Undeclared information can lead to a refusal on integrity grounds.

The firm's article on common partner visa application mistakes and the article on partner visa incorrect answers explain why accuracy matters. The guide to PIC 4020 explains the integrity rule that applies when information is found to be false or misleading.

How My Migration Lawyers helps you sponsor partner from Hungary

My Migration Lawyers deals with complex partner visa cases and acts for Australian sponsors in many matters involving partners from overseas, including partners from Hungary and across Central Europe. The firm is capable of handling the practical and legal problems that arise when you sponsor partner from Hungary, from the first strategic choice to a Tribunal review.

On matters for Hungarian partners, the firm's work typically includes:

• Choosing the pathway. The firm reviews the eVisitor grant, the couple's plans in Europe and the relationship timeline, and advises whether the Subclass 820, the Subclass 309 or the Subclass 300 fits.
• Identity and name review. The firm checks every document for name order, married names, accents and dates, and prepares a clear explanation of each difference before lodgement.
• Hungarian and European documents. The firm identifies which certificates are needed, which police certificates must be obtained from Hungary and other European countries, and when to obtain them.
• Relationship evidence across borders. The firm helps the couple organise evidence from their life together in Europe and their time apart, and presents it under the four aspects the Department assesses.
• Responding to the Department. The firm prepares responses to requests for more information and to concerns raised under section 57 of the Migration Act 1958.
• Review. If a refusal occurs, the firm advises on review by the Administrative Review Tribunal and prepares the case for hearing.

Matters are supervised by Weiwei Zhang, Principal Lawyer. The firm's FAQ on complex partner visa cases and the article on complex partner visa applications explain how the firm approaches difficult files. The firm works with sponsors across Australia, including in Sydney and Melbourne, by video consultation.

If you want to sponsor partner from Hungary and want the application prepared properly from the start, Book a Consultation with My Migration Lawyers. You can also call 1300 040 300.