Sponsoring a Partner From Kosovo

Australians who want to sponsor partner from Kosovo can do so under Australia's partner visa laws, provided the sponsor is eligible and the relationship is genuine and continuing. The process is the same in law for every country, but the documents are not. To sponsor partner from Kosovo successfully, a couple needs to deal with identity documents issued in different eras, names written in Albanian and Serbian forms, a criminal record certificate from the Kosovo courts, and, very often, police certificates from European countries where the partner has lived and worked.

This guide is written for the Australian sponsor. It explains which partner visa fits, what the Department of Home Affairs looks for in Kosovo documents, how couples who met in the European diaspora should present their relationship, and where applications to sponsor partner from Kosovo usually run into trouble. The firm's guide to partner visas in Australia explains the general framework, and the partner visa lawyers page explains how My Migration Lawyers works on these matters.

Can you sponsor partner from Kosovo to Australia?

Yes. An Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident or an eligible New Zealand citizen can sponsor partner from Kosovo for an Australian partner visa if the couple is married, in a de facto relationship, or engaged and intending to marry. There is no country-specific bar, quota or extra test that applies to Kosovo citizens.

The requirements to sponsor partner from Kosovo are the general partner visa requirements. The couple must have a mutual commitment to a shared life as spouses or de facto partners to the exclusion of all others, the relationship must be genuine and continuing, and the couple must live together or not live separately and apart on a permanent basis. The firm's guide to partner visa requirements sets these out, and the FAQ on what a genuine and continuing relationship means answers the core question briefly.

What changes for couples who sponsor partner from Kosovo is the evidence. The Department must be satisfied about the partner's identity, character and relationship history using documents from Kosovo and often from two or three other countries. Most delays and refusals in these files come from documents that do not match each other, not from the relationship itself.

Which visa do you use to sponsor partner from Kosovo?

The visa used to sponsor partner from Kosovo depends mainly on where the partner is when the application is lodged and whether the couple is already married or in a de facto relationship.

• Subclass 309 and Subclass 100 (offshore). The partner must be outside Australia when the application is lodged online and when the Subclass 309 is granted. This is the usual pathway when the partner is living in Kosovo or elsewhere in Europe. The page on the Subclass 309 visa explains it.
• Subclass 820 and Subclass 801 (onshore). The partner must be in Australia when the application is lodged. This pathway is only practical where the partner is already in Australia on a visa that allows a further application. The page on the Subclass 820 visa explains it.
• Subclass 300 (fiancé or fiancée). The partner must be outside Australia, and the couple must have met in person and intend to marry within the visa period. The page on the Subclass 300 visa explains it.

Both the onshore and offshore partner visas are lodged as a combined temporary and permanent application, with the permanent stage assessed later. The guide to the two stage partner visa process explains how that works, and the comparison of onshore and offshore partner visas explains the trade-offs.

Who can be the sponsor?

The sponsor must be an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident or an eligible New Zealand citizen, and must usually be at least 18. The sponsor makes a sponsorship application and accepts legal obligations, including obligations to support the partner.

Several sponsor rules apply whichever country the partner comes from:

• Previous sponsorships. A sponsor who has sponsored another partner before, or who was themselves granted a partner visa, may face limits. The page on sponsorship limitations explains the rules.
• Criminal history. The Department can ask the sponsor for police checks and can refuse to approve a sponsor with a significant criminal record for certain offences. The guide to the partner visa sponsor police check explains this.
• Sponsors living overseas. An Australian sponsor living in Kosovo or Europe can still sponsor, but must show an intention to live in Australia with the partner. The guide for a partner visa sponsor living overseas explains how that is assessed.
• Dual citizens. Many sponsors in the Kosovo-Australian community hold more than one citizenship. The guide on a partner visa sponsor who is a dual citizen covers that situation.

The full list of sponsor documents is in the guide to partner visa sponsor documents, and the guide to partner visa sponsor eligibility explains each requirement in more depth.

Does Australia accept a Kosovo passport?

Yes, as a general rule. Australia recognised Kosovo on 19 February 2008, two days after Kosovo declared independence, and the two countries established diplomatic relations on 21 May 2008. A current Kosovo passport is therefore the normal travel document when you sponsor partner from Kosovo.

This matters because of public interest criterion 4021, the passport requirement. The Department's procedural instruction on travel documents explains that a visa applicant generally needs a valid passport issued by an official source, in the form issued, and not in a class excluded by the Minister's legislative instrument on classes of passports. The instruction also says that, generally, if a country or territory is not recognised by Australia, its passports are unacceptable. Kosovo is recognised by Australia, and Kosovo passports do not appear in the list of excluded travel documents reproduced in that instruction.

Three practical points follow for couples who sponsor partner from Kosovo:

• The passport must be valid at the time of decision. If the partner's Kosovo passport will expire during processing, plan the renewal and tell the Department about the new passport. The guide to a partner visa change of passport explains how.
• Every passport must be declared. Some partners hold or have held both Kosovo and Serbian passports, or another European passport. The application forms ask about other citizenships and travel documents, and an undeclared passport can raise integrity concerns.
• An expired passport does not stop lodgement in every case, but it creates problems at grant. The FAQ on applying with an expired passport explains the position.

Older Yugoslav, UNMIK and Serbian documents in your partner's history

A partner born in Kosovo before 2008 may have identity documents from more than one administration. Depending on age and family history, the partner may have had Yugoslav or Serbian documents, travel documents issued under the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) before independence, and later Kosovo documents. Some people also hold current Serbian documents alongside Kosovo documents.

None of this is unusual for people who sponsor partner from Kosovo, and none of it is a problem in itself. It becomes a problem when the application to sponsor partner from Kosovo presents only the current passport and the Department later finds an earlier document with a different spelling, a different date format or a different place of birth.

The safer approach is to collect the partner's identity history before lodgement and present it consistently:

• the current Kosovo passport and national identity card;
• any earlier passports or travel documents the partner still holds, or details of them if they are lost;
• any other citizenship held, with the documents for it;
• a short explanation, where needed, of why the documents differ.

Previous visa applications to Australia, or to European countries such as Germany or Switzerland, may also hold earlier identity details. The Department can see its own records, and it may know about visa refusals in other countries. The FAQ on disclosing a previous visa refusal and the guide to Form 80 for a partner visa explain how earlier history should be declared.

The Tribunal has dealt with this kind of problem. In 2305833 (Migration) [2026] ARTA 1686, a Subclass 820 matter, the recorded issues were identity details, multiple birth certificates and a decentralised civil registration system. The Tribunal remitted the matter to the Department. The case is a reminder that documents which look inconsistent may have an innocent explanation, but the explanation has to be given, with evidence, before the Department draws its own conclusions.

Albanian and Serbian spellings: one identity on every document

Kosovo's Constitution makes Albanian and Serbian the official languages, so the same person, parent or place can be written differently depending on which language a document uses. A town can appear in its Albanian form on one certificate and its Serbian form on another. Family names may be transliterated differently on European residence documents, and diacritics such as ë and ç are often dropped or changed in foreign systems.

When you sponsor partner from Kosovo, decide early which spelling of each name is the primary spelling, normally the one in the current passport, and use it consistently in:

• the online application form and Form 80;
• the sponsor's application and the relationship statement;
• the Form 888 statements from friends and family;
• every English translation of a Kosovo document.

Where a document shows another spelling, the translation should reproduce it accurately, and a short note can explain that the two spellings refer to the same person or place. The FAQ on documents showing different names or dates of birth explains how the Department approaches this, and the FAQ on using a different identity before explains the more serious situation where a person has actually used another identity.

Consistency also matters because of public interest criterion 4020, which deals with false or misleading information and bogus documents. A spelling difference is not false information. But an unexplained difference in a date of birth, or a document that does not match the Department's records, can lead to a PIC 4020 concern. The guide to PIC 4020 for a partner visa explains the risk. In Udeh (Migration) [2025] ARTA 2009, a Subclass 309 matter, the recorded issues were false or misleading information and bogus documents concerning a date of birth and a passport, and the waiver discretion. The Tribunal remitted the matter. Identity consistency is the cheapest protection against that kind of dispute.

Civil documents from Kosovo you will usually need

To sponsor partner from Kosovo, the couple usually needs a set of Kosovo civil status documents for the partner, plus the sponsor's own documents from Australia. Kosovo civil status records are kept in a central civil status register, and municipal civil status offices issue extracts and certificates from it.

The Kosovo documents commonly used in an application to sponsor partner from Kosovo include the following. Not every couple needs every item, and the list for each couple who wants to sponsor partner from Kosovo depends on their history:

• an extract from the central civil status register showing the partner's birth details and parents' names;
• a certificate of marital status, where the partner's status before the relationship needs to be shown;
• the marriage certificate, if the couple married in Kosovo;
• divorce documents or a death certificate, if the partner was previously married;
• birth documents for any children included in the application.

For every application to sponsor partner from Kosovo, the Department wants clear colour scans of original documents, with English translations of anything not in English. The guide to the partner visa document checklist gives a full list, and the FAQ on whether certified copies are needed explains how uploads work in ImmiAccount.

If a document cannot be obtained, do not leave a gap without explanation. An application to sponsor partner from Kosovo with an unexplained gap invites a request for more information and delay. The FAQ on what to do if a birth or marriage certificate cannot be obtained explains the alternatives, and the guide to partner visa missing documents explains how missing items are usually handled.

Marrying in Kosovo before you sponsor partner from Kosovo

Many couples choose to marry in Kosovo before they apply. A civil marriage in Kosovo is celebrated before a Kosovo municipality, and the marriage certificate is issued by the Kosovo civil status office.

An Australian marrying in Kosovo should expect the municipality to ask for evidence that they are free to marry. Foreign governments commonly ask for this as a Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage, which Australians can request through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The sponsor's own birth certificate, passport, and divorce documents if previously married will also usually be needed. Requirements are set by the Kosovo municipality and can change, so confirm them directly before travelling.

Some couples who sponsor partner from Kosovo also hold a religious ceremony. For Australian partner visa purposes, the key document is the civil marriage certificate issued by the Kosovo civil status office. The FAQ on religious or cultural marriages explains why a ceremony that is not legally registered may not make the couple spouses in law, even though it remains good evidence of commitment.

Marrying is not compulsory. Couples can sponsor partner from Kosovo as de facto partners, and many couples who sponsor partner from Kosovo after living together in Europe do exactly that. But a valid marriage removes the de facto 12 month question entirely, which can matter for couples whose time living together was short. The guide to the partner visa marriage certificate explains which certificates are accepted.

Is a marriage in Kosovo recognised in Australia?

Yes, generally. A marriage validly celebrated under the law of Kosovo is generally recognised in Australia under Part VA of the Marriage Act 1961, unless it falls within one of the exceptions, such as where one party was already married or was not of marriageable age. The guide to overseas marriages recognised in Australia explains the rules, and the FAQ on whether an overseas marriage is recognised for a partner visa gives a short answer.

For couples who sponsor partner from Kosovo, the most common recognition problem is a previous marriage. If either person married before the earlier marriage was legally ended, the new marriage may not be valid. The relationship may still qualify as a de facto relationship, but the application then needs to be argued on that basis. Couples who sponsor partner from Kosovo after an earlier marriage should therefore check that every divorce was final before the new wedding date. The guide on a partner visa while still married and the guide on a partner visa where the overseas marriage is not recognised explain the options.

The Kosovo criminal record certificate

To sponsor partner from Kosovo, the partner will usually need a criminal record certificate from Kosovo. In Kosovo this is a certificate on criminal convictions issued through the courts, using the centralised criminal records system run under the Kosovo Judicial Council, rather than a certificate issued by the police.

Official information published by another government's immigration department states that a Kosovo citizen can apply in person at a local court or online through the e-Kosova government portal, including from outside Kosovo, and that foreign nationals and people without valid documents generally need to apply in person at a court of first instance, with an authorised representative able to collect the certificate. Check the current process before applying, because the Department's own country page for Kosovo should be followed if it gives different instructions.

Points to manage when you sponsor partner from Kosovo include timing, language and names:

• Timing. Police certificates are usually valid for 12 months for Department purposes. Obtaining them too early can mean they expire before decision. The FAQ on how long police certificates and health checks are valid explains this.
• Language. The certificate may be issued in Albanian, Serbian or both, and needs an English translation.
• Names. The certificate should show the same name, date of birth and place of birth as the passport, or the difference should be explained.

The guide to partner visa overseas police certificates explains the general rules, and the FAQ on whether a police check is needed for a partner visa answers the basic question.

Police certificates from Germany, Switzerland and other countries of residence

Applicants generally need a police certificate from every country where they have lived for a total of 12 months or more in the last 10 years since turning 16. For many people from Kosovo, this means at least one European country as well as Kosovo, and it is one of the most underestimated tasks for couples who sponsor partner from Kosovo.

The Kosovo diaspora in Western Europe is large. A partner may have studied in Germany, worked seasonally in Switzerland or Austria, or lived for years in another European country before meeting an Australian sponsor. Each of those periods can trigger a separate police certificate requirement. Short stays that add up to 12 months across several visits can also count.

When you sponsor partner from Kosovo, build a residence timeline before ordering any certificates:

• List every country the partner has lived in since turning 16, with dates.
• Mark every country with 12 months or more in total within the last 10 years.
• Check how each country issues certificates to people who no longer live there, because some processes take months from abroad.
• Request certificates in an order that keeps them valid at the same time.

If a certificate genuinely cannot be obtained, the Department's policy allows other evidence in some cases, and a statutory declaration may be required for that specific purpose. The FAQ on what to do if a police certificate cannot be obtained explains this. Where a certificate shows a conviction, take advice before lodging, because the character rules may apply. The guides to partner visa character requirements and partner visa overseas convictions explain how foreign records are assessed. The sponsor may also be asked for an Australian police check, explained in the guide to the partner visa AFP police check.

Couples who met in the European diaspora

Many couples who sponsor partner from Kosovo did not meet in Kosovo at all. They met in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Scandinavia or the United Kingdom, through family networks, work or study, and sometimes lived together there before deciding to move to Australia.

This history is valuable evidence when you sponsor partner from Kosovo, but it has to be documented properly. A de facto relationship lived in Europe can be proved by:

• a joint lease or a residence registration showing the same address;
• utility, internet or insurance accounts in either or both names at that address;
• bank statements showing shared spending on rent, groceries and travel;
• letters addressed to both partners at the shared home;
• statements from European friends, colleagues or landlords who knew the couple.

European residence registration documents can be particularly useful, because they record both the address and the dates. They are not in English and will need translation. The FAQ on living together overseas for 12 months explains how time abroad counts towards a de facto relationship, and the FAQ on when the 12 month de facto period starts explains the timing.

Where the couple has not lived together for 12 months, the relationship may still qualify if it is registered in an Australian state or territory, or if compelling and compassionate circumstances exist. The guide to de facto partner visas in Australia and the FAQ on registering a relationship while the partner is overseas explain those options.

Translating Albanian and Serbian documents

Every document that is not in English must be uploaded with an English translation. When you sponsor partner from Kosovo, that usually means Albanian documents, Serbian documents, and German or other European language documents from countries where the couple has lived.

The Department's general rule is that translations made in Australia should be done by a translator accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI), and translations made outside Australia should identify the translator and their qualifications. The guide to partner visa evidence translation explains the standard.

Practical translation rules for couples who sponsor partner from Kosovo:

• Translate the whole document, including stamps and handwritten notes, not only the part you think matters.
• Make sure the translator uses the agreed primary spelling of each name and also shows any different spelling in the original.
• Do not translate every message. Select representative messages and translate those. The FAQ on whether messages in another language need translation explains how to choose.
• Form 888 statements can only be made by Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents or eligible New Zealand citizens. Family members in Kosovo can give ordinary signed statements instead, and an Albanian or Serbian statement needs an English translation. The guide to Form 888 witness statements and the FAQ on statements from overseas friends explain who can make them.

Apostille and legalisation of Kosovo documents

The Department does not generally require an apostille or legalisation on Kosovo documents uploaded for an Australian partner visa. It relies on clear scans of the original documents and accurate English translations, and it can ask for originals or verify documents if it has concerns.

Kosovo acceded to the Hague Apostille Convention, and the Netherlands, as depositary, notified the other contracting states in November 2015. The Convention entered into force between Kosovo and the states that did not object on 14 July 2016. A number of states objected, including Serbia, Germany and Austria, and some objections have since been withdrawn. Australia is not listed among the objecting states.

For couples who sponsor partner from Kosovo, this matters mainly in the other direction. If an Australian document, such as the sponsor's birth certificate or divorce order, must be used in Kosovo, for example to marry there, the Kosovo authority may ask for an apostille from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Couples who sponsor partner from Kosovo and plan to marry there should confirm the municipality's requirements well before the wedding date.

Can a partner from Kosovo visit Australia first?

Yes, but only with a visa obtained before travel. Kosovo passport holders are not eligible for the eVisitor or the Electronic Travel Authority, so a partner from Kosovo who wants to visit Australia usually needs a Visitor (Subclass 600) visa.

A visit can strengthen the relationship evidence, and many couples who sponsor partner from Kosovo spend time together in Australia before applying. But a visitor visa is assessed on whether the person is a genuine visitor. The FAQ on whether to mention a partner on a visitor visa application explains why honesty about the relationship is essential, and the guide to a partner visa after a visitor visa refusal explains what to do if a visitor application is refused.

Visitor visas may carry condition 8503, which prevents most further visa applications in Australia while the person holds that visa. A partner who arrives with condition 8503 generally cannot lodge a Subclass 820 application unless the condition is waived, and waivers are limited. The FAQ on condition 8503 and partner visas and the guide to a condition 8503 waiver explain the rules. The guide to moving from a tourist visa to a partner visa explains what is possible.

Onshore or offshore: choosing the pathway to sponsor partner from Kosovo

For most couples who sponsor partner from Kosovo, the offshore Subclass 309 is the safer pathway. It is lodged online while the partner is outside Australia, it does not depend on the partner's visitor visa conditions, and it allows the partner to apply for a visitor visa to visit during processing.

The onshore Subclass 820 can suit a partner who is already lawfully in Australia on a visa without condition 8503, such as a student or work visa. It gives a bridging visa after lodgement in most cases, which lets the partner remain in Australia. It is also the pathway where Schedule 3 criteria may become relevant if the partner does not hold a substantive visa when the application is made. The page on Schedule 3 waivers explains that risk.

Factors that usually decide the pathway when you sponsor partner from Kosovo include the following. No single factor decides every case, so couples who sponsor partner from Kosovo should weigh them together:

• where the partner is now, and which visa they hold;
• whether a visitor visa would carry condition 8503;
• whether the couple wants to live together in Australia during processing;
• how quickly the European and Kosovo police certificates can be obtained;
• whether the partner needs to keep working in Europe until the visa is granted.

The FAQ on which partner visa to apply for and the comparison of Subclass 820 and Subclass 309 explain the decision. If the couple is only engaged, the FAQ on the fiancé visa compared with a partner visa explains the Subclass 300 route.

Relationship evidence between Australia and Kosovo

The Department assesses the relationship under four aspects: financial aspects, the nature of the household, social aspects, and the nature of the commitment. Couples who sponsor partner from Kosovo often live apart for long periods, so the evidence must show how the relationship works across the distance.

Useful evidence for couples who sponsor partner from Kosovo while living apart includes:

• Visits. Flight bookings, boarding passes and passport stamps for every trip, plus photographs across different visits. The guide to partner visa travel evidence explains what to include.
• Communication. Call logs and a selection of messages across the whole relationship, not only recent months. The FAQ on messages, emails and call records explains how to present them.
• Money. Transfers between the couple, shared travel costs and contributions to each other's expenses. The FAQ on money transfers as relationship evidence explains how these are assessed.
• Family knowledge. Evidence that both families know about and accept the relationship, including attendance at family events in Kosovo or in the diaspora. The FAQ on whether families need to know about the relationship explains why this matters.
• Future plans. Concrete plans for life in Australia, such as housing, work and study. The guide to partner visa future plans explains this.

The one relationship statement should explain how the couple met, how the relationship developed, the periods spent together and apart, and why the couple has lived in different countries. The guide to the partner visa relationship statement and the guide to a partner visa long distance relationship explain how to write it.

What the Tribunal has said about couples living in different countries

The Administrative Review Tribunal regularly reviews partner visa refusals where the couple has lived in different countries. Two recent remittals show how the issues are framed.

In Koroma (Migration) [2026] ARTA 200, a Subclass 309 matter, the recorded issues were a valid marriage in the home country and limited financial, household and social aspects while the couple lived in different countries. The Tribunal remitted the matter to the Department. In Feng (Migration) [2025] ARTA 2425, also a Subclass 309 matter, the recorded issues were joint bank statements, evidence of communication and periods of cohabitation. That matter was remitted too.

The lesson for couples who sponsor partner from Kosovo is not that a refusal will be overturned. A remittal sends the matter back for a new decision. The lesson is that the Department and the Tribunal look closely at how the couple explains living apart, and at whether the evidence of contact, visits and shared money is organised and complete. The FAQ on challenging a refusal based on living apart and the FAQ on whether a remittal means the visa will be granted explain more.

What does it cost to sponsor partner from Kosovo?

At the time of writing, the Department's visa application charge for the main applicant on a Subclass 309 and Subclass 100 application, or a Subclass 820 and Subclass 801 application, is AUD 11,710. Additional charges apply for dependent children included in the application. The charge is the same whichever country the partner comes from, so the cost to sponsor partner from Kosovo in government charges is the same as for any other country.

Other costs commonly include the Kosovo criminal record certificate, police certificates from other countries, translations, health examinations, travel between Australia and Kosovo, and visa charges for any visitor visa. Government charges change, usually from 1 July each year, so check the current amount before lodging. The guide to partner visa cost explains what is included in the charge, and the FAQ on who pays the partner visa fee answers a common question.

Health examinations are arranged through the Department's approved panel arrangements after lodgement. The guide to the partner visa medical examination and the guide to partner visa biometrics explain these steps.

What happens if the visa is refused?

If a Subclass 309 application to sponsor partner from Kosovo is refused, the visa applicant can usually apply to the Administrative Review Tribunal for review. The partner applies in their own name and can do so from Kosovo or anywhere else. The time limit is short and strictly applied, and it runs from when the refusal is taken to have been received, so act immediately.

If a Subclass 820 application is refused in Australia, the review application must be lodged within 28 days of notification. At the time of writing, the Tribunal's application fee for a partner visa review is AUD 3,727. The guide to the partner visa ART review process, the FAQ on who applies for review of an offshore refusal and the page on partner visa refusals explain the process. The guide on why partner visas get refused explains the most common reasons, which is the best way to avoid them.

Most refusals of applications to sponsor partner from Kosovo can be traced back to evidence or document problems that were visible at lodgement. Before any refusal, the Department will often send a request for more information or a natural justice letter. These letters are the most important chance to fix identity or document problems in an application to sponsor partner from Kosovo. The guide to a section 56 request for a partner visa and the guide to a section 57 natural justice letter explain how to respond.

How My Migration Lawyers helps you sponsor partner from Kosovo

My Migration Lawyers deals with complex partner visa cases and acts for many Australian sponsors whose partners come from overseas, including partners from the Balkans and the wider European diaspora. The firm is capable of handling the documentary and legal work that an application to sponsor partner from Kosovo usually requires, from the first identity review to a Tribunal hearing if one is needed.

On Kosovo matters, the firm's work typically includes:

• reviewing the partner's identity history across Kosovo, Serbian, earlier and European documents, and setting one consistent identity for the whole application;
• checking Albanian and Serbian spellings in the forms, certificates and translations before lodgement;
• planning the Kosovo criminal record certificate and every European police certificate so that they are valid together;
• advising on whether to marry in Kosovo first, and whether a de facto relationship lived in Europe meets the legal requirements;
• choosing between the Subclass 309, Subclass 820 and Subclass 300 pathways, including the condition 8503 risk of a visitor visa;
• presenting relationship evidence for couples who have lived in different countries, in the form the Department expects;
• responding to section 56 requests and section 57 letters, and acting in Administrative Review Tribunal review where a visa is refused.

The firm is led by Weiwei Zhang, Principal Lawyer. More about the practice is on the About page and in the guide to what a complex partner visa lawyer does. Consultations are by video, so the firm advises sponsors across Australia, including through the partner visa lawyers in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth pages, and partners who are still in Kosovo or elsewhere in Europe. The guide to an offshore partner visa lawyer explains how that works, and an application review before lodgement is often the most useful first step.

If you plan to sponsor partner from Kosovo, book a consultation with My Migration Lawyers before you lodge, before your partner travels on a visitor visa, or as soon as the Department asks for more information. You can also call 1300 040 300.