Sponsoring a Partner From Paraguay

An Australian can sponsor partner from Paraguay through the partner visa program if the sponsor is eligible and the couple has a genuine and continuing relationship. A decision to sponsor partner from Paraguay usually involves a relationship conducted across two continents, documents in Spanish and sometimes Guarani, and a partner who may also have lived in Argentina or Brazil.

This guide is written for the Australian sponsor. It explains the sponsor rules, the choice of visa, the police certificates that may be needed from several countries, how to translate Paraguayan documents, and how to prove a long-distance relationship. The firm's partner visa lawyers act for sponsors and their partners in matters of this kind.

Can you sponsor partner from Paraguay to Australia?

Yes. An Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen aged 18 or over can sponsor partner from Paraguay. No special rule applies to Paraguayan citizens. The Department of Home Affairs applies the same legal tests to every partner visa applicant, whatever their nationality.

The couple must be married, in a de facto relationship, or engaged and intending to marry. A de facto couple usually needs to show 12 months of a shared life before lodgement, unless the relationship is registered in an Australian state or territory or another exception applies. The firm's guide to partner visa eligibility explains each relationship type, and the answer on the legal definition of a de facto relationship explains the de facto test. Choosing the right relationship type is the first legal decision when couples sponsor partner from Paraguay.

The relationship must also be genuine and continuing, and the couple must have a mutual commitment to a shared life to the exclusion of all others. A couple who are apart because one partner lives in Asuncion and the other in Australia can still meet this test, provided they do not live separately and apart on a permanent basis. Time apart is common when couples sponsor partner from Paraguay, and it is not a bar in itself. What matters is how the couple stays connected.

A plan to sponsor partner from Paraguay starts with the sponsor's eligibility, then the choice of visa, then the evidence. The sections below follow that order.

How did the relationship begin, and why does it matter?

The Department looks closely at how and where the relationship began, because the history of the relationship is the foundation of the genuineness assessment. Couples who sponsor partner from Paraguay have usually met in one of a few ways: while the sponsor was travelling in South America, while the Paraguayan partner was studying or working in Australia, through friends or family in the Paraguayan community in Australia, or online.

Meeting online

Meeting online is common and is not a problem in itself. What matters is what happened next: when the couple first met in person, how often they met after that, and how the relationship developed. The guide to partner visas for couples who met online and the answer on lawyers for couples who met online explain how these relationships are assessed. A sponsor partner from Paraguay application based on an online relationship needs especially strong evidence of time spent together in person.

Meeting while travelling

A relationship that began while the sponsor was on holiday in Paraguay, Argentina or Brazil may have progressed quickly. Speed is not a bar, but the couple should explain how the relationship deepened after the holiday ended. This is a frequent theme when Australians sponsor partner from Paraguay after meeting abroad. Evidence of a second and third visit, or of the partner visiting Australia, is valuable.

Knowledge of each other

Each partner should know the basic facts of the other's life: family members, work, daily routine, health and plans. Interviews and statements that show inaccurate knowledge can lead to doubts about the relationship. Couples who have spent most of the relationship apart should prepare their statements carefully and honestly, each in their own words. The guide to relationship statements explains how to write them.

The way a couple met should be told plainly at the start of every sponsor partner from Paraguay application. A clear account of the first meeting makes the rest of the evidence easier to follow.

What must the sponsor show to sponsor partner from Paraguay?

The sponsor must be an eligible sponsor, must not be barred by the sponsorship limitations, and must give an undertaking to support the applicant. The firm's guides to partner visa sponsor eligibility and sponsor requirements set out the full list. The answer on who can sponsor a partner visa gives a short overview.

Status and age

The sponsor must be an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident or an eligible New Zealand citizen, and must be at least 18 years old. The sponsor proves status with a passport, citizenship certificate or visa grant evidence. The answer on how to prove the sponsor is an Australian citizen explains the documents. A sponsor with dual citizenship, for example Australian and Paraguayan, should read the guide for a dual citizen sponsor.

Sponsorship limitations

Under regulation 1.20KB, a sponsor generally cannot sponsor more than two partners in total, and cannot sponsor a partner within 5 years of a previous partner sponsorship, or within 5 years of their own grant as a sponsored partner, unless there are compelling circumstances. The page on partner visa sponsorship limitations explains the rule. The answer on whether a person can sponsor more than one partner covers repeat sponsorships. A sponsor with an earlier partner visa history should check this before any step to sponsor partner from Paraguay is taken.

Police checks and relevant offences

Under regulation 1.20KC, the Department may ask the sponsor for Australian and foreign police checks. It may refuse to approve the sponsorship where the sponsor has a conviction for a relevant offence, unless approval is reasonable, and it may refuse where requested checks are not provided. The guide to sponsor police checks explains the request. A sponsor who has lived in Paraguay or elsewhere in South America for 12 months or more may be asked for a foreign check.

The sponsorship and undertaking

The applicant lodges the visa application online first. The sponsor then lodges the sponsorship online using the application's Transaction Reference Number. The sponsor undertakes to provide accommodation and financial assistance for the applicant's first 2 years in Australia. The guides to the sponsor's obligations and to sponsorship approval explain what follows. Sponsorship approval is decided as part of the visa decision. In every sponsor partner from Paraguay application, the sponsorship must be lodged promptly once the applicant's application is in.

Which visa should you use to sponsor partner from Paraguay?

The right visa depends on where the Paraguayan partner is when the application is lodged and whether the couple is married, de facto or engaged. Each visa has different timing and travel consequences.

Subclass 309 (partner in Paraguay or another country)

The Subclass 309 visa is lodged while the applicant is outside Australia. It suits a partner who lives in Paraguay, Argentina, Brazil or any other country. The temporary Subclass 309 is decided first and the permanent Subclass 100 follows. The guide to offshore partner visa lodgement explains the steps. The grant location rules for the Subclass 309 changed in November 2023, so travel plans around the decision should be checked before booking.

Subclass 820 (partner already in Australia)

The Subclass 820 visa is lodged while the applicant is in Australia. A Paraguayan partner who is in Australia as a student, a visitor or on another visa may be able to apply onshore. The temporary Subclass 820 is decided first and the permanent Subclass 801 follows. The firm's guide to the Subclass 820 partner visa explains the process.

A Paraguayan partner who wants to visit Australia must hold a visa before travel, usually a Visitor visa (Subclass 600). Some visitor visas carry condition 8503 (No Further Stay), which prevents an onshore partner visa application unless the Department waives the condition. The answer on condition 8503 and partner visas and the guide to applying for a partner visa on a tourist visa explain the risk. A partner who plans to visit before the couple decides how to sponsor partner from Paraguay should get advice before booking travel. If the partner's visa expires before lodgement, the Schedule 3 criteria apply, as explained on the Schedule 3 waivers page.

Subclass 300 (engaged couples)

The Subclass 300 visa suits an engaged couple who intend to marry within the visa period. It is often used where the couple has met in person, has a long-distance relationship and plans to marry in Australia. The answer comparing a fiance visa and a partner visa explains the choice. The Subclass 300 is a common way to sponsor partner from Paraguay where the couple is engaged but has not yet lived together. After the marriage, the applicant applies for the Subclass 820 in Australia.

Choosing the wrong visa is one of the most expensive mistakes a couple can make when they sponsor partner from Paraguay. The comparison of onshore and offshore partner visas helps with the decision.

How do you prove a long-distance relationship with a partner in Paraguay?

A long-distance relationship is proved with evidence of contact, visits, financial support and shared plans over time. The Department does not expect a couple separated by distance to have a joint lease. It does expect to see how the relationship began, how it developed and how the couple kept it going while apart. The guide to long-distance relationships and partner visas and the answer on long-distance relationship evidence explain the approach.

Visits

Visits are the strongest evidence in a long-distance case. Boarding passes, passport stamps, accommodation bookings, photographs taken during each visit and receipts for shared activities show when the couple was together. A sponsor who travels to Paraguay should keep every record from each trip. The guide to travel evidence and the answer on evidence of travelling together explain what to keep. Couples who sponsor partner from Paraguay should keep a simple list of every visit, with dates, places and supporting documents.

Daily communication

Paraguay is many hours behind eastern Australia, so the couple's call and message history often shows calls at very early or very late hours. That pattern is itself useful evidence of commitment. The couple should provide samples of messages and call logs across the whole relationship, not just the last few weeks. The guide to chat evidence and the answer on messages, emails and call records explain how to select and present them. Messages in Spanish or Guarani must be translated, as the answer on translating messages explains.

Money transfers and support

Regular transfers from the sponsor to the partner, or shared payments for flights and accommodation, show financial interdependence. The answer on money transfers as relationship evidence and the guide to partner visa financial evidence explain how to present them.

Plans to live together

The couple should show concrete plans: where they will live in Australia, work or study plans for the applicant, and steps already taken. The guide to future plans as evidence and the guide to commitment evidence explain what helps. A sponsor partner from Paraguay application without clear future plans can look like a holiday romance, even when it is not.

Explaining gaps

Long gaps between visits should be explained. Work, study, the cost of flights, family illness or visa delays are common reasons. The answer on how to explain gaps in relationship evidence and the guide to a temporary separation explain how. A clear relationship timeline ties all of this together.

Long-distance evidence is where most sponsor partner from Paraguay applications are won or lost. The couple should build the evidence from the start of the relationship, not only when the application is prepared.

Which police certificates does a Paraguayan partner need?

The applicant must give a police certificate from Paraguay and from every other country where the applicant has lived for 12 months or more in the last 10 years since turning 16. This is the Department's usual practice under the character requirement in PIC 4001. Partners who have lived in Argentina or Brazil, which is common, will usually need certificates from those countries too.

The Paraguay certificate

The Paraguayan certificate of criminal record, the certificado de antecedentes, is issued by the National Police (Policía Nacional). Paraguayan citizens in Paraguay can apply online or in person, and applicants outside Paraguay can usually apply through a Paraguayan embassy or consulate. The applicant should check the current process with the issuing authority and request the certificate early. Every sponsor partner from Paraguay application needs this certificate unless the applicant has not lived in Paraguay for 12 months or more in the last 10 years since turning 16. The guide to overseas police certificates for partner visas explains the Department's requirements, and the answer on police checks for partner visas covers the basics.

Certificates from Argentina, Brazil and other countries

Each country has its own issuing authority, application method and processing time. A partner who studied in Buenos Aires for two years, or worked in Sao Paulo for 18 months, will usually need a certificate from that country, even if the stay was years ago. Certificates from a country where the applicant no longer lives can take longer to obtain, because the request may have to be made through a consulate. The answer on what to do if you cannot get a police certificate explains the options.

Australian police checks

If the Paraguayan partner has spent 12 months or more in Australia in the last 10 years, an Australian Federal Police check will also be required. The guide to the partner visa AFP police check explains the process.

Timing and validity

Police certificates are usually requested after lodgement or when the Department asks. They have a limited validity period for the Department's purposes, and an expired certificate may need to be replaced. The answer on police certificate and health check validity and the guide to expired police checks explain the timing. For a sponsor partner from Paraguay application involving three countries, the timing of each certificate should be planned so that they are all current at the same time.

Convictions overseas

If a certificate shows a conviction, the Department assesses it under the character test. The guide to overseas convictions explains how this is handled. Disclosing a conviction honestly is always better than having it discovered. That applies in every sponsor partner from Paraguay matter.

Multiple police certificates are a defining feature of the sponsor partner from Paraguay process for partners who have lived across South America. A missing certificate is one of the most common causes of delay.

Form 888 statements from Australia and Paraguay

Form 888 statements are written statements from people who know the couple, and they are an important part of the social evidence. At least some statements must come from Australian citizens or permanent residents. Statements from family and friends in Paraguay can also be given, but they cannot replace the Australian witnesses. The guide to Form 888 witness statements and the answer on statements from overseas friends explain who can give them.

For a sponsor partner from Paraguay case, the Australian witnesses are often the sponsor's family and friends who have met the partner during a visit, or by video. Witnesses in Paraguay may be the partner's parents, siblings or friends who have met the sponsor during the sponsor's trips. Each statement should describe how the witness knows the couple, when they met them, and what they have seen of the relationship. A statement written in Spanish should be translated.

Generic statements that use the same wording carry little weight. Each witness should write in their own words about their own observations. Two or three detailed statements help a sponsor partner from Paraguay application more than ten short ones. The guide on how to complete Form 888 explains the form itself.

Partners who have lived in Argentina or Brazil

Many Paraguayan partners have lived, studied or worked in Argentina or Brazil, and some met the Australian sponsor there. This affects the application in three ways: documents, addresses and the relationship history.

Documents from more than one country

A partner who lived in Argentina or Brazil may hold residence documents, tax records, study records or employment records from that country. These help to show the applicant's history and, if the couple lived together there, the household. Documents from Brazil are often in Portuguese and must be translated into English, just like Spanish documents. The firm's country guides for Argentinian citizens and Brazilian citizens describe the documents those countries issue.

Consistent addresses and history

The applicant's address and employment history must be the same in every form, including Form 80 if it is requested. A partner who moved between Asuncion, Buenos Aires and Sao Paulo should prepare a careful list of addresses and dates before lodgement. The guide to Form 80 for partner visas explains the form. Inconsistent histories can raise questions about whether information is accurate. In a sponsor partner from Paraguay application, a single address list used for every form avoids this risk.

Cohabitation in a third country

If the couple lived together in Argentina or Brazil, that period can count towards a de facto relationship. A lease, utility bills, bank statements showing the same address and statements from friends there are useful. The answer on living together overseas for 12 months explains how overseas cohabitation is assessed. This period can be decisive when couples sponsor partner from Paraguay as de facto partners.

A partner's history across several countries makes a sponsor partner from Paraguay application longer to prepare, but not weaker. It simply needs more organisation. Good organisation is what turns a complicated history into a clear sponsor partner from Paraguay application.

Do Spanish and Guarani documents need to be translated?

Yes. Every document that is not in English must be provided with an English translation. Paraguay has two official languages, Spanish and Guarani, under its 1992 Constitution. Most civil records are in Spanish, but personal messages, letters and some community documents may be in Guarani or in a mix of the two languages, which many Paraguayans use in daily speech.

Who can translate

Translations made in Australia should be done by a translator accredited by NAATI. Translations made outside Australia should include the translator's full name, address, telephone number, qualifications and experience. The guide to partner visa evidence translation explains the requirements, and the answer on translating a marriage certificate gives a worked example.

Guarani messages

Message evidence in Guarani needs a translator who can work with Guarani, not only Spanish. A sponsor partner from Paraguay application should not leave Guarani passages untranslated, because the case officer cannot assess what they say. Where a message mixes the two languages, the translation should make clear which parts were in which language.

Apostilles

Paraguay is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, which entered into force for Paraguay on 30 August 2014. An apostille certifies the origin of a public document. It does not translate it. For partner visa purposes, the Department's usual requirement is a clear copy of the original document and an English translation. Whether an apostille is useful depends on the document and on any other Australian purpose it will be used for. The answer on certified copies for partner visas explains what the Department asks for. Translation, not apostille, is the step that most often delays a sponsor partner from Paraguay application.

Paraguayan names, birth and marriage documents

The applicant's identity documents must match each other and every form. This is straightforward when the documents agree and difficult when they do not.

Two surnames

Paraguayan documents commonly record two surnames. A name may appear with both surnames on a passport and with only one on a bank statement or a lease. These differences should be explained at lodgement. The answer on different names and dates on documents explains how to present them, and the answer on a name change after marriage covers changes after the wedding. Name consistency is a small issue that causes large delays when couples sponsor partner from Paraguay.

Birth and marriage certificates

The applicant should provide a birth certificate and, if married, a marriage certificate, each with an English translation. The guide to the partner visa marriage certificate explains what is needed. If a previous marriage or divorce exists, the divorce documents must also be provided, because a previous marriage that has not ended affects whether a new marriage is valid.

Passport

The applicant must hold a valid passport to meet PIC 4021. A passport renewed during processing must be reported to the Department. A sponsor partner from Paraguay application should list every passport the applicant has held in the last 10 years where the Department asks for it.

Should the couple marry in Paraguay, in Australia or not at all?

There is no requirement to marry. A couple can apply as de facto partners if they meet the de facto requirements, as married partners if they are validly married, or as an engaged couple through the Subclass 300. The right choice for a sponsor partner from Paraguay case depends on the couple's history and plans. Couples who sponsor partner from Paraguay without marrying must meet the de facto requirements in full.

A marriage celebrated overseas is generally recognised in Australia if it was valid where it took place, subject to exceptions in the Marriage Act 1961, such as where one party was already married. The answer on whether an overseas marriage is recognised explains the rule. Couples who plan to marry in Australia should read the answer on the notice of intended marriage, because the notice period affects travel planning. Couples planning a wedding outside Australia while holding a Subclass 300 should read the answer on marrying overseas on a prospective marriage visa.

Marriage requirements in Paraguay for a foreign national are a matter of Paraguayan law. The couple should check them with the Paraguayan authorities before planning a wedding there. Getting this wrong can undermine a plan to sponsor partner from Paraguay as a married couple.

Health examinations and biometrics for a Paraguayan applicant

The applicant must meet the health requirement, and the Department usually asks for a medical examination with a panel physician approved by the Department. Most adult applicants also need a chest x-ray. The same health requirement applies in every sponsor partner from Paraguay case. The Department sends the health instructions through ImmiAccount after lodgement. The guide to the partner visa medical examination explains the process, and the answer on medicals for a partner visa gives a short summary.

The Department may also ask the applicant to give biometrics, a photograph and fingerprints. The request letter states where and when the biometrics must be given. A partner in a smaller Paraguayan city may need to travel to give them. The guide to partner visa biometrics explains the request. Missing a health or biometrics deadline can delay a sponsor partner from Paraguay application, so both should be booked as soon as the letters arrive.

What have Tribunal decisions said about long-distance relationships and police certificates?

Tribunal decisions show that refusals based on long-distance relationships and missing character documents can be reconsidered when the evidence is put forward properly. No decision in the firm's database involves a Paraguayan applicant, so these decisions are relevant only for the issues they raise.

• Raymont (Migration) [2020] AATA 5584, 6 November 2020, Subclass 309. The reported issues were visits to each other's countries, the applicant's inaccurate knowledge of the sponsor, and methods of communication. The decision under review was remitted to the Department for reconsideration.
• Vashevnik (Migration) [2018] AATA 5789, 14 December 2018, Subclass 300. The reported issues were whether the parties genuinely intended to marry and live together, and a long-distance relationship. The decision under review was remitted.
• Goh (Migration) [2022] AATA 4903, 30 November 2022, Subclass 820. The reported issues were a police certificate of good conduct issued by the government of Malaysia being provided, and PIC 4001. The decision under review was remitted.

For a sponsor partner from Paraguay application, these issues are directly relevant: visits, communication, intention to live together and foreign police certificates. Each decision turns on its own facts, and a remittal is a reconsideration, not a grant. They show that a refused sponsor partner from Paraguay application can sometimes be reconsidered on better evidence.

How long does it take, what does it cost and what if it is refused?

As at October 2026, the Department's published processing times for 50% and 90% of applications are 21 and 32 months for the Subclass 309, 22 and 30 months for the Subclass 820, and 14 and 26 months for the Subclass 300. The guide to partner visa processing times explains what affects them. The visa application charge is from AUD 11,710 as at October 2026, as the guide to the partner visa cost explains.

The Department may send a section 56 request for more information or a section 57 letter inviting comment on adverse information. The guides to the section 56 request and the section 57 natural justice letter explain how to respond. A prompt, complete response protects a sponsor partner from Paraguay application from avoidable refusal.

If a Subclass 309 or Subclass 820 is refused, the visa applicant can usually apply to the Administrative Review Tribunal. If a Subclass 300 is refused, the sponsor applies. The review application must be made within 28 days after notification, or 7 days if the person is in immigration detention, and the period cannot be extended. The firm's partner visa refusals page, the guide to the ART review process and the answer on refusals because the relationship was not accepted as genuine explain the next steps.

Common mistakes when you sponsor partner from Paraguay

Most problems in these matters are predictable. They include:

• Missing police certificates. Only the Paraguay certificate is requested, and the Argentine or Brazilian certificate is forgotten.
• Untranslated evidence. Spanish or Guarani messages and documents are uploaded without English translations.
• No visit records. The couple says they met in person several times but provides no boarding passes or passport stamps.
• Inconsistent histories. Addresses and employment in Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil are listed differently in different forms.
• A visitor visa with condition 8503. The partner travels to Australia on a visitor visa that carries condition 8503 and the couple plans to apply onshore.
• Names that do not match. One surname appears on some documents and two on others, with no explanation.

The guides to partner visa refusal reasons and to a partner visa application review explain how to avoid these mistakes. Each one can be avoided when couples sponsor partner from Paraguay with a clear plan. The partner visa questions hub answers many related questions.

How My Migration Lawyers helps you sponsor partner from Paraguay

My Migration Lawyers acts for Australian sponsors and their Paraguayan partners in partner visa matters, including long-distance relationships, partners who have lived in Argentina or Brazil, applications that need police certificates from several countries, and evidence in Spanish and Guarani. The firm deals with complex partner visa cases, acts in many partner and sponsor matters of this type, and is capable of handling a sponsor partner from Paraguay application from the first advice to Tribunal review if one is needed.

In a sponsor partner from Paraguay matter, the firm's work typically includes:

• Confirming the sponsor's eligibility and checking any previous sponsorship or police check issue.
• Advising whether the Subclass 309, Subclass 820 or Subclass 300 fits the couple, including the effect of any visitor visa condition.
• Mapping the applicant's residence history to identify every police certificate needed from Paraguay, Argentina, Brazil and elsewhere, and planning the timing.
• Advising on translation of Spanish, Guarani and Portuguese documents and messages.
• Organising visit records, communication logs and money transfers into a clear relationship timeline.
• Preparing the sponsor's and the applicant's relationship statements from their own accounts, and Form 888 statements, in the form the law requires.
• Responding to section 56 requests and section 57 letters.

The firm's partner visa lawyers work with sponsors across Australia and with partners in South America by video. The guide to complex partner visa applications and the answer on what makes a partner visa complex explain the firm's approach. Matters are supervised by Weiwei Zhang, Principal Lawyer.

If you want to sponsor partner from Paraguay, or the Department has already raised concerns about your application, Book a Consultation with My Migration Lawyers, or call 1300 040 300.