What Documents Does My Sponsor Need to Provide?

What identity and status documents does a sponsor provide?

The identity and status documents a sponsor provides are a passport or other photo identification, and proof of the sponsor's status, such as an Australian passport, a citizenship certificate, a permanent visa grant notice or evidence of eligible New Zealand citizenship. Any change of name needs a linking document, such as a marriage or change of name certificate. Our partner visa document checklist lists these documents alongside the applicant's.

What relationship evidence does the sponsor provide?

The relationship evidence the sponsor provides is the sponsor's share of the couple's joint records, such as leases, bank statements, bills, travel records and photos, together with the sponsor's contribution to the relationship statement. The partner visa has one relationship statement, which the couple may write jointly or to which each partner may contribute. Our article on the partner visa relationship statement explains how it is written, and our article on partner visa relationship evidence covers the four aspects.

Does the sponsor need police certificates?

The sponsor needs police certificates where the application includes a child under 18, and the Department can also ask for them in other cases. The usual requirement is an Australian Federal Police check and certificates from countries where the sponsor has lived for the period the Department specifies. Our article on the partner visa AFP police check explains how to obtain one. A sponsor with a relevant conviction may need advice before the sponsorship is lodged.

What documents about previous relationships does the sponsor provide?

The documents about previous relationships the sponsor provides are divorce orders, death certificates or other evidence showing that any earlier marriage has ended, and details of any earlier partner sponsorship or of the sponsor's own grant of a partner visa. The Department uses these to check the sponsorship limits explained on our sponsorship limitations page. A sponsor who is still legally married to someone else needs advice first, as our article on a partner visa while still married explains.

When and how does the sponsor provide the documents?

The sponsor provides the documents when lodging the sponsorship online, which happens after the applicant lodges the partner visa application. The sponsor uploads colour scans of original documents through the sponsor's own ImmiAccount. Documents not in English must be translated. The Department may later ask the sponsor for more documents, so the sponsor should respond within the time allowed. Our article on the partner visa online application explains how the applicant's and sponsor's parts of the application connect in ImmiAccount.

How does My Migration Lawyers prepare the sponsor's documents?

My Migration Lawyers prepares the sponsor's documents by building a sponsor checklist specific to that sponsor's history, rather than a generic list, so earlier marriages, sponsorships, name changes and police checks are dealt with before lodgement. The firm reviews every document for consistency with the applicant's version of events, because differences in dates and addresses between the two partners are a common reason for doubt. Sponsors can speak with our partner visa lawyers, led by Principal Lawyer Weiwei Zhang, by video consultation.