Planning on travelling to Australia to marry your Australian partner? You might be eligible for the 300 prospective marriage visa. Here’s what you need to know about eligibility, applying for a prospective marriage visa in Australia, and answers to frequently asked questions.
Published 24 November 2025
Written by Con Paxinos (MARN 1460971), owner and director of PAX Migration
Con is a leading expert in the migration industry with 11 years of experience and is the former Vice President and South Australian State President of the Migration Institute of Australia and Chair of the Migration Institute Temporary Visa Program Advisory Panel. Together with his team of experts at PAX Migration, Con has been awarded the Leading Adviser Award (2022), the ThreeBestRated® Award (2020–2025) and the Fellow of the Migration Institute of Australia, an award bestowed on those practitioners who have made significant contributions to the migration profession, recognising their contributions to the Institute, profession and society generally, and their good standing and ethics.
Explore the 300 prospective marriage visa expert guide
About the prospective marriage visa
- A 300 prospective marriage visa (also sometimes called a fiancé visa or an Australian marriage visa) is a temporary visa that allows you to travel to Australia and marry your partner
- Your partner must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident, or an eligible New Zealand citizen, to be able to apply for this visa
- You need to lodge your 300 prospective marriage visa application from offshore
- After marrying your partner, you can apply for an onshore partner visa as a pathway to permanent residency in Australia
Who is the 300 prospective marriage visa for?
The subclass 300 prospective marriage visa is a temporary visa for the engaged partner of an Australian citizen or permanent resident, or an eligible New Zealand citizen.
The visa enables temporary entry to Australia for a period of 9–15 months from the date of your visa grant. You can marry your partner in Australia or travel to be married.
To be eligible for a prospective marriage visa, you’ll need to meet the below requirements:
- You must be aged 18 or over
- You must meet health and character requirements
- Your partner must sponsor you for your visa and will need to meet character requirements
- Your partner must be aged 18 or over
- You must have met your partner in person (after each turning 18) and know each other personally
- You must genuinely intend to marry your partner within 9–15 months of your visa being granted
- There cannot be a legal impediment to the marriage in Australia (e.g. if you or your partner have previously been married and the divorce is not recognised under Australian law)
- You and your partner must genuinely plan to live together as spouses
“A subclass 300 prospective marriage visa is just one of many partner visa pathways if you’re looking to come to Australia with your partner. But if you plan to live in Australia after you’re married by applying for an 820/801 partner visa, a prospective marriage visa as your first step might end up making your migration journey longer. Seeing if you’re eligible for a de-facto or spousal visa from the start could end up saving you months (or years) and money down the road. Our migration agents will discuss your goals and find the best visa for your individual circumstances.”
Our partner visa assessment tool has helped thousands of people evaluate which visa might work for them.
Feeling overwhelmed? We’re here to help.
Our expert team will be at your side at every stage of your 300 prospective marriage visa journey, from understanding eligibility requirements and assembling supporting documents to submitting your application.
The application process for a 300 prospective marriage visa
To apply for a subclass 300 prospective marriage visa, you’ll need to be located offshore at the time of lodgement. These are the key steps to the prospective marriage visa application process:
As well as identity and character documents (e.g. passport and police check), you’ll need to supply evidence of your relationship. See our evidence checklist below.
Submit your application form and supporting evidence documents online via ImmiAccount.
After you’ve lodged your application, your sponsoring partner will need to lodge their sponsorship form and supporting documents online via ImmiAccount.
The Department of Home Affairs will use ImmiAccount to communicate with you, so be sure to stay on top of notifications and keep your information up to date, including any changes to your circumstances. You can expect to receive news on whether your visa has been granted within 13–27 months. Find out more about visa processing timings in our frequently asked questions.
Working with a migration agent?
At PAX Migration, our migration agents help you put together your 300 prospective marriage visa application and gather supporting documents, manage your visa lodgement and monitor communication with the Department on your behalf.
Your 300 prospective marriage visa evidence checklist
- When you lodge your visa application, you’ll need to include the following evidence to support your application:
- Identity documents (e.g. passport and birth certificate)
- Character documents (e.g. police clearance certificate)
- Relationship evidence documents
- At least two Form 888s (statutory declarations from supporting witnesses confirming that your relationship is genuine)
- Evidence that you and your prospective spouse have met face-to-face as adults and know each other personally
- Evidence that you and your partner plan to live together as spouses
- Proof that you intend to marry your prospective spouse within the visa period (e.g. a letter from your marriage celebrant, confirmation of lodgement of your notice of intent to marry, wedding invitations, venue bookings, etc)
- Documents that show your intention to continue in a long-term relationship
- Written statements or statutory declarations from you and your partner that cover the history and development of your relationship (e.g. how and when you first met, when you became engaged, your joint activities, significant events in your relationship and your future plans as spouses)
“We’ve seen clients face partner visa refusals because they haven’t supplied sufficient relationship evidence – don’t let that be you. Our agents are experts in migration and can help you understand exactly what you need to include in your application.”
300 prospective marriage visa: Frequently Asked Questions
Prospective marriage visa fees for the main applicant begin at $9,365 while fees for additional applicants (e.g. dependent children) range from $2,345 – $4,685.
“It’s important to keep in mind any additional fees that might apply, including the costs of a joint 820/801 application if you plan to apply for a permanent partner visa once married, the costs of medical examinations or character checks, costs for translating documents not in English, and your migration agents, their fees as well. At PAX Migration, we’re always considerate of your financial circumstances and provide accurate and fair quotes throughout the visa process.”
The average prospective marriage visa processing time is 13–27 months. Around 50% of applications are processed within 13 months.
Factors that affect your visa processing time include:
- Failure to provide all required documents and evidence
- If you plan to apply for a permanent partner visa following your 300 prospective marriage visa, you should also take into account the processing time for the 820/801 partner visa. Read more about that here.
Yes, but you’ll need to apply for another visa to cover the travel period, like a visitor visa.
Yes, the subclass 300 prospective marriage visa allows you to work, study and travel without limitation for the duration of the visa period.
Depending on the reasons for your visa refusal, you might be able to appeal the decision with the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) in a process called a ‘merits review’. Strict conditions and deadlines apply, so it’s important to follow guidelines properly. If you’re facing a visa refusal with your subclass 300 prospective marriage visa, we recommend getting professional legal advice with our immigration lawyers to give you the best chance of a positive outcome.
“If your prospective marriage visa is refused, it might not be the end of your Australian visa journey – at PAX Migration we’ve helped over a hundred clients with visa appeals, and work closely with our clients to find a visa pathway that works for them.”
Not sure where to start? Let’s talk.
At PAX Migration, we’re experts in all things migration and we’ll be by your side at every stage of your 300 prospective marriage visa journey, from understanding eligibility requirements and gathering evidence to submitting your application.
About the author
Con Paxinos is a dedicated immigration expert who has helped over 200 clients with their partner visa applications.
Con holds a Bachelor of Laws and Graduate Certificate in Migration Law, a Bachelor of Commerce and is a member of the Chartered Accountants Australia New Zealand. A recognised leader in the immigration advice industry, he’s served on the board of the Migration Institute of Australia and advisory panels to educate and improve Australia’s immigration system, including the Migration Institute Temporary Visa Program Advisory Panel (2024), the South Australian Ministerial Advisory Council for the Minister for Innovation and Skills (2020 – 2022) and is a current member of the South Australian State MIA Committee (2023 – 2025). He’s provided testimony to the Commonwealth Joint Standing Committee on Migration on four occasions (2019 – 2023) and presented at dozens of seminars and conferences on visas and migration. Con works closely with state and federal governments as well as senior officials within the Department of Home Affairs and other stakeholders in the Australian immigration ecosystem to advocate for improved policy outcomes.