Four changes affect partner visa applicants in 2026. This page is limited to changes we could confirm on Home Affairs pages and forms on 2026-09-29.
1 July 2026: a new visa application charge
From 1 July 2026 the charge for most main applicants is A$11,710 for the onshore 820/801, the offshore 309/100 and the Prospective Marriage visa (300). Additional applicants cost A$5,860 if aged 18 or over and A$2,935 if under 18. A Prospective Marriage visa holder who has married and applies for the 820/801 pays A$1,955 (Department of Home Affairs visa pricing, checked 2026-09-29). The partner visa cost guide has the full table and a calculator.
1 July 2026: a lower charge for Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens
From 1 July 2026, a lower visa cost applies to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens who lodge a valid partner visa application. The partner visa pages list passports issued by the Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. Home Affairs recognises eligible applicants by the passport used in the application and refunds the difference if the lower cost is not applied at lodgement. Irish, UK, US and Canadian passport holders pay the standard charge.
25 July 2026: Ministerial Direction 117 sets processing priority
Ministerial Direction 117 replaced Ministerial Direction 102 on 25 July 2026 (Department of Home Affairs, family visa processing priorities). It gives highest priority to family visa applications made while the primary applicant was in Australia, for a visa that can be granted while the applicant is in Australia. Lower priority goes to applications where the primary applicant was outside Australia when applying or must be outside Australia at grant. Within those groups, partner and dependent child applications come second in the order, after family applications that have been subject to ministerial intervention.
In practice, an onshore 820/801 application sits in the higher-priority group, and an offshore 309/100 application, which must be granted while the applicant is outside Australia, sits in the lower one. Home Affairs still publishes no fixed partner processing time: it says times vary and applicants may wait longer than expected.
August 2026: a new version of Form 888
The supporting statement friends and family complete now carries design date 08/26. It requires the person to know you both and your relationship history and to be at least 18. It asks for evidence of Australian citizenship or permanent residency only where that applies, warns that up to 3 statements may be requested, and is signed as a declaration rather than witnessed as a statutory declaration. The Form 888 guide covers it in full.
What to check before you lodge
- Check the Home Affairs price list on the day you lodge. Charges are reset each financial year.
- Download the current Form 888 and collect statements from 2 witnesses.
- If you will not hold a substantive visa when you apply in Australia, read the statutory declaration requirement on the 820 page. A bridging visa is not a substantive visa.
- If you plan to travel while an 820 application is processed, read the Bridging visa B guide before you book.
Frequently asked questions
What are the partner visa changes in 2026?
A new charge from 1 July 2026 (A$11,710 for most main applicants), a lower charge for eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens from the same date, Ministerial Direction 117 for processing priority from 25 July 2026, and a new version of Form 888 (design date 08/26).
Did the partner visa fee go up in 2026?
Yes. From 1 July 2026 the charge for most main applicants is A$11,710, for 820/801, 309/100 and 300 alike.
What is Ministerial Direction 117?
The ministerial direction that sets the order Home Affairs processes family visas in. It replaced Ministerial Direction 102 on 25 July 2026 and gives highest priority to applications made in Australia for a visa that can be granted in Australia.
Are onshore partner visas processed first?
Under Ministerial Direction 117, applications made in Australia for a visa that can be granted in Australia get the highest priority, and partner applications come second within each group. Home Affairs does not publish a fixed processing time and says waits may be longer than expected.