Head to head · Checked 30 October 2026
820/801 Partner (onshore) vs 300 Prospective Marriage
The partner visa is for a couple who are married or de facto now; the prospective marriage visa is for a couple who intend to marry and are not yet in a de facto relationship, and it is applied for from outside Australia, grants a temporary stay to come and marry, and leads to the partner visa onshore at a reduced charge after the wedding. If you are already de facto for twelve months or married, the partner visa is the route and the 300 is unnecessary; if you cannot show the de facto relationship and are not married, the 300 is the door, at a higher total cost and a longer road.
By Keshab Chapagain, registered migration agent (MARN 1576536) since 2015 · WIDEN, Sydney · Reviewed 30 October 2026
Keshab Chapagain · MARN 1576536 · Registered since 2015 - Relationship now
- Married, or de facto for 12 months (or registered) · Engaged, intending to marry, have met in person, not yet de facto
- Where lodged
- In Australia · Outside Australia
- What is granted
- Temporary 820 then permanent 801 · A temporary visa to enter and marry within its period, then the 820/801 onshore
- Work
- Bridging visa with work rights, then full work rights · Work rights on the 300
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About the CPD →Side by side
| 820/801 Partner (onshore) | 300 Prospective Marriage | |
|---|---|---|
| Relationship now | Married, or de facto for 12 months (or registered) | Engaged, intending to marry, have met in person, not yet de facto |
| Where lodged | In Australia | Outside Australia |
| What is granted | Temporary 820 then permanent 801 | A temporary visa to enter and marry within its period, then the 820/801 onshore |
| Work | Bridging visa with work rights, then full work rights | Work rights on the 300 |
| Government charge | $11,710 primary applicant | The 300 charge, then $1,955 for the 820/801 as a 300 holder; see the fees page |
| Time to permanent residence | Two stages over several years | The 300 period, then the two partner stages |
| Watch out | The 12-month de facto rule and registration as the shortcut | Marrying outside the 300’s period, and the sponsor limitations |
Charges are the current government application charges (from 1 July 2026, main applicant) — see the fee calculator for your family's total. Checked 30 October 2026.
The honest verdict
The partner visa is for a couple who are married or de facto now; the prospective marriage visa is for a couple who intend to marry and are not yet in a de facto relationship, and it is applied for from outside Australia, grants a temporary stay to come and marry, and leads to the partner visa onshore at a reduced charge after the wedding. If you are already de facto for twelve months or married, the partner visa is the route and the 300 is unnecessary; if you cannot show the de facto relationship and are not married, the 300 is the door, at a higher total cost and a longer road.
Which side of that line you fall on depends on facts a table cannot hold — your age, score, occupation's lists, and what evidence you can actually assemble. That is consultation territory, not guesswork territory.
More head-to-heads: 482 vs 494 · 190 vs 491 · 189 vs 190 · 482 vs 186
General information only, not migration advice. Settings shown are the general rules; exemptions and stream variations exist. Migration advice is provided by Keshab Chapagain (MARN 1576536) after a paid consultation under the Migration Agents Code of Conduct.
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Questions we get asked first
820/801 Partner (onshore) or 300 Prospective Marriage — which is better?
The partner visa is for a couple who are married or de facto now; the prospective marriage visa is for a couple who intend to marry and are not yet in a de facto relationship, and it is applied for from outside Australia, grants a temporary stay to come and marry, and leads to the partner visa onshore at a reduced charge after the wedding. If you are already de facto for twelve months or married, the partner visa is the route and the 300 is unnecessary; if you cannot show the de facto relationship and are not married, the 300 is the door, at a higher total cost and a longer road.
What is the main difference between the 820/801 Partner (onshore) and the 300 Prospective Marriage?
Relationship now: 820/801 Partner (onshore) — Married, or de facto for 12 months (or registered); 300 Prospective Marriage — Engaged, intending to marry, have met in person, not yet de facto. Where lodged: 820/801 Partner (onshore) — In Australia; 300 Prospective Marriage — Outside Australia. What is granted: 820/801 Partner (onshore) — Temporary 820 then permanent 801; 300 Prospective Marriage — A temporary visa to enter and marry within its period, then the 820/801 onshore.
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