A Subclass 820 Partner Visa is not permanent residency. It is the temporary stage of Australia’s partner visa pathway, allowing you to live, work, and study in Australia while waiting for eligibility for the permanent Subclass 801 visa.
No. The Subclass 820 visa is not permanent residency. It is a temporary partner visa granted as the first stage of the onshore partner visa process under the Migration Act 1958 (Cth).
A common source of confusion is that the 820 and 801 are applied for at the same time, in a single combined application. You pay one government fee that covers both stages. However, the visas are granted separately, and you must hold the temporary 820 first before the permanent 801 can be granted.
You become a permanent resident of Australia only when the Subclass 801 is granted. Until that moment, you hold temporary residency as a temporary resident partner visa holder, not permanent residency.
Feature | Subclass 820 (Temporary) | Subclass 801 (Permanent) |
|---|---|---|
Visa type | Temporary partner visa | Permanent partner visa |
Permanent residency? | No | Yes |
When granted | Shortly after the application is lodged | Usually, 2 years after the application date |
Work rights | Full unrestricted work rights | Full unrestricted work rights |
Study rights | Yes | Yes |
Medicare access | Yes (from application lodgement) | Yes |
Travel in and out of Australia | Yes, multiple times | Yes, up to 5 years from grant date |
Centrelink / social security | Limited (2-year waiting period applies) | Yes (waiting period applies) |
Path to citizenship | No | Yes, after meeting residency requirements |
Sponsor required | Yes, throughout | Sponsor assessed at 801 stage |
The partner visa 820/801 is a two-stage visa. The visa 820 Australia process and the australia visa 820 pathway both refer to the same combined onshore partner visa application. Both stages are applied for together, but assessed and granted separately.
The 820 is granted first, usually within a few months of lodging the combined application. Holding the 820 means you are a temporary resident of Australia. You can live, work, and study freely, and you have access to Medicare. However, you are not yet a permanent resident. The 820 visa remains valid until the Department of Home Affairs decides on your permanent partner visa (Subclass 801). There is no separate expiry date on the 820.
The 801 is the permanent partner visa. It is granted after the Department is satisfied that your relationship is genuine and ongoing. Most applicants become eligible for assessment of the 801 approximately two years after their original application date.
Once the 801 is granted, you are an Australian permanent resident. This is the moment at which you gain full permanent residency status and all the rights that come with it.
Even though the 820 is a temporary visa, it gives you substantial rights in Australia. Understanding what you can and cannot do while on the 820 helps you plan during the waiting period.
Yes. As an 820 partner visa holder, you are entitled to enrol in Medicare. Medicare access begins from the date your partner visa application is lodged, not from when the 820 is granted.
This means you should enrol in Medicare as soon as your application is submitted. You will receive a Medicare card that allows you to access bulk-billed GP appointments, hospital treatment as a public patient, and subsidised medicines through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).
Medicare access continues throughout the 820 stage and remains in place once your 801 permanent visa is granted.
Once you are enrolled in Medicare, you are not legally required to hold private health insurance. However, Medicare does not cover everything. It does not cover most dental, optical, ambulance, or private hospital costs.
Whether you need private health insurance on the 820 visa depends on your personal circumstances and health needs. Many 820 holders choose to hold basic hospital cover to avoid the Medicare Levy Surcharge if and when their income reaches the relevant threshold.
Your health insurance requirements on the 820 are the same as those for any Australian resident. There is no immigration condition requiring private health insurance for partner visa holders.
If your visa is linked to your partner in Australia, changes in your relationship can raise serious concerns about your visa status. It’s important to understand what your partner can and cannot do, and what options are available to you. Get clear legal advice on your rights and the steps you can take to protect your visa and remain in Australia.
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Processing times for the partner visa are among the longest in Australia’s migration system. As of May 2026, the approximate processing times are:
Visa Stage | Estimated Processing Time (2026) |
|---|---|
Subclass 820 (temporary, initial grant) | 6 to 18 months from lodgement |
Subclass 801 (permanent, second stage) | 14 to 24 months after the 820 is granted (or 2 years from the application date) |
Total time from application to permanent residency | Typically, 3 to 4 years from initial lodgement |
The most common cause of processing delays at both stages is incomplete applications or requests for further information. A well-prepared, complete application submitted with thorough relationship evidence significantly reduces the chance of delays.
After your Subclass 820 partner visa is granted, the Department of Home Affairs will continue to hold your application on file. You are not required to do anything immediately after the 820 grant, but there are important steps to take during the waiting period.
Enrol in Medicare: If you have not already done so, enrol in Medicare as soon as possible using your partner visa application reference number.
Continue building relationship evidence: The Department will assess your relationship again at the 801 stage. Keep documenting your relationship through joint finances, shared accommodation, travel, and social activities throughout the waiting period.
Notify the Department of any changes: If your relationship ends, your sponsor withdraws, or your circumstances change significantly, you must notify the Department using Form 1022 through your ImmiAccount.
Respond to any requests for further information: The Department may contact you during the waiting period to request updated evidence of your relationship. Respond promptly and thoroughly.
Prepare for the 801 assessment: Around the two-year mark from your application date, prepare a fresh bundle of relationship evidence to support the permanent partner visa (Subclass 801) assessment.
You become a permanent resident of Australia on the date the Subclass 801 partner visa is granted. Not before.
For most applicants, the 801 is assessed approximately two years after the original application date. However, there is an important exception: if you were in a long-term relationship at the time you applied, you may be granted the 801 immediately after the 820 grant, without the usual two-year wait.
If, at the time of your application, you had been in a genuine relationship with your partner for at least three years (or two years if you have a child together), you may be eligible for an immediate grant of the 801 permanent visa without waiting the usual two years.
In these cases, both the 820 and 801 may be granted in close succession or simultaneously. Your migration agent will advise whether you meet the long-term relationship criteria at the time of lodgement.
At the 801 stage, the Department will assess:
While you hold the Subclass 820, you are sometimes described as a provisional resident in Australia. This term is used to distinguish temporary visa holders who are on a pathway to permanent residency from other categories of temporary residents, such as student or work visa holders.
As a provisional resident on the 820, you have full work and study rights and access to Medicare, but you do not yet hold permanent residency. This distinction matters for things like property purchases, Centrelink access, and certain financial products that require permanent resident status.
Your status changes from provisional to permanent on the day the 801 is granted.
Yes. The Subclass 801 partner visa is a permanent residency in Australia. Once the 801 is granted, you are a permanent resident and can remain in Australia indefinitely.
As a partner visa Australia permanent resident with the 801, you have:
After receiving the 801 permanent partner visa, you are an Australian permanent resident. You can remain in this status indefinitely. If you wish to become an Australian citizen, you will need to meet the residency requirements: you must have been lawfully residing in Australia for at least four years, including at least 12 months as a permanent resident, immediately before applying.
No. The Subclass 820 partner visa is a temporary visa, not permanent residency. It allows you to live, work, and study in Australia while the Department of Home Affairs assesses your eligibility for the permanent stage. Permanent residency is granted with the Subclass 801 partner visa, typically around two years after your original application date.
The partner 820 visa is temporary. It is the first stage of the onshore partner visa pathway (820/801). The 820 remains valid until the Department decides on your permanent partner visa (Subclass 801). Once the 801 is granted, you become an Australian permanent resident.
No. Visa 820 is not permanent residency. It is a temporary partner visa. The 801 is the permanent partner visa. Both are applied for together in a single application, but the 820 is granted first, and permanent residency only begins when the 801 is granted.
No. Subclass 820 is a temporary visa. Subclass 801 is the permanent visa. They are part of the same combined application, but the 820 is the temporary stage and the 801 is the permanent stage of the Australian onshore partner visa pathway.
The 820 itself does not become permanent. Instead, the permanent partner visa (Subclass 801) is granted separately, typically around two years after the original application date. At that point, your temporary status on the 820 ends and your permanent residency begins with the 801 grant.
After your 820 is granted, you can live, work, and study in Australia. You should enrol in Medicare, continue building relationship evidence throughout the waiting period, notify the Department of any changes in your circumstances, and be prepared to provide updated evidence when the 801 stage is assessed. You do not need to lodge a new application for the 801.
Yes. Medicare access begins from the date your partner visa application is lodged, even before the 820 is formally granted. You should enrol in Medicare as soon as you have lodged your application. Medicare continues through the 820 stage and into the 801 permanent residency stage.
Yes. The Subclass 801 partner visa is a permanent residency in Australia. Once granted, it allows you to remain in Australia indefinitely, work and study without restrictions, access Medicare and some Centrelink payments, and eventually apply for Australian citizenship after meeting residency requirements.
In most cases no. Most applicants must wait approximately two years on the 820 before the permanent 801 is granted. However, applicants in long-term relationships (at least three years together, or two years if a child is involved) may be eligible for immediate grant of the 801 after the 820 is assessed, without the usual two-year waiting period.
Yes. Once you hold the Subclass 801 permanent partner visa, you are a permanent resident and can work toward Australian citizenship. You must have been lawfully residing in Australia for at least four years immediately before applying, including at least 12 months as a permanent resident. Your time on the 820 counts toward the four-year residency requirement.
Yes, you can get PR in Adelaide via the 491 regional visa pathway. Adelaide is a designated regional area for immigration. This 2026 guide covers the 491 to 191 PR pathway, SA nomination, and requirements.
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