Prospective Marriage Visa vs Partner Visa: Which One Do You Need?

For couples planning a life together in Australia, one of the first big decisions is which visa to apply for. If you are engaged or in a committed relationship with an Australian citizen or permanent resident, the choice usually comes down to the prospective marriage visa vs partner visa question. Both lead to the same place, permanent residency in Australia, but they suit different relationship circumstances and follow different paths to get there. For Thai and Australian couples especially, understanding the difference early saves time, money, and the frustration of lodging the wrong application.

1What Is the Prospective Marriage Visa (Subclass 300)?

The Prospective Marriage Visa, known as the Subclass 300, is designed for couples who are engaged and intend to marry in Australia. It allows your fiancé or fiancée to enter Australia, marry you within nine months of the visa being granted, and then apply for a Partner Visa to stay permanently.

The Subclass 300 includes full work and study rights from the date it is granted, so the visa holder can begin building a life in Australia before the wedding. It is a temporary visa, and it is best understood as the first step in a two-stage process rather than a standalone solution. After the marriage, the holder lodges an onshore Partner Visa application to move toward permanent residency. If the wedding does not go ahead within the nine-month window, the visa expires and the holder must leave Australia.

Read more about the Prospective Marriage Visa pathway.

2What Is the Partner Visa (Subclass 309/100)?

The Partner Visa is for couples who are already married or in a de facto relationship. When the applicant is outside Australia at the time of lodgement, the application is made under the Subclass 309, the temporary stage, which then leads to the Subclass 100, the permanent stage.

To apply as a de facto couple, you generally need to show the relationship has existed for at least 12 months before lodging, unless the relationship is registered under an Australian state or territory scheme. Married couples are not subject to the 12-month requirement. Unlike the Prospective Marriage Visa, the Partner Visa does not require you to marry within a set window, because the relationship is already established. The single application covers both the temporary and permanent stages, with no separate second visa to lodge later.

Read more about the Partner Visa pathway.

3Subclass 300 vs 309: The Key Differences

The subclass 300 vs 309 decision comes down to a few clear distinctions:

• Relationship status. The Subclass 300 is for engaged couples who have not yet married. The Subclass 309 is for couples who are already married or in an established de facto relationship.
• Where the wedding happens. The Prospective Marriage Visa is built around marrying in Australia. Couples marrying in Thailand, or already married, generally apply directly for the Partner Visa instead.
• Number of stages. The Subclass 300 is a separate visa that must be followed by a Partner Visa application after marriage. The Subclass 309 already includes the pathway to permanent residency within one application.
• Overall cost. Because the Subclass 300 is followed by a further Partner Visa application, the prospective marriage route usually involves more total cost and paperwork than applying for the Partner Visa directly.
• Timing. The Subclass 300 requires marriage within nine months of grant. The Subclass 309 has no equivalent deadline.

4What the Two Visas Have in Common

Although the pathways differ, the Prospective Marriage Visa and the Partner Visa share important requirements. Both require evidence of a genuine relationship, assessed across financial, social, household, and commitment factors. Both require the applicant to meet health and character requirements, including health examinations and police certificates. Both can include dependent children as part of the application. And both ultimately lead to the same destination, permanent residency in Australia. The decision is less about the end goal and more about the route that matches your relationship right now.

5Which Visa Fits Your Relationship?

The right choice depends on where your relationship sits today.

If you’re engaged and genuinely intend to marry in Australia, and you are not yet in a position to apply as a married or de facto couple, the Prospective Marriage Visa is likely the appropriate pathway. It is also worth considering if marrying in Australia is important to you for family or personal reasons.

If you’re already married, or you have been living together in a genuine de facto relationship for at least 12 months, the Partner Visa is usually the more direct and cost-effective option. It avoids the two-stage structure of the prospective marriage route and moves you toward permanent residency through a single application.

Many couples also find their circumstances change while they are deciding. A couple who planned to marry in Australia might marry in Thailand instead, which shifts the pathway from the Subclass 300 to the Partner Visa. Getting advice before you lodge helps you avoid paying for an application that no longer fits.