Including a Partner on a 190 Visa in 2026: Relationship Evidence Rules
According to the Australian Department of Home Affairs Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) official page, as at July 2026, when you include your partner in a subclass 190 application you must provide evidence of your partner’s identity and your relationship, and—whether you are married or de facto—evidence that you are in a genuine and continuing relationship; a de facto partner must additionally show either that the relationship is registered under an Australian State or Territory law or that the couple has been in the de facto relationship for at least 12 months before the application is made. This article is general reference material only and is not personalised immigration or legal advice, so your own plans should be checked against the official page or professional opinion.
Who counts as a partner for a subclass 190 application?
The Department’s document list uses “partner” to cover both a married spouse and a de facto partner. If you are or have been married, widowed, divorced or permanently separated, the page asks for proof of that history, such as divorce documents, death certificates, separation documents or statutory declarations. Where a partner or dependent children are not included in the application, the page requires you to tell the Department why—for example, they may already hold Australian citizenship or be a permanent resident.
A partner included later is treated as a member of the family unit. After you apply, but before a decision is made, additional family members can be added using Form 1436 (Adding an additional applicant after lodgement), with payment made and documents attached through ImmiAccount. Family members added to the application must meet the health and character requirements, and the page’s partner document list covers identity, character and relationship evidence.
Married or de facto: what relationship documents does the Department list?
For your partner’s relationship and identity, the Department asks you to provide identity documents and photos, character documents, the marriage certificate if applicable, and documents about other relationships if applicable. The specific mix changes depending on your status:
- If you are married: provide the marriage certificate, together with evidence that the marriage relationship is genuine and continuing.
- If you are de facto: provide either evidence that the relationship is registered by an Australian State or Territory, or enough documents to prove you have been in the de facto relationship for at least 12 months before you apply.
- If either of you has past relationships: provide proof of how those relationships ended, such as divorce or death documents, separation documents or statutory declarations.
These documents sit alongside your own evidence for the 190 visa itself. They are not an optional extra: failing to show how a past relationship ended, or omitting a partner who should be declared, is the kind of gap that leaves the application incomplete.
What does “genuine and continuing” actually mean for a secondary-applicant partner?
Whether you are married or de facto, the Department requires evidence that the relationship is genuine and continuing. The page states that such evidence can include, but is not limited to:
- joint bank account statements
- billing accounts in joint names
- joint leases or mortgages
- documents that show your partner has lived at the same address as you
Those examples cluster around money, housing and shared occupancy—the practical signs that two people run one household. Because the list is open rather than fixed, you can also rely on other documents that demonstrate a shared life, as long as they address the same question: do you function as a couple?
The Department’s stated test is whether the relationship is genuine and continuing, and the listed examples focus on shared finances, housing and occupancy rather than on any single prescribed item. Assume a scenario where the main applicant and the partner have held a joint lease and a joint bank account for 18 months and both names appear on electricity bills: those items map directly onto the Department’s listed examples and would form part of the proof. The weight given to any single document depends on your full circumstances, not on a checklist alone.
What else must your partner satisfy beyond the relationship proof?
Including a partner brings more than relationship evidence into scope. Your partner must generally meet the same character and health requirements that apply to accompanying family members:
- Identity: provide current passport pages showing photo, personal details, and issue and expiry dates; a national identity card if one is held; and proof of any change of name.
- Character: provide character documents. Family members aged 16 years and over who apply for the visa with you must meet the character requirement. The page notes that the accepted Australian police certificate is a complete-disclosure National Police Certificate from the Australian Federal Police, valid for 12 months from the date of issue, and that overseas police certificates may also be required where a person spent 12 months or more in another country in the last 10 years since turning 16.
- Health: you and any family who apply with you must meet the health requirement, and the Department will tell you if health examinations are needed.
- Australian values: applicants aged 18 or over are asked to read the Life in Australia material and sign an Australian Values Statement.
- Debt to government: any debt owed to the Australian Government must have been repaid or arrangements made to repay it.
Competent English, age and points-test requirements are assessed for the main applicant’s claims; the partner documents listed on the page are separate from the evidence supporting the main applicant’s skills and points.
What happens if the relationship changes before a decision is made?
The page requires you to tell the Department as soon as possible about any change to your marital or de facto status after you apply.
Where an answer already provided turns out to be incorrect, the page refers to Form 1023 (Notification of incorrect answers). Where a partner is genuinely being added rather than corrected, the correct route is Form 1436 before the decision. Either way, the goal is that the documents on file match the relationship that actually exists.
Frequently asked questions
Can I include my de facto partner if we have lived together for only six months?
If your relationship is not registered under an Australian State or Territory law, the Department’s stated rule requires enough documents to prove at least 12 months in the de facto relationship before you apply. Six months of cohabitation without registration would not meet that threshold at lodgement. Options the page allows are registration, marriage with a marriage certificate, or waiting until the 12-month period is reached.
Do we have to show a joint bank account to prove the relationship?
No. Joint bank account statements are one listed example, but the guidance says the evidence “can include but is not limited to” that item. Joint billing accounts, joint leases or mortgages, and proof that your partner lived at the same address are equally valid starting points, and other proof of a shared life may be added.
My partner was married before—what do we need to provide?
For anyone who is or has been married, widowed, divorced or permanently separated, the Department asks for proof such as divorce documents, death certificates, separation documents or statutory declarations. The right document depends on how the previous relationship ended, and this proof is separate from your own current genuine-and-continuing evidence.
Can I add my partner after lodging my 190 application?
Yes, members of the family unit can be added after you apply but before the Department decides the visa. Use Form 1436 (Adding an additional applicant after lodgement), pay the required charge through ImmiAccount, and attach the form and supporting relationship, identity, character and health documents. Family members added to the application must meet the health and character requirements.
What if my partner is not coming to Australia—do they still need checks?
Family members who are not coming to Australia still have to meet the character requirement and might have to meet the health requirement. If a partner is not included because they already hold Australian citizenship or permanent residence, the page simply asks you to explain why they are not part of the application.
Is my partner’s relationship evidence the only thing the Department checks?
No. The relationship evidence proves eligibility as your partner, but your partner must also satisfy identity, character, health and values requirements, and any Australian Government debt must be repaid or arrangements made. The partner is part of the same application, so incomplete non-relationship documents can hold up the whole case.