309 visa documents: identity, relationship and character papers for the offshore partner visa

Updated 2026-10-14 · General information, not migration advice · Run by the Arrivau team

A subclass 309 applicant needs to provide identity documents and evidence of their relationship, including any former relationships and dependants, and after applying also needs character documents and health examinations. The subclass 309 page sets out exactly what each group contains, and it also sets rules for translating, scanning and labelling them. Here is what it asks for, in the order you would gather it.

Identity documents

The subclass 309 page asks for a birth certificate showing the names of both parents.

If you cannot provide that, you provide the identification page for one of these:

  • family book showing the names of both parents
  • identification document issued by the government
  • court-issued document that proves your identity
  • family census register

You also provide:

  • the pages of your current passport showing your photo, personal details and passport issue and expiry dates
  • a national identity card, if you have one
  • proof of change of name, if applicable, such as a marriage or divorce certificate, change of name documents from an Australian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages or the relevant overseas authority, or documents that show other names you have been known by

Evidence of your relationship with your partner

You must provide evidence of your relationship with your spouse or de facto partner.

The relationship history in writing

The subclass 309 page asks you to tell the department in writing about:

  • how, when and where you first met
  • how the relationship developed
  • when you moved in together, got engaged or married
  • what you do together
  • time you spent apart
  • significant events in the relationship
  • your plans for the future

Marriage and de facto documents

If you are married, you provide your marriage certificate or other evidence that your marriage is valid in Australia.

If you are a de facto partner, you provide evidence of your de facto relationship, and you show that you have been in that relationship for at least 12 months before you applied for this visa.

If you have not been with your de facto partner for 12 months, you can:

  • provide evidence you have registered your relationship with an Australian State or Territory births, deaths and marriages agency, or
  • tell the department in writing about any compelling and compassionate circumstances for them to grant the visa

Four kinds of supporting evidence

The subclass 309 page groups supporting evidence into four categories.

Finances — evidence that you and your partner share financial matters. It can include joint mortgage or lease documents, joint loan documents for major assets such as homes, cars or major appliances, joint bank account statements, and household bills in both names.

Household — evidence that you share domestic matters. It can include a statement about how you share housework, household bills in both names, mail or emails addressed to you both, documents showing joint responsibility for children, and documents that prove your living arrangements.

Social matters — evidence that others know about your relationship. You must provide statements from 2 witnesses who:

  • are 18 years old or older
  • know you and your spouse or de facto partner
  • know about your relationship

Those statements are made on Form 888 – Supporting statement in relation to a Partner or Prospective Marriage visa application. If a witness is an Australian citizen or permanent resident, you provide evidence of this such as a passport or birth certificate. Other evidence in this category can include joint invitations or evidence you go out together, proof you have friends in common, proof you have told government, public or commercial bodies about your relationship, proof you do joint sporting, cultural or social activities together, and proof you travel together.

Commitment — evidence you are committed to a long-term relationship with each other. The evidence must show that you have knowledge of each other's background, family situation or other personal details, have combined your personal matters, stay in touch when apart, and are not related by family. You can also provide the terms of your wills as evidence.

Former relationships

If you have previously been married, widowed, divorced or permanently separated, you provide divorce documents, death certificates, separation documents or statutory declarations.

Dependants

Dependants under 18

For each member of the family unit under 18 applying with you, you provide:

  • identity documents
  • evidence of your relationship with your dependant, such as a birth or marriage certificate
  • health examinations
  • character documents, if the dependant is 16 or 17 years of age
  • adoption papers or parental court orders, if applicable
  • evidence of enrolment at school, college or university, if applicable
  • evidence of sole custody, if applicable

For parental responsibility, you must get consent for any applicant under 18 years of age to migrate to Australia from anyone who has a legal right to decide where the child lives and who is not coming to Australia with the child. They complete Form 1229 Consent form to grant an Australian visa to a child under the age of 18 years. You include an identity document that shows the signature and photo of the person who completed the form, such as a passport or driver's licence, and adoption papers or other court documents if applicable.

Alternatively, you can show an Australian court order that allows your child to migrate to Australia, or that the laws of the child's home country allow them to leave their home country permanently.

Dependants over 18

To include members of the family unit who are over 18 in your visa application, they must be over 18 years of age but not yet turned 23 and dependent on you or your partner, or over 23 years of age and unable to earn a living to support themselves due to physical or cognitive limitations and dependent on you or your partner.

You provide identity documents, documents about their other relationships if applicable, health examinations, and character documents. You must also provide evidence the child is dependent on you, which includes evidence of your relationship with the dependent such as a birth certificate or adoption papers, and evidence of financial dependence such as bank statements, money transfers and rent receipts. You complete Form 47a Details of a child or other dependent family member aged 18 years or over.

If the child is aged 23 or is likely to turn 23 while your application is being processed, you must also provide a report from a qualified medical practitioner stating they are dependent on you or your partner due to the total or partial loss of their bodily or mental functions.

Preparing your documents

Translation

Have all documents translated into English, and provide the original and the translation in your application.

Translators in Australia must be accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters. Translators outside Australia do not have to be accredited, but each translation must include their full name, address and telephone number, and their qualifications and experience in the language they are translating. These details must be in English.

Scanning and photographing

Scan or photograph all documents, English and non-English, in colour. The scans and photos must be clear enough to read. If a document is more than one page, save it all as one file. You do not need to have any documents certified.

Attaching them

Attach a document only once, even if you are using it to show more than one thing. Clearly label your documents. You can attach up to 100 documents for each person on your application, and the attachment limit cannot be increased. If you reach the attachment limit for an applicant, you can attach more documents to other clients on the application.

Police certificates, Form 80 and health examinations

These appear on the subclass 309 page under the After you apply step, and their timing matters.

Police certificates

You have the option to get your police certificates before you apply. For immigration purposes, police certificates are valid for 12 months from the date of issue. Before you get them, you should refer to the visa processing times, and the department may ask you to provide them again if they expire before a decision is made on your visa.

The subclass 309 page says that if you spent a total of 12 months or more in Australia in the last 10 years, since you turned 16, you must provide an Australian police certificate. Only complete disclosure National Police Certificates issued by the Australian Federal Police are accepted; standard disclosure certificates and national police certificates issued by Australian state or territory police are not accepted.

You also provide a police certificate from every country where you spent a total of 12 months or more in the last 10 years since you turned 16, and military service records or discharge papers if you served in the armed forces of any country.

Form 80

Complete and attach to your application Form 80 Personal particulars for assessment including character assessment.

Health examinations

You need to have health examinations. The results of your health assessment are valid for 12 months from the date you complete your examinations. If you are asked to sign a health undertaking, this is valid for 6 months. Before you complete your health examinations, you should refer to the visa processing times, and the department may ask you to provide them again if they expire before a decision is made on your visa.

Questions people ask

How long are my police certificates valid for the subclass 309?

For immigration purposes, police certificates are valid for 12 months from the date of issue, according to the subclass 309 page. If they expire before the department decides your visa, they may ask you to provide them again.

How long do health examination results last?

The subclass 309 page says the results of your health assessment are valid for 12 months from the date you complete your examinations. If you are asked to sign a health undertaking, that is valid for 6 months.

What if my de facto relationship is shorter than 12 months?

If you have not been with your de facto partner for 12 months, the subclass 309 page says you can provide evidence you have registered your relationship with an Australian State or Territory births, deaths and marriages agency, or tell the department in writing about any compelling and compassionate circumstances for them to grant the visa.

Do my documents need to be certified?

You do not need to have any documents certified, according to the subclass 309 page. You scan or photograph all documents in colour, and they must be clear enough to read.

Must a translator be accredited?

Translators in Australia must be accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters. Translators outside Australia do not have to be accredited, but each translation must carry the translator's full name, address and telephone number, and their qualifications and experience, in English.

What happens if I have a previous marriage?

If you have previously been married, widowed, divorced or permanently separated, the subclass 309 page asks you to provide divorce documents, death certificates, separation documents or statutory declarations.

Sources

Checked 11 October 2026

This page is an unofficial summary published by PartnerVisa.help, not by the Department of Home Affairs, and the department's current pages prevail if they differ.