Partner Visa 801 Processing Time in 2026: When Does the Clock Start?
According to the Australian Department of Home Affairs' Partner visa (Permanent) (Subclass 801) official page, as of October 2026, the processing time for the subclass 801 permanent Partner visa starts from the date of eligibility, and that date is two years after you applied for the temporary and permanent Partner visas together. In plain terms, the 801 clock does not start on the day you lodged the combined 820/801 application, and it does not start or restart when your subclass 820 temporary visa is granted. Published processing times are guidelines only: the Department assesses every application on a case-by-case basis, and complex cases may take longer. This article is general information only and does not constitute personalised professional advice; because partner visa outcomes depend on individual facts, rely on the official latest published information and any appropriately qualified professional advice for your own circumstances.
When does the subclass 801 processing clock actually start?
The official page states that processing time for a permanent Partner visa starts from the date of eligibility, described as two years after you applied for the temporary and Permanent partner visas. Because the subclass 820 and subclass 801 are applied for together as one combined partner visa application, the relevant application date is the date that combined application was submitted. You become eligible for consideration of the permanent stage two years after that submission date.
You can check the date you submitted your application in ImmiAccount. The two-year mark is what matters, not the date the Department makes any interim decision on the temporary stage. If the Department granted your subclass 801 immediately after granting your subclass 820, you do not have to do anything else for the permanent stage.
So how long does subclass 801 take after the 820 is granted?
There is no separate waiting period that begins on the day your 820 is granted. The permanent stage is assessed from the eligibility date, which is two years after lodgement of the combined application. Suppose an applicant lodges the combined 820/801 application on 1 March 2024: the eligibility date falls on 1 March 2026, and only from that point is the person eligible to submit permanent-stage documents for assessment. If that applicant's 820 was granted in 2025, the 801 clock still does not start until 1 March 2026.
The official page directs readers to the Global processing times page for current standard processing times, and notes that the published timeframe is based on how long it has taken to process recently decided applications. That estimate does not guarantee a decision within the standard timeframe.
Does the 820 grant change the eligibility date?
No. Grant of the temporary subclass 820 does not create a new start date for the permanent subclass 801. The two-year eligibility period is anchored to the original combined application date. This is why an early 820 grant does not shorten the wait for permanent-stage consideration, and why an 820 granted later does not delay the eligibility date itself.
What can make the 801 stage take longer?
The Department lists several reasons an application can take longer to process. Your application can take longer if you do not fill it in correctly, you do not include all required documents, the Department needs more information from you, or it takes time to verify your information. Complex cases may also take longer, and all applications are assessed individually.
Providing complete and accurate information is associated with faster processing: the official page says applications with all required information can be processed faster. The page also reminds applicants that, as a visa applicant, you must prove your identity and provide true information.
How is the permanent-stage submission described?
The official page sets out a sequence for the Stage 2 assessment. Log in to ImmiAccount. Select 'New application'. Select 'Family'. Select 'Stage 2 – Permanent Partner Visa Assessment'. Attach your documents.
Do not attach permanent-stage documents before two years have passed since you first applied. The page says to submit documents for the permanent stage once two years have passed, and not before this time. You can attach up to 100 documents for each person on the application, and the attachment limit cannot be increased.
You must provide evidence that you continue to be the spouse or de facto partner of the same person who sponsored you for the temporary Partner visa. The official guidance states that if your details change — for example, contact details, address, passport, marital or de facto status, or the birth of a child — you need to let the Department know through the change-in-situation process.
Does the published time guarantee a decision?
No. The official page says you should use published processing times as a guideline only. The global processing times page states that the estimated timeframe is based on how long it has taken to process recently decided applications, and it does not guarantee that your application will be decided within the current standard processing timeframe.
When an application is within the current standard processing time, the Department says it cannot provide further updates on progress, and status can be checked in ImmiAccount. Because Partner visa applications can have long processing times, the official page advises updating documents and evidence of the relationship regularly through ImmiAccount.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the 801 processing time start when my 820 visa is granted?
No. The Department's official page says processing time for the permanent Partner visa starts from the date of eligibility, which is two years after you applied for the temporary and permanent Partner visas together. Grant of the 820 is a separate step and does not set the start of the 801 clock.
How do I find my eligibility date?
Your eligibility date is two years after the date you submitted the combined temporary and permanent Partner visa application. The official guidance says you can check the submission date in ImmiAccount.
Can I submit permanent-stage documents before the two-year mark?
No. The official page instructs applicants not to send permanent-stage documents before two years have passed since the first application. The described process is to submit them once the two-year eligibility point has been reached.
What makes an 801 application take longer than the published guideline?
The Department lists incomplete or incorrectly filled applications, missing required documents, requests for more information, and time spent verifying information as factors. Complex cases may also take longer because every application is assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Is the published processing time a guarantee?
No. The official page says published processing times are a guideline only, and the global processing times estimate is based on how long recently decided applications took. It does not guarantee your application will be decided within that timeframe.
Do I need to do anything if my 801 was granted at the same time as my 820?
If the 801 was granted immediately after the 820, the official page says you do not have to do anything else for the permanent stage. You become a permanent resident on the day the visa is granted.