Applying for an 820 after a Prospective Marriage visa has expired: the ceased-visa charge and what the page requires

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

If you held a Prospective Marriage visa (subclass 300) and did not apply for the subclass 820 and 801 visas before that visa expired, the 820 page has a separate fee passage for people who entered Australia as the holder of a Prospective Marriage (subclass 300) visa and do not hold a Substantive visa. The row named Partner visa (subclass 820/801) - Ceased Prospective Marriage visa in the Visa fees and charges table is AUD2,475.00 for the main applicant, compared with AUD1,955.00 for current Prospective Marriage visa holders and AUD11,710.00 for the standard row. The page also says that if you do not hold a substantive visa when you apply and you did not previously hold a Prospective Marriage (subclass 300) visa, you must demonstrate that compelling reasons exist for the grant of a Partner visa.

The fee for former Prospective Marriage visa holders

The subclass 820 page says the fee is generally the amount for the main applicant if they previously held a Prospective Marriage visa but did not apply for the subclass 820 and 801 visas before that visa expired, and if they:

  • entered Australia as the holder of a Prospective Marriage (subclass 300) visa, and
  • do not hold a Substantive visa.

The page also says there is a fee for each family member who applies with you. It says the application will not be processed if you do not pay the correct visa application charge. It adds that you might have other costs for health checks, police certificates and biometrics. The Visa pricing estimator can work out the total, including extra family members, but the estimator does not include health checks, police certificates or biometrics.

The figures below come from the Visa fees and charges table. Each row is named as it appears there.

Table row Main applicant Additional applicant, 18 and over Additional applicant, under 18
Partner visa (subclass 820/801) AUD11,710.00 AUD5,860.00 AUD2,935.00
Partner visa (subclass 820/801) - Application by Prospective Marriage visa holder AUD1,955.00 AUD980.00 AUD485.00
Partner visa (subclass 820/801) - Ceased Prospective Marriage visa AUD2,475.00 AUD1,235.00 AUD625.00

The subclass 820 page's passage for current Prospective Marriage visa holders says the fee is generally the amount for the main applicant. The former-holder passage uses the word "generally" too, .

The substantive visa requirement

The subclass 820 page has a section called "Hold a substantive visa". It says:

If you do not hold a substantive visa at the time you apply for this visa and you did not previously hold a Prospective Marriage (subclass 300) visa, you must demonstrate that compelling reasons exist for the grant of a Partner visa.

The conditions are that you do not hold a substantive visa at the time you apply for this visa and that you did not previously hold a Prospective Marriage (subclass 300) visa. The sentence is worded to apply only to people who did not. Keep this separate from the fee passage. The fee passage and the compelling reasons passage are two different sections of the page.

The eligibility section also says that if you do not hold a substantive visa and are eligible to apply, you must include some documents. These include a "Sponsorship for a Partner to Migrate to Australia" online form completed by your sponsor, and at least two statutory declarations made within the last six weeks. The page says Form 888 is not a statutory declaration. It also says the eligibility section has a note: if you do not hold a substantive visa when you apply, you will have to meet additional criteria to be granted this visa.

Where you must be when you apply

The "Be in Australia when you apply" section says eligible applicants must apply for this visa in Australia. Family members who apply with you must also be in Australia.

The same section says you can apply if your current or previous visa does not have a condition that prevents further stay, such as condition 8503. It adds that you might be able to request a waiver of the no further stay condition in some circumstances, and that a waiver must be approved before you can apply for this visa.

Your relationship and the subclass 300 visa

The subclass 820 page has a section for Prospective Marriage visa holders and former holders. It says you may still be eligible for the subclass 820 and 801 visas if your relationship ends or your partner dies before you apply. It also says you will need to be in Australia and apply for those visas.

The subclass 300 page makes two statements about the marriage. The first is that you must enter Australia on the Prospective Marriage visa before the date specified on your grant letter. The second is that you must have married your prospective spouse before your Prospective Marriage visa expires. The page also says you can get married in any country, but the marriage must be valid under Australian law.

The subclass 300 page says the stay period is shown on the visa grant letter, and that this is 9 to 15 months from the visa grant date.

For the subclass 820 application, the relationship documents section says that if you are married, you must provide your marriage certificate or other evidence that your marriage is valid in Australia.

Family members

The subclass 820 page's family members section says that if you hold or have held a Prospective Marriage visa (subclass 300), you can include members of the family unit who hold or have held a subclass 300 visa at the time you apply for this visa. The page says you cannot add these family members after you submit your subclass 820 application.

Questions people ask

Do I pay the ceased-visa fee if I still hold a Prospective Marriage visa?

The subclass 820 page's fee passage for former holders covers people who did not apply for the subclass 820 and 801 visas before their subclass 300 visa expired, where the fee generally applies if they entered Australia as the holder of a Prospective Marriage (subclass 300) visa and do not hold a Substantive visa. The passage for current holders is separate. A pricing row lists Partner visa (subclass 820/801) - Application by Prospective Marriage visa holder at AUD1,955.00.

Do I need to show compelling reasons if I previously held a subclass 300 visa?

The "Hold a substantive visa" passage applies only if you do not hold a substantive visa at the time you apply and you did not previously hold a Prospective Marriage (subclass 300) visa. If you did previously hold one, that sentence does not state the compelling reasons requirement.

Can I add a family member who was on my subclass 300 visa?

The subclass 820 page says you can include family members who hold or have held a subclass 300 visa at the time you apply. You cannot add them after you submit the subclass 820 application.

The subclass 820 page points to its "Who can help with your visa application" information if you want immigration assistance.

Sources

Checked 11 October 2026

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