How Long Does the Partner Visa 100 Take in 2026 and What Slows It Down?

Updated 2026-10-11 · General information, not migration advice · Run by the Arrivau team

Subclass 100 processing time does not run from the day you lodged. According to the Australian Department of Home Affairs' Partner (Migrant) visa (subclass 100) official page, the processing time for the 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. Everything published after that point is a guideline rather than a promise: the same page states that processing times are updated regularly, that every application is assessed case by case, that complex cases may take longer, and that published times should be used as a guideline only. This article explains how that published material works in general terms; it is not personalised advice about your own case, and where your situation is unusual you should rely on the Department's current published information or on advice from a registered migration agent or legal practitioner.

When does the subclass 100 clock actually start?

The clock starts at your eligibility date, not at lodgement. The Department's step-by-step page for the visa says you become eligible for consideration for the permanent Partner visa two years after you applied for the temporary and permanent Partner visas, and you can check the date you submitted that application in ImmiAccount.

This matters because the two-year qualifying period and the assessment period are separate things. The two years is the qualifying period you must serve from your original combined application; the processing time the Department publishes is the period after that, measured from the eligibility date.

Once two years have passed since you first applied, you can submit your documents for the permanent stage. The page is explicit that you should not send them before that time.

What does the published processing time actually measure?

It measures recently decided applications, not your file. The Department's global processing times page describes its estimate as based on how long it has taken to process applications that were recently decided, and states clearly that this does not guarantee your application will be decided within the current standard processing timeframe.

So a published figure tells you what has happened to other people's files, not what will happen to yours. Two applicants who become eligible on the same day can have very different waits, because the Department assesses each application on its own facts and warns that complex cases may take longer.

What are the four things the Department says slow a decision?

The official page lists four circumstances in which your application can take longer to process.

You do not fill it in correctly. Errors in the application itself create back-and-forth before a decision can be made.
You do not include all required documents. For the permanent stage this covers identity documents, character documents and continued evidence of your relationship with the same person who sponsored you.
The Department needs more information from you. A common trigger is an expired police certificate: for immigration purposes, police certificates are valid for 12 months from the issue date, and the Department may ask you for a new Australian police certificate if your previous one has expired.
It takes time to verify your information. Checks carried out on what you have submitted add time that is outside your control.

The practical reading is that three of the four are about completeness and currency of your own material. Identity, character and relationship evidence that is still valid at the moment a case officer looks at it removes a whole category of delay.

Note also what the character requirements involve at this stage. The Department only accepts complete disclosure National Police Certificates issued by the Australian Federal Police — not standard disclosure certificates, and not national police certificates issued by Australian state or territory police. You also need an overseas police certificate from any country, including your home country, where you spent a total of 12 months or more since your subclass 309 visa was granted.

How do you submit and maintain your permanent-stage documents?

Submit through ImmiAccount. The step-by-step page sets out the sequence: log in to ImmiAccount, select 'New application', select 'Family', select 'Stage 2 – Permanent Partner Visa Assessment', then attach your documents.

Attach each document only once, even if you use it to show more than one thing, and label documents clearly. You can attach up to 100 documents for each person on the application and that limit cannot be increased; if you reach the limit for one applicant, you can attach further documents to other clients on the same application.

Documents should be scanned or photographed in colour, clear enough to read, with multi-page documents saved as one file. Nothing needs to be certified. Anything not in English needs translating: translators in Australia must be accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters, while translators outside Australia need not be accredited but must include their full name, address and telephone number, and their qualifications and experience in that language, in English on each translation.

Because Partner applications can have long processing times, the Department advises updating your documents and evidence of your relationship regularly through ImmiAccount. That is a maintenance task, not a one-off upload — a file assembled at the eligibility date and never touched again is the file most likely to attract a request for more information.

What if something changes while you wait?

Changes have to be reported. The Department's page lists changes to your marital or de facto status, the birth of a child, and any other changes relevant to your application as things you need to tell them about after you apply but before a decision is made. Mistakes on the application should also be reported as soon as you can.

If your relationship ends, you may need to complete the Notification of Relationship Cessation form in ImmiAccount. You might still be eligible for the permanent visa if your relationship ends or your partner dies, and the Department states that all information you provide is confidential. Where domestic and family violence is involved, the family violence provisions may apply and you may still be eligible for the grant.

Where you cannot upload documents in ImmiAccount, the Department's step-by-step page names the Partner Processing Enquiry Form as the channel to use. But the same page says not to contact the Department if your application is within the current standard processing time, because no further updates on progress can be provided — status and whether all supporting documents have been received can be checked in ImmiAccount.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the subclass 100 processing time start from the day I lodged my application?

No. The Department's subclass 100 page says processing time starts from the date of eligibility, which is two years after you applied for the temporary and permanent Partner visas. The two years runs from that original combined application, and the published processing figure applies to the period after it.

Is the published processing time a guarantee?

No. The global processing times page states that the estimate is based on how long recently decided applications took, and that it does not guarantee your application will be decided within the current standard processing timeframe. The subclass 100 page adds that published times are a guideline only and that complex cases may take longer.

What are the four reasons the Department gives for a longer wait?

Not filling in the application correctly, not including all required documents, the Department needing more information from you, and verification of your information taking time. Three of the four relate to the completeness and currency of what you have submitted.

When can I submit documents for the permanent stage?

Once two years have passed since you first applied for the temporary and permanent Partner visas. The Department says to check your submission date in ImmiAccount and specifically not to attach permanent-stage documents before the two years have passed.

How long is an Australian police certificate valid for immigration purposes?

Twelve months from the issue date. If your previous certificate has expired the Department may ask you for a new one, and it only accepts complete disclosure National Police Certificates issued by the Australian Federal Police.

Do I have to pay another visa application charge for the subclass 100 stage?

No. The subclass 100 page states you paid for this visa when you applied for the temporary and permanent Partner visas, although you might have to pay other costs for health or police checks.

Can I still be granted the subclass 100 visa if my relationship ends while I wait?

Possibly. The Department says you might still be eligible for the permanent visa if your relationship ends or your partner dies, and that you may need to complete the Notification of Relationship Cessation form in ImmiAccount. Where family violence is involved, the family violence provisions may allow the visa to be granted.

When do I actually become a permanent resident?

On the day the visa is granted. The subclass 100 page states that you become a permanent resident on the day the visa is granted, and that the visa comes with a five-year travel facility, after which a Resident Return visa is needed to travel as a permanent resident.