How long partner visa sponsorship lasts and what the sponsor agrees to do

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

Sponsorship of an Australian partner visa lasts two years, and it commits the sponsor to helping their partner — and any family members included in the application — financially and with accommodation. Exactly when the two years start depends on where the visa applicants are when the temporary partner visa is granted. There is no cost to sponsor.

What a sponsor agrees to do

The subclass 820 page says you must sponsor your partner and their family members included in their application. As a sponsor, you must assist your partner and their family members included in their application, financially and with their accommodation.

The subclass 309 page says the same thing: you must sponsor your partner and their family members included in their application, and must assist them financially and with their accommodation.

The subclass 820 page also sets out who the sponsor is. It says your sponsor is usually your partner, and that the department must approve your sponsor. It says you cannot change your sponsor: the person who sponsors you when you apply for the visa must be the same person who sponsors you for two years after the department grants your temporary Partner visa (subclass 820). Your sponsor should apply to sponsor you as soon as possible after you apply for this visa.

How long sponsorship lasts

Both pages use the same rule. Sponsorship ends two years after:

  • the visa is granted, if the applicants are in Australia at the time of grant; or
  • their next arrival in Australia, if they are outside Australia at the time of grant.

The 820 page adds that this is the case even if the department grants the permanent partner visa straight after the temporary partner visa. The 309 page says the same.

So the two-year period is not shortened if the permanent visa follows immediately. Getting the permanent visa early does not end the sponsorship commitment.

What sponsoring costs

The sponsor section of the subclass 820 page says: "No cost." The sponsor section of the subclass 309 page says: "No Cost." Sponsorship itself carries no fee.

Where the sponsor can be when applying

Both pages say you can be inside or outside Australia when you apply to sponsor. The applicant's own location rules are separate, and the sponsorship rule does not require the sponsor to be in Australia at the time of the sponsorship application.

What the sponsor has to tell the department

The subclass 820 page lists what you need to let the department know about, including:

  • changes to your contact details;
  • if your relationship ends.

For more information, the page points to Changes in your situation. If you do not have access to ImmiAccount, the page says you can let the department know by completing the Partner Processing Enquiry Form. It also says that if you are experiencing domestic and family violence, there is support available, and points to Family Violence Provisions.

Withdrawing a sponsorship

The withdrawal rules are written differently on the two pages, because they refer to different permanent visas.

Page Rule as written
Subclass 820 You cannot withdraw as a sponsor for the Subclass 820 after the visa is granted. You can withdraw your sponsorship application any time before the department decides on the permanent Partner visa (subclass 801) application. The applicant may still be eligible for the permanent partner visa.
Subclass 309 You cannot withdraw as a sponsor for the Subclass 309 after the visa is granted. You can withdraw your sponsorship application any time before the department decides on the permanent Partner visa (subclass 100) application. The applicant may still be eligible for the permanent partner visa.

Both pages point to Your relationship has changed for more information.

Where the subclass 309 page differs

The obligations, the cost, and the length of sponsorship are written in the same way on both pages. The differences are in the withdrawal rules: the 820 page refers to the subclass 801 decision, and the 309 page refers to the subclass 100 decision.

Questions people ask

How long does partner visa sponsorship last?

Sponsorship ends two years after the temporary visa is granted if the applicants are in Australia at the time of grant, or two years after their next arrival in Australia if they are outside Australia at the time of grant. Both pages say this applies even if the permanent partner visa is granted straight after the temporary one.

Does it cost anything to be a sponsor?

No. The sponsor section of the subclass 820 page says "No cost", and the subclass 309 page says "No Cost".

Can I withdraw my sponsorship after the visa is granted?

On the subclass 820 page, you cannot withdraw as a sponsor for the Subclass 820 after the visa is granted. You can withdraw your sponsorship application any time before the department decides on the subclass 801 application, and the applicant may still be eligible for the permanent partner visa. On the subclass 309 page, you cannot withdraw as a sponsor for the Subclass 309 after the visa is granted, and you can withdraw your sponsorship application any time before the department decides on the subclass 100 application, with the applicant possibly still eligible for the permanent partner visa.

Can I apply to sponsor while I am outside Australia?

Yes. Both pages say you can be inside or outside Australia when you apply to sponsor.

Do I have to tell the department if my relationship ends?

The subclass 820 page lists "if your relationship ends" among the things you need to let the department know about, along with changes to your contact details.

Sources

Checked 11 October 2026

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