Relationship evidence for a partner included in a 2026 subclass 173 parent visa application
If your partner is going to be included in your Contributory Parent (Temporary) visa (Subclass 173) application, the answer is shorter than most partner-visa readers expect. According to the Australian Department of Home Affairs' Contributory Parent (Temporary) visa (Subclass 173) official page, current as at August 2026, a partner included in the application needs four things: identity documents, character documents, evidence of your relationship — your current marriage certificate, or documents proving you have been in a de facto relationship for at least 12 months before you apply — and documents about other relationships, where that applies. The rest of this article is general explanation of how that short list works in practice, not advice tailored to your situation, so your own case should be checked against the current official pages or with someone lawfully able to give immigration assistance.
What relationship evidence does the subclass 173 page actually ask for?
The partner documents list on the subclass 173 page separates married couples from de facto couples at the starting point. If you are married, the evidence the page names is your current marriage certificate — the word current matters, because a certificate issued years ago but still the official record of an existing marriage is what is being asked for, not a record of a marriage that has ended.
If you are not married, the page frames the test as documents that prove you have been in a de facto relationship for at least 12 months before you apply. The clock runs backwards from the date you apply, not from the date a decision is made. Since subclass 173 cannot be lodged online and has to be submitted on paper using Form 47PA, posted or couriered with all documents and evidence of payment, it is worth assembling material that covers the full 12 months leading up to the day you send the application rather than only the most recent month.
How do you prove a de facto relationship of at least 12 months?
The page gives four examples, and it introduces them with "include", so the list is illustrative rather than a closed set:
- joint bank account statements
- billing accounts in joint names
- joint leases or mortgages
- documents that show you have lived at the same address as your partner
Because the underlying test is a 12-month one, the versions of these documents that do real work are the ones that span the period. A single joint statement from last month shows that an account exists; a run of statements shows that the shared financial life the account represents was running throughout the 12 months before you applied. The same logic applies to joint billing accounts and to documents showing a shared address — continuity across the window is what connects the document to the requirement.
This is also the point where readers used to partner visa evidence often over-prepare. The subclass 173 page asks for de facto proof through the four kinds of documents above; it does not ask partners to document their relationship across separate categories of financial, household, social and commitment evidence. Submitting extra material is not prohibited, but the requirement itself is narrower than what a partner visa applicant would assemble.
What else does your partner have to lodge alongside the relationship evidence?
Relationship evidence is one item in a longer set. Each of the following comes from the same official page:
Identity documents. The pages of your partner's current passport showing their photo, personal details, and passport issue and expiry dates. Also a national identity card if they have one, and proof of change of name if applicable. The page lists a marriage or divorce certificate, change of name documents from an Australian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages or the relevant overseas authority, and documents showing other names a person has been known by as examples — so a marriage certificate can serve as both relationship evidence and name-change evidence at the same time.
Character documents. The page says the Department might ask for character documents, including police certificates, and tells applicants not to arrange a police check until asked. Do not front-run this one.
Documents about other relationships. Required "if applicable" — the page does not spell out what triggers it, so treat it as a question to answer honestly for your own history rather than a document type to guess at.
Photographs. Four recent photos of anyone included in the application, passport-size (45mm x 35mm), less than 6 months old, good quality colour (laser copies are not accepted), showing the full face against a plain light-coloured background. Untinted prescription glasses are allowed, and if a head covering is worn for religious reasons, only the face needs to be shown.
Forms and copies. Every family member aged 18 or over completes Form 47A, even if they are not migrating, and all forms must be completed in English. Only certified copies should be sent, not original documents — the exception listed is police certificates.
Does the relationship have to continue after you apply?
Yes, in two separate senses. The Migration Regulations 1994 treat a partner included in a subclass 173 application as a member of the family unit who must apply at the same time in a combined application (subclause 173.311), and the sponsorship must cover that person as well (173.312). At the time of decision, the person must still be a member of the family unit of the main applicant (173.321).
On the practical side, the official page requires you to tell the Department about changes to your relationship status, along with changes to your phone number, email, address, passport and family composition. Incorrect answers already given are corrected with Form 1023, and a family member added after lodgement is done with Form 1436, which requires evidence of your relationship and a copy of that person's passport.
Suppose an applicant separates from their partner after the application has been lodged but before it is decided. The notification duty above applies, and the continuing member-of-the-family-unit requirement in subclause 173.321 becomes the clause that matters at decision time. That is a hypothetical illustration of how the rules interact, not a prediction of outcome.
Where does the partner fit among the other 173 requirements?
The partner's documents sit alongside, not inside, the parent-specific requirements. The balance of family test is calculated by reference to the applicant's children — evidence of how you are related to each child, evidence of each child's Australian citizenship or country of permanent residence, and evidence that a child should not be counted, such as a death certificate. A spouse or de facto partner is not part of that calculation. The sponsor, however, is central to both: an eligible sponsor must sponsor the application using Form 40, and that sponsorship extends to the partner being included.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my partner have to be married to me to be included?
No. The official page offers two routes: a current marriage certificate, or documents proving a de facto relationship of at least 12 months before you apply. Both are treated as evidence of your relationship; neither is described as preferable to the other on the page.
How long do we need to have been together before applying?
For de facto partners, the page states at least 12 months before you apply. Married couples are asked for a current marriage certificate instead, with no separate 12-month period stated for the marriage itself.
Is a joint bank account opened a few months ago enough?
On its own, probably not for a de facto claim, because the requirement is framed as 12 months of de facto relationship before applying. Joint bank account statements are one of the four document types the page names; their usefulness comes from covering the period rather than showing that an account now exists.
Does my partner need a police certificate with the application?
Only if the Department asks. The page says character documents including police certificates may be requested, and specifically tells applicants not to arrange a police check until asked to do so.
What photos does my partner need to provide?
Four recent passport-size (45mm x 35mm) colour photos, less than 6 months old, full face against a plain light-coloured background. Laser copies are not accepted; untinted prescription glasses are allowed, and a religious head covering may be worn as long as the face is shown.
Can I add my partner after I have already lodged?
The page allows family members to be added before a decision is made, using Form 1436 together with evidence of your relationship and a copy of the family member's passport. The subclass 173 application itself is a paper application submitted by post or courier, and Form 1436 can be sent through ImmiAccount or the Parent visa processing centre form.
What if we separate while the application is being processed?
The official page requires you to tell the Department about a change in relationship status, and the Migration Regulations 1994 (subclause 173.321) require an included partner to remain a member of the family unit at the time of decision. Notify the change and check the current official guidance for your situation.