For Australian Filipina couples intending to get married in Australia. The Prospective Marriage Visa (aka Fiancee Visa or Fiance Visa) allows an Australian Citizen, Permanent Resident, or Eligible New Zealand Citizen to bring their fiancée from Philippines to Australia and to marry her within 12 months of the grant.
Note that the Prospective Marriage Visa option is also open to same-sex couples who wish to marry in Australia. Same sex couples are no longer restricted to the de facto partner visa option!
It means you must be legally free to marry (ie. never married, or already divorced or annulled), and you must be ready and fully committed to marrying in Australia within the visa period.
After the wedding you apply for a Subclass 820 Onshore Temporary Partner Visa. After two years of a successful and genuine relationship, a Subclass 801 Permanent Partner Visa may be granted.
The Prospective Marriage Visa is the ideal visa choice for those who wish to marry in Australia, but wish to do so at a steady pace. It gives you time to prepare the application and to prepare a wedding in Australia just the way you want it rather than rushing to meet a deadline. Fiancee visas are particularly good for those who don’t have a lot of free time and may not be that brilliant at paperwork, ie fiancee visas are great for those who don’t want to (or simply can’t) rush through the process.
DISCLAIMER
Information contained in this page is of a general nature. Informative, yes, but not a formula for preparing visa applications and should not be relied on as such. The devil is in the detail, rest assured. Australian migration law is complicated and Departmental decisions are inflexible and often final. Readers and future visa applicants and sponsors are advised to rely on professionals to ensure a happy outcome.
Partner Visa Prospective Marriage Visa De Facto Visa Why do you need
a Migration Agent?
As stated above, yes you must apply for a further Partner Visa (a) after marrying, and (b) before the 9 months runs out. Definitely not a full visa application. Yes, it costs (a much smaller amount than the initial visa). But it is not the same as a stand-alone onshore partner visa application, despite having the same title and visa number (Subclass 820). It’s less work because less is required, however we still advise getting it professionally managed as some perfectly smart people have managed to get their applications refused. And as long as you do everything in time, she will remain in Australia on a Bridging Visa A while the application is being processed. No need to leave Australia and you!
You apply for this visa at the same time as applying for a temporary partner visa, ie an 820/801 application. You need to provide them with further documents and relationship evidence at this later stage to show your relationship is still in place. You can get further information here: permanent partner visas.
No, you cannot. A Prospective Marriage Visa is an offshore visa only, which means the applicant must be offshore (ie OUTSIDE of Australia) when it’s lodged, and also when it’s granted.
A Prospective Marriage Visa is granted with a condition that says you must marry within 12 months of the visa grant. You cannot delay this, or you will breach that visa condition and invite cancellation of the visa.
No sorry. You can only apply for it based on a prospective MARRIAGE.
Most Prospective Marriage Visa applicants do, and this is how the visa was designed. However you may marry anywhere as long as you entry Australia before marrying. That means you may travel together from Australia to another country and marry if you wish.
You will breach visa conditions, and your visa will be cancelled.
No, not at all. You don’t need to live together at all before the visa grant.
You must meet in person before applying for a Prospective Marriage Visa, or you will not meet the criteria and the visa application will be refused.
Yes, Prospective Marriage Visa holders have unrestricted work rights.
No, definitely not. Bridging visas never apply to offshore visa applications.
No, definitely not. You both must be legally free to marry in order to have a Prospective Marriage Visa granted.
You will breach visa conditions, and you risk cancellation of your visa.
If the visa is then granted, you will breach visa conditions. We may request that they withdraw a Prospective Marriage Visa application, and replace it with an offshore Partner Visa if we do so in plenty of time.
Yes, they may be included as secondary applicants in that visa. Note that this depends on you having a legal right to remove them from the country, ie. if another parent still has joint custody then you will need their permission for this to happen.
Now, over to you the client (or potential client)! We value our clients opinions, and we believe in keeping all well-informed. What would YOU like to ask about prospective marriage visas? What do YOU think needs a bit more explanation? Ask below, and Jeff Harvie RMA will answer your question for you and for others wondering the same thing.
Partner Visa Onshore? Or Partner Visa Offshore? Or Prospective Marriage Visa?
Get the pros and cons of each visa type so you can COMPARE, and make an informed decision based on expert advice!
Advantages of a prospective marriage visa (CLICK HERE)
Let us know where you wish to marry and when, and we can guide you with the best choice of visa to suit your needs! And also, use our free FREE VISA ASSESSMENT FORM to see if you do actually qualify for a visa
Want to read more about Australian Prospective Marriage Visas from the Philippines? Check out some of our prospective marriage visa BLOG posts below.
Prospective marriage visa versus partner visa
“Virgie and myself like to thank Jeff and Mila for the excellent service provided for us to be together in Australia. I was recommended Jeff and Mila by a friend that also used them to get spouse visa. Jeff was great he sent through every detail we needed to know as this was new to both of us. It took a month or two to get all the required information to Jeff and he also told us we could get a tourist visa while we waited for the fiancee visa to processed. We had our tourist visa granted and we got to spend 3 months together in Australia. The hardest part was Vigie returned I had to leave without knowing how long till I could return and still had not heard anything about the fiancee visa. We submitted another tourist visa just cause we could not stand being apart. Today we received the great news that our fiencee visa had been granted after only 6 months. I rang Virgie the instant I open the email from Jeff. By the time Virgie answered the phone I was crying with joy and told her the good news. I kept crying fot at least 30 minutes after I got off the phone to Virgie and I would strongly recommend Jeff and Mila to anyone that is trying to get visa. We love you guys for making our dream come true.”
“After 2 failed attempts applying for tourist/spousal vis privately, Melissa was granted a 3 months tourist visa (Including lodgement fees) and advice from a migration agent that cost P500 informing us that we only had 20% chance of obtaining the appropriate visa we decided to contact “Down Under Visa”. Jeff and Mila were truly proffesional in every aspect of the application and at no time did we feel that we would not be granted the visa’s. We would also like to add that the fees of Down Under Visa are much less than the other agents. Melissa was granted a 3 months tourist visa on November 16,2011 and prospective marriage about February 9,2012. We would like to express our thanks to Jeff/Mila for their effort and would have no hesitation in recommending “Down Under Visa” to anyone seeking those service. Keep up the great work Jeff.”
Regards,
“I would like to let all those people who intend to obtain any kind of visa, especially visas for those for the Philippines to engage the services of Down under visas { Jeff and Mila Harvie }.
Their company is family owned and operated, so you always get personal service, above and beyond what is expected from a miggration agent.
In our case they rectified any potential problems, before they occurred. The immigration dept. suggested 6 months or more, but our case, which was a complex one, was completed in only 4 months. So professional was their work that the immigration dept. issued Marites fiance visa without an interview.
We cannot thank Jeff and Mila enough, for their thorough professional work, and reasonable charges.”
And in answer to the second question:
This is generally plain ol’ “cold feet”! Think about it, and you’ll realise I’m probably right. It’s a common condition in men. Fear of taking the plunge, so you dip your toe in the water. Getting a tourist visa is the migration version of dipping a toe in the water!
If she loves you, she will love Australia! She will love your home if she loves you! What kind of girl says “OK. You are the man of my dreams, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you…….but I prefer Manila to Melbourne!”?? Is this really likely?
Chances are if you do this, about a week before you have to put her on the plane back to Manila, you’ll be kicking yourself for not applying for a fiancee visa. It could have been well and truly being processed by this stage, and you’ll be bidding farewell to the woman you love instead. And if you want her to be with you permanently, you’ll have to start at the beginning.
It’s popular because it’s probably the more convenient, and causes the least stress. It gives the applicants 9 months to get a whole lot of important things done, and that’s not bad at all. When the visa is granted, you have nine months in which to marry.
Marrying in the Philippines has its charms. It’s different to a wedding back in Australia due to the crowds and general chaos. You get to feed half the town. You get to have a dozen bridesmaids. And you could have a jeepney or a tricycle as a wedding car! For many, great fun. For others, this will never be their cup of tea and they can end up regretting it.
Main downside of marrying in the Philippines is the time it takes. You really need 3 – 4 weeks to get it all done. There are legal things to do, ie. getting the Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage from the Australian Embassy and applying for the marriage license. There is also attending seminars on birth control (in Tagalog), attending more seminars if you marry through the Church, and all the organising of wedding dresses and umpteen outfits for the wedding party. And nothing happens in hurry in the Philippines. So 3 – 4 very busy weeks.
A Prospective Marriage Visa means you have 9 months to organise your wedding and to have your wedding in the comfort and relative efficiency of Australia. Plenty of time to organise everything you need without having to rush. You can marry in the Church, or you can get a marriage celebrant and have the wedding wherever you want it to be. In a reception place. In a park. On a beach. In your backyard. 9 months compares very favourably to 3 – 4 weeks, most definitely.
Partner Visa Prospective Marriage Visa De Facto Visa Why do you need
a Migration Agent?
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BY APPOINTMENT ONLY
NOTE: Jeff Harvie and main administrative staff are mostly in the Philippines office. Please do not (a) send documents or (b) attend the AUSTRALIAN office looking for assistance without a previous appointment.
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Offshore Partner Visas and Prospective Marriage Visas
Hi Jeff, I just have a couple of questions.
When we submit our Temp partner Visa is Medicare available while my partner is on the Bridging visa A awaiting application approval
What is your fee to manage the submission of the Temp Partner visa. I’m sure the Govt charge $1200
Thank you
Hello John. Thanks for replying.
Yes, actually it’s a really good deal when you think of it. Once the application for the Subclass 820 temporary onshore partner visa is lodged, you can take the acknowledgment letter to Medicare and she may apply. The bridging visa A comes into effect when the Subclass 300 runs out, however a Medicare application only needs the lodgement to take place.
And I’ll email you regarding costs.
Do I need to have a full time position in my job for my fiances visa to be granted
Not at all. Suggest you get a free visa assessment done so we can see if we can help you.
https://assessments.downundervisa.com
Hi, Jeff.I will be applyiing for a prospective marriage visa in the future,,I understand it’s 7k au for that,,Then i see I need an 820 visa .What is the additional visa costs and other visas I will need,Thanks Alwyn.
Hello Alwyn. Yes, after you marry and within 9 months of the grant you need to apply for a Subclass 820 onshore partner visa. Note that this is a simplified version of a full onshore partner visa because of what has already been done for the fiancee visa. So less work and less cost. This isn’t the place for quotations. Suggest that you do one of our free visa assessment forms…..it will take you five minutes….and as well as assessing your case and your suitability for the visa, I can give you costing as well.
Hi Jeff, I have another question, my fiancé has been separated for 15yrs but has never had an annulment granted. As you would know divorce is illegal in the Philippines. She was married in the Philippines to an American citizen. She does have divorce papers from Nevada US where her ex husband lives. Based on this can we apply for fiancé visa and get married in Australia. I am divorced and free to marry. Thank you
Hello John. If that’s a legal divorce in the US, then yes the Australian Government will recognise this and yes that means she is considered to be legally free to marry. You may look at applying for a fiancee visa, yes.
Hi Jeff.
My fiancé have applied for PMV in April 2018. We have not heard anything since then. How long does usually the PMV before it is granted? According to the websites, it says 18 months to 20 months. Basing on you recent experience, how long does it usually takes? Thanks
We’ve found the Australian Embassy in Manila has been taking an average of 6 months to process a Prospective Marriage Visa application. It’s also perfectly normal for them not to send anything if there is nothing they need to know. If the application is sound, it’s common to receive nothing between the time you receive your acknowledgment email and the visa grant email.
Hi I just proposed to my fiancé in April 2019. I’m considering my options and the best possible visa for her. If I were to get her a tourist visa and within that time apply for this visa with her while in Australia would this be possible? Can you please outline clearly the steps I’d have to take. Many thanks
It doesn’t work like that, sorry Luke. Did you read the article thoroughly? This is an offshore visa, which means the applicant needs to be outside of Australia when it’s applied-for. It’s not available from inside Australia.
I would strongly suggest you go to the top right hand of this page and click on VISA ASSESSMENT. It will take you five minutes. I can then outline all the reasonable options for you.
Hi..my ex is Australian guy i married him in philippines. He file divorce here in Australia. But my marriage in philippines is not yet annul, he allowed has another woman also from Philippines and he married in Australia even not annul in philippines.he bring the woman here in Australia because he doesn’t want to file annulment in phils. Thank you
Yes, and he may do this. Under Australian Law he was legally free to marry. And the new visa for his second wife would also be assessed under Australian Law. Sorry your marriage did not last, but there is nothing you can do about it.
Hi Jeff, what is the typical processing time for this visa to be granted from the date of submission (assuming the application is “Decision Ready”)?
I intend to marry my pinay fiance in 14 months from now (AUG 2020); so should we submit an application soon? Or will the department set a grant date around our wedding date on the application? (eg. granted in NOV 2019, but valid/commencing from MAY 2020)?
I’m aware the validity is 9 months, but i’m wondering if those 9 months will form with our wedding date somewhere in the middle (for time to submit 820 & misc docs).
Extra info; we plan to marry in PH (as her entire family is there) and I am applying for her online (I’m an AU Citizen).
Many thanks in advance.
Average processing time is 6 months for our clients. Yes, different to what the Department website says, but I’m talking averages for our own clients. And before anything else, a prospective marriage visa is normally for those marry in Australia….. not Philippines. I would suggest that you do one of our free online visa assessment forms.
Hi Jeff
At the moment my Philippino partner is doing her paper work applying for her tourist visa to come to Australia early next year
When she gets here we intend to be married
I have the paperwork for the Notice of intend to marry
Then once we work out our time line i intend to retire from work and go to live in the Philippines with Reah
Can you advise me on what i need to do for this to happen smoothly
Regards John
We don’t deal with Philippines visas sorry, John. We only do visas from Philippines to Australia.
Hi,
We applied for subclass 300 and I’m planning to go to Australia while waiting for the result using subclass 600. Will that be ok or it might affect our application of subclass 300? Thank u in advance!
Fiancée and be both living in Philippines, I divorced in Australia
Three years ago, wanting to marry in Darwin , up to one month stay
Please advise visa cost
I oz.she phils
Hello Rob. Suggest you complete a free visa assessment so I can advise you properly. There’s a link at the bottom of this article.
Hi jeff,, would like to ask on your own personal experience what is the processing time for PMV 300 ?iv search that its about 18 to 20months and also in some forums it took more than a year before its been granted. but in your agency what is the normal timeline or the minimum and maximum timeline?
It is beacuse me and my fiancee who is an Au citizen is planning to lodge an application soon for PMV 300. I have been to OZ 3x already and we’ve been together for 4 years now. We have been checking some agency who can help us with this application since i do not want to wait for such a long time (it will make me so paranoid just thinking about it) . Though i know its part of it but more than 1 year is way too much. Would like to know your inputs.
Thanks,
Charish
We find an average of our visa grants over the last 12 months has been 7 months for Subclass 300 Prospective Marriage Visas. However we also have those which have taken over a year. Yours may be quick, or it may take time. Your only other choice is to look at an onshore application so you can be together during the processing.
Hi Jeff,
I have a on-going Prospective Marriage Visa Application (PMV) and still waiting for the approval, I am on my 8th months of waiting.
Before applying for PMV, I first visit my fiance in Australia thru a tourist visa.
Can I apply for a Tourist Visa to visit my fiance in Australia? Will it not affect my application for PMV? And will it mean possible denial of my tourist visa application?
Thank you.
We apply successfully for tourist visas for PMV applicants all the time.
Hi i have a query , i am in a relationship with a girl whom i want to marry now. We have been in a long distance relationship for last 10 years. We have all the proofs , financial , travelling together, gym memberships together, telephone records , pictures, common friends and almost everything etc. However , her parents arent too happy with our marriage for there own reasons and hence i dont have pictures of mine with her parents etc.
Can we still file the perspective marriage visa if we have all the other proofs of a genuine relationship ?
It has nothing to do with her parents. Parental approval is not a requirement.
Hi, I have a question.. I am still waiting for my PMV to get approved but I still have my tourist visa and will plan to go to Australia to visit my fiance again. What will happen if they grant my visa while Im still in Australia?
They won’t grant it while you’re in Australia. They will let you know by email, and you then need to leave Australia.
Hello, please I’m hoping you can help us, I’m an overstayer in UK, my fiancé is an Australian we are planning to get married, our major concerns is I will be entering australia as a tourists, do you think it would affect my applications, considering that I overstayer in UK? Your reply will mean so much to me
I think you have a complicated situation which should not be answered via a comments section on a BLOG article. I suggest you see a Registered Migration Agent.
Jeff,
We are in the process of awaiting a decision on my fiancé’s PMV. If granted and she arrives in Australia and we marry, is it better to apply for the 820/801 visa ASAP, or wait longer to gather more evidence of a genuine and shared life?
You can lodge anytime you’re ready within 9 months, Bob. If you have enough evidence, then lodge. If not? Wait.
Hi Jeff , I want proceed prospective marriage application for my girlfriend, we had 3 year in relationships, just wondering about how much fee We have to pay or do we have to pay in two parts , or have to pay 7710 in full to process visa ,
Regards
Sam
If you’d like us to manage that application for you then please do an online assessment at https://assessments.downundervisa.com
The Government fee needs to be paid in full when the application is lodged. No part-payments accepted.
hi jeff my son and his phillipo fiance ,have been engaged for 16 months and they want to get married in australia as soon as they can ,my son want toapply for a permanet partner visa ,how can he go about that ,and can you help can you plz send a mobil number ,where he can talk to you about all this and the costs plz
Hello Darren. There are a number of options. Best thing is to ask him to do a free online visa assessment. It will take him five minutes. https://assessments.downundervisa.com
hi there jeff are the subclass 300 prospect marriage visas getting approved at the moment as I never see any updates on the updates for approved visas for the 300 we only see the others we are both very exited to get married soon and are hoping ours get approved soon also when it gets approved do you email us or phone us ?
We haven’t seen any approved lately, Damien. I suspect they are holding off because 300 holders can’t travel with the travel ban in place. Again, this is what I SUSPECT! They never tell us what they are doing or planning, like any Government department. However they are still working.
And yes, we will email you the moment the grant happens.
Can someone please advise me on what is need for visa im planning for partner visa outside in australia my sponsor is my bf but i dont know what type of visa im going to apply because me and my bf are not engaged yet but i see him many times the only evedince i got is pictures
Please complete a free visa assessment, Kaira. I can advise you then.
https://assessments.downundervisa.com
What are the requirements?
Once you become a client we can give you all the guidance with requirements that you need. I suggest you get a free visa assessment done.
gday Jeff, I have a question for you, would we be better getting a prospective marriage visa to get my partner and our 2 children to aus rather than going thru the citizen by decent and then have to get a australian passport for the children as well as the defacto partner visa? thanks
It will cost you more and taking you longer to get a Prospective Marriage Visa, Mick. Suggest you email me to discuss.
Hello, my partner is in Australia and our relationship is registered in NSW. Am I eligible to apply for PMV?
We preferred PMV since the process only takes less than a year.
Thank you.
OK, you’ve complicated things a bit by registering your relationship Nick. Suggest you get a free assessment and I can advise you properly. https://assessments.downundervisa.com
On this visa is my partner allowed to undertake studying at TAFE for example. Would she be able to enrol like a permanent citizen or does she have to be a full fee paying student like the overseas students who are here on a study visa?
On what visa?
Hi Jeff..I had applied a PMV in Australia..I am working here in hongkong and have a divorce also here in hongkong and I planned to go home Philippines by august this year..I knew divorce is not recognise in Philippines ,is it ok if I will wait my visa there in Philippines while it’s on process?and is it ok also in the immigration when i have and interview because I’m still married in Philippines and I’ll go australia to get married..Will it be ok?thanks
Sorry but I dont give free advice to those who lodge their own applications
Hi Jeff,
I am 64 and wish to bring a 44 year old Filipina (with her 12 year old daughter) into Melbourne whom I known for 4 years. We want to marry and settle down fast.
Can she just come in under a tourist visa first and get married and use the partner visa?
Far too involved that to try to do it that way. Strongly suggest you get a free assessment and I can advise you properly. https://assessments.downundervisa.com
Hi Jeff, my Australian resident son and his Filipina fiancee are both qualified English teachers, currently working in Hanoi. They wish to relocate to Australia and get married within the stipulated 12 month period. It is a legitimate relationship as they have been a couple for 18 months and have been cohabitating for the last 6 months in Vietnam. Are you able to assist them to obtain the appropriate visa and if yes, what is your estimated charge?
I MOST LIKELY am, however I would need to assess them properly. I would then advise them of the most appropriate visa options to match their situation (and give costs and time estimate). An assessment is free and takes five minutes. https://assessments.downundervisa.com