Prospective Marriage Visa or subclass 300 also known as the Fiancé Visa Australia, provided under the Partners visa programs, was created for a foreign fiancé of an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen to travel to Australia and marry within nine months to fifteen months after which you apply for a permanent partner visa. This prospective marriage visa Australia process takes on average 12-18 months processing time and gives full work and study rights on arrival into Australia.
Unlike other partner visa applications, the prospective marriage visa does require ‘real’ intention of getting married within 9-15 months of coming to Australia. This guide presents the complete prospective marriage visa checklist, facts concerning prospective marriage visa processing time, prices for a prospective marriage visa stage by stage, and everything about VISA 300 interview.
What is Prospective Marriage Visa? Fiancé Visa Explained
The prospective marriage visa is the type of visa that allows future spouses of individuals to let them enter Australia for marriage within 9-15 months, followed by the onshore partner visa 820/801 transition. Then you must prove genuine intention to marry a specific Australian sponsor for verification.
| Key Feature | Prospective Marriage Visa Details |
|---|---|
|
Visa Type |
Temporary Fiancé (Subclass 300) |
|
Location |
Offshore (apply from outside Australia) |
|
Work Rights |
Full upon arrival (any employer) |
|
Study Rights |
Unlimited (no course restrictions) |
|
Marriage Deadline |
9 months from entry |
|
Pathway |
820/801 onshore partner visas |
Critical Notice about it: Failure to marry within 9-15 months requires departure and no further extensions are going to be rewarded.
Prospective Marriage Visa Requirements
The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) demands strict compliance with age and location requirements as well as evidence of an actual relationship in order to allow the Prospective Marriage Visa. satisfying these basic requirements is the first step towards meeting the requirements for a prospective marriage visa:
- Essential Sponsor and Applicant Requirements for the visa
Location: In the case of Prospective Marriage Visa Both when the application is submitted and when the visa is approved, the applicant must be outside of Australia.
Age: Age is a factor that needs to be considered while applying for the visa as the sponsor and the applicant that is applying for the visa must both be at least eighteen years old and older to be eligible for it.
Sponsor Eligibility: The eligibility of the sponsor is the next factor that is crucial in applying for the visa as there are certain rules for the sponsor which need to be fulfilled. This sponsor must be an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident, or a New Zealand citizen who meets the eligibility criteria successfully. Most importantly, the sponsor must meet the criteria of the Prospective Marriage Visa: character requirements and restrictions to sponsorship for sponsors-that is, not have sponsored more than two people or not have been sponsored themselves in the past five years, unless compelling circumstances exist.
- Demonstrating Intent to Marry
The defining feature of Subclass 300 is the genuine commitment to marry your sponsor within the validity period (9 to 15 months). The DHA requires tangible evidence of this intent:
Formal Notice: For you to be eligible for the Subclass 300 visa, you need formal notice. The formal notice is a legal document provided by the relevant authorities, and on this document, all the details must be mentioned, such as the date and place of the marriage, or a letter from an authorized celebrant, proving its legitimacy and that it has been submitted with a Notice of Intended Marriage.
Relationship Background: In this eligibility criteria, you are required to provide detailed individual statements of both partners on the history of the relationship, key milestones, and specific future plans as a married Australian couple are required for the application.
- Evidence for the Four Pillars (The PMV Focus)
Although the couple has not yet lived together as husband and wife, the DHA assesses the relationship using the Partner Visa’s Four Pillars of evidence. For Subclass 300, the focus shifts from shared history to future intent and planning:
| Pillar | Focus for Subclass 300 |
|---|---|
|
Commitment |
Intention to Marry |
|
Social Recognition |
Acceptance by Peers/Family |
|
Financial Aspects |
Combined Planning/Support |
|
Household |
Plans for Cohabitation |
Prospective Marriage Visa Checklist
It is vital that you create a well-organized list of the prospective marriage visa requirements to prove that you qualify and that you have a sincere intention to get married to the individual. Organizing your identity documents, character clearances, and the essential “Notice of Intended Marriage” (NOIM) into a professional virtual collection is crucial because the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has prioritized “Decision-Ready” files in 2025.
Compulsory Forms that are needed
- Form 47SP – Applicant for Subclass 300
- Form 40SP – Australian sponsor details
- Form 80 – Personal particulars (both parties)
Identify verification documents and character documents
- Passports (current + previous)
- Birth certificates
- Police certificates (all countries >12m residence)
Evidence or Proof of the Relation
- 12+ months communication records (messages/calls)
- 4-6 Form 888 statutory declarations
- Engagement photos + mutual visits proof
- Confirmed wedding arrangements (venue/officiant)
Health and Skill related
- HAP ID health examinations
- NAATI translations (non-English docs)
- Biometrics confirmation
Prospective Marriage Visa Cost and Processing Time
In every aspect of visa, one of the main concerns of applicants is understanding the financial commitment (the Prospective Marriage Visa Cost) and the anticipated wait time (the Prospective Marriage Visa Processing Time), as these are the factors that entirely change the perspective of an individual.
Prospective Marriage Visa Processing Time
| Processing Milestone | Timeframe (90% Granted) |
|---|---|
|
Lodgment → Initial Review |
1-3 months |
|
Full Visa Grant |
12-18 months |
|
Entry & Marriage |
Within 9 months |
|
Fast Track Complete |
8-12 months |
Factors that can help accelerate the process:
- Decision-ready prospective marriage visa checklist
- Confirmed marriage arrangements
- 6+ Form 888 statements
Prospective Marriage Visa Cost
| Applicant | Visa Fee | Additional Costs |
|---|---|---|
|
Main Applicant |
AUD $9,365 |
Police: AUD $200-400
Medicals: AUD $350-500
|
|
Adult Dependent |
AUD $4,685 |
Same as main |
|
Child <18 |
AUD $2,345 |
Reduced medicals |
Step-by-Step Prospective Marriage Visa Application Process
A clearly structured 9-step approach is required for comprehension of the entire prospective marriage visa application process right from the start of offshore lodging to the final transitioning into a permanent residency arrangement. Couples can mitigate the risks of cost implications of administrative delays with regards to critical phases of the process, such as biometric sessions, embassy interviews, and the exact period required for wedding and applying for the partner visa 820, by following this informed approach.
- Sponsor Verification & “The 5-Year Rule”
In the first step you need to make sure that your sponsor qualifies before you pay any expenses related to the application. You must confirm that they have not sponsored anyone else within the previous five years and that they do not possess a substantial criminal record.
You need to gather your fiancé’s Australian passport and any previous divorce decrees (if applicable) to prove they are legally free to marry you.
- Relationship Evidence & NOIM
Unlike in the de facto visa, you do not need to prove that you’ve lived together for a year, but for it you must prove that you intend to marry the individual.
Therefore, you are then requiring lodging your Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM) with an appointed Australian Marriage authority. If you then wish to lodge it as your main document, you must request them to issue you a formal letter that confirms the date and locality of your marriage and authenticate it.
- ImmiAccount Preparation
You will be required to complete the massive Form 47SP which is meant for you and your fiancé is required to complete the Form 40SP for the sponsorship.
Hence, you will need to create your Immiaccount and begin drafting your relationship statements. Use this time to book your medicals using a HAP ID generated within the portal.
- Document Upload & NAATI Compliance
In this step, you are required to upload the required documents for the application and the uploaded documents must be a high-resolution color scan documents for better understanding of the given documents.
You must have a NAATI-certified translator translate your birth certificate or police checks if they are not in English. The DHA will reject these if you try to translate them yourself.
- Payment
After all those steps have been completed, the next step in the application process is to make the payment for the prospective marriage visa cost. You can pay the fee via credit card or PayPal within ImmiAccount portal.
- Submission & Biometrics
In this step, you will be asked to provide biometrics (fingerprints and a digital photo) as you are applying for the application offshore.
Watch your email for a “Requirement to Provide Biometrics” letter. You must book an appointment at a local VFS Global or Australian Visa Application Centre within 14 days.
- The Visa Interview
In this step, you need to prepare a Relationship Fact Sheet. You and your fiancé should be 100% consistent on dates, how you met, and your plans for your first home in Australia.
- Visa Grant & First Entry
This step is the phase where you have been granted the prospective marriage visa and you need to make sure that you enter Australia by the date specified in your grant letter. Once you land, your “9 to 15-month” clock begins. You must marry your fiancé within this window.
- Post-Marriage
After the Grant of the visa is successfully done, the marriage is just the beginning. If you wish to secure your stay in Australia permanently, you must transit to the 820/801 visa.
Hence, you need to Lodge your onshore partner visa as soon as you have your official marriage certificate from the Registry of Births, Deaths, and Marriages. Your cost is lowered to about $1,560 because you held a PMV.
Prospective Marriage Visa Interview Guide
Prospective Marriage Visa or the Subclass 300 visa interview occurs at Australian embassies/visa centers and you should be prepared for the interview with confidence and make sure to go through the following interview guide to help you in the process.
Common Questions:
- How/when did you meet your fiancé(e)?
- Wedding date, venue, officiant details?
- Post-marriage living arrangements?
- Previous relationships/marriages?
- Financial support plans?
Final Checklist for the interview
- Practice relationship timeline (dates/locations)
- Bring wedding bookings/invitations
- Know sponsor’s full personal details
- Consistent statement phrasing
- Dress professionally and tidily to show standards and cleanliness.
Prospective Marriage Visa vs Partner Visa
| Aspect | Subclass 300 | Partner Visa 820/801 |
|---|---|---|
|
Relationship Status |
Fiancé (not married) |
Married/De Facto |
|
Location |
Offshore |
Onshore |
|
Entry Purpose |
Marry within 9 months |
Live together |
|
Processing |
12-18 months |
18-30+ months |
|
Cost |
AUD $9,365 |
AUD $9,365 |
|
Work Rights |
Full rights granted upon visa grant. |
Full rights granted upon 309 visa grants. |
|
Pathway to PR |
Requires subsequent onshore 820/801 application after marriage. |
Leads directly to permanent 100 visa (offshore stream). |
What Happens After Subclass 300?
Many people ask the same question and is been buzzing around in this topic: What is the next step after the subclass 300 or what visa comes after subclass 300? After the subclass 300 you must marry the other individual within 9 months, applying for an onshore partner visa subclass 820 (temporary) leading to 801 permanent.
Timeline:
- Enter on 300 → Marry within 9-15 months
- Apply 820 (onshore temporary, full rights)
- ~24 months later → 801 invitation (permanent PR)
Prospective Marriage Visa FAQs
The Prospective Marriage visa, also known as Subclass 300, is the kind of visa that enables engaged individuals or fiancés of Australian citizens to migrate to the country for purposes of getting married within a period of 9-15 months and eventually leading to the partner visas subclass 820/801.
The difference between them is: The Prospective Marriage visa is a type of visa in the visa programs provided by the Australian government that is appropriate for the unmarried or offshore fiancés, while the Partner visa is for the married or de facto couples (onshore visa 820/801).
The Prospective marriage visa cost AUD $9,365 main applicant and an additional cost AUD $500-900 police/medicals
After the subclass 300 visa has been granted you are required to get married first, after that you are required to apply for the Partner visa 820 (temporary onshore) → 801 permanent after 24 months.
The Prospective marriage visa processing time is typically 12moths to 18 months (90% granted).
Subclass 300 visa interview common at visa centers—prepare relationship timeline + wedding proof.
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