What to do after your 820 partner visa is granted

Congratulations! Being granted the subclass 820 partner visa is a major milestone in your journey to permanent residency in Australia. Now that your temporary partner visa has been approved, you may be wondering what comes next. Here’s a practical guide on what to expect and how to prepare for the next stage of your visa journey.

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Understand what the 820 visa gives you

The subclass 820 visa is a temporary visa, but it comes with many of the same rights as permanent residents:

• You can live, work and study in Australia

• You can access Medicare

• You can travel in and out of Australia freely – make sure you keep your travel records and maintain ties to Australia

However, keep in mind that this visa is only the first step toward permanent residency. Your next goal is to prepare for the 801 visa, which is the permanent partner visa.

Some people get the 801 at the same time as the 820

In certain cases, applicants may be granted the permanent 801 visa at the same time as their temporary 820 visa. This is more likely to happen if you've been in a long-term relationship (typically 3 years or more, or 2 years with a child) at the time of application and you provided all necessary documents upfront. If you were not granted both at once, don’t worry — you’re still on the path to permanent residency and will be eligible to move to the 801 stage later.

Start preparing for the 801 visa (permanent partner visa)

The 820 and 801 visas are part of a two-stage application process. You don’t need to lodge a new application for the 801 visa — but you do need to provide updated documents to support your eligibility for permanent residency.

Usually, you’ll become eligible to apply for the 801 visa two years after you lodged your initial 820/801 application (not two years after your 820 is granted). You’ll receive a reminder from the Department of Home Affairs when it’s time to provide your supporting documents for the permanent stage.

Here’s how you can prepare:

• Continue your relationship: Keep evidence that you’re still in a genuine and ongoing relationship with your sponsor. This includes joint finances, joint travel, shared bills, messages, photos, and declarations from friends and family.

• Update your details: Make sure your contact details are current in your ImmiAccount so you don’t miss important updates.

• Stay organised: Start collecting documents regularly so that when the two-year mark arrives, you don’t have to scramble to gather everything.

Know your visa conditions

Most subclass 820 visas don’t have restrictive conditions, but it’s still important to understand your rights and obligations. For example:

• You must continue to meet character requirements — serious legal issues or criminal charges may affect your eligibility for the 801 visa.

• You must inform the Department if your relationship ends or changes.

If your relationship breaks down before the 801 stage, you may still be able to stay in Australia under specific circumstances, such as domestic violence or if you share custody of a child. You should seek professional advice if this happens.

Conclusion

Being granted the 820 visa is something to celebrate, but it’s also a signal to start planning for the next stage. By staying organised, maintaining your relationship evidence, and understanding the process ahead, you’ll put yourself in a strong position to obtain your 801 permanent visa and eventually, Australian citizenship.

If you need help preparing your 801 documentation or have questions about your next steps, we’re here to assist. Book a free consultation with Mandeville Migration to make sure you're on the right track.