Fiancé (Prospective Spouse subclass 300)

What Is the Prospective Marriage Visa 300?

The Prospective Marriage visa subclass 300 allows an eligible person who is outside Australia to come to Australia to marry their prospective spouse.

The visa is designed for couples who are engaged or intending to marry but have not yet established the relationship circumstances required for a Partner visa.

The applicant must be outside Australia when applying for the subclass 300.

Once the visa is granted, the applicant can travel to Australia and marry their prospective spouse during the visa period.

After marriage, the applicant may be able to apply for a Partner visa, subject to meeting the relevant requirements.

Who Is the Prospective Marriage Visa For?

The subclass 300 may be suitable where:

• You are outside Australia
• Your prospective spouse is an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen
• You intend to marry your prospective spouse in Australia
• You have met your prospective spouse in person
• Your relationship is genuine
• You intend to marry within the applicable visa period
• You satisfy the relevant health and character requirements

The Department assesses each application according to the applicable legislation and evidence.

Prospective Marriage Visa Sponsor

The prospective spouse generally acts as the sponsor for the visa application.

An eligible sponsor is generally:

• An Australian citizen
• An Australian permanent resident
• An eligible New Zealand citizen

Sponsorship requirements apply separately from the applicant's visa requirements.

The Department may also consider the sponsor's previous sponsorship history and other circumstances where relevant.

Relationship Requirements

A strong subclass 300 application should provide evidence demonstrating that the relationship is genuine.

Evidence can cover areas such as:

How You Met

Explain:

• When you first met
• Where you met
• How the relationship developed
• Important milestones in the relationship

Communication

Evidence may include:

• Messages
• Emails
• Phone records
• Video calls
• Other communication history

The evidence should be genuine and relevant rather than simply providing a large volume of repetitive material.

Visits and Travel

Where applicable, provide evidence such as:

• Flight bookings
• Boarding passes
• Passport stamps
• Hotel bookings
• Photographs from visits
• Travel itineraries

Family and Social Recognition

Evidence may include:

• Photographs with family and friends
• Invitations
• Family events
• Social occasions
• Evidence that relatives and friends know about the relationship

Future Marriage Plans

Evidence may include:

• Wedding plans
• Proposed wedding date
• Venue information
• Invitations
• Communication with wedding suppliers
• Other evidence demonstrating the intention to marry

You Must Have Met Your Prospective Spouse

An important part of the subclass 300 pathway is the requirement concerning the applicant and prospective spouse having met in person.

The circumstances and applicable exceptions should be assessed according to the current visa criteria.

Where the couple has spent time together, provide evidence showing the history of those meetings and visits.

Intention to Marry

The applicant and sponsor must demonstrate the intention to marry.

The application can be supported by evidence such as:

• Wedding planning
• Proposed marriage date
• Venue arrangements
• Wedding invitations
• Family involvement
• Correspondence regarding the wedding
• Other evidence demonstrating genuine plans to marry

The exact evidence required depends on the circumstances of the couple.

Prospective Marriage Visa Application Process

Step 1: Assess Eligibility

Review the applicant's relationship, location, sponsor eligibility and prospective marriage circumstances.

Step 2: Prepare Relationship Evidence

Build a clear timeline of the relationship and collect relevant supporting evidence.

Step 3: Prepare Sponsor Information

The sponsor should provide the required sponsorship information and supporting documents.

Step 4: Prepare Applicant Documents

Documents may include identity, relationship, health, character and other evidence required by Home Affairs.

Step 5: Lodge the Application

Most Australian visa applications are lodged online through ImmiAccount.

Step 6: Complete Health and Character Requirements

The Department may require health examinations and police certificates.

Step 7: Respond to Requests

Home Affairs may request additional information or documents during processing. Applicants should respond within the timeframe specified by the Department.

Step 8: Visa Decision

If the relevant requirements are satisfied, the subclass 300 may be granted.

Step 9: Travel to Australia

After grant, the applicant can travel to Australia in accordance with the visa grant conditions.

Step 10: Marry Your Prospective Spouse

The applicant must comply with the applicable visa requirements concerning the proposed marriage.

Step 11: Consider the Partner Visa Pathway

After marriage, the applicant may be able to apply for a Partner visa, subject to the requirements that apply at that time.

Prospective Marriage Visa 300 to Partner Visa

A common pathway is:

Prospective Marriage Visa 300 → Travel to Australia → Marriage → Partner Visa Application → Permanent Residence Pathway

The subclass 300 is therefore different from the offshore Partner visa subclass 309.

Subclass 300

For a prospective spouse who intends to marry their Australian partner.

Subclass 309

For a spouse or de facto partner who already satisfies the requirements for the offshore Partner visa.

The correct pathway depends on the circumstances of the relationship.

Subclass 300 vs Subclass 309

Home Affairs describes subclass 300 as the visa that allows a prospective spouse to come to Australia to marry their prospective spouse and then apply for a Partner visa.

Subclass 300 vs Partner Visa 820/801

The 820/801 pathway is generally for applicants who are in Australia and qualify for the onshore Partner visa pathway.

The 300 is an offshore Prospective Marriage pathway.

Your location and relationship circumstances are therefore important when choosing between these options.

Documents for a Prospective Marriage Visa

A decision-ready application may include:

Applicant Documents

• Passport
• Birth certificate
• National identity documents where applicable
• Passport photographs where required
• Previous visa information
• Previous relationship documents
• Residential history
• Travel history

Sponsor Documents

• Australian passport or citizenship evidence
• Permanent residency evidence where applicable
• Eligible New Zealand citizenship/residency evidence where applicable
• Identity documents
• Required police certificates
• Sponsorship documents

Relationship Evidence

• Relationship timeline
• Photographs
• Messages
• Call records
• Travel records
• Flight tickets
• Accommodation records
• Evidence of visits
• Family and social evidence
• Statements from the applicant and sponsor
• Wedding plans

Home Affairs recommends providing complete and correct information and documents when applying, and non-English documents generally need to be translated into English.

Form 888 Relationship Evidence

Form 888 – Supporting statement in relation to a Partner or Prospective Marriage visa application can be used as supporting evidence.

The form is completed by a person who knows the applicant and their partner or fiancé(e) and knows the history of their relationship. The person completing the form must be at least 18 years old.

Form 888 statements can help provide independent evidence of the relationship and its social aspects.

Health Requirements

Applicants may be required to complete health examinations.

The Department determines which examinations are required based on the applicant's circumstances.

Health examination results have validity periods, and Home Affairs may request examinations again if results expire before a decision is made.

Character Requirements

Applicants must satisfy applicable character requirements.

Depending on the applicant's circumstances, police certificates and other character information may be required.

Previous criminal matters, visa issues or other character concerns should be disclosed and assessed carefully.

What If the Relationship Ends?

If the relationship changes, the Department should be informed where required.

A relationship ending does not mean that every immigration pathway automatically ends in exactly the same way. Specific provisions may apply depending on the visa and circumstances.

Family Violence Provisions

Family violence provisions may apply in certain circumstances to people who hold or previously held a Prospective Marriage visa.

Home Affairs currently confirms that a person who holds or previously held a subclass 300 visa may potentially access family violence provisions where the applicable requirements are satisfied. For a subclass 300 case, specific conditions apply, including requirements concerning the person's location and subsequent Partner visa application.

If family violence is involved, obtain professional advice as soon as possible.

Prospective Marriage Visa Processing Time

Processing times can change and should not be treated as a guarantee.

Home Affairs currently places Prospective Marriage subclass 300 applications in a lower processing priority than onshore Partner applications under Ministerial Direction 117. Offshore Prospective Marriage and Partner applications are in the lower-priority group because the primary applicant is outside Australia or must be outside Australia at grant.

The Department's processing-time guide is an indication based on recently decided applications and does not guarantee how long an individual application will take.

Submitting a complete, decision-ready application can help avoid unnecessary delays.

2026–27 Family Migration Program

For the 2026–27 program year, the Australian Government has allocated a planning level of 52,460 places to the Family stream, including an estimated 41,500 Partner visa places.

These are program planning levels and should not be interpreted as a guaranteed number of subclass 300 grants or as an individual processing timeframe.

Can You Work on a Subclass 300 Visa?

The visa conditions attached to the subclass 300 should be checked carefully after grant.

The applicant should use VEVO to confirm their current visa details and conditions before commencing work or other activities in Australia.

Can You Study on a Subclass 300?

Study rights depend on the visa conditions.

The subclass 300 is primarily designed to allow a prospective spouse to enter Australia for the purpose of marrying their prospective spouse and progressing towards a Partner visa pathway.

Always check the conditions attached to the visa before enrolling in a course.

Common Prospective Marriage Visa Mistakes

Applicants should avoid:

• Providing weak relationship evidence
• Submitting inconsistent relationship dates
• Failing to explain periods of separation
• Providing unclear communication evidence
• Not documenting visits to each other
• Assuming wedding plans alone prove the relationship
• Failing to disclose previous relationships
• Providing incomplete residential or travel history
• Ignoring Department requests
• Uploading documents without clear organisation
• Using outdated visa information
• Assuming the visa will be processed within a fixed timeframe
• Treating subclass 300 as the same as subclass 309

Prospective Marriage Visa and Permanent Residency

The subclass 300 itself is not a permanent residency visa.

It is generally the first stage for an eligible prospective spouse who intends to marry their Australian partner and subsequently pursue a Partner visa pathway.

Permanent residence depends on meeting the requirements of the subsequent Partner visa and the circumstances of the applicant at that time.

There is no automatic guarantee of permanent residence simply because a subclass 300 visa has been granted.

How The Visa Can Help

The Visa provides professional assistance with:

• Prospective Marriage visa assessment
• Subclass 300 applications
• Sponsor assessment
• Relationship evidence
• De facto and spouse pathway assessment
• Form 888 supporting evidence
• Document preparation
• Application review
• ImmiAccount guidance
• Department correspondence
• Additional document requests
• Partner visa planning after marriage
• Family violence-related migration matters
• Future permanent residence pathways

Our Registered Migration Agent Navneet Kaur (MARN 2318181) can assess your circumstances and help identify the appropriate pathway for your relationship.

Planning to Marry Your Partner in Australia?

If you are outside Australia and engaged or planning to marry an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen, the Prospective Marriage Visa subclass 300 may provide a pathway to enter Australia, marry your prospective spouse and then pursue a Partner visa.

Contact The Visa for a personalised Prospective Marriage Visa assessment.

Phone: +61 430 077 714
Email: [email protected]
Website: thevisa.com.au