Australia Partner Visa 309 From Pakistan: AUD 11,710 Fee, 21 Months, Documents and Steps
Australia partner visa 309 from Pakistan costs AUD 11,710 for both stages and half take 21 months. See who qualifies, the papers you need and ImmiAccount steps.
The Australia partner visa from Pakistan is the Partner (Provisional) visa, subclass 309: it costs from AUD 11,710 for the main applicant, covering both the temporary 309 and the permanent subclass 100 stage, and half of recent applications took 21 months to decide. You apply online through ImmiAccount while you are outside Australia, and your Australian spouse or partner sponsors you at no cost.
This is the visa for a husband or wife in Pakistan whose spouse is an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen. We read the Department of Home Affairs' 309 page, its pricing data and its processing time guide on 1 November 2026. Below are the fee, the time, who qualifies, the documents a Pakistani applicant needs and the order to do things in.
The fee is AUD 11,710 and it covers both stages
Home Affairs lists the 309 visa from AUD 11,710 for the main applicant. That one charge covers the temporary 309 and the permanent 100 visa. Its pricing data adds AUD 5,860 for each family member over 18 and AUD 2,935 for each child under 18.
| Who | Charge listed by Home Affairs |
|---|---|
| Main applicant | AUD 11,710 |
| Each additional applicant 18 or over | AUD 5,860 |
| Each additional applicant under 18 | AUD 2,935 |
| Sponsor (your spouse in Australia) | No cost |
Health checks, police certificates and biometrics cost extra and are not in that figure. Home Affairs also says it will not refund the charge if the visa is refused. That is a lot of money to lose on a thin file, so build the file properly before you pay.
Half of 309 applications take 21 months
The Home Affairs processing guide, updated 29 September 2026, shows 21 months for half of recent 309 decisions and 32 months for 90 per cent. Applications follow Ministerial Direction 117, and aged, compassionate and compelling cases are prioritised.
The permanent stage starts later. Home Affairs counts the permanent 100 visa from the date of eligibility, which is 2 years after you applied for both stages. It then took 9 months for half and 21 months for 90 per cent. So plan in years, not months. If your file has any gaps, allow for the full 32 month figure.
One rule catches people. Home Affairs asks you not to contact it while your case is within the standard processing time. You can check status and missing documents yourself in ImmiAccount.
You qualify as a spouse or a de facto partner of 12 months
You must be the spouse or de facto partner of an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen. Married applicants must usually be 18 or older. De facto couples must show 12 months together, unless the relationship is registered in Australia.
- Be outside Australia when you apply, along with family who apply with you.
- Have your partner as your sponsor. Home Affairs must approve the sponsor, and the same person sponsors you for 2 years after the 309 is granted.
- Meet the health requirement, and the character requirement for everyone 16 and over.
- Have no debt to the Australian government.
- Sign the Australian values statement if you are 18 or over.
- Not have had a visa cancelled or refused, or be ready to explain it.
Home Affairs also states that forced marriage is a crime in Australia. A marriage arranged by families is not the problem. A marriage without full and free consent is.
Pakistani applicants need a NADRA birth certificate, Nikah Nama and police certificates
Home Affairs asks for a birth certificate naming both parents, your passport pages, a national identity card, and proof of the relationship. For a Pakistani applicant that means a NADRA birth certificate, CNIC, Nikah Nama and police certificates.
| Home Affairs asks for | What it means in Pakistan |
|---|---|
| Birth certificate showing both parents | NADRA computerised birth certificate |
| National identity card | CNIC copy, front and back |
| Marriage certificate valid in Australia | Nikah Nama plus NADRA marriage registration certificate |
| Police certificate, every country of 12 months or more since 16 | Pakistani police character certificate, plus Gulf ones if you worked there |
| Relationship history in writing | How you met, the wedding, time apart, plans |
Home Affairs says police certificates are valid for 12 months, and health results also last 12 months. With a 21 month wait, both can expire, and you may be asked again. Get the police character certificate in Islamabad or your own province when the case is close, not at the very start. Many Pakistani couples also need an attested Nikah Nama before anything else.
Apply first, then your partner sponsors you with your TRN
The applicant lodges first in ImmiAccount and pays. That creates a Transaction Reference Number, called the TRN. Your partner in Australia then uses the TRN to apply as your sponsor. Home Affairs will not process the application until the charge is paid.
- Log in or create an ImmiAccount on the Home Affairs site.
- Select New application, then Family, then "Stage 1, Partner or Prospective Marriage Visa".
- Attach your documents, labelled clearly. Home Affairs allows up to 100 documents for each applicant.
- Pay the AUD 11,710 charge and note your TRN.
- Send the TRN to your partner, who applies to sponsor you.
- Book health checks and biometrics when asked, and keep adding fresh relationship evidence.
Do not book flights until the grant arrives in writing. Home Affairs says so plainly. When it comes, the visa is linked to your passport with no label, so check it on VEVO before you travel. If you are outside Australia at grant, you must enter by the first entry date on your grant letter.
The 309 lets you live, work and study in Australia
Once granted, the 309 lets you live, work and study in Australia while the permanent 100 visa is processed. You can travel in and out as often as you like, may join free English classes if eligible, and can apply for Medicare.
The visa lasts until the permanent visa is decided or you withdraw. If the relationship ends or your partner dies, Home Affairs says you may still be eligible in some cases. Family violence provisions also exist. Those are cases for a registered migration agent, appointed with Form 956.
Common questions
How much is the Australia spouse visa fee from Pakistan?
From AUD 11,710 for the main applicant, covering the 309 and the permanent 100 stage.
How long does the Australia partner visa 309 take?
Half of recent cases took 21 months and 90 per cent took 32 months.
Can I apply for the 309 while visiting Australia?
No. You must be outside Australia when you apply for the 309.
Does my Australian spouse pay anything to sponsor me?
No. Home Affairs lists the sponsorship as no cost.
Do I get a visa sticker in my passport?
No. The visa is linked to your passport digitally, with no label.
Is the fee refunded if the visa is refused?
No. Home Affairs says it will not refund the application charge on refusal.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked 1 November 2026. We read the Home Affairs Partner (Provisional) visa 309 page, the pricing data that page loads, and the global processing time guide updated 29 September 2026. The Pakistani document equivalents in the table are our reading of Home Affairs' general list, not a Pakistan-specific list from Home Affairs. We did not lodge an application, and we could not confirm costs for health checks or biometrics in Pakistan.
About the author
Global Affairs & Political Economy Writer
Muhammad Hatim is a book lover who started writing because he enjoys it. At Pakistan Era he writes about international relations, geopolitics and the global economy, with a particular interest in South Asia and the forces behind current events.
