The Spouse Visa is an Australian Family Visa that enables partners of Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents or eligible New Zealand citizens to apply to enter and/or remain permanently in Australia.
The Spouse Visa may be applied for from inside or outside Australia, and there are different subclasses that reflect your onshore or offshore status. If you are applying while you are in Australia you must also hold a valid substantive Visa and be in Australia at the time the Visa is granted.
An application for the spouse Visa is in two stages (temporary and permanent), however an applicant actually applies for both Visas using one single application form and paying only one application fee. Once granted, these temporary visas, are valid for two (2) years from date of application, and then if the relationship is assessed to be still genuine and ongoing at the end of the two years, applicants will be granted a permanent Visa.
The temprory visa, if granted, will allow you to:
- remain in Australia with your spouse, until a decision is made regarding your permanent visa
- work in Australia
- study in Australia, but you will not have access to government funding for tertiary study
- enrol in Australia's medical benefits expenses and hospital care scheme, Medicare.
If the visa is eventually granted permanently, you will then have access to social security benefits.
