Subclass 309

You don't have to be in Australia yet

Apply from outside Australia while the Department assesses your relationship. An immigration lawyer designed this process, and software prepares every form and checks your evidence against the Department's standard.
Free eligibility check, then a free lawyer consult. Commit only when you know your case.
4.7 on Trustpilot, 84 reviews
You don't have to be in Australia yet - Australian visa application
Pricing

Choose your plan

Every plan runs on a lawyer-designed process, and your full price is shown before you pay.

A$950

AUD

Direct

Fully prepared, ready to submit.
No lawyer review, no refund if refused.
Evidence checked against the Department's standard
Every form completed, every document attached
Filled in and transferred into the government portal (ImmiAccount), ready to submit
From

A$1,800

AUD

Reviewed

Lawyer-reviewed, refunded if refused.
Everything in Direct, plus:
An immigration lawyer thoroughly reviews your application
Detailed written feedback, usually within 3 business days
Re-reviewed after you make changes
Service fee refunded in full if refused
Most popular
From

A$2,800

AUD

Complete

Lawyer consultations and review, supported to a decision.
Everything in Reviewed, plus:
Four 30-minute consultations with your lawyer
Submitted by Tern and monitored until a decision
A lawyer looks at every Department request
Evidence-refresh reminders every six months
Prices are before the A$11,710 government fee, which the Department charges separately, and before 10% GST if you apply from inside Australia. Reviewed and Complete prices depend on case complexity, and you will see the total price before you pay anything.

What you get with Tern

Know exactly where your evidence stands

Your evidence is scored against the Department's standard as you upload it, across every relationship category.

Catch inconsistencies before the Department does

Your documents are checked against each other and against your answers, so inconsistencies surface before submission.

Never start from a blank page

Both relationship statements are drafted from your evidence, ready for you and your partner to edit and sign.

Nothing to fill in yourself

Every government form is completed and every document attached, all inside the government portal (ImmiAccount). You never re-type a single answer.

Reviewed by an immigration lawyer

Reviewed and Complete
An immigration lawyer thoroughly reviews your application and gives detailed written feedback, usually within 3 business days, with a re-review included if changes are needed.

Your money back if your visa is refused

Reviewed and Complete
If the Department refuses your visa, Tern's service fee is refunded in full. The government fee is paid directly to the Department and is non-refundable.

Direct access to your lawyer

Complete only
You get four 30-minute consultations with an immigration lawyer, usable at any point in your application.

Never face the Department alone

Complete only
Tern monitors your application, passes on the Department's correspondence, has a lawyer look at every request for documents or information before responding, and sends reminders to refresh your evidence every six months, until a decision is made.
The process

How it works with Tern

1. Free eligibility check

Check your eligibility in minutes, free, with no account and no obligation.

2. Free lawyer consultation

Talk to an immigration lawyer about your situation before you pay anything.

3. Upload evidence, see what's outstanding

Upload evidence in your own time. See what's still outstanding, every document checked against the Department's standard, and your statements drafted for you.

4. Reviewed by your lawyer

Reviewed and Complete
An immigration lawyer thoroughly reviews your application and usually responds within 3 business days with detailed written feedback. Re-reviewed after you make changes.

5. Submitted to the Department

Your application is submitted to the Department, fully prepared and ready for a decision.

6. Support after submission

Complete only
Tern stays on your application until a decision, having a lawyer look at every Department request for documents or information before responding.

Get your visa

The final decision is the Department's alone.
Requirements

Who's eligible

Applicant requirements

Applying from overseasYou are outside Australia when you apply and will be assessed from there
Genuine relationshipYou are married or in a genuine de facto relationship with your partner
Health and characterMeet standard health and character requirements set by the Department
Age requirementBoth you and your partner must be 18 or older

Sponsor requirements

Citizen, resident, or NZAustralian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen.
18 or olderSponsors must be at least 18 when they apply.
Within sponsorship limitsLimits apply on how often you can sponsor a partner.
Character and police checksSerious criminal history must be disclosed if it applies.
Not sure if you qualify? Start the application and your eligibility is checked as you go.
Australian company with Australian immigration lawyers

The lawyers behind every application

They design and maintain the process behind every plan, advise on complex cases, and take every consultation.
Booking here is paid. Start a partner visa application to unlock a free lawyer consult instead.
Real applications

12 on average

evidence improvements the lawyer's review required before submission

5 in 10

applicants had mismatched details we caught and fixed before submission
Updated Sep 21, 2026 from Tern applications

We planned to DIY our 820 visa but having the extra reassurance an immigration lawyer was looking over our documents made us feel so much better and at a fraction of the cost!

United Kingdom
Lucy · Trustpilot
Lifesavers. Very helpful!!! Tern helped me with a complicated partner visa situation.
Norway
Samuel · Trustpilot
The consultation was efficient and helpful. The lawyer answered all of my questions and gave me clear next steps to follow.
Australia
Jade · Trustpilot

Common questions

Direct (A$950) is self-serve: your application is filled in and transferred to your own ImmiAccount, ready to submit, but no lawyer reads it and there's no refund guarantee. Reviewed (A$1,800) adds a thorough lawyer review with detailed written feedback, refunded in full if you're refused. Complete (A$2,800) adds four lawyer consultations, and Tern submits your application and stays with your case until a decision.
On every plan, your application is fully prepared and every document checked against the Department's standard. Reviewed adds a thorough lawyer review, with detailed written feedback, and a refund in full if you're refused. Complete adds four 30-minute consultations with your lawyer, plus Tern submits your application and stays with your case until a decision.
On the Direct and Reviewed plans, your finished application is transferred to your own ImmiAccount so you can check it and submit when you're ready, then pay the government fee yourself. If you'd rather Tern submit it for you, just ask, and we will once the government fee is arranged.
Subclass 309 is the offshore stage of the Australian partner visa. You apply from outside Australia, and the Department assesses your relationship while you remain overseas. The assessment covers four pillars: financial, social, household, and nature of the commitment. On the Reviewed and Complete plans, an immigration lawyer reviews your application before Tern submits it with the Department. On the Direct plan, you submit the application yourself, from your own ImmiAccount, after the same evidence checks. Processing takes time, and the Department may request further information during that period. When the Department is satisfied your relationship is genuine, the 309 is granted and you can enter Australia, live here, and work. Subclass 100, the permanent visa, follows as a separate Stage 2 assessment later.
No. Because subclass 309 is an offshore visa, you are outside Australia during processing and do not hold an Australian bridging visa. Australian work rights begin once the 309 is granted. At that point you can travel to Australia and work here. If you need to enter Australia while your application is being processed, speak with your immigration lawyer about whether another visa pathway applies to your situation.
They are two stages of the same offshore partner visa pathway, and you apply for both at once. Subclass 309 is the temporary, provisional stage: it is granted first and allows you to enter Australia and live and work here while the Department monitors the relationship over time. Subclass 100 is the permanent stage, assessed later once the Department is satisfied your relationship has remained genuine and continuing. You do not need to submit a separate application for the 100; the timing of when Stage 2 is assessed depends on when your application was submitted and your individual circumstances.
A partner visa application is assessed on the basis of an ongoing genuine relationship, so a breakdown in the relationship is a significant change in circumstances that can affect the outcome. The Department expects you to notify them if your situation changes materially after submission. In limited situations involving family violence, there are provisions that may allow an application to continue, but those circumstances are specific and not automatic. If your situation has changed or you are concerned about how it might affect your application, speak with your immigration lawyer as early as possible so you understand your options.
A newer relationship, time apart, children from a previous relationship, or a past refusal doesn't close the door, but it changes how your case should be prepared. Start with the free eligibility check, then a free lawyer consult, before you commit to anything.

Guides to the partner visa

Australian partner visa 2026: complete guide (820/801, 309/100, 300)Everything you need to know about partner visas (820/801, 309/100, 300): eligibility, evidence requirements, processing times, costs, and choosing the right pathway.
After you apply: managing your Australian partner visa during the wait (2026 update)What Home Affairs' April 2026 update means for partner visa applicants: the new one-chance information-request rule, refreshing your evidence, the two-year permanent stage, and ImmiAccount discipline.
De facto vs married: does it matter for Australian partner visas?Whether being married or de facto actually affects your partner visa, the 12-month rule, registered relationships, and which pathway is right for your situation.

Recent policy updates

See all updates
18 September 2026· Announced
Visiting while a partner visa is pending gets easier, but the onshore route closes