Subclass 309 and 820

Your marriage certificate is only the start

The Department weighs financial, social, household, and commitment evidence too. An immigration lawyer designed this process, and software still checks your relationship 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
Your marriage certificate is only the start - 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

Marriage recognised under Australian lawYour marriage must be legally recognised in Australia, whether it took place here or overseas
Genuine and continuing relationshipThe Department assesses the relationship across financial, social, household, and commitment evidence, not the marriage certificate alone
Health and character requirementsBoth you and your spouse must meet standard health and character requirements, including police checks where required

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.
Both are partner visas under Australian immigration law, following the same two-stage pathway (temporary then permanent). The key difference is the legal basis for the relationship. A spouse visa applies when you are legally married to your Australian partner, with that marriage recognised under Australian law. A de facto visa applies when you are in a genuine de facto relationship but are not married. For de facto applicants, the relationship's existence has to be demonstrated entirely through evidence, because there is no marriage certificate to anchor it. For married applicants, the certificate establishes legal status, but the Department still assesses the relationship as genuine and continuing across the same four evidence pillars. The application process and evidence requirements are substantially the same for both.
Yes. Your marriage certificate tells the Department that you are legally married. It does not tell them whether the relationship is genuine and continuing today. The Department assesses that separately, across four evidence pillars: financial (joint accounts, shared expenses, property), social (photos, travel together, recognition by family and friends), household (living together, shared lease or mortgage, utility bills), and the nature of your commitment (future plans, knowledge of each other's lives, length of the relationship). A strong, coherent picture across all four pillars is what protects your application. An immigration lawyer reviews your complete evidence package before submission to identify any gaps while there is still time to address them.
No. All three plans cover Stage 1 only (subclass 820 or 309). Stage 2 (subclass 801 or 100) is handled separately when the time comes.
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

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.
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.

Recent policy updates

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