At the National Press Club on 17 September 2026, Minister Tony Burke addressed partner visa waiting times directly.
What's changing
The visitor visa change described in our visitor visa update also affects partner visa applicants. Burke said it should make it easier for a partner to visit Australia while a partner visa application is being decided from outside the country. But it also closes a route: once a visitor visa carries a 'no further stay' condition, the automatic switch to a bridging visa that currently lets someone apply for the onshore partner visa (820) after arriving on that visitor visa won't happen.
Who this affects
Partners visiting Australia while an offshore partner visa (309 or 300) is decided, and anyone currently planning to apply for the onshore partner visa (820) after arriving on a visitor visa.
What it means for your application
This change doesn't apply to a visitor visa you already hold. The offshore partner visa, 309 or 300, isn't affected either.
Nothing has started
No start date has been given for the visitor visa change. Read our explainer for the full announcement, or the government's release directly.