The Prospective Marriage Visa (Subclass 300) allows you to travel to Australia to marry your fiancé, who must be an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen. Once you marry in Australia, you can then apply for an onshore Partner Visa to remain permanently.
This visa is specifically designed for couples who intend to marry but have not yet done so. It is a temporary visa that permits you to enter Australia, marry your sponsor, and subsequently apply for the Partner Visa pathway. The Prospective Marriage Visa 300 is valid for 9 months from the date of grant, giving you time to enter Australia and marry.
One important point many applicants misunderstand is the visa pathway after marriage. The Subclass 300 does not convert to the onshore Partner Visa (820). Instead, after marrying in Australia, you apply for the offshore Partner Visa (Subclass 309/100), which then leads to permanent residence through the Subclass 100.
Eligibility Requirements for the Prospective Marriage Visa
To be eligible for a Prospective Marriage Visa 300, you must be outside Australia when you apply and when the visa is granted. You must genuinely intend to marry your sponsor within the 9-month visa validity period, and this marriage must be valid under Australian law.
You and your sponsor must have met in person and know each other personally. This requirement cannot be waived, so couples who have only communicated online without meeting face-to-face will not qualify for this visa.
Both you and your sponsor must be free to marry, meaning any previous marriages must have been legally dissolved. You must also meet standard health and character requirements, including medical examinations and police clearances.
Your sponsor must be an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen and must meet the sponsorship requirements. If your sponsor has previously sponsored other partner or prospective marriage visa applicants, there may be limitations that affect their ability to sponsor you.
Can You Apply for a Subclass 300 With a Registered Relationship?
A common question we receive is whether you can apply for a Prospective Marriage Visa if you have already registered your relationship. The answer is yes, you can still apply for the Subclass 300 even if your relationship is registered in an Australian state or territory.
However, you must still marry your sponsor within the validity period of the visa and after your first entry into Australia. The relationship registration is essentially treated as separate from the marriage requirement. You will still need to demonstrate your genuine intention to marry and go through with the marriage ceremony within the specified timeframe.
If you are already in a registered relationship and are currently overseas, you may wish to consider whether the offshore Partner Visa (Subclass 309) might be a more suitable option, as this would not require you to travel to Australia to marry before applying for permanent residence.
Evidence Requirements for the Prospective Marriage Visa 300
While the evidence requirements for the Prospective Marriage Visa are somewhat less extensive than for the Partner Visa, you still need to demonstrate that your relationship is genuine and that you have a real intention to marry.
You should provide evidence that you and your sponsor have met in person. This can include photographs of you together, passport stamps showing travel to meet each other, tickets and boarding passes, and accommodation receipts from visits.
Communication evidence is important, showing the history and ongoing nature of your relationship. This includes call logs, messaging history, emails, and evidence of video calls. Relationship statements from you and your sponsor explaining how you met, your relationship history, and your plans for the future are also essential.
You will need to provide evidence of your intention and ability to marry, such as venue bookings if you have made them, evidence that you have researched marriage requirements in Australia, and evidence that both of you are free to marry.
Statutory declarations from friends and family who know you as a couple and can attest to your relationship also strengthen your application.
What Happens After You Enter Australia on a Subclass 300?
Once your Prospective Marriage Visa 300 is granted and you enter Australia, your primary obligation is to marry your sponsor within the visa validity period. You must marry after you have first entered Australia on this visa, so any marriages that took place overseas before entry will not satisfy this requirement.
After you marry, you can apply for the Partner Visa. The pathway from a Subclass 300 leads to the offshore Partner Visa (Subclass 309/100), not the onshore Partner Visa (820/801). When you apply for the 309 after marrying in Australia, you will be granted a Bridging Visa while your Partner Visa application is processed.
It is important to note that the Bridging Visa associated with the 309/100 pathway may not include work rights in certain circumstances. We recommend seeking advice on your specific situation to understand what conditions will apply to your bridging visa.
If there is a change in circumstances, such as getting married while your 300 is still processing, you can notify the Department and request reconstitution of your application to a Partner Visa under regulation 2.08E. This is a technical process that requires careful handling.
Prospective Marriage Visa Processing Times and Costs
Processing times for the Prospective Marriage Visa 300 vary and are published by the Department of Home Affairs. Generally, you should expect to wait several months for a decision, so it is important to plan your wedding date with this in mind.
The visa application charge for the Subclass 300 is lower than for the Partner Visa, but you will also need to budget for the subsequent Partner Visa application once you have married. Additional costs include medical examinations, police clearances from all relevant countries, and document translation if your documents are not in English.
Because you cannot work on the Prospective Marriage Visa before entering Australia, you should ensure you have sufficient funds to support yourself during the processing period and the initial period after arrival.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
One of the most common mistakes we see is applicants misunderstanding the post-marriage visa pathway. The Subclass 300 leads to the 309/100 Partner Visa stream, not the 820/801 onshore stream. Planning your timeline and understanding the process is essential.
Another mistake is waiting too long after arrival to marry. The 9-month validity period goes quickly, especially when you factor in planning a wedding. We recommend having at least preliminary plans in place before you arrive.
Failing to provide sufficient evidence that you have met in person is a frequent issue. Even if you have an extensive online relationship history, you must demonstrate at least one face-to-face meeting.
Some applicants also fail to check their sponsor’s sponsorship history. If your sponsor has previously sponsored other applicants, there may be limitations that affect your application. This is something to clarify early in the process.
How We Can Help With Your Prospective Marriage Visa Application
As experienced MARA-registered migration agents, we guide couples through the entire Prospective Marriage Visa process. We assess your eligibility, help you compile a comprehensive evidence package, and ensure your application addresses all the Department’s requirements.
We also help you understand what happens after your visa is granted, including the Partner Visa application process that follows your marriage in Australia. Many couples find it helpful to have professional guidance through both stages of this journey.
For a confidential consultation about your circumstances, contact our team today.
**Disclaimer:** This is general advice only and may not apply to your specific circumstances. For personalised guidance on your visa application, please book a consultation with one of our registered migration agents at visatasker.com
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Reviewed by VisaTasker Migration Services
MARA Registered Migration Agent · MARN 2318017
This article is written and reviewed by VisaTasker Migration Services, a MARA-registered migration agency based in Australia. As registered agents, we are bound by the Migration Agents Code of Conduct and required to provide accurate, up-to-date advice based on Australian migration legislation. Information is reviewed against the latest Department of Home Affairs policy.
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