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Prospective Marriage Visa (Subclass 300)
Reviewed by Mohammad Saghir Khan, Registered Migration Agent (MARN 1170510)Last reviewed:
The Prospective Marriage visa (subclass 300) lets you come to Australia to marry your fiancé, who must be an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen. You must apply from outside Australia, be 18 or older, have met your partner in person as adults, and genuinely intend to marry and live together. The visa lasts 9 to 15 months from grant, and you can work and study. You must marry before it expires, then apply in Australia for the Partner visa (subclasses 820 and 801) at a reduced charge.
Prospective Marriage Visa (300) at a Glance
| Visa type | Temporary, 9 to 15 months from the visa grant date |
|---|---|
| Sponsor | Your prospective spouse: an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen, aged 18 or older |
| Where you apply | Outside Australia (you can be in or outside Australia when it is decided) |
| Key requirement | You have met face to face as adults, know each other personally and intend to marry before the visa ends |
| Work and study | Full work rights; study at your own cost |
| Government charge | AUD 11,710 main applicant, AUD 5,860 per adult and AUD 2,935 per child (from 1 July 2026) |
| Next step | Marry, then apply for the Partner visa 820/801 in Australia before the 300 expires (from AUD 1,955 for 300 holders) |
Who Can Apply
- You and your prospective spouse are both 18 or older when you apply.
- You have met face to face as adults (since turning 18) and know each other personally.
- You genuinely intend to marry and live together as spouses. The relationship can be same-sex or opposite-sex.
- You and any family members applying with you are outside Australia when you apply.
- You meet health and character requirements and sign the Australian Values Statement.
Your prospective spouse sponsors you. They lodge a separate sponsorship application after you apply, using your Transaction Reference Number. Home Affairs must approve the sponsorship.
Evidence You Will Need
- Proof you have met in person as adults, such as photos, travel records and boarding passes.
- Evidence you plan to marry, for example a letter from your wedding celebrant.
- Statements about your relationship history and future plans, and 2 Form 888 statements from witnesses aged 18 or older who know you both.
- Divorce or death certificates if either of you was married before, plus police certificates and Form 80.
Sponsor Limits
Home Affairs may refuse the sponsorship if this is the sponsor's third partner or prospective marriage sponsorship, if they sponsored another partner in the last 5 years, or if they were sponsored as a partner in the last 5 years. Exceptions can apply, for example where you have a dependent child together. Sponsors also need to provide an Australian Federal Police certificate and agree to disclose relevant convictions.
Marrying and Moving to the Partner Visa
You must enter Australia by the first entry date on your grant letter and marry before the 300 visa expires. You can marry in Australia or overseas, but the marriage must be valid under Australian law. After the wedding, apply in Australia for the Partner visa (subclasses 820 and 801) before your 300 visa ends. As a 300 holder you pay a reduced charge, AUD 1,955 from 1 July 2026, instead of AUD 11,710.
If another visa is granted to you, it replaces your 300 visa and you may lose the reduced charge. If you marry before the 300 is decided, you are no longer eligible for it, and you can ask to be considered for the offshore Partner visa (subclasses 309 and 100) instead.
Processing Times
Home Affairs warns that Prospective Marriage applications may take longer than expected. Family visas are processed under Ministerial Direction 117. Check the current figures in the Home Affairs visa processing time guide before you book a wedding date.
How to Apply
- Check you are eligibleConfirm you have met in person as adults, your partner can sponsor you and you can marry within the visa period.
- Collect evidenceGather identity documents, relationship evidence, a celebrant letter, Form 888 statements, police certificates and Form 80.
- Apply online from outside AustraliaLodge the Stage 1 Partner or Prospective Marriage visa application in ImmiAccount and pay the charge.
- Sponsor appliesYour fiancé lodges the sponsorship application using your Transaction Reference Number.
- Travel and marryOnce granted, enter Australia by the first entry date and marry before the visa expires.
- Apply for the Partner visa 820/801Lodge in Australia before your 300 visa ends to keep the reduced charge.
How Aussie ASEAN Can Help
We check that you meet the face-to-face and sponsor rules, prepare a clear relationship statement and evidence pack, and help your fiancé with the sponsorship. Once you are married, we prepare your onshore Partner visa 820/801 application on time so you keep the reduced charge.
Free tools for this visa
Related visas
Every case is different. Talk to a Registered Migration Agent about your Prospective Marriage Visa (300) before you lodge.
Book a consultationSources: Home Affairs: Prospective Marriage visa (300) · Home Affairs: Partner visa (820 and 801) · Family visa processing priorities · Global visa processing times
Frequently Asked Questions
Plain-English answers to the questions we are asked most often.
What is the Prospective Marriage visa?
The Prospective Marriage visa (subclass 300) is a temporary visa for people who are engaged to an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen. It lets you come to Australia, marry and then apply for a Partner visa.
How long does the 300 visa last?
It lasts 9 to 15 months from the grant date, as shown on your grant letter. You must marry your prospective spouse before it expires.
Can I apply for a 300 visa while in Australia?
No. You and any family members applying with you must be outside Australia when you apply. You can be in or outside Australia when the visa is decided.
Do we have to have met in person?
Yes. You must have met face to face as adults, after you both turned 18, and know each other personally when you apply.
Can I work on a Prospective Marriage visa?
Yes. The 300 visa gives full work rights, and you can study at your own cost without government support.
How much does the 300 visa cost in 2026?
From 1 July 2026 the charge is AUD 11,710 for the main applicant, AUD 5,860 for each adult and AUD 2,935 for each child. You also pay later for the Partner visa 820/801, but 300 holders pay a reduced AUD 1,955.
Where can we get married?
You can marry in Australia or in another country, as long as the marriage is valid under Australian law and happens before your 300 visa expires.
What if we get married before the 300 is decided?
You are no longer eligible for the 300 visa. Home Affairs says you can tell them through ImmiAccount and ask to be considered for the Partner visa (subclasses 309 and 100), otherwise the application will be refused.
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