You apply from outside Australia and pay $11,710 (from 1 July 2026); after the wedding, and before the 300 ends, you apply in Australia for the 820/801 partner visa at a further $1,955.
On the Department’s figures pulled 3 October 2026, half of 300 applications were decided within 14 months, and the wedding then has to take place within the visa period that starts on the grant date.
These rules come from the Migration Regulations 1994 and Home Affairs’ Prospective Marriage visa subclass 300 page; the waiting-time figures come from its Global visa processing times guide. The application wait and the visa period are separate clocks.
300 facts card
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Visa | Prospective Marriage visa, subclass 300 (temporary) |
| Who it is for | A person engaged to an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen; both 18 or over; met in person since turning 18 |
| Where you must be | Outside Australia when you apply; in or outside Australia when it is decided (since 1 July 2024), but not in immigration clearance |
| Government charge | $11,710 base from 1 July 2026; then $1,955 for the 820/801 after the wedding |
| Processing time (Department, pulled 3 October 2026) | 25% in 9 months · 50% in 14 months · 75% in 20 months · 90% in 26 months |
| Visa period | A date set 9 to 15 months after the grant (9 months if no date is set) |
| Marriage notice | Notice of Intended Marriage to the celebrant at least 1 month before the wedding |
| Next step | Married within the visa period → apply for the 820/801 before the 300 ends |
What is the Prospective Marriage visa?
The Prospective Marriage visa is a temporary visa for coming to Australia to marry your prospective spouse, then applying for a Partner visa, as explained on Home Affairs’ subclass 300 page. While it is valid, you can live, work and study in Australia and travel in and out as often as you want.
“Prospective spouse” is a Schedule 2 concept under clauses 300.111 and 300.211 of the Migration Regulations 1994, rather than a definition in the Migration Act. Item 1215 requires application outside Australia; since 1 July 2024, clause 300.412 allows grant in or outside Australia, but not in immigration clearance.
A couple already married uses the partner visa itself, rather than the 300; see the Australia marriage visa guide for the broader pathways described by Home Affairs.
Requirements for the 300
The Migration Regulations 1994 set six main requirements to check before applying:
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Both people are 18 or over. Clauses 300.212A and 300.213(2) apply this requirement to the applicant and prospective-spouse sponsor.
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You have met in person since each turned 18. Clause 300.214 also requires you to know each other personally.
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You genuinely intend to marry within the visa period and live together as spouses. Clauses 300.215, 300.216 and 300.221A also require no legal impediment to the marriage in Australia.
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Your sponsor has the required status. The prospective spouse must be an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen; sponsorship limits, including regulation 1.20J, also apply.
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You apply outside Australia. Schedule 1 item 1215(3)(b) applies this location rule to accompanying family applicants too.
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You meet health, character and integrity criteria and document the planned marriage. Clauses 300.223–300.226 include the partner-visa public interest criteria plus PIC 4010. Home Affairs’ subclass 300 page asks for planned-marriage evidence, such as a celebrant’s letter.
Cost of the 300
$11,710 is the standard base government charge from 1 July 2026, under Schedule 1 item 1215 of the Migration Regulations 1994, as amended by the Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2026.
| Applicant | Standard 300 charge | Eligible Pacific-regional passport rate |
|---|---|---|
| Primary applicant | $11,710 | $9,600 |
| Additional applicant aged 18 or over | $5,860 | $4,805 |
| Additional applicant under 18 | $2,935 | $2,405 |
The concession in item 1215 depends on the primary applicant’s passport from one of the 13 prescribed Pacific-regional countries, including Timor-Leste; accompanying family applicants receive it too.
After marriage, item 1124B sets the standard 820/801 base charge at $1,955 for a current 300 holder, or $2,475 for a qualifying former holder with no substantive visa. The standard current-holder route therefore totals $13,665: $11,710 + $1,955, which is $1,955 more than applying directly for the 309/100 or 820/801.
Home Affairs’ Get a refund page says refusal does not entitle you to a refund. These figures are government charges, not a quote for all application expenses; compare the full partner visa fees Australia guide.
A partner visa with Australian Migration Lawyers usually costs $14,000 plus GST, separate from the Home Affairs visa application charge.
How long the Prospective Marriage visa takes
Half of subclass 300 applications were decided within 14 months, according to Home Affairs’ Global visa processing times guide, pulled 3 October 2026.
| Share of applications decided | Time |
|---|---|
| 25% | 9 months |
| 50% | 14 months |
| 75% | 20 months |
| 90% | 26 months |
The Department’s guide measures recently decided applications, not a promised decision date for yours. Its 300 note says it “continues to prioritise aged, and compassionate and compelling applications”. Under Ministerial Direction No. 117, subclass 300 applications have lower priority than onshore 820/801 applications.
The visa period: marrying within 9 to 15 months
Use the expiry date in your grant, not an assumed nine-month deadline. Clause 300.511 of the Migration Regulations 1994 sets the end date as a date specified by the Minister at least nine and no more than 15 months after grant. If no date is specified, the period ends nine months after grant.
The marriage has a separate notice requirement. Under section 42(1)(a) of the Marriage Act 1961, the Notice of Intended Marriage must reach the celebrant no earlier than 18 months and no later than one month before the wedding. Section 42(5) allows a prescribed authority to authorise shorter notice in prescribed circumstances; it is not an automatic exception.
Home Affairs’ subclass 300 page asks for evidence of marriage within nine months of grant, although clause 300.511 permits the longer specified period. Plan against the actual grant expiry and leave time after marriage to lodge the partner application.
After the wedding: applying for the 820/801
The ordinary transition has four steps:
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Marry the sponsor named on your 300 within the visa period, consistently with the subclass 300 requirements in the Migration Regulations 1994.
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Apply in Australia for the combined 820/801. Home Affairs’ subclass 300 page says to apply “after you are married” and “before your Prospective Marriage visa ends”.
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Pay the applicable charge. Schedule 1 item 1124B sets the standard current-300-holder base charge at $1,955.
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Follow the onshore partner pathway. Under clause 801.221, the ordinary permanent-stage eligibility point is two years after the combined partner application—not two years after the 300 application or wedding. This is not a guaranteed decision date.
See the partner visa 820 guide for the next application stage.
Married before the 300 was decided:
Regulation 2.08E of the Migration Regulations 1994 treats the application as a 309/100 application from the day the Department receives notice that you married the nominated prospective spouse. The 300 charge counts as the subclass 100 charge; it is not simply a 300 grant followed by an onshore application.
The 300 has already ended:
Clause 820.211(5) provides a pathway for a former holder who entered Australia on the 300, married the sponsor and holds no substantive visa. That pathway is outside Schedule 3, and item 1124B sets the standard base charge at $2,475. Do not assume expiry leaves you without a pathway—or that these conditions apply to every former holder.
Family violence and the 300 since 1 July 2024
The Migration Amendment (Family Violence Provisions for Partner Visa Applicants) Regulations 2024 allow current and certain former 300 holders to use the family-violence or child-of-the-relationship provisions to apply for the 820/801 without marrying the sponsor. Family violence can occur between prospective spouses. A qualifying former holder must be in Australia and hold no substantive visa; former holders cannot use the death-of-sponsor provision.
Separate review changes also took effect on 1 July 2024. Under regulations 4.02(4)(s) and 4.02(5)(r) of the Migration Regulations 1994, every subclass 300 refusal is reviewable and the sponsor applies. If the couple marry while review is pending, regulation 4.15(4) allows the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) to remit the case as a partner 309/100 application.
A migration lawyer can check the relevant relationship-ended pathway, organise evidence and distinguish an 820/801 application from a sponsor-led review. These are different processes, not interchangeable remedies.
Prospective marriage or 309: which fits?
The Migration Regulations 1994 distinguish coming to marry on a 300 from the offshore partner pathway. Clause 309.211 permits an intending spouse to apply, but ordinarily the marriage must occur before the 309 is granted.
| Comparison | Subclass 300 | Subclass 309 |
|---|---|---|
| Relationship now | Engaged, intending to marry | Married or de facto; an intending spouse can apply but ordinarily must marry before grant |
| Where you apply | Outside Australia | Outside Australia |
| Standard base charges | $11,710 then $1,955 = $13,665 | $11,710 once for 309/100 |
| Half decided within, pulled 3 October 2026 | 14 months | 21 months |
| How long you can stay | 9–15 months from grant; nine months by default | Until the subclass 100 is decided |
| What comes next | 820/801 in Australia after marriage | Ordinary subclass 100 eligibility two years after applying |
| Who applies for review if refused | Sponsor | Applicant |
The charges and visa rules above come from the Migration Regulations 1994 and Home Affairs’ visa pages; the timing comparison comes from its Global visa processing times guide.
Neither route is inherently better. Compare the partner visa 309 requirements against your relationship now, rather than choosing solely by the published wait.
How long does it take to get a Prospective Marriage visa in Australia?
Home Affairs’ Global visa processing times figures pulled 3 October 2026 show half decided within 14 months and 90% within 26 months. You must apply outside Australia.
Is a prospective marriage visa better than a partner visa?
Neither is better for everyone. Under the Migration Regulations 1994, the 300 serves couples intending to marry; partner visas serve married or de facto couples, with an intending-spouse option for the 309. The standard 300-to-820/801 route adds $1,955 and another application.
How much does a prospective marriage visa cost?
Schedule 1 of the Migration Regulations 1994 sets the standard base charge at $11,710 from 1 July 2026, followed by $1,955 for the 820/801 while holding the 300.
Which is faster, a fiancé or spouse visa?
Home Affairs’ figures pulled 3 October 2026 show a 14-month median for the 300 against 21 months for the offshore 309. That compares first-stage decisions only: the 300 is followed by an 820/801 application.
Is subclass 300 a permanent visa?
No. Home Affairs describes it as temporary; clause 300.511 sets its nine-to-15-month period. The ordinary route to permanent residence is through the later 820/801 application, not the 300 itself.
When a Prospective Marriage visa needs a lawyer
The 300 runs on a fixed clock: the grant expiry, marriage notice and partner-application date must fit together. Legal advice is particularly useful if the visa has ended, you marry before a decision, or the relationship ends and the 2024 provisions may apply. Read the partner visa family violence guide for that pathway.
If the 300 is refused, the sponsor-led review needs prompt attention. The Migration Act 1958, section 347, sets the ordinary review period at 28 days after notification, or 14 days if the applicant is in immigration detention; the ART cannot extend it. See appeal visa refusal Australia for the review process.
Ask an Australian migration lawyer to compare the visa period, marriage notice and 820/801 lodgement date, and to prepare any family-violence route or sponsor-led ART review within its deadline.