The Department assesses four pillars of a relationship, financial, social, nature of the household, and nature of commitment, for both onshore and offshore partner visa applications.
These pillars apply equally to subclass 820/801 and subclass 309/100 applications.
De facto couples generally need to show 12 months of cohabitation before applying, unless an exemption applies.
Form 888 is a statutory declaration from a supporting witness, used mainly to evidence the social pillar.
No single piece of evidence is decisive; decision-makers look at the whole picture across all four pillars.
Gaps in evidence should be explained directly in a personal statement rather than left unaddressed.
For de facto couples, there is an additional threshold requirement to consider alongside the four pillars. You generally need to show that you have lived together in a de facto relationship for at least 12 months immediately before applying, unless an exemption applies, such as where the relationship is registered under a state or territory relationships register, or where there are compelling and compassionate circumstances.
A key form of evidence for this pillar is Form 888, a statutory declaration completed by a supporting witness who personally knows the couple. The witness must be at least 18 years old and an Australian citizen or permanent resident, and they must set out how they know the couple and why they believe the relationship is genuine and continuing.
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