The subclass 300 Prospective Marriage visa allows a person to travel to Australia to marry their Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen fiancé(e). The 300 visa is a temporary entry visa — it does not by itself lead to permanent residence. After arriving in Australia and marrying, the 300 holder must apply for a subclass 820/801 onshore partner visa to remain and ultimately obtain permanent residence. The 300 is a substantive visa, meaning the 820 application can be lodged while the 300 is current; a Bridging Visa A (BVA) is automatically granted on lodgement of the 820, allowing the holder to remain lawfully in Australia while the 820 is processed. If the marriage does not occur before the 300 expires, the holder must depart Australia. This page explains the transition from the subclass 300 to the 820/801 onshore partner visa pathway, the timing requirements, the BVA framework, and what happens if the planned marriage does not proceed.

For current subclass 300 and partner visa requirements, fees, and processing times, refer to the DHA prospective marriage visa page and the DHA onshore partner visa page.

• Migration Regulations 1994, Schedule 2, Subclass 300 (Prospective Marriage) criteria — the subclass 300 is granted on the basis that the holder intends to marry their Australian citizen/PR/eligible NZ citizen sponsor; the visa permits entry to Australia to marry; the visa is not a pathway to permanent residence on its own
• Migration Regulations 1994, Schedule 2, Subclass 820 (Partner (Temporary)) criteria — to be eligible to apply for the 820 onshore, the applicant must hold a substantive visa (other than a Subclass 771 Transit visa); the subclass 300 Prospective Marriage visa is a substantive visa, making the holder eligible to apply for the 820 from within Australia
• Migration Regulations 1994, regulation 2.20 — Bridging Visa A — a BVA is automatically granted when an eligible substantive visa holder lodges an application that triggers a BVA entitlement; for the 820 application lodged while on the 300, a BVA is granted on application, allowing the holder to remain in Australia after the 300 expires while the 820 is processed
• DHA: Subclass 300 Prospective Marriage visa — immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/prospective-marriage-300
• DHA: Partner visa (apply in Australia) — subclass 820/801 — immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/partner-onshore

What the subclass 300 allows

The subclass 300 Prospective Marriage visa allows the holder to:

• Travel to Australia to marry their sponsor (Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible NZ citizen)
• Stay in Australia for the duration of the 300 visa — typically long enough to arrange and complete the marriage
• Work in Australia while on the 300 (the 300 grants work entitlements for the duration of the visa)

The 300 visa does not grant permanent residence and does not automatically convert to a partner visa after the marriage — a separate application for the 820/801 is required.

After marriage — applying for the subclass 820/801 onshore

After the marriage occurs in Australia, the standard pathway is to apply for the subclass 820/801 onshore partner visa:

1. The marriage must have taken place: the 820/801 onshore partner visa requires the applicant to be the spouse or de facto partner of an eligible sponsor; the subclass 300 holder who has married their sponsor is now a spouse and qualifies as the applicant for the partner visa
2. Apply for the 820/801 while still on the 300: the 820 application must be lodged while the 300 visa is still valid — the 300 must not have expired before lodgement (although the BVA will cover the period after the 300 expires if the 820 was lodged in time)
3. Lodge through ImmiAccount: the 820/801 application is lodged online through ImmiAccount; the same application covers both the temporary 820 and the permanent 801

Bridging Visa A on lodgement

When the 820 application is lodged while the 300 is current, a Bridging Visa A (BVA) is automatically granted:

• The BVA allows the applicant to remain lawfully in Australia after the 300 visa expires, for the duration of the 820 processing period
• No separate BVA application is needed — it is automatically triggered by the 820 lodgement
• While on the BVA, the applicant cannot travel outside Australia and re-enter without first obtaining a Bridging Visa B (BVB) — the same travel restriction that applies to all 820 BVA holders
• For more detail on the BVA, work rights during BVA, and the BVB for travel, refer to the partner visa 820/801 page

The 820/801 two-stage pathway after the 300

Once the 820 is lodged, the standard onshore partner visa process applies — the same as for any 820/801 applicant:

• DHA assesses the 820 and, if satisfied the relationship is genuine, grants the temporary subclass 820
• After 2 years from the 820 application date, DHA assesses the permanent subclass 801
• Evidence of a continuing genuine relationship is required at the 2-year assessment; DHA uses the four-factor test (financial, household, social, commitment)
• Couples in a relationship of at least 3 years before the application date (or 2 years with a child in common) may be assessed for the permanent 801 without waiting the full 2 years

If the marriage does not occur

If the marriage planned on the subclass 300 does not take place:

• The 300 remains valid until its expiry date but without the marriage, the holder cannot apply for a partner visa from within Australia on the basis of the planned marriage
• When the 300 expires, the holder becomes unlawful if no other visa has been applied for — they must depart Australia
• There is no automatic extension of the 300 because the marriage did not happen in time
• If the couple still intend to marry but the 300 has expired, the foreign national must leave Australia and the couple may consider applying for the offshore 309/100 pathway from outside Australia once married (or apply for a new 300 if circumstances permit and if the fiancé(e) relationship still qualifies)

Comparison with the direct 820/801 or 309/100 pathway

The subclass 300 is a distinct step that precedes the partner visa pathway when the couple is not yet married at the time of the original application:

• Couples who are already married before applying can apply directly for the 309/100 (if the applicant is offshore) or the 820/801 (if the applicant is in Australia) — no 300 required
• The 300 pathway is specifically for fiancé(e)s who are not yet married and where the foreign national intends to come to Australia for the marriage
• Once married in Australia on the 300, the pathway to PR is through the 820/801 — the same path as any onshore partner visa applicant

The subclass 300 to 820/801 transition is one of the more common multi-step pathways in Australian family migration — couples where the foreign national was a fiancé(e) rather than an already-married partner frequently use this route. The most important practical points are: (1) the 820 must be lodged while the 300 is still valid — not after it expires; (2) the BVA protects the holder's lawful stay after the 300 expires, but only if the 820 was lodged in time; and (3) the travel restriction on the BVA means the holder is effectively committed to remaining in Australia until the 820 is granted unless a BVB is obtained. The 300 visa period is typically long enough to arrange a wedding, but couples who encounter delays in the marriage plans should monitor the 300 expiry date carefully. For current visa fees, processing times, and document requirements for both the 300 and the 820/801 application, refer to the DHA prospective marriage visa page.