Blog / Partner visas
820 vs 309: which partner visa is processed faster?
Short answer
On Home Affairs figures published 9 November 2026, the onshore 820 partner visa was decided within 30 months for 90% of applications, and the offshore 309 within 35 months. At the median, both took about 21 months. Which visa you lodge depends on where you are, not on speed.
Key facts
- 820 (onshore): 50% within 21 months, 75% within 26 months, 90% within 30 months.
- 309 (offshore): 50% within 21 months, 75% within 27 months, 90% within 35 months.
- Permanent stage: 801 90% within 19 months; 100 90% within 18 months.
- Source: Home Affairs figures published 9 November 2026, for applications decided in the period ending 30 September 2026.
Checked against Home Affairs every day. Last checked 11 November 2026.
Cite this page
AusVisaClock. “820 vs 309: which partner visa is processed faster?.” Updated 9 November 2026. https://ausvisaclock.com/blog/820-vs-309-processing-time/
The figures come from the Department of Home Affairs. You may quote them with a link to this page.
820 and 309 side by side
| Visa | 50% decided within | 75% | 90% decided within |
|---|---|---|---|
| 820 Partner visa | 21 months | 26 months | 30 months |
| 309 Partner (Provisional) visa | 21 months | 27 months | 35 months |
| 801 Partner visa | 6 months | 11 months | 19 months |
| 100 Partner visa | 9 months | 13 months | 18 months |
The main difference is where you wait
You apply for the 820/801 while you are in Australia and the 309/100 while you are outside it, and the visa you can apply for depends on your location when you lodge. Onshore applicants generally hold a bridging visa until the 820 is decided; offshore applicants wait outside Australia.
Reading the gap between 50% and 90%
For both visas the 90% figure is well above the median, which means a minority of applications take much longer than most. Requests for more information, health or character checks and incomplete applications are common reasons.