One of the first and most important decisions in a Partner visa application is also one of the most practical:

Should you lodge the Partner visa inside Australia (onshore) or outside Australia (offshore)?

Both options can ultimately lead to permanent residency. The difference is not the end result — it’s how you live while the application is being processed.

This choice affects:

  • whether you can stay together in Australia,
  • whether the applicant can work,
  • how travel is managed, and
  • how stable life feels during what can be a long waiting period.

Below is a clear, real-world way to think about the decision.

 

What “Onshore” and “Offshore” Mean

 

Onshore Partner Visa

You apply while the applicant is in Australia.

The usual pathway is:

  • Subclass 820 (temporary) → Subclass 801 (permanent)

 

Offshore Partner Visa

You apply while the applicant is outside Australia.

The usual pathway is:

  • Subclass 309 (provisional) → Subclass 100 (permanent)

Both pathways assess the same relationship criteria. The difference lies in day-to-day life while you wait.

 

Living Arrangements While You Wait

 

Onshore: Staying Together in Australia

Onshore applications are often chosen by couples who are already living together in Australia.

What this usually allows:

  • If the applicant’s current visa expires, they can usually remain lawfully in Australia on a bridging visa
  • Work rights are often available, depending on visa history and conditions
  • Life in Australia can continue — work, housing, schooling — without planning around a departure date

What it does not guarantee:

  • Faster processing
  • Unlimited travel
  • Automatic approval

 

A Practical Reality: Not Everyone Can Apply Onshore

While onshore applications can offer continuity, not every applicant has the option to apply onshore.

In some cases, the applicant may face significant difficulty obtaining a temporary visa to enter Australia in the first place. This can be due to:

  • previous visa history
  • limited travel history
  • prior refusals, or
  • broader risk factors assessed by the Department

Where entering Australia on a temporary visa is uncertain or high-risk, an offshore Partner visa may be the more realistic and appropriate pathway, even if the couple would otherwise prefer to remain together in Australia during processing.

 

Schedule 3: An Important Onshore Consideration

Some onshore Partner visa applicants may be affected by Schedule 3.

Schedule 3 can apply where the applicant:

  • is unlawfully in Australia, or
  • holds a bridging visa rather than a substantive visa at the time of application

Where Schedule 3 applies, additional criteria must be met, making the application more complex and higher risk. In these situations, an offshore Partner visa — or a carefully planned alternative strategy — may be more appropriate.

This is another reason why not all couples have a straightforward onshore option, even if they are already in Australia.

 

Offshore: Fewer Bridging Visa Rules, More Travel Flexibility

Offshore applications are often chosen where travel or overseas commitments are important.

What this usually allows:

  • No bridging visa conditions
  • Easier international travel during processing
  • The applicant can remain overseas without Australian visa restrictions

What it does not provide:

  • No right to remain in Australia during processing
  • No Australian work rights while offshore
  • Visits to Australia require a separate temporary visa, and entry is not guaranteed

 

The Travel Question (Often the Deciding Factor)

Travel is one of the biggest practical differences between onshore and offshore applications.

If you apply onshore and the applicant moves onto a Bridging Visa A (BVA):

  • the applicant can remain in Australia lawfully, but
  • leaving Australia is not permitted unless a Bridging Visa B (BVB) is granted.

Onshore can still work where travel is needed — but only with careful planning.

Offshore applications avoid bridging-visa travel restrictions altogether, but at the cost of not being able to live or work in Australia while waiting.

 

Can You Lodge Offshore and Still Return to Australia?

In limited circumstances, some applicants may be able to:

  • hold a Bridging Visa B (BVB)
  • depart Australia during the BVB’s approved travel period
  • lodge an offshore Partner visa (Subclass 309/100) while overseas
  • return to Australia within the BVB’s validity, and
  • apply to have their bridging visa linked to the offshore Partner visa, allowing them to remain lawfully in Australia on a bridging visa while the offshore application is being processed.

This approach can be particularly beneficial for applicants who do not hold a substantive visa and who may otherwise face difficulties meeting Schedule 3 requirements if applying onshore.

However, this strategy involves very precise visa timing, is highly dependent on individual circumstances, and carries higher risk if mismanaged. It is not a pathway most couples should rely on without professional advice.

For many applicants, choosing a clear onshore or offshore strategy from the outset remains the safer and more predictable approach.

 

Work and Day-to-Day Stability

Most couples decide based on real life rather than visa labels.

Onshore may suit you if:

  • you are already living together in Australia
  • the applicant needs Australian work rights, and
  • staying together during processing is a priority.

Offshore may suit you if:

  • the applicant is already overseas with work or family commitments
  • travel flexibility is essential, or
  • temporary separation is manageable.

 

Evidence Matters Either Way

 

Choosing onshore or offshore does not reduce the evidence required.

Partner visas are assessed on:

  • financial aspects of the relationship
  • household arrangements
  • social recognition, and
  • mutual commitment

The visa stream changes logistics — not the legal threshold.

 

Final Thoughts: Choose What Matches Real Life

 

There is no universally “better” option.

The right questions to ask are:

  • Where do we realistically need to live while we wait?
  • Does the applicant need Australian work rights soon?
  • How important is travel in the next 12–24 months?
  • Are we comfortable managing bridging-visa rules if applying onshore?
  • Is entering Australia on a temporary visa realistically achievable?

Both pathways can lead to permanent residency. The best choice is the one that allows you to live as steadily and predictably as possible during the waiting period.

If you’re unsure which option fits your circumstances, speaking with Southern Stone Migration before lodging can help you choose a pathway that aligns with your reality — not just the paperwork.