In order to obtain this visa you must be validly married, or be in a de-facto spouse relationship, with an Australian citizen/permanent resident or an eligible New Zealand citizen.

You and your spouse must have a mutual commitment to a shared life as husband and wife to the exclusion of all others, the relationship between you must be genuine and continuing, and you must live together; or do not live separately and apart on a permanent basis.

The application may be made in Australia or outside Australia, but if applying within Australia,   the applicant must hold an acceptable substantive visa.

Obtaining permanent residence as a spouse is s usually two or three steps process. Applicants apply for both the temporary and permanent residence at the same time and are first assessed against the rules for the temporary visa. Approximately two years after the initial application, the applicant and the sponsor are assessed against the rules for the permanent visa. This means that if the relationship breaks down while the person holds the provisional visa, the permanent visa will not be granted (however, there are some exceptions).

Please note that the information about visas is in general terms. There are many subclasses of visas that may be appropriate to your personal and unique situation that we can advise you about . Furthermore , the law concerning migration is subject to frequent amendment.