Australian Immigration Daily News

Update: Family Violence Provisions for Partner Visa Applicants

The Migration Amendment (Family Violence Provisions for Partner Visa Applicants) Regulations 2024 introduces significant changes to support partner visa applicants experiencing family violence. Key updates include:

• Expanded Access: Current and certain former Prospective Marriage (Subclass 300) visa holders can now apply for a Partner (Subclass 820/801) visa under the relationship cessation provisions without the requirement of marrying the sponsor.
• Location Flexibility: Applicants are no longer required to be in Australia at the time of decision for the Partner (Subclass 309) visa under relationship cessation provisions.
• Modernized Definitions: Terminology relating to family violence has been updated to be more inclusive and reflective of current standards.
• Alignment Across Visa Programs: The amendment simplifies and aligns the criteria for different partner visa subclasses, streamlining the process for applicants.

These changes aim to provide better protection and support for visa applicants experiencing family violence, ensuring they are not compelled to stay in abusive relationships to maintain their visa status.

For more details, please refer to the full amendment document.

Source: Migration-Amendment-Fam-Violence-Provisions-for-Partner-Visa-Applicants-Reg.pdf and

Migration-Amendment-Family-Violence-Provisions-for-Partner-Visa-Applicants Explanatory Memo.pdf