Cross-Border Couples Urge Government to Reconsider Offshore Partner Visa Delays

A growing number of couples with partners living overseas are urging the federal government to reconsider its decision to prioritize partner visa applications from those already living in Australia. The move has left many facing indefinite separation, with some women already experiencing pregnancy complications and relationship strain.

"That stress of undergoing complex fertility planning while constantly worrying about my husband's safety in a conflict zone, it's an unbearable emotional weight," said Nadine Chamas, an Australian citizen who has been separated from her husband Aboudi Alsaidy in Lebanon since they married last year.

Delayed Visas Cause Strain on Relationships

Ms Chamas and her husband are among those waiting for a partner visa, with applicants facing waits of more than three years for subclass 309 visas. A group of partner visa applicants and their Australian sponsors have urged Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke to explain his decision to deprioritize the processing of offshore partner visa applications.

"The relationships are no less genuine. The Australian sponsors are no less Australian," the submission says. "Yet one group receives more favourable administrative treatment, while the other carries the greater human burden of separation."

Sasha Bellamy, who helped write and coordinate the submission, said the minister's decision was "fundamentally unfair".

"I don't believe there has been enough transparency on the why or how, the modelling under which such a big decision has been made that's had massive human consequences," she said.

Impact on Families and Individuals

Emily Hill-Ogbonnaya's husband Nick applied for a partner visa from Nigeria in March last year and was later able to secure a 12-month visitor visa in December. However, with wait times increasing, Ms Hill-Ogbonnaya is concerned her husband may not be able to return until mid-2028.

"Suddenly in the last month or so, they've [wait times] just jumped so much since this new ministerial direction has come in," Ms Hill-Ogbonnaya said.

David Elms, an Australian sponsor of a partner visa applicant, is working long hours to visit his wife and daughter in the Philippines every few months while they wait for a decision. He said the uncertainty and financial pressure have impacted his health.

"I always try to remain positive, but it does affect you. You get these little bouts of depression here and there," he said.

Government Response and Data

Department of Home Affairs data shows the number of onshore and offshore partner visa applications increased from 52,479 in 2019–20 to 68,105 in 2024–25. In his National Press Club address last week, Mr Burke acknowledged demand for partner visas had grown.

"We do have a situation now where more Australians fall in love with people overseas than they used to," he said.

Mr Burke said planned changes imposing a "no further stay" requirement on visitor visas would lead to more being issued to offshore partner visa applicants wanting to spend time with their spouses in Australia.

A Department of Home Affairs spokesperson said migration laws did not allow capping but provided "scope in administering migration programs to consider planning levels and prioritise processing accordingly".

Australian National University Migration Hub director Alan Gamlen said the "planning levels" worked as an effective cap.

"They can choose which order to prioritise visas in. Once they reach a certain number of visa grants, they can decide to stop processing the partner visas and go and prioritise other visas," he said.