Vietnamese families: why an Australian partner visa can take 15 months

Visa guide · 2026-08-21 · 3 min read

Many Vietnamese families have a husband, wife or partner who lives in Australia. If you are one of them, you may be thinking about a partner visa. This visa lets the partner of an Australian citizen apply to live in Australia. Here is what you should know before you start, because the wait is long.

How long is the wait?

The number of waiting applications is heading towards 120,000. Typical processing times have stretched to 15 months. That is more than a year of waiting, often while the couple lives in two different countries.

A recent case shows how this feels. A highly skilled researcher is married to an Australian citizen. Nearly a year after she applied, she was still waiting. The couple had paid over $11,000 in fees. They had also answered several rounds of requests for more information. Her case was not unusual or complicated. This is why the long wait worries so many couples.

How much does it cost?

The application fee is over $9,300. This is the highest partner visa fee in the world. It is more than double what the UK charges for a similar visa. A high price and a long wait together are hard for families. Please plan your money carefully before you apply.

Why does this problem matter?

This is not only a story about one couple. A queue of almost 120,000 people affects many lives.

Australian citizens may be apart from their partners for a very long time.
Skilled people wait at the same speed as everyone else.
Some couples choose to live in a third country instead of waiting.
People lose trust in the system when long delays are shown in public cases.

Prepare your documents early

You cannot change the queue, but you can be ready. These steps are often useful for Vietnamese applicants.

If a police certificate is requested, a Vietnamese citizen usually applies for the Judicial Record Certificate No. 2 (Phiếu lý lịch tư pháp số 2).
Where the visa rules ask for it, use certified English translations of your Vietnamese documents, such as a marriage certificate.
If the visa needs an English test, such as IELTS or PTE, book a test date early.
Keep strong proof that your relationship is real, and keep it in one place.

You can see the list of Australian visas on the Department of Home Affairs website.

Protect yourself from paid shortcuts

Long waits make people worried, and some people use that worry to take money. Deal only with licensed organisations and real employers or advisers. Never pay an unlicensed broker. Be careful with anyone who asks for money upfront to secure a visa. A genuine visa process does not need secret payments.

What could improve things?

Several changes could help. The government could give more resources to partner visa processing. It could review whether the fee is fair for the service. It could give clearer timelines, so applicants know what to expect. It could also make evidence rules simpler when proof of a real relationship is strong.

Until that happens, expect a long journey. Be patient, keep your papers ready and ask for trusted advice. Many couples have waited and built a life together at the end.

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