Partner Visa Evidence: How to prove your relationship with confidence

When you apply for an Australian Partner Visa, you’re not just filling out forms. You’re telling the story of your relationship—and the way you tell it can make all the difference.

At Port Migration, we’ve helped hundreds of couples apply for Partner Visas over the last ten years. One of the biggest challenges our clients face? Figuring out exactly what kind of Partner Visa evidence they need to include. That’s why in Episode 3 of the Port Migration Partner Visa Podcast, we break down the four types of evidence that make up a strong visa application.

This blog article is based on that episode and will give you clear, practical advice on how to present your relationship to Home Affairs with confidence.

Why Partner Visa Evidence Matters

The Department of Home Affairs doesn’t know you. They haven’t met you. They don’t know how genuine, committed, and ongoing your relationship is. That’s why strong, structured evidence is so important. It helps the decision-maker understand your life together—so they can confidently say, "Yes, this makes sense."

The Four Types of Partner Visa Evidence

Instead of throwing in a pile of random documents, we recommend structuring your evidence around four key categories. These are sometimes called the "Four Pillars of Relationship Evidence."

1. Financial Evidence

This is about showing that you and your partner share financial responsibility. Some examples include:

• Joint bank accounts
• Shared bills or rent
• Transfers of money between you
• Travel or purchases you’ve made for each other
  

You don’t have to combine all your finances, but you do need to show that you function as a financial team.

2. Household Evidence

This evidence shows how you manage life together. Examples might include:

• Shared lease or rental agreement
• Mail to the same address
• Photos of your home
• Screenshots of messages about shopping, cooking, or daily plans

Even if you haven’t lived together full-time, you can still show how you operate as a unit.

This category is all about how your relationship is recognised by others. Consider including:

• Photos with friends and family
• Messages from loved ones
• Invitations addressed to you as a couple
• Statutory declarations from friends or relatives

You’re proving that your relationship exists in the real world—not just behind closed doors.

Finally, you need to show that your relationship is serious and long-term. This might include:

• Messages about the future
• Travel plans
• Relationship statements
• Wedding planning documents or shared goals

This is your opportunity to show the commitment you both have to your relationship - past, present and future.

Common Evidence Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)

Over ten years of helping couples apply for Partner Visas, we’ve seen what works—and what doesn’t. 

Here are a few things to avoid:

• Submitting too many irrelevant screenshots or documents
  
• Inconsistent dates or details across your application
  
• Strength in one area but gaps in others (e.g. strong finances, but no social proof)
  
• Assuming your relationship speaks for itself without documentation
  

A few well-chosen, well-organised documents in each category are much more effective than hundreds of poorly selected pages.

Need Help? Start With Our Free Guide

If all of this sounds like a lot, don’t worry. We’ve created a free downloadable guide to Partner Visas that walks you through the whole process—including what evidence to gather, and how to get started.

👉 Download the Ultimate Guide to Partner Visas - it’s already helped thousands of couples.

And if you need more support:

• Join the Partner Visa Basics Webinar
• Check out our Relationship Statement Guide
• or Book a Free Call to get your application started with us

Want More Help? Listen to the Podcast

👉 Listen now on your favourite platform:

Or head straight to our Podcast Hub: https://portmigration.com/partner-visa-podcast/