Episode 4 Show Notes
In Episode 4 of the Port Migration Partner Visa Podcast, we turn our attention to one of the most personal and powerful parts of your application: the Partner Visa Relationship Statement.
This is where your story comes to life. It’s your chance to explain, in your own words, how your relationship began, how it’s developed, and why you’re committed to a future together. But for many couples, writing this statement is one of the most daunting parts of the process.
What should you include? How much detail is too much? What if you’re not a confident writer?
In this episode, we walk you through the purpose of the relationship statement, the common challenges people face when writing it, and the simple structure we recommend to help you tell your story clearly, authentically, and effectively.
Whether you're preparing your application yourself or working with a migration agent, this episode will help you approach your Partner Visa Relationship Statement with confidence.
Key Takeaways
✅ Your relationship statement is one of the most important parts of your Partner Visa evidence
✅ Home Affairs decision-makers don’t know you — your statement helps them understand your story
✅ You don’t need to be a great writer — you just need to be honest and consistent
✅ Strong statements reflect key dates, shared plans, emotional connection, and relationship growth
✅ Many couples struggle with what to include — and that’s completely normal
✅ A clear structure can help you get started and stay on track
✅ This isn’t just paperwork — it’s your real relationship
✅ Writing together helps couples reflect and align on their story
✅ Support is available: use our Relationship Statement Guide or Done For You service
✅ You are not alone — we’ve helped hundreds of couples write compelling, decision-ready statements
🎙️ “Partner Visas aren’t just about paperwork — they’re emotional.”
🎙️ “This is your chance to tell your love story in your own words.”
🎙️ “You don’t have to be a great writer to write a great statement.”
🎙️ “We’ve read hundreds of these — and they never get old.”
Timestamps
01:40 Visas we talk about in this Episode
02:26 Why your Relationship Statement is important
06:23 Relationship Statement Guide
08:00 Why writing a Relationship Statement is hard
09:35 What to do before you start writing
10:44 How to write a Relationship Statement that works
15:57 Relationship Statement Help
18:33 What's happening net
Articles
How to Write a Strong Partner Visa Relationship Statement (With Templates & Examples)
Partner Visa Relationship Statement
Partner Visa Evidence Step by Step Guide
How do I apply for a Partner Visa for Australia?
Relationship Statement Guide
Episode 4 Transcript
Hello and Welcome to Season 1, Episode 4 of the Port Migration Partner Visa Podcast. If you and your partner are planning to apply for an Australian Partner Visa, this podcast is your roadmap.
We know the Australian Partner Visa process is often described as one of the longest, most expensive, and most emotionally challenging visa processes in the world. Getting your application right from the start is essential—and that’s exactly what we’re here to help you do.
In this podcast, we’re sharing industry insider insights gained from over a decade of experience helping couples—just like you—successfully apply for Australian Partner Visas. At Port Migration, we’ve seen it all: onshore, offshore, straightforward, and complex applications. And we know what works.
So instead of relying on advice from well-meaning but unqualified strangers on the internet, you’ll get clear, reliable guidance from registered professionals who do this work every day.
At Port Migration, we are MARA-registered Australian Migration Agents. You’ll find our registration details in the description, and you can also verify them on the official Migration Agents Registration Authority website (MARA). Always check that the person giving you Australian Visa or Migration advice is legally authorised to do so—your visa is too important to leave in the wrong hands.
In this podcast, we talk about the three main types of Partner Visas:
- The Subclass 820/801 Onshore Partner Visa
- The Subclass 309/100 Offshore Partner Visa
- And the Subclass 300 Prospective Marriage Visa
If this is your first episode—welcome. And if you’ve listened to the other episodes of our podcast welcome back. We’re so glad you’re here.
In the last episode, we looked closely at evidence—the essential aspect of proving your genuine relationship for a successful Partner Visa application.
You documents, timelines, and legal evidence all matter, but there’s something else that matters just as much—and that’s your story.
Every relationship has a story. The meet cute. How you met. How your connection grew. The moment you knew you wanted a future together. And in a Partner Visa application, that story isn’t just important—it’s essential.
The relationship statement is one of the most powerful documents in your application. It’s your chance to speak directly to the decision-maker. To share your journey in your own words. To move beyond the bank statements, the bills, and the flight itineraries—and explain why your relationship is real, why it matters, and why you should be granted a visa to stay together in Australia.
But here’s the problem: writing that story is hard.
Even couples who’ve been together for years struggle to put their relationship into words. Where do you start? How much detail do you include? What’s too much—or not enough? Should you be romantic? Factual? Emotional? Practical?
It can feel like walking a tightrope. You want to sound genuine, but not dramatic. Detailed, but not long-winded. Professional, but still warm. You want the person reading your application to understand your love story—not just your logistics.
That’s where this episode comes in.
So far in this series, we’ve been working through what we call the Three Es of Partner Visa Success: Eligibility, Evidence, and Errors.
In Episode 1, we looked at Eligibility—making sure you're actually able to apply for the visa you’re aiming for. It’s the very first step, and it’s absolutely critical. In Episode 2, we walked through the most common Partner Visa scenarios, to help you see where your story fits. And in Episode 3, we focused on Evidence—how to structure and submit the documents that prove your relationship is genuine, committed, and ongoing.
Each episode builds on the one before it, and today we’re diving even deeper into the second “E”—Evidence—by focusing on one of the most personal and powerful parts of your application: your relationship statement.
Today, I’m going to walk you through exactly how to approach your relationship statement—what to include, what to avoid, and how to make sure your story supports your application rather than undermines it.
This episode draws on more than a decade of experience working with couples just like you—couples from all walks of life, in all kinds of relationship scenarios, who are trying to navigate one of the most emotional and high-stakes visa processes there is. Over the years, I’ve seen what works and what doesn’t when it comes to writing relationship statements. And funnily enough, I’ve found myself reaching back to the same skills I used when I was teaching English. Helping people express themselves clearly, confidently, and in their own voice—that’s always been something I’ve loved.
In fact, reading people’s relationship statements has quietly become one of my favourite parts of this job. There’s something really special about being invited into someone’s story—seeing how two people met, how their lives have come together, and how they’re choosing to build a future. It’s a privilege I never take for granted.
In this episode, I’ll be sharing the same advice and insights we give to our private clients when we’re preparing their applications through our Done For You Partner Visa service. And if you’ve already downloaded our Relationship Statement Guide, you’ll be familiar with some of these tips. That guide has become one of our most popular resources, and for good reason—it includes templates, sentence starters, sample statements, and checklists that go far beyond what we can cover here in the podcast. If you haven’t grabbed it yet, you’ll find the link in the description.
Finally, before we get started, please listen to this disclaimer:
The information in this podcast is general in nature. It doesn’t take into account your personal circumstances or specific visa needs, and it is not intended as migration advice. If you need advice tailored to your unique situation, please use the links in the description to get in touch with our experienced team—we’d love to help.
The Port Migration Partner Visa Podcast is available in both video and audio format. It’s available on all your favourite podcast platforms. So while you’re here, please like this episode, subscribe to our channel, turn on notifications, and share this podcast with your partner. We’d love to hear where you’re listening from—drop the flag of your country in the comments to let us know. Your support helps other couples find this podcast too.
Let’s talk about one of the most personal and challenging parts of your Partner Visa application: writing your relationship statement AND how to write a relationship statement that not only tells your love story but also supports your visa application in the strongest possible way.
People often find it really hard to write a relationship statement.
For many couples, this part of the process comes with more anxiety than they expected. Not because they don’t love each other, or don’t know their story—but because writing it down is hard.
You might not enjoy writing. You might not know how much detail to include. You might be afraid of saying the wrong thing or leaving something important out. You might feel self-conscious or unsure of how to talk about your relationship in a way that feels natural but still meets the visa requirements. You might have received well meaning advice from friends or family but you’re not sure if the advice is right for you.
And even if you’re a confident writer, it’s a completely different thing to write a personal story for a government decision-maker. It’s not a letter to your partner, and it’s not a legal document or a work task—it needs to sit somewhere in between.
That’s what makes it tricky. Most people don’t know what the tone should be, or how formal to sound. Should you talk about your feelings? Your routines? Your goals? Your disagreements?
How much is too much? How much transparency is too much?
We get it. We’ve helped hundreds of couples through this exact process. And the good news is—you don’t have to figure it out alone.
There are some things you need to do before you start writing.
Before either of you puts pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard), the first and most helpful thing you can do is sit down together and talk through the basics.
This step is often skipped, but it makes a huge difference.
Take an hour to agree on a few key details:
- When and how you met
- When your relationship became committed
- Important events you’ve shared together
- Any time you’ve lived apart and how you stayed connected
- Key milestones—moving in, meeting families, travelling, getting engaged or married
- Your plans for the future
You don’t need to write the same statement word-for-word, and in fact you shouldn’t. But if you are writing two statements they should align. They should tell the same story from each of your perspectives. Discrepancies in dates or events can raise unnecessary questions—even if they’re innocent.
Once you’ve talked it through and agreed on the core facts, each of you can go off and write your statement with a clear head.
You want to write a relationship statement that actually works.
After reading hundreds of successful statements over the years, we’ve noticed some consistent patterns among the couples who do this well. Here’s what they have in common:
They keep it real. The best statements sound like a real person talking. You don’t need fancy language—just clarity, honesty, and warmth.
They follow a clear structure. A strong relationship statement has a beginning, middle, and end. It uses paragraphs. It has punctuation. Someone has checked it for clarity and spelling. It usually covers how you met, how the relationship developed, how you support each other, and what your future plans are.
They keep it consistent with the rest of their application. If your statement says you’ve lived together for 18 months, but your lease only started 12 months ago, that needs to be explained. Consistency builds trust.
They make sure they write from their own voice. This means writing from their head and their heart. Remember if you’re writing two statements, you’re telling the same story, but from different perspectives.
They check spelling, grammar, and flow. You don’t need perfect English—but your statement should be easy to read. Get someone you trust to read it before you submit, or ask a professional for help if you’re unsure. If you want to write in another language, that’s totally fine, just get it translated.
And the last thing couples do when they do this well, is they take their time. This isn’t something you want to rush. Give yourselves a few days, write a draft, then come back to it with fresh eyes.
When you’re writing your relationship statement, it’s often the small, specific details that bring your story to life—and those little moments can be incredibly powerful. We’ve worked with couples who bonded over a shared love of skiing, and you can feel their connection when they write about their love of snow sports. That kind of storytelling does more than tick a box—it shows the real, lived experience of a relationship.
We’ve helped couples who met while travelling and falling in love was part of the adventure. That story becomes part of their relationship narrative, and when they include those memories in their statement, it paints a clear picture of a genuine, ongoing connection.
Couples tell us about their shared routines and goals: the house they're saving for, the weekend farmers’ markets they never miss, the dog they’re training together, or the coffee order they know by heart. We’ve seen beautiful statements from couples who are planning a family, or who are already raising children together and are navigating the visa process while managing school drop-offs and daycare schedules. For some, it's about retiring closer to grandkids in Australia after decades of living overseas—and they talk about how important that sense of family and belonging is to them.
We’ve had people write about how they supported each other through health challenges, job loss, or long-distance periods where they stayed connected through nightly FaceTime calls and elaborately planned surprise gifts. That’s the kind of detail that shows emotional commitment and effort.
Sometimes, it’s as simple as describing your daily life: who makes the coffee, who takes the bins out, who’s in charge of planning holidays or remembering family birthdays. These aren’t just filler—they're the fabric of a real relationship. It’s those shared moments, routines, and quirks that help the person reading your application understand that your relationship is not only genuine but built on the kind of everyday intimacy that can't be faked.
So, when you sit down to write your statement, don’t be afraid to include those little stories. The things that make your relationship uniquely yours—the way you met, the way you live, and the way you imagine your future together. That’s what helps bring your statement to life.
And remember, you don’t have to write it perfectly the first time. Just start with what’s real.
If at this point, you’re still feeling unsure—you’re not alone.
If today’s episode has helped you understand just how important your relationship statement is, and you’re ready to write your own—but you're still not sure where to start—we’ve got something that can help.
That’s exactly why we created the Relationship Statement Guide. It’s a practical, step-by-step resource designed to help you write a strong, authentic statement with confidence. Inside, you’ll find easy-to-follow templates, real sample statements you can learn from, and detailed guidance drawn from over a decade of helping couples navigate this process successfully. The guide also includes helpful checklists to make sure you’re covering all the essential points—so you’re not left wondering what to include or whether you’ve missed something important.
There’s only so much we can cover in a podcast episode—but the guide gives you a complete step by step process, whether you’re writing your first draft or refining your final version.
So if you’re ready to get started—or if you’ve already tried and need some extra help—the Relationship Statement Guide is available now. It’s one of our most popular resources for good reason.
Our Relationship Statement Guide is a comprehensive, step-by-step resource that will walk you through exactly what to include, how to structure your statement, and how to write something that’s genuine, clear, and aligned with your evidence. You’ll get checklists, detailed examples, and tips we’ve developed over ten years of helping couples prepare successful Partner Visa applications.
Whether you’re writing your own statement or reviewing your partner’s, this guide takes the stress and confusion out of the process. You can purchase it instantly from our website—via the links the link in the episode description.
And if you’d rather not do this part alone—we can help with that too.
When you book our Done For You Partner Visa service, we work with you personally to write a compelling, professional, and authentic relationship statement that tells your story the right way—while also making sure the rest of your application supports it from start to finish.
So whether you’re ready to write it yourself, or you want expert guidance every step of the way—we’ve got a solution for you.
Visit the link in the description to get the guide, or book a call with our team today.
We’d love to help you tell your story with clarity and confidence.
This is exactly what we did with the couples you will meet in our next Port Migration Partner Visa Podcast episode.
It’s time to bring everything we’ve talked about so far to life.
In the next episode You’ll meet real couples who got their Partner Visas approved—and hear exactly how they did it. We’ll walk through their challenges, their timelines, what worked, and what they’d do differently if they had to do it again. These stories are powerful because they show you what’s possible—and remind you that you’re not alone in dreaming about your future together in Australia.
That’s coming up next.
And just a reminder—this podcast is designed to be listened to in sequence. Each episode builds on the one before it, giving you a clearer picture of the process and more confidence with every step. So if you haven’t already, set aside time to listen to all eight episodes, in order. You won’t regret it.
If you found this episode helpful, please take a moment to follow or subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss future episodes. Of course don’t forget to share it with your partner. If you’re listening on YouTube, please like, subscribe and turn on notifications.
There’s no getting around the fact that the Australian Partner Visa application process is complicated, but you don’t have to do it alone.
Don’t forget to grab your copy of the Ultimate Relationship Statement Guide.
Thanks for listening.
Until next time, all the best with your application.
Behind the Scenes
