Australian Prospective Spouse Visa An application for a prospective spouse visa (also known as prospective marriage visa) can be lodged by individuals wishing to immigrate to Australia and who are planning to marry their fiance (i.e. their sponsor) who is an Australian citizen or permanent resident. Applications for this visa must be made outside of Australia and applicants must be outside Australia when the visa is granted. The prospective spouse visa is a temporary visa which is valid for a period of nine months during which time, the applicant must traveled to Australia and have married their sponsor. Once the applicant and their sponsor have been officially married, an application for an Australian Spouse visa can then be lodged. The relationship between the two will be continually assessed as being genuine during the whole process. Conditions for Eligibility Before applying for a prospective spouse visa, you must: be sponsored by your fiance, be over 18 years of age, be of the opposite sex to your fiance, have met and be acquainted with your fiance in person, be legally free to marry your prospective spouse, have a genuine intention of marrying and living with your prospective spouse as husband and wife, and meet health and character requirements. Marrying Before Grant of Visa Applicants who have married their fiance before their prospective spouse visa has been granted can change their application to a spouse visa for Australian immigration at no extra charge. This can be done by sending a written notification to the relevant department processing your application along with the necessary evidence of your marriage e.g. certified copy of the extract from the marriage registry office. Not Marrying Your Fiance After Granting of Visa In most cases, if you do not travel to Australia and marry your fiance within the nine-month period after the granting of your temporary Australian prospective spouse visa, your visa will be canceled and, if you are in Australia, you will be required to leave the country.