Australian Spouse Visa An application for a spouse visa can be lodged by individuals wishing to immigrate to Australia and who are married to an Australian citizen or permanent resident. Individuals applying for their visa in Australia may not be eligible to work or study in Australia unless they hold a previous Australian visa allowing them to do so. Temporary Spouse Visa If all initial criteria for the visa application has been met, the applicant will be granted a temporary Australian spouse visa after which time they will be able to work or study should they wish to do so. The temporary spouse visa will remain valid until the department has made a decision on your permanent visa application. In normal cases, this will be over a period of approximately two years before you can be granted a permanent visa should you continue to meet all requirements at that time. After being granted a temporary Australian spouse visa, you will be allowed to travel to and from Australia until a decision is made on your permanent visa. You may be granted a permanent visa less than two years after being granted a temporary visa if you have been in a spouse relationship with your partner for at least five years or at least two years if you have dependent children from your relationship. Conditions for Eligibility Before applying for a prospective spouse visa, you must: be sponsored (usually by your spouse or partner), be legally married to your partner, demonstrate that you and your partner have a mutual commitment to a shared life as husband and wife, demonstrate that your relationship with your partner is genuine and continuing, demonstrate that you and your partner are living together and any periods of separation are only temporary, meet health and character requirements.