What Partner Evidence Do I Need for 190 Visa in 2026?
If you're including a partner in your Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) application, the split is simple: married applicants provide a marriage certificate; de facto applicants must show either that the relationship is registered with an Australian state or territory, or enough documents proving the de facto relationship existed for at least 12 months before you apply. On top of that, both married and de facto applicants must show the relationship is genuine and continuing. These requirements are set out on the Australian Department of Home Affairs' official Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) page, as at the July 2026 version of that page, under the document-gathering step of the application. Everything below is general information about how that published checklist works, not advice on your own case — relationship evidence turns heavily on individual facts, so treat the official page and any professional you choose to consult as the final word for your situation.
Does a married applicant need anything beyond the marriage certificate?
Yes. The marriage certificate proves the marriage exists, not that the relationship is currently genuine and continuing, and the subclass 190 partner checklist asks for both.
For a married partner, the page lists:
- identity documents and photos
- character documents
- a marriage certificate, if applicable
- documents about other relationships, if applicable
The last item matters more than people expect. The same checklist separately asks for proof if you are or have been married, widowed, divorced or permanently separated — divorce documents, death certificates, separation documents or statutory declarations. So a partner with a previous marriage is generally expected to account for how that earlier relationship ended, not just to show the current one.
What does a de facto partner have to prove?
A de facto partner needs one of two things, and then the genuine-and-continuing evidence on top.
The two routes are:
| Route | What it means | What the official page says |
|---|---|---|
| Registered relationship | The relationship is registered with an Australian state or territory | Accepted in place of the 12-month evidence |
| 12-month evidence | You show the de facto relationship has existed for at least 12 months before you apply | You need "enough documents" to prove it |
Registration is an alternative to the 12-month evidence, not a substitute for proving the relationship is genuine and continuing. That second requirement applies to both married and de facto applicants.
Note the timing wording: the 12 months is measured before you apply, not before you submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) or before you receive an invitation. Since you have 60 calendar days from the date of invitation to apply, and that period cannot be extended, the practical question is whether your evidence will cover 12 months by your intended lodgement date.
How do you show the relationship is genuine and continuing?
The official page gives four examples and states the list is not exhaustive:
- joint bank account statements
- billing accounts in joint names
- joint leases or mortgages
- documents showing your partner has lived at the same address as you
Because the wording is "can include but is not limited to," there is no fixed number of documents and no single item that is mandatory on its own. What the page requires is evidence enough to prove the point. In practice that means documents from ordinary life — money, housing, address records — rather than a single certificate.
A hypothetical helps show the shape of it. Assume an applicant and their partner have lived together for 14 months but never opened a joint account. They could still meet the 12-month requirement using a joint lease plus address-matching documents, because the official list is illustrative. What they could not do is rely on the lease alone to show the relationship is genuine and continuing if the only document linking them is a housing contract with nothing else behind it.
What if my partner is not applying with me?
You do not need partner evidence, but you do need to explain the gap. The page asks that if your partner or dependent children are not included in the application, you tell the Department the reason why — for example, they already hold Australian citizenship or are already a permanent resident.
Non-accompanying family members are not simply outside the process either. The eligibility page states that family members not coming to Australia must still meet the character requirement and might have to meet the health requirement.
Can partner skills affect my points score?
They can be part of your claims. "Partner skills" appears in the list of EOI claims that supporting documents may relate to, alongside skills assessment, English language, employment and Australian study. The rule that follows from the page is the same as for every other claim: you must provide documents proving the claims you made in your EOI, and you must meet the points score stated on your invitation. The page does not publish point values here, so check the points table for how any claim is scored.
How should the evidence be put together?
Three principles follow directly from the published requirements:
- Cover identity and character first. Identity documents, photos and character documents are listed for the partner independently of relationship proof, so they are not optional extras.
- Date your relationship evidence. For de facto applicants the 12-month period has to be visible in the documents themselves, not just asserted in a statement.
- Be consistent with your EOI. After you apply you must show you can meet the points score on your invitation, which includes proving claims you made — and you must tell the Department about changes to your marital or de facto status after lodgement.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need 12 months of living together if we are married?
The 12-month requirement is stated for de facto relationships, where it can also be replaced by state or territory registration of the relationship. Married applicants are asked for a marriage certificate instead, but they still have to show the relationship is genuine and continuing.
Does registering our relationship remove every other de facto requirement?
No. Registration removes the need to show 12 months of de facto relationship, but the requirement to show a genuine and continuing relationship applies to married and de facto applicants alike. Identity and character documents for the partner are also still required.
We have no joint bank account — can a de facto partner still qualify?
Yes, if the documents you do have are enough to prove the point. The official list is described as examples rather than a checklist of mandatory items, and it explicitly includes joint leases or mortgages and documents showing your partner lived at the same address as you.
My partner already has Australian permanent residency. Do I still need partner evidence?
You do not need to include them, but the page asks you to state the reason a partner or dependent children are not included in the application — holding Australian citizenship or permanent residency is given as an example. Non-accompanying family members must still meet the character requirement.
Can I add my partner after I lodge the subclass 190 application?
Family members can be added after you apply but before a decision is made, using Form 1436 (Adding an additional applicant after lodgement) with payment and supporting documents. Adding later does not remove the relationship, health and character requirements.
Does my partner need their own police certificate?
Character documents are listed as a required item of partner evidence. The page specifies that an Australian police certificate is needed only if your partner has spent a total of 12 months or more in Australia in the last 10 years since they turned 16, and that where it is needed it must be a complete disclosure National Police Certificate from the Australian Federal Police, valid for 12 months from issue; overseas police certificates are needed for every country, including their home country, where they spent 12 months or more in the last 10 years since turning 16.