Do I Have to Marry Before My Subclass 300 Visa Expires in 2026?

Plain-language guide · general information, not immigration advice

Yes — if you hold a Prospective Marriage visa (subclass 300), you must marry your prospective spouse before the visa expires, and the marriage must be valid under Australian law even if the ceremony takes place in another country. That is what the Australian Department of Home Affairs states on its official Prospective Marriage visa (subclass 300) page, as at the July 2026 version of that page. The requirement sits alongside a second one that is easy to miss: you must also enter Australia before the first entry arrival date printed on your grant letter.

What exactly does the visa require, and where does the deadline come from?

The subclass 300 is a temporary visa that lets you live, work and study in Australia for 9 to 15 months from the visa grant date, and travel in and out of Australia as many times as you like while it is valid. Your actual deadline is not a generic "15 months" — it is the expiry date specified in your grant letter, which you can also confirm through VEVO (Visa Entitlement Verification Online).

Three dates matter, and they are not the same:

Date	What it controls	Where to find it
Visa grant date	Start of the 9–15 month stay period	Grant letter
First entry arrival date	Deadline for your first entry to Australia if you were outside Australia at grant	Grant letter
Visa expiry date	Deadline for the marriage itself	Grant letter or VEVO

Which conditions are attached to your grant can be checked on the Department's visa conditions page or in VEVO; the official page lists both the first-entry requirement and the marriage-before-expiry requirement as obligations of the visa, and it states that you and any family members must meet all visa conditions and obey Australian laws.

Can I marry outside Australia instead?

Yes. The official page says you can get married in any country, but your marriage must be valid under Australian law. This is the part that catches people out: the Department is not assessing where the reception was held, it is assessing whether the marriage itself would be recognised as a marriage under Australian law.

The same rule is baked in earlier, at application stage. The Migration Regulations 1994 require an applicant to establish that the parties genuinely intend to marry and that the marriage is intended to take place within the visa period (clause 300.215), and that no impediment to the marriage exists under Australian law (clause 300.221A). Departmental policy guidance also describes condition 8515 as restricting marriage before your first entry to Australia and condition 8519 as requiring the marriage to occur within the visa period — but the wording attached to your own grant is what binds you, so read it in VEVO and treat the official conditions page as the current reference.

What makes a marriage "valid under Australian law"?

For a subclass 300 holder, the practical question is whether anything blocks the marriage. Common issues described in the regulations and departmental policy guidance include:

An earlier marriage that has not been legally ended. An undissolved previous marriage is the most frequently cited impediment; a divorce must be effective, and policy guidance refers to divorce under the Family Law Act 1975.
A prohibited relationship, such as certain close family relationships.
Age. Both parties must be at least 18; the regulations set 18 as the minimum age for the applicant and the sponsor.
Genuine consent. Forced marriage — where one or both people do not freely and fully consent, whether through trickery, threat, pressure, or because they cannot understand the nature and effect of the ceremony — is a crime in Australia, and the Attorney-General's Department publishes help and information on forced marriage.

This article is general information about how the rule works, not advice about whether your particular marriage would be recognised; where validity is genuinely in doubt, rely on the official requirements as currently published and on a qualified professional's opinion about your circumstances.

What if the wedding is likely to fall after my visa expires?

Treat the expiry date as fixed and plan the ceremony backwards from it. The official page sets the marriage requirement by reference to the visa still being in effect, and it does not describe a separate mechanism for extending that window — so a date booked close to expiry leaves no room for a cancelled celebrant, a missing document, or a delayed certificate.

There is also a cost consequence. The Department states that you pay less for the Partner visa (subclasses 820 and 801) if you marry your prospective spouse and apply before the Prospective Marriage visa ends. The same page warns that if you are granted any other visa, the new visa replaces your subclass 300, which can mean paying the higher visa application charge when you later apply for the Partner visa.

Suppose an applicant is granted a subclass 300 with a 12-month validity and books a wedding for month 11. The marriage would still fall inside the visa period, but lodging the Partner visa application, gathering identity documents and paying the charge all have to fit into the remaining weeks. A ceremony in month 6 or 7 leaves the same application intact with far less pressure.

Does the first entry date still matter if we marry overseas?

Yes. Marrying outside Australia does not remove the requirement to enter Australia before the first entry arrival date in your grant letter. The official page adds that you can travel to Australia after that date has passed if the visa is still valid, but the visa may still be subject to cancellation before arrival or at the border — so check that it is still current in VEVO before you fly.

New Zealand passport holders face one extra trap: border processing may result in a Special Category visa (subclass 444), which overrides the subclass 300. The Department recommends telling the immigration officer that you hold a Prospective Marriage visa and do not want a subclass 444.

What if the relationship ends before the wedding?

If the relationship ends, the Department's "Your relationship has changed" guidance is the place to check whether you need to complete the Notification of Relationship Cessation form in ImmiAccount. You may still be eligible for a Partner visa (subclasses 820 and 801) if your relationship ends or your partner dies, and you must be in Australia to apply for the temporary subclass 820. If you are experiencing domestic and family violence, the Department's family violence provisions may still allow the temporary and permanent visa to be granted; information you provide is treated as confidential.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to marry before my subclass 300 visa expires in 2026?

Yes. The Department of Home Affairs states that you must have married your prospective spouse before your Prospective Marriage visa expires. The visa is temporary and runs 9 to 15 months from the grant date, so your binding deadline is the expiry date in your grant letter, confirmed in VEVO.

Can I get married in my home country rather than in Australia?

Yes, you can marry in any country. The condition attached to that freedom is that the marriage must be valid under Australian law, which is why an undissolved earlier marriage, a prohibited relationship, or a lack of free consent can undermine an otherwise legal overseas wedding.

What happens if our wedding is scheduled after my visa expires?

The official page requires the marriage to happen before the visa expires and does not set out an alternative window. Missing it also affects cost: you pay less for the Partner visa (subclasses 820 and 801) only if you marry and apply before the subclass 300 ends.

How do I find out exactly when my subclass 300 expires?

Use the expiry date in your visa grant letter, and verify it through VEVO, which also shows the conditions attached to your grant. Do not rely on the generic 9 to 15 month range — the period specified on your own grant letter is what applies.

Do I still need to enter Australia first if we marry overseas?

Yes. You must enter Australia on the subclass 300 before the first entry arrival date in your grant letter, regardless of where the wedding takes place. Travelling after that date is possible while the visa remains valid, but the visa may be cancelled before arrival or at the border.

What if my partner and I separate before the wedding?

Check the Department's "Your relationship has changed" guidance to see whether you must notify the cessation of the relationship in ImmiAccount. You may still be eligible for a Partner visa in certain circumstances, including where your partner dies or where family violence provisions apply, and you must be in Australia to lodge the subclass 820.