820/801 Partner Visa ImmiAccount: Uploads, Locks & Linking Agents 2026

#Where do I upload relationship evidence for an 820 partner visa application in ImmiAccount?

Once you have lodged your Subclass 820 application and paid the government charge, your ImmiAccount dashboard will show the case with a unique Transaction Reference Number (TRN). Click into that case and you will see a tab or accordion labelled "Provide Documents" or "Attach Documents." This is where all relationship evidence — joint bank statements, lease agreements, photos, statutory declarations, correspondence addressed to both parties — must be uploaded.

Documents should be uploaded in PDF format wherever possible. Each individual file must not exceed 5 MB, and the total upload for a single attachment session is capped. If your evidence bundle is large, split it across multiple logical categories: financial, social, cohabitation, and commitment. DOHA case officers assess each category separately, so labelling matters.

#Can I add supporting documents to a partner visa sponsor application after it has been submitted?

The sponsorship component of a partner visa (Form 40SP) is lodged as a separate workflow in ImmiAccount, and it retains its own document upload function. Log in to ImmiAccount, navigate to "My Applications," locate the sponsorship case, and select "Provide Documents." You may upload further supporting material — such as an updated police clearance, evidence of Australian citizenship or permanent residence, or a letter explaining circumstances — at any point before DOHA finalises the sponsorship assessment.

Once DOHA has made a decision on the sponsorship and the status changes to "Approved" or "Refused," the upload portal for that specific sponsorship application is generally closed. At that point, any further documents must be attached to the primary 820 application case file, not the sponsorship file.

#Can a sponsor upload documents to a partner visa application on behalf of the applicant?

In ImmiAccount, the 820 application belongs to the applicant's account. The sponsor has a separate ImmiAccount where only their sponsorship application (40SP) resides. The sponsor has no direct access to the applicant's main case unless they are given access through the ImmiAccount "Link Application" function or through a shared migration agent arrangement.

If you want the sponsor to be able to see or assist with uploading documents to the 820 case, the applicant must log in and upload themselves, or the couple should engage a registered migration agent — such as the team at VJ Consulting and Education — who can manage document submissions across both the applicant and sponsor sides of the case under a single agent authority.

#How do I upload documents to my ImmiAccount partner visa case when the file appears locked?

Here is how to troubleshoot a locked file:

#How do I link my personal ImmiAccount to a partner visa lodged by a migration agent?

When a registered migration agent lodges your Subclass 820 application, the case is technically created under their organisation's ImmiAccount. However, DOHA policy allows you to also link that application to your own personal ImmiAccount so you can monitor progress and receive notices.

Follow these steps:

1. Log in to your personal ImmiAccount at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au.
2. On the dashboard, click "Link an application to your ImmiAccount."
3. Enter the TRN (Transaction Reference Number) provided by your agent after lodgement.
4. Enter your date of birth as it appears on your passport.
5. Click "Link." The application will then appear in your dashboard in read-only or limited-interaction mode.

Importantly, linking the application to your personal account does not remove the agent's access or authority. If your agent at VJ Consulting and Education is managing the case, they retain full case management rights. Your linked view allows you to see status updates and messages without disrupting the agent workflow.

#Where do I upload my digital passport photo in ImmiAccount for a partner visa application?

When you are completing the online Subclass 820 form in ImmiAccount, there is a dedicated step that prompts you to attach a passport-sized photograph. The image must meet DOHA's biometric photo standards: plain white or off-white background, face centred, no glasses, taken within the last six months, and saved as a JPEG file typically between 20 KB and 5 MB.

If you have already lodged the application and did not attach a photo, or if the photo was rejected, DOHA will issue a formal request through ImmiAccount asking you to re-submit. You would then upload the corrected image through the request portal linked to that notice. You cannot add or replace a passport photo through the generic "Provide Documents" section after lodgement.

#What is the difference between the file number and TRN on an Australian partner visa application?

When people refer to a "file number" in the context of Form 888, they almost always mean the DOHA-assigned case reference number, not the TRN. These are two distinct identifiers and should not be confused when completing documents.

#Where do I find the file number for Form 888 partner visa statutory declaration?

After lodgement, DOHA will send an acknowledgement of receipt — either to the email address registered in ImmiAccount or as a message inside ImmiAccount itself. This acknowledgement contains the case reference number (e.g. BCC2026/XXXXXXX or a similar alphanumeric string). This is the number that should be recorded on Form 888 in the field that asks for the "application file number."

If you have not received the acknowledgement or cannot locate the reference number, log in to ImmiAccount, open the case, and look under "Application Details." The reference number is also visible on any formal communication issued by DOHA, including any s56 request for information.

#What does it mean when the sponsorship status says approved but the overall partner visa application still shows submitted?

The Subclass 820 partner visa process has two distinct components assessed separately by DOHA:

1. The sponsorship (Form 40SP): DOHA assesses whether the Australian citizen or permanent resident sponsor is eligible and suitable to sponsor a partner visa applicant. This is often assessed first.
2. The primary application (820): DOHA assesses the relationship itself — whether it is genuine, ongoing, and meets the legal criteria of a married or de facto partnership under the Migration Act 1958.

When your ImmiAccount shows "Sponsorship: Approved" but "Application: Submitted," it means DOHA has cleared the sponsor but is still assessing your relationship. The application will remain in "Submitted" status until the case officer either grants the temporary Subclass 820 visa or, if two years have elapsed and the relationship is ongoing, proceeds to assess the permanent Subclass 801 visa.

#Who should create the ImmiAccount when applying for an Australian spouse visa — the sponsor or the applicant?

This is one of the most common points of confusion for couples navigating the partner visa process without professional help. Both the applicant and the sponsor need their own individual ImmiAccount profiles — they cannot share one account, and one account cannot serve both purposes.

If a registered migration agent from VJ Consulting and Education is lodging the application, they will typically use their organisation's ImmiAccount system to create and submit both the primary 820 and the 40SP sponsorship. The applicant and sponsor can then each link their own personal ImmiAccount to monitor progress using the TRN. This arrangement keeps the professional case management intact while giving both parties visibility over their own case.

Never create an ImmiAccount using the sponsor's details for the applicant's application. DOHA's systems require identity verification, and mismatched identity information can trigger integrity flags that complicate an otherwise straightforward application.