Your relationship statement is your own story of your relationship, in your own words. Home Affairs calls it your "relationship history". It is one of the few parts of a partner visa application where you explain things, instead of just uploading documents. A clear, honest statement helps the case officer understand everything else in your file.
This page shows exactly what Home Affairs asks you to write, gives you a fill-in structure to work from, and explains how the statement fits with your other evidence. If you need the full evidence list, see our guide to evidence of relationship for a partner visa.
Quick Facts
| Item | What to know |
|---|---|
| Official name | "Relationship history" (Home Affairs asks you to "tell us in writing") |
| Visas | Partner visa onshore (subclass 820/801) and offshore (subclass 309/100). The evidence sections are the same on both pages |
| Topics Home Affairs lists | 7: how you met, how it developed, moving in / engagement / marriage, what you do together, time apart, significant events, future plans |
| Who writes it | You (the couple). It is not the witness form |
| Witness statements | Separate document: Form 888, from 2 witnesses aged 18 or over |
| Is there an official template? | The Partner visa page lists topics, not a set format. The structure on this page is our template |
| Visa charge | AUD11,710 for the main applicant (820/801 or 309/100, checked 28 October 2026) |
What Home Affairs asks you to write
On its Partner visa pages, Home Affairs lists the topics under the heading "Relationship history". The wording below is quoted from the subclass 820 page (checked 28 October 2026). The subclass 309 page has the same evidence sections.
"Tell us in writing about:
- how, when and where you first met
- how the relationship developed
- when you moved in together, got engaged or married
- what you do together
- time you spent apart
- significant events in the relationship
- your plans for the future."
That is the whole official brief. The Partner visa page lists these topics only. It does not give a word count or a set layout. So the best plan is simple: answer all seven topics, in order, with real dates and real details.
How to write it, topic by topic
The structure below is our template, not an official Home Affairs form. It follows the seven official topics in the same order, so a case officer can find each answer quickly. Replace everything in [square brackets] with your own details.
Step 1: How, when and where you first met
Give the date (or month and year), the place, and how it happened.
We first met on [date] at [place / app / event]. We were introduced by [person], or we met when [what happened]. My first impression was [one or two honest sentences].
If you met online, say which app or website, when you first talked, and when you first met in person.
Step 2: How the relationship developed
Show the steps from meeting to a committed relationship.
After we met, we [talked every day / went on dates / visited each other]. We became a couple in [month, year]. I met [partner]'s family for the first time in [month, year] at [event].
Step 3: When you moved in together, got engaged or married
Use exact dates here. They must match your lease, your marriage certificate and anything else you upload.
We moved in together on [date] at [address / suburb, city]. [Partner] proposed on [date] in [place]. We married on [date] in [place].
If you have not moved in together, say so plainly and explain why.
Step 4: What you do together
This is where daily life shows. Write about ordinary routines as well as special trips.
On weekdays we [cook / walk the dog / go to the gym]. On weekends we [visit family / play sport / go to church / see friends]. We share [chores, bills, care of children or pets] like this: [details].
Home Affairs also lists "a statement about how you share housework" as household evidence. You can cover it here, in detail.
Step 5: Time you spent apart
Be honest about every period apart, and show how you stayed in contact.
We lived apart from [date] to [date] because [work / study / visa / family reasons]. During this time we [called on video every day / messaged daily / visited in month, year].
Step 6: Significant events in the relationship
List the big moments, good and hard, in date order.
In [month, year] we [travelled to place / bought a car / lost a family member / had a baby / supported each other through an illness].
Step 7: Your plans for the future
Be specific. Plans with dates and places read as real.
We plan to [live in city], [buy a home / have children / study / start a business]. In the next [two / five] years we want to [details].
Link your statement to the four evidence areas
Home Affairs groups the supporting evidence into four areas: finances, your household, social matters and commitment. Your statement does not replace that evidence, but it can explain it. A case officer reads your statement next to the documents, so make sure the two support each other.
| Evidence area | Examples Home Affairs gives | What your statement can explain |
|---|---|---|
| Finances | "joint mortgage or lease documents", "joint bank account statements", "household bills in both names". Also "the terms of your wills" | How you share money, who pays which bills, and why some accounts are still in one name |
| Your household | "a statement about how you share housework", "mail or emails addressed to you both", "documents that prove your living arrangements" | Who does which jobs at home, and how you look after children or pets |
| Social matters | "joint invitations or evidence you go out together", "proof you have friends in common", "proof you travel together" | Your friends in common, family events, and trips you have taken together |
| Commitment | "have knowledge of each other's background, family situation or other personal details", "have combined your personal matters", "stay in touch when apart" | What you know about each other's family and past, and how you kept in touch when apart |
Tip: when your statement mentions an event, a lease or a trip, check that a document in your application shows the same date. Matching dates make your story easy to believe.
Time apart and staying in touch
Many couples spend time apart, often because of visas, work or study. Home Affairs asks about it directly ("time you spent apart"). One of its commitment examples is that you "stay in touch when apart".
In this part of the statement:
- give the dates of each period apart
- explain the reason in one or two sentences
- describe how you kept in contact (calls, video chats, messages, visits)
- say when and where you saw each other again
Then back it up with evidence of contact from those periods, such as a small sample of messages or call logs, and travel records for visits.
De facto couples: the 12-month rule
If you are in a de facto relationship (living together, not married), your statement should make the timeline clear. Home Affairs says: "Usually you must be in a de facto relationship for at least 12 months immediately before you apply."
There are exceptions. If you haven't been together for 12 months, Home Affairs says you can:
- "provide evidence you have registered your relationship with an Australian State/Territory births, deaths and marriages agency", or
- "tell us in writing about any compelling and compassionate circumstances".
If you rely on compelling and compassionate circumstances, that written explanation is extra to your relationship history. Keep it separate, and support it with documents.
Relationship statement vs Form 888
People often mix these two up. They are different documents, written by different people.
| Relationship statement | Form 888 | |
|---|---|---|
| Who writes it | You (the couple) | Your witnesses, about you |
| Official basis | "Relationship history: tell us in writing" | "Supporting statement in relation to a Partner or Prospective Marriage visa application" |
| How many | Not stated on the Partner visa page | Statements from 2 witnesses |
| Who can write it | You and your partner | People aged 18 or older who know you, your partner and your relationship |
| Is it a statutory declaration? | The relationship history wording doesn't ask for one | No. Home Affairs says Form 888 "is not a statutory declaration" |
Our guide to Form 888 witness statements covers who can be a witness and what they should write.
Common mistakes (our advice)
These are not official rules. They are problems we see often, and they are easy to avoid.
- Skipping a topic. Answer all seven topics, even with one line, such as "We have not spent time apart."
- No dates. "A few years ago" is weak. "In March 2022" is strong.
- Dates that don't match your documents. If your statement says you moved in during March but the lease starts in June, explain the gap.
- Only the highlights. Holidays and the wedding matter, but so does daily life. Write about ordinary weeks too.
- Hiding hard times. Arguments, time apart or family who disapprove are part of many real relationships. A short, honest explanation is better than a gap.
- Copying a sample. Case officers read many statements. Use the structure above, but write the story in your own words.
- Mixing it up with Form 888. Your statement is yours. Form 888 is for your witnesses.
Key Takeaways
- Home Affairs calls it your "relationship history" and lists seven topics to write about.
- The Partner visa page gives no template or word count. Follow the seven topics in order and use real dates.
- Explain your evidence: money, home life, social life and commitment.
- Be open about time apart and show how you stayed in touch.
- De facto couples usually need 12 months together before applying, unless the relationship is registered or there are compelling and compassionate circumstances.
- Form 888 is a separate witness statement, and it is not a statutory declaration.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should a relationship statement for a partner visa include?
Home Affairs asks you to write about how, when and where you first met, how the relationship developed, when you moved in together, got engaged or married, what you do together, time you spent apart, significant events in the relationship, and your plans for the future. Cover all seven topics with dates and details.
Is there an official relationship statement template?
No. The Partner visa page lists the topics but no set format. The step-by-step structure on this page is our own template. It follows the official topics in the same order.
How long should a relationship statement be?
The Partner visa page does not set a length. Write enough to answer all seven topics with real detail and dates. A short statement that skips topics is weaker than a longer one that covers them all clearly.
Should both partners write a statement?
Home Affairs asks you to "tell us in writing" about your relationship history. It does not say on the Partner visa page that each partner must write a separate statement. If you each write something, make sure your dates and facts match.
What should we write about the social aspects of the relationship?
Write about your friends in common, family events you go to together, trips you take, and invitations you receive as a couple. Home Affairs lists "joint invitations or evidence you go out together", "proof you have friends in common" and "proof you travel together" as social evidence.
What do we write about the financial aspects of the relationship?
Explain how you share money: joint accounts, who pays which bills, any joint loans, lease or mortgage, and plans such as saving for a home. Home Affairs gives examples such as joint bank account statements and household bills in both names.
Is the relationship statement the same as Form 888?
No. The relationship statement is written by you. Form 888 is the supporting statement written by your witnesses. Home Affairs asks for statements from 2 witnesses aged 18 or older who know you, your partner and your relationship.
Does the relationship statement need to be a statutory declaration?
Home Affairs does not say the relationship history must be a statutory declaration. It also says Form 888 "is not a statutory declaration". Separate statutory declaration rules can apply in some onshore cases, so read the official Partner visa page for your situation.
