Receiving Centrelink benefits does not prevent you from sponsoring a partner visa — the Migration Regulations 1994 contain no income test for sponsors. The sponsor must, however, sign the binding undertaking under Regulation 1.20: to provide financial support and assistance with accommodation for the applicant for up to two years after the grant of the temporary or provisional visa.
Negin Safaei, Australian migration agent with MARN 1791573 registered with the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (MARA), considers this one of the most frequently raised worries among Iranian families, and she sets out the legal picture plainly: a sponsor is not assessed on the level of their income, nor on where that income comes from. What matters is the genuineness and continuity of the relationship, and then satisfying the legal requirements of sponsorship.
The critical point is that the Regulation 1.20 undertaking is not an administrative formality — it is a legal, binding commitment. Under Regulation 1.20(2)(c) and (e), the sponsor undertakes to support the applicant financially and in relation to accommodation to the extent necessary, and that obligation continues for two years after the visa is granted. A person receiving Centrelink benefits can give this undertaking, but should do so with full awareness of how binding it is.
Another matter to weigh up is the Assurance of Support (AoS) mechanism. For some subclasses it is mandatory; for others it is requested on a discretionary basis. As the Form 40 material makes clear, the sponsor and the assurer need not be the same person, and someone who has received the full rate of a Services Australia benefit, pension or allowance in the past year is generally not accepted as an assurer — in that situation, another person must take on the role. The current AoS position for subclasses 820/801 and 309/100 should be verified against the Department of Home Affairs’ up-to-date policy guidance.
On the other side of the coin, a genuine relationship alone does not guarantee that the visa will be granted. Sponsorship can be refused or limited under Regulations 1.20J, 1.20KA, 1.20KB and 1.20KC/1.20KD — that is, the limitations concerning previous sponsorships, registrable offences and significant criminal records. The sponsor must also provide Australian and overseas police certificates and give written consent to the disclosure of relevant convictions; without these documents, the visa will be refused. Quite apart from any question of income, a visa application can also fail on health, character or Schedule 3 requirements.
There is also a practical warning that should not be overlooked: lodging a partner visa and any change in relationship status must be reported to Services Australia, because the sponsor’s own payments may be reassessed on the basis of being “partnered”. Check the details of that reassessment directly with Services Australia.
Negin Safaei’s conclusion is clear: reliance on Centrelink is neither a legal barrier nor a matter of any income test. But the sponsor must sign the Regulation 1.20 undertaking, satisfy the police certificate and character requirements, and — in the limited cases where an Assurance of Support is requested — a person receiving the full rate of Centrelink benefits generally cannot act as the assurer themselves.
If your financial situation is the central concern in your partner visa matter, let’s put a precise, reassuring map of your own case on the table before you take any step, with tailored advice from Negin Safaei.
Read the full legal breakdown ←
This answer reflects the law and policy as verified on September 29, 2026. Immigration rules change frequently — confirm the current position before acting.
Mrs. Negin Safaee Registered Migration Agent 1791573
This article is general information only, current at the date shown, and is not legal advice. Do not rely on it for your own situation — immigration law and policy change frequently. Seek advice from a registered migration agent or immigration lawyer about your circumstances.