Marriage to sponsor before entry
Prohibited. This is the principal target of the condition.
Condition 8515 · Prospective Marriage Pre-Entry Marriage Ban
You are on a Prospective Marriage visa. You want a religious ceremony overseas.
Condition 8515 blocks this, and getting it wrong invalidates the whole visa basis. Applied to Subclass 300 visa holders.
Quick answer
No marriage before first entering Australia.
The visa holder must not marry their sponsor (or anyone else) before first entering Australia on the Subclass 300 visa. Breach invalidates the visa's basis.
Why 8515 exists
The 300 visa is granted on the basis that the applicant intends to marry in Australia.
Marrying before arrival removes the visa's legal foundation.
Marriage to anyone else before entry
Also prohibited. The applicant must arrive as an unmarried person.
Legally recognised marriage of any kind
Local, religious, or civil marriage recognised under the law of the country where it takes place.
Religious ceremonies and cultural events
The line is thin.
Some cultural ceremonies constitute marriage in law. Check before proceeding.
Religious/cultural engagement ceremoniesNot legally recognised as marriage in the country where they take place: generally do not breach 8515.
But some cultural ceremonies are marriages in lawNikah in some jurisdictions constitutes marriage. Hindu ceremonies with sindoor and saat phere similarly in India.
Get written confirmationFrom the celebrant or legal advisor in that country confirming the ceremony is not a legally recognised marriage.
Consequences of breachVisa can be cancelled. New partner visa application (309/100 or 820/801) becomes required route with proper evidence of genuine relationship and registered marriage.
Couples who married early usually still have viable partner visa pathways.
Breach of 8515 is not fatal to migration altogether. The strategy changes completely — from PMV to partner visa offshore or onshore — but early migration advice prevents compounding errors.
Frequently asked
Condition 8515 questions.
If condition 8515 affects your visa, book a consultation with Sourabh Aggarwal.
Can we have a religious ceremony before I arrive?
Only if it is not legally recognised as marriage under local law. Get written confirmation from the celebrant or legal advisor.
Can we marry on the day I land?
Yes. The restriction is on marrying before entering Australia. Marriage on or after the day of entry is fine.
What if we marry and do not tell the Department?
Home Affairs cross-references foreign marriage registries. Non-disclosure is treated as misrepresentation under PIC 4020.
How long after arrival must we marry?
You have 9 months from visa grant to marry after entry.
Some information on this page has been sourced from the Department of Home Affairs and has been interpreted and approved by Principal Migration Agent Sourabh Aggarwal (MARN 1462159). Last reviewed: May 2026.