Do I have to be in Australia to apply for the onshore Partner visa (subclass 820)?

The subclass 820 is the onshore (temporary) stage of the partner visa, so you must be physically in Australia at the time you lodge the application. Any family members included in your application must also be in Australia when you apply.

When the Department decides your temporary visa, you can be either in or outside Australia. This is the main difference from the offshore subclass 309, which requires you to be outside Australia at the time of application. If you are in Australia on a temporary visa when you apply, you will usually be granted a bridging visa to keep your status lawful while you wait.