Spouse Visa also referred to as Partner Visa allows married and de facto (opposite and same-sex) partners of the country's citizens, permanent residents or eligible citizens to enter and remain in the country.
The visa is typically granted as a temporary visa, and two years after lodging the relationship the application is reassessed, and if deemed genuine, a permanent visa is granted. A residency spouse visa can be applied straight away under some circumstances.
Many people may still refer to the visa as the Spouse Visa although it is now termed as Partner Visa (as mentioned earlier), so it is important to understand that it is related to visas for partners or significant others whether they be husbands or wives.