It will be harder for people with a history of domestic violence to sponsor a partner visa under changes to migration laws which have passed the Senate.
More than two years after being introduced to parliament, legislation finally cleared the upper house on Wednesday to put more emphasis on sponsors' character.
The changes also ensure visa applicants are aware if their sponsor has a history of violence.
Under the existing regime, full character checks are a mandatory requirement for all visa applicants but sponsors are only required to provide police checks where a minor is included in the application.
The changes extend the grounds to refuse a visa for people with a violent criminal history.
When he introduced the bill in 2016, Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton said the government had made it very clear domestic violence was not acceptable under any circumstances.
The government passed an amendment to ensure the parent visa would not put additional burden on Australia's healthcare system.
If someone sponsored for a parent visa does not cover their own health costs while in Australia, the sponsoring child will be liable for the outstanding debt.
