Visa application processing times

The Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, the Hon Andrew Giles, released a media statement this week outlining preliminary steps being taken to speed up visa processing. These include:

  • Officers previously focused on travel exemptions have been redirected to visa processing, with nearly 140 new staff in visa processing roles since May 2022.
  • A further a surge capacity to work overtime, drawn from across the Department and the Australian Border Force has been established.

745,000 visa applications have been finalised since the beginning of June 2022, including over 645,000 offshore visa applications. This includes 388,000 visitor visas, 62,000 student visas and 9,550 temporary skilled visas.

The number of applications received in June 2022 is 6.5% higher than May 2022 and there was a 10.6% increase in finalised applications.

Processing will prioritise key offshore caseloads, temporary skilled, student and visitor to ensure more people can travel to Australia and contribute to economic growth, and assist with labour shortages.

Related:

Visa Type
Stream (if available)
75% of applications processed in
90% of applications processed in
Visitor visas
651 eVisitor Less than 1 day 10 days
600 Visitor Tourist* 20 days 33 days
600 Visitor Business Visitor 26 days 4 months
600 Visitor Sponsored Family 4 months 10 months
771 Transit 14 days 26 days
*Processing times for the Tourist stream range from 48 hours to more than 20 days depending on factors such as peak processing periods in a particular location.
Work and skilled visas
124 Distinguished Talent 24 months 27 months
132 Business Talent Significant Business History 26 months 35 months
132 Business Talent Venture Capital Entrepreneur 36 months 40 months
186 Employer Nomination Scheme Agreement 6 months 13 months
186 Employer Nomination Scheme Direct Entry 7 months 12 months
186 Employer Nomination Scheme Transition Pathway 15 months 18 months
188 Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) Significant Investor 18 months 26 months
188 Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) Investor 36 months 38 months
188 Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) Business Innovation 29 months 35 months
188 Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) Premium Investor Processing times are not available. Processing times are not available.
188 Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) Entrepreneur 5 months 8 months
188 Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) Business Innovation Extension 12 months 19 months
188 Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) Significant Investor Extension 11 months 14 months
189 Skilled – Independent Points-tested 24 months 35 months
189 Skilled – Independent New Zealand 18 months 24 months
190 Skilled – Nominated 9 months 19 months
400 Temporary Work (Short Stay Activity) 31 days 45 days
400 Temporary Work (Short Stay Activity) Highly Specialised Work 23 day 46 days
403 Temporary Work (International Relations) Seasonal Worker Programme 9 days 14 days
403 Temporary Work (International Relations) Government Agreement 59 days 12 months
403 Temporary Work (International Relations) Foreign Government Agency 8 months 15 months
403 Temporary Work (International Relations) Domestic Worker (Diplomatic or Consular) Processing time are not available. Processing times are not available.
403 Temporary Work (International Relations) Privileges and Immunities 27 days 82 days
403 Temporary Work (International Relations) Pacific Labour Scheme 8 days 11 days
407 Training 4 months 10 months
408 Temporary Activity Australian Government Endorsed Events 4 months 6 months
408 Temporary Activity Domestic Work for Executives Processing times are not available. Processing times are not available.
408 Temporary Activity Exchange Arrangements Processing times are not available. Processing times are not available.
408 Temporary Activity Superyacht Crew 6 months 8 months
408 Temporary Activity Special Programmes 11 months 14 months
408 Temporary Activity Religious Work 8 months 14 months
408 Temporary Activity Research Activities 3 months 12 months
408 Temporary Activity Invited for Other Social and Cultural Activity 8 days 19 days
408 Temporary Activity Sporting Activities 32 days 3 months
408 Temporary Activity Entertainment Activities 53 days 24 months
417 Working Holiday 28 days 3 months
462 Work and Holiday* 10 months 20 months
476 Skilled – Recognised Graduate 35 months 35 months
485 Temporary Graduate Graduate Work 11 months 17 months
485 Temporary Graduate Post-Study Work 11 months 12 months
489 Skilled – Regional (Provisional) First Provisional 28 months 32 months
491 Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) State/Territory Government Nominated Regional 9 months 18 months
491 Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Family Sponsored Regional 7 months 14 months
494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) Employer Sponsored 6 months 10 months
494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) Labour Agreement 5 months 7 months
858 Distinguished Talent Global Talent Pathway 80 days 5 months
858 Distinguished Talent Distinguished Talent 23 months 24 months
887 Skilled – Regional 21 months 22 months
888 Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent)  Business Innovation 24 months 27 months
888 Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) Investor 23 months 24 months
888 Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) Premium Investor Processing times are not available. Processing times are not available.
888 Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) Significant Investor 26 months 27 months
888 Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) Entrepreneur 41 days 41 days
890 Business Owner Processing times are not available. Processing times are not available.
891 Investor Processing times are not available. Processing times are not available.
892 State/Territory Sponsored Business Owner Processing times are not available. Processing times are not available.
893 State/Territory Sponsored Business Investor Processing times are not available. Processing times are not available.
*Due to high demand for subclass 462 Work and Holiday visas in the period of July – September, global processing times during these months are expected to increase and may exceed 30 days.
^Due to the recent introduction of the New Zealand pathway stream of the subclass 189 visa global processing times are not yet available.
Student visas
500 Student Foreign Affairs or Defence Sector 75 days 4 months
500 Student Postgraduate Research Sector 3 months 6 months
500 Student Non-Award Sector 19 days 29 days
500 Student Schools Sector 87 days 4 months
500 Student Independent ELICOS Sector 44 days 14 months
500 Student Vocational Education and Training Sector 7 months 12 months
500 Student Higher Education Sector 43 days 6 months
590 Student Guardian 89 days 4 months
Family and partner visas
100 Partner* 19 months 29 months
101 Child 25 months 36 months
102 Adoption 20 months 29 months
117 Orphan Relative 68 months 110 months
300 Prospective Marriage 24 months 33 months
309 Partner (Provisional) 21 months 31 months
445 Dependent Child 6 months 9 months
461 New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship (Temporary) 24 months 33 months
801 Partner* 12 months 20 months
802 Child 10 months 24 months
820 Partner 21 months 34 months
837 Orphan Relative 15 months 20 months
*Processing time for subclass 801 Partner (permanent) visa and 100 Partner (permanent) visa is from date of eligibility (2 years after the 820/801 or 309/100 application is lodged) to finalisation.
Other visas
602 Medical Treatment 27 days 88 days
155 Five Year Resident Return 6 days 43 days
157 Three Month Resident Return 3 months 5 months
159 Provisional Resident Return Processing times are not available. Processing times are not available.
808 Confirmatory (Residence) 35 days 81 days
988 Maritime Crew Visa 5 days 10 days

Citizenship application processing times

Australian Citizenship application type 75% of applications processed in 90% of applications processed in
Conferral (lodgement to ceremony**) 19 months 27 months
Descent (lodgement to decision) 64 days 5 months
Evidence (lodgement to decision) 16 days 27 days

**A small proportion of applicants for Australian citizenship by conferral are not required to attend a ceremony. For Descent and Evidence applications, allow an additional 10 days for printing and postage of your certificate. If you applied from outside Australia, postage will take longer.

Important

Visa processing times were significantly delayed due to the impacts of COVID-19 and international border restrictions and closures. As a result of Australia’s border reopening to all fully vaccinated travellers from 21 February 2022, the visa processing times are now slowly reducing as processing has resumed.

Circumstances that affect processing times

We assess applications on a case-by-case basis, and actual processing times can vary due to individual circumstances including:

  • whether you have lodged a complete application, including all necessary supporting documents
  • how promptly you respond to any requests for additional information
  • how long it takes to perform required checks on the supporting information provided
  • how long it takes to receive additional information from external agencies, particularly in relation to health, character, and national security requirements
  • for permanent migration visa applications, how many places are available in the migration programme
  • for citizenship applications, the time taken to attend a Citizenship Ceremony or receive a Citizenship Certificate.

Contact us today for a commitment free briefing with our Registered Migration Agents in Melbourne to find more about your visa options.