In this blogs you will learn about Australian Visa Process and time of processing. Migration is a dream for some people while others look for better opportunities in life, Australia is a country that attracts many people because of marvelous nature, dynamic cities and laid back attitude towards life. But it’s worth to know how much time takes an application for the Australian visa in order to ship the surfboard as well as pack the luggage.
To help you manage the move effectively, this blog post will provide all the information you need to make a plan since you need to wait for some time to get the different kinds of visas.
We will evaluate what contributes to the processing timeframes for applications and visas, as well as look at sites to learn about wait periods for a given visa, and consult about how to advance the application process. So sit tight and brace yourselves for the task of conquering the visa hurdle in your quest for Australia’s doorway!
This week, the Hon. Andrew Giles, Minister of Immigration, Citizenship, and Multicultural Affairs, issued a media statement detailing the initial measures being taken to expedite the visa application process.
Depending on the kind of visa and the requirements for the application, processing periods for state nomination, endorsement, and Regional Certifying Body advising applications with Skilled & Business Migration vary.
| Visa Subclass | Visa Type | Description | Processing Time (Estimated) |
| 124 | Distinguished Talent (Closed Program) | Permanent residency visa for individuals with exceptional and recognized talent in their field. | Not Applicable (Program Closed) |
| 132 | Business Talent (Significant Investor) | Permanent residency visa for investors with a very high net worth. | Nine months |
| 186 | Employer Nomination Scheme | Temporary skilled visa with a pathway to permanent residency, sponsored by an employer in Australia. | Nine to eleven months |
| 188 (all variations) | Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) | Temporary visa for business owners or investors with a pathway to permanent residency through the Business Innovation and Investment Program (BIIP). | Varies depending on the specific stream and investment approach. |
| 189 | Skilled Independent | Points-tested permanent residency visa for skilled workers in occupations on the Skilled Occupation List (SOL). | Processing times can be lengthy, refer to website for current estimates. |
| 190 | Skilled Nominated | Permanent residency visa for skilled workers nominated by a state or territory government. | Processing times vary depending on the state/territory nomination process. |
| 400 (all variations) | Temporary Work (Short Stay Activity) | Short-term visa for specific activities like attending conferences or special events. | Generally faster processing times due to short stay nature. |
| 403 (all variations) | Temporary Work (International Relations) | Temporary visa for diplomatic, consular, or other international organization personnel. | Processing times may vary depending on diplomatic arrangements. |
| 407 | Training (Replaced by TSS visa on March 4, 2018) | Closed Program | Not Applicable |
| 408 (all variations) | Temporary Activity | Temporary visa for various short-term work activities. | Processing times vary depending on the specific activity. |
| 417 | Working Holiday | Visa for young people to travel and work in Australia for a limited period. | Generally faster processing times. |
| 462 | Work and Holiday | Temporary visa for working holidaymakers to travel and work in Australia. | Generally faster processing times. |
| 476 | Skilled Recognized Graduate (Closed Program) | Temporary visa for recent graduates with qualifications relevant to Australian workforce needs. | Not Applicable (Program Closed) |
| 485 (all variations) | Temporary Graduate | Temporary visa for recent graduates of Australian universities to gain work experience. | Processing times vary depending on the specific stream. |
| 489 (replaced by Subclass 491) | Skilled Regional (Provisional) | Closed Program | Not Applicable |
| 491 (all variations) | Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) | Temporary skilled visa with a pathway to permanent residency, sponsored by a state or territory government or a close family member living in regional Australia. | Processing times vary depending on nomination process. |
| 494 | Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) | Temporary skilled visa with a pathway to permanent residency, sponsored by an employer in a regional area. | Eleven months |
| 858 | Distinguished Talent | Permanent residency visa for individuals with exceptional and recognized talent in their field. | Processing times can be lengthy, refer to website for current estimates. |
| 887 | Skilled Regional | Permanent residency visa for skilled workers sponsored by a state or territory government for work in a regional area. | Processing times vary depending on the state/territory nomination process. |
| 888 (all variations) | Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) | Permanent residency visa granted after meeting the requirements of the Business Innovation and Investment Program (BIIP). | Processing times vary depending on the investment approach used in the provisional visa (Subclass 188). |
| 890 | Business Owner | Permanent residency visa for business owners who establish, manage, and control a viable business in Australia. | Processing times can be lengthy, refer to website for current estimates. |
| 891 | Investor | Permanent residency visa for investors who invest a significant amount of money in complying investments in Australia. | Processing times can be lengthy, refer to website for current estimates. |
| 892 | State/Territory Sponsored Business Owner | Permanent residency visa for business owners nominated by a state or territory government. | Processing times vary depending on the state/territory nomination process. |
| 893 | State/Territory Sponsored Business Investor | Permanent residency visa for investors nominated by a state or territory government. | Processing times vary depending on the state/territory nomination process. |
| Visa Subclass | Visa Type | Description | Processing Time (Estimated) |
| Student Visas (Subclass 500) | Temporary visa for international students to study in Australia. | ||
| 500 (Full-time Studies) | Student (Full-time) | For enrolled full-time students in a registered course at a participating Australian educational institution. | Generally faster processing for established institutions and courses. |
| 500 (Exchange) | Student (Exchange) | For students participating in an approved exchange program between an Australian and overseas institution. | Processing times typically aligned with program duration. |
| 500 (Secondary VET) | Student (Secondary School - Vocational Education and Training) | For enrolled full-time students in a registered vocational education and training (VET) course at a registered provider. | Processing times may vary depending on the specific VET course. |
| 500 (Higher Ed Pre-Masters) | Student (Higher Education Sector - Pre-Masters) | For enrolled full-time pre-master program leading to a master's degree by coursework. | Processing times may vary depending on the pre-master program. |
| 500 (Non-Award) | Student (Non-Award) | For enrolled non-award courses (e.g., English language) at least 20 weeks long leading to a recognized qualification. | Processing times may vary depending on course length and provider. |
| 500 (Research) | Student (Research) | For students undertaking research leading to a registered research higher degree (e.g., Ph.D.) at an Australian university. | Processing times can vary depending on research complexity and university processes. |
| 500 (Introductory English) | Student (Introductory English) | For enrolled English language courses at a registered provider to improve English skills for further studies or work in Australia (may not be at least 20 weeks). | Processing times may vary depending on course length and provider. |
| Student Guardian Visa (Subclass 590) | Temporary visa for a person financially supporting a student visa holder under 18 years old. | Processing times typically aligned with the student's visa processing. |
| Visa Subclass | Visa Type | Description | Processing Time (Estimated) |
| Family Visas | Permanent residency visas for family members. | ||
| 100 | Partner (Permanent)** | Permanent residency visa for a married or de-facto partner of an Australian citizen or permanent resident. | Processing times can be lengthy, refer to website for current estimates. |
| 101 | Child (Permanent)** | Permanent residency visa for a dependent child of an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible visa holder. | Processing times typically aligned with the sponsoring parent/partner's visa processing. |
| 102 | Adoption (Permanent)** | Permanent residency visa for a child adopted by an Australian citizen or permanent resident. | Processing times may vary depending on adoption complexity and individual circumstances. |
| 117 | Orphan Relative (Permanent)** | Permanent residency visa for an orphaned relative under 18 years old who is financially dependent on an Australian citizen or permanent resident. | Processing times can be lengthy, refer to website for current estimates. |
| Prospective Marriage Visa | Temporary visa for a short-term stay to get married in Australia. | ||
| 300 | Prospective Marriage | Temporary visa for a person entering Australia to marry an Australian citizen or permanent resident. | Generally faster processing times due to short stay purpose. |
| Partner Visas | Temporary and permanent partner visas. | ||
| 309 | Partner (Provisional)** | Temporary visa for a married or de-facto partner of an Australian citizen or permanent resident, with a pathway to permanent residency. | Processing times can vary depending on individual circumstances. |
| 801 | Partner (Permanent)** | Permanent partner visa granted after meeting the requirements of the Subclass 820 (Partner) visa. | Processing times typically follow the processing of the Subclass 820 visa. |
| 820 | Partner (Provisional)** | Temporary visa for a married or de-facto partner of an Australian citizen or permanent resident, with a pathway to permanent residency (Subclass 801). | Processing times can vary depending on individual circumstances. |
| 837 | Orphan Relative (Permanent)** | Permanent residency visa for an orphaned relative who is financially dependent on an Australian citizen or permanent resident (permanent stage of Subclass 117 visa). | Processing times typically follow the processing of the Subclass 117 visa. |
| 445 | Dependent Child (Temporary)** | Temporary visa for a dependent child of an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible visa holder. | Processing times typically aligned with the sponsoring parent/partner's visa processing. |
| 461 | New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship (Temporary)** | Temporary visa for a New Zealand citizen who is the partner, child, or parent of an Australian citizen or permanent resident. | Processing times can vary depending on the specific family relationship. |
| Visa Subclass | Visa Type | Description | Processing Time (Estimated) |
| 602 | Medical Treatment | Temporary visa for people requiring medical treatment in Australia. | Varies depending on complexity of treatment and individual circumstances |
| 155 | Five Year Resident Return | Temporary visa allowing a former Australian resident who held a permanent resident visa for at least 5 years to return to Australia for a short period. | Not Available (Eligibility requirements determine processing) |
| 157 | Three Month Resident Return | Temporary visa allowing a former Australian resident who held a permanent resident visa to return to Australia for up to 3 months. | Not Available (Eligibility requirements determine processing) |
| 159 | Provisional Resident Return | Temporary visa allowing a former Australian resident who held a temporary resident visa to return to Australia for a short period. | Not Available (Eligibility requirements determine processing) |
| 808 | Confirmatory (Residence) | Confirms permanent resident status for individuals who have already met the requirements but haven't formally been granted a permanent resident visa. | Processing typically occurs alongside the original permanent residency application. |
| 988 | Maritime Crew Visa | Temporary visa for crew members working on board a commercial vessel entering or departing Australian waters. | Generally quicker processing times due to specific nature of the visa. |
| 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 |
Completeness of application: Ensure all required documents and information are submitted correctly to avoid delays.
Responding to requests: Promptly respond to any requests for additional information or clarification from the Department of Home Affairs.
Background checks: Security and character checks can take time, especially for complex cases.
Application volume: Processing times may fluctuate depending on the current workload of the department.
Individual circumstances: Complex cases involving criminal history, overseas travel, or unresolved identity issues may take longer.
Processing times can vary significantly depending on the specific visa subclass you're applying for, your individual circumstances, and current application volumes. The Australian Government Department of Home Affairs provides a visa processing times with estimated timeframes for each visa subclass. These are estimates only, and the actual processing time for your application may be shorter or longer.
Yes, if you lodged your application online through ImmiAccount, you can check its status by logging in to your account. You can also import a paper application to ImmiAccount for status updates.
Several factors can influence your processing time. Incomplete applications with missing documents or information will likely be delayed. Responding promptly to requests for additional details can expedite the process. Complex cases involving background checks or unresolved identity issues may take longer. Additionally, high application volumes can lead to increased processing times.
If your application seems to be taking excessively long, you can contact the Global Service Centre of the Department of Home Affairs by phone or online for an enquiry. However, contacting them for a status update generally won't expedite the processing of your application.
There is no guaranteed way to expedite your visa processing. However, ensuring your application is complete, submitting all required documents, and responding promptly to requests can help avoid delays. In some cases, specific visa subclasses may offer options for priority processing for an additional fee, but this is not widely available.
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