Global visa application
Depending on the type of visa and current number of applications, application processing times may range from 9 days to 40 months. However, the processing times also vary throughout the year, with new figures updated every month. We recommend that you check the updated list regularly on Department of Home Affairs’ website, as there might be changes in the processing times of your visa.
You can find processing times for most visa subclasses. Visa subclasses that are no longer open to new applicants, or have reached their annual intake limits (‘capped and queued‘), or have too few applications, will not have processing times.
Factors that affect processing times include application volumes, seasonal peaks, complex and incomplete cases. In addition, applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis, with certain individual circumstances affecting processing times such as:
- Whether you lodge a complete application, with sufficient supporting documents
- Prompt action in response to additional document requests made by the department
- The time it takes to perform all required checks and obtain all necessary documents
- For permanent residence visas, the number of available slots in the migration scheme
Below are the most recent figures for visa processing times, updated on 23 April 2018. There are two processing times, how long it takes to process 75% and 90% of visa applications lodged from around the world. Processing times apply to both applications lodged online or on paper.
Visa application processing times
| Visa Type | Stream | 75% of applications processed in | 90% of applications processed in |
| Visitor visas | |||
| 651 eVisitor | 1 business day | 2 days | |
| 600 Visitor | Tourist* | 17 days | 29 days |
| 600 Visitor | Business Visitor | 6 days | 13 days |
| 600 Visitor | Frequent Traveller | 4 days | 10 days |
| 600 Visitor | Sponsored Family | 35 days | 67 days |
| 600 Visitor | Approved Destination Status | 1 day | 3 days |
| 771 Transit | 6 days | 9 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 | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | |
| 132 Business Talent | Significant Business History | 16 months | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. |
| 132 Business Talent | Venture Capital Entrepreneur | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. |
| 186 Employer Nomination Scheme | Agreement | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. |
| 186 Employer Nomination Scheme | Direct Entry | 9 months | 12 months |
| 186 Employer Nomination Scheme | Temporary Residence Transition | 11 months | 12 months |
| 187 Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme | Temporary Residence Transition | 11 months | 12 months |
| 187 Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme | Direct Entry | 17 months | 20 months |
| 187 Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme | Agreement | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. |
| 188 Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) | Significant Investor | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. |
| 188 Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) | Investor | 20 months | 21 months |
| 188 Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) | Business Innovation | 19 months | 23 months |
| 188 Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) | Premium Investor | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. |
| 188 Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) | Entrepreneur | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. |
| 189 Skilled – Independent | Points-tested | 8 months | 11 months |
| 189 Skilled – Independent | New Zealand | Unavailable (see below for details)^ | Unavailable (see below for details)^ |
| 190 Skilled – Nominated | 8 months | 11 months | |
| 400 Temporary Work (Short Stay Activity) | 14 days | 23 days | |
| 403 Temporary Work (International Relations) | Seasonal Worker Programme | 3 days | 10 days |
| 403 Temporary Work (International Relations) | Government Agreement | 56 days | 64 days |
| 403 Temporary Work (International Relations) | Foreign Government Agency | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. |
| 403 Temporary Work (International Relations) | Domestic Worker (Diplomatic or Consular) | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. |
| 403 Temporary Work (International Relations) | Privileges and Immunities | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. |
| 405 Investor Retirement | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | |
| 407 Training | 54 days | 4 months | |
| 408 Temporary Activity | Australian Government Endorsed Events | 4 days | 15 days |
| 408 Temporary Activity | Domestic Work for Executives | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. |
| 408 Temporary Activity | Exchange Arrangements | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. |
| 408 Temporary Activity | Superyacht Crew | 4 days | 38 days |
| 408 Temporary Activity | Special Programmes | 29 days | 51 days |
| 408 Temporary Activity | Religious Work | 64 days | 5 months |
| 408 Temporary Activity | Research Activities | 38 days | 64 days |
| 408 Temporary Activity | Invited for Other Social and Cultural Activity | 12 days | 27 days |
| 408 Temporary Activity | Sporting Activities | 51 days | 11 months |
| 408 Temporary Activity | Entertainment Activities | 14 days | 33 days |
| 417 Working Holiday | 15 days | 40 days | |
| 457 Temporary Work (Skilled) | 5 months | 9 months | |
| 462 Work and Holiday* | 13 days | 38 days | |
| 476 Skilled – Recognised Graduate | 85 days | 4 months | |
| 482 Temporary Skill Shortage | Short-Term | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. |
| 482 Temporary Skill Shortage | Medium-Term | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. |
| 482 Temporary Skill Shortage | Labour Agreement | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. |
| 485 Temporary Graduate | Graduate Work | 4 months | 5 months |
| 485 Temporary Graduate | Post-Study Work | 55 days | 73 days |
| 489 Skilled – Regional (Provisional) | Skilled Regional – GSM | Unavailable due to low volume of applications | Unavailable due to low volume of applications |
| 489 Skilled – Regional (Provisional) | State/Territory Nominated Visa Classes – GSM | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. |
| 858 Distinguished Talent | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | |
| 887 Skilled – Regional | 9 months | 11 months | |
| 888 Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | |
| 890 Business Owner | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | |
| 891 Investor | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | |
| 892 State/Territory Sponsored Business Owner | 18 months | 19 months | |
| 893 State/Territory Sponsored Business Investor | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | |
| ^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 | 18 days | 34 days |
| 500 Student | Postgraduate Research Sector | 54 days | 86 days |
| 500 Student | Non-Award Sector | 20 days | 44 days |
| 500 Student | Schools Sector | 46 days | 4 months |
| 500 Student | Independent ELICOS Sector | 33 days | 50 days |
| 500 Student | Vocational Education and Training Sector | 33 days | 59 days |
| 500 Student | Higher Education Sector | 26 days | 41 days |
| 590 Student Guardian | 4 months | 4 months | |
| Family and partner visas | |||
| 100 Partner* | 20 months | 28 months | |
| 101 Child | 9 months | 13 months | |
| 102 Adoption | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | |
| 117 Orphan Relative | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | |
| 143 Contributory Parent (Migrant) | 39 months | 40 months | |
| 173 Contributory Parent (Temporary) | 38 months | 40 months | |
| 300 Prospective Marriage | 11 months | 13 months | |
| 309 Partner (Provisional) | 10 months | 13 months | |
| 445 Dependent Child | 9 months | 17 months | |
| 461 New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship (Temporary) | 13 months | 19 months | |
| 801 Partner* | 18 months | 22 months | |
| 802 Child | 12 months | 13 months | |
| 820 Partner | 16 months | 22 months | |
| 837 Orphan Relative | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | |
| 864 Contributory Aged-Parent (Residence) | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | |
| 884 Contributory Aged-Parent (Temporary) | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | |
| *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 | 21 days | 57 days | |
| 151 Former Resident | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | |
| 155 Five Year Resident Return | 7 days | 47 days | |
| 157 Three Month Resident Return | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | |
| 159 Provisional Resident Return | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | |
| 808 Confirmatory (Residence) | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | Unavailable due to low volume of applications. | |
| 988 Maritime Crew Visa | 3 days | 5 days | |
Citizenship application
For citizenship applications, apart from the factors mentioned above, the time it takes to attend a Citizenship Ceremony or receive a Citizenship Certificate also affects processing times.
Citizenship processing times
| Australian Citizenship application type | 75% of applications processed in | 90% of applications processed in |
| Conferral (lodgement to ceremony**) | 13 months | 16 months |
| Descent (lodgement to decision) | 4 months | 6 months |
| Evidence (lodgement to decision) | 21 days | 36 days |
Reference : DHA home page (https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/about/access-accountability/service-standards/global-visa-citizenship-processing-times)