Variations in processing times
Processing times vary for many reasons, including:
- If applications have all necessary supporting documents.
- If applications are lodged online or as a paper applications – applying online helps streamline processing.
- How quickly responses for further information are provided.
- How long it takes to receive information from external agencies, particularly relating to health, character and national security requirements.
- For permanent visa applications, the number of places available in the migration program.
- The complexity of a visa application.
- The number of visa applications increases or decreases.
- Changes to Ministerial Directions.
- Deciding older applications increases processing times.
Median processing times for key programs
The information below shows the median visa processing times for key visa categories. This is the most accurate way to show the amount of time it is taking most visa applications to be finalised.
Visa processing times vary between different visas within these categories. In some cases it may take longer for those visas to be finalised.
Processing Times by visa category (median)
Permanent Visa Program
Visa Category |
July 2026 |
Comments |
Skilled (Permanent) | 8 Months | Skilled (Permanent) visa processing times are affected by several factors including
Permanent Migration Program planning levels, Ministerial Directions related to
Skilled visa processing priorities, application completeness, and the volume of applications received and on-hand. This means some applications may be decided more quickly than others, and applications are not always processed in the order they are received. Lodging a
complete application helps avoid delays. For employer-sponsored visas, submitting complete nomination and visa applications at the same time can support more efficient processing. |
Partner (Provisional/Temporary) | 23 Months | Partner visa applications are processed according to Ministerial Direction 117, which gives highest priority to Family visa applications made while the primary applicant was in Australia, for a visa that can be granted while the applicant is in Australia. Applications are generally assessed in date order within each priority group. Processing times vary for each Partner visa subclass, visit visa processing times guide for more detailed information. |
Temporary Visa Program
Visa Category |
July 2026 |
Comments |
Skilled (Temporary) | 98 Days | Skilled (Temporary) visa processing times are affected by several factors including Ministerial Directions related to
Skilled visa processing priorities, application completeness, and the volume of applications received and on-hand. This means some applications may be decided more quickly than others, and applications are not always processed in the order they are received. Lodging a
complete application helps avoid delays and, where possible, lodging complete nomination and visa applications together can support more efficient processing. |
Student | 21 Days | Student visa applications lodged outside Australia are processed in accordance with a Ministerial Direction. Applications lodged before 14 November 2025 are processed according to Ministerial Direction 111 (10MB PDF), and applications lodged on or after 14 November 2025 are processed according to Ministerial Direction 115 (851KB PDF). For more information see Student visa processing priorities. We recommend applications be lodged well in advance of course commencement and with all supporting documentation. |
Visitor | Less than 1 Day | Visitor processing times provided in this table are the combined processing times for subclasses 600, 601 and 651. Processing times for the subclass 600 visa can vary significantly when compared with the Subclass 601 and Subclass 651 visas, which generally have shorter processing times. If additional information is requested for any visa subclass, the final decision may take longer while this information is assessed. We strongly encourage applicants to review the
visa processing times guide for the specific visa subclass that they applied for. We also encourage that you apply for your visa well in advance of travel (see
Applying for a visitor visa). While the Department strives to maintain global consistency in processing times; some processing locations are currently experiencing delays. As a result, your application may take longer to be finalised than the published times. |
Working Holiday Maker | 5 Days | The processing time in this table is based on recently finalised Working Holiday Maker (WHM) applications and may not reflect the processing experience of all applicants. We are prioritising onshore Working Holiday Maker (WHM) visa applications. This means that offshore applications may take several months to be finalised in some cases. We recommend that you do not book flights or make travel, work or study commitments until your visa has been granted.
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How to view processing times
If you have made a visa application you can check processing times information using the visa
processing times guide.
Information on processing times for visas is updated regularly as new data is available.
Processing times are available for most visas, except:
- visas that are closed to new applications
- family visas that are
capped and queued
- visas that have too few decisions in the month to provide a reliable indicator of processing times.
To help us process applications as quickly as possible submit all necessary supporting documents at the time of applying.
