What are the processing times for the different types of visa applications?
The average processing times for various application types are given below. However, these times may differ across individual applications and can be brought forward or pushed further back depending on risks perceived in individual applications.
Visitor visa applications
Positive profile applications – 72 hours.
Non-positive profile visitor visa applications – eight weeks for allocation to a visa officer and a further six weeks for processing.
Work visa applications
Positive profile applications – 72 hours.
Non-positive profile work visa applications – eight weeks for allocation to a visa officer and a further eight to 12 weeks for processing.
Student visa applications
Positive profile applications – 15 days.
Other student visa applications – six to seven weeks for allocation and 12 to 15 weeks for processing.
Partnership applications
Partnership applications – two months for allocation to a visa officer and seven to nine months for processing.
Family residence applications
For non-priority family residence applications – two years for allocation to a visa officer and a further nine to 12 months from date of allocation for processing.
For priority family residence applications – four to six months for allocation to a visa officer and a further nine to 12 months from date of allocation for processing.
Skilled Migrant Category
Expression of Interest processing time – four months for allocation to a visa officer and a further six to eight weeks for processing.
Skilled Migrant Category applications – three months for allocation and six to nine months from date of allocation for processing.