What to do if you are stuck in the visa processing queue?
Unless you have been stuck under a rock, it will come as no surprise to many that Australian visa and citizenship application processing times are at unprecedented levels. Whilst the Australian international borders closed for almost two years, this has not stopped the backlog of applications that remain processing with the Department of Home Affairs.
How long does a visa take to process?
At a glance, here are the expected wait times for those visa subclasses and Australian citizenship on the longer end of Australian visa time processing:
What is particularly interesting about the above times is that the visas referenced are all temporary visas yet the processing times are more than half the duration of the visa validity period or in the case of the training visa, equal to the longest duration that can be obtained.
Why do visa applications get stuck in processing?
Individual circumstances affect the processing times. There can be delays in the processing of visa and citizenship applications and published processing timeframes cannot always be met:
Whether you have submitted a complete application, including all necessary supporting papers
How quickly can you give any additional information that is requested?
The duration takes to perform checks on the supporting information provided
The duration takes to receive additional information from other sources, like health, character, and national security requirements
Can I ask to have my visa application prioritised?
You may be able to request priority processing for some types of visas if you can provide compelling and compassionate circumstances.
Priority processing can be requested by:
Calling the Home Affairs’ Service Centre on 131 881, or
Outside Australia Phone: +61 2 6196 0196
Contacting the relevant processing offices.
Is there a change or update on visa processing?
The new Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services, and Multicultural Affairs of Australia, the Hon Andrew Giles, has indicated that the backlog in visa processing times will be a focus of the new Australian Government:
“PM Albanese and I are focussed on first clearing the backlog and I have been in discussions regularly with departments and officials to make sure this is a priority.”
This will be welcome news to business sponsors and individual visa holders alike. Given that Australia is in the midst of severe labour shortages, the extended wait time to obtain a work visa means that in many cases, the program is not viable for employers who need workers on the ground. Conversely, it is equally impractical for an individual overseas to accept a role in Australia, whereby their deployment date is unknown. Individuals face an extended period of limbo whereby they may not be in a position to resign from their current position, sell their house or arrange for new schooling for their children.
How Can Agape Henry Crux Help You?
Contact us if you have a pending visa application matter or if you want to start the visa application process. We are well versed in the nuances of immigration law and can find a solution for you. You can book a Migration Planning Session with one of our immigration lawyers to seek professional advice by calling 02 8310 5230 or emailing us to book a time at info@ahclawyers.com.
We speak fluent English, Korean, Japanese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Indonesian, Burmese, and Malay. If these aren’t your language, we can also help you arrange an interpreter.
This article/presentation (“publication”) does not deal extensively with important topics or changes in law and is not intended to be relied upon as a substitute for legal or other advice that may be relevant to the reader's specific circumstances. If you find this publication of interest and would like to know more or wish to obtain legal advice relevant to your circumstances please contact our office.