Family Visa Processing: 2026-27 Planning and Timeframes
Home Affairs has allocated 52,460 places for family visas in 2026-27, including 41,500 Partner visas and 3,500 Child visas. Processing times vary based on visa type and individual circumstances.
Official source ↗The Australian Government plans the number of family visas available each year through the Migration Program. For 2026-27, there are 52,460 places allocated to the Family stream, with Partner visas (41,500 places) and Child visas (3,500 places) making up the majority. The order in which Home Affairs assesses family visa applications is determined by Ministerial Directions, which set processing priorities. Processing times for family visas vary significantly depending on the visa type and individual application factors. Partner visa applicants may experience longer processing times than expected. You can check current processing timeframes on the Home Affairs website under 'global processing times'. Parent and Other Family visas have caps and queues, with specific release dates published by Home Affairs. To find out how long your application might take, visit the Home Affairs website and search for your specific visa type's processing times and frequently asked questions.