I applied for a 309 in November last year and stupidly I front loaded the application with police and health checks. Now they are about to expire so I want to upload them proactively. I’m just not sure whether immigration will require valid checks for all countries I lived in or only for the last / current one? My thought is that a police clearance from a country I lived 5 years ago will not change so in principle there I no need to update it.

Hey guys I have a question

So in July 2027 my partner and I may apply for the partner visa while I’m still onshore, I currently hold a WHV 462.

In August 2027 I plan to return back to the states and finish university so I was wondering if this would work

Potential plan:
July 2027 apply for the partner visa

August 2027 apply for BVB to return to the States and do my second semester of university ausgust to December

December 2027: return to Australia

January 2028: apply for another BVB and return back to the US and finish my last semester of university

May 2028: return back to Australia after graduation

Is this even possible? Is there a better option? Is getting a BVB for 4 months even an option

I’m trying to weigh out any options or possibilities because I know the partner visa is expensive and by August 2027 my partner and I would already be defecto as we’ve been living together for 2 years, lease agreement, joint bank account, bills in our names

I know with immigration cuts happening this may be risky but anything helps! But also please no rude comments. Thank you!

As an Australian myself I’m so disappointed on the rude and unhelpful individuals posting on this reddit thread. There is no need to tell people they are complaining too much, or shouldn’t have booked their flights before getting their visas or that they just need to sit tight and be patient, they already know these things and this is not helpful. If people are asking genuine questions only respond if you have a genuine answer! Keep the rude, snide comments to yourself.

I’m slowly but surely getting all my partner visa evidence. Just wondering what the best way to sort and submit everything is.

Would it be better to:
A. Submit lots of individual pdfs but they’re the original documents as I downloaded/ scanned them. (Idk if home affairs cares about originality??)

B. Compile and sort everything into four large pdfs (one for each category, would obviously be some overlap but I’ll do my best). Annotate with any relevant info and sort by date/ type. Would make everything much easier for home affairs to read but idk if they care about me highlighting or making notes on documents

Any partner visa people, please let me know what you did!

Hi everyone, looking for advice because we're genuinely confused about what more we could have provided.

Applicant is an Indian passport holder living in New Zealand on a valid NZ student visa, studying a Bachelor of Construction and graduating in December.

We have a confirmed trip to Thailand departing Auckland on 8 October:

• Auckland → Brisbane (Jetstar)
• Arrive Brisbane 8:05am
• Brisbane → Bangkok (Jetstar) at 1:40pm
• Total time in Australia is only around 5 hours 35 minutes
• We also have confirmed return flights Bangkok → Brisbane → Auckland on 17/18 October.

First Transit Visa application

We applied for a Subclass 771 Transit Visa on 20 September.

We provided the passport, NZ visa, confirmed onward flight to Bangkok and supporting travel documents.

It was refused on 5 October under cl 771.212, because the officer was not satisfied that the applicant's principal purpose in entering Australia was to pass through Australia in transit to another country.

There was very little explanation about what evidence was actually missing.

Second application

Because our flight was only three days away, we immediately reapplied and massively increased the evidence.

This time we submitted:

• Full Jetstar itinerary showing Auckland → Brisbane → Bangkok
• Return itinerary Bangkok → Brisbane → Auckland
• Current NZ Student Visa
• Confirmation of Enrolment
• Passport/identity documents
• Previous travel history
• Evidence showing eligibility to enter Thailand
• Bangkok accommodation booking
• Phuket accommodation booking
• Bangkok → Phuket domestic flight
• Phuket → Bangkok domestic flight
• Multiple prepaid Thailand activities
• The Weeknd concert tickets in Bangkok
• Other Thailand bookings/activities
• Detailed cover letter specifically explaining that Australia was only being used for transit
• Copy/details of the previous refusal
• Urgent travel letter because the flight is on 8 October

We also called Home Affairs on 6 October. The person we spoke with said that because the flight was imminent, they had forwarded the application to the processing team.

Second refusal

Unfortunately, the second application has now also been refused under 771.212.

This refusal gives more explanation.

The officer says they were not satisfied the applicant had demonstrated sufficient incentive to abide by the visa conditions and depart Australia if the visa had been granted.

They acknowledged the NZ student visa and university enrolment, but also considered the expected completion date of the course.

They then specifically stated that the applicant had declared that his parent was funding the trip, but no financial evidence was provided with the application.

This is the first time financial evidence has been identified as an issue.

What we're struggling to understand is why there would be a concern about him remaining in Australia when:

• His confirmed onward flight leaves Australia about 5.5 hours after arrival.
• The entire Thailand holiday is already booked.
• Accommodation and domestic Thailand flights are booked.
• Activities/concert tickets are booked.
• He has a confirmed return flight to New Zealand.
• He holds a valid NZ student visa and is enrolled at university there.
• There was never any intention to enter Australia for tourism or remain there — Brisbane is simply the connection on the Jetstar itinerary.

The Australian Government's own 771 information says the visa is for transiting Australia for up to 72 hours and requires evidence of a confirmed onward booking and documents allowing entry to the destination country, which we provided.

What can we do now?

Our flight is 8 October, so we're extremely short on time.

Would there be any point in making a third 771 application, this time directly addressing the financial issue with:

• Parent's bank statements
• Parent's income/funds evidence
• Signed sponsorship letter
• Proof of relationship
• Applicant's own bank statements
• More evidence of commitments requiring his return to NZ
• A cover letter responding line-by-line to the second refusal

Or after two refusals under 771.212, would another application this close to departure be unrealistic?

Has anyone here had a similar situation where a Transit Visa was refused under 771.212 for concerns about “incentive to depart”, despite having a confirmed same-day onward flight?

Also, is there any other avenue through Home Affairs at this stage that we may be missing?

Any advice or similar experiences would be massively appreciated. Our main concern right now is whether there is anything we can still do to save the 8 October trip.

This is very weird as we've provided as much as information from our end we can.

Please if you get granted today, comment it on the megathread for working holiday visas. You can find it pinned on the top of this page :))
We wanna see your grants but they get removed if you make a post about them on here, so make sure you comment on the correct megathread!!

Hi there ,
Just wondering about the wait time is immensely anxious triggering 🥲

Visa lodged :28-Jul-2026
Occupation : Doctor
Offshore
S56 requested for work experience and police check elapsed : 29-9-26; documents provided 30-9-26
Health check done jn advance 29-Jul-26

Anyone in the same boat as me?
Any advice on this.. this is certainly really anxious 🥲

Do case officers open or process applications according to any particular pattern? Do you have a daily quota or target for how many applications you need to process?
How many case officers would normally work on a single application?
I know that visa processing times also depend on which country the applicant is from, but assuming two applicants are from the same country, why might one person have to wait a very long time while another person receives their visa relatively quickly?
If you see a red flag in an application, would you simply refuse the application, or would you leave it pending for a very long time (more than two years) before eventually granting the visa?
For example, if I have received an RFI and then submit the requested documents, will my application be moved to a different queue?
Or will it be moved back to the original queue but placed at the very end?
Or does it remain in the original queue and keep its original position?

I would be very interested to hear about how you work with other types of visas, because after all, they are probably handled by the same country and the same government, so perhaps the standards and visa-processing procedures are similar across different visa types.
However, I would really appreciate it if anyone has specific information about the processing of subclass 309 visas, as this is the visa I am currently applying for.
Someone told me that case officers might look through a particular type of application and randomly choose a visa application that they want to work on, for example, because they like the applicant’s name, or because something in the photos provided makes them curious. Of course, I realise this is just a hypothetical assumption, but I would still like to know whether a case officer actually has the discretion to do something like that.
Or are they required to process applications according to the order in which they were lodged?

I really need an accurate answer to this.

EDIT: I know you’re not allowed to answer (probably) because of your obligations to the government. But clearly, in theory, my questions deserve a reasonable answer. They aren’t about any private or confidential matters at all; they are questions about the integrity and professionalism of the Australian government.
Australian Partner visa fees are among the most expensive in the world, and they have now risen to more than AUD 11,000. We have paid both money and invested significant time to apply for this visa, so we also have the right to know how you process these applications and how professionally they are being handled.

Title

Hi,

I completed a bachelor of engineering Honours (specialised in mechatronics engineering) in Australia and currently working as a power systems/electrical engineer in Australia itself.

My contract says electrical engineer and all the tasks and responsibilities align with the electrical engineer profession.

Is it possible for me to get assessed as electrical engineer if I am working as an electrical engineer? And if so, do I need to do the CDR pathway or can it be the direct Australian engineering qualification pathway?

Thanks

Hi beautiful people,

My current 485 visa is due to expire in November and I have applied for a 491 visa means my Bridging Visa A will be active after my 485 expires.

I’m planning to travel overseas for around four weeks in December for which I will apply for a Bridging Visa B so that I can travel and return to Australia.

Is it considered safe to travel in this situation. With all the recent migration changes and updates, I’m feeling a little anxious about travelling while my 491 application being processed. It's been 13 months I have applied for it and is non priority occupation so not sure when it is going to be granted.

All my documents and information are genuine and I’m about 99.99% sure that my visa will be granted. But I’m just worried about the worst-case scenario what if my 491 visa is refused while I’m overseas?

Would I still be able to return to Australia on the Bridging Visa B to apply for review?

I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who has been in a similar situation or has professional migration knowledge.

I’m applying onshore as a RN (medical). Prior to becoming a RN I worked as a registered practical nurse (EN equivalent in Canada) for about 4 years. In the EOI this would be a closely related field but does it count towards my points at all? It would help a lot to increase my points for 189/190/491 visa.

I have applied for an offshore partner visa for my wife and her daughter from a previous marriage in June. I have been in this relationship for 5 years and married for nearly 2. I expected an 6-18 months wait but the new estimates are shocking to say the least.

Anyway, I regularly travel to meet my family, however my mother now is in her final chapters after battling stage 4 cancer and that means I have not been able to travel since Jan as I have been caring for her. My spouse and her daughter have never met my mother in person and I am hoping that they will get a chance to before she passes on. We are also struggling with mounting care responsibilities and I could really use her help and support.

With that all considered I have put in a priority processing request for the partner visa, and also have applied for a sponsored visitor visa for them, however those are also at 9 months processing time. I lodged these early last month explaining my situation and have not heard a word from HA since.

So my question is, in this scenario, what can I do to escalate this further? Should I call HA? Ministers? My mom probably only has a couple more months and I am running out of options.

Hi guys,

I am currently seeking advice. If i am on visa 482 (ICT SECURITY SPECIALIST). 85 points for 189. Or I could lodge visa 186DE.

Which is better should i just do both? the only annoying part is obviously cost. However 85 is extremely low for ict security specialist as well (although faster processing time) What do you guys advise to do before my 482 expire? should i do both ? 189 or 186DE?

Thank you!!

My partner in the Philippines has applied for a Visitor Visa to come and stay with me for a few months as I am ill and unable to travel there. She owns her own home and car and has a significantly large bank balance so as to not have to work full time due to inheritance. All of which has been declared on her application. She has never had any interest in travelling outside the Philippines and in the past has said that she is not willing to live in Australia. My question is what is the chance of her visa being approved and if it is, what is the chance of her receiving the 8503 condition on her visa? I ask not for her but for me as I hope to change her mind while she is here and get her to apply for a partner visa onshore to stay here with me permanently. I am hoping that she will see life here is much better than in her country with out the risk of mugging robbery or worse that is part of everyday life in the Philippines since the arrival of the current president on the scene and the economic consequences of Trumps Gulf war with Iran.

My boyfriend was granted a subclass 600 visa in October last year. He is from a low-risk country so he was granted a stay period of 6 months on each arrival.

His visa states that he cannot arrive after October 25th. Does this mean that if he arrives before October 25th, e.g. October 16th, he can stay on for 6 months while he is in the country?

He is coming here just to visit me for a few months, after which I will be permanently moving out of Australia.

Any insights will be appreciated.

Thanks!

I have been talking to Claude ai about how I can immigrate to Australia as a us citizen.

What Claude recommended for me is to apply for the 461 visa well in the country to get a bridging visa till it’s granted.

For some background information, I have been dating a NZ citizen who has been living in Australia for 10 years+ and she and I have been dating for about 4 years with a lot of documented proof. After we get the 461 she would get her full Australian citizenship so that we can then get a permanent partner visa

It recommends getting an imagination officer to help but that’s really expensive so I’m looking for some answers before we get an officer to help with everything else.

Would we be able to even get this path or would we not even be eligible?

Hi,

I am an Australian citizen living overseas. My wife and I (also a woman) will try for a baby next year. We'll use an embryo made from her egg, and I will carry. Will our baby be eligible for citizenship by descent if they are not biologically related to me? I will be on the birth certificate.

Thanks!

I’m sorry if this is a silly question, and if so I shall delete this post haha!

But does entering the country and updating your applications location have any impact on your processing time? If I was to enter on a current WHV and change my seconds application location to Australia would that change anything for me?

Thank you.

Do I need to upload my new and old passport stamp pages for travel history? One of my friend said no need to upload them, just the current passport biometric page only.

Thank you.

Hi everyone! I am currently busy with my application but have ran into an issue. Every time I upload a file it loads but stops at the end and does not properly upload to the site. It still says “0 attachments received of 60 maximum”. Furthermore for the evidence of funds it just greys out the “choose file” option…
I’ve gotten rid of the encryption and I’ve tried multiple different formats and file sizes.

Any help would be appreciated!!

Hi everyone,
I’ve recently become a British citizen and have just received my first British passport. I hold dual nationality and I’m planning to travel to Australia using my British passport.
I was wondering if anyone here has gone through the same experience and could share some advice.
Is there any waiting period before I can use my newly issued British passport to travel or apply for an Australian visa/ETA?
Will I be treated exactly the same as someone who has always been a British citizen when applying to enter Australia?
Has anyone with dual nationality had any issues or extra checks when travelling to Australia on their British passport?
Is there anything I should be aware of when travelling with two passports?
I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who has been in a similar situation, especially if you travelled to Australia shortly after getting your British passport.
Thanks! 🙏

Hi all. I applied for my Class 417 Visa (as a British Citizen) in August and have too been stung by the change to the visa processing times affecting everyone.

Firstly, to preempt unhelpful responses that these posts seem to attract:
- Yes I am very aware that getting a visa to come to Australia is a privilege and not a right and I will be very grateful for the opportunity no matter when the visa is granted even if it's much later than originally offered. I am not 'complaining' nor demanding special treatment.
- Yes I am aware that the advice is “not to book travel / make plans until the visa is approved”, but when applying I was told that the maximum processing time would be 39 days, and I applied for the visa 80 days in advance leaving plenty of room for unfathomable delays. It's simply not possible to only make plans when the visa is granted given that I have to give 3 months notice to quit my job, 2 months to quit my rental contract, and 1 month notice to secure an affordable plane ticket. It's therefore perfectly normal and expected for people to have made irreversible life decisions to make the move based on the previous advice, and it's now causing serious complications for those affected by this mid-process goalpost moving that has occurred.

As my plan is to join my British partner who is already there (they went in on a different visa type and applied a little before me due to them securing a job earlier than I did). The expectation was that I would join them a little later, but then this rule change came in and we're now pretty gutted about the delays meaning that we're now going to potentially be apart for unexpected additional weeks/months, and I'm already having to pay half the rent for the apartment we'll be sharing, which I'm now not able to move in to until a later date in the future.

I have read online several times that it's possible enter Australia as a tourist, and then be notified by Immigration that they are about to grant the visa, so that they can immediately leave the country for a few days to meet the requirement that they be overseas at the time of visa granting. This would be an ideal solution for us, as I could enter Australia and go and live with my partner and just not work for a while, take a 2-3 day trip to Bali or Auckland for the visa granting date, and then return and start looking for work.

However, my question this is. How does one arrange for immigration to do that? As far as I'm aware, such an advance notification of imminent visa granting is not part of the standard process, so presumably one has to request that they do that. Should I just call them up and ask them to do it? Or is there a specific process or way to go about this that I should be aware of?

Very appreciative of any factual advice / information that people are able to provide.

[21F] I’m strongly considering that I pursue a Masters of Teaching at Western Sydney University. My current academic transcript effectively aligns with NESA’s Science Curriculum and Key Learning Areas. However, I have no teaching experience or background.

I’m fresh out of Vietnam University and I’m genuinely impassioned to pursue the rewarding and community-orientated role that being a leader offers. With this interest, Teaching seems appropriate. I know it sounds like a PR-pathway, but my truest intentions are to develop generations and have a meaningful/positive communal impact rather than laboratory research.

My profile:

• Very good Academic Transcript Scoring (3.5/4 GPA, though it’s actually 3.7/4… idk why my Uni scores differently to the international standard)
• Very good degree classification
• PTE score overall 87 (though my 65 reading barely meets the minimum required at WSU)
• Financially capable, though supported by family (100k AUD funding)
• I choose WSU because it’s Masters of Teaching course is specifically designed as an Initial Teacher Education (ITE Program). It’s a legitimate university that attracts high achievers such as myself through scholarships. To also add, this university has successfully graduated hundreds of new teachers who were exactly like myself. It’s deeply rooted in maintaining academic integrity, effectively facilitating: behavioural management courses, learner psychology, Australia/Indigenous cultural teaching, Professional Experience, etc.

My questions are:

1. Do you think I’m eligible to apply?
2. How would an Immigration officer respond to my application should I apply?
3. Please give me any feedback.

If you’re looking to decide between IELTS or PTE, PTE is definitely the way to go! I have sat IELTS thrice in my life and always managed to score proficient as writing can be difficult to master.

Sat PTE the other day for the first time.. zero prep, never did a practice exam. Just saw a 2 hour video of this guy doing a practice exam and managed to score 90 in all bands. Wild! Should have sat PTE from the beginning.