CURRENT AVERAGE PROCESSING TIMES - Australian High Commission

Australian High Commission

India

High Commission address: 1/50 G Shantipath, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110021 - Telephone: 4139 9900 - Fax: 4149 4490

DIAC service standards and current New Delhi average processing times

Temporary residence

Visa	DIAC Global Service Standard	Current New Delhi average processing time*
Visitors	1 month	15 working days*
Transit	3 working days	3 working days
Medical Treatment	1 month	1 month
Business Visitors	1 month	15 working days
Students	Assessment Level 3 & 4 - 90 days Assessment Level 2 - 21 days	Processing times vary, click here for latest information
Business Long Stay (Subclass 457)	3 months	4-6 weeks
Other Sponsored Temporary Residents	3 months	4-6 weeks
Returning Residents	2 weeks	2 weeks
New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship	3 months	3 months

* Where a Visitor Visa applicant requires a medical examination, processing times may vary significantly and may take a minimum of 6 weeks. For more information on circumstances requiring a medical examination:

See: Health Requirements

Permanent residence

Visa	DIAC Global Service Standard	Current New Delhi average processing time
Partner Migration (subclass 300, 309, 100).	12 months (subclass 300, 309) 8 months (subclass 100)	7 months See: Family Migration Processing Times for additional information.
Other Family Migration (subclass 114, 115, 116)		Cap and Queue See: Other Family Cap and Queue for the latest information
Child Migration (subclass 101, 102, 445, 117)	14 months	14 months
Refugees	12 months	9-12 months

Citizenship

Visa	DIAC Global Service Standard	Current New Delhi average processing time
Citizenship by Descent	3-6 months	15-20 working days

* Last updated on 20 December 2011.

Request for visa labels

On 1 October 2012, the Austrailan High Commission in New Delhi implemented label-free visa processing. From this date, a visa label is no longer placed in your passport when you are granted a visa.

Clients are advised that visa labels are not required for travel to Australia and all clients granted a visa will be provided with an easy-to-read visa grant letter that will set out all the details of your visa. Therefore from 1 October 2012, requests for a visa label will be given low priority. This will allow the Australian High Commission to devote more of its resources to processing visa applications more efficiently.

If clients would like to request a visa label in their passport after 1 October 2012 the new service standard for requests for a visa label will be 15 working days. Requests for a label can only be submitted after the visa grant letter has been received.

As a result of label-free processing, original passports do not need to be submitted with the visa application. Clients will be required to submit a good quality notarised copy of ALL the pages of the original passport, including the biodata page and the last page. Clients lodging their application with VFS Global, can have their passports copied and cerified at the VFS office.

For more information on the new label-free travel arrangements click here

Additional Information about Processing Times

The DIAC global service standards apply across all visa offices throughout DIAC’s service delivery network.

The current New Delhi average processing times represent the time taken by the DIAC New Delhi office to process different types of applications. This information is updated quarterly. While we always aim to exceed the global service standards, applicants for visas should allow adequate time for visas to be processed, noting the global service standards and the below information:

The service standards are indicative only. Individual cases may be decided in longer or shorter periods than the service standard, depending on a range of factors, individual circumstances and the complexity of each case.
The service standards apply to visa applications lodged with complete documentation. You can expect your application to take longer than the service standard if it was lodged without all the required documentation.

Important information - child visa applications

The visa office at the Australian High Commission in New Delhi has the responsibility to ensure that the number of visas granted each financial year (1 July to 30 June) is in line with planning levels set by the Australian Government. Based on current planning levels, applications for a Child visa lodged in New Delhi in 2011-12 will not be finalised until after 1 July 2012.

Prospective parents who are considering returning from Australia to India for the birth of a child should be aware that visa applications will take approximately 14 months to finalise.

Prospective parents are advised that children born in Australia to Australian Permanent Residents will generally not need not need to apply for a Child visa, as they are eligible to apply for Australian Citizenship.