Processing-time guide
What 50% and 90% processed actually mean
These percentages describe how long recently decided Australian visa applications took. They do not show that your application is 50% or 90% complete.
50% processed
Half of the recently decided applications in the selected visa stream were finalised within this time. The other half took longer.
90% processed
Nine out of ten recently decided applications were finalised within this time. Some applications took longer than the checkpoint.
A simple example
Read the figures as a range, not a countdown
Example only
50% in 6 months · 90% in 10 months
About half of recently decided cases finished within 6 months.
Another large group finished between 6 and 10 months.
Around 10% of the represented decisions took longer than 10 months.
Choosing the date
Start with the visa lodgement date
For an AusVisaTime estimate, enter the visa application lodgement date shown in ImmiAccount. Do not automatically substitute the date of an EOI, invitation, sponsorship, nomination, skills assessment or course application.
Match the exact visa subclass and stream in the lodged application.
Use the visa application lodgement date recorded in ImmiAccount.
Treat earlier nomination, sponsorship and invitation stages separately.
Use the result as a planning window rather than a promised decision date.
Why the estimate can change
Home Affairs states that its estimated timeframe is based on how long recently decided applications took and does not guarantee a decision within that timeframe. When a new group of decisions is reflected in the source, the published checkpoints can move.
Open the Home Affairs processing-times guideCommon questions about visa processing times
Does 50% processed mean my application is halfway complete?
No. It means half of the recently decided applications in that visa stream were finalised within that amount of time. It does not reveal the internal progress of one individual application.
Does 90% processed mean I will definitely receive a decision by then?
No. It is a statistical checkpoint, not a deadline or service guarantee. Around one in ten of the recently decided applications represented by that figure took longer, and an individual case can also fall outside the published range.
Which date should I use in a visa grant-date calculator?
Use the visa application lodgement date recorded in ImmiAccount. Earlier steps such as an EOI, invitation, employer sponsorship, nomination or state nomination may have separate timelines.
Why can my estimated decision window move?
Home Affairs bases the guide on recently decided applications. When the mix and speed of those decisions changes, the published checkpoint can move and an estimate calculated from it moves as well.
What if my application has already passed the 90% checkpoint?
It means your wait is longer than the published time taken by most recently decided applications in that stream. It does not by itself identify a problem, predict the outcome or show where the case sits in a queue.
Now compare your lodged application
Select a subclass, stream and lodgement date to build a current decision window.