Partner Visa and Family Priority Order 2026: Which Visa Applications Get Processed First?

If you are waiting on a partner visa or family visa, you may have noticed processing times changed in 2026. Some applications are now moving faster than others, even if they were lodged later. This is the result of a new rule from Home Affairs, Ministerial Direction 117, which took effect on 25 July 2026.

You do not need to know the name of the rule to be affected by it. This guide explains what changed, who it affects, and what you can do next.

What changed in partner and family visa processing in 2026?

Home Affairs now works through partner and family visa applications in a new order. This new order comes from a written instruction called a Ministerial Direction. It is not a new law, and it does not change who qualifies for a visa. It only changes which applications get looked at first.

The current instruction is Ministerial Direction 117. Decision makers must follow the priorities it sets out.

Why are some partner and family visas processed faster than others?

Home Affairs now gives the highest priority to family visa applications made while the main applicant is in Australia, for a visa that can be granted onshore.

Lower priority goes to applications where the main applicant is outside Australia, or must be outside Australia when the visa is granted.

Within these two groups, Direction 117 sets a six-step order for family visa applications:

• 1. Family visa cases already subject to ministerial intervention
• 2. Applications by a partner or dependent child
• 3. Applications by an orphan relative
• 4. Applications by a contributory parent or contributory aged parent
• 5. Applications by a carer
• 6. Applications by a parent, aged parent, remaining relative or aged dependent relative

Partner and child visas sit near the top of this order. Parent and other family visas sit near the bottom.

Are onshore partner visas processed faster than offshore partner visas?

Yes. Location is the first thing Home Affairs checks under Direction 117. If you lodge a Partner visa while you are in Australia, and the visa can be granted while you are still here, you get higher priority. This applies to the onshore Partner visa (subclass 820 and 801).

If you apply from overseas, your application sits in the lower priority group. This applies to the offshore Partner visa (subclass 309 and 100) and the Prospective Marriage visa (subclass 300).

This means an onshore partner visa lodged recently can be worked on before an offshore partner visa lodged years earlier. So what does this mean for you? If you applied offshore, your case may now take longer to reach a decision.

Can you get your partner visa fast-tracked or prioritised?

Yes, you can ask. Home Affairs may prioritise your Partner visa application if you can show special circumstances of a compassionate nature, with compelling reasons to depart from the normal order.

There is no guarantee. Other applicants may have equally strong circumstances, and Home Affairs says most requests for priority processing cannot be approved.

Home Affairs will only consider a priority request once you have submitted all your supporting documents. If you hold a temporary Partner visa (subclass 309 or 820), two years must pass from your application date before you are even eligible for assessment of the permanent stage.

So what does this mean for you? A priority request only has a real chance with strong evidence and a genuine compassionate reason.

Should you withdraw your offshore partner visa and apply onshore instead?

This is a hard decision, and there is no single right answer for everyone.

If you withdraw an offshore application and lodge a new one onshore, you pay the visa application charge again. You also give up the time you have already waited.

On the other hand, offshore partner visas are now a lower priority under Direction 117. It may take longer than you expect to hear back if you stay in the offshore queue.

If you are thinking about arriving on a visitor visa so you can lodge onshore, be careful. Border officials can refuse you entry, and some visitor visas carry a condition that stops you from applying for most other visas while you are in Australia.

So what does this mean for you? Get advice from a registered migration agent or immigration lawyer before you withdraw or change your visa strategy.

Can you travel overseas while your partner visa is being processed?

Your place in the queue is set by where you were when you lodged your application, not where you are right now. An onshore Partner visa can still be granted while you are temporarily overseas.

Only a Bridging visa B (BVB) lets you leave and re-enter Australia while you wait for a decision on your substantive visa.

If you depart Australia on a Bridging visa A, C or E instead, that visa ceases and you cannot use it to come back.

So what does this mean for you? Do not leave Australia on a Bridging visa A. Apply for a Bridging visa B first, so you can travel and still come home.

Current partner and parent visa processing times (2026)

Partner visa processing times

Home Affairs updates partner visa processing times every month, based on recently decided applications. It publishes two figures for each subclass: the time it takes to finalise 50% of applications, and the time it takes to finalise 90%.

Figures extracted on Thursday, August 27, 2026

Because these figures move monthly and depend on your exact application date, check the current numbers using the Department's Visa processing times guide. Select the onshore Partner visa (subclass 820/801) or the offshore Partner visa (subclass 309/100) to see the current estimate for your pathway.

So what does this mean for you? Under Direction 117, an onshore 820/801 application is likely to show a shorter processing time than an offshore 309/100 application lodged around the same time.

Parent visa processing times

Parent visas work differently. They are capped and queued, so Home Affairs publishes long-term estimates instead of monthly ranges.

As at 31 May 2026, new Contributory Parent visa applications (subclass 143 and 173) are estimated to take around 15 years to reach a final decision.

New Parent and Aged Parent visa applications (subclass 103 and 804) — the non-contributory pathway — are estimated to take around 33 years.

These are estimates only. They change with planning levels, demand, and the number of places available each year. [Source] For current queue release dates, see Parent visas – queue release dates and processing times.

So what does this mean for you? If a parent visa is your only option, plan for a very long wait, and ask about temporary alternatives while the permanent application is queued.

Can Work Visa Lawyers help?

Yes. Work Visa Lawyers can help you understand where you sit under Direction 117 and plan your next step.

We can assist with:

• Partner visa advice (onshore and offshore)
• requests for priority processing based on compassionate circumstances
• reviewing whether withdrawing and relodging onshore is the right move
• bridging visa and travel strategy
• parent and other family visa advice

Direction 117 has changed the order files are picked up in. Getting the details right in your application still matters.

Talk to an Immigration Lawyer —— Talk to an Immigration Lawyer

FAQ: Partner and Family Visa Processing Times in Australia (2026)

Why do some partner visas take longer to process than others?

Since 25 July 2026, Home Affairs has followed a new instruction, Ministerial Direction 117, which sets the order applications are worked through. It does not change who qualifies for a visa, only the order applications are considered in.

Will an onshore partner visa be processed before an older offshore application?

Usually, yes. Onshore Partner visa applications (subclass 820/801) get higher priority than offshore applications (subclass 309/100), regardless of when each was lodged.

Are parent visas processed the same way as partner visas?

No. Parent, aged parent, carer and other family visas sit further down the priority order than partner and child visas, and many are also subject to a separate queue date system.

Can I get my partner visa fast-tracked?

You can request priority processing, but you need compassionate circumstances and compelling reasons. Most requests are not approved.

If I hold a Bridging Visa B and travel, do I lose my place in the queue?

No. Your priority is set by where you were when you lodged your application. An onshore Partner visa can still be granted while you are temporarily overseas on a Bridging visa B.

How can Work Visa Lawyers help with partner visa delays?

We can review your situation, explain where your application sits in the current priority order, and help with a partner visa strategy, a priority processing request, or a bridging visa question.

Disclaimer: This information is general only and does not take into account your personal situation. Australian migration rules and state nomination requirements can change quickly. You should get advice from a registered migration agent or immigration lawyer before making a visa decision.

REFERENCE LIST

Family visa processing priorities — Department of Home Affairs

Partner Visa Frequently Asked Questions — Department of Home Affairs

Travel while your visa is being processed — Department of Home Affairs

Work Visa Lawyers — Partner/Family Migration service page