New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship visa
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Visa processing times update recorded 30 July 2025: 34 streams slower, 29 faster at the 90% mark
Compared with the 29 June 2025 update, at the 90% mark 34 of 68 streams got slower, 29 got faster and 4 did not change. At the 50% mark 28 got slower, 28 faster and 11 did not change. 1 stream had no earlier figure. The largest move was 500 Vocational Education and Training Sector, 263 to 472 days at the 90% mark (209 days longer).
- Official update
- 29 to 30 Jul 2025A public archive copied the official tool on 28 July 2025 and on 30 July 2025. The figures changed in between, on a day it did not record.
- Compared with
- 10 to 29 Jun 2025Previous update, between 30 and 50 days earlier
- Streams in this report
- 68Streams the Department lists today that had a figure on this date
- Report
- 2 of 16Generated from the figures, no hand editing
| Mark | Slower | Faster | No change | No earlier figure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 90% decided within | 34 | 29 | 4 | 1 |
| 50% decided within | 28 | 28 | 11 | 1 |
A stream counts as slower when the number of days rose, faster when it fell. Days run from lodgement to decision for applications the Department decided in its most recent period. For the 801 and 100 partner visas the Department counts from the date of eligibility, two years after the combined application was lodged. They describe the past and are not a prediction for any application.
Which visa processing times moved most? 500 Vocational Education and Training Sector, 209 days longer at the 90% mark
The 10 streams whose 90% figure changed most in this update, by number of days either way, with the 50% figure beside it.
| Visa stream | 90% decided within, days | 50% decided within, days |
|---|---|---|
| 500 Vocational Education and Training Sector | 472 was 263 209 days longer | 189 was 193 4 days shorter |
| 408 Special Programs | 71 was 260 189 days shorter | 18 was 21 3 days shorter |
| 408 Sporting Activities | 59 was 200 141 days shorter | 9 was 23 14 days shorter |
| 887 Skilled - Regional | 521 was 386 135 days longer | 381 was 198 183 days longer |
| 820 Partner | 689 was 813 124 days shorter | 450 was 435 15 days longer |
| 190 Skilled - Nominated | 533 was 654 121 days shorter | 436 was 476 40 days shorter |
| 408 Research Activities | 307 was 188 119 days longer | 160 was 135 25 days longer |
| 500 Postgraduate Research Sector | 202 was 287 85 days shorter | 21 was 28 7 days shorter |
| 482 Nomination | 226 was 301 75 days shorter | 38 was 166 128 days shorter |
| 403 Domestic Worker (Diplomatic or Consular) | 99 was 170 71 days shorter | 7 was 7 no change |
Which lodgement months was Home Affairs processing? No statement under the current directions yet
Statements of the lodgement month each priority group has reached under Ministerial Directions 121 and 122, which set today's groups, start on 19 September 2026. Earlier banners followed other directions with different groups, so they are not compared here. Why.
Compared with a year earlier: not on record
Our records start on 9 June 2025, less than a year before this update, so there is no figure from a year earlier to compare with.
New official banners: 5 dated after the 29 Jun 2025 update and up to 30 Jul 2025
Banner notices the Department posted on its visa pages, newest first, by the date it gives them. Titles and first sentences are the Department's own wording. Our banner archive is daily from 14 November 2026; lodgement month banners before that come from Wayback Machine copies from 19 September 2026. Other banners from these dates are listed only if they were still on the Department's pages when our archive began.
Every stream in the 30 Jul 2025 update: 68 processing times, before and after
Days within which 50% and 90% of applications were decided, the figure in use the day before this update, and the 90% figure a year earlier where we have one. Each row opens that stream's page with its full history.
Show all 68 streams
| Visa stream | 90%, days | 50%, days |
|---|---|---|
| 100 Partner | 549 was 547 2 days longer | 281 was 299 18 days shorter |
| 101 Child | 832 was 835 3 days shorter | 677 was 641 36 days longer |
| 102 Adoption | 359 was 354 5 days longer | 137 was 134 3 days longer |
| 117 Orphan Relative | 2,618 was 2,573 45 days longer | 1,513 was 1,470 43 days longer |
| 132 Significant Business History | 1,835 was 1,819 16 days longer | 1,600 was 1,347 253 days longer |
| 155 Five Year Resident Return | 29 was 36 7 days shorter | 1 was 1 no change |
| 157 Three Month Resident Return | 62 was 60 2 days longer | 30 was 28 2 days longer |
| 186 Direct Entry | 540 was 529 11 days longer | 374 was 172 202 days longer |
| 186 Transition | 524 was 527 3 days shorter | 424 was 413 11 days longer |
| 186 Agreement | 250 was 211 39 days longer | 118 was 129 11 days shorter |
| 188 Business Innovation Extension | 602 was 609 7 days shorter | 321 was 340 19 days shorter |
| 189 Points-Tested | 207 was 196 11 days longer | 189 was 180 9 days longer |
| 189 New Zealand | 1,521 was 1,521 no change | 1,260 was 1,260 no change |
| 190 Skilled - Nominated | 533 was 654 121 days shorter | 436 was 476 40 days shorter |
| 191 Regional Provisional stream | 402 was 406 4 days shorter | 345 was 280 65 days longer |
| 300 Prospective Marriage | 824 was 804 20 days longer | 407 was 433 26 days shorter |
| 309 Partner (Provisional) | 787 was 757 30 days longer | 514 was 505 9 days longer |
| 400 Temporary Work (Short Stay Activity) | 23 was 24 1 day shorter | 7 was 7 no change |
| 403 Domestic Worker (Diplomatic or Consular) | 99 was 170 71 days shorter | 7 was 7 no change |
| 403 Foreign Government Agency | 45 was 46 1 day shorter | 11 was 12 1 day shorter |
| 403 Government Agreement | 39 was 48 9 days shorter | 8 was 13 5 days shorter |
| 403 Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early-professionals Scheme (MATES) | 127 no earlier figure | 115 no earlier figure |
| 403 Pacific Australia Labour Mobility Scheme | 39 was 36 3 days longer | 8 was 9 1 day shorter |
| 407 Training | 323 was 333 10 days shorter | 255 was 260 5 days shorter |
| 408 Entertainment Activities | 63 was 61 2 days longer | 33 was 33 no change |
| 408 Exchange Arrangements | 128 was 108 20 days longer | 43 was 41 2 days longer |
| 408 Invited for Other Social and Cultural Activity | 20 was 24 4 days shorter | 6 was 7 1 day shorter |
| 408 Religious Work | 267 was 233 34 days longer | 31 was 46 15 days shorter |
| 408 Research Activities | 307 was 188 119 days longer | 160 was 135 25 days longer |
| 408 Special Programs | 71 was 260 189 days shorter | 18 was 21 3 days shorter |
| 408 Sporting Activities | 59 was 200 141 days shorter | 9 was 23 14 days shorter |
| 408 Superyacht Crew | 39 was 23 16 days longer | 13 was 8 5 days longer |
| 417 Working Holiday | 81 was 74 7 days longer | 1 was 1 no change |
| 445 Dependent Child | 721 was 718 3 days longer | 598 was 585 13 days longer |
| 461 New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship (Temporary) | 145 was 126 19 days longer | 83 was 82 1 day longer |
| 462 Work and Holiday | 70 was 70 no change | 9 was 25 16 days shorter |
| 482 Labour Agreement | 429 was 391 38 days longer | 314 was 257 57 days longer |
| 482 Nomination | 226 was 301 75 days shorter | 38 was 166 128 days shorter |
| 482 Sponsorship | 151 was 148 3 days longer | 39 was 35 4 days longer |
| 485 Post-Higher Education Work | 104 was 90 14 days longer | 51 was 57 6 days shorter |
| 491 State/Territory Government Nominated Regional | 709 was 720 11 days shorter | 132 was 538 406 days shorter |
| 491 Family Sponsored Regional | 800 was 794 6 days longer | 666 was 664 2 days longer |
| 494 Employer Sponsored | 320 was 252 68 days longer | 212 was 182 30 days longer |
| 494 Labour Agreement | 238 was 262 24 days shorter | 175 was 203 28 days shorter |
| 500 Higher Education Sector | 113 was 179 66 days shorter | 23 was 29 6 days shorter |
| 500 Foreign Affairs or Defence Sector | 71 was 29 42 days longer | 6 was 4 2 days longer |
| 500 Independent ELICOS Sector | 190 was 209 19 days shorter | 7 was 22 15 days shorter |
| 500 Non-Award Sector | 24 was 14 10 days longer | 1 was 1 no change |
| 500 Postgraduate Research Sector | 202 was 287 85 days shorter | 21 was 28 7 days shorter |
| 500 Schools Sector | 66 was 64 2 days longer | 25 was 14 11 days longer |
| 500 Vocational Education and Training Sector | 472 was 263 209 days longer | 189 was 193 4 days shorter |
| 590 Student Guardian | 180 was 167 13 days longer | 35 was 29 6 days longer |
| 600 Tourist | 23 was 26 3 days shorter | 12 was 13 1 day shorter |
| 600 Business Visitor | 18 was 19 1 day shorter | 6 was 7 1 day shorter |
| 600 Sponsored Family | 41 was 49 8 days shorter | 27 was 34 7 days shorter |
| 602 Medical Treatment | 191 was 240 49 days shorter | 17 was 11 6 days longer |
| 651 eVisitor | 1 was 1 no change | 1 was 1 no change |
| 771 Transit | 28 was 17 11 days longer | 4 was 3 1 day longer |
| 801 Partner | 432 was 464 32 days shorter | 228 was 238 10 days shorter |
| 802 Child | 810 was 822 12 days shorter | 682 was 666 16 days longer |
| 820 Partner | 689 was 813 124 days shorter | 450 was 435 15 days longer |
| 870 Visa Application | 215 was 203 12 days longer | 158 was 155 3 days longer |
| 870 Sponsorship | 102 was 118 16 days shorter | 83 was 94 11 days shorter |
| 887 Skilled - Regional | 521 was 386 135 days longer | 381 was 198 183 days longer |
| 888 Business Innovation | 198 was 161 37 days longer | 71 was 77 6 days shorter |
| 888 Investor | 286 was 283 3 days longer | 76 was 76 no change |
| 888 Significant Investor | 727 was 738 11 days shorter | 89 was 89 no change |
| 988 Maritime Crew Visa | 2 was 2 no change | 1 was 1 no change |
"Was" is the figure in use the day before this update.
Other visa processing times reports: 16 official updates since June 2025
One report for each time the Department updated its global visa processing times. How these reports are made.