Visa processing times update recorded 15 February 2026: 33 streams slower, 26 faster at the 90% mark

Name: Visa processing times update recorded 15 February 2026
Creator: Visa Processing Time

Compared with the 15 December 2025 update, at the 90% mark 33 of 69 streams got slower, 26 got faster and 10 did not change. At the 50% mark 28 got slower, 26 faster and 15 did not change. The largest move was 801 Partner, 659 to 385 days at the 90% mark (274 days shorter).

Official update: 28 Jan to 15 Feb 2026A public archive copied the official tool on 27 January 2026 and on 15 February 2026. The figures changed in between, on a day it did not record.
Compared with: 5 to 15 Dec 2025Previous update, between 44 and 72 days earlier
Streams in this report: 69Streams the Department lists today that had a figure on this date
Report: 7 of 16Generated from the figures, no hand editing

Mark	Slower	Faster	No change
90% decided within	33	26	10
50% decided within	28	26	15

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? 801 Partner, 274 days shorter 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
801 Partner	385 was 659 274 days shorter	220 was 283 63 days shorter
408 Religious Work	141 was 367 226 days shorter	63 was 94 31 days shorter
188 Business Innovation Extension	186 was 375 189 days shorter	110 was 112 2 days shorter
602 Medical Treatment	192 was 25 167 days longer	6 was 2 4 days longer
500 Postgraduate Research Sector	82 was 231 149 days shorter	26 was 26 no change
117 Orphan Relative	2,834 was 2,698 136 days longer	2,252 was 2,224 28 days longer
189 New Zealand	1,818 was 1,693 125 days longer	1,524 was 1,372 152 days longer
408 Sporting Activities	173 was 49 124 days longer	12 was 9 3 days longer
494 Employer Sponsored	274 was 367 93 days shorter	203 was 234 31 days shorter
190 Skilled - Nominated	749 was 834 85 days shorter	447 was 528 81 days shorter

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Australian visa processing times: Home Affairs update between 28 January and 15 February 2026

Compared with the figures of 15 December 2025, at the 90% mark 33 of 69 streams got slower, 26 got faster and 10 did not change. At the 50% mark: 28 slower, 26 faster, 15 unchanged.

Largest moves at the 90% mark:
• 801 Partner: 659 to 385 days (274 days shorter)
• 408 Religious Work: 367 to 141 days (226 days shorter)
• 188 Business Innovation Extension: 375 to 186 days (189 days shorter)
• 602 Medical Treatment: 25 to 192 days (167 days longer)
• 500 Postgraduate Research Sector: 231 to 82 days (149 days shorter)

Official Department of Home Affairs figures: days from lodgement to decision for recently decided applications (801 and 100 partner visas: from the date of eligibility, two years after lodgement). They describe the past and are not a prediction for any application.
All 69 streams: https://visaprocessingtime.com.au/reports/2026-02-15/

Markdown: the table shows when the post is in Markdown mode.

**Home Affairs updated its global visa processing times between 28 January and 15 February 2026**

Compared with the figures of 15 December 2025, at the 90% mark: 33 streams slower, 26 faster, 10 unchanged (69 streams). At the 50% mark: 28 slower, 26 faster, 15 unchanged.

| Visa stream | 90% before | 90% now | Change |
|:--|--:|--:|--:|
| 801 Partner | 659 days | 385 days | -274 days |
| 408 Religious Work | 367 days | 141 days | -226 days |
| 188 Business Innovation Extension | 375 days | 186 days | -189 days |
| 602 Medical Treatment | 25 days | 192 days | +167 days |
| 500 Postgraduate Research Sector | 231 days | 82 days | -149 days |

Official Department of Home Affairs figures: days from lodgement to decision for recently decided applications (801 and 100 partner visas: from the date of eligibility, two years after lodgement). They describe the past and are not a prediction for any application.

Full table for all 69 streams: https://visaprocessingtime.com.au/reports/2026-02-15/

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Home Affairs updated visa processing times between 28 January and 15 February 2026: at the 90% mark 33 of 69 streams got slower and 26 faster. Largest move at the 90% mark: 801 Partner, 659 to 385 days. https://visaprocessingtime.com.au/reports/2026-02-15/

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: none on file dated after the 15 Dec 2025 update and up to 15 Feb 2026

Banner notices the Department posts on its visa pages, by the date it gives them. 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 15 Feb 2026 update: 69 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 69 streams

Visa stream	90%, days	50%, days
100 Partner	638 was 654 16 days shorter	304 was 296 8 days longer
101 Child	846 was 846 no change	634 was 665 31 days shorter
102 Adoption	340 was 334 6 days longer	134 was 125 9 days longer
117 Orphan Relative	2,834 was 2,698 136 days longer	2,252 was 2,224 28 days longer
132 Significant Business History	2,098 was 2,055 43 days longer	1,997 was 1,817 180 days longer
155 Five Year Resident Return	16 was 32 16 days shorter	1 was 1 no change
157 Three Month Resident Return	68 was 65 3 days longer	32 was 30 2 days longer
186 Direct Entry	602 was 573 29 days longer	528 was 247 281 days longer
186 Transition	588 was 580 8 days longer	404 was 369 35 days longer
186 Agreement	278 was 251 27 days longer	33 was 154 121 days shorter
188 Business Innovation Extension	186 was 375 189 days shorter	110 was 112 2 days shorter
189 Points-Tested	359 was 331 28 days longer	99 was 312 213 days shorter
189 New Zealand	1,818 was 1,693 125 days longer	1,524 was 1,372 152 days longer
190 Skilled - Nominated	749 was 834 85 days shorter	447 was 528 81 days shorter
191 Regional Provisional stream	482 was 452 30 days longer	221 was 216 5 days longer
300 Prospective Marriage	687 was 692 5 days shorter	442 was 374 68 days longer
309 Partner (Provisional)	694 was 723 29 days shorter	489 was 432 57 days longer
400 Temporary Work (Short Stay Activity)	21 was 22 1 day shorter	6 was 6 no change
403 Domestic Worker (Diplomatic or Consular)	80 was 82 2 days shorter	55 was 55 no change
403 Foreign Government Agency	107 was 51 56 days longer	89 was 29 60 days longer
403 Government Agreement	47 was 45 2 days longer	7 was 9 2 days shorter
403 Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early-professionals Scheme (MATES)	122 was 122 no change	86 was 86 no change
403 Pacific Australia Labour Mobility Scheme	21 was 16 5 days longer	12 was 8 4 days longer
407 Training	381 was 349 32 days longer	168 was 264 96 days shorter
408 Entertainment Activities	17 was 35 18 days shorter	8 was 11 3 days shorter
408 Exchange Arrangements	201 was 190 11 days longer	41 was 47 6 days shorter
408 Invited for Other Social and Cultural Activity	14 was 18 4 days shorter	1 was 7 6 days shorter
408 Religious Work	141 was 367 226 days shorter	63 was 94 31 days shorter
408 Research Activities	421 was 366 55 days longer	93 was 81 12 days longer
408 Special Programs	72 was 57 15 days longer	23 was 30 7 days shorter
408 Sporting Activities	173 was 49 124 days longer	12 was 9 3 days longer
408 Superyacht Crew	31 was 23 8 days longer	13 was 5 8 days longer
417 Working Holiday	73 was 39 34 days longer	1 was 1 no change
445 Dependent Child	826 was 836 10 days shorter	696 was 721 25 days shorter
461 New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship (Temporary)	127 was 114 13 days longer	66 was 70 4 days shorter
462 Work and Holiday	89 was 78 11 days longer	28 was 34 6 days shorter
482 Labour Agreement	207 was 207 no change	71 was 71 no change
482 Nomination	144 was 144 no change	47 was 47 no change
482 Sponsorship	175 was 175 no change	47 was 47 no change
485 Post-Higher Education Work	83 was 62 21 days longer	8 was 38 30 days shorter
491 State/Territory Government Nominated Regional	873 was 849 24 days longer	638 was 628 10 days longer
491 Family Sponsored Regional	1,020 was 1,020 no change	773 was 773 no change
494 Employer Sponsored	274 was 367 93 days shorter	203 was 234 31 days shorter
494 Labour Agreement	278 was 354 76 days shorter	196 was 219 23 days shorter
500 Higher Education Sector	129 was 163 34 days shorter	21 was 39 18 days shorter
500 Foreign Affairs or Defence Sector	31 was 20 11 days longer	10 was 4 6 days longer
500 Independent ELICOS Sector	113 was 152 39 days shorter	12 was 21 9 days shorter
500 Non-Award Sector	15 was 12 3 days longer	1 was 1 no change
500 Postgraduate Research Sector	82 was 231 149 days shorter	26 was 26 no change
500 Schools Sector	70 was 128 58 days shorter	24 was 20 4 days longer
500 Vocational Education and Training Sector	187 was 197 10 days shorter	147 was 140 7 days longer
590 Student Guardian	159 was 205 46 days shorter	27 was 34 7 days shorter
600 Tourist	28 was 29 1 day shorter	11 was 12 1 day shorter
600 Business Visitor	19 was 18 1 day longer	5 was 7 2 days shorter
600 Sponsored Family	63 was 84 21 days shorter	36 was 45 9 days shorter
601 Electronic Travel Authority	1 was 1 no change	1 was 1 no change
602 Medical Treatment	192 was 25 167 days longer	6 was 2 4 days longer
651 eVisitor	1 was 1 no change	1 was 1 no change
771 Transit	15 was 15 no change	3 was 3 no change
801 Partner	385 was 659 274 days shorter	220 was 283 63 days shorter
802 Child	797 was 816 19 days shorter	607 was 661 54 days shorter
820 Partner	730 was 694 36 days longer	527 was 500 27 days longer
870 Visa Application	237 was 229 8 days longer	173 was 141 32 days longer
870 Sponsorship	126 was 110 16 days longer	109 was 92 17 days longer
887 Skilled - Regional	610 was 605 5 days longer	299 was 202 97 days longer
888 Business Innovation	173 was 194 21 days shorter	136 was 122 14 days longer
888 Investor	143 was 145 2 days shorter	99 was 90 9 days longer
888 Significant Investor	172 was 167 5 days longer	92 was 80 12 days longer
988 Maritime Crew Visa	1 was 1 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.

Previous: 15 Dec 2025 update All 16 reports Next: 6 Mar 2026 update