Processing Times and Decisions - Department of Foreign Affairs (2024)

FAQs

How long does a case officer take to make a decision? ›

The case officer may take minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, or even years to decide on your application after receiving your s56 response. However, case officers often try their best to decide on applications within the published Global Visa Processing Times.

Most cases are resolved in a few weeks, but some can last for several months. A few can last over six months.

The entire process takes around 10–12 months from the time you file. If you have all of your paperwork uploaded and there is no error or missing pages in your documentation you should be on track for that time table.

Processing usually takes 15 business days from receipt by the Embassy of a complete application and may take longer during peak times and in exceptional circ*mstances.

Initial assessment means we are assessing the application. Further assessment means we are assessing the information we requested from you. Finalised means we have made a decision. We will notify you by email or post.

What happens after s56 request? After submitting the requested information for an s56, your application enters a phase of detailed scrutiny by the case officer. There is no standardized timeframe for a decision post-submission, and the waiting period can range from a few days to several years.

You will be advised of this possibility during your interview. Most administrative processing is resolved within 60 days of your visa interview. When additional administrative processing is required, the length of processing time will vary based on the circ*mstances of each case.

To check the status of your visa, please visit the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) of the U.S. Department of State. Select the link for “Check my Visa Application Status” and follow the instructions.

At the conclusion of the administrative processing period, the consular officer may conclude that an applicant is now qualified for the visa for which he or she applied. The officer may also conclude that the applicant remains ineligible for a visa.

Online: Use the case status online tool to check for updates about your immigration case. You will need your 13-character receipt number from your application or petition. By phone: If you are calling from the U.S., contact the USCIS National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283 or TTY 1-800-767-1833.

What does under assessment mean on a visa application? ›

Under assessment

Your application and all your documents are ready to be assessed, so we can make a decision whether to approve a visa or not. Your application will be assessed, but this might not occur immediately.

After you have received your S56 request for information you will typically have 28 days to respond. Once you have provided your response to the Department, there is unfortunately no set time period in which they are expected to reach a conclusion on your application.

Get your visa decision by the end of the next working day. The Super Priority Visa service is the fastest way to secure a visa decision.

Visa processing takes approximately 21 workdays from the date on which the application is received by the Embassy. A further 2-3 workdays should be allowed for the return of your passport.

The US visa processing time depends on the type of visa that you are applying for. It takes from 3 to 5 weeks for a US visa application to get processed. After the processing, the applicant can get a positive reply on their application, and the consulate will deliver the document.

An s56 request is a request for you to provide further information on the visa application that you have already submitted. Therefore, if your response to the request is satisfactory, the visa you may be granted is the same visa that you had originally applied for.

The purpose of a S57 letter is to ensure that applicants are given an opportunity to defend their application in the event that it is being considered for rejection. Whilst this does mean that the Department has identified a problem with your application, it does not mean that they have reached a final decision.

Form 80 is designed for people who are applying to migrate to Australia and does not take into account that the applicant may already have been residing in Australia for a number of years. The form asks for: personal, contact and travel document details. travel movements for the last 10 years.

In most cases, the Department of Home Affairs will give you 28 days to provide a response.