subclass 309 Visa Processing Times in 2020

Partner Offshore Provisional Visa (subclass 309) Processing Times in 2020.

In 2019-20 a total of 11,702 subclass 309 visas were granted, with half taking under 11 months, and half taking over 11 months, to be finalised.
Source: Department of Home Affairs FOI request FA 20/08/00333

The processing times for these visas would normally be reported as 15-19, with 75% being under 15 months, and 90% being under 19 months, but note: with half being under 11 months.

The actual times, broken down further are:

  • 25% took under 9 months.
  • 25% took between 9 and 11 months.
  • 25% took between 11 and 15 months.
  • 15% took between 15 and 19 months.
  • 10% took over 19 months.

Subclass 309 Visa Processing Times December 2020

Last updated: 24 January 2021 (for month ending December 2020)

subclass 309 processing times in 2021 are shown at subclass 309 Visa Processing Times

Month 75% took up to 15% took between 10% took over:
Dec 2020 19 months 19 & 23 months 23 months
Nov 2020 18 months 18 & 21 months 21 months
Oct 2020 17 months 17 & 23 months 23 months
Sep 2020 17 months 17 & 25 months 25 months
Aug 2020 18 months 18 & 26 months 26 months
Jul 2020 15 months 15 & 20 months 20 months
Jun 2020 16 months 16 & 22 months 22 months
May 2020 12 months 12 & 18 months 18 months
Apr 2020 13 months 13 & 17 months 17 months
Mar 2020 13 months 13 & 21 months 21 months
Feb 2020 14 months 14 & 20 months 20 months
Jan 2020 14 months 14 & 19 months 19 months
Dec 2019 16 months 16 & 21 months 21 months

These times show the maximum time that it took for the fastest 75%, and the minimum time it took for the slowest 10%, of visas finalised in that month.


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Partner Visa Processing Times December 2020

Visa75% of Visas Processed in up to15% of Visas processed between10% Of Visas Processed in over
10016 months16 & 22 months22 months
300 - PMV19 months19 & 24 months24 months
30919 months19 & 23 months23 months
80111 months11 & 20 months20 months
82023 months23 & 28 months28 months
Last updated: 24 January 2021 (for month ending December 2020)
N/A indicates that insufficient visas were finalised to produce meaningful statistics. Probably under 5.

Numbers of subclass 309 visas granted by month in 2019-20

The number of visas granted after March 2020 was a massive drop from previous months, due to the COVID-19 restrictions.

  • 1,406 July 2019
  • 1,123 August 2019
  • 1,315 September 2019
  • 1,159 October 2019
  • 1,253 November 2019
  • 1,078 December 2019
  • 1,260 January 2020
  • 1,334 February 2020
  • 1,176 March 2020
  • 254 April 2020
  • 124 May 2020
  • 220 June 2020
  • 573 July 2020
  • 558 Aug 2020
  • 983 Sep 2020

A Freedom of Information request, FA 20/08/00403, states that 573 subclass 309 visas were granted between 1 January 2020 and 31 July 2020.
And that there were 26,941 applications in the queue at 30th April 2020.
Source: Department of Home Affairs FOI request FA 20/08/00403

This figure seems at odds with other numbers.


Department of Home Affairs FOI request FA 20/08/00403
573 subclass 309 visas granted

Department of Home Affairs FOI request FA 20/08/00333
11,702 subclass 309 visas granted

The FOI request FA 20/02/00860 stated that 11,358 subclass 309 visas were granted in the 10 months of the financial year 1 July 2019 to 30/04/2020.

Taking those last two figures it shows that (11,702 less 11,358) 344 subclass 309 visas were granted in May and June 2020 combined.
April to June is shown to be 598 visas, therefore April must have been 254 visa for the month.


The following are the official times quoted by Australian Immigration, for the visas finalised in each month.

(The numbers of subclass 309 grants from April 2020 are much lower than normal)

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the numbers of offshore visa grants has reduced dramatically.  This has also had an effect on on the Offshore Partner visas.

  • 598 subclass 309 visas were finalised (not all granted) between April and June 2020, an average of 200 per month.
  • 3,770 subclass 309 visas were finalised (not all granted) between January and March 2020, an average of 1,256 per month.

Average number of subclass 309 grants per month each year.

  • 2,012 grants per month 2015/16
  • 1,836 grants per month 2016/17
  • 1,453 grants per month 2017/18
  • 1,332 grants per month 2018/19
  • 975 grants per month 2019/20 (it was 1,136 grants per month for the 10 months to April 2020.)

For examples of ACTUAL processing times see the comments section at the end of this post..
If you wish to add YOUR grant times to these pages, please complete our subclass 309 survey here.

It should be noted that the average processing time is often a lot less than the 75% maximum figure quoted.

  • Average Processing Time for subclass 309 visas in 2018-19: 10.6 months
  • Average Processing Time for subclass 309 visas in 2019-20: 11.0 months

2018-19 was 13-??, with an average of 10.6 months. The average processing time for the 14,847 subclass 309 visas finalised in the 2018/19 year was 323 calendar days (10.6 months).
75% were done in under 391 days (12.9 months).

2019/20 was 15-19, with an average of 11 months.  The average processing time for the 11,702 subclass 309 visas finalised in the 2019/20 year was 11 months.
75% were done in under 15 months, 10% in over 19 months.

Processing times in 2019/20 by Processing office.

The average processing time for the 11,358 subclass 309 visas finalised to April in the 2019/20 year has varied between 165 days (Singapore) and 660 days (Dubai).

Data from the Department of Home Affairs under FOI request FA 20/02/00860, covering grants up to April 2020 is available at subclass 309 Visa Processing Times in 2020 by Processing Office, and shows the median processing time for each overseas processing office. The data also shows the fastest and slowest 25% at each office.


  • Nov 2020: 18-21 = 75% took up to 18 months.  10% took over 21 months.
  • Oct 2020: 17-23 = 75% took up to 17 months.  10% took over 23 months.
  • Sep 2020: 17-25 = 75% took up to 17 months.  10% took over 25 months.
  • Aug 2020: 18-26 = 75% took up to 18 months.  10% took over 26 months.
  • Jul 2020: 15-20 = 75% took up to 15 months.  10% took over 20 months.
  • Jun 2020: 16-22 = 75% took up to 16 months.  10% took over 22 Months. (220 grants in total).
  • May 2020: 12-18 = 75% took up to 12 months.  10% took over 18 months. (124 grants in total).
  • Apr 2020: 13-17 = 75% took up to 13 months.  10% took over 17 months. (254 grants in total).
  • Mar 2020: 13-21 = 75% took up to 13 months.  10% took over 21 months. (1,176 grants in total).
  • Feb 2020: 14-20 = 75% took up to 14 months.  10% took over 20 months. (1,334 grants in total).
  • Jan 2020: 14-19 = 75% took up to 14 months.  10% took over 19 months. (1,260 grants in total).
  • Dec 2019: 16-21 = 75% took up to 16 months.  10% took over 21 months.

Source: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au

Partner Visa Processing Times November 2020

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The information we give is based on personal experiences, reading and formulation of available statistics.
Some Visa Applicants might find an Experienced Australian Migration Agent of great assistance. - ai16

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