Are Partner Visas taking Longer during the Pandemic?

According to an SBS article, Partner visas are taking longer than usual to finalize during this pandemic, with the current timeline to finalize an offshore partner visa (309) is 12 to 18 months.

But how accurate are those figures, and are they really worse than before?

This is from the SBS article:

SBS are saying that Partner visas are taking longer than usual to finalize during this pandemic, and The current timeline to finalize an offshore partner visa (309) is 12 to 18 months.

I am scratching my head, trying to see how 12-18 is slower than the last 15 months…  To me it actually seems to be the fastest.  The slowest, in the last 15 months, looks like it was October 2019, where it was stated as 17-21.

• 12-18 means that 75% took up to 12 months, and 10% took over 18 months.
• 17-21 means that 75% took up to 17 months, and 10% took over 21 months.

Partner Offshore Visa Processing Times.

These are the official times quoted by Australian Immigration, for the subclass 309 visas finalised in each month.

---

Sponsor ai10

---

• May 2020: 12-18 = 75% took up to 12 months. 10% took over 18 months.
• Apr 2020: 13-17 = 75% took up to 13 months. 10% took over 17 months.
• Mar 2020: 13-21 = 75% took up to 13 months. 10% took over 21 months.
• Feb 2020: 14-20 = 75% took up to 14 months. 10% took over 20 months.
• Jan 2020: 14-19 = 75% took up to 14 months. 10% took over 19 months.
• Dec 2019: 16-21 = 75% took up to 16 months. 10% took over 21 months
• Nov 2019: 17-20 = 75% took up to 17 months. 10% took over 20 months.
• Oct 2019: 17–21 = 75% took up to 17 months. 10% took over 21 months.
• Sep 2019: 16-20 = 75% took up to 16 months. 10% took over 20 months.
• Aug 2019: 16-21 = 75% took up to 16 months. 10% took over 21 months.
• Jul 2019: 15-20 = 75% took up to 15 months. 10% took over 20 months.
• Jun 2019: 15-20 = 75% took up to 15 months. 10% took over 20 months.
• May 2019: 14-19 = 75% took up to 14 months. 10% took over 19 months.
• Apr 2019: 13-19 = 75% took up to 13 months. 10% took over 19 months.
• Mar 2019: 15-20 = 75% took up to 15 months. 10% took over 20 months.
• Feb 2019: 14-20 = 75% took up to 14 months. 10% took over 20 months.

That SBS article says: The current timeline to finalize an offshore partner visa is 12 to 18 months.

From ninety one subclass 309 visas (the offshore partner visa) granted in 2020, that I have seen, only 18% took between the 12 and 18 months that they mention. 5% took over 18 months, leaving 77% taking under 12 months.

• 10% took 6 months or less.
• 15% took between 6 and 8.4 months.
• 50% took between 8.4 and 11.8 months
• 15% took between 11.8 and 15.6 months.
• 10% took over 15.6 months.

Recently, some have been as fast as 2.8 months (that one was granted in June 2020). It often depends on how well an application is prepared, and how easy it is to confirm things, with the country being applied from.

Donations Welcome

$5.00 for a cup of coffee will keep me going. Thank you to those who have sent me a coffee, it is very much appreciated. Donations ai-8