10 Longest Wait Australian Visas (Some Take 50+ Years)
Australia has some of the longest visa processing queues in the developed world. We're not talking months or even years — some of the longest wait Australian visas have queues stretching past 50 years. That means if you applied today, you'd be looking at a visa grant sometime in the 2070s. It sounds absurd, and honestly, it is.
These extraordinary waits primarily affect family reunion visas, where demand vastly outstrips the small number of places allocated each year. For the families caught in these queues, the human cost is enormous — parents who never get to live near their children, siblings separated for lifetimes.
Here are the 10 longest waits in Australia's immigration system, ranked from painfully slow to genuinely generational.
1. Remaining Relative Visa (Subclass 115/835) — 50+ Years
The Remaining Relative visa holds the unenviable record for the longest processing queue in Australia. With an estimated wait of 50+ years, most applicants will never live long enough to receive this visa.
The numbers:
- Estimated queue: 50+ years
- Places allocated per year: extremely few (often single digits)
- Application fee: AUD $4,910
- Applicants in queue: thousands
To qualify, you must have no near relatives (parents, siblings, or adult children) living outside Australia except for the sponsoring relative. The definition is strict — even one sibling living in a third country can disqualify you.
The government allocates almost no places to this category, preferring to direct family stream places to higher-priority subclasses. Applications lodged in the 2000s are still waiting. Applications lodged now may never be processed within the applicant's lifetime.
This is a visa where the application fee functions more as a donation to the government than a processing charge. Many migration agents actively discourage lodging these applications.
2. Non-Contributory Parent Visa (Subclass 103) — 30+ Years
The Subclass 103 is arguably the most discussed long-wait visa because it affects so many families. Parents wanting to join their children in Australia face a queue estimated at over 30 years.
The numbers:
- Estimated queue: 29-30+ years
- Annual allocation: minimal (most parent places go to the contributory stream)
- Application fee: AUD $4,990 (first instalment)
- The Department was recently processing applications lodged in the mid-1990s
Think about that timeline. If you applied today, your visa might be granted around 2056. If you're 60 years old now, you'd be over 90. The harsh reality is that many applicants in this queue pass away before their visa is processed.
The alternative is the Contributory Parent visa (143), which costs AUD $48,640 total but processes in 5-7 years. The government has essentially created a two-tier system: pay up or wait a lifetime.
Advocacy groups have campaigned for years to increase non-contributory parent visa places, but no government has made meaningful changes to the allocation.
3. Aged Parent Visa (Subclass 804) — 30+ Years
The onshore equivalent of the 103, the Subclass 804 has an equally devastating queue. If you're already in Australia and old enough for the age pension, you'd think the system would be kinder. It isn't.
The numbers:
- Estimated queue: 30+ years
- Same minimal allocation as the 103
- Must be old enough for the age pension
- Queue has barely moved in years
The 804 and 103 effectively share the same tiny pool of non-contributory parent visa places. Whether you apply from inside or outside Australia makes little practical difference to your waiting time.
Some 804 applicants hold successive Visitor visas (600) or Sponsored Parent visas (870) while they wait, allowing them to live in Australia temporarily. But this means paying repeated visa fees, maintaining health insurance, and having no work rights — all while watching the years tick by.
4. Carer Visa (Subclass 116/836) — 20+ Years
The Carer visa allows you to live in Australia to provide care for a relative with a medical condition. Despite the urgent nature of care needs, the queue is 20+ years in many cases.
The numbers:
- Estimated queue: 20-30+ years
- Very few places allocated annually
- Must prove Australian care services aren't reasonably obtainable
- Requires extensive medical evidence
The irony isn't lost on applicants: they're applying to provide care for a relative who needs help now, but the visa won't be granted for two decades. By then, the medical situation will have resolved — one way or another.
Some families work around this by combining the Carer visa application with repeated Visitor visa grants, allowing the carer to stay in Australia temporarily while the permanent application crawls through the system.
5. Contributory Parent Visa (Subclass 143) — 5-7 Years
Compared to the non-contributory visas above, 5-7 years might seem reasonable. But for elderly parents waiting to join their families, half a decade is still a long time.
The numbers:
- Estimated queue: 5-7 years
- Total fee: AUD $48,640
- Annual allocation: receives most parent visa places
- Processing has slowed in recent years
The Contributory Parent visa used to process in 2-3 years. The blowout to 5-7 years reflects increased demand and a migration program cap of 185,000 permanent places that must accommodate all categories.
During the wait, many applicants hold Sponsored Parent visas (870) at AUD $12,140 for 5 years, allowing them to live in Australia while their 143 is processed. This means some families spend over AUD $60,000 total across both visa applications.
6. Contributory Aged Parent Visa (Subclass 864) — 5-7 Years
The onshore contributory equivalent of the 143, the 864 has similar processing times and the same eye-watering fee structure.
The numbers:
- Estimated queue: 5-7 years
- Same fee structure as the 143: AUD $48,640 total
- Must be in Australia when you apply
- Must be old enough for the age pension
The 864 and 143 draw from the same pool of contributory parent places. Processing times are comparable, and the experience of waiting is essentially identical.
7. Partner Visa (Subclass 820/801 and 309/100) — 16-24 Months
The Partner visa queue has been one of the more contentious in recent years. At 16-24 months for the temporary stage alone, couples face over a year of uncertainty before knowing if they'll be together in Australia.
The numbers:
- Temporary stage (820/309): 16-24 months
- Permanent stage (801/100): additional 12-24 months after eligibility date
- Total wait for permanent visa: 2-4 years
- Application fee: AUD $9,365 (covers both stages)
During the temporary stage wait, onshore applicants (820) typically receive a Bridging Visa A that allows them to stay and work in Australia. Offshore applicants (309) must wait in their home country.
The wait has improved from its COVID-era peak of 30+ months, but it's still significantly longer than pre-2019 levels when processing averaged 12-15 months for the temporary stage.
Genuine couples find the wait frustrating but manageable. Where it becomes genuinely difficult is for couples in vulnerable situations — domestic violence cases, partners with health conditions, or families with young children who need both parents present.
8. Protection Visa (Subclass 866) — 12-24 Months (Plus Appeals)
For people seeking asylum, the Protection visa processing time of 12-24 months is just the beginning. Include tribunal and court appeals, and the total time in limbo can stretch to 5+ years.
The numbers:
- Initial decision: 12-24 months
- If refused, AAT/ART review: additional 12-24 months
- Judicial review if needed: additional 6-12 months
- Ministerial intervention if needed: indefinite
- Total possible timeline: 5+ years from application to final resolution
During this entire period, applicants are usually on Bridging visas with limited work rights and no access to many government services. The psychological toll of years of uncertainty is well-documented.
The government has attempted to speed up processing by increasing staffing and streamlining procedures, but the complexity of protection claims — which require careful assessment of country conditions and individual circumstances — means meaningful improvements are slow.
9. Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189) — 6-12 Months After Invitation
The 189 wait is a two-part problem. First, you wait in the SkillSelect pool for an invitation — which can take months to years depending on your occupation and points score. Then, after lodging your application, you wait another 6-12 months for a decision.
The numbers:
- Time in SkillSelect pool: unpredictable (weeks to years)
- Processing after lodgement: 6-12 months typical
- Some occupations have barely moved in the pool for years
- Application fee: AUD $4,910
For in-demand occupations with high points scores, the SkillSelect wait might be just one round (a few weeks). For less in-demand occupations or lower points scores, applicants can sit in the pool for 2+ years without receiving an invitation.
After you lodge, processing depends on whether your application triggers a security check. Standard applications process in 6-9 months. Anything that goes to external security assessment (ASIO) can take 12-24+ months with no visibility into progress.
Check the most in-demand occupations to understand where invitation rounds are currently sitting.
10. Distinguished Talent Visa (Subclass 858) — 6-18 Months
The 858's wait isn't the longest on this list, but it's notable because of the uncertainty involved. With a highly subjective assessment process, applicants often spend months not knowing whether their achievements are "exceptional enough."
The numbers:
- Expression of Interest review: 1-6 months
- Application processing (if invited): 6-12 months
- Total: 6-18 months from EOI to grant
- Many EOIs are simply not responded to
The uncertainty is the real killer. Unlike the points-based system where you know your score, the 858 involves a qualitative judgment about whether your achievements are internationally recognised. You might have an impressive CV and still be told you don't meet the threshold.
Why These Queues Exist
The root cause is simple: demand vastly exceeds supply. Australia's permanent migration cap of 185,000 places must be shared across:
| Category | Approximate Allocation |
|---|---|
| Skilled | ~132,000 |
| Family | ~52,000 |
| Special eligibility | ~1,000 |
Within the family category, Partner visas take the largest share, leaving parent and other relative visas with minimal allocations. Until the overall cap increases or the distribution changes, these queues will persist.
What You Can Do While Waiting
If you're stuck in a long queue, consider these options:
- Sponsored Parent visa (870): AUD $12,140 for 5 years — a temporary bridge while waiting for the 143/103
- Visitor visas (600): Repeated 3-12 month stays while your application is processed
- Ministerial intervention: In exceptional circumstances, the Minister can intervene to grant a visa outside normal processing
- Change streams: Switch from non-contributory to contributory if finances allow
- Seek professional advice: A migration agent can assess whether alternative pathways exist
For the opposite end of the spectrum, see the 10 fastest Australian visas — some are approved in minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the Department process my application faster if I have a medical emergency?
In limited circumstances, yes. The Department can prioritise cases involving serious medical conditions, compassionate circumstances, or ministerial intervention. However, there's no formal "urgent processing" request — it's at the Department's discretion. Contact the Global Service Centre to request priority consideration and provide supporting medical evidence.
What happens if I die while waiting for my visa?
This is sadly common for parent visa applicants. If the main applicant dies, the application is finalised (cancelled). Secondary applicants on the same application may also lose their place. There is no transfer of queue position to another family member. The application fee is not refunded.
Are these processing times getting better or worse?
It depends on the subclass. Partner visa processing has improved from its COVID-era peak. Skilled visa processing is relatively stable. Parent and relative visa queues continue to grow because the underlying allocation hasn't changed. The 2025-2026 visa changes haven't materially affected family visa queues.
Should I bother applying for a visa with a 30+ year wait?
That's a deeply personal decision. Some families apply for the 103 while simultaneously saving for the 143, using the 103 as a backup. Others choose the 870 temporary option. It's worth consulting a migration agent to map out all available options for your specific situation before committing to a decades-long queue.
