Procedures and time frame of the Australia golden visa
The Australian visa application process is very structured and based on laws, regulations, policy, and legislative instruments. In addition to visa application legislation, the Department of Home Affairs also has the power to cancel visas, conduct compliance or monitoring exercises, regulate the professional migration agent industry, and allow for the legal review of visa decisions.
Certain visa applications for people outside Australia must be assessed by an immigration attaché at the closest Australian embassy. Other visa applications will be assessed by an immigration office in Australia. The Department of Home Affairs is moving towards electronic online lodgment for all temporary and permanent residence visa applications.
The application processing times differ significantly depending on the visa being applied for but are generally 12 months.
The Department of Home Affairs uses a priority processing tier, whereby visa applications that yield the greatest economic benefit to the country (skilled visas) will be assessed quicker than those with less economic benefit (family visas). The Department of Home Affairs advertises its service standards online for application time frames, which are regularly updated.
Australian visas are attached electronically to passports, and physical visa labels are no longer placed into them. Australia has an online portal that allows individuals and employers to check the visa status (and any applicable work conditions) of a visa holder.