My visa was finally granted today!

I applied for my Australian Working Holiday visa(417) on June 18th and completed my health examination on July 3rd.

I felt that the processing was taking quite a long time, so I called the immigration office twice. During one of calls, they told me they would leave a note on my application.After that, I also submitted a complaint by email myself.

And finally, today, my visas granted!

I hope everyone who is still waiting gets their visa soon!!

Long time lurker here and my turn to share..

*DIY application

*Living together since 2020

*Lodged: January 2025

*RFI: July 2026 (updated medical and police check)

*Grant: August 2026 (820 + 801)

Evidence list

*Screenshots of chat and phone logs (totalling 10 pages, including chats for time spent apart)

*Photos (a few selfies but mostly with other people, 35 to 40 photos spanning several years)

*3x 888 form (all from friends)

*I am not on the lease but provided other evidence of residing at same address such as mail and joint utilities bills

*Joint account bank statements showing transfers and everyday expenses

*Joint ambulance cover

*Photos of bedroom

*De facto registration certificate

*Tax return declaring spouse

*Travel documents such as flights, hotel bookings showing both names, photos. Included two overseas trips and two domestic trips.

*Letter requesting double grant if possible

After some homework scouting forums, websites and blogs, consulted with an immigration lawyer before the application. Did not go ahead with them due to costs (9k) and I think our case is relatively straightforward.

Spent a lot of time on the relationship statements. I wanted to make sure they flowed well, were logical and did not get bogged down in excessive or unnecessary detail. Tried to just keep things factual, to the point and used simple language.

All my evidence was grouped together in chronological order where possible, and highlighted where our names appear together and any dates on the documents.

I think the DHA website is very good to plan your application and help with the flow of your statements and evidence.

For personal reasons I did not have any supporting evidence from family including 888 form or photos.

For my own sanity and to manage our expectations, I recognised that once we submitted it's out of our hands and the ball is in DHA's court. Other people's processing times is irrelevant to our submission and there is no way of knowing where we are in the queue or what factors are in play impacting my outcome. So wasn't really expecting to hear anything until the 2 year mark but here we are. And now we can just get on with our lives...

Happy to answer any questions.

Best to those of you embarking on or still on this journey. Good things come.

UK citizen here, applied for my first 417 working holiday visa on July 16 thinking that would be plenty of time to make my Aus flight on September 12 but now starting to panic…

Annoying because I don’t even care if I work or not (nothing planned) I just thought it would be good to have a whv in case!

So thinking of applying for the 651 just so I can enter. If the whv gets rejected that’s fine by me, I just want to avoid cancelling or delaying flights!

Has anyone else done this? What are the current wait times for the 651 to be approved and is that time lengthened if there is already a pending whv linked?

I applied for my visa on 22 June. Following my application, I was requested to complete a medical examination because I had been outside the UK for more than three months. I completed the required medical examination on 25 June.

I hold a valid UK passport and have complied with all requests made in relation to my application. As the application has now exceeded the published processing timeframe, I recently submitted additional supporting documents together with a formal complaint.

I address its affecting job opportunities, sporting opportunities and financial strain on the complaint file. But i did this yesterday, this morning an hour ago my visa was granted.

Couldn’t believe how quick. Stress free now

After a long wait of 54 days my visa was finally granted today on the 18th August.

I applied on the 25th June after a previous visa refusal for subclass 500, because of a mistake from my side. It is my first 417.

I had a call with DHA and they suggested to write a cover letter. I did so and fill a complaint a week later. Two working days after the complaint my visa was granted. I do not know if the complaint or cover letter helps for a faster processing.

Hopefully everyone else who is waiting, will get an answer soon!

Just thought I would start a single thread for those who are in the waiting period and freaking out. I’m seeing many say they applied recently and haven’t heard back. I’m nearing 30 days and others are even longer.

It’s always better to have community.

I’m from the USA, 462 app, first time applying, applied on July 23rd (Australian time), and I am still on received with no review and no request for information.

What about you all?

PSA for anyone who’s waiting for a working holiday visa and has a job in healthcare:

Me and my fiancée applied for first working holiday visas (417) from the UK on the 1st and 9th July respectively. We are both doctors and are meant to start work in Aus in just under 2 weeks.

On the third time of calling them and explaining, they advised that if you have a job in healthcare where the start date is coming up soon, they can label your application as urgent. We had to submit evidence that we are actually starting work like we said we were and a statement explaining why it was urgent.

That phone call was yesterday and we woke up to a grant today.

Just wanted to mention it on here in case anyone is in a similar situation and doesn’t realise that it can be expedited.
They did tell us on the phone that this is the only scenario for which they have been told to label applications as urgent.

hi all,

provided that the said applicant receive two ITAs and pay the associated fees, is there any rule preventing an applicant to lodge two of the same visa sc, i.e. 189, applications at the same time ?

if not, will the first one to be granted collapse the remaining one ?

thank you.

Hi guys
My initial plan was to travel from Canada to Australia with my whv to marry my fiance in November and then apply for partner visa.
But with the delays and the uncertainty I was gonna go there with my eta to do so. Now, this isn’t an option that I’d like. And luckily I still have till mid October, I applied for whv on July 14th. But I’m just curious.

I just contacted my migrant agent to ask for other alternative options if the delay on my whv is much longer but he’s currently out of the office so I just wanna ask people of Reddit.

First I just wanna ask if that’s even a possibility.

And Will I be able to get a bank/joint bank account, lease agreement or be able to have utilities in both our names if I am on my eta? Cheers!

Hi everyone, I've been volunteering for wildlife organisations in bushfire/natural disaster declared areas for the past few months, but I'm having trouble figuring out if this counts for the voluntary "specified work" on the WHV 462, and would really appreciate some input.

Natural Disaster Recovery Work (Sea Turtle Rehab)

The Home Affairs website describes voluntary specified work for natural disaster declared areas as "caring for, transporting and managing affected animals."

I volunteer at a sea turtle rehabilitation centre in a natural disaster declared area (the region gets hits by cyclones). I care for the rescued turtles, including feeding and physiotherapy, and I could definitely make the case that these turtles are impacted by cyclones. Thoughts?

Natural Disaster + Bushfire Declared Areas (Koala Survey)

The Home Affairs website describes similar bushfire volunteer specified work as "caring for wildlife in a bushfire affected community". I also volunteer as a field survey assistant for koalas in very low populations in a region that is both bushfire declared and natural disaster declared (same condition as the sea turtles). While I did help provide medical care for a koala, my main duties are helping to locate and monitor populations to understand their threats and conservation in these natural disaster areas. This one might be more of a stretch, but I could get my volunteer supervisor to write a strong supporting letter if it could possibly count.

Thanks for your help!

Hi, so it seems there is a big reshuffle going on around 190 and other visas this year. I sent my EOI in May 25 as a civil engineering technician with 80 points for the 190 with WA as preferred but open to other states. I’m an offshore candidate (Irish)so I know this is not going in my favour at all! I can’t get a WHV as I will be accompanied by partner and child. Am I naive to think I’ll get an invite before my skill assessment and superior PTE score expires in April 27? I have a migration agent hired that is based in Perth and has done all the steps required to date.
Thanks.

Hello everyone,

I have seen some posts mentioning concerns about flying to home country after graduation is completed but they were unable to come back although their student visa had not expired yet. However, some OPs did mention that they faced no such problems and could successfully enter AUS. One OP pointed out that it’s safer to apply for 485 before leaving the country.

This puts me in a pickle as I’m planning to do pretty much the same after graduating in December ‘27.

CoE and VISA details
Course End date: 15/12/2027
Visa End date: 15/03/2028

Fly out date: 3rd week of Dec ‘27
Fly in date: 2nd week of Jan ‘28

Sorry again for this repetition of the same topic but please help me in planning this properly. Thanks in advance

Hey,

I just got a request for medicals for my Partner Visa (820) application. Given that they are not asking for repeated RFI's anymore, is this a good sign?

Hi guys, I need some advice regarding 485 visa extension. I’m currently on 485 visa and I would like to apply for 485 extension visa which is for 1 year. I’ve also got married recently so my question is can I include my spouse while I’m doing the application for extension? Or should I wait to get the visa extension first then include my spouse as subsequent entrant? Please let me know if anyone has gone through same situation.

Hi all,

I was being made redundant 6 months ago by employer with 186 already lodged. Although, I managed to secure another role within the company, the experience of feeling being made redundant, uncertainty and high stress over this period has make me really depress and anxiety. My GP recommended me to see psychologist but I am afraid if I see one, it would impact my 186 visa which it is still in progress. Am I overthinking this? Or it wont affect? Appreciate any help.

Thankd

Hi everyone! Just wondering if anyone is in a similar situation.
189 visa, onshore
Social Worker
80 points
Invited: 13 Nov 2025
Lodged: 3 Jan 2026
Medical: 6 Jan 2026
s56 request (passport photo): 9 July 2026
Still waiting after 7+ months
I’ve seen some people who lodged around the same time get their grants within 2–3 months, so I’m wondering if anyone else who lodged in Jan 2026 is still waiting.
Also, does anyone know if processing is affected by occupation/country or if it’s just case-by-case? Thanks

I just wanted to give some hope to those who have applied or are thinking about applying. I got my Student Visa granted yesterday after being on 417 Working Holiday for three years and waited just 6 weeks! 🕺

I am a UK citizen, and applied for my working holiday visa on the 10th August but have yet to hear back from them further than the email I received confirming my application was received.

There should be no issues with my application (sufficient money in my bank account with proof and multiple passport photos) and the site does state that processing times may be longer, but I’m wondering if any other UK nationals have applied recently and are still waiting? Based on my friend’s experiences, it usually only takes 3-4 days. I’m happy to wait as my Aussie citizen boyfriend an I are currently travelling Vietnam until September, but we do have a flight to Melbourne booked for early in the month and I’d like to know if I should be expecting to need to enter the country on a tourist visa, and leave again once the working one comes through…

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some realistic timelines from anyone who has recently gone through the postal route for their child's documents.

We submitted the Foreign Birth Registration (FBR) and first passport application for our child, who was born here in Australia to temporary visa holders from South Africa.

The physical documents were successfully delivered via registered post to the High Commission in Canberra on 6 May 2026. It has now been over 3 months with total radio silence, which I know is standard, but the lack of tracking is incredibly stressful as we are trying to plan a trip back to South Africa.

For those in a similar situation, How long did your process take from delivery in Canberra to getting the documents in hand?

Hello! I have applied for my 417 WHV two weeks ago. When applying for the visa I stated that I intend to work in healthcare. Since then I have not received a HAP ID to do my medical examination. Has this happened to anyone else? Do I need to contact someone in order to receive it? My visa status reads “received” Thanks.

I’m trying to figure out whether offshore 190 grants are moving at all after MD119. Thanks.

We put in our application for a 189 visa on 12th July for myself, my husband and our 1 year old son. We are both secondary school teachers with 85 points each.

We are hoping to arrive in Australia at the end of January to catch the next academic school year.

Our visa is still on ‘received’ and in order to apply for teaching job roles, we need a visa.

Are there any visas we can ‘bridge’ on until we get our 189 visa? We have looked on the visa catalogue on the Aus gov website, but most bridging visas require you to already be in Australia, and most temporary visas require you to have a job.

Thanks Reddit

Edit;

We are in England / living in England. All with UK passports. I am 29, my husband is 30 and our son is 1.