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So you’re thinking of moving to Sydney? A key question is therefore – “How long will it take for my visa to be granted?” A very good question and an understandable one. Naturally, you’re eager to start your new life down under. Such information is also crucial as there's lots to sort out before you can move. When do you put your house up for sale? – too early and you might have to move into temporary accommodation if your house sells and your visa hasn’t been granted. Too late and you may end up with your visa being granted and not being able to move as your house hasn’t sold and your equity is tied up in the property. A visa grant date is also important to know as without it, you can’t arrange removals/shipping, quarantine for your pets, flights and a multitude of other things. Fortunately, there are several ways you can get information to help you estimate when your application may be granted DIBP The Department of Immigration and Border Protection publish approximate processing times on there website. The information is not specific to your case however and goes along the lines of “75% of applications processed in x number of days” for example. It’s also possible to send a blank email to DIBP for some visas and this will trigger an automated email response which contains approximate processing times. Australia Migration Forums Another method is to visit groups and forums as many members post their visa timelines on the forums to compare with other members timelines. The sites allow you to chat with other members who are also going through the migration journey. Australia Visa Timelines Immigration Trackers A third way, and a method which is becoming more popular is to utilize an immigration tracker / Australia visa timelines website. This allow you to enter key dates about your visa application and compare them in tabular format with lots of other members. You can look at who’s applied for the same visa as you, the same dates as you, from the same country, occupation etc. This will allow you obtain greater insight into the likely time is will take for your visa to be granted. Recognizing the demand for such a service and following feedback from members, we've created a tracker site at www.australia-visa-timelines.com