On 25 July 2026, Ministerial Direction 117 came into effect, replacing Ministerial Direction 102 and introducing significant changes to the way the Department of Home Affairs prioritises Family visa applications.
The new changes will apply to both applications lodged from 25 July 2026 onwards and to existing Family visa applications that have not yet been determined. This means an applicant’s place in the queue now depends not just on the visa subclass applied for, but also on whether the application was made onshore or offshore.
A New Approach to Family Visa Processing
One of the most significant changes under Direction 117 is the introduction of a two-tier priority system based on the primary applicant’s location and whether the visa can be granted while the applicant remains onshore.
Higher Priority Group – applications where the primary applicant is in Australia at the time of lodgment and the visa can be granted without them leaving Australia.
Lower Priority Group – applications where the primary applicant is offshore at lodgment, or where the grant of the visa requires them to be outside Australia.
The Department then applies a further processing order specific to each Family visa category.
Processing Order within each Priority Group
Once an application is sorted into its priority group, it is processed according to the following order:
1. Certain Ministerial Intervention cases
2. Partner and Child visas
3. Orphan Relative visas
4. Contributory Parent visas
5. Carer visas
6. Other Family visas – including Parent, Remaining Relative and Aged Dependent Relative visa
Partner and Child visa remains the highest priority among the main Family visa categories. As the location and category interact, two applicants in the “same” Family visa category may still receive different processing priorities depending on where the applicant applied from.
What does this mean for existing applicants?
Under Direction 117, existing applications that have not yet been decided are also subject to the new processing priorities. For applicants who lodged their application before 25 July 2026, their position in the processing queue will be reassessed under the new priorities.
Onshore applicants, particularly Partner or Child visa application that can be granted without the applicant leaving Australia, may see their processing position improve.
Offshore applicants, or those in lower-priority Family visa categories, may face longer waits than they would have under the previous Direction.
It is important to note that Direction 117 establishes the order in which applications are considered by the Department. However, it does not impose a requirement on the Department to finalise an application within a specified timeframe.
Parent Visas face an additional layer of complexity
Parent visa applicants should also consider Ministerial Direction 103, which sets out the annual visa caps set under section 85 of the Migration Act 1958.
Where Direction 103 is inconsistent with another Direction, Direction 103 prevails. As a result, a Parent visa application may be fully assessed and ready for grant but still delayed because the annual cap for that visa category has been reached.
Can an application be reprioritised?
In very limited circumstances, Direction 117 permits applications involving compassionate or compelling circumstances to be considered for different priorities.
However, this is assessed on a case-by-case basis, having regard to the individual facts and evidence provided.
What does this mean for Prospective Applicants?
Anyone planning a Family visa application should consider the new processing framework as part of their broader visa strategy. The relevant questions include:
Is the applicant eligible to lodge onshore or offshore, and does that choice affect their priority group?
Can they remain in Australia while the application is processed, and what are the bridging visa and travel implications?
Should an alternative or interim visa pathway be considered while the Family visa application is waiting to be processed?
As the processing priority is not the same as a processing guarantee, applicants whether new or already in the queue, should consider their individual circumstances and visa options carefully before deciding how and where to lodge.
