Departmental Information

Service Standards

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Draft Client Service Standards

The department is currently finalising its Client Service Standards. A draft version is available at the link below.
See: Draft Client Service Standards

Application processing - timeliness standards

The following table provides service standards for processing applications for various types of visas and Australian citizenship.

Application Type Our Service Standard
Visas (all types) See: Processing time service standards
Citizenship by conferral

See:

Other departmental services

Service standards for other departmental services are also available. The following table provides access to these standards.

Service Service Standard
Arriving at an International Airport in Australia You can expect the Australian Customs Service to complete the primary Customs and Immigration procedures within 30 minutes of you joining the passport-processing queue.
Accessing Information under the Freedom of Information Act If you apply to obtain information held by us under Freedom of Information laws, you can expect us to aim to:
  • acknowledge your request within 14 calendar days of receipt
  • tell you our decision, and the reasons for it, within 30 calendar days from the date we receive your request

For more information
See:
Information form 993i Safeguarding your personal information (72KB PDF file)
Form 424 Request for access to information under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (71KB PDF file)
Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS)

You can expect the following:

Telephone interpreting

  • 90% of telephone calls will be answered by a TIS operator within 30 seconds, and a telephone interpreter in a major community language will be provided within 3 minutes
  • 90% of interpreter jobs will be done by a NAATI accredited/recognised interpreter
On-site interpreting
  • 85% of requests for an on-site interpreter will result in a confirmed appointment within 3 working days
  • 90% of interpreter jobs will be done by a NAATI accredited/recognised interpreter
Translating documents
  • 90% of fee-free translations will be processed within 20 working days of request
  • 95% of translating jobs will be done by a NAATI accredited/recognised translator

For more information
See: Fact Sheet 91 Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS)
Indigenous Australia You can find information about services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through the website of the Office of Indigenous Policy Coordination
See: OIPC website
Immigration Detention If you are detained, you can expect to be given information relating to your circumstances, personalised service which is lawful and humane, and to be kept informed about issues relevant to your detention.

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