There are many variables which affect the length that visas of the same class will take to be processed by the DIBP. Individual applications are allocated to different case officers, some of whom may have light caseloads and some of whom may have much heavier caseloads. Within the broad guidelines, each case officer assesses those application/s in their own way, using the discretion they have under the Migration Act – and specifically to evaluate compliance with the criteria contained within the regulations. Some case officers only work part time, some take longer than others, some are more thorough and obviously each applicant’s circumstances and documents are different etc. Your evidence may need to be verified by overseas agencies, which could be another impediment. There are no standard processing times (although there are processing time guidelines), and accordingly your colleague may have just been lucky that his application was approved prior to yours.
Please ensure you don’t “push” the Department with requests to “speed up” an application unless the application time has exceeded the regulated processing guidelines, as this will aggravate and could jeopardise a positive approval.
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