Australia’s partner visa backlog: Higher fees, longer waits leave applicant ‘mentally broken’

For migrant families, partner visa delays can mean spending longer apart. More than 68,000 partner visa applications were lodged in 2024, while fees have risen 25 per cent to $11,710. Updated processing guidance could also mean lower priority for some applications when the primary applicant is outside Australia. SBS Hindi speaks to an applicant waiting to reunite with his wife and a family…