I was contacted by my case officer last May for my police clearance and medical. I submitted the requirements last June. But still now nothing has been granted for my visa.

Right now, they moved the processing in Fiji not in Auckland anymore.

This visa is meant for an eligible member of New Zealand citizen who is not a New Zealand citizen but is either; the main applicant’s spouse or de facto partner, or the main applicant’s child, or their partner’s child, who is not engaged, married or in a de facto relationship and is aged under 18 years. If at the time of lodging the application, the applicant is onshore he/she needs to have a substantive visa. If he/she does not hold a substantive visa, he/she will need to show that this was beyond his/her control. If the applicant is offshore, he/she is able to apply for the subclass 461 without needing to hold another type of visa first. Applicants for this visa must meet character and health requirements among others. With this visa once approved, the applicant can live, work and study in Australia for five (5) years from the date of grant of visa, travel to and from Australia as many times as they like while the visa is valid, and include members of their family unit in their application. This visa can be re-applied if the applicant wishes to stay longer in Australia.

Australian Sub Class 461 Visas are taking more than six months for processing.
With the current 461 processing times ballooning past the six-month mark at the Auckland office, I thought it was about time that I wrote something about the issue.

For those who don’t already know, Subclass 461 Member of a New Zealand citizen’s Family Unit (MoFU) is one of the more simple temporary resident visas that Australia has to offer in their vast array of visa products. It allows a non-NZ citizen who is a MoFU of a New Zealand citizen to obtain a five year, multiple travel visa that has open work rights. Among other criteria, such as health and character, the NZ citizen must be eligible for a Special Category Visa (SCV) subclass 444 so they cannot be considered Behaviour Concern Non-Citizen (BCNC) or Health Concern Non-Citizen (HCNC).

Has anyone tried calling Immigration about processing times? I’m currently into month 24 and at my wits end.

it would appear that this is another visa not currently being processed.
on the official page "https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/new-zealand-citizen-family-relationship-temporary-461"
it says
75% of applications: Processing times are not available
90% of applications: Processing times are not available

Just called immigration to enquire about wether it is being processed or not. Very unhelpful. Basically told me I just have to wait.

Why is it that this visa is the only one where you can’t apply online? And other visas are being processed?

Very frustrating given that Australia and New Zealand are supposed to have such a close relationship

The special relationship is only between Australian and New Zealand Citizens. Even permanent residents of New Zealand require a visa to come to Australia.
As for other visas being approved, the only ones I have seen approved recently are partner visas for Australian Citizens and Permanent residents, and they seem to be in no hurry to issue them.
Even Prospective Marriage visas for Australian Citizens and Permanent residents are not being processed.
Everyone just has to wait, unfortunately I can't see things improving in a hurry.

Hey everyone

If anyone is looking at timelines, I applied in November 2017 and have just finally received contact this week asking for more information.

It’s been about 36 months of waiting

I applied 39 months ago and just last week got an email with a query. First email since I applied apart from bridging visa grants

Applied July 2018 and finally got an email asking for updated police checks etc. hopefully approval is around the corner