Embassies and consulates · Australia
Sydney: U.S. visa waits, scheduling and visas issued
As of September 17, 2026, the State Department lists a wait of 15 days for student visa appointments and 21 months for visitor visas at Sydney. 0 of 186 posts list a shorter student wait.
Source: U.S. Department of State: Global Visa Wait Times · Published 2026-09-17 · Retrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2026-09-17
By visa type
Student and exchange visas
15 days wait
3,231 issued in the past 12 months
Details →
Visitor visas
21 months wait
14,324 issued in the past 12 months
Details →
Temporary work visas
15 days wait
2,168 issued in the past 12 months
Details →
Immigrant visas
Scheduling Apr 2026
1,169 issued in the past 12 months
Details →
Appointment waits at Sydney
The State Department lists how long applicants at each post wait for an interview, in months. It published these figures for Sydney on September 17, 2026.
| Visa class | Sydney | Median post | Posts with a shorter wait |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visitor (B-1/B-2), next available | 21 months | 1 month | 186 of 187 |
| Visitor (B-1/B-2), average wait | 4 months | 5.75 months | 12 of 38 |
| Student and exchange (F, M, J) | 15 days | 15 days | 0 of 186 |
| Petition-based work (H, L, O, P, Q) | 15 days | 15 days | 0 of 184 |
| Crew and transit (C, D, C1/D) | 1 month | 15 days | 117 of 174 |
Source: U.S. Department of State: Global Visa Wait Times · Published 2026-09-17 · Retrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2026-09-17
Sydney student wait over time
Sydney has ranged same day to 5 months across 24 months on record, so treat today's figure as a snapshot rather than a guarantee. The median over that time was 27.450000000000003 days.
Source: U.S. Department of State: Global Visa Wait Times · Published 2026-09-17 · Retrieved 2026-09-17 · Coverage 2022-11/2026-09
Immigrant visa interview scheduling at Sydney
In its October 7, 2026 update, the State Department listed the month a case had to become documentarily complete for the National Visa Center (NVC) to be scheduling its interview at Sydney.
Immediate relative
April 2026
6 months behind
Family-sponsored preference
October 2026
update month
Employment-based preference
January 2026
9 months behind
Source: U.S. Department of State: IV Scheduling Status Tool · Published 2026-10-07 · Retrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2026-10-07
Earlier scheduling months at Sydney →Visas issued at Sydney
The State Department reports how many visas each post issues every month. These counts are where visas were issued, not the nationality of the people who received them.
Nonimmigrant visas, February 2026
1,903
49% fewer than February 2025 (3,739). 29,766 over the past 12 months (sum of monthly reports, not an official total).
Immigrant visas, February 2026
36
57% fewer than February 2025 (83). 1,169 over the past 12 months (sum of monthly reports, not an official total).
Sources: U.S. Department of State: Monthly Immigrant Visa Issuances and U.S. Department of State: Monthly Nonimmigrant Visa Issuances · Retrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2022-10/2026-02
Every visa class issued at Sydney →Visitor visa refusal rate for Australia nationals
The State Department publishes refusal rates by nationality, counting applicants at every post, not by post. A refusal is what applicants usually call a visa rejection. This is the rate for nationals of Australia wherever they applied, not a rate for Sydney.
Adjusted B visa refusal rate, FY2025
22.93%
Ranks 120 of 199 nationalities, highest first.
How the rate is calculated →Source: U.S. Department of State: Adjusted Refusal Rate, B-Visas by Nationality · Retrieved 2026-07-24 · Coverage FY2025
Get an email when Sydney changes
Visitor (B-1/B-2), next available: 21 months now
We email you once each time the State Department publishes a different figure. Every email has an unsubscribe link.
Other U.S. posts in Australia
Where these figures come from
- U.S. Visa Appointment Wait Times by EmbassyPublished 2026-09-17 · Retrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2026-09-17
- U.S. Student Visa Appointment Wait Times Over TimePublished 2026-09-17 · Retrieved 2026-09-17 · Coverage 2022-11/2026-09
- U.S. Immigrant Visa Interview Scheduling by EmbassyPublished 2026-10-07 · Retrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2026-10-07
- U.S. Visa Issuances by Post, MonthlyRetrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2022-10/2026-02
- U.S. Nonimmigrant Visa Refusal Rates by NationalityRetrieved 2026-07-24 · Coverage FY2025
The State Department publishes each of these separately, on its own schedule. We show each one with its own date and never add figures from one to another.