What Happens After You Lodge a Subclass 858 Application in 2026?

No progress updates after lodging Subclass 858: what the Department does next, how requests appear in ImmiAccount, and when a decision can be made.

Published: 8 October 2026

After you lodge a National Innovation visa (Subclass 858) application, the Department of Home Affairs confirms it has received the application and then effectively goes quiet: it does not provide progress updates, and it is not obliged to ask you for anything further before deciding. According to the Department of Home Affairs "National Innovation visa (Subclass 858)" official page, as at August 2026, your part in this stage is to watch ImmiAccount for requests, keep your details accurate, and stay lawful until the written decision arrives. What follows is general information about how that stage is set up, not advice on any individual case, so confirm details against the Department's current guidance before acting on them.

What does the Department tell you first?

It tells you when it receives your application. That acknowledgement is the routine contact.

After that, there is no scheduled update cycle. The Department's position is that you should wait to be contacted, rather than expect a sequence of notifications as the file moves along.

Will you get progress updates while you wait?

No. The Department states that it does not give updates on applications.

There is no queue position, no status label to interpret, and no indication of how far along the assessment is. Silence is not a signal in either direction — it does not mean the application is progressing well, and it does not mean anything has gone wrong.

Can the Department decide without asking for more documents?

Yes. This is the part that catches applicants out.

The Department says it might ask you to submit more information, but it is not obliged to do so and may decide the application without requesting further documents. If you did not send everything at lodgement, you can still attach documents in ImmiAccount — but you should not assume a gap will generate a request.

The practical consequence is that the material lodged with the application carries most of the weight. Treat the original upload as the main opportunity to put your record of achievement, identity, character and relationship evidence in front of the decision maker.

Where do requests for more information appear?

They appear in ImmiAccount. The Department directs applicants to check ImmiAccount for any request for more information.

So the self-check habit matters: log in regularly, review the application's document list, and act quickly on anything listed there. Requests are not something you wait to be told about by other means.

Stage	What the Department does	What you need to do
Receipt	Tells you it has received the application	Note the transaction reference number and keep your login working
Further information	May request more documents, but is not obliged to	Check ImmiAccount regularly and attach documents promptly
Health exams	Sends a request if you did not complete them before applying	Wait for the request before booking
Biometrics	Tells you if biometrics are required	Respond once asked
Decision	Writes to you with the outcome	Keep a copy of the decision

When do health exams and biometrics come in?

You and any family members who apply with you must meet the health requirement. If you did not complete health examinations before applying, the instruction is to wait for a request from the Department before completing them — booking ahead of a request is not the process described.

For biometrics, the Department says it will let you know if you need to give them.

If you are delayed in obtaining police or other character documents, the Department's guidance is to upload evidence of your attempts to obtain them to ImmiAccount, so the delay is visible on the file.

Can you travel outside Australia while it is being decided?

You do not have to tell the Department that you intend to travel while the application is being processed.

The constraint is about the moment of decision: to be granted the visa, you must be either in Australia or outside Australia, but not in immigration clearance, when the decision is made. If you leave Australia, make sure you hold a valid visa to return, and check your visa conditions and travel facility through VEVO before booking.

Do you need to stay lawful in Australia while you wait?

Yes, if you applied in Australia. You must hold a valid visa while the application is processed.

When you applied, the Department may have granted you a Bridging visa. If your current visa expires before the decision, that Bridging visa comes into effect and lets you remain in Australia while the new application is processed. The Department also warns against asking it to cancel your current visa: if it is cancelled, you would be in Australia as an unlawful non-citizen and may not be eligible for a Bridging visa A.

What if something changes, or you spot a mistake?

For a mistake in what you submitted, the Department's instruction is to let it know as soon as you can by attaching a completed Form 1023 Notification of incorrect answer(s) to ImmiAccount.

For events after lodgement but before the decision, you need to tell the Department about:

changes to your phone number, email, address or passport
changes to your marital or de facto status
the birth of a child
wanting to withdraw your application.

Family members can be added after lodgement but before the decision, using Form 1436 — Adding an additional applicant after lodgement in ImmiAccount. If you are under 18, you can only include members of the family unit at the time you apply. If a child is born after you apply, there is separate guidance on that situation.

If you want to change who receives your correspondence or who provides immigration assistance, that is done through Form 956A or Form 956, uploaded to ImmiAccount.

What does the decision look like?

The Department will let you know the decision in writing.

If the visa is granted, the notice tells you your visa grant number, the date the visa starts, and any visa conditions that apply. Keep a copy of the decision.

If the visa is refused, the notice tells you why it was refused and whether you have a right to a review of that decision. The Department does not refund the application charge if the application is refused.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Department give progress updates after I lodge a Subclass 858 application?

No. The Department states that it does not give updates on applications and that you should wait to be contacted. Silence is routine, not a signal that anything has gone wrong or right.

Can my 858 application be decided without the Department asking for more documents?

Yes. The Department may ask for more information, but it is not obliged to and may decide the application without requesting further documents. This is why the documents lodged with the application matter so much.

How do I find out whether the Department has asked for more information?

Check ImmiAccount. The Department directs applicants to check ImmiAccount for requests for more information, and documents you did not send at lodgement can also be attached there.

Should I book my health examinations as soon as I lodge?

Not unless you had already completed them. If you did not complete health examinations before applying, the Department asks you to wait for a request from it before completing them.

Can I travel overseas while my application is being decided?

You do not have to notify the Department of travel. To be granted the visa, you must be in Australia or outside Australia — but not in immigration clearance — when the decision is made, and you need a valid visa to return if you leave.

What should I do if I made a mistake on my application after lodging?

Tell the Department as soon as you can by attaching a completed Form 1023 Notification of incorrect answer(s) to your ImmiAccount. Changes that occur after lodgement, such as a new passport, a change in marital status, or the birth of a child, are notified separately as a change in your situation.

Is the application charge refunded if my application is refused?

No. The Department states that it will not refund the application charge if the application is refused. The refusal notice will also tell you whether you have a right to a review of the decision.