LaurenCatriona
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Congratulations!! I'm so happy it finally came through for you and before your flight date!! I was going back through the pages there just to check if you'd updated!! Yay not long at all now until you finally get over!
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Hi everyone, thought I'd post a brief update and run down on what happened when we got our 309 visa! So since we had applied offshore on March 20th 2014 but moved back to Australia in October on a tourist visa, when we got the email saying the 309 visa was ready to have a decision made on 18/12/2014, we had to book our flights to Bali from Perth. We had until the date of his police clearances expiry to be back in Australia by. We booked the flights for Monday the 5th of January and then returned on Friday the 9th of January. We had to be out of Australia for at least three business days. On the Wednesday morning we got a phone call from the agent saying our email with the visa was waiting for us! So in total it took 9.5months to get, BUT the email saying it was waiting for a decision to be made came through at 8months 28days. We had to print off the email and visa letter and take it to the airport with us. When we arrived, he went through the machine passport control and then went to the man at the immigration desk and asked him to make sure he had entered on the 309 and not the tourist visa. So all went smoothly there Best of luck to everyone, the waiting is the most horrible part Lauren xx
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We finally got approval!! We got the email with the invitation for my partner to leave Australia as the visa is ready to be granted!! About time!! 8months and 28days!
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I just saw that you got yours!! congratulations!! I wish ours had come through too since we applied on the same date, I wonder why theres such a big difference Who was your CO?
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Congrats guys!!! Im so happy to see grants coming through. We are still waiting at 8 months and 28 days and are really hoping for it to be through before christmas!! Our case officer is KC and our agent says shes been out of the office. Does anyone else have KC? Any grants from her?
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Good luck!! Can't wait for that email, waiting is so hard! Hopefully it's really soon for both of us
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Great to see so many grants We applied on March 20th so I hope they start granting March soon!! We're so happy to be in Oz already on this tourist visa but my boyfriend is going crazy not working, plus he still has to fly out to Bali and it looks like that will be during schoolies now! I'm really hoping they do a load of grants before Christmas. We last heard about a week ago from the CO saying it will be closer to 9months now for London applications. Good luck to everyone waiting and congrats to you all who have had the golden email!! x
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Congratulations! Thanks for posting that bit of information there- my partner and I are flying to Perth on Tuesday next week and our migration agent really wasn't very clear on how things go when the visa is about to be granted. Have a safe flight back and enjoy your life in Australia!!
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Ahno that must be so hard to be away from him and your dogs Especially knowing he's there alone too! Sounds like a good plan to do the checks and medical in October. When we organised that 12 month tourist visa I was very wary of this bond that they said had to be paid but it was never once mentioned throughout the application and we had it granted within two days without any bond. The only fee we paid was the $AUD130 which is the set visa application fee. I don't know how much this bond option can vary in different circumstances. We sent an explanation with our tourist visa application and the letter from the case officer saying when the application for PMV was received and estimated to be due. We have to have bank statements with us when we arrive in case they ask to see any proof of finances and we have a folder with all our documentation in it regarding the visa applications for when we arrive. It's very normal for people to go over on tourist visas though so I think they just make it sounds a lot more complicated than it actually is. Looking for the working holiday sounds like a good idea for NZ. Best of luck with everything x
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Hi there MrsL! I'm sorry to hear that they told you to wait until February for getting the police checks and medical done.. In the long run though at least it is covering you so they won't expire (I had all mine done early and then the waiting times extended!). The waiting sucks! My partner and I have decided to go with the tourist visa in the meantime- I'm Australian and he is from the UK. We were originally looking at the three month one but instead were advised by a migration agent to go for the 12month tourist visa. It's a bit of a hassle as it's a whole application in itself but it's definitely worth it because it means he can stay there no worries until the partner visa comes through. We sent off copies (online) of the letter from the case officer saying when to expect the visa which for us will be 2-3 months after we arrive. The 12 month tourist visa just covers that extra ground and means you don't have to keep leaving. If they knock that one back though then at least you still have the 3 month one as an option. You have to keep your CO updated on any tourist visas and travelling to Australia- you're already aware that you can't be in the country when you get the partner visa granted but they do give you a full week of notice before it's granted so you have a bit of time to leave. You can't work on the tourist visa- so you will need proof of funds for financial support between you and your husband. You can still have medicare if you have a tax file number in Australia, but can't have contracts or study for more than three months. Hope that helps a bit Lauren x
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Thank you!!!!
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Hi, thanks for posting this and being so updated! Is it 100% that it doesn't affect those who already applied? I had a mini heart attack when I saw the processing times had changed!! I applied in March and am moving over with the tourist visa in October and was literally just choosing the flights when I saw this! Thanks again!!
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Hi Mark, Thanks so much for replying, that really helped take some of the worry away from going over on a one way ticket. Good luck with everything Lauren
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Congratulations! Would you mind if I asked a few questions about moving to Australia before the visa came through? We are looking at doing that in October which would be about the 7 month mark for us. Did you have any issues arriving on a tourist visa? Did you have a one way ticket or a return? And what did you put on your landing card? We were told booking a return ticket would mean no questions asked upon arrival but is it play to just book a one way ? Thanks. enjoy your trip to Bali!
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Hi and welcome We had to get an australian police check too but it was done so quickly and they posted it to us in Ireland too It only took two weeks for it to come through and cost about AUD$40 I think. You got your CO quick! We applied in March and it took 6 weeks! It was easy for us to get a medical booked in Dublin so I'd assume it'd be similar in London. There's a whole department for visa medicals and we had to wait two weeks for a free appointment. They had everyone at the same time though so it was first come first served. Our whole process including waiting as we got moved around was about two hours. If they did it all together it'd be quicker but we had someone in front of us, and each examination was done in different rooms and then we had to wait half an hour for an xray too. Just make sure you book at the panel approved ones on the list on the website What are your CO's initials, if you don't mind me asking?