SUMMARY: Spouse Visa Processing times OFFSHORE-UK. Please add your Stats.

[Sparklesocks]

Thanks everyone!

We were totally shocked to get it this early to be honest!
We used an agent and I deeply wish we hadn't, as they didn't add anything to the whole process.... after reading the forums on here we decided to send him a chasing email to see where things were and it was after that he replied saying its granted!
We got the usual 5-6 months turnaround from them at the start but what they did make us do was submit everything in one go, police check, medical, forms, stat decs, the whole file was submitted and received in Dec.

XxX

[belaroy]

Hi,
Kind of new here and I expect this has been answered a few times now but quite frankly I find the idea of searching through 330 pages a little tedious !!

I am an Aussie who moved to the UK in 2000 after meeting my English (now ) Wife. We married in 2004, we have 2 kids 4 and 1. I know the kids are entitled to an Aussie passport and my Wife can apply for a spouse visa whilst offshore. I do not forsee any issues with having one granted (fingers crossed)
My question is - is it best to get the medicals and Police checks done first and send them off with the initial application?? or wait till we are asked for them... I kind of figure send them off in the first place to save some time ( not that we are in a great rush). Also should we get the kids their passporrts before we send the wifes application off to put some more weight to hers.
Lastly for the moment is there a timescale on the spouse visa where it must be activated in a set time ?? We have a house to sell and all the rest that everyone else has to do before we can set a date to leave etc.

any help would be appreciated.

[Roary]

Yes, you can go ahead and do police checks and medicals ASAP. They only say not to start them because they don't want you to spend the money if they don't think you'll get the visa. As you've been married 4 years and have kids this will be no problem. Some countries have police checks that take ages (I had to get a Canadian one done a few years back that took 4 months so you want to start early!). THat said, I have had it confirmed from AH that your application enters the queue from the date it is received, even if it comes without medical/police.

If time is of the essence send off for the police checks and book medical first of all, then do the application, and submit ASAP, the other bits can follow. If you have a bit more time you can get it all together and send it of

[Peach]

If you're waiting for your house to sell, I would hold off on getting your medicals and police checks until the Case Officer asks for them. Getting them sooner minimises the time you have to activate your visa - which could mean you need to make an extra trip to Australia before your house sells.

[Eragwyn]

Firstly congratulations! Try not to allow the worry of this process spoil a very special time for you both. Are you and your partner separated whilst you wait for you visa? I'm sure you'll hear at the end of the week re a CO. I assume you let them know about your pregnancy? Might be worth a follow up email when you find out who is procesing you just to reiterate the fact and confirm your due dates etc.

My partner and I have a 7 month old so we're hoping they're more sympathetic to those with children who are separated from one or other parent too.

Good luck and enjoy the next 3 months - they're definitely the best time in pregnancy!

Thanks, we got our CO email today, they have requested he get the medical asap and we also found out he needs an Aussie police clearance as well due to being there for 12 months until October last year (thats 15 working days from when we get it to Canberra). Unfortunately we didn't see that on the original documentation.

We are very lucky that I have been able to secure a working visa and am waiting with him in the UK until he either gets the visa or the last date that I can fly...which is the 20th August...getting very close! We are loving the closeness that this has brought, and the CO knows about it...we included a few photos of our 12 week scan in the application itself.

We hope that everything gets us home to Australia in time for me to have the baby there!

[Eragwyn]

Congrats both on the baby and the visa application being submitted, both great and life changing events! Unfortunately having young children or being pregnant is unlikely to be grounds for a faster visa grant timeframe. I'm also pregnant (20weeks, yay!) and separated from my OH while his visa is being processed.

From my experience we just accepted it was 5 months and have been focusing on the pregnancy, our goals for the future in Aus together and we're both working hard to save money for the little one! Time does go faster focusing on the positive rather than how long the visa is taking (although there are always difficult times).

Good luck and enjoy this special time xx

Thank you, and congratulations to you as well! Sorry to hear that you have been seperated whilst waiting for his visa, we are lucky enough that I will be here until about 20th August whilst we wait. I am due 29th September, so fingers crossed that we will be well on our way by then (thats over 6 months from date of application).

Everything we are working for here revolves around us getting his Australian visa, we will be gutted if things don't go our way, not just for us, but for our baby, and I don't really want to raise my lil Aussie here in the UK (not a slag on the UK, just want to be home!).
We are just assuming it will be 5-6 months, which takes us until 4th September, which will be okay - and even better if earlier!!! We are mainly focusing on saving money whilst I can still work (4 months to go!) and whilst we should be saving for the baby, we have a wedding in March to pay for before anything else.

Thank you for your kind words, and I hope that his visa comes through so that you can be together when your bub is born. Where in Australia will you be based?

[mjandmum]

Hi,
Kind of new here and I expect this has been answered a few times now but quite frankly I find the idea of searching through 330 pages a little tedious !!

I am an Aussie who moved to the UK in 2000 after meeting my English (now ) Wife. We married in 2004, we have 2 kids 4 and 1. I know the kids are entitled to an Aussie passport and my Wife can apply for a spouse visa whilst offshore. I do not forsee any issues with having one granted (fingers crossed)
My question is - is it best to get the medicals and Police checks done first and send them off with the initial application?? or wait till we are asked for them... I kind of figure send them off in the first place to save some time ( not that we are in a great rush). Also should we get the kids their passporrts before we send the wifes application off to put some more weight to hers.
Lastly for the moment is there a timescale on the spouse visa where it must be activated in a set time ?? We have a house to sell and all the rest that everyone else has to do before we can set a date to leave etc.

any help would be appreciated.

Hi Belaroy

Best to get the kids their Aussie passports before you do the application else you'll have to include them on it. It really doesnt take that long to turn them around. My son's was done in less than a week when I was still in Oz but I cant imagine it would be too much longer from here. Once you have them all you have to do is add a certified copy to your wife's application.

[jomac]

Also should we get the kids their passporrts before we send the wifes application off to put some more weight to hers.


any help would be appreciated.

Hello,
I have recently submitted my application for spouse visa, and my CO wrote back to say that they will not continue with my application unless our daughter has been registered as Australian by descent, or we have an Aussie passport for her, so probably best to get those for your kids before you apply. Apparently it only takes a short time.

Jo :)

[Chimpy chops]

Thanks everyone!

We were totally shocked to get it this early to be honest!
We used an agent and I deeply wish we hadn't, as they didn't add anything to the whole process.... after reading the forums on here we decided to send him a chasing email to see where things were and it was after that he replied saying its granted!
We got the usual 5-6 months turnaround from them at the start but what they did make us do was submit everything in one go, police check, medical, forms, stat decs, the whole file was submitted and received in Dec.

XxX

Congratulations Sparklesocks!
We have the same CO This gives us hope that we also might get an early grant... fingers crossed!! My Partner and I have lived apart since April 2010, it's so hard just waiting and waiting! Thank god for Skype ;)

We haven't got an agent like you have, we just got everything together and sent it off. I wonder if it makes a difference either way? I called our CO (Maria) a few nights ago to see if she could give us a date for the grant. She said it would probably be the 5-6 month wait like everyone else. Hmmmm :(

[Guest31881]

Hi,

if you wish to mention a case officer please only use their initials and not their full name. I have edited a couple of posts to remove the full name. Please respect the case officers privacy as the email and information is private to you.

Thanks ....