Partner visa ...... Am I nearly there?

I lodged my partner visa in Jan 2016. In the last mo th I have been asked to attend my medical. Results all clear on immiaccount. I have been asked to submit my police check, again all clear. As I am Currently in Australia and I made an offshore application they have now sent me an email asking me to leave the country so a decision can be made on my visa. They state a decision will be made with 5 days. My worry is that they will still say no. I can't think of any reason why they should but can they just say no or do they have to give reasons and justice there decision? Would I have some idea at this late stage if they were going to say no. Ie. Would they be querying something or asking for more information? We have supplied everything they have asked for and included as much as possible on the immiaccount checklist.

Am am I just panicking now for nothing?

Many thanks

I'd think you are panicking for nothing. They'd typically only ask you to fly out of the country so they can grant the visa. You could be anywhere (e.g. in Australia) if they were deciding to refuse the application.

If you applied off shore you cannot be on shore in Australia when it is granted. Its pretty simple you have to be off shore for an actual grant on the 309.

In the past they've instructed people on shore with an off shore application to arrange to go off shore for X amount of time so they can actually grant the visa, this is the first time I can recall reading a decision will be made during 5 days off shore. It might be you have a new CO or they are wording the grant process slightly differently now but I think you are probably worrying overly. Honestly, either way, you have to go off shore so book the trip and go.

I lodged my partner visa in Jan 2016. In the last mo th I have been asked to attend my medical. Results all clear on immiaccount. I have been asked to submit my police check, again all clear. As I am Currently in Australia and I made an offshore application they have now sent me an email asking me to leave the country so a decision can be made on my visa. They state a decision will be made with 5 days. My worry is that they will still say no. I can't think of any reason why they should but can they just say no or do they have to give reasons and justice there decision? Would I have some idea at this late stage if they were going to say no. Ie. Would they be querying something or asking for more information? We have supplied everything they have asked for and included as much as possible on the immiaccount checklist.

 

Am am I just panicking now for nothing?

 

Many thanks

Yup. Panicking for nothing. They don't send people offshore so they can decline a visa. They want you offshore so they can grant it. Congratulations on your visa.

Yup. Panicking for nothing. They don't send people offshore so they can decline a visa. They want you offshore so they can grant it. Congratulations on your visa.

Thank you... Maybe it's going to be a happy new year after all!

Thank you

Many thanks. I have booked my flight. I have tried to copy and paste the relevant paragraph regarding timescales but I can't. It actually says that you should remain outside of Australia for at least 5 working days in order to give us enough time to finalise arrangements. It also says, please note a round trip cruise does not constitute as offshore movement.

O then you are getting the blurb that others get.

Yes, supposed to be off shore for X amount of days. They can't grant it when you are in Aus so you have to go to a different country. I know some people head to Bail or Thailand. One person I know went to NZ to see a friend. Send them your flight info and departure info etc once its all booked.

When you enter back into Aus after its granted, ensure you get a stamp in your passport at immigration. Visas are all electronic these days but getting the stamp in the passport is sensible. Then you can officially show when you arrived in Aus to start your 309. IIRC they had my info in the system at immigration and I was asked to go to a desk where another partner was also checked and had their passport stamped. I could see all my visa info on screen, the flight details and stuff. And I didn't notify my CO of the flight info as mine was granted off shore and my first entry into Aus was no a re entry IYKWIM as I hadn't waited out the grant time on shore. Also print off a full copy of your visa grant letter including the banner header and the CO signature and name. This will be needed to sign up for Medicare (if you don't have it already). They like to see the full grant letter, not just the page with the grant number and stuff.

O then you are getting the blurb that others get.

 

Yes, supposed to be off shore for X amount of days. They can't grant it when you are in Aus so you have to go to a different country. I know some people head to Bail or Thailand. One person I know went to NZ to see a friend. Send them your flight info and departure info etc once its all booked.

 

When you enter back into Aus after its granted, ensure you get a stamp in your passport at immigration. Visas are all electronic these days but getting the stamp in the passport is sensible. Then you can officially show when you arrived in Aus to start your 309. IIRC they had my info in the system at immigration and I was asked to go to a desk where another partner was also checked and had their passport stamped. I could see all my visa info on screen, the flight details and stuff. And I didn't notify my CO of the flight info as mine was granted off shore and my first entry into Aus was no a re entry IYKWIM as I hadn't waited out the grant time on shore. Also print off a full copy of your visa grant letter including the banner header and the CO signature and name. This will be needed to sign up for Medicare (if you don't have it already). They like to see the full grant letter, not just the page with the grant number and stuff.

Thanks for all the info. I am flying back to the UK and will be out of Australia for a few weeks at least sorting stuff out. I think I read somewhere that immigration will also give me timescales by which I have to return to Oz, but that shouldn't be a problem.

Could you clarify something for me please? Am I correct I thinking that when/if I am granted my partner visa I have to get married within 9 months? I have read this somewhere! Does the 9 months start from the date they write to me to say they have granted it or the date I enter back into Australia ? Many thanks

Could you clarify something for me please? Am I correct I thinking that when/if I am granted my partner visa I have to get married within 9 months? I have read this somewhere! Does the 9 months start from the date they write to me to say they have granted it or the date I enter back into Australia ? Many thanks

That is the PMV, not the partner visa. I think you are confusing them. If you've applied for the prospective marriage visa then that is a whole other thing.

If you applied for the partner visa you have no need to marry at any point unless you wish to. You can remain not married if you prefer.

That is the PMV, not the partner visa. I think you are confusing them. If you've applied for the prospective marriage visa then that is a whole other thing.

 

If you applied for the partner visa you have no need to marry at any point unless you wish to. You can remain not married if you prefer.

Sorry. I seem to have got very confused!!i its a prospective marriage visa that I have applied for subclass 300.

OK, you've been calling it a partner visa and it definitely isn't that if its the 300.

You really need to read and understand this visa fully yourself. There is a partner visa booklet that contains info on it all and also this page https://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Visa-1/300- I think its important people read all the info surrounding their visa and get familiar with the pages, the info etc so they can find things in future if needed.

Ensure you read all the links from that page and that you understand them.

And yes, on a PMV you will have a set amount of time in which to marry once you are granted this visa and enter back into Australia. You will then need to submit your application for a partner visa once married.

https://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Visa-1/801-

Be aware you will be on a temp partner visa and then the PR stage follows a couple of years down the line if you are still together and meet the visa requirements etc.

The PMV is good for 9 months only. You will have 9 months to:

1) Enter Australia

2) Get married (can be in Australia or overseas, but you must enter Australia before you get married)

3) Lodge your 820/801 application

Once you lodge the 820/801 application, you will be granted a bridging visa A. The BVA will take effect once the PMV expires, and will let you remain in Australia while the 820 is processed. 2 years after you lodge the 820/801 application, you will be asked to send in more recent evidence of your relationship so you can be granted the 801 visa.

On a s300 Prospective Marriage Visa, you have up to 9 months to enter Australia and get married. However, your police checks and medicals are valid for only 12 months, so if they were obtained more than 3 months before the grant of the visa, the time to enter and get married will be shorter - dated to 12 months after the earlier of the police check and the medical. It is sensible to get married at least a month before the last possible date as it allows for time to get the marriage certificate (can take a couple of weeks after the wedding), statements and fill in the new form.Plus it gives you leeway of you get ill and have to postpone the marriage. And finally, don't book an overseas honeymoon that would have you overseas when the PMV ends.

On a s300 Prospective Marriage Visa, you have up to 9 months to enter Australia and get married. However, your police checks and medicals are valid for only 12 months, so if they were obtained more than 3 months before the grant of the visa, the time to enter and get married will be shorter - dated to 12 months after the earlier of the police check and the medical. It is sensible to get married at least a month before the last possible date as it allows for time to get the marriage certificate (can take a couple of weeks after the wedding), statements and fill in the new form.Plus it gives you leeway of you get ill and have to postpone the marriage. And finally, don't book an overseas honeymoon that would have you overseas when the PMV ends.

Even if the initial entry date is earlier due to an older health/police check, the PMV is still valid for 9 months. So it still gives a full 9 months to get married and apply for the 820 visa.