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

@jacquiandpaul - nope, no contact at all. No change on our immi account either. I assume our application is straightforward, I am Australian, my husband is the applicant, he’s British. We’ve been together 12 years, married for 6, 2 kids (both Australian citizens by descent and have Australian passports). We applied on August 21^st, online application from UK. I have to admit I was quite worried something was wrong with our application, as others were getting grants around the 5 month mark. But I wouldn't worry, others are getting emails and they've applied after us.

@hayleykj - thank you! I guess it will take as long as it takes. I just need to stop worrying!

@jacquiandpaul - nope, no contact at all. No change on our immi account either. I assume our application is straightforward, I am Australian, my husband is the applicant, he’s British. We’ve been together 12 years, married for 6, 2 kids (both Australian citizens by descent and have Australian passports). We applied on August 21^st, online application from UK. I have to admit I was quite worried something was wrong with our application, as others were getting grants around the 5 month mark. But I wouldn't worry, others are getting emails and they've applied after us.

@hayleykj - thank you! I guess it will take as long as it takes. I just need to stop worrying!

Ashabree, we are in a similar situation. I'm Australian, Bee with husband for 15 years, married 10 with 2 kids that are citizens by descent and have their passports. I called last week and they said we did have a C/O and they would be in contact soon to arrange medical and police check.

I get so worried about it all, I don't think about anything else. We have so much to do and we want to be leaving early September so we don't have to out the kids back in school. And really want them to do the last term in October in Australia.

Hopefully you will hear something soon. X

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Thank you @jacquiandpaul - I will keep you updated. I guess we're not in a huge hurry, as we wanted to get our daughter through her first year of school. We sold our house in November and are living with my in-laws with all our stuff in storage ready to go on the ship. Hopefully we'll all have good news very soon.

Thank you @jacquiandpaul - I will keep you updated. I guess we're not in a huge hurry, as we wanted to get our daughter through her first year of school. We sold our house in November and are living with my in-laws with all our stuff in storage ready to go on the ship. Hopefully we'll all have good news very soon.

Ahhh I hope you do. I'm sure it will be soon. Good news on the house sale. My husband won't put it up for sale till the visa is granted, very annoying. Lol. What part are you moving to? We are moving to Noosa on the Sunshine Coast.

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Ahhh I hope you do. I'm sure it will be soon. Good news on the house sale. My husband won't put it up for sale till the visa is granted, very annoying. Lol. What part are you moving to? We are moving to Noosa on the Sunshine Coast.

 

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Don't envy you guys- all I really have to do is cancel my gym membership! Everyone seems to be heading to QLD. I'll be down in Jervis Bay, NSW if anybody needs me haha!

Ahhh I hope you do. I'm sure it will be soon. Good news on the house sale. My husband won't put it up for sale till the visa is granted, very annoying. Lol. What part are you moving to? We are moving to Noosa on the Sunshine Coast.

 

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Hi – we had some issues selling our house (two sales fell through post-Brexit), and once we got our third buyer it took 3 months for the sale to complete (even with no chain our end). Is there a good sales market in your area?

We are off to Melbourne. It’s where I grew up, so I’ll be going home. Feels a bit strange to say after 13 years! Noosa is gorgeous - we will definitely be there for holidays! You will love living in paradise.

Don't envy you guys- all I really have to do is cancel my gym membership! Everyone seems to be heading to QLD. I'll be down in Jervis Bay, NSW if anybody needs me haha!

Omg that would be bliss. I am currently de cluttering the house. Painting starts this weekend. We have removal companies coming on Tuesday to give us quotes. Jervis Bay looks lovely.

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Don't envy you guys- all I really have to do is cancel my gym membership! Everyone seems to be heading to QLD. I'll be down in Jervis Bay, NSW if anybody needs me haha!

Jervis Bay is gorgeous too. I have a friend who lives there. You lucky thing!

Hi – we had some issues selling our house (two sales fell through post-Brexit), and once we got our third buyer it took 3 months for the sale to complete (even with no chain our end). Is there a good sales market in your area?

 

We are off to Melbourne. It’s where I grew up, so I’ll be going home. Feels a bit strange to say after 13 years! Noosa is gorgeous - we will definitely be there for holidays! You will love living in paradise.

What a nightmare for the house, but glad it is sold for you. Tbh, there is nothing to do in our house, so hope it will sell quick.

I get up in Brisbane but my family now live in Noosa, we went on holiday there every year, we were back last year and it felt like home, I cried for 3 hours on the plane leaving, lol. Can't wait to get back.

Never been to Melbourne but we will go.

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Hi @carahunter4, do keep positive - there's been a lot of good news on the forum! You are right, we've not had a request for medical or police check yet. I got worried our application had fallen by the wayside, so I called them on Monday. They told me we did, in fact, have a case officer and that there were no documents outstanding, but that was it. It will be 5 months for us on Saturday, so my husband has booked his medical for next week. Even if we have to wait 14 months, we are in the 'safe zone' to activate the visa now, so we figured we'd just run with it. Hopefully it helps. It's a bit disconcerting that there are others getting approved in the time we've been waiting for contact, but, I guess that's our lot! I will keep you updated when we get any more news.

Thanks, I'm sure you'll hear very soon. I've mostly been pretty chilled about it all but I guess there's just that niggling doubt that I might not get the visa for some reason so just want peace of mind! This thread is great, its nice to see peoples updates and know roughly the time things are taking.

ps we're going to the Gold Coast as long as hubby can get work there. So exciting! It's all an emotional roller coaster isn't it!

Thanks, I'm sure you'll hear very soon. I've mostly been pretty chilled about it all but I guess there's just that niggling doubt that I might not get the visa for some reason so just want peace of mind! This thread is great, its nice to see peoples updates and know roughly the time things are taking.

I'm in the same boat. I just think what if they refused?! I dunno why they would but I just wanna know

Let me get this right, Ashabree you applied mid August and are yet to have even a request for your medical?

Let me get this right, Ashabree you applied mid August and are yet to have even a request for your medical?

Hi @Uhtred, yes, you got it right. We applied 21st August and have had no contact whatsoever. I called on Monday and was told we did have a case officer, and that no additional information was currently being requested (including the medical and police check). @koalakate applied 18^th August and I think she’s had contact from her case officer, not sure if she’s had a request for medical yet though.

Hi @Uhtred, yes, you got it right. We applied 21st August and have had no contact whatsoever. I called on Monday and was told we did have a case officer, and that no additional information was currently being requested (including the medical and police check). @koalakate applied 18^th August and I think she’s had contact from her case officer, not sure if she’s had a request for medical yet though.

Did they let you know who your CO is?

I applied 13th September but front loaded by application. Have been told I have a CO top but no contact whatsoever - am over 4 months now.

I did see someone the other get their medical request at the 5 month mark and then visa issued a month after....6 months in total.

Did they let you know who your CO is?

 

I applied 13th September but front loaded by application. Have been told I have a CO top but no contact whatsoever - am over 4 months now.

 

I did see someone the other get their medical request at the 5 month mark and then visa issued a month after....6 months in total.

I am hoping it will be like that for us too. My husband has booked his medical for next week anyway, just so we have it done. And no, they didn't let me know who the CO was. I didnt want to push it, as I was worried about rocking the boat!

I am hoping it will be like that for us too. My husband has booked his medical for next week anyway, just so we have it done. And no, they didn't let me know who the CO was. I didnt want to push it, as I was worried about rocking the boat!

Ahhh they just told me when I asked if I had one - was quite open about telling me her name.

It's so strange that my email today from them said applications are processed in order yet people who have applied after you have had their requests and you haven't. Any issues you think with your background which may be causing delays?

Either way the wait is agonising isn't it - I'm starting to struggle now. Keep thinking applying 8 weeks after all these July 5 monthers and I'll be waiting like 10+.

Ahhh they just told me when I asked if I had one - was quite open about telling me her name.

 

It's so strange that my email today from them said applications are processed in order yet people who have applied after you have had their requests and you haven't. Any issues you think with your background which may be causing delays?

 

Either way the wait is agonising isn't it - I'm starting to struggle now. Keep thinking applying 8 weeks after all these July 5 monthers and I'll be waiting like 10+.

I didn't think there would be any problems. I thought it would be a pretty clear cut case, so I can't really explain it. The lady in the phone didn't give me any indication there was anything wrong. She didnt really give me much though. And yes, it's totally agonising.

FWIW its perfectly normal to not hear anything from a CO or to know who you may have. Some people don't hear anything until their visa is ready to grant. If your CO requires more information from you, they will get in touch to ask for it. Once your visa is lodged you are in the queue and it will move along as it needs to. I know its not easy but you do need to remember they have not reduced the official wait time on off shore from London and while some people do get processed quicker, others may end up taking longer.

FWIW its perfectly normal to not hear anything from a CO or to know who you may have. Some people don't hear anything until their visa is ready to grant. If your CO requires more information from you, they will get in touch to ask for it. Once your visa is lodged you are in the queue and it will move along as it needs to. I know its not easy but you do need to remember they have not reduced the official wait time on off shore from London and while some people do get processed quicker, others may end up taking longer.

Thank you @snifter, you are right. It's just hard when you see others progressing ahead of you. You wouldn't get a visa grant without a medical or police check though, would you?

Thank you @snifter, you are right. It's just hard when you see others progressing ahead of you. You wouldn't get a visa grant without a medical or police check though, would you?

No you would not.

This is is why I say, even though it's hard, don't put too much into when others get grants in relation to your own visa. Even if you lodge on the same day as someone else you could be granted at different times. Focus on your own and of course be pleased for others when they get their grants but try not to compare timelines as there is no rhyme and reason or apparent logic to grants.

No you would not.

 

This is is why I say, even though it's hard, don't put too much into when others get grants in relation to your own visa. Even if you lodge on the same day as someone else you could be granted at different times. Focus on your own and of course be pleased for others when they get their grants but try not to compare timelines as there is no rhyme and reason or apparent logic to grants.

Thank you for your advice - it's very good to know. I really appreciate it.

@ashabree I saw someone a while ago get a visa grant the day after their medicals were uploaded.

This is just a guess but it seems that each case officer works differently. Some seem to request medicals early on and some seem to ask for them towards the end of the visa grant. I would imagine each case officer gets allocated visa applications and the time varies as to how long it takes them to work through them. They might have a complicated one just in front of you that they are dealing with. I'm sure your visa won't take too much longer especially if you are getting the medicals done next week.

@koalakate has had her medicals requested, I think it was early last week.

No you would not.

 

This is is why I say, even though it's hard, don't put too much into when others get grants in relation to your own visa. Even if you lodge on the same day as someone else you could be granted at different times. Focus on your own and of course be pleased for others when they get their grants but try not to compare timelines as there is no rhyme and reason or apparent logic to grants.

Thanks for all your advice. Have you seen anyone refused a visa? Just would like to know at what point you would find out there's a problem?

Thanks for all your advice. Have you seen anyone refused a visa? Just would like to know at what point you would find out there's a problem?

Yes people get a visa refused. Usually for failing to meet the criteria required. If the CO requires more evidence to make a descison they do ask for it and you get a period of time to submit it. I know of a few couples who hadn't met the de facto requirement (ie had not been together long enough before lodging or who lived apart and didn't have solid enough evidence to support a de facto claim) but honestly, if you are a genuine couple living together and sharing a life together and have submitted proper evidence to support that I'd try not to worry overly.