rebrol

I am a dyslexia specialist (been here 3 yrs now) and run my own business here for dyslexia. Schools know very little about it and many people still think that Irlen lenses will solve all the problems! Support for anything other than behavioural issues and ASD are exceptionally hard to come by. There is no recognition in most schools here in NSW and it is very much up to parents to help. The good news is there are lots of great programmes that you can implement at home as well as asking the school for some simple accommodations that don't cost anything.

Uni's and TAFE's generally cope better and accommodate learners more in my experience.

If you want any more info feel free to message me!

Georgieoz hi

 

We had the same query as you, we have lodged our 100 application here in London and we wondered the same, TRN. Can our experts help please on PIO. Can you only check the status with the transaction reference number, if you lodge via email, or if you are on shore or off shore??

 

Basically regardless of how you lodge can we all check our visa application processes?

 

Thank you to anyone that can help.

 

Nando65 (Nando and Jane):notworthy:

Hi

Would definately recommend getting a label in your passport if you can - it makes it so much easier when you get to OZ. I didn't and it didn't stop me getting anything like medicare etc sorted but no-one here seems very aware of the VEVO website.

You can only access the VEVO website once entered Oz and you have to phone for a password - very straightforward but the details on the website do not have your name only your passport number - which only adds t some peoples confusion. I had to carry a print off from the VEVO website together with my passport everywhere and explain how they could cross check it - I got used to it in the end. But as I said it ddn't stop me from getting anything just took a bit more explaining!

The website is only for people who have been granted a visa and are already in Oz. As far as I am aware the only way of checking your application is by phoning or emailing your CO - That's what I did and he was always polite and helpful!

Good Luck to all those who are still being processed - it's long and very frustrating but definately worth it!!

Hi to all

Just a quick update that I hope will help others. Arrived in Oz after being granted 100 in July. All going well BUT can i strongly suggest that anyone being granted a visa push for getting a visa label in their passport. I didn't as was told by CO that all you needed was access to the VEVO website. This is partially true but Oz immigration do not seem to have shared this vision with the rest of Australia. Most organisations I have been to have been looking for a label and when I have produced the print off from the VEVO website - (which incidentally doesn't have your name on it but does have your passport number) I have had to explain why there is no label and all about Vevo. It hasn't stopped us from getting anything yet but everywhere we have gone it has taken a lot longer - With 2 young children this is not always fun!!!!!

Thinking of everyone who is waiting for their visa to come through!!! Good Luck!

Many congrats Yeahbut that's fab!!

We got email today to say medicals had been cleared, so all we have to face now is our telephone interview on the 5th August!:huh:

 

Fingers crossed

That's great news - another thing ticked off the list. Good Luck with your telephone interview I'm sure it will be fine! Keep us posted!:jiggy:

Hi everyone,

 

Our front loaded application was delivered to AH on July 1st. Hoping its a straightforward one - together 10 years with my aussie wife, married since 2003 with two children, joint ownership of property, etc...

 

Haven't heard anything yet and looking at others' timelines it seems that initial contact from a CO is often within a few days. Should we be worried?

 

 

Cheers

 

Pan

Hi Pan Co's reponse time seems to be different depending on who it is. We were lucky ours responded the next day but lots of people wait up to 10 days.

I am sure your application will be straightforward but I would still bank on waiting 3 months - I thought ours would be done in a month as we have also been together for 8, married for 5 with 2 kids yet it still took 4 months from initial application!

Good Luck:jiggy:

Have you registered them as Aussie citizens? If you have I'm pretty sure there's a rule that Aussies have to enter Australia on an Australian passport..

 

Q8 - I have an Australian passport and a foreign passport; which passport do I use when entering Australia?

 

To avoid delays at airline check-in and again at the border entry point, Australian citizens who are dual nationals are required to depart and enter Australia on their Australian passport. An Australian citizen cannot be granted a visa for Australia in a foreign passport.

 

When entering Australia, all Australians, including those who hold dual nationality, must be able to prove that they are an Australian citizen. An Australian passport is conclusive evidence of a person's identity and citizenship, and provides the holder with unfettered right of entry to Australia.

 

International airlines have an obligation to ensure that they only carry appropriately documented passengers to Australia. In the absence of an Australian passport, airlines are unable to assess a person's claim to Australian citizenship at the time of check-in and may decline to carry the traveller.

 

Q9 - I am an Australian citizen but as I did not obtain an Australian passport before departing Australia, I am using my foreign passport whilst I am overseas. Do I have to apply for an Australian passport in order to return to Australia?

 

As noted above, Australian citizens must enter Australia on an Australian passport so you must apply in person for an Australian passport to enable you to return to Australia.

Hi Peach

Thanks for this info but we did not register our children as Au citizens because as I said by the time we paid for their medicals it was about the same price as their passport. Since we've only just paid out for their UK passports we thought it would be just as cheap as applying for their Aussie one - less forms to fill in!!

We applied in early May - heard from the CO about additional documentation, but just wondering what peoples thoughts are on emailed to chase the CO up - reckon they mind? Or should I just wait...

 

It'll be 2 months next week since the app was received so I guess I'm being a bit impatient! :biggrin:

I would give your CO a ring as mine never responded to e-mails asking how long!!! Mine didn't seem to mind me ringing!:jiggy:

I put my two kids on the application even though we could apply for their Ozzie passport as the expense of getting a passport was about the same as getting their medicals done. When their Uk passports run out we will then get them their Australian one.

Subclass 100 granted on the 1/7/2010!!!

Hurrah Hurrah - At last Visa subclass 100 today at 8.34am! Flying off to Sydney on 13th August! I can't wait!!

Applied 26/2/2010, meds done 24/3/2010, 100 granted 1/7/2010!

Here's the post we all never thought was going to happen:

 

Subclass 100 (I hope!) - Submitted 07/01/10

Payment taken - 12/01/10

CO Assigned, Medical and Police Certs requested - 14/01/10

Police Cert sent via Special Delivery - 26/01/10

Medical completed - 05/02/10

Medical results sent by Panel Doc to Australia House - 15/02/10

CO Acknowledged receipt of medical results (after prodding from me!) - 18/02/10

Partner Visa Subclass 100 GRANTED - 29/06/2010 at 23:02

 

So after all the repeated thou shalt not get your visa until July and not a moment sooner, if came through in June. :wub: :wub: :wub:

 

(is it too early for beer?)!

Hurray for you - am so pleased after all your waiting!!!! Good Luck and Enjoy!!!:biggrin:

Congrats EPollard that's great news!

My husband phoned our CO again yesterday and was told that visa will be granted on the 1st July and it will be the 100 - Hurray. But I will be so pleased when the stamp is in our passports!

Argh yes the waiting! Hope you don't have to wait too loong! At least all the hard stuff is done!

I think come July 1st and a fresh visa quota the AH floodgates will open and suddenly the visa processing times will improve (until they slow down again at the end of the year)..

 

My frustration at my agent for being unwilling to chase as often or as hard as I would have liked, has been replaced with the realisation that it wouldn't have done any good anyway - so should have saved myself the heartache.

To be fair Peach if they bloomin well told everyone the truth - that they have run out of their quota then people wouldn't be getting so frustrated! When someone tells you 3 -4 months processing time I think they should expect questions about what is taking so long after the 4 month mark! Especially as others have said - the lucky ones getting theirs a lot quicker! Hang on in there!!:jiggy:

how is he at responding to emails etc?

:cute:

I have AB too. He responds to e-mails which require him to e.g will say if he has received evidence, police checks etc But didn't respond to my enquiry about how long it would be until I phoned him as well!!

But when my husband did speak to him he was really helpful!:jiggy:

I just phoned and got some jobs worth woman telling me that I had to find out from my CO what I needed first, does she not get that she is holding my life up :frown:

Don't you just love the way people can be so helpful!

If you download the medical forms you need this asks you questions about your occupation and intended activities in Oz and gives you an indication of what you need. I just filled them in and let the doctor at the medical do whatever was needed. I paid £120 for the medical at Knigtsbridge and £90 for the X-ray! I didn't have to pay any extra for blood tests even though I have tattoos and piercings!!

The medical itself was a bit of a joke really especially as I had to pay £60 each for my two children ( a 2 and half year old and a 4 month old) Not bad money for a 5 min job!!!! On the plus side he was nice and good with the kids so can't complain too much!!!

Hope you get it sorted soon!!

Think it probably means that it won't apply to partner visa applications - the DIAC release doesn't state which subclasses it will apply to so perhaps this makes sense!!

Argh not sure this is true. If you read the media release on DIAC website I think it will apply to applications not yet finalised. However, my husband spoke to our CO yesterday and asked him bout this. The CO said that he had not heard about this!!! So who knows????

Thanks Somsy - I kinda got you only meant good things! Absolutely right when you say it is important to get things right as we all know how bloomin frustrating the whole process can be!!!

We are headin out to Sydney on 13th August. We have sold house, handed in work notice and sent packages so almost, sort of organised!! (As much as you can be with two kids!!) When you headin out there?

OK OK I feel well and truly put in my place!:notworthy:But many thanks for the post - I feel much less frustrated now!

oooh I feel like I've been told off!!:wink:I do aplogize I had not seen the e-mail that was sent to Garysgirl!

On a different note my husband spoke to my CO today who told him that my visa will be granted on the 1st July!! I don't quite understand why he can't grant it now though?? He said he would be sending a letter requesting passports! It's all rather confusing!!!:err:

Wonder if this is part of the reason why AH is dragging it's feet and keen to push applications into July? : Australian Immigration - Legislation Change Update

They've got to be kidding - fingerprints cost $145 at the moment and take another 15 days according to the AFP - so goodness knows what they will charge in the UK!!! :arghh:

Little update from us:

 

9th June: Front loaded Application sent

10th June: Money taken out of account for visa

11th June: Assigned CO who emailed letting us know they'd received our application and requesting another piece of info.. Australian Police Check which hadn't anticipated.

 

** Make sure if you've spent more than than 365 days in Australia (in total) in the last 10 years you get one done! **

 

Our fault for not reading properly! - but such a pain, as we were hoping to be able to get all approved quickly and to leave the UK in Sept, but now we're having to wait for the aussie police check that could take weeks to come back. Booooo!

 

Also having to resend copies of passports and birth certificates which we had certified by bank manager.. but apparently this isn't accepted, so solicitor booked in to sign now on Thurs and send back.

 

More waiting...and I'm a bit impatient (although totally mixed feelings - excited and sad - about leaving home!)!

 

x

Hi Sarah I know how you feel regarding the Aus police check - I knew I would probably have to have one but we didn't bank on my husband(who is Aussie) needing one as well. New rules state that if you are migrating with children your OH must also have a Au police check because they might be a danger to your children! Which is obviously fine if you are in the UK but not in Australia???? How illogical is that????

On the plus side our Au police check came back quicker than our UK one! It didn't even look official!! Hope you get it all sorted quickly!!

Thanks FedUp - nothing in AU House seems to make much sense - straightforward or not! I woudn't mind but we had to do all this when we first came to the UK to get my Husbands permanent resident visa!! You'd think why would we do all that if we weren't genuine!!!

Think the weekly calls are a good idea - if you can get hold of your CO - mine never answers his phone!!! Hope you get yours quicker!!!

Hi guys, thanks for all your help so far....CO assigned today, yay! he asked for more info.... " Please provide further evidence to show that you have been in a relationship with your current sponsor from June 2009 to June 2010." 1 piece for the past 12 months etc. Now can this be anything, I mean can it cover any of the 4 requirements?

I have been in the uk since the middle of march sorting out a legal matter....can i send copies of our time we have spoken on yahoo as contact? Have a PAYG mobile so I dont have a bill to send and yahoo = free calls!...

Also, as i was on a visitors visa in Aust, I wasn't on any bills or lease.

 

There was no mention of any PC or Meds wanted either?

 

Sorry, lol, last question, I am going to be sending bills etc from my OH to prove he lived at the same address to cover one for each month, would I get away with less than 12 on my own???

 

So scared that I can't prove this relationship on paper :frown:

Hiya I would send whatever you have to prove you were in contact. Definately send your yahoo time - do you have any e-mails you kept? Or records of home phone bills which were itemised?

I wouldn't worry about the meds or police checks yet - they seem to work through the applications bit by bit. For example they requested meds, uk police checks and oz police checks for me, which I sent. Then once they had received them they requested an OZ police check for my husband - which really annoyed me as we could have done it at the same time as mine. However, I think they were obviously working through my application, and then my sponsers and only if they are satisfied with the first stage do they look further - if that all makes sense!!!:goofy: