janinewhiteley

1. Date applied - 12 Feb 2016

2. Whittlesea

3. 12 Feb 2016

4. 4 July 2016

5. 12 July 2016

6. Ceremony - 26 Jan 2017 .

Finally the citizenship appointment has been scheduled.

Applied on 28 feb... waited waited waited and waited

Plenty of calls and emails to the department

RECEIVED an email today for the test which will be on 19 Aug 2016

But fortunately managed to scheduled to tomorrow on 19 july 2016.

fingers crossed further step to be a citizen.

best wishes to those who applied..

Well done Simran BRAR

goo luck tomorrow.

:wink:

Hi everyone!

Do you know if having a research assistant offer from a university in overseas is considered a valid reason for urgent ceremony ?

I went with my son when he had his invite for test to ask his case officer if his case could be changed to urgent. He said no as they do not see a university offer as an urgent case. I even stated that he has deferred it for 12 months already and we don't want him to lose his place. He suggested to go to web site and complete the forms for urgent cases. He added "don't hold your breath"

cheers Janine

Hi , Quick question around citizenship ceremony.

I am about to renew all the family UK passports and we have all just passed the Oz citizenship test.

Do we need our UK passports at the ceremony( no appointment received yet)?

Do i need to send the UK passports back for renewal?

I am worried if i need to send them back and I don't get them back in time for ceremony.

Any response is helpful.

regards

Janine

After sending a official complaint in via website my eldest got an interview date of 27/6/2016 but re arranged it to 19/06/2016.

 

Just need husband now.

Hi Everyone.

Hubby finally took test today and passed. So we just wait now for a ceremony date. As long as my eldest gets a ceremony before accepting Uni course we will be happy Ozzies.

cheers Janine

Hi Janine:

Thanks for your reply and timeline. Sorry for the late response as I couldn't check forum updates being away and then not well.

Anyways I applied on 06-04-2016.

Applied Online.

Waited waited and waited. Till got a response on 18-05-2016.

Test date : 26-05-2016

Passed .

Still waiting for further development...

 

Anyways, did you hear again from DIBP after approval letter ? Any further development? Any citizenship dates?

And by the way, have you heard or know anyone from our Whittlesea Council, who has through the process? Just to have an idea how long this council takes for Citizenship ceremony.

 

Many thanks and regards.

I have heard fro DIBP on a few occasions. Its amazing what complaints can achieve

Anyway , my hubby has his test on 6/7/16 , so don't think we will hear from ceremony dates till after that.

My son however needs urgent ceremony , but when I spoke with his case officer on his test date, they said HECS debt is not enough of a reason to get a quicker ceremony :arghh:

I guess we have a looooooong wait .

cheers Janine

hi janine

Did you husband get a response?

one of my friend is waiting since December 2015. he got a test date in feb 2016 then department ring him and said that his test has been postponed and date will be mailed soon. no news after that. its more than 6 months. they are not responding to emails and saying its under process when he call them.

hope you get ur soon.

Hi

Yes we did but had to go to the web site and put a official complaint in.

They acted on within a week for both complaints. ( son and husband)

I would advise trying that.

good luck.

Janine

After sending a official complaint in via website my eldest got an interview date of 27/6/2016 but re arranged it to 19/06/2016.

 

Just need husband now.

Hi I sent another complaint and my husband has now got a date of 6/7/16. However he did have to wait 90 days .

ME

 

Date applied = 3/3/2016

City Council = Whittlesea.

Online/Paper = Paper.

Citizenship Test = 24/5/2016...passed 100%

Date of approval letter = ( arrived 7/6/2016)

Date of Ceremony= TBCDate applied = 3/3/2016

City Council = Whittlesea.

Online/Paper = Paper.

Citizenship Test = 24/5/2016...passed 100%:wink:

Date of approval letter = ( arrived 7/6/2016)

Date of Ceremony= TBC

 

Husband

Date applied = 3/3/2016

City Council = Whittlesea.

Online/Paper = Paper ..in same envelope as mine.

STILL WAITING!!!!:mad:

 

Eldest son

Date applied = 3/3/2016

City Council = Whittlesea

Paper/Online= Paper... same envelope as rest of family. Rejected due to time in country( long story)

re applied on 03/5/2016 online.

Normal/Urgent =URGENT :arghh:

After sending a official complaint in via website my eldest got an interview date of 27/6/2016 but re arranged it to 19/06/2016.

Just need husband now.

ME

Date applied = 3/3/2016

City Council = Whittlesea.

Online/Paper = Paper.

Citizenship Test = 24/5/2016...passed 100%

Date of approval letter = ( arrived 7/6/2016)

Date of Ceremony= TBCDate applied = 3/3/2016

City Council = Whittlesea.

Online/Paper = Paper.

Citizenship Test = 24/5/2016...passed 100%:wink:

Date of approval letter = ( arrived 7/6/2016)

Date of Ceremony= TBC

Husband

Date applied = 3/3/2016

City Council = Whittlesea.

Online/Paper = Paper ..in same envelope as mine.

STILL WAITING!!!!:mad:

Eldest son

Date applied = 3/3/2016

City Council = Whittlesea

Paper/Online= Paper... same envelope as rest of family. Rejected due to time in country( long story)

re applied on 03/5/2016 online.

Normal/Urgent =URGENT :arghh:

WAITING..........

hi janine

did ur husband get any news? i am still waiting, almost 3 months now.

Hi, I went for my test this week and passed :smile: . They said they would do police check the same day and I would receive letter to confirm in next few days...I am awaiting patiently.

However, I asked about my O/H and my Case officer said they are currently processing all April and May applications and will not move on to June till all done...Nothing yet. I also asked them to fast track my sons application as his Uni depends on it. He did say he would look into it for me...nothing yet.( I am Authorised on sons application)

I saw the date stamp on my application. We posted it on the 3rd March and the date showed the 10th March...so we are now on 79 calendar days and they set a time of 80 days . Hmmm somehow I don't think they are making there quota ATM!

:arghh:

still waiting!!

What makes it harder , the fact our son is also waiting and although we are in no rush He is. He was accepted into Uni last year and had to defer for 12 months. He has to accept his place by November 2016 or he will lose it. I now feel we are cutting it fine. .

HI guys i applied on 28 feb. no update yet. called immi twice, they said, they are processing it from the last 1-2 months. i dnt know what r they doing?i applied in Melbourne. lot slower than rest of the Oz.tired of waiting ...

Hi

we applied same period of time and I have a test next tuesday my husband has not heard anything. We are coming unto the 80 calendar day mark and shall be calling them.

The only reason I have an appointment is because i phoned them and the very kind lady explained they have a new system and each person has to be transferred from one system to another before appointments can be made for tests. She then transferred me immediately and booked the appointment whilst on the phone. However , when my OH tried that we didn't get same lady on the phone and they refused to do it.

She also told me that I had removed my email address which is not true and my husbands had been entered incorrect.

I don't hold much confidence for the Melbourne office ATM. I feel they need to do some overtime and clear backlog!!

hope you hear soon.

Janine

Hi Everyone!

Just wondering if anyone from Whittlesea Council, Melbourne, can share his/her timeline?

Hi,

We are in Mernda.

We posted our application on the 3 March 2016 .

I have an appointment for the test on 24th May 2016.

But nothing yet from my husband.

It will be 80 calander days wait for him next weekend .

I have tried to call them on 2 occasions but keep getting the run around.

My son applied online on the 4th May 2016 and still waiting.

What is strange about our applications. I phoned to chase where my application is up to and the very kind lady " ok I can see you application and you are part of a new system . I will transfer you from one system to the other and we will be able to book your test"

I asked her if she would do same for my husband and she said "yes if he calls us"

He did and they refused to help.!!!!

fingers crossed it will be soon.

what are your timelines?

regards

Janine

Good Morning.

My husband arrived in Australia 2 days after visa granted ( 21 March 2012)

Myself and kids arrived 28th April 2012.

I phoned Immigration to check what date we were able to apply for Citizenship on 1st Feb 2016.

The told me that I was able to apply for citizenship at that point .

So i applied for the whole family in Feb without fully understanding why it was just under the 4 year mark.

I was very upset when my son was refused citizenship on the 20th April 2016.

The letter told me that he did not meet the criteria as it was not 4 years to the 28th April....But they charged us a fee for this. GRRRRRRR.

However myself and my husband were accepted.

it was due to the fact we both came over on a holiday visa the year before ( kids didn't come)

But as one child is under 16 and on Husbands application , it was fine , but other is 18 and had to apply on his own merits.

I applied again for son on the 28th April 2016 and they have taken another fee despite the refusal letter stating they would not re charge as it is to do with time in country.

Very annoyed with the whole process.

Myself and my husband applied in same envelope in post and i have Test booked n the 23rd May. However my husband is still waiting for his.

I was offered a test date 3 weeks after i discussed this issues with office.

Apparently we are part of the new trial. I don't know what that means but they deleted my email and said I did it , but i hadn't.

I think Melbourne office is struggling with it all.

Hi Janine

 

What type of pension do you have, is it a defined benefit scheme (final salary) or defined contribution scheme and who is it with?

 

Also what is the name of your superannuation fund in Australia?

 

Thanks

 

Andy

Hi Andy

I have a final salary scheme.

Royal Bank of Scotland

My superannuation in Oz is VicSuper.

Thanks Janine

So it has appeared, of course this solution now means a door is open for UK Pensions to Australia in time for retirement:

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/list-of-qualifying-recognised-overseas-pension-schemes-qrops/list-of-recognised-overseas-pension-schemes-notifications

Hi , I am not very good at understanding the transfer of pension funds.

I have a pension in the UK and would like to transfer it to OZ after being here 4 year and feel we are now settled enough to make this final transition. I do work for a state government of Victoria. Is it possible to transfer ? I am 49 years of age and wanted to keep adding to it here and at present I feel that it is not earning enough for me in the UK. I worry that i will lose the pension if I do not add to it and the UK government will claim it. Is this the case or do I just have to wait till I am 55 ?

thank you in advance

Janine

She sounds identical to my MIL, who has also said she'll never visit and also thought (very briefly i think) about emigrating many years ago. She was/is a very controlling figure in the whole family. As simple as it is to try and ignore the negativity, my wife has been indoctrinated with this all her life, which is why her "advice" is actually having an effect.

 

She was down again today..

 

What if you don't get jobs?

What if the kids don't settle?

What if you need to come back?

You'll not get the kids into the same school

You'll not get back on the property ladder

You'll have spent all your money for nothing

 

ad infinitum

 

I just wish they would see us for what we are, responsible adults who worked very hard to get to this point, and planned very carefully. I sometimes think she thinks we are arriving with suitcases and a few hundred quid!! Such is the lack of involvement she's had in our life, she has no idea.

I think it is a desperate last attempt to stop you. hy would you travel half way around the world to come back to the UK if you don't get a job in the first couple of months? It takes time and a lot of hard bloody work.

Let her have her say and try to ignore it, Its hard.

My dad wanted to give us some money to help towards the deposit of a house here, but my mum still wants us to fail (3 years later) so she went against him on Skype (they had a big argument in front of me).

Just follow your dreams, they have lived their lives now you live yours.

Hi Rachel

Everyones situation is different.

We are an older couple and TBH, if we don't get on the property ladder very soon we are going to be to old.

We don't have a deposit, but seen lots of adverts for $3000 deposits on house and land packages in the northern suburbs.

So we spoke with the finance team from one of the well know companies.( my OH is a sub contractor for them and get a discount- it all helps) ( one of the better companies)

they said the $3000 deposits - they don't do but they do offer low deposits.

Here is how it works.

$400k house and land package.

$20k deposit

$360k on 4.84% interest rate (offset mortgage) (fixed term)

the other $20k is on a credit card at a life time rate of 5.6%.

The first time buyers grant $10k will cover the fees.

So we are now awaiting approval.

hope this helps.

janine

Hi,

This a hard situation. No-one can tell you how to deal with it.

My mother made my life hell...She told me and my husband, " We may as well be dead, as I will never see you or my grandchildren ever again"

She didn't speak to me for 2 months as she found it to hard to understand. When she came around it was all about her. Never once considering what was best for us as a family. Always finding a negative in everything(my mum is a very positive person) .

For example she said one day, " You love the Lake District , so why are you leaving that for a desert and no longer be able to view beautiful scenery"

It was the way she dealt with the situation she was no longer controlling.

She also said she would never visit.

However, both my parents visited once and are planning to return in 2016, Although she has never admitted we have made the right move. ( My dad loves it)

I have since discovered , they planned to emigrate to Australia before they got married and never made it... regretted it since.

Please let her go through the different emotions, show your wife these comments explaining, a lot of us have gone through similar experiences.

good luck

janine

I am sorry but i see it different,

Melbourne is growing and every job i have applied for i have had an interview.Their are big growth areas.

If one state doesn't work , try another.

It also depends on the type of work you do.

What has happened in your situation may not be the same for the next person.

Please dot paint such a dark picture , when this is not the the same everywhere and everyone.

Janine

we came out from UK in 2012 . My Husband arrived first and fell in love with the area. He is a plasterer by trade. We have 2 children, 1 is 16 and the other is 9.They are both enjoying it...There are good bus routes to Plenty valley shops and laurima has its on centre, but its still new and building all the time. the whole area is new...We are looking to buy around this area....plenty of trade work .Its the largest growth corridor in Australia ATM. the traffic is ok as long as you leave early enough. They have just widened Plenty road(main ) and its 100 times better now.

If i drive to work in the city it takes 40 mins...if i go by train its 50 mins.Train is better and in doreen you have the choice of Vline or Metro trains...Vline is the country link and more luxurios. Metro is the local train.

They are also extending the tram line out to Bundoora and this takes 1 hour to get to City. Its easy acces to Western Suberbs(not that we venture that way) and easy for coast or eastern.

If your Husband is a brickie , he wont need to travel far for work its all in the area and goes over to Point cook and Craigieburn

How old are your children? There are lots of schools to pick from.

When are you coming over?

Please feel free to ask any further questions.

hi, we live 10mins down the road in Mernda...Its def no longer fields...wow ....they have their own shopping centre now....Both areas are great. We love it. Been here nearly 2 years.

They are talking about extending the train link to whittlesea. Beautiful part of Victoria.

Its 50 mins to city on the train and i do that 5 times a week. Trains are ever 10 mins.

I used to work for Commonwealth Bank. Yes the are like all the other banks.But TBH, you need to trust them with this one They have an excellent Fraud department and if they feel you account has been compromised , then more than likely it has. If they did nothing you would soon blame them for letting a fraudster take all your money. The banks can not win. They are there to protect you!!! Its happened on the worst day of the week. Going into the branch shouting the odds, wont get your account back to the state it was before some one tried to access your money. You will be able to withdraw your funds when you do go into the branch upon showing ID., but please don't shout at them as its not their fault.

Just remember they have probably prevented what could possibly be a lot worse than you realise. Also if they have blocked your net banking, it is more than likely to be internet fraud.

hi,

we are in northern subs.

south morang.

kids love school.

the 15 yr old is at mill park and 8 yr old is at the lakes.

both boys love it.

if you want to chat PM me.

janine