Nicole Eire

1 hour ago, MaggieMay24 said:

If you're an Australian, you aren't applying for a visa.  The spouse/partner is the applicant and at the moment there's no English test for partner visas, so they could currently migrate and eventually become a citizen without speaking a word of English.

That is not true. Having done the citizenship test and interview myself (a native English speaker), there is absolutely no way that anybody can pass either of these citizenship requirements without a good level of English. They can become permanent residents, and remain so forever without having to complete an English test, but not citizens.

Visa granted this morning... after 40months of waiting. Beyond relief, my mam cried her eyes out. Can't wait to be together again. So happy to finally be posting this at the end of the journey x

My parents are in the same position, entry before October 26th. That was the date 2017 when their medicals were received by immi so presumably this is the reason - 12 month validity.

I emailed to ask if this date could be extended and they replied saying that the initial entry date can only be changed in emergency or exceptional circumstances. Sale of house etc. doesn't count...

Got the 2nd VAC payment request today too......!!!!!!

Same thing - it says that visa will be granted after 1st July.

Enter Australia before Oct 26th.

So ecstatic right now

6 hours ago, Pertenhall said:

No, nothing here.  22 weeks since our AoS paperwork was submitted and still waiting for contact by Centrelink.  Already used up 5 months of our 12 month validity for police checks and medicals and nothing even remotely in sight.

That is so frustrating for you.

In relation to your comment about the validity of medicals / police checks - my parents have only 4 months validity left. Immi requested the document preparation, medicals and police checks were completed in October 2017, as requested. What happens now??

Still waiting very impatiently. No request for 2nd VAC, despite the previous email from immi telling us the amount that would be requested and that we would have 28 days to pay etc... thank you for your patience. How about all the others from March 2015 - Mikenc Pertenhall?? Anything?

Just now, whataday said:

Hey Nicole Eire

 

Thanks for sharing this email with us.

 

May I know the name of person who sent this email to you?

 

thanks and kind regards

 

peter

The person's name was Jen. That is the way they sign off now - first name and position number. Presumably to protect their identity (so no Facebook stalking!!). Looks like this:

Regards,

Jen

Position Number xxxxxxxx (of course this is a real number)

Visa Processing Officer, Parents

Skilled and Family Visa Program | Immigration and Visa Services Division

Immigration and Citizenship Services

Department of Home Affairs

E: pvc.team1@homeaffairs.gov.au

P: 131 881

5 hours ago, Wishfull said:

HI

Have any of the following received their 2nd VAC requests yet?

Ant111

MikeC

Nicole Eire

Trying to second guess who is likely to have their visa granted next. 

Still nothing...

They requested clarification of something on the form 80 on March 23rd. I sent them what they required the same day.

I emailed them (from my mum's email) nearly two weeks ago on April 23rd, a whole month after they received what they wanted, with a cheeky email to ask if there was anything outstanding, or if they could confirm that they have received all documents. This was the response:

Email subject: FINAL ASSESSMENT UPDATE (written by them)

We confirm that all documents have been received by this office.

Your application file will be allocated soon and reviewed by a Case Officer to ensure all criteria has been met for a 2nd VAC payment request.  No further information is required from you at this stage.  The final assessment notification (request for 2^nd VAC) will provide the applicant with 28 days to make payment and (if required) travel arrangements per instructions provided.

Our case management team is working through cases ready to finalise, and we appreciate your patience at this time.

Regards,

Haven't heard a dickiebird since. So frustrating. I think it's doing my parents head in, and I'm here refreshing her email every 10minutes or so, knowing that I'll be the first to see it with the time difference!!

53 minutes ago, SusieRoo said:

Just a thought. If only one parent applied for a 143 visa and they moved to Australia after visa was granted. Could the second parent then immediately apply for a partner visa (with bridging entitlement)? Significantly cheaper and no need for a second AoS, what could go wrong?

Nope, this can't be done. The Department have covered themselves already!

"Contributory parent visa holders

There might be limits on your sponsorship if:

- you were granted a permanent Contributory Parent visa on or after 1 July 2009
- you were in a partner relationship on or before the Contributory Parent visa grant date
and
- your partner did not apply for the Contributory Parent visa at the same time as you, or they withdrew that application (before it was finalised).

The sponsorship could still be approved if:

- 5 years have passed since your Contributory Parent visa grant date
- your partner did not apply at the same time as you due to compelling reasons, (other than financial reasons)
- your partner applied at the same time as you but withdrew their application for compelling reasons (other than financial reasons)."

So there's actually a 5 year 'waiting period' if you wanted to go down that route, unless you have "compelling reasons".

7 minutes ago, thomas1965 said:

The telephone interviewer for my AoS said they're getting overtime to process AoS applications, due to a backlog. I got my phone call on Saturday - just 1 day after lodging the application, so it seems like they've really streamlined the whole AoS process (for now at least). It's been surprising quick, given that most people are quoting several weeks/months to do the AoS process.

That's brilliant news for everyone waiting. As you can see from my signature - we waited months for the phone call.

51 minutes ago, thomas1965 said:

I've made an AoS application ... done the telephone interview ... now have a letter to pay $10000 at the commonwealth bank.

What happens after this? Does the bank give me something to take back to centrelink or is it automatic? If I have to take it back to centrelink, does it have to be in person or can I do it online? The original AoS application was online.

The bank will give you a letter and you need to take that to Centrelink. It needs to be done in person - you have to call in. It does only take a couple of minutes though. Then Centrelink will send you a letter confirming that you are an approved insurer. This letter needs to be scanned and sent to PVC team1. Centrelink do advise them, but our CO requested that we notify them as well, as there is often a delay from Centrelink (no surprise there).

10 hours ago, MikenC said:

Thanks for that comment. As yet there's nothing in his mygov account, He has given me access to it and be both check it daily.

so still waiting ?

Mine came 3 days later so there's still hope!

On 3/23/2018 at 21:47, MikenC said:

I just had a frustrating call from my son,assurer, he missed the call from Centrelink today. So we're still waiting I'm afraid

@MikenC I also missed the call from Centrelink. They didn't actually call me back at all, they just sent out an acceptance letter!! Fingers crossed it's the same for you.

I will send an email - this is the push I needed!! The emails from the Case Officer still came from pvc email address, just had a signature:

*Case officer name*

Case Officer

Parent Visa Centre

Parent, Child and Other Family Section 

Permanent Visa & Citizenship Programme|Visa & Citizenship Management

Visa and Citizenship  Services

Department of Home Affairs

7 hours ago, TinaH said:

@Nicole Eire ~ any updates at your end? I notice you’ve got the case officer back in Jan. Have you got requested for 2nd VAC?

Still nothing....

1 hour ago, IanS61 said:

WhooHoo just received request for 2nd vac !

Huge congrats!

8 minutes ago, TinaH said:

@Nicole Eire ~ After AOS approval, then my Centerlink part is done. I haven't got allocated to case officer yet. Still waiting ..... 

Ok. Yeah we have the Centrelink part completed / submitted approval letter but still nothing from the CO, even though we do have one!

@TinaH - I've noticed on your signature that your AoS approval letter was January! Have you heard nothing since then?

On 2/20/2018 at 12:02, TinaH said:

@Nicole Eire ~ have u got granted the visa? 

Not yet, still waiting... 2nd VAC hasn't been requested yet.

Update: We have everything completed and submitted. Just waiting for the request for 2nd VAC. 15th February immi acknowledged receipt of the AoS approval from Centrelink, we've heard nothing since. We know we have a case officer, she has been in contact. How long have others waited for the 2nd VAC request? 

6 hours ago, Catlady2014 said:

Yes, you can get a bank cheque drawn on your account and send it to Perth.  You can't send it until they tell you though and you will get full instructions at the time. 

Great. Yes, got an email from the case officer informing of the amount- $87200 and just letting us know that we would receive a formal request as soon as we got the letter. Did the bank guarantee today.... so I think I just have to take that to Centrelink then tomorrow? But then what, wait for something from Centrelink?

On 2/5/2018 at 23:27, Catlady2014 said:

I transferred the money to my daughter's Australian bank account so that she could pay it with a bank cheque drawn on that account.  That was the most efficient and least expensive way of doing it at the time.  I don't know about bpay, as it wasn't an available method when we did mine last September.  

Thanks for that Catlady, so I can do the bank cheque on behalf of my parents - immi don't need it to be paid by them directly?

Can somebody please advise about payment methods for 2nd VAC? My parents are keen to get the money transferred while the exchange rate (euro) is so good. They were planning on transferring it to me. Can the bankers draft be made by me? Or has anyone used the new bpay method offered?

So, just an update ? After 15 weeks waiting on the phone call from Centrelink, they called me on Saturday morning the 27th at 08.30!! I missed the call, and the lady left a message saying that she would send me a letter. Low and behold, received the letter on Thursday. It's the letter with the bank guarantee request! So I've skipped the interview apparently ?

Made my appt with Commonwealth for this coming Wednesday. Getting closer now ?

19 hours ago, Pertenhall said:

That really is crazy - and I see from your earlier posts that you have tried to at least get some information from them.  Have you had any feedback from them at all? It must be so frustrating for you.

Twice when I went in they checked in the system and told me that everything was in order and that I just needed to wait for the phonecall. The last time I went in, they made me use their phones to call the dedicated number. Spoke to someone there and they went off to speak to somebody, then came back and said they would send an internal message as the maximum wait time is supposed to be 8 weeks. Told me to keep my phone with me at all times and expect a call from a private number in the next few days - but that was on Monday!!!! Agggghhhh!!!