Tulip

Amazing, well done!

George, I'm ok right now but I have started checking my email thrice daily...even though I get a notification on my phone when there's something there. I can feel myself starting to crack up and it's only a month in!

Remember that others might have been granted but aren't on the forum?

If you're in the UK, you have to have a solicitor, or justice of the peace sign it. I can't remember there the actual list is but it's very short. No doctors or dentists or nurses or police officers. If you're in Australia, you can have it signed by a lot longer list.

We had one statement witnessed, it was one my mum had written, we went to have stuff certified at the solicitors and had it witnessed at the same time. Cheap as chips, only a fiver.

It can take about a week or so, mine took about that more or less.

Andy, my husband wrote that he had work here in the UK and had found work easily in Australia, but that we'd be secure and were including payslips to prove he could prove for me.

Hello, welcome to the thread. A few of us are in the same boat at the moment, just at the beginning of the waiting period and twiddling our thumbs. Like you, I'm heading out in June/July hopefully and waiting it out over there for the rest of my 8-9 month quota. I feel so lucky that I even qualify to get a visa through my husband's nationality that I'm not complaining about the waiting time, what's 9 months in the grand scheme of things?

The only financial bits I added were payslips from my husband and a piece of headed paper from the company he works for offering him a promotion, I added them because Mark hasn't been in Australia for two years and I recall reading that we'd need evidence that he could provide for me as my sponsor, so we showed he was working here. You don't have to show savings and stuff.

So long as you show you travelled together I can't see it being a problem, but I may be wrong. I don't think pictures really count for anything, they don't ask for them in the booklet. We didn't include any and when we had further evidence requested, they weren't asked for.

I don't see how it would be a problem; remember that unless your mum is Aussie, it's a witness statement you want, not a stat dec. I would have her write a statement saying you lived together at her home at the time, and have the statement witnessed by a solicitor. We did this as we've only lived together at my mum's, so we had little evidence together apart from bank statements, etc. but she clarified that we contribute financially towards the house and do chores, etc.

I read back sometimes and think the same thing, some as early as a month, can you imagine. Thanks Mum of Five, that makes me feel more reassured!

Nickos, did you already take your police check? I thought those were referred a bit later on at the moment? I ask because I applied earlier than you did but haven't been requested any police checks nor had a message telling me the same thing as you (though we had some further evidence required which has been sent on). Bit confused here.

Sent my CO an email asking if they had received my further evidence... no email back yet. I hope that means she has!

Yes, I'm afraid it is, for everyone, no matter how straight forward or complicated your case is, and no matter how much you apply with. You can always go out on a tourist visa though, and then go off-shore for the grant date. As long as you discuss it with your CO you should be fine.

Can understand that, it will be difficult for us too but we're lucky enough not to have to pay for accommodation.

I think you will get the visa grant email at the end of your 8-9 month wait?

I believe you get what's called a visa grant and validation date, but you can 'go' any time you like on a tourist visa, you would just need to tell your CO you're leaving the country and they will email you previous to your grant with a grant date and advising you to leave the country for three days in the week whilst it's granted so that it isn't invalid (offshore lodge, onshore grant can't be done, they invalidate each other). I think you get the grant through email.

That seems easy enough. Thanks!

I did reply with my email via husband's email as that was the one she'd contacted, didn't get a reply though so maybe I'll just include it on a piece of paper too to be safe.

Also, should I address the envelope to my CO or Australia House?

Finally got OH's birth certificate certified yesterday so sending that off today special delivery. My CO has asked for my email too, should I just pop that on a bit of paper?

I really don't think time frames depend on case officers...

I included a lot too but still managed to forget something!

I included payslips because my husband isn't resident in Aus right now and he's my sponsor, so wanted to prove he could sponsor me in Aus.

I just bunged it all in neatly. What I worried about was all these train tickets, there were loads.

Congrats on your visa; I'll be doing the same as you, can I ask, did you have to print anything off or was it electronic?

I'm taking the same approach as Snifter, no fretting or worrying or pacing will get me there faster, and knowing I'm going out in June anyway is a comfort to me, so once I've submitted my OH's birth certificate, I won't be thinking about it until I take my medicals in May.

CO assigned here and evidence returned, and I have to send in my hubby's birth certificate copy. Extreme relief as I was worried we'd be asked to provide more evidence, which I just don't have. Medicals requested for after 4/5/2013. Cutting it a bit fine as we plan to go out in June but hey ho, I'm happy, the ball is rolling.