martinandbianca

Guess who's going to be on the phone to their CO on Monday?

 

Congrats guys!!! Thats's awesome news!!!

Best of luck!

One thing I never actually did was ring my CO. I emailed a few weeks ago explaining our circumstances(Bianca forced to leave uk-see earlier posts) and that I wanted to travel on my current tourist visa then I emailed again with my flight date. I am in no doubt that this is why we've been so lucky in getting a 3 and a half month grant.

Thanks. It is such a relief. That feeling when you first hear that your visa is granted is unique. It was quite unexpected as well. Must have been because I'm travelling next Wednesday anyway. Can't wait to see my fiancée again. Rang her at 2am to tell her.

Good luck to everyone else that is waiting.

Yesssssssssssssssssssssssss

309 visa granted. Now get me on that plane.

Has anyone else done this? I am nervous it is a bit risky, but like you say as long as we keep the CO informed then it is all above board. We have been told a decision should be made by the end of December but we were hoping to be out there by end of October.

If you read through the thread there a few people done it or are currently doing it. I wouldn't say it was risky just don't take all your belongings and don't look like you're going to stay forever and you'll be treated like any other tourist. You've even got a valid reason to be there as visiting friends and relatives is one of the reasons for a tourist visa. How else would you be able to get to family weddings/parties etc.

The biggest risk is that your CO forgets to inform you that they are granting your visa. Haven't actually heard of this happening to anyone as yet though.

:huh: Soooooo am I right in believing that you can actually visit Oz whilst awaiting your application decision & whilst out there if you are approved you just have to technically be outside of Australia for at least 3 days whilst this decision is made????

So long as you tell your case officer what you are doing yes. There's lots of posts about it on here and elsewhere in the forum.

Same here. 3 and a half months. Travelling out there next week though so sods law says I'll probably get granted on 4 months just after I get there and will have to do an NZtrip. Still secretly hoping I'll get it before though.

Hi

 

I was wondering if there is anyone who can recommend a company for shipping our stuff to Melbourne from London. We dont have a lot of stuff, only 6 or so boxes. Finding it hard to get a company that we know or have had recommended so we know our stuff will arrive safely.

If anyone has any recommendations they would be greatly received!!

I'm using transglobalexpress to send 4 boxes. They quoted me £210 using UPS. Should take 5 days. This was cheaper than any of the shipping companies. Beware of some shipping companies. They charge an extra fortune to handle your goods at tge other side.

I haven't really applied for any yet. They came to me through contacts. Just frustrating that I could walk straight in, have a job and start paying lots of tax onto the system. Instead due to very slow processing times I get to lie on the beach every day for the next 2 months. Actually that sounds ok really. :-)

Cheers for that jomac. I'm off on my tourist visa in 2 weeks so it's good to know it was all ok. I'm clutching at straws that our co will take pity on us and grant before I leave but probably won't happen. I wish it was quicker though, I've now lost out on 2 jobs I could have had because they couldn't wait indefinitly for me to get my visa. Even a date might have done. And as we get closer to Xmas job prospects lessen.

Damn, was about to ask who your CO was in the hope it'd be the same as ours!!

 

Still 3.5 months is amazing!!!!

 

I'm just hoping all the spouse visas are processed quickly from now on - OH flies on 8/11 and all we want is the visa before then so he doesn't have to do the Tasman dash!

Do you know of any grants by our case officer?

If you do have to the Tasman dash enjoy it. NZ is a beautiful country.

3 and a 1/2 months would be awesome for me. I'd get it just before I flew over and it would save me a trip to NZ.

Is no funny being apart... haven't seen my partner for almost a year. Will be so glad to hear the words.. visa approved!

I'll second that which is why i'm going over on a tourist visa on the 6th October. Our relationship is much more important than us both earning money.

Received an email back from my CO this morning saying I am fine to travel on my tourist visa but I have to be out of the country when the visa is ready to grant.

I'm still hoping our CO will grant Jon's visa before he flies....

Just don't know!

You have the same CO as me but 1 week later. Haven't seen any of their grant stats but I got an encouraging email the other week saying my PC runs out in september and can I get a new one to allow sufficient time to enter.

That's great news you've got a date. Shame theyvare starting to take 5 months again though. Must have been lots of June apps with the price hike in July.

I rang my CO but they are away on leave. :-(

The one thing I really don't understand is how the DIAC are so strict in having the 12 months living together yet once the application is in you can then be forced to suffer months living apart. It doesn't seem at all fair.

Do, definitely! Having to leave the country because your partner's visa is expiring is definitely extenuating circumstances and if you let the case officer know now, they should have more scope to deal with it in time and issue the visa before the flight.

Good luck.

We are in exactly the same situation. Biancas uk visa expired so she had to leave the uk but mine hasn't come yet. 1 week on and we miss each other like crazy. I'm hoping to fly out 4 weeks today but probably as a tourist.

They will probably tell you though that you shouldn't have booked the flight.

Well, I finally had the phone call from DP today, and my visa has been approved!!

 

I have to arrive by the end of Nov, so tomorrow I shall be booking my flights!

congrats. I wish they'd get on with mine. I emailed my co at the weekend asking about going over on my tourist visa but not heard back yet. And no indication of a date yet either.

9 May 11 CO was AB

Congrats. Thats an amazing turnaround at the minute. Hope mines that fast. I'm going insane being stuck here while my partners back home in Sydney. So insane that i'm going out on a tourist visa in a few weeks and doing the trip to NZ thing.

Hi All. New to the board but thought i'd share my info. Not the most straightforward of cases but going ok so far.

15th June Visa app lodged

17th June CO appointed with request for medicals, non migrating childrens medicals and statement regarding my police caution.

1st July After breakdown of negotiations ex sends nasty email to CO saying under no circumstances can her kids have medicals. CO accepts this and says its OK.

14th July I have my medical.

12th August CO Requests me to sign form regarding my non migrating children.

17th August CO Requests for new police certificate for UK to allow her to give me more time to enter as mine expires in September.

30th August New Police Cert sent to CO direct from APCO

Today Bianca returned to Australia as her UK visa expired and she got a job in Sydney. Feeling very low as we haven't been apart in the full 2 and a half years we've been together. I am 99% certain of a job if I can get there before November.