JoannaAch

We had our 1 year old sitting on my lap duirng the speech, then I just held him for the pledge and took him with us to pick up the certificate and get the photo taken. Lots of families with small kids did the same.

Also - we gave him a iPhone with Wiggles vidoes (muted) to keep him occupied during the very boring and long speeches.

14 hours ago, swordvish said:

There is no test date available online before I move. 

Yes I will call the Immigration number but I'm still keen for anyone to comment if they have any experience of this situation. 

 

Thanks anyway Jimmy

I wanted to change test location (just within Sydney as we moved to a different suburb since submitting application) and the guy on the phone said that they can only change test locations if someone moved to a different state, not within the same state. So definitely call the help line and they should be able to swap it for you.

3 hours ago, rammygirl said:

Well we took ours and it wasn’t asked for they just wanted our birth ceros and passports and my marriage certificate as proof of name change.  Son wasn’t asked for his either. I guess some offices may be fussier than others.  Can you call the test centre and ask the question?

We were only asked to show drivers license and passport.

But when I called the call center before they advised to bring the originals of all documents that you submitted with the application - so might be good to get a new 1195 signed as suggested just in case...

1 hour ago, Animesh said:

I just checked my immi account and the application status is still received.. I'm not sure what's happening there.. Maybe that's why I've been asked to get back to Australia in the next 28 days.. 

I would guess so as your application can only by approved if you are in Australia. 

46 minutes ago, rammygirl said:

You can check if you log into your immi account. They should also contact you. Not everyone gets approval straight away for some reason for some people it takes several months. Goodness knows why. 

I logged online to check. For me it was right after the test. For my husband the status changed to Approved in the afternoon on the day of the test. You should also get a letter information that the application is approved.

I guess in principle after you pass the test, your application (in most cases) is done and just waiting for formal approval. But sometimes it takes extra long and that delays your ceremony even further...

You don’t need to do anything about it and you didn’t make an error. Everyone can see that in their application and I think it’s a bug in the system. You might also see “bringing visa application” tab which is also a bug.

15 hours ago, kirsty160990 said:

Wow that was quick approval JoannaAch

I think it depends if they have done all the checks before inviting for the test. We waited almost a year for the test, so all processing must have been already finished. 

Just came back from the test and my application is already approved.

Applied: 3 Feb 2018

Test: 31 Jan 2019

approval: 31 Jan 2019

Hopefuly we can get the ceremony before May elections!

59 minutes ago, rammygirl said:

Someone’s is having a laugh!  That just doesn’t make sense. What office did you request?

We both requested Sydney CBD as we live 15min from there. It will take me extra time to get to Parramatta... it’s funny as the case officer must have specifically select for us to have the interviews at the same time - but missed the different location?

I called to check if I can change the location for the test, but there is no option like that. The guy on the phone suggested we had different addresses when we applied, but that’s not the case (have been living together for 10 years).

We’ll keep these appoinemts as they are, just to not delay this any further...

On 18/01/2019 at 10:24, rammygirl said:

Have you been on line to see if you can alter the appointment?  We moved ours to a more convenient time and chose appointments one after the other.  The agent spotted it and called us together to save time and we took the test sitting next to each other at the screens.

 

Finally got the test appointment for my hubby. They gave him the same date and time for the test - but at a different office... His is in Sydney CBD and mine in Parramatta. 

Both our timelines are:

applied: 3 Feb 2018

test: 31 Jan 2019

59 minutes ago, rammygirl said:

Have you been on line to see if you can alter the appointment?  We moved ours to a more convenient time and chose appointments one after the other.  The agent spotted it and called us together to save time and we took the test sitting next to each other at the screens.

Hi,

I need to wait for my husbands appointment letter to arrive first... But that's a good idea if he gets it before my test, I will reschedule both of us for a later date.

Both my and my husband applied on 3 Feb 2018 from Sydney. I got a test invite already, but nothing for him so far... It’s a pity as it would be easier to do it together with arranging day care drop off/ pick up. Especially that we need to travel all the way to Parramatta for the test.

my timeline:

applied: 3 Feb 2018

test invite: 4 Jan 2019

test: 31 Jan 2019

Sydney Parramatta office (requested CBD as Parramatta is quite far away)

1 hour ago, Marisawright said:

When you are granted the 190 visa, it's on the condition that you MUST work in the nominated state for the required period of time. By accepting the visa, you are accepting that condition.    If you activate the visa knowing you have no intention of working in that state, then you have accepted under false pretenses, which has the same effect as "making a false statement". 

 So, it would be very easy for them to justify cancellation if someone gets a 190 visa then goes straight to another state on arrival - their actions demonstrate that they obtained the 190 visa under false pretences.  

The 190 visa does not have any conditions, so that's not exactly correct. The obligation comes into place with the agreement that you sign with the state where you certify that you "intend" to live in the sponsoring state. That is where I think it gets tricky - intend is a very vague term?

Even though your example where someone never goes to sponsoring state is reasonable, I'm not sure if that is something that can be proved e.g. in court? What if that someone intended to live in the sponsoring state when signing the agreement, but changed their mind 2min or 2 months later? How do you prove that they never planed to go there?

Just to clarify - I'm not actually encouraging people to ignore their obligation to the state that sponsored them, I just really don't like fear mongering. Might be related to being a scientist in a world running on fake news and anecdotal evidence...

It would be quite interesting to know how the department can justify cancelling someones visa based on not meeting this obligation. How can they show that someone provided false information about the intention to move to sponsoring state? What if someone sent one job application or even just googled their sponsoring state - couldn't that be considered a genuine intention to move there? Intention is not really something that can be that well defined and can be very subjective in my opinion...

Another thing would be the logistics of cancelling a visa of someone already in Australia. For example what about their children that are Australian citizens or loans/mortgage/other obligations that they took?

Also, did you sign any state commitment agreement with Victoria during your visa application? If so, do you intend to, at least, fulfill that? Did you ask Vic State's permission that you can be released from that commitment (if you did signed any).

Because we wouldn't know the implications (e.g. citizenship, rrv renewal, et al.) of not fulfilling that commitment unless someone here confirms that it's fine

We know the "implication", because nowhere in the requirements for citizenship/rrv it states that 190 visa holders have to fulfill the 2year commitment to qualify.

Also, did you sign any state commitment agreement with Victoria during your visa application? If so, do you intend to, at least, fulfill that? Did you ask Vic State's permission that you can be released from that commitment (if you did signed any).

Because we wouldn't know the implications (e.g. citizenship, rrv renewal, et al.) of not fulfilling that commitment unless someone here confirms that it's fine

As far as I remember someone did confirm that in that thread.

I signed the agreement that I am committed to living in Victoria if I receive the state nomination and at the time I intended to fulfill it. I haven't asked for "release" as it is not a real obligation, but I have informed them that I am not living in Victoria via the every-6months-survey.

I have just moved 6 months ago and as I pointed out - in 3.5 years most probably I won't be checking this forum:)

Hi @jmartin8010, thanks for sharing your experience. Although I was hoping to see similar testimonies from SN 190 visa holders, as a lot of people asking this question are those granted with 190 and either have not set foot in AU or they are already in the state that sponsored them but having difficulty landing a job.

 

I couldn't help but ask you this.. you said you we're in 886 state sponsored visa? do you mind sharing which state have sponsored you? and which state were you at when you applied for 886 visa? As you mentioned in your initial post that you haven't even seen the airport of the state that sponsored you (?). Because as I understand 886 visa is a PR visa pathway for those with student/temporary visa. So if, for example, you are in Sydney with student visa, I would assume you will be applying for 886 visa with NSW as the sponsoring state and NOT any other state. I'm a bit skeptical about someone currently in one AU state and applying for state-sponsorship from another state. I have read some people who did such and ended up having their state sponsorship applications rejected, as the state requires you to be in their state at the time of application. Hoping to hear from you.

I also can't really understand what are you asking about...

But if you wish that more people that got citizenship w/o living in the sponsoring state would share their experience here, you have to consider that most people won't be checking the forum after they got their visas/move. Also - there is no single case when someone was refused citizenship based on that.

P.S. I have a 190 visa for Vic and I live in Sydney (never been to Victoria yet).

Maybe I am completely wrong - but if your cat does not have a Pedigree doesn't it mean that it is a mixed-breed/domestic breed and not a bengal?

Hi All,

 

Moving to Australia soon and need to take my cat. Problem is I've just read you need to prove a Bengal is at least 5 generations removed from the Asian Leopord cat. But what happens if you just bought it off a random person who doesn't have any Pedigree certificates? How can it be proved otherwise?

 

Really stressing about this, I don't think I could bare not taking my cat.

Hi ajs604 ,

 

I'm totally agree with you on people should really be committed to what they agreed on. I don't want to justify my actions or anything like that here.

 

Firstly by saying "Not have been in the state's airport" does not mean that I did not try to get a job in that state. secondly , as I mentioned in my previous post, people's situation changes over time. At the time I got the sponsorship (4 years ago) I had every intention to move into that state. However right now I can not really quiet the job I worked hard for , in order to get into the position i'm in now and move somewhere that they don't even have my occupation on their demand list anymore and start look for the job that does not exist (most likely) .

 

Anyways the moral aspects have been discussed many times on different threads and I will not even give my personal opinion about this in this thread anymore so we hopefully can stick to main point of this thread Which is "putting an end to all the rumours about not being able to become citizen if you don't complete the moral obligation of state sponsorship visas."

 

Regards,

Thanks for sharing the information you got from the Department. Even though I wasn't expecting there to be any problems, it's good to get an answer from an official source.

I also can't move to my sponsoring state just now (although I still hope to do it at some point as that is where I want to settle permanently). For some jobs, it does not matter if you apply from overseas or if you are local. Even before arriving in Au I can see that it might be hard for me to get a job in my sponsoring state, which is why I emailed the state and they replied straight away that if I can't find employment, I don't have to live there and that I should go where I have been offered a job.

I don't think comments how people should be forced by law to live in the sponsoring state are fair - DIAC has not put a condition on 190 visas for a reason. I am sure there are some pretty smart people that decided that should not be a actual obligation and I don't see a point in questioning it.

It's a very interesting question, but I think the ones that didn't have problems with getting citizenship, won't be positing here (as they don't need any help or advice). On the other hand, there hasn't been anyone on this forum who reported to have such a problem, which might mean that nobody did:)

As for investigating if someone lived in the sponsoring state and delaying applications - I don't think that is possible. The rules for applying for citizenship are very clear and nowhere it states that the commitment has anything to do with it. Also, citizenship is granted by the DIAC and I doubt that states governments have anything to say about it.

Thank you for your advice!

Maybe it is safer to just claim the degree points not the employment. I will have to depend on the IELTS result. Btw, you have really high marks in IELTS! Awesome!!! You got 20 points for English, right?

I think claiming points for qualification is easier than for work experience (less documents are needed). Just make sure that the VETASSESS result mentions that your PhD is at the required level and comparable to an Australian PhD.

I am sure you will get at least 7 in all bands in IELTS. Do you work in English? Yes, I claimed 20points for IELTS, no points for experience and 15points for Bachelor degree.

I have finally got the result letter from Vetassess, and it was positive. However, I still have the question about claiming points for my employment. Would anyone help me to answer this question?

 

My nominated occupation is Forester (234113), and I have worked as a PhD student in Sweden for four years in related subject. The employment is not based on scholarship, I have regular salary. Vetassess has verified the employment and qualification as below,

"The following claims of skilled employment made by the applciant are assessed as employment of at least 40 hours per fortnight which is at an appropriate skill level and closely related to the nominated occupation of Forester".

 

My question is that can I claim 5 points for the employment of PhD student (4 years) and at the same time claim 20 points for the highest obtained qualification (the PhD)? Will the migration board refuse this and ban me through further application?

 

I am really a little worried about it. Hope you could kindly help me answer this?

Hey,

As per my understanding - you should be able to claim points both for the degree and for any work experience after the degree assessed by Vetassess (probably B.Sc. in your case).

Although, if I were you I would look for some extra points elsewhere and play it safe by claiming only points for one:)

Have you already done IELTS? It should be easy for a scientist to get more than 7.0 in all bands, which will give you 10 extra points.

Have you received a Points Test Advice for your PhD degree from Vetassess? It's not necessary, but better to have if you want to claim 20 points for a PhD outside Australia.

Great Joanna, would really appreciate if you can let me know if CO requests anything for your work experience, thank you!!

I have just been assigned a CO and she has not asked for any work-related documents:)

Thanks for reply Joanna. Trying to get all information ready for EOI and VISA so I can submit as soon as my skills assessment comes back.

 

Hope your visa process is going well, probably not long until your 190 is granted

Thanks!

I will let you know if CO asks for any documents related to work experience as soon as I know. I am also not claiming any points for it.

Hi,

If you don't want to claim points for employment just mark it "not relevant" on your EOI. If you don't do this, it will automatically add points. Later on your visa application you need to mention any employment details, even if you have not claimed any points for it, so I guess they might ask for evidence. But I guess that would be more for security reasons...