MELBNGSM

On 24/03/2021 at 11:26, Kathss56 said:

WELL!

they have stuck to their word and started issuing parent visas to those onshore as from today. 
Got my grant this morning after 5yrs 5days!
Good luck to the others waiting, as at least we know now they saved us a place !

All the best Kath

1 hour ago, Gadgetfreak28 said:

Oh dear. That means we won't be hearing anything until July this year. I am just concerned that we will be asked to do medicals again seeing that they will expire in July this year. Not to forget that the AOS bond has already been paid. Wait and watch game I guess with a few unknowns it is. 

@Gadgetfreak28 were you sent an email 2nd week of Feb about your application being released from que for processing and informing you of legislative change to allow Visa grants on-shore for offshore applicants? 
We have seen Medicals extended for 6 months and police extended for 3months. You may get them extended as well albeit it isnt certain. 
FYI - Some people had to do Medicals again as the extension had also expired. 
Regarding AOS you are in the same boat as everyone else. 
There are people who have paid VAC2 nearly 6 months ago now and are waiting for a grant becuase they could not go offshore.  

10 hours ago, Kathss56 said:

Sadly with the numbers being so low they may have used up all the places 

They are most definitely used up. I cant give you concrete evidence but that is what I have been told from IMMI themselves.
If they have a few places left, we won’t hear until after the onshore get their grant i.e. after 24 March. 

13 hours ago, 143mag said:

We are offshore, and feel like every time our file reaches near finalisation, theres a change in rules which are not in our favour. 

We cant say for the rules. But looks like most of us missed the change introduced in Oct to reduce the parents visa quota and it was readjusted to give to Partner.

Quota for family visas hasnt changed (not sure of it though)

Now realistically. 

If you are a citizen or PR and have married or have a partner who is overseas because they dont have visa. Who do you choose to get first Partner/Parent. 

I know it is not that simple. But this is what we are dealing with.  

If you have not heard about VAC2, then I would say July is the time you will hear for it. This is again from my own experience. 

10 hours ago, 143mag said:

I thought that as being a possibility. I have not met a single march 2016 offshore who hasn't received grant yet. Feel like the unlucky one. 

Yeah, you will be the first one in July. Then hopefully we get ours in the first week of July. 

10 hours ago, 143mag said:

Would 3 emails in a month be too much? Do not want to annoy the case officer. 

If it makes you feel better. I got a reaply back after 3 repeat emails in a week. 

2 minutes ago, 143mag said:

In last 3 weeks, emailed twice, Should I try again today? What get their attention? I did mention my docs about to expire? Thanks for responses. 

***Everything I reply to is my own expereince. 
Well I say if your DOCS are expering and you think they will ask again then re do them. 
But I feel like it depends on your case. If you/your parents are overseas then get the DOCS done again.
If they are onshore you may get possible extension 
Health 6 months
Police etc also a few months.

Hope this helps. 

2 hours ago, 143mag said:

Called 131881, they said we dont give updates on a file processing, and i should email parents@homeaffairs… I emailed couple of times but no reply. 

Yes, that is common. 
Email replies come. Keep emailing every couple of days (if you are needeing a reply that is) and eventually you will get a reply. 
I think the volume of emails they get is enormous. 

22 hours ago, Ollie1234 said:

This is what really bugs me. There is literally no reason why they can't make this clearer to people who are making big, expensive life decisions. It's a total money grab! 

Understand the frustration. The system isn’t working. Money is primary objective yes, also time. Time is more important than money and often people put them in the same basket. 
We have chosen to pay more money for the visa, but on the 'hope' or somewhat 'certainty' that we will get it sooner, so the families can be reunited here in Australia. But the delay we are seeing aren’t justifiable.
System is non-functional. It needs an overhaul. 

9 minutes ago, Bigtrev said:

Hi Mel,

We paid our 2nd VAC in August and no we weren’t told our medicals and police checks would be extended. At that time all we were asked for was our travel itinerary to trigger the visa. 
Yes we have to do them again ( although we sent a declaration that we had not been back to the UK so didn’t have to renew the UK check). Our medicals are booked for the 3rd. 
Good luck.

Thanks for the response. 
Just to clarify one thing. You are doing them because your case officer has asked you to or are you doing them so you save yorself time later? 

It isnt cheap to do the Medicals so I wanted to exhaust the options/temp concesssions.  

All th best to you also. Not far now. 

On 10/02/2021 at 21:41, Bigtrev said:

Hi Kath, no that’s the extended date. Our case officer is on our side but can’t do anything until the amendment is put in place, which in his view isn’t going to be in the next couple of weeks. I’ll keep you posted.

Hi BigTrev.
You must be happy with the news of on-shore Grants.
Just wanted to know, Did they say your medicals will be extended for 6 months at the time when they sent you request for 2nd VAC? 
Do you need to do them again since your grant is on 24 March now? 

We still havent received the 2nd VAC and most of the police checks and Medicals expire by 24 March 2021. If we get 6monhts extension then we will be good, nut not sure if we will get that consession or not. 

Sending email to PVC team many times and still no response as of yet. 
 

20 hours ago, Deniseli0612 said:

did you hear more from Immigration officer today after you sending email? Thanks 

Still waiting on an email response. 

As I suspected. Extended date for medicals and police checks are for people who have received second VAC.

To date we have had no emails from our case officer except emails to provide more information. When we asked for update its just a long silence and then again an email asking for more information. 

13 minutes ago, Deniseli0612 said:

I hope you are right. Do you  get 2 emails at the same time from the same email address or different time ?

 thank you 

Also I hear from other members of the group that the temporary concessions are not just the grant of visa onshore but also:
- 3 months extension for police
- 6 months extension for medicals
But these were only offered to the people who got second VAC possibly. 
Some of my parents police checks are already expired and have not been asked to supply them yet. 

Just now, Deniseli0612 said:

I hope you are right. Do you  get 2 emails at the same time from the same email address or different time ?

 thank you 

I get 2 automated emails when I send email to PVC Team. One is WA Parents other one is PVC Team and they come out at the same time. 

3 minutes ago, Deniseli0612 said:

I see. So are you parents onshore ? I guess all the onshore applicants receive the email but it doesn’t really say much. 

My parents are 50/50
Mom is here. Dad is in NZ with my sister. 
He was suppose to get back on 21 March 2020. If my memory serves me well. they closed the borders on 20 March 2020 here in OZ.
The letter is sent to the applicants who have got second VAC and to the people whose application is being processed at the moment. Perhaps not to 'all'.

3 minutes ago, Deniseli0612 said:

Hi @MELBNGSM,  Have  you received any letter from Immigration department? I have received one email today but i  think its standard email they sent to  everyone  for the  applicants are onshore. its regarding the  temporary concession for  certain parents Visa applicants.  

Yes I got that letter.
I also got letter yestrerday from the PVC about doing medicals again fpr my Dad as I posted yesterday. 
Emailed IMMI asked why the medicals are needed again since they are valid for 1 year. Wiating for response. 

1 hour ago, LindaH27 said:

Sounds like your dad signed a health waiver. I think this means  he has to see doctors again on of before entry to Australia to check on the condition. Given the strange times with the pandemic they are probably just checking up now on the condition to see if its changed before grant.

https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-support/meeting-our-requirements/health/health-waiver

 

 

 

I am not sure about it. But an explanation of why they want another health Examination before it expires will be useful. Anyway I have sent them an email saying that Health examination is < 12 months old and Dad signed the 815 form as they asked. I am going to contact the clinic in NZ to make sure they submitted everything for my Dad.

Mom’s expires on 13 March 2020. Hers is even before Dad’s.

I have asked why should we get medicals done again since it clearly says we have 1 year validity.

sent them the e medical sheet we got from the clinic in NZ.

Yeah if he has health condition hence the Health form which he singed as per their request.

Got an email this afternoon from PVC team. They are asking for my Dad to do medicals again with the same HAP ID.

He got them done in NZ on 17 March 2020 so they should still be valid because of 1 year validity. Or am I wrong?

He was made to sign a health declaration as well back in May. 

1 hour ago, PiK said:

Did you pay for AoS yet or only application submitted. If you did - its very unfair that they would take AoS money and leave you in limbo. By the looks of it they opened applications up until May 16 and even those many seem to have been put on hold. If it werent for covid then we were hoping by now we would have been very close to approval but anyway work with what we have got. On the flip side hopefully when they start considering the visa we won't be very far off....can't imagine the stress for those that have applied in the last year or 2 or wish to apply now.

 

@PiK yes ofcourse I have paid AOS and the application is approved. Its in my timeline signature. I dont know whats the hold up, but we really need that secind VAC, we are in a very tight spot with visas. 
If you could please also update your signature. 
Last year or 2 is a very recent application in my opinion and in these uncertain times very hard to say when the turn will come. 

15 hours ago, PiK said:

Hi all, lodged Nov 2016. May someone kindly help as to when we may hear from case officer? Sending email to parents@homeaffairs.gov.au is not helpful as there is no auto reply. For many months it is stuck at sept 2016. It seems those lodged in May 2016 are the ones that got finalised and after those dates nothing. Thanks in advance. 

Hi @PiK
We applied in end of April'16 and Acknowledgement May'16 and still waiting for Second VAC. 
I have sent several emails to the PVC team and have not seen any response. They even asked for poilice clearence certs twice (cant explain why..)

We are hoping for some movement very soon. As there has been changes to people with offshore applications that now will be able to get visa without leaving OZ.

50 minutes ago, Deniseli0612 said:

any update news today? pls share!

Hi @Deniseli0612
No news as of yet. I will send a message in the forum as soon as I hear something. 
If I dont hear anything this week I need to apply 600 visa for mom. Just preparing my Dad's visa extension DOCS for NZ at the moment because they gave him a deadline of 5th Feb or they will give him only 2 months extension to prepare to leave NZ. 
Also it will be good if you can put your timeline signature.  

6 minutes ago, cfernandes said:

I am hoping for the same. They should start rolling them out in the next couple of weeks. I am sure they have thier formats etc ready. The first to hear will be applicants who have already paid the second VAC and are onshore. I guess that backlog should and will be cleared out before touching the other applications. Just my guess and common sense if they apply it. 

@Kathss56 could you kindly let us know when you have more information at hand please.
I have to start preparing my Mom's 600 as her 600 expires end of Feb, Dad is in NZ (cant come back here without PR) and he might only get a 2 months extension there because he has been there more than 9 months in 1 year (still applying old immigration policy there and saying future application may not approved). 

1 minute ago, cfernandes said:

I am hoping for the same. They should start rolling them out in the next couple of weeks. I am sure they have thier formats etc ready. The first to hear will be applicants who have already paid the second VAC and are onshore. I guess that backlog should and will be cleared out before touching the other applications. Just my guess and common sense if they apply it. 

Common Sense and Immigration must be running parallel. They meet but at infinity.