Brissybear

Just arrived !! To say I'm relieved is an understatement

I can imagine the pressure they are under. I first submitted on the 21st Nov. Then uploaded extra info on 25th. I stupidly uploaded a pleading cover note today but cant help feel that I've pushed an extra layer if beauracrasy onto my application. Would it be really unusual to have to wait from the 21st to past the 10th december for a visa of this kind?

I am in a whole mess around this. Have a family holiday booked from 10th Dec to 8th Jan in Brisbane. My agent advised when we were about to book that due to the length of time an RRV would take I would be better just going back on an e651 tourist visa. Now sounds like going back may completely remove my permanent residency status? He thinks it wont and says its quite common when perm residents who have travel period expired need to go back on very short notice. However now I am sitting with an e651 stuck at 'In Progress' despite giving them everything they came back and asked for. It looks like its not going to change anytime soon and my holiday will be ruined. Why cant visa processing places in Oz not operate outside office hours? Why cant you ever not be able to actually speak to someone who can help? The whole thing is putting me off going back .. not that I did (permanently) anyway but my partner is desperate to go and live there. The volume of work must be immense so why cant they provide a more humane system rather than sitting staring at your email 24 hours a day. Whats the longest anyone has ever waited on an e651? maybe thats a question for another thread Cheers BB