Kangaroohunting

OH MY GOSH!! GOT MY GRANT TODAY!! I've been waiting for this day for 9 whole months!

Hope everyone waiting receive their grants very soon! I know my application was sent to ASIO for security checks so I guess it could take them up to 7-9 months to complete checks if you've traveled quite a bit.

Thank you a lot Captain for all the information you've provided. It really helps!

Gonna move to Melbourne in April!

I'm losing my mind!!! 7 months and still no news!!

Its sooo frustrating.....Have you called or emailed?

I called them 3 months ago and was informed that my application can proceed once the check results are back to IMMI. Emailed CO 2 months ago and was told IMMI cannot control the time taken to complete the checks so I will have to wait. Is your application under routine checks too? Couldn't think of any other reason why its taking so long.

I'm still waiting for my grant...Its been almost 6 months since lodged my visa. I have no clue how much longer would it take for them to complete the routine checks Fingers crossed!!

Still no news....3 months and 17 days.

Saw a post from a Brit who worked as a contractor in Afghanistan for a few months. He applied for 189 in October 2014 and got granted yesterday after the external checks.

Oh my! 9 months! That's insane considering that most people load all required documents upfront and IMMI only need police clearance from countries in which one stayed for more than 1 year. Just think about having to wait that long without knowing the result. Hope that doesnt happen to any of us......

I'm starting to wonder how ASIO runs their external checks. Do they just run your name against some sort of database or do they actually require confirmation from security agencies of a particular country?

Mickeyteg explained everything. But I reckon if you email your CO, he's gonna have to get back to you with an update within 2 weeks as its part of his job. Wonder how many April applicants are still waiting for their grants. Its been 3 months and 9 days since I lodged my application...

Maybe try calling at 00:30 am UK time. I got through the first attempt.

What times do people ring up? I assume they'll not work explicitly their advertised hours (who does?) but trying to deduce whether they'd be more likely to start early or finish late.

Ring them in three and a half hour. It should be 9:30 am in Adelaide by then. You should get through straight away.

Fingers crossed for all of us waiting.

Just out of interest @mickeyteg and @Kangaroohunting have either of you been to, had jobs in or are associated in any way with a high risk country? Or can think of any particular reason why you might be subject to these checks?

Mine is also taking a while, and along with previous military service in several dodgy countries (although over ten years ago) and extensive travel history, I think I might be in the same situation.

I read an ASIO document a while ago and it says routine checks could either be internal or external. Internal checks would take 1-2 months at most but external checks could take longer. (This news says around 66 days for Asylum seekers but did not mention GSM http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-03-01/asios-security-check-logjam-revealed/1962922) There's no way of telling what checks they are doing. I did hear from our HR department IMMI called to check my work history.

Does anyone know what is this routine check all about and how long it takes. Why is it that some people get the grant earlier than others. Is this routine check applicable for few or for all applicants. Sorry to ask so many questions, but it indeed is frustrating.

Routine checks could be triggered for a variety of reasons from what I've learned. If you have extensive travel history or have had jobs in countries that are deemed 'High Risk' by ASIO, a routine check could happen to your application. Or sometimes they just need to verify basic information such as work history. And people are saying that no one knows how long a routine check's going to take as IMMI outsources security checks to ASIO.

I called Adelaide GSM and the nice lady said she does not know how long it is gonna take but its quite normal for applicants to go through routine checks, and when the checks are cleared then the application can proceed.

It is annoying though not knowing how long it would take for ASIO to complete the checks....

Yep! Lodged 13th April and application is under 'routine check'......... Waiting eagerly

Just called them! The nice lady assured me there's nothing wrong with my application. It just happens that my application is under routine checks as I worked in a quite a few counties before and there is nothing I can do but wait......Fingers crossed.

When your immigration account states it has been 'Finalised' if you go into the 'VIEW CORRESPONDENCE' you will see the visa grant confirmation which they will send to your agent. I have an agent, I contacted them this morning via email to let them know I had my visa hahahaha! She later confirmed this in writing and attached the letters of which I had already seen.

 

I phoned the Adelaide office this morning at 6.00 and got through straight away, the chap was lovely and told me he wuld finalise it straight away for me, and he kept to his word and after logging in again 15 minutes later it had been completed.

 

Good luck to everyone else x

Thanks for the info! I'm not that nervous about calling them anymore! I will wake up and call them when their office opens!

Since so many people hurried things along by calling and since the lady seems to be very nice. I assume it is a good idea to call for the April applicants now. Gonna call again tomorrow!!

Called them today but didn't get through. Will call again tomorrow. Fingers crossed! And congrats to people who got their grants today!

Great news!! Congrats! Just wondering did you call IMMI before getting your grant??

Congratulations everyone!!! Really happy for you guys. Just wondering when you called them. Did you talk to the CO or the reception??

I think I might give them a call to speed things up a bit. Lodged my visa on 13th April. The wait's coming to 3 months very soon.

Congratulations on all the grants today! Great to see things are moving along and more people are getting grants! Can't wait!

The champagne's been occupying my fridge for the past 6 months! It cannot wait to get screwed open! Come, the GRANTS!!

I think the CO asked for my form 80 since I worked in a few countries and traveled quite a bit.

Apart from that I also received a long email from DIBP team 13 requesting more information (extremely detailed information) regarding my employment and gaps between employment. I also learnt from our HR department that they did reach them to verify work history!

Congratulations on another grant! I am sooo jealous of you all but also buzzing that people are still getting grants!

 

Good luck to everyone still waiting, I hope more April applicants get some more grants tonight!

Good to hear IMMI's still giving out grants.

I'm a bit confused though since they sent out emails about how visa quota for the 14-15 financial year has been reached and they could not give out more grants before 1st July.

Anyone knows what happened??

Congratulations and happy moving! Lodge my 189 visa on 13th April as well! Hope the April gang will start receiving grants very soon!