Felix123

13 minutes ago, Spinny_Drift said:

Mal and his not so clever pal have lost a sh*t-ton of votes but before you jump on the labor bandwagon consider their stance on other issues which are less desirable! Surely there has to be someone other than the two majors worth voting for?

Very true. I’m sure there will be lots of change before the next election! How many Prime Ministers have we had since I’ve lived in Australia? One for each year! 

I wonder if Malcolm realises the effect of this situation. I’m now a citizen got my passport and on the electoral roll. I never thought I’d say this but my first vote in Australia is likely to be Labour. 

I wonder how many also think the same.

35 minutes ago, Elliot Tsao said:

I do think DIBP data system and update service need a revolutionary change.

Be careful for what you wish for. Look what happened when they revamped the ATO systems it was bedlam  ?

3 hours ago, Sheila said:

Status changes after the ceremony. Sometimes after passport printing. Approval doesn't reflect in IMMI account.

I received my passport early last week. Nothing updated in VEVO or Immi Account. VEVO still shows PR and Immi Account just says Citizenship application received with the last update on the day of alllication. This does mean if and letter is lost in the mail then the recipient won’t know. Rediculous situation. 

Mr Elliot and Ms Sheila thanks for your frequent posts and updates. It’s good to share experiences on here as sometimes the silence can be deafening during the wait. Sometimes there is no apparent logic to timelines, one will get processed super fast and another very slowly - I suspect this rests with who it allocated as a case officer! Case officer goes on holiday the ball stops rolling. The process will end for you guys soon and your minds will be free to think of other things! 

Hi all

Finally we have reached the end of the long journey of immigration and citizenship form filling and payments. Now time to get on with our lives!

Applied: 16th April 17 (Online)

Acknowledgement: 16th April 2017

Test invite email: 19th June 2017

Test date: 23rd June 2017 Melbourne CBD after a reappoint online ? pass 

Approval letter: 19th July 2017

Ceremony: 5th October 2017

Passport: 12th October 2017

The ceremony was relatively small with a dozen or so. At the end we all sang the national anthem with great gusto singing with bold and strong voices - the mixture of accents made the song sound like it was sung by angels I’m sure ?

Good luck everyone with your process and future endeavours. I won’t be going along this process again!

All the best

Felix123 signing out!

That’s good. Please go.

I wonder how many applications filed before 20th April are still in progress and how many are pending post 20th April. I don’t agree with the current Ministers agenda - I’m not someone who would normally vote Labour but come the next general election I think what’s where my vote will go. 

9 hours ago, Elliot Tsao said:

Thanks Felix. Is P.R.China HR? should be...around 3 yrs applied 187 visa, totally got it after waiting for  172 days from the lodgement day. Citizenship shouldn't be as strict as PR processing. Once this week passed, it will be the end of first 100-day after interview. Xmas is also coming soon... 

China HR. I wouldn’t have thought so unless your looking at poking me in the eye with some chop sticks ?.  Seriously though it is down as a HR country. I agree - I wouldn’t have thought citizenship checking would be as severe as for PR. After all, many live here a life time as a Permanent Resident and don’t worry about becoming a citizen - who knows that they could all be hiding from another bout of checking. I must say your wait seems rediculous. Annoying thing is the letter takes 7 to 10 days to reach Melbourne from Canberra. Applicants can’t see the status update on immi account to see if an approval has been raised, which could have been lost in the mail for example - I’m sure the system causes lots of nightmares for people waiting g for approval when approval has already been granted. You might even find your next letter is the invitation to the ceremony. All I can suggest is patience - anyone who has PR and waiting for their citizenship approval will get it I’m sure unless they’ve developed a criminal record or provided false information in the past. Good luck and hope you get it soon. 

Thanks Sheila. A couple more weeks to go. I’m batting for you guys. I can’t help but wonder what on earth happened with yours and Elliot’s approval. We sat our rest within a day or two of each other. The what nationality do you hold? Mines British. I thought one reason might be HR vs LR countries but by the time we get to citizenship we’ve been checked that many times to get PR the Department know our backgrounds better than we do ourselves! 

Hello boys and girls,

OK. Pleased to report I have my invitation for ceremony taking place on Thursday 5th October. Got the letter today and it was dated 12th September. 

I need a passport very quickly after ceremony as I travel frequently for work and am due to travel 11th October. As the PR visa gets cancelled on Citizenship what's the chance in arranging a passport before my travel date? Has anyone arrange a passport quickly after ceremony?

Thanks in advance for advice.

Felix

2 hours ago, Sheila said:

I got an email. They said it was an error. All good

How irritating Sheila! Hope you get the letter in the mail soon. It's a horrible waiting game. I'm waiting for ceremony and called the local council to chase up but to be told DIBP will contact me about the ceremony. There's a ceremony this week in my area and I can bet it's probably not going to be fully subscribed...

Citizenship crisis: Bombshell crossbench decision leaves survival of the Turnbull government in doubt

Maybe if Malcolm's Peter Dutton had left the topic of citizenship alone and not tried to close the door to so many his government wouldn't be in the pickle it's in today. What a mess!

I keep looking out to see when Elliot and Shiela come good with their approvals. We did say the test within days of each other. I'm waiting for the ceremony now and I'm suspecting it's going to be a long wait! Was hoping to go on holiday at Christmas as an Aussie...but I'm thinking that's going to be next years treat. I have one friend who sat exam in May and still waiting for approval and another who got approval in May but still no ceremony - both in Melbourne. Good luck all...it's a slow waiting game.

28 minutes ago, Elliot Tsao said:

arriving time doesn't matter, so  23 June to 19 July, 26 days, appx.  4weeks. Today is the 34 days, 5 weeks after.

Be patient is all I can say. I only phoned once. They are beavering away checking everything and past travel and accuracy of application I am sure. I'm glad to have been checked so many times but I'll be more glad to be Australian and not subject to more checking. Never dreamed I'd be obtaining  so many police certificates and criminal record checks as I have done. No more English language tests and all the fees. 

I'm going to make sure when I have my Australian passport I'll take a holiday to one of the countries where I don't have to apply for another visa! ?

1 hour ago, Elliot Tsao said:

Felix123, u r sooooo lucky. I'm also in Mel, on 22 June but still waiting for the approval letter

Letter dated 19th July so took 6 days to arrive from Canberra yet when I called on 20th operator wouldn't even check for me.

Approval recieved today ? Sat test in Melbourne on 23 June. How just have to wait for the last hurdle! The ceremoney can take 6 months apparently. Fingers crossed it doesn't take that long.

2 hours ago, tech123 said:

Hi Felix123, I asked DIBP about the same question. They told me that they will not email the approval letter but will be posted. They said it has something to do with the legislation.

Thanks! My mail box door is well oiled for all the opening! 

Anyone know if the approval letter is sent only by post or if it comes by email? Thanks

? % today in the test. Good luck all.

44 minutes ago, tech123 said:

Hi Felix123, I think because I am in the Regional Victoria. See the instruction below:

Appointments at a regional office of the Department of Human Services (DHS)

If you are attending an appointment at a regional office of the DHS, an authorised DHS officer will confirm your identity, take your photo, collect a signature from you and examine original documents for all applicants including children. DHS officers are authorised under the Australian Citizenship Act 2007 to administer the citizenship appointment and test on our behalf. You do not need to bring the Form 1195 Identity Declaration to your appointment.

Wow that's very generous of them. I'm sure there will be lots of extra paper shuffling going on in the background in that office.

2 hours ago, tech123 said:

Hi Felix123, read again the instructions in your test letter. I thought the same thing but if you read it carefully it says that when you applied online, you don't need to bring the 1195 copies. I had taken my citizenship test last week and I brought the originals of my 1195 but it wasn't asked. They will only ask for your passport, utility bill, driver's license and birth cert (or whatever identification you have provided in your application); for the child just their passport and birth certificate. They didn't even asked for the  photographs which were attested. But then again just to be safe, you can also do what sheila advised you.

I have just read the email again and glad I did:

You must bring the following original documents

• The originals of all the identity documents that you submitted with your application, for all applicants including children; and
• Any other documents that you have been requested to provide.
• Any other documents that collectively confirm your identity and establish links between all names you have used (for example, birth certificate).
• If you lodged your application online, please bring your completed Form 1195 Identity declaration with an endorsed recent passport sized photo for each applicant including children. If you do not bring the required original documents or provide the completed Form 1195 and an endorsed photo (if lodged online), we will not be able to verify your identity and proceed with your application.

Hi,
I have lodged my citizenship application and i have my test next week. it says that i need to bring the original Form 1195 for myself and my child.
Unfortunately i cannot find the original form and photos. Is this essential or can i get a new Form 1195 filled out?
Thanks

I have the same question...

Some good news for me. I applied for citizenship on 18th April and have just received invitation for test on 14th September in Melbourne.

Next few weeks of parliamentary discussions will be interesting. DIBP told me application time for citizenship applications is currently 12 months ?