Hey guys
New to this forum-marlarkey but its proving very useful in keeping my mind at ease so thank you to everybody here. I have read a few posts in here already which sound similar to mine but just wondered if anybody has any recent clarity.
I have a criminal conviction for common assault back in February 2013. I served 120 hours Community Service and was ordered to pay £2k in compensation. Was basically wrongly accused outside a nightclub by a bouncer who threw me to the floor and me, being the idiot, yet feeling very hard-done by as they accused the completely wrong person (me), lashed out in retaliation which I understand was the completely wrong thing to do and should have walked away. Whilst doing the Community Service, I even gave up my day job at the time in order to complete the hours quicker (not just attend once a week for endless weeks).
I applied for a Working Holiday Visa (417) back on September 16th 2016. On application I was advised that due to my case being a criminal case application then it could take 6 months to be granted. I contacted the visa agency who I'm still going through to apply and they hadn't heard anything up until I received an email from DIBP on the 8th February (just over 5 months since applying) saying that it was currently being assessed in their Hobart office. Further from this, I then received a second letter on the 21st March (6 months/2 weeks or so) stating that my application had been referred onto the VACCU for character consideration. The visa agency dealing with my application sent me an email to say that it could take a further 6 months to 1 year to finalise. I feel incredibly disheartened already waiting 7 months today since I actually applied but to be told another 6 months to one year seems kind of mad. I don't think I've fully got my head around it yet but finding this forum and seeing what a lot of your situations are and waiting times, I take my hat off to you all!
If anybody is able to shed any light or give me some confidence regarding their own experience, whether its the same type of visa or not, dealings with VACCU itself or just generally, this would be massively appreciated.
Best Wishes to you all.
Gilly
