RobC269

I applied from UK (this year) and my sponsor didn't need any police checks to get my visa granted. Rob

Thanks It came through my email. Shouldn't be too much longer if they have all the info they need, best of luck!

I got my visa grant letter today. I didn't notice my sponsor status change since last week as I haven't been on IMMI for a few days. So perhaps you don't have too long to wait now?

It came this morning I applied for it 2 weeks ago, so it was only a day late. Given the weather disruption in the last week its not too bad.

Good luck! It took 4-5 days for my health assessment to be updated on IMMI afterwards. My police check is due back today - I haven't got it yet but that's probably down to the recent weather. Hopefully it'll show up shortly...

Hiya, No not yet - I'm still waiting on my ACRO police check arriving though. Everything else is in and ready for review... hopefully it hasn't gotten delayed too much by the recent stormy weather! Rob

Hi, 1. Yes, that is correct. The Form 888 has a section for the certifying person to sign. They also need their australian passport certified. The same person should certify both, as their are certifying that the person who completed the form is the same person represented on the passport. 2. I don't know for sure, but the Form 888 itself says the following: And regarding copies of their ID: If you are unsure, it might be worth calling and asking? The European Service Centre is open from 1pm-4pm Monday to Friday (UK time) on +44 (0) 2074203690. 3. We haven't been asked for any proof of funds, but I can't speak for everyone. However, I submitted a number of joint bank statements as proof of the financial aspects of our relationship. 4. I don't know for sure, but as sponsor you are responsible for financially supporting the applicant (if required) for 2 years, as he will not be entitled to any state benefits for that period. I imagine you might, in this instance, be asked to demonstrate how he will be supported. 5. You'll need copies of your passports, birth certificates, driving licences (if you list them on the form) and marriage certificate. I was also asked to provide my son's birth certificate. You can do this now and save yourself time later. I scanned all these in advance and just uploaded them when they were asked for. In terms of evidence, you could start collecting joint bank statements. If you do online banking, you might be able to download PDF copies of your statements which would save a bit of hassle. I also submitted airline bookings for the last 2 years as evidence, to demonstrate that we travel together as a family, and photos of us at our destinations. I also uploaded a PDF of our social media interactions, as there are plenty photos on facebook where we are tagged together with others. If you and your husband are active on Facebook, just go to facebook.com/us and print the page to PDF (You'll need to have added your relationship to facebook for this to work of course). All of the above is just based on my own experience thus far, so your mileage may vary. Good luck! Rob

I'd be careful doing this, as the quality may not be sufficiently high. Some apps also manipulate the image to improve readability, which may or may not be a problem. I'd go with the library option, as snifter said. My witnesses did this with no problem.

I use TransferWise to transfer money between UK and Aus. Their fee at the moment is 0.5% plus $1, so about £500 for you, and they use the midmarket exchange rate (the rate on Google, basically). The largest sum I've transferred was to buy a car though, not a house. There are other providers which are cheaper, but I've had a good experience with TW so far.

You do have to enter within 12 months of doing the medical and police check though - at least, that is my understanding. So might be a risk if it hasn't yet been asked for. Oliver - When I called up to book my medical, they were able to offer appointments as close as 1 week away. They do a blood test so it takes a few days for results to come back after you've had your appointment. UK Police checks are supposed to take 10 working days (2 weeks). My partner (AU citizen) and I are married with 1 child, don't know how they manage their incoming applications though. I did start drafting my form mid-2017 to save a mad rush when I was ready to submit, but I don't think that makes any difference.

It is quick - I'm definitely not the only one, but it does seem to be the exception rather than the rule. I think the rules say the sponsor must provide police checks 'when requested by the department'... so I suppose there is still an element of discretion? Who knows!

Hi Oliver, I'm applying from UK. I got an email this morning saying my sponsor does NOT need police checks, so I guess that clears up my original question. Regarding the case officer... I'm not sure - I don't know if you always get a notification about that.

Hi folks I submitted my 309 application on 15th February, and received a 'Request for Information' on 16th February which had a list of all the documents I was required to provide within 28 days. I've been asked to do my UK police check and medical, and provide all the usual evidence, however there is no request for any police checks for my sponsor. At the time I received this request, we had not yet submitted the 40SP sponsorship form - I don't know if that has any bearing on the request. Does this mean I don't need them, or am I just going to be asked for further police checks later? It would seem a bit silly to do police checks separately, given they take 2-3 weeks to process. I was under the impression they were mandatory now, but I haven't been asked for them... Any guidance much appreciated! Rob

Ah I see. I'm still uploading my documents - my medical is scheduled but not done yet. Good luck!

I'm having a similar experience! I applied for my Partner Visa yesterday too, and received a letter today requesting very specific documents AND asking me to arrange my medical and police checks immediately. The only difference is see is my letter was titled 's56' rather than 's52'. I don't know if there is a difference?