Juniper

I read with mounting fury today that Boris Johnson has asked Scott Morrison for special dispensation to allow the Uk cricketers families to accompany them to Australia for the Christmas Test Matches!

I was incandescent!  There are thousands of us who would love special permission to spend Christmas with our families who live in Australia & whom we have been forcibly separated from since the outbreak of Covid 19, including new grandchildren whom we have never seen!

Boris Johnson will probably not even be aware of our heartbreaking situation but I am sure that Scott Morrison is only too aware!  Surely this cannot happen?

23 hours ago, LindaH27 said:

I actually saw your post just as I was about to switch off notifications and leave. Thank you for your kind words. It’s a fact of life I suppose that people can misinterpret things that have been said which sometimes escalates. I’ve no wish to cause problems. Life is hard enough at times for all of us. “Celebrating” my 70th birthday a few months ago on my own during lockdown wasn’t easy although I appreciate there are so many in the same boat. Hopefully I can have a 70+1 celebration next year!! 

I do agree most of us on here try to help and support each other, to keep us going during the long wait. I’m getting on with life and starting to go out more although I still wear my masks! 

I won’t leave then but I will keep a low profile for a while till the dust settles. Thank you again it’s very much appreciated.

Linda, I have also benefited from your very reasonable and helpful posts which give much needed analysis and information. I first learned about the very long wait ahead and what was really happening from you and I too appreciate your helpful and totally realistic comments. 
I have noticed recently that the tone of all the 3 forums I follow, has changed, people have obviously been affected hugely by Covid and the reduction in visa numbers and this stress is showing in the type of comments and over-reactions.  It is so hard for us all especially for people on their own like you, but please be aware that many of us really do appreciate your comments and knowledge of the system!  It is very difficult and frustrating when others completely misunderstand what we are trying to say, but hang in there, some of us are still on the same wavelength!  I truly hope all these parent forums can soon return to being the supportive friendly places they once were. Hardship affects us all and we are all missing our families and are often in despair but we surely must try to continue to support each other and to have HOPE - as that is all we can have at the moment! Things will get better!  So please stay on this forum and others and we can simply wait and go forward together - with encouragement.

On 10/08/2021 at 13:14, AJM22 said:

I do not think processing of applications from June 2016 will take over two years. Release for final processing is dependent on whether the annual cap for Contributory Parent Visas has been exhausted in a given migration year.

In your case for applications made 31st October 2016 the cumulative total number of CPV applications in the queue yet to be released for final processing from June 2016 to October 2016 is 5407 against the current annual cap of 3600 places.  If the annual cap is fulfilled as it used to be in all migration years pre July 2016 you would expect your application to be processed within 1.5 years  (5407 divided by 3600 places). However there will be applications that will be refused and the refusal rate is anywhere between 6% to 18% which which could mean that your application could be processed any time between 1.2 years to 1.4 years from now but this would assume that the annual cap of 3600 CPV places is fulfilled each year which currently has not been the case even pre Covid-19.

I can understand your frustration and this is why the Australian Office of Home Affairs ideally need to display a realistic timescale for processing based on outstanding applications in the queue and the current annual cap level at any time to allow individuals who are applying for a CPV to make realistic plans and to have a more accurate indication of how long processing may take so they do not get there hopes up.

The 143 CPV used to be processed in under 2 years however this was when applications outstanding in the queue were around 10000 to 12000 with an annual cap of 7500 CPV places.

Anyone applying for a 143 CPV today would probably have to wait at least 13 - 15 years for their application to be processed based on the current number of applications in the queue and the reduced annual cap of 3600 CPV places available to be granted each year. I do not think this last point was made particularly clear in the recent Senate Enquiry and really anyone applying for a 143 CPV should be aware of this so they can make informed decisions on whether to sell up and move into temporary accommodation assuming that the 143 CPV is a fast track for permanent residency into Australia as this is no longer the case.  Processing of applications 2 to 4 years from date the application is made is no longer valid.

 https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Legal_and_Constitutional_Affairs/FamilyandPartnerVisas

I  really hope you application is processed within 2 years.

 

 

Thank you AJM22!  This makes a lot of sense and gives me a good reference tool.  We have also applied for an interim 870 but are still at the Sponsorship stage. It may be we won’t need it after all, we shall have to wait and see!  Such a waiting game and so hard to make a balanced decision with so little current information!

On 09/08/2021 at 10:18, AJM22 said:

As of June 2021 Contributory Parent Visa applications up to a queue date of May 2016 have been released for final processing. This is no change from June 2020.

CPV applications from June 2016 (2051 applications )  will next to be released for processing under the current annual cap of 3600 CPV places.

https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-processing-times/family-visa-processing-priorities/parent-visas-queue-release-dates

 

As May ‘16 has now been processing for over a year and is still ongoing, I suppose it is reasonable to assume that the processing of June ‘16 will take at least two years as there are apparently  nearly twice the number of applicants?

Then there will be July, August, September and October applications to be processed before our turn at 31/10/16.  So we are looking at least another 3 years from now which is a very daunting thought!  We have already been waiting for 58 months with no light at the end of the tunnel. Rather frightening at our age (mid -70’s) Having sold our house & business we seem destined to live in temporary accommodation with half our belongings in storage for the rest of our lives!   I am beginning to think it was all simply an unrealistic dream and we will never ever get there!  So near and yet so far!

We applied for our 143 in October 2016 and there are several thousand applicants still in front of us, so possibly we will wait another two years or more

13 hours ago, Kathss56 said:

WELL!

they have stuck to their word and started issuing parent visas to those onshore as from today. 
Got my grant this morning after 5yrs 5days!
Good luck to the others waiting, as at least we know now they saved us a place !

That’s such good news Kath! 
It’s been a long road & as you say - great to know places were saved for those of in your position. Makes it all feel a little fairer! 
Now celebrate your new status and relax into Australian life  You’ve made it!

Wonderful news Kath! So pleased for you! Be great to keep in touch. We have started our 870 Application!

Done!

I have sent a Submission. Thank you for highlighting this!

All please follow!

On the face of it, yes it does look as if it should only take about a year but people are still waiting from February, March and April 2016 plus many in May to have their visas granted. It seems that some people in June 2016 have been asked for ‘further information’ but it will take a long time to process the 1,874 applications from June alone!  The Parent Visa Centre have been working on May 2016 applications (of which there were many!) for several months. It also depends on how many of the 20/21 allocation of approx 4,500 have been used already. When the allocation has been used the visa granting will simply cease until July 1st 2021 when the new allocation kicks in and so on.
So looking at the numbers who applied each month between May and November 2016 and perhaps adding on a backlog, our visa will certainly take longer than another year to be granted, more like 2plus at the least.  Of course - perhaps the annual allocation will be increased! but having already waited for over 4 years, aged 75 and with ALL  my family in Australia, I just want to join them as soon as possible!  That is why we are considering the 870 which if we are lucky, may be granted when the Australian Border restrictions are lifted!   Maybe ....

On 07/12/2020 at 09:14, Arti said:

Yep - I'm in the process of applying for it..

143 and 870 Visas:

We are also applying for an 870. Our 143 was lodged 31st October 2016. We hope to get away with a 3year 870 but are worried it won’t be long enough. Opinions please?

21 hours ago, TADec16 said:

I’m in this forum for a while now. 
congratulations everyone!

I’m just a dec16 from Brazil waiting on the line.

Cheers

Hi Tad,

We are 31 Oct 2016, so just before you.  Our turn will be coming! 
Good Luck!

32 minutes ago, LindaH27 said:

There’s an allowance of 15,000 per year I believe ! 

Does anyone have an idea how long an 870 application takes?

It obviously wouldn’t be granted until the Australian Borders open, but I wondered about applying in advance?

6 hours ago, LindaH27 said:

Exciting - so much to look forward to! I’m only 15 months behind you but think I’ll be waiting  years yet ! keep thinking about 600 but there’s no guarantee I wouldn’t get the 12 in 18 months clause - which I don’t really want. Thinking of 870 but  not sure whether to go for the 5 year rather than the 3 with the numbers in the queue - it’s all extra money ! 

Linda - we are thinking in exactly the same way as you!  
We would have nowhere to return to in the UK during the term of a 600 so it really has to be the 870 but as you say - for 3 or 5 years? 
Then I worry that they may be a rush of applicants for the 870 who are obviously all in the same position as ourselves.  Am I right in thinking there is quite a low annual limit on the number of 870’s granted? 

On 22/10/2020 at 20:35, JoMichellle said:

Thank you Linda for confirming and for the additional information.  I think I’ve probably still got a two to three year wait ahead of me anyway. Seems a ludicrous amount of time when I’m a October 2016 applicant and they are apparently looking at May 2016 files. 

We have been waiting 4 years for our 143 visa which we applied for on 31/10/2016!  As you say, we are ludicrously so near and yet so far!   Following the sale of our house, we have been living (in what we thought would be fairly short-term rented accommodation)  with many of our belongings in Storage for 2.6 yrs, and now it looks like being at least 2 years longer, or possibly more!

We are wondering about the 870 visa, just to get over there before it is too late!  We are in our mid 70’s so time is not on our side! Of course we would have to wait until Australian Borders are open again in order to apply.

A really difficult situation and it really is impossible to make balanced decisions without proper information!  That surely is not such an unreasonable request!!!   If only we knew where we really are in the process!  I wish they would re-introduce the Calculator to give us some idea. At the end of May it showed there were 10,450 in front of us. Hard to know what to do ....

Just despairing!

You are so right Linda, the Covid crisis is obviously having a huge impact on the issuing of visas. A few are trickling through but many Applicants who are so nearly there  are still waiting for the final granting of their visa. It is driving us all mad but we can do nothing except try to stay positive!  When the Australian Borders open again, I think it will be a different story.  We have now been waiting near enough 4 years so we must be getting towards the end but we know it will be a while yet.  It is all so difficult but try to keep smiling everyone!

17 hours ago, LindaH27 said:

Because in the queue calculator which has  been unavailable since June, I put my lodgement date in and it said there were 22900 people in front of me! At only 6000 granted per year its simple maths to work out. 
 

May/June 2016 showed a huge jump in the queue,   the same happened in May/June 2017 - in those two months In 2017  alone 9000 people applied   It’s going to take at least 18 -24 months just to deal with that 9000 as they only grant 6000 per year. Same with the jump the year before. 

They are only just grantIng the visa to applicants in Jan/Feb 2016 so you still have a way to wait. I’ve also been told of a December 2015 applicant who has only just had his 143 granted. 

I also looked at the calculator at the end of May this year and for us it said 10,450 Applications were in front of us, so that is at least the end of 2021 never mind the Covid complication!  I do so wish they would restore the Calculator, at least we would know (more or less!)  where we are!  We applied 31st October 2016

Fee We feel the same!  We went out to Adelaide for Christmas 2016 but now this will be our fourth Christmas in a row without seeing any of our family!  
Originally we thought we would definitely have our 143 visa by last Christmas (3 years+ of waiting) and by the time it became obvious that was not going to happen we thought it would probably have been granted by this Christmas, then Covid struck and here we are, stuck in an even more hopeless limbo! (4years of waiting!)  We can only hope that by Christmas 2021, after over 5 years of waiting, things will have changed!  It seems crazy now that when we first enquired about applying, in early 2015, an agent told us the 143’s were taking 12 to 18 months and looking at our personal timescale, it was too early to apply, so we put it all off until autumn 2016 as we had property & a business to sell etc!!  How wrong we were!!!!

2 hours ago, AlwaysVet said:

Receiving an email this morning. Visa granted today!!

So happy for you!

Quoll,

That’s rather an unkind comment!  Perhaps you’d prefer those of us deprived of seeing our children and grandchildren never to see them again?  We are not even asking to get in free, just to be able to be with our families. 
Nitz has written a letter in an honest attempt to move things along especially for those who have already paid the huge amount of money and are simply waiting for their visa to be issued.
In these troublesome times, surely we can all have some understanding of people’s worries and be kind and supportive to one another!

Aah, Linda , it’s just dreadful! So sorry.

It seems to be their policy to keep us Completely in the dark, never mind that after 4 years we are all going quietly insane!  It’s the not-knowing that is almost the worst, if we were given a realistic idea of when our Application will come up, at least we’d know and be able to make plans  instead of living in limbo! 

Yes, I’ve been trying too, Linda!  So annoying, it was our only real guide as to our position!  Oh why do they make it all so difficult!

With regards to the previous post about finalising visas lodged in May 2016, I take it to mean that immi is continuing to process and finalise parent visas but is not actually granting them until Australian Borders are open again. Soon they will be hitting June 2016 where there are a huge number of applicants to deal with - apparently nearly half of the total year’s visa allowance applied in one month! 
Try to stay sane everyone and keep smiling!

There is always Hope!!!

Thank you for doing this! We applied 31st October 2016. Any glimmer of information about progress/or otherwise is very welcome!

I simply put ‘Visas’ on the subject line and then ‘Update please’ on the narrative space. I get a quick auto response every time.

Good Luck!

Fantastic,  I’ve followed your journey lately and am so very pleased for you!

On 20/09/2019 at 14:46, Christa said:

 

Thanks Bridgie, the sudden stop a few weeks ago is disconcerting but we have to remain positive and hope they're coming to 2016 applications eventually. I'm so glad not to be alone, thanks to everyone that contributes to this forum. Hope many more will find it and share their experiences. It would be so wonderful if Immi were keeping us informed. When we went through the application process, we were able to email parents@border.gov.au and receive replies to all our queries within just a few hours. Not sure this is happening now. Suppose a lot has changed in the department since then. We sold our house in readiness and will move to temporary accommodation at the end of October. The uncertainty of the future is not easy to bear

We are in a similar position, sold our house, living in a rental with a lot of stuff in storage and the uncertainty of a Medical before we hopefully- eventually- get our visa!

The long wait without real information is so hard!