Aleshia

Hey guys just butting in here with a quick question?!

I can't believe the processing times you're all currently waiting on. My husband is 1 year into his current and 1st 5 year Visa and I'm wondering when we should reply to renew if it takes this longgg?? How does work? Would he still be able to work while waiting for the renewal if the current on expires while waiting?? Should we maybe look into PR instead?? We were hoping to just renew the 5 year once more giving us more time to save for the PR!

Good Luck to everyone waiting and thanks for keeping us all updated even if there isn't much to report, I hope you all get them soon! 

Hopefully the borders will of opened again by the time the visa is processed too! It was only a 2 month wait for us in London last year

On 29/04/2020 at 22:56, kiwi_sparkles said:

Does anyone on this thread have any updates?  Finding other peoples experiences for 461s applications is proving tricky.  Lots of peeps posting info on other visa types, but not 461! 

Processing time, as of 28 Apr 2020 is now 33 months for 90% (I am sure it was <30 at the start of 2020) but strangely I'm sure the 75% timeframe has dropped since last month, from 27 to 25 months.   I am now keeping a spreadsheet to track this - mostly out of curiousity.

We only lodged my husbands application last month, just before the COVID lockdown began here in London so I think we are going to be in for a loooong wait.  I rang the customer services team a few days after I lodged it (an Aussie number) and they said we should get some sort of acknowedgement and a reference number once the data has been transferred into their system, but to call back in a month if we've not heard anything.  Called them on Monday, and they say it's not in their system yet. Suspect it's sitting in a post room gathering dust given everyone is working from home now.   

I don't know if we just got incredibly lucky or our personal application was just very straight forward.

I lodged ours by myself filled out all the paperwork etc. Submitted it offshore in London in May 2019 and we had it by September 2019 moved out here in November 2019. I too was super worried/stressed about the the wait times I think they're more relevant to lodging it here in Australia so I am not looking forward to renewing it again in 4.5 years. Hopefully you'll get some update soon, it is pretty minimal though I believe I got 1 email to say they had recieved it/begun processing it and then next I heard it was all done. COVID19 is most likely slowing it all down though. We were lucky to get out here before it all. 

Has anyone lodged their application offshore in London recently? We've just applied for our first one last month and  wondering how long people have been currently waiting. 

I know of someone else who has applied offshore in the Philippines for his wife and he seems to think he'll have his by Christmas?? 

I just keep seeing a lot of people onshore in australia are waiting for months and months and wonder if it's different offshore? 

Just lodged ours last month. I know the current processing times keep going up sitting at 27 months at the moment. Just wondering how long everyone has been waiting so far after applying in London? 

Thanks! 

Oh Aya that sounds incredibly stressfull, its seems so unfair they make people live in such limbo! 

Our situation is a little different we will be moving to Queensland into my parents house until we have ourselves sorted and aren't in a particular rush to move to Australia. Having said that I worry that once we are there and its been 5 years and time to renew I worry it will take so long and have my husband out of work. Maybe would be better to apply for PR after 5 years? I don't know I haven't explored all options yet. 

We have been going through a similar process here in the UK for my visas but each time I renew I am still aloud to work while awaiting a decision from the home office, no bridging visa restrictions like there, seems so extreme I really hope you get an update soon and begin to live your life again in Australia!

Hi everyone!

Anyone applied for this visa recently? The processing times seem VERY long so just wondering on average how long others have had to wait or still waiting? Website currently saying 75% in 21 months and 90% 24 months!

We're about to lodge our application here in the UK for my husband (I'm the kiwi) and we were really looking forward to moving in 2020 so fingers crossed we aren't the unlucky ones waiting the 2years!

Would really appreciate anyones experiences so far, thanks!

Hi Aya!!

I don't suppose you have had any good news on your visa yet? I'm about to begin the application process here in the UK for my husband and I cant believe the processing times! 75% 21 months and 90% 24 months! I'm so shocked it could potentially take this long!