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Happy New Year to you all! We finally made it to Australia on the 188B visa. We arrived 28.12.21 in Sydney. It was very easy at the airport. Just a few checks regarding Covid. The visa was in the system, so they even did not ask for it. All the best for all still trying to get the visa!

Well, you need to take funds out of your SALP. Only this funds are eligible. And you have to prove, you did use them for the transfer. We did send the bank account statement before the transfer, the transfer statement and the bank account statement after the transfer. It all had to be certified copies.

Hello to all newcommers. It took us 2,5 years to get our 188B and finally we got it. Honestly, it was a long way to go, loads of paperwork and I could not have handeled it by my own. I just like to give a positive feedback of our migration agent from HongKong. Why HongKong? Well, 90% of all 188x visas go to China and HK. So I expected them to have more experience in this visa class than others. We used John Hu = John Hu Migration. He used to live in Australia and now runs a visa office in HK. For me, it was great, as he just told me what to do next, which paperwork he needs for which step etc. It saved me a lot of time and honestly, I did not think that so much documentation would be requested by immigration. He did make me prepare all in advance, so we were ready with the paperwork in time. The total application was +900 pages, including my business balance sheets etc. Our timeline: 06.03.18 contract with migration consultant (from HK) 03.10.18 applied for NSW sponsorship 22.10.18 Invitation by NSW 04.11.18 IMMI application/ EOI 08.11.18 payment processed for EOI // 120 points (option for add. 25 points) 08.11.18 Loging date. Case number. 09.11.18 additional information request by CO; form 80, medical checks 11.01.19 medical transmitted by physician (medical valid only 12 (10.01.2020) month = can be extended up to 18 (medical expires 10.07.2020) month?) 09.11.19 = 1 year waiting time 09.04.20 = 17 month waiting time (average processing time 2018) 09.07.20 = 20 month waiting time (20-22 month average processing time 2019 infomation) 10.07.20 = medical expires after 18 month 10.09.20 = Australia opens up boarders for 188 visa holders 27.10.20 = Processing times increased to 29-30 Monate für 188B 11.11.20 = Got a case officer. long list of questions. All answers were provided in the application, but seems CO needs some help to find them in the 900 pages. Medical exams again, police checks again, long list regarding point test. 23.12.20 = answers send to all questions, did medical and police check in 2 countries again. 11.01.20 = confirmation for visa, start of investment process 26.03.21 = confirmation to start the investement of AUD 1.5m 31.03.21 = Transfer send to bank 09.04.21 = account transfer overview certified send to Australia by postmail 15.04.21 = postmail arrived in Sydney at bond company 22.04.21 = visa granted 23.05.21 = investment certificate send by postmail to Germany. Interest confirmation of 0.3% p.a.

Sounds great to me. Kind of very special status right now. Hope it will stay like this.

Hello, do you have an Australian source for this information? A link? Would be great, as this is quite important for us as well.

No, per annum.

We got now the confirmation of NSW bonds for the investment. We got the interest information only after doing the investment. It is 0,3%.

BUSINESS VISA CHANGES 01.07.2021: All applications after 01.07.2021 will have to apply under the new rules: https://minister.homeaffairs.gov.au/AlexHawke/Pages/getting-a-better-deal-for-australia-from-visa-investments-19-05-2021.aspx 188B: investment of AUD 2.5m, not AUD 1.5m anymore investment split in startups etc., like the significant investor 5 years visa, application for PR after 3 years possible

Due to Corona you cannot leave the country with a temporary visa. Well, you can apply for an exemption but the chance to get it might be low. Usually only for very seriouse reasons. And if you leave without an approval, your visa will be canceled.

We plan to settle in 2444 Port Macquarie / NSW.

YESSSSSSS: We got our visa today! 188B! Took 29 month from application till today.

Each family member will get his /her own visa. So everbody is independently and gets the "first landing" timeframe. It is 12 month. So you can go first and the rest of the family can come any time after, but needs to land before the "first landing date" expires. So withhin 12 month of visa grant.

I think the only thing you can do is wait and see. They do not send you information if the documents are completely or not. The communication is quite much one way. Best check the documents again if they are sufficient. Maybe you have some more and you send the whole package again. Difficult to say what to do. I have an migration agent and he told me the same ... wait. I did not like this at all, but in the end it worked out.

In our case it took 2 weeks only. Similar timing. You might send an email and ask about the status? Maybe this email: business.skills.adelaide@homeaffairs.gov.au

Next step ahead. Yesterday we finally got the OK to transfer the investment. We got invitation to do the investment 11.01.2021. 26.03.2021 finally the OK to do wire the investment. They did reject the signature on the investment contract, as it was not close enought to the on in the passport. Honestly, they take bureaucracy very seriously. As papers need to be send in origin, it took ages to do the application for investment twice.

Thanks. Yes, I would have loved to find some information like this when I applied. Right now, we are struggeling with the NSW bond company. We had to send documents, certified copies, and the contract. You can do the investment on one name, or on both (if you are married). But they rejected the signature of my wife, as it is very slightly looking different compared to the passport. As well, 1 document of serveral pages was certified by a notary binding the pages together with an official seal. Usual way to do it in Germany, if you change something, you brake the seal. But for the bond company, each page has to be certified seperatly, having stamp, signature etc. Therefore, we have to redo the paperwork and send it by DHL again to Australia. Cost us 2-3 weeks extra, as its not easy to get notary appointments during lockdown. It seems, they bond company is even far more strick than immigration.

Our agent said, it takes a few days only. And I think Jay said the same. After depositing the money, they informed Immi about the deposit. Besides this, you still have to prove that you transfered the money from the designated account. This has to be a certified copy of the bank account, showing the transfer to the bond company.

Based on my information you have 2 years to transfer the addtional 750k (if you go to Sydney, it is more) to Australia. If you put the money into an account or invest it, should not matter. It is supposed to cover you living expenses etc.

Yes. They want documents certified, so you need to an appointment at notary etc. After they want the original one send to Australia, which takes time. Then they have to process it, takes time. After the confirmation you have to confirm and prove again, of course certified, that you send the money from the right account etc. pp. So it just takes a lot of time to process all steps.

No. We send the contract to NSW treasury. Waiting for their reply.

Should be around 1 month. First you make the contract to deposit the money with the state fond. This takes you a few weeks. After you deposit the money. Then you need to send this paperwork again to immigration. They need to process it. Expect 2-4 weeks for each step, as they have a lot of applications to take care of. After this, you should get the visa by mail.

YES!!!! Congratulations!!! I suppose you have 12 month for the 1st touch of the ground. I would go asap. I hope to see you downunder! We are sending today our paperwork to the investment fond. So another 1-2 month and we should have the visa as well.

As I know you have 1 extention. So you have initial 28 days and then an extention biy 28 days. You need to ask for this extention, explain why you need it and show your progress so far.

You can extend the period to 2 x 28 days. We did the same.

Hi Jay. My agent said, you will get a 12 mounth period to touch ground first time. The Australian border is open for visa holders 188. They are an exemption, so you can go anytime you catch a flight.