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You can open online a Westpac account as a potential migrant. I had to have my German bank to confirm my identity to the Westpac branch in London = https://www.westpac.com.au/personal-banking/bank-accounts/transaction/choice/migrants/ I did not have any problems transfering the money. Actually, I did not tansfer the money directly to Australia, but to a German/Beglium account of https://transferwise.com/. This international money transfer service is far cheaper as the local banks. Best exchange rate and fees. So you send the money to them, they send it to your Westpac account. I did the transfer in several steps, so not all at once.

Yes. Same I heared. But, based on this, as Jay will have good paperwork from UK, she should be able to prove the legal funds. So she should be fine.

Hi Steve, do you know why he has heard nothing? Do they communicate this to you as an agent? This is like 5 mounth additional waiting time.

If you check the application and approval numbers, you see this 15% of rejections. But if you check the numbers of China applicants and the European applicants, you will see that 95% of European applications are granted. So far higher chance, as we have all the needed documentations in Europe, compared to China. Anyway, there are less than 10% Europeans of all applications. I think Jay should be OK. Just a matter of time.

WA has some nice areas. I did like Perth quite much. Never went to Melbourne. Our plan is to move to Port Macquarie in NSW. Small town, nice landscape, good to raise kids. In the 3 step plan they actually have in step 3 the "discussion" to open flights for international students (big business) and long-term visa holders (maybe us). So it should not need a 4 step plan for us. Still, it seems that the application processing is delayed by several month. It might be good to sell assets in time, as long as they are on a good pricing level. We did the same and actually started selling assets a year ago. We transfered the money to Australia already. You can open up a Westpac bank account online. As soon as they tell you to invest, you have only 28 days to do so, unless you ask for more time. But sending the money before willl give you the security to choose the exchange rate when it is good, have the money outside the EUR (you never know ....) and you are ready for the investment.

I think you cannot predict anything here. They do not tell you the time it takes. As I know, we are processed in the order of application dates. And it should be 20-22 month. But it is, for sure, delayed. We are already waiting 21 month. Even when our migration agents asks for an update, they do not tell him. Very bad for us investors, as we have to get the money ready to do the investment. They will give us a month to do the investment, but we do not know when we need the cash to do so. Additonally Corona is delaying everything due to the travel restrictions. I dought that they will open up boarders in 2020.

Yes, the waiting time is killing us as well. We are ready to go. Our application stated as well 20-22 month. So you applied 22 days after us. Our agent said, it would go faster, but I suppose it takes longer these days. The main problem is, that Australia is not opening their boarders, so even when they process our application, they will not grant a visa until there is a date when Australia is opening the boarders for non Australians. So far, I read, they first wanted to allowed NZ travelles again, later international students and long-term visa holders. Which might then be us. For tourist, they said, they will not open then borders before 2021. Medical is valid usually 1 year, but could be prolonged by case officer by 6 month. We will have to do medical again when they start processing our application. PPC is valid only 12 month, after you have to renew it. I am sick of waiting. ... We want to start our life in Australia asap. Were are you planning to move to? Melbourne?

Same for me. Lodged in November 2018, no update so far. Very strange, if you calculate the data of Jay, who lodged in 20/09/2018 and got a case officer in 27/04/2020. Lodged 7 weeks before me, but got case officer already 13 weeks ago.

But does 188B counts to GSM? I think not, right? Still it seems they are not working at applications these days.

I did and they told me, that immi is processing now visa from 08.2018. Which I think, is not correct, as processing Jays application was about 2 month ago and she applied in 09.2018. Immi is not responding to questions like this, so we just need to wait, and wait and wait. Due to Corona, they are not granting any visa, so I suppose in 2019/2020 the quota was not reached. Personally I think it is all delayed by Corona and travel restrictions.

We all are desperate to go. And I think we do bring assets and skills with us, which will help the Australian economy. Still wondering, why immigration is not more service orientated and keeps us informed about processing status etc. The investors are only small number of total immigrants, but I assume we bring a good benefit for them.

We are still waiting for a case officer for our 188B application. Close to 20 month waiting time so far.

The borders in Australia are supposed to be closed till end of 2020 for tourist. But the minister Simon Birmingham said, that for international students, business and investors the borders should open earlier. I think that are relatively good news for our visa class. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-17/borders-likely-closed-until-next-year-coronavirus-restrictions/12365978

NZ is free of Corona, Australia plans to be free of Corona in July. This might let them go to step 3 or their opening plan. In step 3 they will consider international student to return to Australia, so this could open the boarders for temorary visa holders. 188B is a temporary visa. Anybody has any news from their application and processing?

No, nothing by now. I hope for July.

I tried to delete the post, as I worte the same answer 2x. But did not work. Sorry.

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I do not think that there is anything related to the state regarding the unsuccess rates. As soon as you have a sponsoring from the state, the central immigration center (Adelaite for all other countries or HongKong for China) will process your application. Therefore, there is no more decision taken by the states, only by the immigration centers. So you should not consider these rate by state. Choose the state where you want to live. For the next visa 888 you have to apply again at state level and prove you are happily integrated in the community.

Yes. Numbers are per fiscal year. But waiting time is between 1.5 and 2 years, so the ones lodged 2018 are processed in 2020.

Hi RSkea, great news. So they did not ask you to do the investment of AUD 1.5m by now? So they wait with this step as well until the travel restrictions are removed? Or did they ask you to do the investment already?

Sure. If you can prove, that the money on the new bank account is of the assets/ sources of the SALP, then you should be able to use the money. So if you have, for example, stocks. And withhin the waiting period, you sell the stocks, you still can use this money for the investment, as you can prove the sale. Same if you move money from one account to another. But I am quite sure you need to be able to prove the transfer from on of the orginal assets in the SALP.

I did this a few month ago via my immi agent. And the normal relay was, that they do not comment single cases. But in your case, maybe it is only on hold until they open flights again. So it might be a good idea to contact your case officer and check, why the case is still not decided. I do not think is would harm.

Hi, AYL, I would not say so. 188B is very complex. But the official statistics of applications and grants is very postive. I suggest, more then 80% are granted, probably more than that. To prepare the paperwork for 188B takes a lot of effort. Depends on your case and the country of origion. You will need 2-3 years for this visa. Good luck.

Great. Congratulations! Not sure, if 188A is in the same queue as 188B. But seems to be quite snychrone right now. See you down under! Pls. start sharing your details, after you were following us for almost 2 years. We are very eager to know how the application proceeds. Espeacially if they grant the visa or if they wait until the travel restrictions are relieved.

Hi Jay, it has been now 2 weeks since you recived news. How is your status? Anything else they asked for? Any updates?