JoMichellle

Congratulations and thank you for sharing. So good to have some positive news for a change.!

I wouldn’t blame you Linda, do what you can! I’ve still got ten years before I retire and I want to work. I’m in Finance and had thought, when I applied, I’d be a mere 55 when I got to Sydney with at least ten years work ahead of me and paying tax in to the system. At this rate I’ll be sixty before I get there. So frustrating! 

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. 

6 hours ago, LindaH27 said:

No they haven’t cleared them - they’re still working on May 2016 but  May / June that year had a lot of applications so it could be stuck on that a long time.
 

Only 4500 allowed for grant this year and suspect a lot are spoken for as many people from January 2016 onwards have provided docs and paid AOS and still waiting. 
 

4500 is the cap. Last year the cap was 6000 but they only allowed 3730 from among 173,143, 864 and 884 contributory visas and just 669 from non contributory 103 and 804 and the refusal rate soared from  an average 6% refusal rate to over 18%
 

Still can’t enter on 173 as it is classed as a temporary visa as it’s only valid for two years. 

I think successful 173 applicants can apply straight away for the PR/143 from offshore so would be able to enter once/if granted. 

15 hours ago, Samda said:

Hi

has any 173 applicants been contacted recently? 

3 hours ago, Samda said:

April 16 

Seems we are behind the 143’s in that case which is rather depressing. I think they were processing 173’s ahead of 143’s last year so maybe that’s has something to do with it? 

Hi Samda, I am still waiting. When did you apply out of interest. 

Hi, I have been looking out for  news for 173 applications also. Was hoping it was because there are so few of us that I hadn’t seen any movement on here, so this is rather depressing news. 

2 hours ago, Lucy Adelaide said:

Hopefully we can hear good news from 173 early 2016 very soon. My parents are March 2016.

I am a 173 applicant, there doesn’t see to be many of us so please let us know your parent’s progress. I think things move a bit quicker in the final stages for 173s  because the AoS part happens in Australia. Will be interesting to see how that impacts timelines. Good luck and fingers crossed it won’t be long now! 

I don’t think your mother’s step children from her former marriage would count as dependents and therefore she would meet the balance of family test. However I would have a chat with an emigration expert to be sure. If you just gave them a call to explain the circumstances I don’t think they would charge you to give advice regarding the balance of family criteria (mine didn’t). To be honest the whole application process take so long you don’t want any mistakes on your application form.  My ex husband’s children, who are my sons’s half brothers/sister didn’t affect my balance of family test.   I know it’s not exactly the same but I think they are just trying to determine direct dependents. Sorry I can’t give you a straightforward  answer but hope this helps.

9 hours ago, Marilyn said:

Just returned from Centrelink in Brookvale Sydney to register for Medicare it went very well was there for 45 minutes. Remember to take passport and visa grant letter. 

Hi Marilyn, thanks for the information and hope your settling in ok. Was excited to see a post from a fellow 173er, I’d be really interested to hear how long the next stage takes. I was told 3 months when I submitted my application in 2016 which now seems unlikely to say the least! I notice from your timeline I’m exactly a year behind you, am wondering if that means I’ll be there this time next year.... it all seems to have slowed down again.  I’ll be coming to Sydney, my Son lives there. Be great to hear your experiences.