taraken

14 minutes ago, Anais_V said:

Hi everyone,

Just wondering - Has anyone been granted their 309 while they were onshore in Australia (during COVID-19)? I'm interested to know what the time frame is that the Department gives you when they're ready to make a decision on the 309, but you're onshore. That is, how soon do they expect you to leave the country? Before COVID-19, a quick/cheap trip to e.g. Bali and back solved the problem. But can is it possible to stick around as long on a tourist visa and wait for things to calm down before leaving Australia and returning to active the 309? I mean, the leaving part is still feasible, but the coming back bit is obviously tricky. 

Appreciate any insights!

Yes! My partner had an email in August saying that they were ready to grant once he'd left the country, but were very careful to say that they weren't telling him to leave the country, etc etc. He responded to say that it wasn't feasible for him to leave, and their response was that his application would be put on hold until he could go. He's on a bridging visa until his new tourist visa is approved, and we've applied for work rights on that, although not hopeful it will work. Otherwise, we'll wait until NZ opens up. The other dim hope is a private members bill going to parliament at the start of Dec, which specifically calls for 309s to be granted onshore. We're crossing our fingers, as would be a dream if it goes through...

 

46 minutes ago, lepea said:

Hi, 

I applied for a new travel exemption and the 600 on Monday evening, both were granted last night. A 12 month stay and no ‘no further stay’ either. 
 

I agree, I’ll now worry about having to leave the country and activate my partner visa. Hopefully travel with New Zealand can resume at some point

Thank you @taraken ! 

What wonderful news - congratulations! Hopefully this will get them to look at your 390 as well. 

On 27/07/2020 at 23:42, lepea said:

Thank you @taraken this really helps, I think we’ll apply for the 600 and sit tight. Apart for the no work rights is there anything that has been tricky having your husband on the 600 visa? 

No, it’s been really straightforward most of the time - it’s just the inability to work and also the worry about what happens when his 390 is approved and he has to leave the country to activate it. The $3k fee for compulsory quarantine is extortionate under those circumstances...

Fingers crossed for your 600!

@lepea We applied for a normal 600 visitor visa and linked it through the immi account. I can't remember the specifics of the form, but I'm fairly sure that we also made clear that he'd applied for the 390. We asked for a six month visa and they granted 12 months, which was unexpected but good, as it turns out! We're probably going to apply for a new 600 and explain the circumstances (he can go back to the UK but isn't guaranteed to be able to come back, and I'm working so can support us both) and hope that that triggers a look at the 390.

I understood that family of citizens and PRs are allowed into Australia (there's no grounds to deny them) but you do need a visitor visa to be able to come - I wonder if what they were referring to in their email was the fact that you didn't have a valid visa to enter (390 or a 600) and so couldn't be allowed to travel? From what I've seen on here other people are using 600s to get into the country. I would be surprised if they didn't give you a 12 month visa and once you're here, it would be very tricky to refuse a subsequent visa or try to send you back to the UK given you have children who are citizens. The only downside is the cost - it's about $300 for the visa application, which is a lot if you're not certain. I think it's worth a shot, though. I can't see how they'd refuse it, particularly if you need to be in Australia for personal reasons with your husband and children. 

5 hours ago, lepea said:

Hi all,

I applied for another travel exemption last night had this reply within 5 hours.

I’ve completed my medicals, uploaded police checks for my husband and me, filled out the sponsors application and attached all the relevant documents. Could anyone shed some light on the ‘legal requirements’? 

Oh gosh, I'm really sorry to hear that - I've been following these posts quietly and noticed that we're in much the same boat as you (we applied on 4 Sept last year and have heard nothing at all since then). The reference to 'legal requirements' could either mean that you're missing something (which hopefully your query will trigger them to issue a RFI for) or just that they've not yet met their legal requirements in assessing it. Either way - really frustrating. Was there any way to respond to the email?

We're actually in Australia (we came last Nov with my partner on a visitor visa), despite having applied offshore,  which is problematic as he now can't leave the country to have the visa granted if it does come through, and he can't work in the meantime. It's all just such a tricky process! We're thinking of applying for a renewal of his 600 visa now, even though it doesn't expire until November, in the hope that it gets them to look at our application before we have to have medicals redone etc etc.