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Anais_V

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  1. Anais_V
    Visa granted - 309 and 100!!! Processing office was Berlin. Elated after the long wait! For background: Belgian national, Australian citizen de facto - together for just under 3 years at application (no children) Applied 1 December 2019, frontloaded with everything but the medical Medical completed mid december 2019 Arrived in Australia on visitor visa in March 2020 RFI November 2020 for updated police checks as they had expired (Aus only) Wrote to the Berlin office to confirm I supplied all the information requested + restated the details of my case Visa grant onshore 2 March 2021
  2. Anais_V
    omg, congratulations! That must be such a relief. Fingers crossed for everyone else (myself included ;-))
  3. Anais_V
    Pretty much Fingers crossed for everyone who's been waiting a long time!
  4. Anais_V
    Congrats. Wowsers. That must be a record! What office did this go through?
  5. Anais_V
    That's excellent news! Thanks for sharing.
  6. Anais_V
    Just a quick update to say that I actually got a reply from the Berlin office after complaining about the long wait and the lack of communication. Not super informative, but the gist is that they (apparently) don't know when the off-shore requirement will be removed: "Thank you for your email. Please note that as you applied for your partner visa outside of Australia, it is a legal requirement that you must be outside of Australia for us to be able to grant your visa. Normally we would request that you travel outside of the country to allow grant. At the moment this of course is not possible. There have been discussions in Australia to allow applicants to remain in the country for grant due to the pandemic. We are also awaiting further information in relation to this matter. As soon as we are in a position to grant your visa we will contact you. Until then you will be required to apply for another visa to maintain your legal status in Australia."
  7. Anais_V
    Wow - that's fantastic news. You must be over the moon. Congrats and good luck with the move. She'll be right
  8. Anais_V
    Thanks - good to know it's not just us, but sorry to hear you're also still waiting. We applied on 1 December 2019, so 14 months today...Really hoping for a response soon! I hope Comlay'90's fast turnaround for their approval (congrats!) means that things are moving along in the Berlin office. It also suggests that applications certainly do not just get added to a queue and processed in order. So frustrating. The whole process is just a black box, isn't it? Fingers crossed for everyone!
  9. Anais_V
    Has anyone had any luck actually contacting the office that is processing their visa? I got a RFI in November 2020, from the Berlin office. I promptly supplied the documentation (police checks which had expired). Nothing since. I emailed them on the 3rd of Jan, but got nothing, then again today and got an automated reply. I was trying to get some kind of an update/complain about the time it is taking (>14 months) for an ostensibly very straightforward case. I did not put it in those words exactly, but that was the gist. The automated email says that the inbox is only for people submitting paper applications to the Berlin office and that people should refer to the attached FAQs, the first of which is: "I want an update on my application Any requests for status updates sent to this mailbox will not be responded to. Information on processing times for all visas can be found at https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-processing-times/global-visa-processing-times" Super helpful I def. read on this forum somehwere (sorry, can't find the post) that it's worth following up on email after you upload docs in response to the RFI as this may prompt the CO to pick up your application. This automated email leads me to conclude that might be wishful thinking... or ... is there a different email address to contact? Thanks for any and all insights.
  10. Anais_V
    Hi Jet88, it looks like a lot of applications are actually being processed by the Berlin office at the moment even if you applied in London. For up-to-date processing times, you might find this helpful: https://abcdiamond.com.au/subclass-309-visa-processing-times-in-2020/#:~:text=The average processing time for,an average of 11 months. I've heard that other people have been successful coming to Australia on a visitor visa and then applying for the onshore partner visa. You should be fine as long as the visitor visa does not have a "no further stay" condition attached to it. If granted the Bridging Visa A when the visitor visa expires, your partner should get work rights, but I don't think that is 100% guaranteed. Perhaps a good idea to consult an agent for some expert advice Good luck!
  11. Anais_V
    Hi all, I was just wondering if anyone has been able to find more information about the COVID-19 waiver for offshore applicants who happen to be onshore when their partner visa is granted? The official statement that it will be implemented "in early 2021" is so vague, it's really useless. It did make me wonder though whether they are holding off on granting any 309/100 visas for applicants that are currently onshore until this legislation comes into force. Or maybe I am just deluding myself that there is some kind of rationale for the lack of communication and the frustrating delays. Cheers, Anais
  12. Anais_V
    I don't know why they would hide the button at the bottom of the page . I read somewhere else that it might be worth replying to the email you receive with the RFI. Always worth a try, I suppose. I remain hopeful that I will soon get a decision, but I have not heard anything since I submitted the requested information in mid-November (it was just an updated police check). I also emailed the Berlin office (where my RFI came from), but to no avail either. My status still says "further assessment". Good luck to all of us!
  13. Anais_V
    Hi - I am not entirely sure, but from memory, at the very bottom of the uploads page, there should be a button that says something like "I confirm I have uploaded the requested information". Make sure you click on that once you've uploaded all the documents. After I did that, it seemed to freeze further uploads. Can't remember if the status had already changed to "further assessment" before I did that. Hope that helps...
  14. Anais_V
    Other than the stat decs, documents generally do not need to be certified, unless it is a translation, which does need to be done by a certified translator. I just submitted digital copies (scans) of my documents such as passport, ID card. I am also pretty sure you can only submit 2 stat decs (form 888) to support your case, so there is no need to ask 4 people to do it. In any case, we supplied two: a close (mutual) friend and the sponsor's mother. Good luck with it!
  15. Anais_V
    My RFI came from Berlin on the 3rd of November, too. Applied through the London office. Still waiting, but slightly hopeful and banking on German efficiency
  16. Anais_V
    Thanks, that's really helpful! I was worried they would tell you to leave ASAP... I had heard about the petition going to parliament, but wasn't holding my breath, TBH
  17. Anais_V
    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!
  18. Anais_V
    Perhaps a silly question, but when responding to an RFI from the department, do we just upload the requested information and then...wait? In our case, they wanted updated Aussie police checks as both mine and my partner's were about to expire. Not sure if uploading the new ones under the "character" heading will trigger the CO to look at our application again, or is there another way to prompt some action? Thanks in advance for your insights!
  19. Anais_V
    Congrats! Must be such a relief. I applied at about the same time and just got an RFI as well. Maybe that's coincidence, maybe the London office just started ramping up things again...? Fingers crossed for everyone here!
  20. Anais_V
    Just received an RFI, which seems really straighforward. They just want updated police checks as both mine and my partner's are about the expire. I applied in London on 1 December 2019, frontloaded the application, no agent. Should I be optimistic about an impending decision? Either way, it's good to know someone is at least looking at our application! I might be getting ahead of myself, but as I am currently in Australia, I wonder what happens if they do grant the visa. Presumably, I'd still be expected to leave the country and then return to activate the partner visa. Just doesn't seem such a great (or even feasible) prospect given the ongoing COVID dramas. Has anyone done this recently?
  21. Anais_V
    I'm intrigued (and a bit depressed) by this... I hope they pick up again with this new budget. Out of curiosity, what is the email address for the London office? As part of freedom of information, can we request current processing volumes?
  22. Anais_V
    Thanks - will check out the petition!
  23. Anais_V
    Hi, I applied (from London) on 1 December 2019. All documents front-loaded, save for a police certificate for my Aussie partner (he lived in South Africa for a time and apparently police certificates have to be applied for by post...still waiting on it!). As far as we know, no one has looked at our application. It still says "Received" in my immi account. Before COVID-19 I travelled back and forth between London (where my work is based) and Perth (where my partner lives and works). I am able to work remotely, and I had my e-visitor, so was able to stay for up to 3 months at a time. Travelled to Perth in March, intending to stay for 2-3 months, but then COVID hit, the UK was a mess and everyone was working remotely, so no point in me going back to London. Before my 3 months was up I applied for a 600 visa. Had to wait 80 days (!) but finally got granted the 600 visa allowing me to stay another 6 months (until Feb 2021). We had hoped to get the partner visa by the end of this year, but with the processing times as they are now, I am not feeling very confident at all. Without a "no further stay" condition on my current 600 visa, I guess I could just apply for another one - does anyone have experience with repeat applications for a 600 visa? Would it be better to leave the country when my current 600 expires and just wait out the partner visa back in the UK? The timelines are so uncertain, which makes it difficult to plan... Also wanted to ask if anyone on here is aware of/involved in this petition, see: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-08-10/visa-backlog-keeping-couples-apart-as-department-of-home-affairs/12539312). There appears to be talk of removing the requirement for off-shore applicants (who happen to be in Australia when the partner visa is granted) to leave Australia and re-enter the country, because of COVID. I sure hope so! Hope the government takes notice and deals with this ridiculous backlog. Good luck to everyone!
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