Marty

56 minutes ago, Kvand said:

@samlab how did you get the invite, by post or email? 

Congratulations!! 

They come via email.

@samlabYay, congratulations! Me too!

1 hour ago, samlab said:

 Once approved applicants are required to attend a Citizenship Ceremony with 12 months of approval. Noting that your citizenship application was approved  on 27 March 2021, it is expected that you will receive an invitation to a future ceremony within that 12 month timeframe.  

I'm expecting one in the next week then - but even then would probably fall outside the invitation window for the March ceremony now.  I won't hold my breath! 

Actually - next confirmed dates are February 9th 2022 and March 8th 2022 but they can't say how many people are invited, just that they're restricting guests due to Covid.

Fingers crossed for March or have we given up crossing fingers yet?  

Nice one @samlab - good luck in getting that information from anyone at council, I tried and they were very vague with the stock "it's out of our control" type answers. Getting that information through council's right to information page costs $52.60 - and I haven't tried all the links off that page to try and see if they publish that information anywhere. https://www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/Council/Organisation-and-Governance/Right-to-Information-and-Privacy/About-Right-to-Information-and-Privacy

6 hours ago, samlab said:

It’s been 9 months of waiting so I called them. The phone call took 54 minutes  from start to finish! After the initial 35 min wait and then answering the qualifying questions,  I got passed to a “specialist” for another wait but eventually I managed to speak to someone.

Here’s basically what I was told …

It’s  just a matter of carrying on waiting. They couldn’t tell me how much longer.

We are still in a pandemic so wait times are longer

If it takes longer than 12 months, not to worry. It wouldn’t be my fault and each case will be judged individually. It’s not my fault if I do not get an invite before 12 months.

I asked if we had missed out on the Australia Day ceremony and was told “There is still time to receive an invite, invites are sent out approx 4 weeks prior to ceremony” 

Not worth an hour of my time really
 

 

 

To use the pandemic as an excuse in the Sunshine Coast is not really acceptable!   Each case judged on what exactly?  Approvals have already been granted, there’s no criteria for judging!  all they need to do is get everyone in a field and hand some certificates out!

ah well, we’ll carry on waiting for judgement day.

Response

As at 22 October 2021, there were 1,406 people whose application  for Australian 
citizenship by conferral had been approved and who were waiting to attend an Australian 
citizenship ceremony at the Sunshine Coast Regional council (QLD). 

however they didn’t answer the second part of my question which was about how many they’re getting through per month. 
 

maybe someone could get that info from Council then we’d be able to work out theoretical maximum wait time from now…

in the meantime we had to refresh our uk passports this week, so we are bound to hear something now

You can't get even a rough idea from the Department of Home Affairs if you ring them and they don't bother responding to any emails it seems, so I've I submitted a freedom of information request to see how many people are in the same situation on the Sunny Coast - and how many people are getting a ceremony per month here.  

I'll post back here if and when I get a response.

Hey Andy

We are also on the Sunny Coast, did our test back in early February.  We were both approved but only I got a letter around 4 weeks later.  

Still waiting to hear about a date for the ceremony though (called them about a month ago and they said it's around 7 months at the moment till you'll get an invite).

Congrats on the test result!

Marty