Guest Gollywobbler Posted June 1, 2006 Share Posted June 1, 2006 Hello All I hate to be the bringer of none-too-good news, but I've just seen the following thread on British Expats: http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=376874 The text of the OP's message reads as follows: "Family have contacted me from Perth following their inquiry to POPC to check on the latest news for my lodgement 21 Sept 2005 of the contributory parent visa 143. Apparently I have been registered and allocated a case officer but due to the immense increase in workload, officers have been allocated to deal with their priority cases first due to the end of the tax year rush in June and I probably won't hear anything until mid or end of July and this visa is now taking nearer 18 months to complete then 12 months. Family were told that POPC is hoping to increase staffing levels over the next couple of months to catch up but they are under heavy pressure at the moment due to the heavy increase in applications. Sorry to pass on bad news, you can imagine how my family and I feel, I know there are a lot of us concerned about the long wait, I hesitated whether to post this thread because I know there are quite a lot of parents in my situation but thought it best in the end to let you all know. All we can hope for is that they catch up on the backlog quickly and that we support each-other in the meantime, I have not been told who my CO is so am no further forward in my application. I look at the pics of my 2 year old twin grandaughters and long to be there, keep smiling and please reply." The OP could of course consider applying for an ETA (if she is content to remain in Australia for 90 days only.) Or she could consider applying for a sub-class 676 or e-676 tourist visa, which would enable her to stay in Australia for at least 6 unbroken months if her application for her CP visa is likely to be substantially delayed. Therefore all is not lost. However, I don't think that any of us who contributed to Linda's original thread on here were hoping to hear this sort of news. Let us hope that they've got wannabe staff queuing outside the door of the POPC and that they are people who will learn the job very quickly and do it well.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest nico Posted June 5, 2006 Share Posted June 5, 2006 Hi Gill I got quite excited on Thursday when I discovered my credit card had been charged, which seemed like the first stage in the long process, so this isn't good news at all. But at least it helps to plan things this end...looks as if I'll end up renting for a long time at this rate. Thanks for passing it on. We can but hope. Nico Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gollywobbler Posted June 5, 2006 Share Posted June 5, 2006 Hi Gill I got quite excited on Thursday when I discovered my credit card had been charged, which seemed like the first stage in the long process, so this isn't good news at all. But at least it helps to plan things this end...looks as if I'll end up renting for a long time at this rate. Thanks for passing it on. We can but hope. Nico Hi Nico Not to worry. I was so concerned about my very elderly Mum that I got up at 3am on Friday morning in order to ring the POPC. I spoke to a very helpful, friendly gentleman. He said as follows: 1. They have 3,100 CP applications in hand at the moment, which is the highest number they have had since CP visas began in 2003. They don't have enough staff to be able to process so many as quickly as they have been able to do in the past. 2. They were visited by a couple of ladies from Canberra the week before last. The ladies told the POPC staff to tell people "12-15 months." However the lad on the Helpdesk says that the staff are confident they can complete these visas in about 12 months, despite being short-staffed, as long as there are no complications. 3. He thought it VERY unlikely that anyone's application would take as long as 18 months to process, even with things as they are (ie short-staffed.) The only reason he could see for it to take this long for any applicant would be if there were complications, either because half the documents are missing, or medical difficulties or something like that. 4. They are actively trying to recruit new staff to help with the increased workload, he doesn't think it will be long before some extra staff are in post, and when they are, he thinks the POPC will be able to make some serious inroads into the current backlog. 5. They have not had to cap the CP class for 2005/6 because the quota is 3,500, which hasn't been reached. 6. Don't bother with the queue calculator tool. It churns out figures but they are just dummy figures, put in to ensure that the tool works properly. It has not been used for real for the CP class and won't be activated unless and until the cap has to be applied. In general, he felt that the situation was a little disheartening for a couple of months maybe, but that they would soon be able to get on top of the caseload and that things should improve again after that. I believe him. He did not sound like the type who would give me a load of PR flannel, none of it accurate and all of it designed solely to shut me up! He sounded honest, sincere and genuine, and was at pains to reassure me that we won't all have to wait till Doomsday and to go back to bed and get some more zzzzds. I felt much happier after talking to him, so it was well worth getting out of bed for. Chin up. They might still be able to get the waiting time down to the 6-9 months they had been running at, so a visa for you this side of Christmas is by no means an impossibility, I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest watson Posted June 5, 2006 Share Posted June 5, 2006 Hi Gill - thanks so much for contacting POPC - have declined to do that in case it caused yet more delays in the process of our visa. Felt more positive after reading your post today. You are a gem! thanks. Linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest nico Posted June 6, 2006 Share Posted June 6, 2006 Hi Gill I've been sitting at work feeling very grumpy and unmotivated then decided to check the forum (oh isn't it addictive after a mere two weeks??!) and read your post, which cheered me up enormously. Now back to feeling the world is a positive place. Can't thank you enough for your proactive approach and generosity in sharing. Thanks a million Nico Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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