james81 Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 I applied for my spousal visa at the start of june and when i sent my application the $2960 was taken from my account the next working day, I was then placed onto a bridging visa whilst my application is looked at. I havent heard anything now in 7 weeks and Im lead to believe there are currently long processing times. It in an onshore application and I am residing in Queensland. Just wondering if anyone can tell me any accurate current waiting times? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rupert Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 I am not 100pc sure but I think you are looking at a good 6 - 12 months for onshore. It surely isn't going to happen any time soon anyway unfortunately. What visa were you bridging from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james81 Posted July 16, 2012 Author Share Posted July 16, 2012 im bridging from a 457 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rupert Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 im bridging from a 457 Has the 457 expired then? If it hasn't then you are not on bridging visa, you are still on 457. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james81 Posted July 17, 2012 Author Share Posted July 17, 2012 I am on Bridging Visa A with the same conditions as my 457, unless it kicks in when my 457 expires in Septmember, i'll have to have a good read. Just wondering how long the application takes as i meet the requirements to go straight onto PR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rupert Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 I am on Bridging Visa A with the same conditions as my 457, unless it kicks in when my 457 expires in Septmember, i'll have to have a good read. Just wondering how long the application takes as i meet the requirements to go straight onto PR. If you still have a 457 then I do not believe you are on BVA at the moment, you are still on the 457, it is important to understand properly which visa you are on. Hopefully someody can comment with recent experience of the onshore partner visa shortly, as I say, I reckon it is 6-12 months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockDr Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 You are still on your 457 visa. the bridging visa only kicks in when the 457 ceases to be in effect. and while the bridging visa has the same work rights, it is not a multiple entry visa, so you cannot leave and re-enter Australia once the bridging visa A kicks in (you would need to apply for a BVB, which is only granted for business or emergency travel). Personally I would be talking to my employer about extending the 457 until the partner visa is granted. See this thread for timeframes: http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/migration-issues/80286-onshore-partner-visa-application-time-frame-46.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loopylu Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 I applied for my spousal visa at the start of june and when i sent my application the $2960 was taken from my account the next working day, I was then placed onto a bridging visa whilst my application is looked at. I havent heard anything now in 7 weeks and Im lead to believe there are currently long processing times. It in an onshore application and I am residing in Queensland. Just wondering if anyone can tell me any accurate current waiting times? James I am in exactly the same position as you. I came here on a 457 but have been married to my Australian husband for 16 years and have 3 Aussie kids so should qualify for PR straight up. I came on a 457 as my employers wanted me to start work ASAP. I applied on 10 August 2011 for a partner visa and am still waiting. I submitted a decision ready application (ie with health check and police checks) as the guidelines say that these applications are prioritised. Ha ha! The letter of acknowledgement of my application said that the processing time would be 9 months but I am now up to 11 months and still have not had any contact from a Case Officer. I have phoned DIAC three times but they keep saying that I should only contact them when it gets to 12 months and then they will look at prioritising the application. I am now on a Bridging Visa A which is very annoying as it means that I can't leave Australia at short notice as you have to get (and pay for!) a Bridging Visa B to ensure that you can re-enter the country. This is a worry as my parents in the UK are elderly and also my job (energy lawyer) means that I sometimes have to travel overseas on business at short notice. I have had to tell my employers that such travel may be difficult until I get my partner visa through. I have told DIAC my situation but they couldn't give a rat's arse. I think it's pretty poor for saying how much they charge for the visa... Whinge over. Hope your application is processed more quickly than mine! Lucy :arghh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockDr Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 I am now on a Bridging Visa A which is very annoying as it means that I can't leave Australia at short notice as you have to get (and pay for!) a Bridging Visa B to ensure that you can re-enter the country. This is a worry as my parents in the UK are elderly and also my job (energy lawyer) means that I sometimes have to travel overseas on business at short notice. Both these situations would probably get you a BVB, and I think for business travel they can issue bvbs that last several months so you can come and go for work at short notice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loopylu Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 DIAC told me that I would need a separate BVB for each trip overseas - not very cost effective or practical! Also, it could still take a couple of days to get a BVB even if you attend in person which could mean that you don't get back to the UK in time in the event of serious illness. I think it is a breach of my human rights not to have the right to come and go as I please. I applied in plenty of time before my visa was due to expire (according to the DIAC guidelines which still say 6 months on the website for partner visas onshore) so why should I be penalised for DIAC's poor service levels? When my husband applied for UK citizenship in 2000, it didn't take this long and the fee was only a couple of hundred pounds.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GeorgeD Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 I believe current processing time for onshore is 10-12 months. Onshore takes longer than offshore as it is likely the family have been reunited in Oz already, so basically there is less urgency. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest71686 Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 I saw an immigration lawyer last week who said 1 year onshore unless application is 'decision ready' which is a more complex process than simply adding medicals and police check every single element must be exactly right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loopylu Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 I saw an immigration lawyer last week who said 1 year onshore unless application is 'decision ready' which is a more complex process than simply adding medicals and police check every single element must be exactly right. As a lawyer, I was meticulous in preparing my application so I would be surprised if I forgot to include any of the information that DIAC required in my decision ready application. I also checked with colleagues who are immigration lawyers that I had done things correctly. Basically, DIAC is a law unto itself which is a fact acknowledged (off the record) by immigration lawyers... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lisa crowe Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 Which visa do I apply for to pass wind? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockDr Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 DIAC told me that I would need a separate BVB for each trip overseas - not very cost effective or practical! Also, it could still take a couple of days to get a BVB even if you attend in person which could mean that you don't get back to the UK in time in the event of serious illness. I think it is a breach of my human rights not to have the right to come and go as I please. I applied in plenty of time before my visa was due to expire (according to the DIAC guidelines which still say 6 months on the website for partner visas onshore) so why should I be penalised for DIAC's poor service levels? When my husband applied for UK citizenship in 2000, it didn't take this long and the fee was only a couple of hundred pounds.... I agree, it's not a particularly helpful system, and I still haven't heard a valid explanation of why processing times have ballooned so much in the last two years. (sorry I don't know much about the BVB, but I do remember being corrected on here a few months ago thinking you needed a separate one for each trip, by someone who'd had a three month one issued. might be worth further investigation) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loopylu Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 Which visa do I apply for to pass wind? Hilarious! They do love their red tape here in Oz. I don't think there is a visa so you'd best hold it in otherwise you might get deported....:biggrin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loopylu Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 You may be right about the 3 month thing. I'm not entirely sure that the DIAC people you talk to on the helpline actually know what they are talking about... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockDr Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 You may be right about the 3 month thing. I'm not entirely sure that the DIAC people you talk to on the helpline actually know what they are talking about... It's called the DIAC helpline challenge, call up multiple times and see how many different answers you can get... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabo Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 You need a licence for that. It requires 158 points of ID, and a non-refundable deposit of $150. The licence is valid for 3 months. You can re-apply at anytime at our offices as long as it is within 24 hours of expiry. You cannot hold two 'fart' licences simultaneously. All licences expire on Sunday morning. Our offices are open Monday to Friday, 9:45 to 3:30. :wink: Which visa do I apply for to pass wind? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james81 Posted July 17, 2012 Author Share Posted July 17, 2012 I have checked my email from DIAC and it does say that my briding visa will start when my current visa expires, it does have the work limitation 8017 still attached to the visa where by it makes it complicated to switch employer. From what has been stated above it may take a while or i could hear something soon, basically i'll just have to wait and see what happens. My application was complete and extremely detailed apart from the health and character checks. I was advised to hang fire on these due to the long waiting times. I'll keep you all posted. Thanks for the help guys although i'll be in serious strife if I need a visa to fart! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loopylu Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 I have checked my email from DIAC and it does say that my briding visa will start when my current visa expires, it does have the work limitation 8017 still attached to the visa where by it makes it complicated to switch employer. From what has been stated above it may take a while or i could hear something soon, basically i'll just have to wait and see what happens. My application was complete and extremely detailed apart from the health and character checks. I was advised to hang fire on these due to the long waiting times. I'll keep you all posted. Thanks for the help guys although i'll be in serious strife if I need a visa to fart! James - I just thought I would let you know that I got my PR partner visa through today - a great start to the weekend!:biggrin: It took 11 months and 9 days to be granted (lodged 10 August 2011). In the end I emailed the immigration minister and my local MP a couple of weeks ago about the delay and so that may have moved things along more quickly. I was never told that a case officer was appointed and I was not asked for any further information. It just appeared in a recorded delivery.... Hope yours takes less time than mine! Lucy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james81 Posted July 22, 2012 Author Share Posted July 22, 2012 Congratulations! I hope mine does take a little less time than that but reading up on the matter more it appears that 9-12 months is the current waiting time. It sounds like they needed a gentle kick up the backside to get things moving for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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