sazm2k12 Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 Hello, I have been in Australia for 2 years yesterday on a working holiday visa. My employer is sponsoring me under a 187 visa and the application was put in 2 weeks ago and the payment taken. I have not yet been granted a bridging visa due to a 'glitch' in the system. I have been calling DIAC every day for 2 weeks and am being told something different each day and haven't even been able to ascertain which processing centre my application is with. I am also now being told I am not legally allowed to be in the country or work however if I speak to somebody different I am being told I am allowed to stay. My partner has a job on hold and his employer are keeping this open until tomorrow. We also no longer have Medicare cover and DIAC have advised me to arrange private cover (which after having paid over $3,000 for my visa I cannot afford). I also need to put in an application for a Bridging Visa B, to travel home for an important family event, which I cannot do until I am on a Bridging Visa A. I do not earn enough money to fully support myself and my partner - particularly as we live in an area where rent is high and food is expensive. He cannot get another job either as technically does not have a visa and has spent all of his savings as has been unemployed for 4 weeks now whilst waiting for our visa paperwork to go through. DIAC are also refusing to put anything in writing to confirm the telephone conversations we have had and I feel completely trapped. Christmas is fast approaching and we are both very miserable at the prospect of him being unemployed and us having no money to enjoy the festive period. Has anybody else experienced a similar problem? Any advice on what I can or should do would be very helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blossom Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 Is there an immigration office near you? Do you have an agent? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blossom Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 Have you done this? IMPORTANT NOTICE: OCT-NOV Bridging Visas Due to system issues we are unable to grant Bridging Visas for e-lodged applications between the 27th of October and 23rd of November, inclusive of these dates. If you have a substantive visa that has already expired or require a bridging visa during this period, please send an email with the following subject heading "OCT - NOV Bridging Visa" to this email inbox. In the email, please specify the full name of the application, TRN and date of birth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sazm2k12 Posted December 4, 2012 Author Share Posted December 4, 2012 Thanks for your response Blossom. I don't have an agent - doing the application myself with my employer. There is an immigration office near me and I have been in but they told me there is nothing they can do other than email my processing centre which is either Melbourne or Perth (depending on who I speak to). I have not sent an email to that inbox though - is the notice on the immi website? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blossom Posted December 4, 2012 Share Posted December 4, 2012 There is an update thingy on the immi website. You email it and it sends back current processing times. I am not sure of the exact email off hand, but that is in there with the processing times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sazm2k12 Posted December 4, 2012 Author Share Posted December 4, 2012 I have sent an email to that inbox, it advised me of 7 days for Perth but I am still waiting. I will send another email and see if they respond this time. I would have thought today they would have some kind of flag come up informing them our visa expired and we haven't left the country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sazm2k12 Posted December 4, 2012 Author Share Posted December 4, 2012 I have sent a further email and no luck. I have had a response from a person with a direct line but she has told me that although she sympathises with my situation there is nothing more that can be done. She also told me there are hundreds in exactly the same situation as me - I would be really interested to hear of anybody else in this position and what they have done or are doing??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrussell Posted December 4, 2012 Share Posted December 4, 2012 There is an immigration office near me and I have been in but they told me there is nothing they can do Yes there is. They tell you anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egrek Posted December 4, 2012 Share Posted December 4, 2012 Hope it works out. We're in a similar boat, being declined a visa as they keep changing their mind what they want, when they want it, agreeing to give us a certain amount of time and then changing it to 2 weeks, changing what they want, apparently above the law (if there is one) and blaming us for not handing in information they never asked for. It's great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrussell Posted December 4, 2012 Share Posted December 4, 2012 We're in a similar boat The good ship Titanic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egrek Posted December 5, 2012 Share Posted December 5, 2012 The good ship Titanic We ain't afraid of no 'burgs! (but we should be) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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