MrsRead Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 Hubby and I are moving to Oz this year (no move date yet). Hubby is an Aussie, and I'm English. We have all the forms for my spouse visa application, but haven't got the wheels in motion yet. Is it quicker and easier to apply once we get to Oz, or should we be dealing with this now? How long does it take on average for a spouse visa to come through? The last thing we want is for us to be settling into our new home and getting on with our new life, then I find I have to leave the country!!:unsure: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolvesaussie Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 I think its running at about 9months onshore if u apply from the UK, and 13 months if you apply from inside Australia. We have found it easier to apply from England and then forget about it to some extent and just get on with our lives until the visa is granted. I prefer this to going to Australia and my girlfriend being in limbo waiting for the visa to be approved. If you apply onshore you wont be able to work for a the waiting period unless u can apply to have the work restrications removed, its more hastle doing it in Australia and more expensive as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolvesaussie Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 Sorry just noticed you want to move this year, in that case, I would probably apply in Australia, tho you can apply here then head out to Australia, you will just have to leave Australia before your visa is granted, as you must be out of Australia at the time of Grant if you applied from the UK, you just got to New Zealand or Indonesia, you dont need to come back to the UK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GeorgeD Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 Offhsore is cheaper and quicker. Onshore is more expensive and slower...but you are in Australia. Once you apply for an Onshore visa you are granted a Bridging Visa when your curerent visa expires...for example if you are on a 3 month tourist visa when you enter, this expires after 3m months and your Bridging Visa (A) kicks in. DIAC changed the rukles about bridging visas for spouse visa applicants in November 2013. You are now granted work rights on your BVA, whereas prior to then you had to apply for the restriction to be lifted. Still means sitting in oz for 3 months with no job, and then trying to find a job on a Bridging Visa. Other than that, the form and the info you need to provide is identical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tulip Posted May 9, 2013 Share Posted May 9, 2013 Why not just apply here in the UK, wait three months until you've done your medical and police checks, and then go over on a six month visa? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GeorgeD Posted May 9, 2013 Share Posted May 9, 2013 Why not just apply here in the UK, wait three months until you've done your medical and police checks, and then go over on a six month visa? The drawback of that is that the OP will be a tourist in Oz for 6 months. You won't have work rights as you can't get a bridging visa as an Offshore Applicant. If they can afford it, then all good. Personally I'd say that as you have no move date yet...apply offshore, it's quicker and faster, and then move when it's been approved! Even going onshore and applying means you will be sitting not working for 3 months before your BVA with work rights kicks in. Then you can start looking for work. If you can wait before moving, I'd get the visa sorted then do the move. At least you are both together so there's less of a rush. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsRead Posted May 9, 2013 Author Share Posted May 9, 2013 Thanks so much everyone. It's something I need to chat to Hubby about this evening, but we will need a financial imput from me (although we can survive the first three months), so it seems the Bridging Visa may be the way to go. He's currently applying to transfer to the Sydney branch of his company, so our timescale is a bit vague, to say the least. It could be a couple of months, or six (though if it goes beyond that, I'm going to start tearing my hair out as I've had enough of living in limbo, and I certainly don't want to endure another winter here, lol!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABL275 Posted May 9, 2013 Share Posted May 9, 2013 Hubby and I are moving to Oz this year (no move date yet). Hubby is an Aussie, and I'm English. We have all the forms for my spouse visa application, but haven't got the wheels in motion yet. Is it quicker and easier to apply once we get to Oz, or should we be dealing with this now? How long does it take on average for a spouse visa to come through? The last thing we want is for us to be settling into our new home and getting on with our new life, then I find I have to leave the country!!:unsure: Hi - I just went through the same process (I'm British, my wife's the Aussie) about 4 weeks ago and so I'm familiar with the onshore process. You see the current fees here: http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/pdf/990i.pdf but it seems to be $3,975 for onshore and $2,680 offshore. As for timings, the published line for onshore and offshore applications was 6-8 months (see: http://www.immi.gov.au/about/charters/client-services-charter/visas/5.0.htm ) but when you rang the partner visa office in Brisbane they said that the current AVERAGE time for an onshore application was 13 months. Nonetheless, once all the paperwork was in place (e.g. police and medical checks and statutory declarations) mine was granted in about 9 working days. I think it depends hugely on your circumstances but if your circumstances are relatively straight forward (we'd been married 8 years and have a daughter, plus a house together etc.) then I think being British is a huge help as the language doesn't need translating and most of the documentation is very familiar to Australian eyes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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