Time limit for activating a 309 visa?

[Soffy999]

I'm a complete novice to the Australian visa system (although a bit of an expert in the UK system due to husband's immigration here!)

 

We are considering a move to Australia in 2014 to arrive approx October 2014, ie the end of next UK summer.

 

When should I be submitting my application for a 309 visa?

 

I had a vague idea that the visas have a kind of activation time limit ie once you are granted the visa you need to take up residence in Australia within a certain time otherwise the visa expires? I have done a quick search and couldn't find the answer but there is a lot to search through, so apologies if this question gets asked a million times.

 

As I know from the UK system, forewarned is forearmed and the sooner I get preparing myself for the stack of forms the better. And I've read here that it takes about 8-9 months to get the visa awarded. I'm wondering if I should start thinking about submitting the application now to give us plenty of time, or if this would be a mistake because it would "run out" too soon once (fingers crossed) it gets awarded.

 

thanks in advance if you can help me

[Tulip]

You need to validate the visa within a year of your medical or police check (three months after application), and then I think you have five years to move over after that? I'm not entirely sure though. I'm certain on the first part but not sure what the time limit is after validating.

[boganbear]

You should read the partner visa booklet which is downloadable from te DIAC website as it tells you everything you need to know.

[SkippyChick11]

Hi Soffy,

 

As Tulip has mentioned, upon approval of your 309 (or 100, I assume in your case) visa, your CO will advise that you need to activate your visa within 12 months of the date of your medical or police check (whichever was submitted earliest). At the moment COs are requesting medicals and police checks three months after the date of application.

Therefore, say, if you applied in January 2014, your medical and police checks would be requested for March 2014, and all being well, at the current time-scales you would receive your visa by end Sep 2014. You would then have until March 2015 to enter Australia to activate the visa.

 

When you say "once you are granted the visa you need to take up residence in Australia within a certain time otherwise the visa expires" I assume you mean you need to activate your visa within a certain time?

Or do you mean you may want to go to Aus, activate the visa, return and live in the UK for a bit longer, and you're worried about the 309/100 expiring?

 

I think you should start getting your application together now and submit towards the end of summer. Just be aware that at the start of July (start of Aus financial year) there may be price increases/processing time increases that come into place regarding Australian visas. At the start of last financial year both 309/100 visa costs and 309/100 visa processing time increased significantly, so I would hope that it wouldn't happen two years in a row, but you never to know!

 

Best of luck!

[Rupert]

It makes a lovely change to see someone planning ahead, normally it is "we decided to move to Australia and are planning in being there by <2 months later> what shall I do about my visa? "

 

So I would certainly recommend you start to think about your application and evidence now and perhaps lodge over the next few months. Then either wait to be asked for medicals or police checks but certainly do not do them voluntarily before October otherwise you will need to make a trip to validate the visa before you are ready to make the move.

[Soffy999]

Thanks so much everyone, really helpful responses.

 

​No doubt I will have a few more questions when we start filling in the forms ...