hallie3000 Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 Finally lodged our Visa on the 20th January 2014 (On our 2 year anniversary). Just want to thank everyone on here for their advice and help as i found the process pretty stressful. Such a huge amount of weight has been lifted now its in the post. Just the Police and Medical checks to go. I will post a timeline of events after postage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlekitty Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 Finally lodged our Visa on the 20th January 2014 (On our 2 year anniversary). Just want to thank everyone on here for their advice and help as i found the process pretty stressful. Such a huge amount of weight has been lifted now its in the post. Just the Police and Medical checks to go. I will post a timeline of events after postage. Hi Hallie, I'm replying to you again We applied same day in the Perth office so hopefully we can find info from each other! No money has been taken from our account yet.... Let me know when payment has been taken for yours! Are you guys married or defacto applicants? We're married and also coming from a PMV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritChickx Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 Finally lodged our Visa on the 20th January 2014 (On our 2 year anniversary). Just want to thank everyone on here for their advice and help as i found the process pretty stressful. Such a huge amount of weight has been lifted now its in the post. Just the Police and Medical checks to go. I will post a timeline of events after postage. Mine was lodged on the 8th, so we will see what happens with our time lines! An email was sent from my CO on the 10th but they got my email wrong, so it wasn't until i went to the immi office in Cairns to see what happened that i found out. She printed off the email, i got a time frame of 9-12 months wait. I frontloaded my police check but not medicals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 I wouldn't worry too much about the time frames they give. I was told 13 months when I applied in December 2012 (without police check). Added the UK police check late january and was granted in mid February. That was a good day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hallie3000 Posted January 22, 2014 Author Share Posted January 22, 2014 Hi Hallie, I'm replying to you again We applied same day in the Perth office so hopefully we can find info from each other! No money has been taken from our account yet.... Let me know when payment has been taken for yours! Are you guys married or defacto applicants? We're married and also coming from a PMV. Hey Littlekitty! We are De-facto applicants. I'm guessing because you guys are married you'll be more straight forward. So we sent our 820 off on the 20th Jan and it arrived in Perth this morning. Still no money taken as of yet. what is a PMV? I'm coming from a working holiday visa and mine runs out on the 6th Feb! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hallie3000 Posted January 22, 2014 Author Share Posted January 22, 2014 Also did you send yours next day express delivery to Perth? We did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlekitty Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 Hey Littlekitty! We are De-facto applicants. I'm guessing because you guys are married you'll be more straight forward. So we sent our 820 off on the 20th Jan and it arrived in Perth this morning. Still no money taken as of yet. what is a PMV? I'm coming from a working holiday visa and mine runs out on the 6th Feb! Yeah it is pretty straight forward as we had to submit all the same sort of stuff for the PMV. PMV is a Prospective Married Visa, it was an offshore application when we were engaged. It took almost 9 months to receive. We were still a little concerned cos hubby has a minor offence in the UK.... he was very upfront and wrote a statement about it etc. We didnt post, we dropped ours in the dropbox at the Perth office... I recon you might have your money taken out in about 2 business days if mine is anything to go by... so I think you will be OK with the end of your WHV... You still have all next week (minus Monday) + a couple of days for them to do their thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hallie3000 Posted January 23, 2014 Author Share Posted January 23, 2014 Yeah it is pretty straight forward as we had to submit all the same sort of stuff for the PMV. PMV is a Prospective Married Visa, it was an offshore application when we were engaged. It took almost 9 months to receive.We were still a little concerned cos hubby has a minor offence in the UK.... he was very upfront and wrote a statement about it etc. We didnt post, we dropped ours in the dropbox at the Perth office... I recon you might have your money taken out in about 2 business days if mine is anything to go by... so I think you will be OK with the end of your WHV... You still have all next week (minus Monday) + a couple of days for them to do their thing. Yeah, i'm not at Panic stations quite yet. I'm just glad they have received it. It's all up to them from now. Just need Police and Medicals to do. It's interesting to here what timeframes from the Perth office are like though from others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hallie3000 Posted January 24, 2014 Author Share Posted January 24, 2014 So visa lodged 20th Jan to Perth visa received 22nd Jan Money taken from bank and email received with bridging visa information etc attached on the 24th Jan im so happy!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mira1 Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 So visa lodged 20th Jan to Perth visa received 22nd Jan Money taken from bank and email received with bridging visa information etc attached on the 24th Jan im so happy!!! Congrats hallie..when does ur visa expires again? Immigration took money out last Wednesday but I didn't get an e mail! Rang them and they told me they won't send it off until my whv expires which is February 7th..but you got urs earlier, didnt you?? Did they ask for your police checks and medicals yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hallie3000 Posted January 31, 2014 Author Share Posted January 31, 2014 Hey Mira, I'm still waiting on a facebook request from you :-) Yeah i got an e-mail with all attachments and my bridging visa which kicks in when my WHV expires on the 6 th Feb. Went and had my medical examination yesterday. They havent exactly asked for it yet but i thought i may aswell get the ball rolling. Went and had my passport photos done for my Police check today too. Almost finished, just need to send my police stuff to my mum so she can get it all signed by my docter back home. :-) Then she can send it on. How are you getting on? Did you send yours into Perth? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrussell Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 We didnt post, we dropped ours in the dropbox at the Perth office In that case the application was invalid. It will be interesting to see what happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blossom Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 In that case the application was invalid. It will be interesting to see what happens. Why? According to http://www.immi.gov.au/Visas/Pages/801-820.aspx you can apply online, by post or in person. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrussell Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 Why? According to http://www.immi.gov.au/Visas/Pages/801-820.aspx you can apply online, by post or in person. DIAC: Onshore Partner Applications Hand Delivered by Agents or Applicants Now Considered As Invalid While the 457 “crackdown” comprised the most publicised aspects of migration law changes implemented by the government on 1 July 2013, a lesser-known change was introduced to the onshore partner visa processing regime that prohibits applicants or their migration agents from lodging onshore partner visa applications in person at DIAC Offices. Item 1214C(3)(fa), added to Schedule 1 of the Migration Regulations 1994 as of 1 July 2013, states: (fa) An application must be made: (i) by posting the application (with the correct pre-paid postage) to the post office box address or other address specified by the Minister in an instrument in writing for this subparagraph; or (ii) by having the application delivered by a courier service to the address specified by the Minister in an instrument in writing for this subparagraph; or (iii) if no address has been specified for subparagraphs (i) and (ii) — by lodging the application at an office of Immigration. This new change means that even though the DIAC website says the NSW Partner Processing Centre offers “counter service” from 9am to 4pm at the Ground Floor of 26 Lee Street, applicants and their agents are prohibited from lodging applications in person there, and instead must pay Australia Post or a courier to deliver applications to the NSW or other appropriate Partner Processing Centre. Applicants with extremely time-sensitive partner visa applications who depend on the “counter service” for the NSW Partner Processing Centre as advertised on DIAC’s website may be in for a rude surprise. Veteran migration lawyer xxx reports that when a client of hers attempted to lodge a partner visa application at DIAC’s 26 Lee St offices last week, “my client was shown the door and told to ‘post it’, was not told of courier delivery options, and was not allowed to leave the application at the counter or anywhere else.” As a result, xxx reports the client had to courier the application in urgently that afternoon and wait for an acknowledgement letter confirming grant of a BVA in order to apply in person for an urgent Bridging Visa B. While most organisations and businesses are trying to make themselves easier to do business with, it would seem that DIAC is doing the opposite – with onshore partner visa application times blowing out to 13 months and now the removal of the ability of applicants and their agents to hand deliver partner applications, DIAC would seem to be moving very hard to push business away, or at least make it harder for applicants to lodge visa applications. “People… Our Business”?? Hmm. Maybe it’s time for DIAC to replace that slogan with a more accurate one that better reflects today’s realities of constantly increasing visa application fees, longer delays, and decreasing levels of client service and convenience. Perhaps the words of a case officer to a migration agent colleague recently say it best: “The grant of an Australian visa is a privilege, not a right.” -- DIAC Case officer to Migration Agent, August 2013 Do not rely on information to be found in DIBP publications, including their website. It is simplistic, sometimes,misleading and often wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlekitty Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 DIAC: Onshore Partner Applications Hand Delivered by Agents or Applicants Now Considered As Invalid While the 457 “crackdown” comprised the most publicised aspects of migration law changes implemented by the government on 1 July 2013, a lesser-known change was introduced to the onshore partner visa processing regime that prohibits applicants or their migration agents from lodging onshore partner visa applications in person at DIAC Offices. Item 1214C(3)(fa), added to Schedule 1 of the Migration Regulations 1994 as of 1 July 2013, states: (fa) An application must be made: (i) by posting the application (with the correct pre-paid postage) to the post office box address or other address specified by the Minister in an instrument in writing for this subparagraph; or (ii) by having the application delivered by a courier service to the address specified by the Minister in an instrument in writing for this subparagraph; or (iii) if no address has been specified for subparagraphs (i) and (ii) — by lodging the application at an office of Immigration. This new change means that even though the DIAC website says the NSW Partner Processing Centre offers “counter service” from 9am to 4pm at the Ground Floor of 26 Lee Street, applicants and their agents are prohibited from lodging applications in person there, and instead must pay Australia Post or a courier to deliver applications to the NSW or other appropriate Partner Processing Centre. Applicants with extremely time-sensitive partner visa applications who depend on the “counter service” for the NSW Partner Processing Centre as advertised on DIAC’s website may be in for a rude surprise. Veteran migration lawyer xxx reports that when a client of hers attempted to lodge a partner visa application at DIAC’s 26 Lee St offices last week, “my client was shown the door and told to ‘post it’, was not told of courier delivery options, and was not allowed to leave the application at the counter or anywhere else.” As a result, xxx reports the client had to courier the application in urgently that afternoon and wait for an acknowledgement letter confirming grant of a BVA in order to apply in person for an urgent Bridging Visa B. While most organisations and businesses are trying to make themselves easier to do business with, it would seem that DIAC is doing the opposite – with onshore partner visa application times blowing out to 13 months and now the removal of the ability of applicants and their agents to hand deliver partner applications, DIAC would seem to be moving very hard to push business away, or at least make it harder for applicants to lodge visa applications. “People… Our Business”?? Hmm. Maybe it’s time for DIAC to replace that slogan with a more accurate one that better reflects today’s realities of constantly increasing visa application fees, longer delays, and decreasing levels of client service and convenience. Perhaps the words of a case officer to a migration agent colleague recently say it best: “The grant of an Australian visa is a privilege, not a right.” -- DIAC Case officer to Migration Agent, August 2013 Do not rely on information to be found in DIBP publications, including their website. It is simplistic, sometimes,misleading and often wrong. Was this directed at me? So when we arrived at the Perth office to hand in the visa, spoke to the customer service agent at the front lobby, then subsequently received the 820 visa via email, that our application (and therefore our visa) is invalid? I'm sorry but to say something like that about something so personal as having my husband be able to stay in the country with me is very flippant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hallie3000 Posted April 29, 2014 Author Share Posted April 29, 2014 3 months after lodgement, Visa Granted! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roses1 Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 Wow! That was quick. Congratulations! Hopefully the rest of us won't be waiting too long Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hallie3000 Posted April 29, 2014 Author Share Posted April 29, 2014 I think the Perth office are really on top of things as a friend of mine sent hers to perth on the same day as me and her visa was granted the day before mine. :-) Boh only took 3 months! Where did you send yours Roses1? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roses1 Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 I'm pretty sure it got sent to the Sydney office Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABL275 Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 I wouldn't worry too much about the time frames they give. I was told 13 months when I applied in December 2012 (without police check). Added the UK police check late january and was granted in mid February. That was a good day! Very similar timescales for me too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walshy5050 Posted May 11, 2014 Share Posted May 11, 2014 Hi littlekitty I have applied for 820 in December 2013 and I the same handed it in at perth office and nothing was said about it not aloud to be handed in. have received your visa yet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 11, 2014 Share Posted May 11, 2014 Hi littlekitty I have applied for 820 in December 2013 and I the same handed it in at perth office and nothing was said about it not aloud to be handed in. have received your visa yet You've a fair wait in front of you I'd reckon. Average on shore is about 13 months now. Usually you don't get assigned a CO till later on when they are actually ready to look at your case. If its been lodged and money taken, just sit tight and carry on with life is about all you can do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walshy5050 Posted May 11, 2014 Share Posted May 11, 2014 Yes I believe so was just asking as I have an email saying that once all paperworks are received I will be assigned a case office but my application was sent in as decision Ready Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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