mintpro Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 Hi all, I applied for a 461 visa on the 27th January. According to the immi website the processing time should only have been 2 months. I have heard nothing from them and I'm starting to get a little worried/anxious. I sent in a lot of paperwork to prove I've been with my partner over a year. We have been together over 5 years so that paperwork wasn't hard to get together so I don't think there will be an issue with it. So my questions are; 1) Should I try and get in contact with anyone on the progress of it and if so who? I applied for the visa in New Zealand. 2) I have flights booked to head to Aus the 29th May. I really didn't think the visa would take this long and I understand it says don't book flights etc but what's done is done, I just hope I can still head there then. If I still haven't heard from immigration should I apply for a working holiday/visitor visa. The working holiday I know I automatically get until I turn 30. I wish I applied a little earlier for it but that'll teach me for when we apply for PR in a few years. Please don't criticise (too much!) I feel quite crap about it already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaggieMay24 Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 The DIBP website times are often outdated so can't be relied on. However from the posts I've read on 461 visas, it does seem they only take 2-3 months so hopefully you'll hear soon. I'm not sure if a 461 requires you to be off-shore if that's where you were when you applied, so hopefully someone else can answer that. I assume you realise a 461 doesn't lead to PR, so you'll need to find another route to get that (e.g. applying for a 189 visa, 190 visa, etc.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mintpro Posted April 15, 2015 Author Share Posted April 15, 2015 Thanks for replying. Hopefully someone else knows if/who I can contact. Yes I know the 461 doesn't lead toward PR. I do tick all the boxes for the 189 at the minute it was just a money issue I haven't gone that way and in our current position it wasn't getting any closer. We're hoping the few years in Aus will take us closer and I can put my NZ partner on my visa application as I'll need to be the main applicant for us both to be PR then. The 461 was always going to be a short term solution for us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buzzy--bee Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 My 461 took 3 weeks (applied in London). You can be onshore when you apply for a 461. Incidentally, if you are a British citizen who is living in NZ and you are in Australia on a 461, you may find you are not eligible for any medicare under the reciprocal system which British citizens normally get. This is a grey area and it will depend on which medicare person you get on the day! British citizens coming on 461s straight from Britain get medicare no questions. BB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mintpro Posted April 16, 2015 Author Share Posted April 16, 2015 wow 3 weeks, now I'm worried. They'll have mine 3 months in a week! I'm not British though I'm Irish currently living in New Zealand so I'll have to get insurance which I'm ok with. I have it here in NZ too. Did you get any email correspondence with a CO when they were looking at your application or any correspondence at all from anyone after you sent you application through? I'm afraid that they've lost mine at this stage! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buzzy--bee Posted April 16, 2015 Share Posted April 16, 2015 Did you get any email correspondence with a CO when they were looking at your application or any correspondence at all from anyone after you sent you application through? I'm afraid that they've lost mine at this stage! I just looked back through my emails several years. After 3 weeks I had an email requesting further information which I provided immediately then the visa was issued 4 weeks after that. I would consider calling them and inquiring whether they have received your application (also check your junk email folder!) BB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mintpro Posted April 16, 2015 Author Share Posted April 16, 2015 Just checked! Nothing in the junk mail! So you didn't get an email to say they were looking at your application? The problem is in NZ you apply in a different office to the immigration office. They give you a receipt with a login for their website (not immi) to see how your application is going. When I rang to ask for information they just bring up that page on the website which I can see. You don't talk to a CO at all and they won't give you contact details for a CO either or anyone that would have more info. Plus the last thing I want to do is keep bugging them! They probably have a section to click if the person was in constant contact to make the application process longer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maryjanejones Posted April 18, 2015 Share Posted April 18, 2015 Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but we applied in NZ on the 26th Nov and still nothing.. nearly 5 months on. They seem to have a huge back log! It's driving me insane! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhillon07 Posted April 20, 2015 Share Posted April 20, 2015 My wife Applied for same Visa on 12th Dec 2014 at auckland. Still no information on the status of her application. they told us its 3 months processing time when we applied. TT service told me More than a month ago that immigration has started processing November application since early march. but i assume that's total false information given to us. Im Very disappointed with their service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mintpro Posted April 21, 2015 Author Share Posted April 21, 2015 Wow that is not good at all maryjanejones or dhillon07. I have to admit I'm not sure why TTS is there at all. You email them and they forward your email to the consulate. They just seemed to be a middle person who knows nothing about my application at all and are not able to help either. Agree with you dhillon07 completely. Looks like I might need to cancel the application and head to Aus on a WHV and apply over there when I have more time for the processing of the 461. They do send the applications to Sydney though I did find that out. They do need to update their website to give people a clearer view on processing times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bungo Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 wow 3 weeks, now I'm worried. They'll have mine 3 months in a week! I'm not British though I'm Irish currently living in New Zealand so I'll have to get insurance which I'm ok with. I have it here in NZ too. Did you get any email correspondence with a CO when they were looking at your application or any correspondence at all from anyone after you sent you application through? I'm afraid that they've lost mine at this stage! Buzzybee applied for that visa years and years ago I believe. So processing times then have no bearing on your situation. From other posts it seems like your timelines are in line with other applicants at the moment, so no need to worry that it has gone astray or worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buzzy--bee Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 Buzzybee applied for that visa years and years ago I believe. Indeed. And in the UK. Sorry if I have mislead you. BB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mintpro Posted April 22, 2015 Author Share Posted April 22, 2015 previous comments have helped knowing that other people are in the same situation although not a nice situation to be in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhillon07 Posted May 21, 2015 Share Posted May 21, 2015 just let you know Visa officer was assigned to my wife's application few days ago (she applied in dec 2014), visa officer requested medical, pcc, personal and family statements , more photos etc etc. we sent back every thing quickly as every thing was ready and we were expecting it. hopefully visa is around the corner now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maryjanejones Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 just let you know Visa officer was assigned to my wife's application few days ago (she applied in dec 2014), visa officer requested medical, pcc, personal and family statements , more photos etc etc. we sent back every thing quickly as every thing was ready and we were expecting it. hopefully visa is around the corner now. Hi all, just to let you know, my visa has been approved. We heard about 2 weeks ago. Happy days! Hope you all hear good news soon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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