Changes to pathway to Citizenship

[Roberta2]

I would suggest you frame your comments  in terms of Australia's national interests.  e.g. Canada has recently liberalised its rules re the time people need to be PR (check details), so why would Australia - which competes globally for talent- want to go in the other direction?  In many respects, Canada is the foreign country most like us, so what it does is always important.  

Senators are unlikely to read their e mail in person; they would be overwhelmed.  You need to get past the minders.  Think about what might be interesting enough to get past a minder.

Personally  interested to see where Lucy Gichuihi lands on this, given her own background.

[wombatinabox]

1 hour ago, bwatt99 said:

Have emailed them all but i do wonder if they even bother to read them.

My wife should have applied 1st june 2017 under old rules but cant now till july 2018 to have 4 yrs pr required. Ok english test is another things we are against etc.

But our reason's for not applying for her citizenship is due to unsure how this go,might not get fee back and applications are frozen.

Would it be worth applying now as they swing towards rejecting the new rules? Or wait a bit longer?

If wife called dibp to see when she was eligible would they tell her its from date we last asked of 1 june or would it be july 2018 which is under new rules not yet passed.

And can you still apply online now or have they put a stop to this with a backlog.

Want to move forward on this and i suppose many others do, but just getting the info together etc can take long enough.

Don't worry mate, they do read the emails. Don't be discouraged or let anyone discourage you. 

All the senators I quoted have responded to me. Infact I had a great conversation on the phone with Nick Xenophon's assistant who was following up on my email. But we need to keep the pressure on if we are to win this.  Even if they don't respond to you at the very least the message gets across. 

The situation with your wife will be resolved if this bill is thrown out or the worst parts of it removed. 

Edited July 10, 2017 by wombatinabox

[Komalami]

Hi all 

I got my ceremony date on 1 aug but I have already booked my tickets and will not able to attend my ceremony, can anyone suggest what to do ???

[wombatinabox]

Hi Folks,

Just a reminder, in addition to emailing the senators i mentioned in my earlier post. Don't forget to make your submission to the Parliament using the below link. The submissions close on July 21st so do it asap.

These submissions are actually taken seriously and properly analysed by the Senate's constitutional legal experts, (unlike what happened with the DIBP submissions which were thrown out by the minister)

http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Legal_and_Constitutional_Affairs/CitizenshipBill2017

 

 

[Komalami]

Plz any suggest me how to reschedule the ceremony date in mebourne 

 

thanks 

[Husky]

Hey Guy's

I came out to Australia from the UK on a 457 Visa in 2012, then after two years applied for permanent residency which I have now had for 2 1/2 years. I only found out about the new changes from 20th April 2017 a couple of weeks ago. 

As the changes haven't been passed yet is it worth waiting for this to be decided or can you still put the Application form 1300t in and if you can does this need to be a paper or online version?

Looking for some information on this please?

Thank you.

Regards

[Sanae Kaneda]

I get really confused by looking at all the comments. I wonder whether the new legislation has been applied or not- time frame wise. I would like to apply for citizenship but I have been holding PR for only one year. If the old rule is still applicable, I am still able to apply for the citizenship now.  Is there anyone who can clarify that??

[Roberta2]

Legislation to change the Citizenship law is before parliament.  Until the new law is passed, no application made after 20 April will be processed.  You will just have to wait.

[Husky]

Thanks Roberta2, I understand you will have to wait if you are applying after the the 20th April 2017 but is it worth sending it so they have it on file ready to go if the the new changes dont go ahead as if they do then I'll be only been a PR for 3 years so Ill be short by 1 year and it will get refused anyway.

 

 

 

Cheers

[faol]

5 hours ago, Komalami said:

Plz any suggest me how to reschedule the ceremony date in mebourne 

 

thanks 

Just call your local council to reschedule.You got phone number on ceremony invitation letter.

[Jason Martin]

I have seen several posts on here stating that any application made on or after the 20th April has been accepted but put on Hiatus. Is there any physical proof of this or are these just statements made after speaking to Immigration?  I only ask as I am eligible to submit my own application for Citizenship at the end of this month under the present rules.

Thanks!

[Keep me in oz]

Just now, Jason Martin said:

I have seen several posts on here stating that any application made on or after the 20th April has been accepted but put on Hiatus. Is there any physical proof of this or are these just statements made after speaking to Immigration?  I only ask as I am eligible to submit my own application for Citizenship at the end of this month under the present rules.

Thanks!

I have submitted my application, i then received an email from immigration saying there may be a delay in processing it and that the new rules would apply. It also says that the Department will contact me again when my application is progressed to the next stage. 

[Jason Martin]

2 minutes ago, Keep me in oz said:

I have submitted my application, i then received an email from immigration saying there may be a delay in processing it and that the new rules would apply. It also says that the Department will contact me again when my application is progressed to the next stage. 

I have spoken to my local Federal MP's electorate officer and my Territory MP about this (both Labor).  They have both said that there is/has been a lot of behind the scenes wrangling going on over this subject as the proposed changes will have a massive impact on the Northern Territory and for rural Australia as a whole.

I just hope that when parliament resits that the issue is finally put before the House and finally voted on so that everyone will know exactly where they stand and can get on with their lives.

 

[Keep me in oz]

6 minutes ago, Jason Martin said:

I have spoken to my local Federal MP's electorate officer and my Territory MP about this (both Labor).  They have both said that there is/has been a lot of behind the scenes wrangling going on over this subject as the proposed changes will have a massive impact on the Northern Territory and for rural Australia as a whole.

I just hope that when parliament resits that the issue is finally put before the House and finally voted on so that everyone will know exactly where they stand and can get on with their lives.

 

Yea i hope so too! Its already created a massive backlog for the Department with over 80,000 applications 'on hold'. I really hope they dont drag it out much longer, It could add months and years onto the processing time! 

[wombatinabox]

28 minutes ago, Keep me in oz said:

Yea i hope so too! Its already created a massive backlog for the Department with over 80,000 applications 'on hold'. I really hope they dont drag it out much longer, It could add months and years onto the processing time! 

That number is a bit old, the backlog is now actually 100,000+ and growing rapidly because people are rushing to put in their apps hoping they'll be processed under old rules.

In any case (regardless of what happens with the bill) post-April 20 applications we are looking at a very long Citizenship processing time (1 year+) as opposed to 3-6 months in the past. 

This whole mess created by the Minister is unnecessary.

Edited July 12, 2017 by wombatinabox

[Keep me in oz]

4 minutes ago, wombatinabox said:

That number is a bit old, the backlog is now actually 100,000+.

In any case (regardless of what happens with the bill) post-April 20 applications we are looking at a very long Citizenship processing time (1 year+) as opposed to 3-6 months in the past. 

This whole mess created by the Minister is unnecessary.

Agreed! what a mess!

I am still fairly confident that they wont be able to back date it! or they wont be able to keep them on hold much longer!! but I guess im just trying to be positive lol!  

 

[wombatinabox]

44 minutes ago, Jason Martin said:

I have spoken to my local Federal MP's electorate officer and my Territory MP about this (both Labor).  They have both said that there is/has been a lot of behind the scenes wrangling going on over this subject as the proposed changes will have a massive impact on the Northern Territory and for rural Australia as a whole.

I just hope that when parliament resits that the issue is finally put before the House and finally voted on so that everyone will know exactly where they stand and can get on with their lives.

 

Thanks for doing that mate and updating us, it's important to keep the pressure on our MPs and Senators.

Hope everyone involved here does the same.

Edited July 12, 2017 by wombatinabox

[Roberta2]

23 hours ago, wombatinabox said:

Hi Folks,

Just a reminder, in addition to emailing the senators i mentioned in my earlier post. Don't forget to make your submission to the Parliament using the below link. The submissions close on July 21st so do it asap.

These submissions are actually taken seriously and properly analysed by the Senate's constitutional legal experts, (unlike what happened with the DIBP submissions which were thrown out by the minister)

http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Legal_and_Constitutional_Affairs/CitizenshipBill2017

 

 

Not sure what you mean by the "Senate's constitutional legal experts".  This is the Australian, not the US, Senate.  The Australian Senate does not have a large research staff, as does the US Senate.  Senators (and Members of the House) can of course use the resources of the Parliamentary Library.   Each Senator has a small personal staff.  This is a political process - if Labor opposes the Bill, it will come down to what the Senate crossbenchers can agree upon.  The Committee itself is just a secretariat - it does not provide legal or constitutional advice, nor does it do any "analysis", proper or otherwise.

[Rorz]

This comment on Linkedin today might be of interest 

 

Such brilliant news today, the government retracted it's extremely unfair decision to retrospectively apply the 1/7/17 changes to applications lodged prior to 1 July. Best day I've had since 17/4/2017.

 

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6290805811287592960/ 

[bwatt99]

6 minutes ago, Rorz said:

This comment on Linkedin today might be of interest 

 

Such brilliant news today, the government retracted it's extremely unfair decision to retrospectively apply the 1/7/17 changes to applications lodged prior to 1 July. Best day I've had since 17/4/2017.

 

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6290805811287592960/ 

What does that mean? For a wife who could apply on 1st june 2017 but never did due to new rules which means she could only apply july 2018,which yet nobody knows what's happening.

Im not sure what this is about or means?

[Rorz]

3 minutes ago, bwatt99 said:

What does that mean? For a wife who could apply on 1st june 2017 but never did due to new rules which means she could only apply july 2018,which yet nobody knows what's happening.

Im not sure what this is about or means?

If what Sarah is saying is correct it would mean the changes are only effective from 1st July. Not sure on the validity of her comment though

[bwatt99]

3 minutes ago, Rorz said:

If what Sarah is saying is correct it would mean the changes are only effective from 1st July. Not sure on the validity of her comment though

Still dont get it or what it means and regarding my wife being able to apply or not officially yes on old rules but not on new.

Anyone care to tell me what this is about?

[Rorz]

9 minutes ago, bwatt99 said:

Still dont get it or what it means and regarding my wife being able to apply or not officially yes on old rules but not on new.

Anyone care to tell me what this is about?

What is your wife's situation? 

[bwatt99]

12 minutes ago, Rorz said:

What is your wife's situation? 

I probably have mentioned a million times on here she was eligible to apply under old rules 1st jun 2017. But cause they changed or wanted to change rules from 20th april under old rules she cant.

She would have her 4 yrs pr july 2018 which is when she could apply. So what is this new comment about from 1st july?

[Ken]

4 hours ago, bwatt99 said:

I probably have mentioned a million times on here she was eligible to apply under old rules 1st jun 2017. But cause they changed or wanted to change rules from 20th april under old rules she cant.

She would have her 4 yrs pr july 2018 which is when she could apply. So what is this new comment about from 1st july?

If you'd taken the trouble to read the link that was posted (and the link within that) you'd know this was about the change to employer sponsored visa rules from 1st July which were originally announced as also applying to visa applications lodged (but not approved) before 1st July. Now the visa applications lodged before 1st July will be processed under the old rules. This has absolutely nothing to do with your wife's situation and I have no idea why it's been posted on this "Changes to pathway to citizenship" thread.

 

PS: Just realised what the connection is. The change to the employer sponsored visa rules mean that certain applicants are now only eligible for a 2 year visa which can be extended for a further 2 years but gives no pathway to citizenship. These people who applied before 1st July do now have a pathway to citizenship available to them as they'll be eligible for a 4 year visa and be allowed to apply for permanent residency.

Edited July 13, 2017 by Ken