Timeline on 309/100 via applied for in London

[Askem81]

Just now, Noodlejaffa said:

We used an agent, but he's never mentioned the increase in processing time. Haven't brought it up with him as there's nothing he or we can do to change it!

Thanks Noodlejaffa- I suspect you’re absolutely right. It just seems ludicrous that the processing has increased from half a year to almost two years in such a short space of time, and no one knows where “in the queue” they are! I’m truly hoping they stick to the original time frame when we lodged! Ahhhhhh! 

[Noodlejaffa]

I just think that every day is another day closer to a decision...got to put a positive spin on things otherwise you'll just let it eat you up. Life has to go on meantime! And it's not like there's never going to be a decision...

[dondons1uk]

Hi

My agent has informed me of the increased times but says it’s now 12-16 months (up from 11 months). 

Where did you get your timescales from for 2 years plus? That’s insane isn’t it. Is that for onshore applications as they are longer?

 

[Askem81]

Just now, dondons1uk said:

Hi

My agent has informed me of the increased times but says it’s now 12-16 months (up from 11 months). 

Where did you get your timescales from for 2 years plus? That’s insane isn’t it. Is that for onshore applications as they are longer?

 

No, unfortunately I looked on home affairs today and nearly had a heart attack! 

[Askem81]

41 minutes ago, Noodlejaffa said:

I just think that every day is another day closer to a decision...got to put a positive spin on things otherwise you'll just let it eat you up. Life has to go on meantime! And it's not like there's never going to be a decision...

Good idea. Thank you. I generally stay positive but had a panic when I saw the new time frames today! 

[Nadine1]

2 hours ago, Askem81 said:

Hi everyone, I’m also in the same situation. I’m the Aussie, my husband is a Brit. We met in 2005, married 8 years ago, bought houses, shared banking and have a child who is 6. We applied on 18/4/18, and it was all fully uploaded (medical, acro etc). We have heard nothing which is ok, except that the processing time has since increased even further to 21 - 26 months. I’m freaking out. When we applied it was 6-9 months. How is anyone supposed to plan anything at all?! Has anyone been assigned a case officer at all? 

For all of you who used an agent, has anyone been informed of the increased time frame and/or had any info about this from them? I’m irritated that mine hasn’t said anything especially as the agents are relatively well funded by us! 

Good luck everyone! I have my fingers crossed for you all. 

Hi - I’ve just checked out IMMI account too and ours has now also increased to 21-26 months.  TBH it’s really frustrating as I really was starting to feel quite positive about it all.  We applied 13 May, loaded police checks at same time and medicals 2 weeks later.  Have you been assigned a case officer yet? We’ve heard nothing other than the automated emails.

Is there anyone here who has also considered or applied for a 12 month tourist visa as I was thinking that maybe I can get a tourist visa for now so at least we can go and start setting up our new life and then wait for my resident visa or would that mean reapplying as we would be onshore application? Does anyone know anything about this?

 

[Askem81]

1 minute ago, Nadine1 said:

Hi - I’ve just checked out IMMI account too and ours has now also increased to 21-26 months.  TBH it’s really frustrating as I really was starting to feel quite positive about it all.  We applied 13 May, loaded police checks at same time and medicals 2 weeks later.  Have you been assigned a case officer yet? We’ve heard nothing other than the automated emails.

Is there anyone here who has also considered or applied for a 12 month tourist visa as I was thinking that maybe I can get a tourist visa for now so at least we can go and start setting up our new life and then wait for my resident visa or would that mean reapplying as we would be onshore application? Does anyone know anything about this?

 

Yes it’s pretty frustrating I agree. Did you have a fully front loaded uploaded application? If so, you won’t hear from a case officer until a decision is made. In terms of the 12 month tourist visa, I’ve actually been wondering if there are any visas whereby my husband can work? Does anyone know if this is possible? Nadine1, you can go to Aus and then if your 309/100 is ready to be processed, apparently they will see you are in Aus and will ask you to leave for 3 business days (eg a short hop over to New Zealand) and then they’ll grant the visa whilst you’re away. You have to be offshore for it to be granted in other words. No need to reapply for an onshore visa. X

[Nadine1]

Just now, Askem81 said:

Yes it’s pretty frustrating I agree. Did you have a fully front loaded uploaded application? If so, you won’t hear from a case officer until a decision is made. In terms of the 12 month tourist visa, I’ve actually been wondering if there are any visas whereby my husband can work? Does anyone know if this is possible? Nadine1, you can go to Aus and then if your 309/100 is ready to be processed, apparently they will see you are in Aus and will ask you to leave for 3 business days (eg a short hop over to New Zealand) and then they’ll grant the visa whilst you’re away. You have to be offshore for it to be granted in other words. No need to reapply for an onshore visa. X

Yes we uploaded everything - full evidence of our relationship and marriage for 10 years from financial to social including all our daughters details who is dual citizen.  It’s interesting what you have said as I’m British and my husband Australian and I don’t need to be able to work anyway when we first go as I will be settling myself and my daughter so it sounds like I can go on a tourist visa so that I don’t hold up the whole move? I think I need to look into this option a bit more so we can consider going in December.  Thanks for the information xx

[dondons1uk]

OMG you’re right. I’m devastated. I have applied for and got the 12 month tourist visa thinking that would be enough to wait the decision. I’m on mat leave anyway to thought why not. We can’t afford to stay with family there for 2 years waiting this out. I’ll go mad. 

Im so distraught.  

How awful of them. 

I’ll speak to my agent on Monday and see what he says and will update 

[Quoll]

Blimey, the processing time was around 8 weeks at the beginning of the year. Hard to imagine why it’s suddenly blown out to 2 years. I can imagine 4-6 months but 2 years???

[Katiebobbles]

I know nothing is guarenteed but the London applications always used to run quicker than the "averages" given on the websites. I am hoping this is the case and the UK applications remain under 6 months.
Its interesting how there was such a flurry up until April time then nothing .... hopefully they are just working on other types of visas and will come back around to partner visas soon with a wave of golden emails to us all ....
Btw i am not basing this on anything but blind hope!!!

[Askem81]

I hope so for all our sakes. It doesn’t seem right. Katiebobbles, let’s hope your blind hope is correct! 

[Floyd18]

I, like some others on this string, applied in mid April. Very similar situation. Married for 7 years with two children who have joint nationality. If anyone who happens to view this string who has had a decision made on their application which was lodged in February or March please post their timeline. This would provide a level of reassurance that things are still moving. I have heard nothing, but provided everything which was required. Thanks in advance.

[Askem81]

Just now, Floyd18 said:

I, like some others on this string, applied in mid April. Very similar situation. Married for 7 years with two children who have joint nationality. If anyone who happens to view this string who has had a decision made on their application which was lodged in February or March please post their timeline. This would provide a level of reassurance that things are still moving. I have heard nothing, but provided everything which was required. Thanks in advance.

Hi Floyd18, we are in virtually identical positions. I have 1 child with dual nationality too. All lodged on 18/4/18. I cannot imagine what has changed from the recent post saying someone was granted theirs in 23 days to us now waiting nearly 2 years potentially. Fingers crossed! 

[dondons1uk]

So spoke to my agent. 

He said the reason for the increase in time is they’ve closed the Madrid office (who deal with apps from all over Europe) and London now deal with them. Plus London has low staffing levels and no authority or funding to increase number of staff. Although the system says to upload medicals that’s just standard and not a suggestion that anything is being processed. 

Yes it may speed up again. Yes sometimes uk is quicker. But no guarantees.....

 

[Askem81]

On 21/07/2018 at 11:34, dondons1uk said:

So spoke to my agent. 

He said the reason for the increase in time is they’ve closed the Madrid office (who deal with apps from all over Europe) and London now deal with them. Plus London has low staffing levels and no authority or funding to increase number of staff. Although the system says to upload medicals that’s just standard and not a suggestion that anything is being processed. 

Yes it may speed up again. Yes sometimes uk is quicker. But no guarantees.....

 

I wish there was some kind of bridging visa for us. If we’d applied onshore, that would have been accessible as an option. The wait continues... 

[Askem81]

Just now, Askem81 said:

I wish there was some kind of bridging visa for us. If we’d applied onshore, that would have been accessible as an option. The wait continues... 

 

Just now, Askem81 said:

I wish there was some kind of bridging visa for us. If we’d applied onshore, that would have been accessible as an option. The wait continues... 

 

On 21/07/2018 at 11:34, dondons1uk said:

So spoke to my agent. 

He said the reason for the increase in time is they’ve closed the Madrid office (who deal with apps from all over Europe) and London now deal with them. Plus London has low staffing levels and no authority or funding to increase number of staff. Although the system says to upload medicals that’s just standard and not a suggestion that anything is being processed. 

Yes it may speed up again. Yes sometimes uk is quicker. But no guarantees.....

 

Thanks for this info...my agent just got cranky with me when I asked if she knew what may have happened! 

[laf]

On 17/07/2018 at 09:27, Beffers said:

You're right Jon, the notification document within the Immi system about the medical just shows automatically once the fee has been paid, and the acknowledgement is the same, it's an auto-generated document once the fee is paid. The medical notification in Immi is not the official email request from a CO. I actually think this confuses a lot of people. 

It certainly confused me.  I went ahead with the medical straight away!

How did you add the footnote to your profile?

[Heather Kennedy]

Hi all, I applied 10 may, medical done 6th June and now just waiting for 309/100. Husbands is Australian and wants to return home after 34 years.

Advice or thoughts on 2 topics please

I haven't been asked for police certificate and wondered should I just get one to be prepared ( I have various crb/DBS from voluntary work etc)

Am I able to apply for a visitors visa (max length) and go out on holiday to wait for it? I plan to ring Canberra and ask that question..

The 21-26 months on immi account page is somewhat worrying though I guess what will be etc.

 

[Nemesis]

6 hours ago, Heather Kennedy said:

Hi all, I applied 10 may, medical done 6th June and now just waiting for 309/100. Husbands is Australian and wants to return home after 34 years.

Advice or thoughts on 2 topics please

I haven't been asked for police certificate and wondered should I just get one to be prepared ( I have various crb/DBS from voluntary work etc)

Am I able to apply for a visitors visa (max length) and go out on holiday to wait for it? I plan to ring Canberra and ask that question..

The 21-26 months on immi account page is somewhat worrying though I guess what will be etc.

 

CRB/DBS is no good. You need an ACRO police certificate for immigration - the others are employment checks.

Don't waste money ringing Canberra, they are not there to advise you and are not trained to deal with complex queries - with the result they often give wrong info. . Better ff ringing a registered agent. 

[dondons1uk]

9 hours ago, Heather Kennedy said:

Hi all, I applied 10 may, medical done 6th June and now just waiting for 309/100. Husbands is Australian and wants to return home after 34 years.

Advice or thoughts on 2 topics please

I haven't been asked for police certificate and wondered should I just get one to be prepared ( I have various crb/DBS from voluntary work etc)

Am I able to apply for a visitors visa (max length) and go out on holiday to wait for it? I plan to ring Canberra and ask that question..

The 21-26 months on immi account page is somewhat worrying though I guess what will be etc.

 

I did apply and was granted a 12 month tourist visa tomwait in oz whilst application pending but

you can’t work so just be aware of that 

[Nadine1]

48 minutes ago, dondons1uk said:

I did apply and was granted a 12 month tourist visa tomwait in oz whilst application pending but

you can’t work so just be aware of that 

Can I ask how you did this and who advised it? We phoned the immigration office on Tuesday and they told us they were unable to advise. Did you go through an agent or who did you speak to?. We’d like to go by December as my Aussie husbands parents are old and sick.  We applied for my visa in May. It’s saying now 21 months. I have no intention of working for a while when we get there so was thinking of going on a tourist visa but not sure of the next steps and if it’s possible. Appreciate anyone’s help here! 

[Marisawright]

On 21/07/2018 at 05:53, dondons1uk said:

OMG you’re right. I’m devastated. I have applied for and got the 12 month tourist visa thinking that would be enough to wait the decision. I’m on mat leave anyway to thought why not. We can’t afford to stay with family there for 2 years waiting this out. I’ll go mad. 

Im so distraught.  

How awful of them. 

I’ll speak to my agent on Monday and see what he says and will update 

So, did the agent say it was OK to apply for a tourist visa while you've got the partner application underway?  It won't affect your partner application?

I do know that with some visas, if you apply for a new visa it cancels any others in progress, but that doesn't apply in every case - I'm assuming it's OK in this case.

Edited August 2, 2018 by Marisawright

[dondons1uk]

Hi just a comment from re 12 month visitor visas

my agent said I could apply as it would be better and less risky than trying to go in and out every 3 Months  I just did the 600 application online  

as part of my evidence I uploaded a stat dec making it clear that I’m currently not working caring for baby  we’ve applied for spousal visa it’s a 12 month wait (it was at the time I applied!) and that we’d rather do that wait in oz than the uk  I uploaded evidence we had the funds to support me  and confirmed that I knew If visa not granted in that time or refused for spousal visa I’d have to leave and I would not overstay  it was granted within 3 days  

 

I apologise for poor grammar my fully stop button has appeared to have stopped working!

 

it does not cancel the spousal visa - well it didn’t mine anyway - it will cancel any other tourist visas you currently hold 

 

hope that helps 

 

[Nemesis]

1 hour ago, Marisawright said:

So, did the agent say it was OK to apply for a tourist visa while you've got the partner application underway?  It won't affect your partner application?

I do know that with some visas, if you apply for a new visa it cancels any others in progress, but that doesn't apply in every case - I'm assuming it's OK in this case.

Its fine to apply for other visas. the only problem is that the one granted second cancels the first one. So if someone applies for a tourist visa and the partner visa is granted in the meantime, they need to cancel the tourist application fast or it will cancel out the partner visa. 

Also if Immigration don't believe that the tourist visa holder will leave before it expires (become an overstayer) then they may not issue the tourist visa at all  Thats a risk you have to take.