Front loading visa application

[Guest]

Front loading visa application - is this getting police and health checks done before invite? Or after invite? 

Is there any evidence if this speeds things up if done before invite? 

Or, does it speed things up if you do them as soon as you're invited? 

When are you actually asked for them? 

Thanks

[shaunfreo]

It means up loading everything police check and medical after invite in your actual visa application, there is much debate regarding weather it speeds up the process some say it does others say it doesn’t 

but just to be aware it does have implications regarding first entry after visa grant if you front load 

[VERYSTORMY]

After a decade on the forum, a fair number of years as moderator, having had three visas, then citizenship. I have not seen any evidence that suggests (even remotely) that it speeds up the process. 

On the flip side, you have to make first entry within 12 months of the police or medical check. Which ever the earlier. The department don't care if your grant is on day 364 of this. Not their problem. We had a member late last year who found he needed to suddenly make first entry within weeks of grant. At Christmas. 

If you fail to meet the first entry date, your visa is cancelled. 

[wrussell]

When 'decision ready' applications (lodged by RMAs) were priority processed, there was a point in 'so-called 'front end loading'.

[JonandSophietravel]

On 28/04/2019 at 13:37, VERYSTORMY said:

After a decade on the forum, a fair number of years as moderator, having had three visas, then citizenship. I have not seen any evidence that suggests (even remotely) that it speeds up the process. 

On the flip side, you have to make first entry within 12 months of the police or medical check. Which ever the earlier. The department don't care if your grant is on day 364 of this. Not their problem. We had a member late last year who found he needed to suddenly make first entry within weeks of grant. At Christmas. 

If you fail to meet the first entry date, your visa is cancelled. 

While I absolutely don't doubt your credentials, I'm surprised to hear that you don't see it speeding up the process.

If you wait for CO contact before doing the medicals and police checks, then you might be waiting months for contact, only to be put back at the bottom of the queue and then waiting months again for that CO to check the extra evidence you've supplied. You might get lucky and they spot your upload quickly but I've seen loads of people who have had contact for medicals and Police checks and are still waiting months later.

If you front load, you might get a direct grant the first time to CO checks your application. It's not guaranteed that front loading will get a DG, but if you don't then a DG is impossible.

Yes it's a risk regarding first entry, but getting a direct grant definitely speeds up the visa process compared to guaranteed CO contact and then waiting for your documents to be picked up again. Surely?

[VERYSTORMY]

29 minutes ago, JonandSophietravel said:

While I absolutely don't doubt your credentials, I'm surprised to hear that you don't see it speeding up the process.

If you wait for CO contact before doing the medicals and police checks, then you might be waiting months for contact, only to be put back at the bottom of the queue and then waiting months again for that CO to check the extra evidence you've supplied. You might get lucky and they spot your upload quickly but I've seen loads of people who have had contact for medicals and Police checks and are still waiting months later.

If you front load, you might get a direct grant the first time to CO checks your application. It's not guaranteed that front loading will get a DG, but if you don't then a DG is impossible.

Yes it's a risk regarding first entry, but getting a direct grant definitely speeds up the visa process compared to guaranteed CO contact and then waiting for your documents to be picked up again. Surely?

A DG is just a grant with no further contact from the CO. Your not put at bottom of the queue if you later submit, the two are not related. 

when you front load. The medical and police certificates just sit on the system until the point the CO would have processed them after requesting. So, at best, you might save a matter of days. 

On the flip side of saving days, both are only valid for 12 months and there are a million reasons for applications to blow out, for example a couple of years ago, the department suddenly went on strike. All grants were massively delayed. Then, do not underestimate the need to meet the first entry date. Visas ARE CANCELLED if you fail to meet the first entry. No refund, no apology. No sympathy as the department will point out you should have waited for request. 

The only time it is worth it is if there is a possible complication with either, though not submitting, but to have available for a agent consultation. Though agents will advise if this should be done. 

[JonandSophietravel]

3 hours ago, VERYSTORMY said:

A DG is just a grant with no further contact from the CO. Your not put at bottom of the queue if you later submit, the two are not related. 

when you front load. The medical and police certificates just sit on the system until the point the CO would have processed them after requesting. So, at best, you might save a matter of days. 

On the flip side of saving days, both are only valid for 12 months and there are a million reasons for applications to blow out, for example a couple of years ago, the department suddenly went on strike. All grants were massively delayed. Then, do not underestimate the need to meet the first entry date. Visas ARE CANCELLED if you fail to meet the first entry. No refund, no apology. No sympathy as the department will point out you should have waited for request. 

The only time it is worth it is if there is a possible complication with either, though not submitting, but to have available for a agent consultation. Though agents will advise if this should be done. 

Interesting thanks!

My agent was happy with front loading so obviously wasn't worried at all. Fingers crossed for no strikes ha ha

[ali]

2 hours ago, JonandSophietravel said:

Interesting thanks!

My agent was happy with front loading so obviously wasn't worried at all. Fingers crossed for no strikes ha ha

If you're happy and your agent is happy then then it's not a worry for you.  However,  we had had members over the years that have had only a few weeks or couple of months to validate or they've been asked to resubmit -  and it's proven an expense they could do without.  That's why there is caution advised with front loading so people can make the decision on taking the risk themselves.

[Raul Senise]

Front loading is a double edged sword.

In most cases it is a waste of money which will necessitate the cost of new Police clearances and medicals.

In the worst case scenario, for off shore applicants,  it can leave very little time to validate a visa.

[Jon the Hat]

Interesting viewpoints!  I sort of assumed that the review of your application by the CO started on a date, and it they had everything they could move straight to grant, if not they would request additional information, which means a delay while you get and submit your checks and medical - call it a month, so you are at least a month longer.  Are we saying there is a pre-check whereby they are requesting these a month or so before they actually check your application and hence there is no delay?

[JonandSophietravel]

3 hours ago, Jon the Hat said:

Interesting viewpoints!  I sort of assumed that the review of your application by the CO started on a date, and it they had everything they could move straight to grant, if not they would request additional information, which means a delay while you get and submit your checks and medical - call it a month, so you are at least a month longer.  Are we saying there is a pre-check whereby they are requesting these a month or so before they actually check your application and hence there is no delay?

That was exactly my viewpoint too. Seems illogical for a CO to check if everything is there, only not to give a DG there and then, but come back to it later and give it out afterwards. Just adding to their timescale stats unnecessarily. 

[Phoenix16]

...

Edited May 1, 2019 by Phoenix16

[wrussell]

On 28/04/2019 at 22:37, VERYSTORMY said:

After a decade on the forum, a fair number of years as moderator, having had three visas, then citizenship. I have not seen any evidence that suggests (even remotely) that it speeds up the process. 

On the flip side, you have to make first entry within 12 months of the police or medical check. Which ever the earlier. The department don't care if your grant is on day 364 of this. Not their problem. We had a member late last year who found he needed to suddenly make first entry within weeks of grant. At Christmas. 

If you fail to meet the first entry date, your visa is cancelled. 

Failure to comply with a condition (eg an entry-related condition) does not cause a visa to cease, but does, however, render the visa liable to cancellation under s116 (usually) of the Act.

Lawfully imposed conditions (whether mandatory or discretionary) cannot be severed from the visa nor altered after visa grant.

When considering cancellation of a visa for failure to comply with an entry-related visa condition, all the circumstances of the particular case must be taken into account (because the power to cancel a visa for breach of an entry-related condition is a discretionary power).

After consideration has been given to cancelling the visa, a file note and IRIS/ICSE record must be made of the reasons given by the visa holder for breaching the condition, the delegate’s decision and the reasons for that decision.

If a decision is made not to cancel the visa (or to revoke a s128 cancellation), cancellation of the visa should not generally be reconsidered at a later stage, unless there is a significant change in the relevant facts of the case.

If a decision is made not to exercise the discretion to cancel the visa, the visa holder’s travel will need to be facilitated.

[Raul Senise]

12 hours ago, Jon the Hat said:

Interesting viewpoints!  I sort of assumed that the review of your application by the CO started on a date, and it they had everything they could move straight to grant, if not they would request additional information, which means a delay while you get and submit your checks and medical - call it a month, so you are at least a month longer.  Are we saying there is a pre-check whereby they are requesting these a month or so before they actually check your application and hence there is no delay?

It depends on the visa being applied for. As most PR visas now have published processing times close to or exceeding 12 months, any front loaded Police Clearance or Medicals done before lodgement, are likely to expire, before it is even looked at by a case officer.

For visas with shorted processing times such as a 190, published processing times are 8 to 10 months. If you are off shore and you front load, it can lead to very short time frame to enter to validate your visa.

As such, it really depends on the specific circumstances and in some cases, whether you are prepared to risk the costs of having to do them again.