SUMMARY: Spouse Visa Processing times OFFSHORE-UK. Please add your Stats.

[Guest charleysmum74]

I'll second that, our son's came back in a matter of days. If only the visa was done that quickly!

Our son's was the same, hope they can do the same for 309 visa haha!

[PollyGirl]

I applied 22nd Feb 2012 and money was taken by the Australian High Commission then. We have used a Migration Agent, found out that my application and all paper work didn't get sent and recieved till the 12th of March, so when does the 6 months start? From the time they took the money or when apparently the paperwork was sent?. Have sent in all relevant documents, bills, statements etc, police check and had medical over a week ago. I am constantly asking my Migration agent to find out the progress as the CO as only sent one email to her. So if the medical which was done at a E Health center, which should have resulted in my results automatically being sent via email to the CO. (The bloods and others only take a couple of days to come back), what next? My husband is already in Oz, and I am here sorting out stuff in the UK. Resigned to the fact it will probably be a minimum of 6 months, but was originally told by the Migration Agent 3-4 months, but reading on here it is looking very unlikely:em4600: and more like 6+ months, I miss my hub x

[Guest jane2010]

Hi

Looks like there are quite a few of us who have applied this month - April 2012

Here is my short timeline...

10/4 - sent to Australia House..

10/4 - Payment taken...

11/4 - Case Officer assigned - SV......sent email requesting medical to be done.

Does anyone know if they just ask you to do medical - they are happy with everything else??

 

Booking medical today. My Aussie Husband and I have been married over 10 years...im hoping ill be granted the perm visa straight away. I sent alot of evidence including 10 years of mortgage statements!

 

Hoping it is granted by August x Best wishes everyone

[DaveS]

Hi

Looks like there are quite a few of us who have applied this month - April 2012

Here is my short timeline...

10/4 - sent to Australia House..

10/4 - Payment taken...

11/4 - Case Officer assigned - SV......sent email requesting medical to be done.

Does anyone know if they just ask you to do medical - they are happy with everything else??

 

Booking medical today. My Aussie Husband and I have been married over 10 years...im hoping ill be granted the perm visa straight away. I sent alot of evidence including 10 years of mortgage statements!

 

Hoping it is granted by August x Best wishes everyone

 

Your CO probably would have pointed out any gaps in your application at the same time as requesting the medical.

 

August might be a bit hopeful. Seems to take nearly 6 months for applications at the moment - so 10/10/12 for yours at the outside I guess.

Fingers crossed for you though.

[lindade]

Hi

Looks like there are quite a few of us who have applied this month - April 2012

Here is my short timeline...

10/4 - sent to Australia House..

10/4 - Payment taken...

11/4 - Case Officer assigned - SV......sent email requesting medical to be done.

Does anyone know if they just ask you to do medical - they are happy with everything else??

 

Booking medical today. My Aussie Husband and I have been married over 10 years...im hoping ill be granted the perm visa straight away. I sent alot of evidence including 10 years of mortgage statements!

 

Hoping it is granted by August x Best wishes everyone

 

Jane2010..

Your very similar to me. Married 10 years-Aussie hubby.

Did my medical this morning, only asked for medical, so far.

Also have SV.

Best of luck

[Guest jimmyciara121]

Its good to read people processing times!

 

We applied for our visa end of feb

 

6th March - money taken from account

hadnt heard anything from any case officer until beginning of April when my partner rang them to find out anything, they realised they had got our email address wrong! ahhh so about 2nd April we finally heard from our CO who requested some more info.

 

11th April - sent all info off

12th April - reply from CO - AB who requested medicals and police check!!

Woohoo! now the 5-6 month wait begins! x

[PollyGirl]

Has anyone else used a migration agent???

[Guest Bamber]

Hi all,

 

This is such a helpful forum!

 

Application submitted (by special delivery): 7 March 2012

Case officer emailed: 12 March 2012 - asking me to undertake a medical and apply for my police checks

Police check applied for: 12 March 2012

Medical exam: 30 March 2012

 

So, I emailed my case officer today to check whether she had received the results of my medical. She confirmed she had and also stated: Your application is now in line to be finalised between Early August and Early September. I don't need anything further from you in order to keep the application in process. When the visa is ready to be finalised I will email you with notification.

 

Does this effectively mean my visa will be granted, but that I have to wait until Aug/Sep? Has anyone heard of anything similar?

 

Many thanks in advance!

[llessur]

Does this effectively mean my visa will be granted, but that I have to wait until Aug/Sep? Has anyone heard of anything similar?

 

 

Yep, generally that's good news

 

If your CO wanted any more info she would have asked for it at the same time as your meds.

 

What are your CO's initials just out of interest?

 

Best of luck with the process

[elizawilliam]

Has anyone else used a migration agent???

 

Hi, we are using a migration agent. I don't think in retrospect we needed to but didn't know that at the time we started this process! Here are our stats. I am the Aussie and we have been married for 8 years with two kids.

 

Application submitted on 05/04/2012

Request for meds and police check today 12/04/2012

Our case officer is also SV - she seems to have quite a work load!

[Guest Bamber]

Yep, generally that's good news

 

If your CO wanted any more info she would have asked for it at the same time as your meds.

 

What are your CO's initials just out of interest?

 

Best of luck with the process

 

 

Thankt you, that's good news!

 

CO's intials are MT

[PollyGirl]

My CO's initials are MC, I have only had indirect contact through the Migration Agent, and to be honest I am the one ringing and chasing up everything. Feel we could have done it ourselves, but just hope that now everything as been done and no extra paperwork is required, its just a waiting game. Just wish we could be given a rough date to work too.

[Guest]

We submitted our visa on the 21st of December and the medicals and police check where sent by the 5th of January.

I spoke to my agent today and he's told me to wait till may or even june. We've booked our flights to Perth for July 3rd so we are cutting it fine.!!

 

Jack and Laura x

[Guest jane2010]

Booked Medical today for next Monday in Sutton Coldfield......tried to get in at Manchester or Birmingham but they have a current waiting time of 2 /3 weeks! Paying a bit extra for this one but they had the earliest appointment.

 

I'm hoping after that the visa won't be too far behind. I know a few have said there is a waiting time of 6 months - but keeping fingers crossed its sooner.....however do have the option of leaving and going to Australia for say August/September...

 

Has anyone does this or knows of anyone? Can you enter on an ETA - electronic 3 month tourist visa? ...and then when tht evisa is ready....leave the country to say New Zealand for a weeks holiday? Is this costly?

 

I'll update how the medical went for those who have yet to do theres.

 

Jane

[Guest Bazinga]

No way will it be granted by August unless the processing times drop again.

[Guest jane2010]

Well i'm keeping my fingers crossed. September would be good though.

 

Has anyone entered Australia on a tourism ETA visa whilst waiting for their spouse visa to come through?

 

I have been surprised how quick my CO has been so far - plus the medical booking was fast and efficient.

[PollyGirl]

I have asked about this you can enter, you must let your CO know first, you will have to organise your own medical insurance and wont be able to work obviously. But you will have to leave OZ for a few days prior to the Spouse Visa being issued then re- enter OZ. Have toyed with the idea, but need to carry on working till I know roughly when the Visa will be issued. I am also sorting out our home here and its taking a lot longer than I thought to sort out years of hoarding and the rental side of things!! But would be happy just boarding a plane right now, miss my hub x

[lhigman]

I have asked about this you can enter, you must let your CO know first, you will have to organise your own medical insurance and wont be able to work obviously. But you will have to leave OZ for a few days prior to the Spouse Visa being issued then re- enter OZ. Have toyed with the idea, but need to carry on working till I know roughly when the Visa will be issued. I am also sorting out our home here and its taking a lot longer than I thought to sort out years of hoarding and the rental side of things!! But would be happy just boarding a plane right now, miss my hub x

 

 

Pollygirl I might be asking the obvious here so forgive me but do they tell you prior to it being approved the date that they are actually going to grant it so you can leave the country?

[PollyGirl]

Pollygirl I might be asking the obvious here so forgive me but do they tell you prior to it being approved the date that they are actually going to grant it so you can leave the country?

 

Hello reading on here, no, they don't give a actual date, just a rough date as in the month, but its not set in stone. If you read a couple of replies on here, some have booked flights when their CO as told them they hope to issue and the date as been changed. The Spouse Visa appears to be a minimum of 5 months as stated on the processing website, but can vary. I live in hope, I have sent all documentation, had police check and medical and have used a Migration Agent, but still could take 5 months. Fingers crossed, that CO hasn't got a backlog of paperwork x

[llessur]

However, if you know you'll be in Oz at the time and need to go offshore for the visa grant then if you let your CO know of your plans in advance then they should advise you when they are ready to grant (might be short notice) so that you can go offshore for a few days.

 

That's how I understand it to work - someone who's done the whole tourist visa whilst waiting for grant thing should be able to confirm...

 

Best of luck with the process

[oz bound pom]

Partner visa posted 10/4/12

Payment taken 11/4/12

C/O requests medical and police check 16/4/12

 

C/O is MT.

[Guest jane2010]

So I went for my medical today at the Spire Little Aston Hospital in Sutton Coldfield....if anyone is worried about getting the medical - don't. I was there for just over an hour...took bloods, xray and then medical check over with the panel doctor. Staff are lovely at the Spire in Sutton Coldfield. Lots of carparking spaces...easy to find. If your looking for a shop on the way - theres one just near the train station.

Now just the wait till all the results are returned!

Jane

[mtlboi]

So I went for my medical today at the Spire Little Aston Hospital in Sutton Coldfield....if anyone is worried about getting the medical - don't. I was there for just over an hour...took bloods, xray and then medical check over with the panel doctor. Staff are lovely at the Spire in Sutton Coldfield. Lots of carparking spaces...easy to find. If your looking for a shop on the way - theres one just near the train station.

Now just the wait till all the results are returned!

Jane

 

 

That's great! The thought of having to go through a medical exam terrified me.... but it really was a piece of cake. I went to the Spire in Edinburgh and they were amazing. The panel doctor was so friendly and everyone put me at ease.

My CO (SV) told me back in December that my visa would be granted end of April, and she hasn't budged from that date. I entered Oz on an ETA last month and only this week received an email from my CO telling me that my visa will be ready and to send her my flight details of when I leave the country. I'll be going to New Zealand on April 30 for a few days and will come back an Australian permanent resident.... I've been really impressed with Australia so far and feel no homesickness whatsoever (which has surprised me)... I just can't wait to be able to start working again.

 

All the best! :biggrin:

[DaveS]

That's great! The thought of having to go through a medical exam terrified me.... but it really was a piece of cake. I went to the Spire in Edinburgh and they were amazing. The panel doctor was so friendly and everyone put me at ease.

My CO (SV) told me back in December that my visa would be granted end of April, and she hasn't budged from that date. I entered Oz on an ETA last month and only this week received an email from my CO telling me that my visa will be ready and to send her my flight details of when I leave the country. I'll be going to New Zealand on April 30 for a few days and will come back an Australian permanent resident.... I've been really impressed with Australia so far and feel no homesickness whatsoever (which has surprised me)... I just can't wait to be able to start working again.

 

All the best! :biggrin:

 

All sounds very positive! Good job. I wonder why your visa isn't subject to the extra month others have had. I hope mine is 5 rather than 6 months - feels like life is nearly on pause (if it wasnt for all the frantic paperwork and planning)

[Guest twowelshysoneaussie]

Hooray!!

 

Sent application by post to London: 15th of November.(front loaded with police checks)

CO assigned 22/11/11

Daughter born on November 24th

Medical check done on the 15th of Dec

Daughter's birth certificate sent end of Dec

Email received stating that no further info was needed: Jan 10th

Applied for my daughters citizenship in Feb-received certificate

 

And today 19/04/2011:

 

Partner Visa (309) granted!! So, right on 5 months.

 

We fly to Aus on the 24th and I must admit, I was getting slightly nervous!! But today that magic email arrived and now I can focus on packing up the house and coping with a 5 month old on a long haul flight......

 

Good luck everyone else!