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

[meegs]

I still haven't heard from a case officer. Maybe I didn't write my email address correctly...

[johnboyW]

...so I thought I'd try and tease out a confirmation from VF that we'd get the visa in time...but no reply as yet (which is telling as she's normally pretty prompt

 

I've been trying to get in touch with VF since Weds with no joy. May be on holiday...

[Guest rachstar]

Hi

 

Just to share our story and thoughts...

 

My partner applied for his visa in November 2011, we had hardly any contact with our case officer and everytime my partner emailed to check progress (which was only about twice during the whole wait and that was only because he had other reasons to get in contact, i.e. to check for receipt of documents we had sent), he would get a quick response giving as little information as possible.

 

My partner and I have been together over ten years, we have a two year old daughter, combined mortgage, bank accounts and utility bills all dating back nearly ten years etc. The application and supporting documents were more than half an inch thick. Because of all the supporting information and the length of time we had been together (and could easily prove), we assumed it would an open and shut case and we might get our visa sooner. But no...

 

It still took five months and he finally got his visa (immediate permanent residency upon entry to Australia) in April 2012.

 

We believe they just accept your application, give it a quick once over to make sure the form has been filled in correctly, send you on to your medical and then your file sits on their shelf gathering dust for four months until they decide to look at it properly and examine all the supporting evidence (which probably takes about half a day, if that). At the end of March we got an email saying nothing further was required from us and we could expect the visa by end of April. Bang on 30 April, an email stating the visa had been approved was finally sent.

 

It was a bit of an anti-climax when all we got was an email with a pdf letter attached. When you've been waiting so long for something that you spent a LOT of money on, you kind of hope for a big brown envelope to come through the door that you can rip open, and maybe a brass band and flashing neon lights, just to make it a little bit more exciting...

 

But we finally move to Perth (my hometown) in September 2012. I haven't lived there since 1999 and neither of us have been back since Christmas 2003 so it is going to be quite surreal to be back there again!

[Guest rachstar]

We really didn't have any contact with our case worker, he wouldn't tell us anything and would generally take about a week to reply when we enquired if he received documents we had sent and whether the application was proceeding ok. We would only ever get a one line reply saying the docs had been received, but wouldn't reveal any other info with regards to progress...

[Guest brucey]

I've been trying to get in touch with VF since Weds with no joy. May be on holiday...

 

Interesting, johnboyW...this Weds just gone (13th June)? I know she was on hols last week as I got her OOO but she emailed me Tues this week to confirm all was ok with my docs. I emailed her back fairly instantly and haven't had a reply since. I don't know how you've found her but she's always been very pleasant and reliable in the brief time I've liaised with her. I don't know what the nature of your query was but I'm inclined to think she might just be ignoring mine as she can't offer me any assurances on processing times...will probably leave it until sometime next week and then follow-up. Let me know if you have any joy contacting her!

[Guest jane2010]

Hi

I've not been on this forum for a while.

My stats : posted April 5th ...CO assigned April 8th (SV)

Medical requested and completed April 11th

Email from SV saying no further documents required and being put forward for perm visa.

Nothing else.

Its June and I'm not thinking of emailing to see when it will be processed.

Anyone else have SV and applied in April/late March?

regards

Jane

[lhigman]

Hi

I've not been on this forum for a while.

My stats : posted April 5th ...CO assigned April 8th (SV)

Medical requested and completed April 11th

Email from SV saying no further documents required and being put forward for perm visa.

Nothing else.

Its June and I'm not thinking of emailing to see when it will be processed.

Anyone else have SV and applied in April/late March?

regards

Jane

 

Hi Jane,

 

I applied mid March and also have SV although I'm being put in for the temp visa...SV confirmed to me that I should receive grant mid August and to go ahead and book my flights for the end of Sept...104 days to go!

[Guest jimmyciara121]

I still haven't heard from a case officer. Maybe I didn't write my email address correctly...

 

 

 

 

Meegs, they usually respond within a few days, so if they havent contact them! We waited a extra 2 weeks, cos they sent things to the wrong email!

[jimmyay1]

The London Australian High Commission have now taken my money within a day of sending the application to htem ! So at least i know they got the application..

Hope to hear with confirmation of a case officer shortly.

[meegs]

well jimmyay1 if you hear from your case officer before me then I had better get in touch with them. Seems like we are on similar time lines... The money left the account super quick. That must be the first page they turn to!

[jimmyay1]

well jimmyay1 if you hear from your case officer before me then I had better get in touch with them. Seems like we are on similar time lines... The money left the account super quick. That must be the first page they turn to!

 

A good sign as i expect they put your details in on the system and set you up as a new case when they take the payment.

 

Let's see what next week brings!

[Guest Xley88]

Hey guys been reading this thread for about a week now and is wonderful to hear all your stories of success, currently in the process of applying for a 309 temp visa, didn't realise how much paperwork needed organising! My partner and i have been together for two and a half years but only living together for about a year and a half. Have lots of information for the first year of our relationship but due to financial reasons my partner had to move back to australia after living together here for 8 months then both going over to oz for 6 months then back here for two months. Just wondering if it will effect our chances of getting the visa because we have been apart for 2 months now and will be at least another month before we have everything together to send the application off and have no proof apart from txts and skype that we are still together. Just worried that they will refuse application because of these last few months? Or is this a pretty common occurance for couples applying?

[Guest jimmyciara121]

Have people been told what visa they will be receiving? We sent our app mid feb, and although no more info is needed, we haven't been told what subclass to expect is this normal?

[maisem]

Hey guys been reading this thread for about a week now and is wonderful to hear all your stories of success, currently in the process of applying for a 309 temp visa, didn't realise how much paperwork needed organising! My partner and i have been together for two and a half years but only living together for about a year and a half. Have lots of information for the first year of our relationship but due to financial reasons my partner had to move back to australia after living together here for 8 months then both going over to oz for 6 months then back here for two months. Just wondering if it will effect our chances of getting the visa because we have been apart for 2 months now and will be at least another month before we have everything together to send the application off and have no proof apart from txts and skype that we are still together. Just worried that they will refuse application because of these last few months? Or is this a pretty common occurance for couples applying?

 

I can't answer this, but we are in a similiar situation. We were apart for 2 and a half months then together in oz for 5 months, then apart for 5 months (him in oz, me in uk) and now we both been in uk for 7 months but not living together. we have no joint bank accounts, no utility bills no nothing really. All we really have as evidence is statements from friends and family, photos from the times we were together and a 6 month old baby. im hoping to god its enough to get me over there, so far havn't heard anything from CO saying its not good enough. so heres hoping!!!!

[Guest Chelsea976]

I had my medical on 31/5/12 and I still haven't heard anything from CO (VF). I emailed today to chase up.

I also informed VF that, as of 8/6/12 I am now married! :biggrin:

 

Awww congrats!! Have you heard anything yet?

[TheGrahams]

Have people been told what visa they will be receiving? We sent our app mid feb, and although no more info is needed, we haven't been told what subclass to expect is this normal?

 

I only know what subclass I am being assessed for because I asked my CO in an email

[Guest trakru]

hey guys, i need some help here. this query is for a friend of mine who recently got his Australian PR (he's in Oz right now). what's the best option to get his spouse there with him? from what it seems, the timelines for getting a temporary/permanent spouse visa seems to be 3 weeks - 3 months. He's been married for 1 year now.

 

What we're thinking is that while he applies for the temp visa, his wife travels along with him on a tourist visa. would that be ok? or does the wife need to necessarily stay offshore till the temporary visa comes through?

 

One more caveat, his wife doesn't have a tourist visa right now, she'll need to apply for it. And she is in India.

 

thanks

[meegs]

Yay finally heard from our case officer - AB now I can book medicals and police check. very excited!

[Guest jubjub87]

Yay finally heard from our case officer - AB now I can book medicals and police check. very excited!

 

Me too meegs!!! I have AB as my CO. He seems nice! hes requested my medical aswell as i have already put my police checks in. also he sent me my police reports back along with some photos and receipt of payment. i think that they do this when they no longer need them. it happens to alot of people! i just hope that its a good sign! heres hoping that it wont take long for the both of us!!

[meegs]

The other thing he asked for was my daughter's birth certificate which I am sure I put in... Have already applied for police check but it hadn't arrived by the time I was ready to send off application so should be able to send it off this week, when it arrives! Yay we get to wait together jubjub87 so where are you heading in Australia? and when? We are planning end of March to the wild west of Karratha, WA. ;-)

[Guest jubjub87]

Karratha!! jesus...abit quiet huh?! but i heard its nice. i have a friend there. And im heading back to Melbourne, my fiance is there at the minute. ive already been gone for 2 months and we only just put the application in...its bloody hard!! so im hoping that they hurry up and a miracle happens!! I want to get back asap. I was looking into maybe going back on a tourist visa like some people do, then flying to new zealand before its hopefully granted. if its another 5 or 6 months, that will be 7 to months weve been apart. its too much. its already stressful!! Maybe we should send AB a bunch of man flowers and beers and tell him to hurry the hell up!ha!

[EllieB]

Hey guys..I posted on here a while ago and then forgot my password so I couldn't get back on for a while..haha stoopid me

Hope you are all well.

I STILL haven't sent my visa off, been a little slack if I am honest but planning to get it sent off over the weekend.

Just a bit of advice really..The nature of the household and social context statements are they written from me? Or in a third person sort of way for both of us, do they both need to be signed? and witnessed?? Does everything need to be signed and witnessed?? Neither of these statements are very long either..any pointers?

Thanks in advance xx

[meegs]

What are the requirements for the 309 or 100 visa subclass. Just wondering which one I am likely to get?? Thanks

[jimmyay1]

What are the requirements for the 309 or 100 visa subclass. Just wondering which one I am likely to get?? Thanks

 

 

i think you need to have been together 3 years to get a 100 class visa and 12 months to get a 309 . I have applied for defacto and have been with my partner 7 years, though living together for 6. if you are married and have kids i imagine you can go straight to 100 without much issue, if you have the evidence!

 

 

i got notification from Australia House that i need to go and get medical, etc today . A person wrote to me with initials LG . Hopefully i will get the medical done and passed shortly and then we shall see. Letter quoted 5-6 month wait for Visa.

[johnboyW]

Awww congrats!! Have you heard anything yet?

Thanks Chelsea

 

Yes I called again today and finally spoke to VF. She's very friendly and helpful. Unfortunately she was at a total loss as to what's happened to my medical results (I had the medical on 31st). Lost in the system it would seem; she wasn't even aware that I'd had my medical, so it's a good job I called her. She's going to contact the Sydney team to see if they've received anything from the clinic.

 

She has received the police certificate and other info requested, so it's just the Medical outstanding.

 

How is your partner's visa app progressing?