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

[newbie121]

Thanks Newbie121. Who is your CO? I've got WP. I've been really patient the past 7.5 months but now i just want it done and dusted. Fingers crossed that we'll hear soon. :-D

 

Heyyyy me too...although there has been times where i was less patient and more fustrated with the situation! But the long wait is almost over )) and the lessons learmt. im sure it will all be worth it in the end!

My CO is VF (need to sort my tag line sorry) i applied offshore and have been waiting onshore with my partner.

Will be mid Jan next week so fingers crossed we see some more grants!

[BizLarker]

Hello all, so I asked my CO whether there was a certain time frame in which visa has to be granted once the application is finalised and the response was:

 

The answer is yes, based on health and character checks. We do however try to ensure that the period of time any applicant is given is sufficient to enable them to make necessary arrangements. This may be around three months as a minimum.

 

I understand the first bit but the last sentence has me baffled. Does this make sense to anyone else?

 

 

thx and fingers crossed for more grants this week!

[BritChickx]

i think it means once your visa is granted they'll give you at least 3 months to enter the country. Longer depending on how long ago your health and police checks were.

[BizLarker]

Oh ok, to enter the country ... That makes sense. Thank you! So wish I applies onshore like yourself! Arghhhh

[BritChickx]

I guess it's good to be here already, apart from the whole only working for an employer 6 months at a time, that might put a lot of potential employers off! I haven't even received an acknowledgement letter yet...

[missmontie]

i think it means once your visa is granted they'll give you at least 3 months to enter the country. Longer depending on how long ago your health and police checks were.

 

I read "This may be around three months as a minimum" as you would have three months minimum to arrange to leave Australia, make any other "necessary arrangements" (grant visa, pack and move other stuff in UK etc.) and return to Australia by the entry date, which are based on health and character checks, as this is what you were asking.

 

This is just how I read it though - not from experience.

 

So cryptic lol :rolleyes:

[BritChickx]

Why would you be arranging to leave Australia? If you apply off shore and then come on a tourist visa they wouldn't give you that much notice to leave the country for the grant. A few weeks is more liekly. And if you're still off shore it wouldn't matter anyway.

[missmontie]

Sorry - I thought you were in Australia at the moment

[BritChickx]

Oh yeah I am, but that doesn't apply to me, it was to BizLarker and I assume she's applied off shore!

[missmontie]

Yes, I think she has, but I thought she was onshore at the moment. You need to be offshore when the visa is granted, so CO emails to say visa is ready to be granted, then you leave, I thought she was asking her CO how much time she has between receiving the 'visa is ready' email to leaving Australia...

[BizLarker]

That's right Missmontie. Applied offshore and am currently onshore on an e676 which expires 8th April.i

 

I was trying to ascertain how much time I had to get offshore after the pre-advice was given that it was ready. Maybe my CO meant maximum 3 months. That would make more sense.

[BizLarker]

Eeeek, breaking all protocol here. Just emailed my CO the following:

 

"I was just digesting your email. Did you mean from the time you notified visa was ready to be granted, Applicants may have a maximum of 3 months to arrange and be offshore by? I was confused by the minimum of 3 months."

[missmontie]

That's right Missmontie. Applied offshore and am currently onshore on an e676 which expires 8th April.i

 

I was trying to ascertain how much time I had to get offshore after the pre-advice was given that it was ready. Maybe my CO meant maximum 3 months. That would make more sense.

 

That's how I read the response too.

[missmontie]

Eeeek, breaking all protocol here. Just emailed my CO the following:

 

"I was just digesting your email. Did you mean from the time you notified visa was ready to be granted, Applicants may have a maximum of 3 months to arrange and be offshore by? I was confused by the minimum of 3 months."

 

It's better to be safe than sorry! Let me know, as I will need to do the same thing :biggrin:

[BritChickx]

Yes, I think she has, but I thought she was onshore at the moment. You need to be offshore when the visa is granted, so CO emails to say visa is ready to be granted, then you leave, I thought she was asking her CO how much time she has between receiving the 'visa is ready' email to leaving Australia...

OH! Got you. Yeah I guess she meant to leave Australia and then come back. Don't know why they'd say a minimum of 3 months though lol. Wel hopefully you're not waiting too long for your grant BL

[CollegeGirl]

I think your CO misunderstood your question. She's saying you'll have a minimum of three months from grant to initial entry date (which is typical). I don't think she understood you were asking how long you'd have to get offshore once she notified you she was ready to decide. I imagine most people want to do it fairly quickly so it's probably not a question they get asked too often.

[BritChickx]

If that's the case CG then my first reply was right lol....confusing stuff, best to just leave BL to sort it out with her CO lol

[BizLarker]

Just trying to organise myself a bit/plan dates etc as kids are in my equation therefore need to arrange for them to come with or for my OH to take time off work to be with them.

 

thanks for all your input. The minimum thing really threw me.

Edited January 14, 2014 by BizLarker

[Mrs Fabricator]

Mrs Fabricator....we could be any day now!!!! I've got my email open on my computer everyday eeeeeek

 

OMG Newbie121, I am just like you checking every day, got everything crossed for the next couple weeks eeeeeekkkkk, where are you thinking of going when you have to go out the country?

[Mrs Fabricator]

Hi guys, got my visa today (stats below) wooo! Just in time, finish work tomorrow and fly a week later...now all I have to panic about is packing!!

 

Awesome news LucyH88, huge congrats, me and newbie should be very close now...... really happy for you xx

[newbie121]

OMG Newbie121, I am just like you checking every day, got everything crossed for the next couple weeks eeeeeekkkkk, where are you thinking of going when you have to go out the country?

 

Me tooooo!! Im seriously checking constantly. I'm really hoping for the next couple of weeks. Next week we hit 8 months...soo close!

I'm really not sure...where ever is cheapest to be honest! Sooo looking forward to properly settling in

How about you??

[BizLarker]

Now I'm really confused!

 

response was "No, usually a minimum of three months to arrange to go offshore. Can be less, but it is generally longer than this. Because the health and character checks ‘dictate’ the first initial entry date and because we cannot be exactly sure when we will be able to finalise it is hard to be accurate."

[missmontie]

Now I'm really confused!

 

response was "No, usually a minimum of three months to arrange to go offshore. Can be less, but it is generally longer than this. Because the health and character checks ‘dictate’ the first initial entry date and because we cannot be exactly sure when we will be able to finalise it is hard to be accurate."

 

They're saying minimum of 3 months to get offshore! When did you do your medicals & police checks?

[BizLarker]

Police check 15th April 2013, medical 11th September 2013, lodged application 11th June 2013.

 

So I believe my IED needs to be by 14th April 2014 or I'll need to get another police check.

 

As I havent received a 3 months heads up to be offshore its looking like my visa won't be granted within the 8-9 month processing time.

Edited January 14, 2014 by BizLarker

[missmontie]

Yeah, she's saying that normally you'd get 3 months, but that in your case if you left it that long you'd need new police checks before they could grant it I guess.