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

[fleabo]

Hi

 

So, I am a right in thinking that at the moment it is 3-4 months processing time?

 

Thanks

Emma

:cute:

 

If you applied in January that seems to be the case. Whether the process will speed up or slow down for applications submitted now is anyones guess.:huh:

[emmaroo]

not applied yet, just getting our stuff sorted. hope to be ready to go in the next month!

[Guest JayCook77]

My fiancée is still trying desperately to fit a second into her schedule to go and get her passport copied and certified in order to send it to me so I can send it in. She has said she is gonna try friday since its the only day she has got off during her hols from Uni. I sit here with my fingers and everything else crossed hoping she can get it done and I can send it off and wait for any more information from my agent. Even if she does get it done friday I wont get it here for another week, then it will be another day or so before my CO gets it so that will be middle to end of this month anyways, so if all the rumours of a May approval are true thats fine by me!!!!!

[emmaroo]

when it comes to certifying docs will any solicitor do or like getting medicals are there certain ones that have to do it?

 

thanks

emma

[Guest lindawob]

when it comes to certifying docs will any solicitor do or like getting medicals are there certain ones that have to do it?

 

thanks

emma

 

Hi Emma, any solictor will do it but my advise is to get all the documents done at the same time as its cheaper

 

:biggrin:for medicals look at the list on AH website Hth xxx

[emmaroo]

is it just your birth cert and passport that need to be certified?

 

thanks

emma

[Guest lindawob]

We got every photocopy certified, I think that is what is says on the booklet ( but don't quote me on it) so to give you an idea we got bills and bank and insurance statements done too

[Peach]

Do I send Originals or Copies of my Documents?

We require originals of character clearances only. You should provide certified/notarised copies of key documents such as birth, marriage and divorce certificates. In all other cases provide simple photocopies of supporting documents such as rental agreements, bank statements, insurance documents and the like.

 

Full email here :: The Joy of Emigration: A Useful Email

[Guest somsy77]

is it just your birth cert and passport that need to be certified?

 

thanks

emma

 

Yes. Just those Emma. And marraige/ previous divorce papers etc.

 

Everything else plain photocopy will do. My CO's just gotten back to me and said he has everything so I guess it was fine that I didnt certify everything...

 

Update : Sorry Peach didnt see your post. Emma - P's post covers it.

[Guest EmilandMarleen]

Hi All,

 

We are currently waiting on approval of a spouse visa. We lodged in person at AUstralia House in London. Here our the stats

 

Application Lodged - 17/02/2010 (Application front loaded with Police Check for UK)

Payment Taken - 17/02/2010

CO allocated - 19/02/2010

Medical Done - 25/02/2010

 

We have had no further information as yet. We were told processing times are currently 2-4 months

[Guest somsy77]

Hi,

 

Dont think it makes a difference to processing times if you lodge by post or in person. In fact I was told they no longer accept in person applications at the London office.

 

I was told by my case officer to now expect at least 3-4 months of internal processing, from the date of application although he said they now have everything they needed from me.

[Guest EmilandMarleen]

Yeah I think that is true. I only lodged in person because I am home on Maternity leave so I had the time and I wanted to save postage/ courier fees because our application was pretty thick. Anyway, the queues were very long at Australia House so I would not recommend going in person. Our Case officer has also said 3-4 months for processing. We got this update this week after orginally being told 2-4 months in February.

[wellieboots]

It is SO frustrating sitting waiting isn't it? We didn't frontload the application for various reasons (generally related to the 12 month validity and leaving our options open for when to go as we didn't have fixed plans, also because of little things like time off work to do medicals etc) but I was still hoping it would have been quicker than this. I reach the 3 month mark shortly so I know it won't be TOO much longer but I am getting impatient.

Oh well, I guess it isn't going to go any faster just because I'm worrying about it, but I find it hard not to!

[Guest cjn]

Does anyone know if its possible to start the application in the UK, and then relocate, and finish the application (with passports sent) in Australia? Sorry if this is a silly question...

[wellieboots]

Not really

The rules are that if you are outwith Australia when you lodge an app you must be outwith Australia when your visa is granted. Technically I guess you could get round this by going to New Zealand or something and coming back when they are ready to grant it, but it would be difficult to know when that would be.

You have to advise your CO in advance that you will be travelling to australia while your visa is in process, and what date you will arrive and leave (just so that they know not to grant it during that time).

Also I believe that when you send your passport in it has to be to London if that's where you lodged, but I may be wrong on that because I haven't got to that stage yet!

[Guest cjn]

Not really

The rules are that if you are outwith Australia when you lodge an app you must be outwith Australia when your visa is granted. Technically I guess you could get round this by going to New Zealand or something and coming back when they are ready to grant it, but it would be difficult to know when that would be.

You have to advise your CO in advance that you will be travelling to australia while your visa is in process, and what date you will arrive and leave (just so that they know not to grant it during that time).

Also I believe that when you send your passport in it has to be to London if that's where you lodged, but I may be wrong on that because I haven't got to that stage yet!

thanks for that. so you still haven't got to the stage of sending in your passport after 3 months!

[wellieboots]

No indeed.

You only have to send in your passport when it's granted, for them to put the sticker in it, and as per the recent messages on this thread, they appear to be on a bit of a go slow at the moment and there's noone on PIO who has applied in 2010 and been granted yet. I am one of the many people still waiting it out...:swoon:

[Guest somsy77]

It is SO frustrating sitting waiting isn't it? We didn't frontload the application for various reasons (generally related to the 12 month validity and leaving our options open for when to go as we didn't have fixed plans, also because of little things like time off work to do medicals etc) but I was still hoping it would have been quicker than this. I reach the 3 month mark shortly so I know it won't be TOO much longer but I am getting impatient.

Oh well, I guess it isn't going to go any faster just because I'm worrying about it, but I find it hard not to!

 

I assume it doesn't matter if you frontloaded as CO said 3-4 months from the date of application. I hope he meant that, or its another couple of weeks added on as I only got everything in a couple of days ago!

[wellieboots]

I assume it doesn't matter if you frontloaded as CO said 3-4 months from the date of application. I hope he meant that, or its another couple of weeks added on as I only got everything in a couple of days ago!

 

they used to say that it helped it to get processed quicker if you frontload, but given the fact they seem to be sticking to the wait times quite rigidly these days, maybe it isn't making any difference.

 

Last year some frontloaded people were getting visas in 2 weeks!

[Guest somsy77]

I know.

[Guest lindawob]

HOW annoying!! I too am still waiting...3 months deadline on monday....CO told me yesterday that if I havn't recieved her final email by monday to email her to remind her to do it...she was very nice so i hope the end is in sight...but until I have the email I am holding my breath.

as you can imagin I am checking my email every hour hoping to find THE ONE!!!LOL

i'll keep you posted!!!

 

COME ON!!!!

[Guest somsy77]

HOW annoying!! I too am still waiting...3 months deadline on monday....CO told me yesterday that if I havn't recieved her final email by monday to email her to remind her to do it...she was very nice so i hope the end is in sight...but until I have the email I am holding my breath.

as you can imagin I am checking my email every hour hoping to find THE ONE!!!LOL

i'll keep you posted!!!

 

COME ON!!!!

 

Good luck Linda! Lucky your CO asked you to remind her lol Monday it is then !

[nik_kershaw]

Acording to my paperwork I have now my orignal application was on the 15th May 08 and I got my 309 visa on the 11th November, just before my flight out there on the 27th November to validate my visa. Mine took so long because I was in Iraq from May until September that year and so my CO was waiting for me to return to give him some more paperwork. Top bloke though Adrian Hawkes

[wellieboots]

good luck Linda, let us know how it goes on Monday!

The really annoying thing is that the OH suddenly announced on the way to bed the other night - I think we should have gone 6 months ago! OK, so why didn't we lodge an application last year then?!

Sorry - just frustrated!

[Guest somsy77]

good luck Linda, let us know how it goes on Monday!

The really annoying thing is that the OH suddenly announced on the way to bed the other night - I think we should have gone 6 months ago! OK, so why didn't we lodge an application last year then?!

Sorry - just frustrated!

 

 

Go on let it out Wellie. This is what we are here for !