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

[fleabo]

We put our application in on the 8th February, so it has been 3 months and a week! Thinking about emailing our CO tomorrow and asking if it is possible to find out by the end of May, as I am a teacher and need to resign before half term. Anyone got any advice on this? I am sure I read a post saying that someone else had done this, but looked back through this thread and can't find it.

 

Probably depends on your CO somewhat. I have to work 3 months notice before taking up a new role in Australia (and sell a house etc.), but my CO was not remotely interested that type of personal circumstance other than if I had booked flights. So we ended up in a chicken-egg situation after 4 months where the CO seemingly wasn't prepared to grant the visa until I had definite travel plans but I couldn't commit to definite travel plans until I had the visa ! It all got a bit bizarre and confused really. If you want, PM me your CO initials and we can compare notes. Cheers.

[Guest EmilandMarleen]

We put our application in on the 8th February, so it has been 3 months and a week! Thinking about emailing our CO tomorrow and asking if it is possible to find out by the end of May, as I am a teacher and need to resign before half term. Anyone got any advice on this? I am sure I read a post saying that someone else had done this, but looked back through this thread and can't find it.

Hi, yeah we are in the same boat. We emailed our case officer to check whether we would be ok by July/ August and we were told we should be fine but we didn't get an exact time frame. I think it was Peach that said she was given an exact time frame, check out her blog that has the details - The Joy of Emigration

 

Good Luck!

[Weasie]

Rachelandjon

 

I would recommend speaking to your CO if you can. Making that personal contact and being 'unreasonably reasonable' can't hurt.

 

Best of luck

[Guest rachandjon]

I think it was me that said we were given an exact time frame (8/5-8/6) but that was what my husband told me. When I checked the email it said they were processing between 3-4 months, so because we submitted on the 8/2 it could be between these dates. Not so definite!

 

Fleabo, have you got your visa yet? My CO has the same initials as Lindawob, think its the same one. Linda said her CO asked her to email her to remind her when three months was up (or something along those lines) so I am thinking she wouldn't take it badly if I did email.

[Guest rachandjon]

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!!!!

 

Here is her post. Then she got it soon after. That has got to be promising?

[fleabo]

I think it was me that said we were given an exact time frame (8/5-8/6) but that was what my husband told me. When I checked the email it said they were processing between 3-4 months, so because we submitted on the 8/2 it could be between these dates. Not so definite!

 

Fleabo, have you got your visa yet? My CO has the same initials as Lindawob, think its the same one. Linda said her CO asked her to email her to remind her when three months was up (or something along those lines) so I am thinking she wouldn't take it badly if I did email.

 

Yes - I got my passport with visa on Friday. I believe that Lindawob had flights booked and had let the CO know...and Lindawob's visa was granted in 2 months. The moral to the story is book some flights, even though they tell you not to! Cheers.

[wellieboots]

Fleabo, that's fab news, congratulations!!!

 

I haven't been around for a while as life's been really hectic, but I've been thinking of you and wondering how you were getting on - all the best for your plans for the big move!!!

[Guest tino]

Officially joined the waiting list Well, app lodged and payment taken!! Nervous now......!!

[Guest Dannie]

Just for interesting reading for those waiting...

 

I spoke to our CO today about the possiblity of living the UK and picking up my partner visa elssewhere she told us the following......

 

we can entre Australia and wait there and once our visa has been granted I can travel to NZ to pick it up from the embassy there, so were booked to go next monday so that my partner who is Aussie can start working and we can get ourselves settled find a place to live etc etc. Obviously i can't start working till visa is ready but least i can start looking.

 

Timeline.. submitted 29th March 2010, payment and acknowlegement 30th March. Told today (17th May) to expect it by end of June possibly earlier.

[Guest berkandmath]

right thats it... i'm ringing my case officer today cos i wanna know what the bloody crack is. Why is mine taking so long!:arghh:

[Guest berkandmath]

just incase anybody elses CO initials are M.R, Ive just rung and he apparently doesnt work there anymore. The person taking over his work is out of the office til june 1st! brilliant.. more delays just what i need. Left a message so we'll see if anyone gets back in touch

[Guest Amy30]

Probably depends on your CO somewhat. I have to work 3 months notice before taking up a new role in Australia (and sell a house etc.), but my CO was not remotely interested that type of personal circumstance other than if I had booked flights. So we ended up in a chicken-egg situation after 4 months where the CO seemingly wasn't prepared to grant the visa until I had definite travel plans but I couldn't commit to definite travel plans until I had the visa ! It all got a bit bizarre and confused really. If you want, PM me your CO initials and we can compare notes. Cheers.

 

My case worker has advised me to look at flights in July .....however can't confirm wen visa will be granted I submitted application on 12th March, CO assigned on 18th March... so did u book the flight

[Guest sophie1108]

My application was posted on Monday 10th May, money taken next day.

Still no C/O assigned? Its been a week, when do you think I should expect someone to contact me? If so, will it be by email or phone?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Sophie

[Guest tino]

My application was posted on Monday 10th May, money taken next day.

Still no C/O assigned? Its been a week, when do you think I should expect someone to contact me? If so, will it be by email or phone?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Sophie

 

Normally you would have a c/o assigned by now, though I believe they do quote 10 business days. They will just email you if you selected this option on the app form, if not, then they will send a letter in the post (maybe now on its way!).

[Guest Paul in UK]

My application was posted on Monday 10th May, money taken next day.

Still no C/O assigned? Its been a week, when do you think I should expect someone to contact me? If so, will it be by email or phone?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Sophie

 

Hi Sophie,

 

I sent mine in April, received on the 19th, money taken the same day and still nothing heard from anyone. Originally my agent said that as we front loaded meds and sent them everthing they needed then perhaps they have no need to get in contact.

 

That being said he sent them an email yesturday asking for some sort of contact and information as to who is dealing with it.

 

The automatic response is 'your CO will contact within 10 working days'...mmmm

[fleabo]

My case worker has advised me to look at flights in July .....however can't confirm wen visa will be granted I submitted application on 12th March, CO assigned on 18th March... so did u book the flight

 

Its this type of Australia House nonesense that gets my shackles up no end! (I'm going to rant a little here, please excuse me!)

 

They explicilty tell you NOT to make any irreversible decisions like selling your home, resigning from your job, booking flights. Then when I phoned in March, my CO told me that she would grant my visa in May, and that I should go ahead and make whatever arrangements, etc. assuming that will happen. I then read the acknowledgement letter again - "don't make any irreversible decisions like selling your home, resigning from your job, booking flights until you have written confirmation from us." Hmmm. What should I do? Make some irreversible decisions on the basis of a phone call to my CO, or do as they say in the letter? So I waited some more...

 

Then, you read posts where folks have booked flight tickets and their CO has rolled over to have their tummy tickled and have almost immediately granted the visa. Fair play, I am glad folks are getting their visas in a timely fashion, the wait is a nightmare. But you think, my first engagement with an Australian Government Agency is to be told one thing by them, but then they do the opposite. You do as you are told only to see different rules being applied to others. Doesn't make a good impression on me. (Rant over).

 

Ultimately, I got the visa. I wasn't impressed with the decision making process or the consistency by which they seemed to be applying their 'rules'. At the end of the day, I only have to do it once.

 

I guess in hindsight they have you between a rock and a hard place. I ended up sending my passport in and asked them if they could please put a stamp in it. I got it back that week.:wubclub:

[Guest berkandmath]

exactly.. people that book flights seem to get theirs processed quicker.

After some to-ing and fro-ing, managed to actually speak to someone today. Seeing as our case officer has left, and the guy taking over his work is on holiday (maybe passing work onto people who are actually there might help) some fella managed to find our file and start working on it!!! say wha'?! Its been there since january! hmm.. not too sure how good a news that is, but he said it looks dandy. So dunno if he just needs to finalise things or what but he said he would be in touch tomorrow. Im crossing everything, please god please!

[Guest Amy30]

Its this type of Australia House nonesense that gets my shackles up no end! (I'm going to rant a little here, please excuse me!)

 

They explicilty tell you NOT to make any irreversible decisions like selling your home, resigning from your job, booking flights. Then when I phoned in March, my CO told me that she would grant my visa in May, and that I should go ahead and make whatever arrangements, etc. assuming that will happen. I then read the acknowledgement letter again - "don't make any irreversible decisions like selling your home, resigning from your job, booking flights until you have written confirmation from us." Hmmm. What should I do? Make some irreversible decisions on the basis of a phone call to my CO, or do as they say in the letter? So I waited some more...

 

Then, you read posts where folks have booked flight tickets and their CO has rolled over to have their tummy tickled and have almost immediately granted the visa. Fair play, I am glad folks are getting their visas in a timely fashion, the wait is a nightmare. But you think, my first engagement with an Australian Government Agency is to be told one thing by them, but then they do the opposite. You do as you are told only to see different rules being applied to others. Doesn't make a good impression on me. (Rant over).

 

Ultimately, I got the visa. I wasn't impressed with the decision making process or the consistency by which they seemed to be applying their 'rules'. At the end of the day, I only have to do it once.

 

I guess in hindsight they have you between a rock and a hard place. I ended up sending my passport in and asked them if they could please put a stamp in it. I got it back that week.:wubclub:

I definitely agree the process is really confusing and not consistent....well at least you got your visa. I'm still not sure about booking flights do I assume that 4months to the date of submission I 'll get the visa:arghh: or do I book flight in 3 to 4 mth peroid.....well goodluk at least the wait is over for u

[Peach]

presently it seems that if you don't have a flight booked you go to the bottom of the queue. if my co is true to her word i will have been waiting six months before my visa arrives.

[emmaroo]

This is perhaps a silly question but do you have supply proof of your flights our will they take your word?

 

:wink:

[Peach]

This is perhaps a silly question but do you have supply proof of your flights our will they take your word?

 

:wink:

 

here, to my mind you enter a grey area. as much of a pain in the ass the wait is, what do you really gain from having the stamp in your passport without a flight booked?

 

would like to think that by being honest someone who is desperate gets their visa, rather than them lose money on a non-exchangeable fare because i've pushed to get my own visa approved quicker.

[emmaroo]

here, to my mind you enter a grey area. as much of a pain in the ass the wait is, what do you really gain from having the stamp in your passport without a flight booked?

 

would like to think that by being honest someone who is desperate gets their visa, rather than them lose money on a non-exchangeable fare because i've pushed to get my own visa approved quicker.

 

Don't quite get what your meaning?

 

:huh:

[Guest berkandmath]

yeah its defo not worth risking.. have seen a few cases get pushed through cos of start times on jobs though.

[fleabo]

yeah its defo not worth risking.. have seen a few cases get pushed through cos of start times on jobs though.

 

I tried the job tack but it had no influence on my CO.

[emmaroo]

I am no hurry and was not planning on risking anything or being " dishonest"