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

[Guest FedUp]

Ok I have given in and e-mailed my CO to ask when he is likely to finalise my visa as it's been 15 weeks now! I was fine until I read lots of other people have recently got theirs and am feeling a bit left out!!! But at least they seem to be moving again!!

 

Let us know when you get a reply.

I sent few emails myself but no replies for days. It seems they are very busy as each C/O has many cases to deal with in their order of application or priority.

 

I keep checking my emails and cursing but when I relax and think about it I find excuses for my C/O. In my last job I use to deal with requests from staff from the many departments in a giant company and I used to get dozens of emails and phone requests a day, but I always had to answer those requests in the order of importance and dates submitted which means some emails had to be answered up to 2 weeks after their arrival no matter how hard I get pestered.

[Guest sarah77]

9th June 2010: Sent off our application yesterday for Defacto Partner Visa subclass 309, using forms 47SP and 40SP (front loaded with Form 80, PCs and Meds - which had done last week).

 

Now our wait begins!

[Guest FedUp]

9th June 2010: Sent off our application yesterday for Defacto Partner Visa subclass 309, using forms 47SP and 40SP (front loaded with Form 80, PCs and Meds - which had done last week).

 

Now our wait begins!

 

Good luck Sarah.

[Guest sarah77]

Good luck Sarah.

 

Thanks x

[Guest rachandjon]

Thanks Yeahbut n Epollard!

 

De-stress is a good word... Now if I can just finish my very stressful PhD, life would be very good indeed. Looking to move in Oct now as we've postponed plans from Aug. Hopefully Oct it is....

 

 

 

 

Congratulations on getting your visa through! Good luck with the plans for October. We are booking our flights for August. But ocotber is nice because you get summer here, then into Spring in Oz...

[emmaroo]

Well, sent application without police checks and medicals but medical booked for 23rd and police checks in process!

 

Emma

:wacko:

[Guest FedUp]

... But ocotber is nice because you get summer here, then into Spring in Oz...

 

Summer?!! It's been raining all night and still raining here.

[Guest epollard74]

Thanks Yeahbut n Epollard!

 

De-stress is a good word... Now if I can just finish my very stressful PhD, life would be very good indeed. Looking to move in Oct now as we've postponed plans from Aug. Hopefully Oct it is....

 

 

Epollard, when did they take money off your card ? 2 large ring binders ? WOW. mine was a big heap of papers loosely arranged with some paper clips and liberal use of highlighters. It was a kg ish (maybe more), cant remember.

hat

 

I sent a bank draft from an Irish bank, so that should be instant once they lodge it. Still have had no contact! I just tried to make the application as organised and as neat as possible so that it would hopefully save time sifting through the info. Or maybe I am just being totally naive!! :rolleyes:

[Guest epollard74]

Good luck to all applying for their visas. Fingers crossed...!

[Guest somsy77]

hat

 

I sent a bank draft from an Irish bank, so that should be instant once they lodge it. :rolleyes:

 

In that case, you might have to be a bit patient, as bank drafts (personal experience) do take a few days to clear. And since its a bank draft is there any way for you to check money's been taken from your account? For us it was a credit card so it showed up in my account online the instant it was taken. With a bank draft, they've probably got the money, but unless you have a system of being able to check if it indeed has.....?

 

The CO will be in touch soon I thinks.

 

 

hat

 

I just tried to make the application as organised and as neat as possible so that it would hopefully save time sifting through the info. Or maybe I am just being totally naive!! :rolleyes:

 

 

 

Keeping it organized does help.

 

I know I said 'loosely' arranged. Doesn't mean I wasn't particular about piling the sheets in a particular order.

 

I had the forms first, then the main notarised bits ie passport etc, then the stat decs, and finally all the bills, bank statements, letters (5 pieces of communication to each of us, spread out over the year) from NHS and other official bodies, then emails/phone records etc. Liberal use of highlighter....

 

Photos were in an envelope somewhere in between, but i used a free date stamp software before printing them out, so it was about 10 pictures, with the date it was taken at the front, and hand written labels at the back of each. I know the photos were probably not important as they could be taken anywhere and anytime, but using that date stamp thing might have helped. Who knows. PS : the date stamp works only if they were digital pics, and the date/time on your camera was correct at the time of taking.

 

I just didn't staple too many things together, and didn't put them in plastic folders as the DIAC (and Peach) advised against.

xx

[Guest somsy77]

Thanks rachandjon,

 

Looking forward to it Good luck with your move!

 

Congratulations on getting your visa through! Good luck with the plans for October. We are booking our flights for August. But ocotber is nice because you get summer here, then into Spring in Oz...

[Guest somsy77]

Ha ha true. But it MIGHT be summer in October

 

 

Summer?!! It's been raining all night and still raining here.

[Guest rachandjon]

 

Summer?!! It's been raining all night and still raining here.

 

We check the weather ever week in perth (where we are heading) and it is sunny and late teens/ 20ish there at the moment! :jiggy:

[Guest somsy77]

:hug:

 

 

We check the weather ever week in perth (where we are heading) and it is sunny and late teens/ 20ish there at the moment! :jiggy:

[emmaroo]

 

We check the weather ever week in perth (where we are heading) and it is sunny and late teens/ 20ish there at the moment! :jiggy:

 

We are heading to Perth too!- What part you going to?

:wubclub:

[Guest epollard74]

I\We are heading to Perth too. My wife's family is from Perth. A place called Leeming, about 20 mins drive to Fremantle. Really looking forward to it, have been there a few times on holiday and they get some cracking weather and the city isn't too big either. Was there last Decemeber fro Xmas, had 40 degrees, takes a bit of getting used to. Reminds me of Dublin in some ways, apart from the weather of course!!!:laugh:

[emmaroo]

We are going to Cottesloe to start of with as that is where my parents live and then we are moving into house in Shenton Park!

 

Can't wait

:rolleyes:

[Guest garysgirl63]

Hi there, i'm really new to all this (only applied on 09/06/10), I have been reading some of this thread and I am suddenly feeling a little ill.....can anyone help me with a few questions here...like what in the visa application changed in March?....as I haven't had a medical or police check, should I have done? I said in the booklet to wait.....I suddenly feel like I haven't sent enough proof...

 

thanks in advance...Ange

[Guest epollard74]

Hi there, i'm really new to all this (only applied on 09/06/10), I have been reading some of this thread and I am suddenly feeling a little ill.....can anyone help me with a few questions here...like what in the visa application changed in March?....as I haven't had a medical or police check, should I have done? I said in the booklet to wait.....I suddenly feel like I haven't sent enough proof...

 

thanks in advance...Ange

 

 

Hey Ange and welcome. Basically the change was that if you were applying on a partner de facto visa basis, before you had to prove the previous 5 years but now it's only 3 years or that's what I understood it to be.

 

Get your police check and meds done now, they WILL ask for it and it saves time if you have them done sooner rather than when they ask for them.

 

If they require any further info they will ask for it but I suggest have stuff ready that they may ask for i.e. proof of co-habiting, proof of communication beteween you and your partner, letters, envelopes with both names on them, photos, utility bills. Basically anything that proves you are in a genuine and continuing relationship. Better off havingn it to hand than digging around and trying to find things when they request them. All about saving as much time and reducing the waiting period.

 

Hope this helps!? :biggrin:

[Guest garysgirl63]

Thanks for the advice....I'm sorry, still a little confused on a couple of things, lol, I thought you had to have been in a relationship for 12 months not 5 or now 3 to apply?....also, where can I get my meds done, is there a list of places or is anywhere ok?

 

Oh dear, I can see this process is going to be a nightmare...

:confused:

[Guest epollard74]

Thanks for the advice....I'm sorry, still a little confused on a couple of things, lol, I thought you had to have been in a relationship for 12 months not 5 or now 3 to apply?....also, where can I get my meds done, is there a list of places or is anywhere ok?

 

Oh dear, I can see this process is going to be a nightmare...

:confused:

 

Maybe someone else here can explain the amendment better than I can. As regards your meds, if you check the Department of Immigration & Citizenship website and look up the health requirements page it gives you a list of the medical examiners to perform your medical. You can't just call down to your local GP. The immigration dept have recently amended their list of panel doctors. This link should help you locate your nearest doctor. Contact Us

 

Depending on the type of visa you are applying for, this website has PDF's or Doc files you can download relating to the type of visa you are applying for and outlines exactly what they are looking for when collating all of your evidence. Immigration Advice and Rights Centre: Publications and Information Sheets Look at the "IARC Information Sheets" link and choose your particular type of visa. I found this particularly helpful.

 

 

Good luck, it is quite a pain in the ass gathering all of the information but it's for the greater good! :yes:

[wakeboard1980]

Thanks for the advice....I'm sorry, still a little confused on a couple of things, lol, I thought you had to have been in a relationship for 12 months not 5 or now 3 to apply?....also, where can I get my meds done, is there a list of places or is anywhere ok?

 

Oh dear, I can see this process is going to be a nightmare...

:confused:

The change has to do with the subclass 100 visa which is the permanent visa. the 309 is the first part of this visa, you have the 309 for 2 years then have to prove the relationship is still ongoing to get the 100. You only have to be in a defact relationship for 12 months to apply for the 309.

 

dont worry you will be ok if you have addressed all the criteria int he booklet.

[Guest jayde]

Thanks for the advice....I'm sorry, still a little confused on a couple of things, lol, I thought you had to have been in a relationship for 12 months not 5 or now 3 to apply?....also, where can I get my meds done, is there a list of places or is anywhere ok?

 

Oh dear, I can see this process is going to be a nightmare...

:confused:

Hi Gary's girl, couples who have been in a "longterm" relationship are able to be approved for a permanent visa straight away. Or if they have a child together it is 2 years, but recently in March the 5 years was amended for childless couples to 3 years.

 

A temporary visa is often approved with the permanent visa to be given after a further 2 years in the relationship if the couple has been together over 12 months, but not yet the longer periods or a baby.

 

I hope this makes it clearer, there is such a lot to get your head round, but welcome and good luck

[Guest somsy77]

If your trying for a 309 subclass all you need to show is 12 months of de-facto ie living together, etc in short being in a relationship akin to marraige without the actual ceremony.

 

(epollard: not sure about 'envelopes' with both names on it. They don't consider that evidence far as I know, but wedding invites with your names on it would prove that 'other' ppl think of you as a couple)

 

The amendment is only for 100 subclass applicants. So this doesn't apply to you if your only trying to show a 12 month relationship.

 

Hope this helps garysgirl.

 

What kind of evidence did you show? In my case it was quite basic as we we started living together just 12 months ish before. So the evidence I provided was joint bank statements, utility bills in both our names, stat decs from his sister who lived with us for 11 months and her boyfriend, letters addressed to same address (NHS cards, appt letters, individual bank letters i,e term deposits etc), my OH had to give a stat dec stating how he was going to support me as he had been living in London for a few years and state what assets he/we have etc, photos, wedding invites, snapshots of email inbox, and phone/skype records for the 6 weeks in total we were apart (holiday with his parents and wedding in Oz). Thats off the top of my head.

 

Let me know if you need any help. Dont panic, coz if they think you havent provided enough evidence, they will ask, then you can ask ppl on here for advice as what extra evidence to send ....:hug:

 

And may I ask what police checks do you need i.e. which countries have you spent more than 12 months in total (even if you have spent say 3 months at one time, gone somewhere else and come back for 9 months etc it adds up to 12 months).

 

If its just the UK, you can get it done in 10 working days provided you apply asap. Some countries like in my case India took 45 working days just from the Indian embassy here,....so i suggest you get on the case asap.

 

Medicals you deffo need to get done. It took me 2 weeks to get in for an appt! It only takes a few days for them to send results etc to embassy. So definitely get started on these!!

 

You need to get them done at the doctors approved by the Australian High Commission...

 

United Kingdom – Panel Doctors

 

xx

 

 

 

 

Maybe someone else here can explain the amendment better than I can. :yes:

[Guest garysgirl63]

That's ok then, we have addressed all the critera in the booklet...just think we were a bit naive with the whole thing....I have just looked and the nearest panel doctor to me is in Cardiff, 250 miles away...gez....think I can safely say that my idea of going home to Aust by the end of July is out of the window.

 

:sad: