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

[Guest johnson]

I certainly would NOT recommend using an agent. I've used one only because my company has chosen to relocate me and the 309 is the only visa option open to my wife. Therefore the company paid for a lawyer. I had to collate all the information myself via some guidelines sent by the lawyer. All the info needed to submit is available online anyway. When we sent it to the lawyer for checking no further info was required. The lawyer has since submitted and the only comms we've had from the lawyer is that Aus House has received the application. Nothing from Aus House or the lawyer regarding a timeframe. Do it yourself - the middle man is not necessary. The only other reason I can see to use a lawyer or agent is to speed the processing time up but this is just not going to happen as the processing time is set by policy of how many applications the government choose to approve each year. The only avenue to help speed up processing times is if the issue is highlighted to the Immigration Minister in an avalanche of complaints. Write letters or emails. I actually got a very nice response from DIAC - it didn't change anything but its nice to know they listen. So like many on here, my wife and I will spend many months apart whilst she continues to keep herself busy 9-5 in the UK and I do the same in Oz. Good luck everyone.

[TheOptimist]

I certainly would NOT recommend using an agent. I've used one only because my company has chosen to relocate me and the 309 is the only visa option open to my wife. Therefore the company paid for a lawyer. I had to collate all the information myself via some guidelines sent by the lawyer. All the info needed to submit is available online anyway. When we sent it to the lawyer for checking no further info was required. The lawyer has since submitted and the only comms we've had from the lawyer is that Aus House has received the application. Nothing from Aus House or the lawyer regarding a timeframe. Do it yourself - the middle man is not necessary. The only other reason I can see to use a lawyer or agent is to speed the processing time up but this is just not going to happen as the processing time is set by policy of how many applications the government choose to approve each year. The only avenue to help speed up processing times is if the issue is highlighted to the Immigration Minister in an avalanche of complaints. Write letters or emails. I actually got a very nice response from DIAC - it didn't change anything but its nice to know they listen. So like many on here, my wife and I will spend many months apart whilst she continues to keep herself busy 9-5 in the UK and I do the same in Oz. Good luck everyone.

 

Hi,

 

Yes, I agree with you. It seems for this visa it really is very doable without using an agent. Of course some people have more complex circumstances (myself included) but even then I resisted using an agent as had heard that the 'middle man' caused extra complication. As you say, all info needed for this visa is readily available on DIACs website and I decided to use their helpline number for extra advice on the more complex aspects which I found worked well for me.

 

I have also found my CO to be really helpful and approachable. I'm not suggesting that people should hound their COs for lots of little things after lodgement, but where I have had specific queries about my visa I have been in touch and have had nothing but very helpful and articulate responses. I guess I could just be lucky but overall I am very impressed.

 

Good luck with your visa, and I sympathise with you being separated from your wife. I have now been apart from my partner for almost 4 months and it really is very hard.

[Peach]

On the other side of the coin, I personally used an agent (Go Matilda) and was happy to pay the money for the piece of mind that it gave me.. Would be happy to recommend them to others too.

[Guest johnson]

Hi,

 

Yes, I agree with you. It seems for this visa it really is very doable without using an agent. Of course some people have more complex circumstances (myself included) but even then I resisted using an agent as had heard that the 'middle man' caused extra complication. As you say, all info needed for this visa is readily available on DIACs website and I decided to use their helpline number for extra advice on the more complex aspects which I found worked well for me.

 

I have also found my CO to be really helpful and approachable. I'm not suggesting that people should hound their COs for lots of little things after lodgement, but where I have had specific queries about my visa I have been in touch and have had nothing but very helpful and articulate responses. I guess I could just be lucky but overall I am very impressed.

 

Good luck with your visa, and I sympathise with you being separated from your wife. I have now been apart from my partner for almost 4 months and it really is very hard.

 

Thank you and good luck yourself.

 

As soon as the lawyer gives us the contact details for the CO I'm going to ask the CO to abandon all correspondance with our lawyer. I see no advantage of retaining the services one the application is lodged. Getting the contact details off the lawyer is proving challenging in itself. Having a middle man who doesn't communicate makes it twice as challenging. To be honest - I have no idea if we have a CO yet. Apparently it arrived at Aus House on the 3rd Oct and was sent to the lawyer on the 19th Sept. The lawyer went on holiday for 2 weeks and it just sat in their office - can you believe it?

[Guest sweet tooth]

GOT MY VISA GRANTED TODAY!!!!!:jiggy:

 

309 was granted today finally after 4 months, wooohoo! Shall be busy celebrating & booking flights but shall write an account of my application soon.

 

Soooo excited but feeling for everyone still waiting, hang on in there, your time will come sooner or later! Got my fingers crossed for you all!

[Guest Release]

Quick Summary

 

Posted Documents - 23/8/10

 

Email saying received and assigned a CO - 27/8/10

 

Email saying they wanted more evidence and a few other things like a new declaration - 9/9/10

 

Sent more evidence - 24/9/10

 

Phone interview needed - 14/10/10 (Interview has been arranged for 2/11/10)

 

Hope this info helps and i'd be happy to answer any questions anyone has so far about our experience.

 

Out of interest does anyone know, now were at this stage will I still need a medical or police check? Our application wasn't front loaded and I hope/assume if they were going to ask for this information it would have been earlier in the process?

[emmaroo]

GOT MY VISA GRANTED TODAY!!!!!:jiggy:

 

309 was granted today finally after 4 months, wooohoo! Shall be busy celebrating & booking flights but shall write an account of my application soon.

 

Soooo excited but feeling for everyone still waiting, hang on in there, your time will come sooner or later! Got my fingers crossed for you all!

 

congratulations!

 

enjoy

:wubclub:

[TheOptimist]

Thank you and good luck yourself.

 

As soon as the lawyer gives us the contact details for the CO I'm going to ask the CO to abandon all correspondance with our lawyer. I see no advantage of retaining the services one the application is lodged. Getting the contact details off the lawyer is proving challenging in itself. Having a middle man who doesn't communicate makes it twice as challenging. To be honest - I have no idea if we have a CO yet. Apparently it arrived at Aus House on the 3rd Oct and was sent to the lawyer on the 19th Sept. The lawyer went on holiday for 2 weeks and it just sat in their office - can you believe it?

 

Sounds very frustrating. Hopefully you'll hear some positive news soon.

 

I should point out to other readers though that as Peach says, lots of people have positive experiences using an agent and it really is an individual choice as to whether an agent is used or not. Its very much a case there is no right or wrong but down to the people involved choosing an option which is best for them.

[TheOptimist]

GOT MY VISA GRANTED TODAY!!!!!:jiggy:

 

309 was granted today finally after 4 months, wooohoo! Shall be busy celebrating & booking flights but shall write an account of my application soon.

 

Soooo excited but feeling for everyone still waiting, hang on in there, your time will come sooner or later! Got my fingers crossed for you all!

 

Congratulations!! :jiggy:

 

Enjoy your well earned celebrations and good luck with the move! :hug:

[TheOptimist]

Quick Summary

 

Posted Documents - 23/8/10

 

Email saying received and assigned a CO - 27/8/10

 

Email saying they wanted more evidence and a few other things like a new declaration - 9/9/10

 

Sent more evidence - 24/9/10

 

Phone interview needed - 14/10/10 (Interview has been arranged for 2/11/10)

 

Hope this info helps and i'd be happy to answer any questions anyone has so far about our experience.

 

Out of interest does anyone know, now were at this stage will I still need a medical or police check? Our application wasn't front loaded and I hope/assume if they were going to ask for this information it would have been earlier in the process?

 

Hi,

 

Good luck with the application!

 

I believe that police/meds are requested if not already front loaded once your CO is happy with the relationship requirement aspect of your app, so sounds like this could be asked for once your interview has been undertaken and they are happy with the additional statements etc.

[Guest Nando65]

GOT MY VISA GRANTED TODAY!!!!!:jiggy:

 

309 was granted today finally after 4 months, wooohoo! Shall be busy celebrating & booking flights but shall write an account of my application soon.

 

Soooo excited but feeling for everyone still waiting, hang on in there, your time will come sooner or later! Got my fingers crossed for you all!

 

 

CONGRATULATIONS SWEET TOOTH. We have been trying to forget the wait but can't stay off this site, just to hear you are getting your visas!!!

 

Such great news, wish you all the best with your new adventure.

 

Nando and Jane (Nando65):hug:

[Guest rache&matt]

We are heading for Perth, but have house to sell first!!!

 

Good Luck!

 

 

Where you heading?

:cute:

[Guest christinenpete]

GOT MY VISA GRANTED TODAY!!!!!:jiggy:

 

309 was granted today finally after 4 months, wooohoo! Shall be busy celebrating & booking flights but shall write an account of my application soon.

 

Soooo excited but feeling for everyone still waiting, hang on in there, your time will come sooner or later! Got my fingers crossed for you all!

 

Congrats sweet tooth, good luck with your move:cool:

[emmaroo]

We are heading for Perth, but have house to sell first!!!

 

I thought that looked like a Perth beach in your Avatar!

 

:cute:

[Hettybetty]

GOT MY VISA GRANTED TODAY!!!!!:jiggy:

 

309 was granted today finally after 4 months, wooohoo! Shall be busy celebrating & booking flights but shall write an account of my application soon.

 

Soooo excited but feeling for everyone still waiting, hang on in there, your time will come sooner or later! Got my fingers crossed for you all!

 

 

Yippppeeeeeeeeeeeee WHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO hoooooo congratulations Sweet tooth it is great news!! I'm flying Wed and soo it is all very scary right now. :jiggy:

[Guest sharonchef]

i have used an agent and had no contact since the application was lodged on 20/7.how would i find out who my co was to try and get an update.it's for my 309 visa and it was front loaded.x

[Peach]

Phone your agent up and ask them what the status is?

[Guest yugoj]

Out of interest does anyone know, now were at this stage will I still need a medical or police check? Our application wasn't front loaded and I hope/assume if they were going to ask for this information it would have been earlier in the process?

 

 

I was asked to get my medicals done and send off the police check at the end of my interview (then he confirmed the request in writing by email). You will have to get them both done but there's no rush, as the 'wait time' goes from when you submitted the application so it's going to take 5-6 months anyway. Best to just wait until after the interview.... just in case, as these medicals aren't cheap!

[Guest Nando65]

We logged our application on 6th August, front loaded my medicals and police report, although I thought my CRB was sufficient, we had to obtain the migration police report, and this was hand delivered 1 week later. No news since, and I was just wondering if there are any other lodgers in August of this year and whether you received a letter advising 5 to 6 months??

 

We haven't heard anything since, is the interviewing a random selection or do they do this will all applicants??

 

I must say the waiting is a killer, I know we are all waiting but I don't usual stress of things and I find this waiting is unbearable!!!

 

Cheers

 

Nando65 (Nando and Jane)

[Guest sweet tooth]

Visa Summary

 

Ok…so now I’ve recovered from celebrating my visa grant I wanted to post a summary of the ordeal that is gaining a Partner Migration subclass 309 (offshore) visa to help & assist anyone thinking of applying for this visa or who has just applied. I’m overwhelmingly grateful to people’s posts on here which helped me submit my application & who kept me sane during the waiting process.

 

 

Part 1: Background to Relationship

- Ultimately a pretty straight forward relationship, I’m from a non-risk country, neither of us has any previous marriages, children or criminal records and thankfully no major illnesses.

- 23 yr-old female (British Citizen) met a 28 yr-old Australian male on a Contiki trip in Aug 2008.

- Had a pretend Las Vegas wedding set up by tourguide whilst on the tour.

- At end of tour went our separate ways but remained in contact mainly through email, Skype and facebook.

- 4 months later he came to UK for Christmas 2008, met my family & friends

- Took him on holiday to France

- A month later he returned to Australia and I continued to study for my degree in the UK which separated us again for 6 months until I graduated in July 2009.

- Got a working holiday visa July 09- July 2010 so lived with him in Australia for a year, meeting family and beginning our lives together

- Had holidays in Australia & NZ during the year

- Provided support when he had an accident, he previously supported a major project I undertook at university

 

We decided very early on our options for the future together and evidence we might have to supply. We were lucky I realise, as in reality love just happens, you don't save tickets & receipts and its hard to plan to such a degree as we did but i'll follow with the steps we took towards applying for the application and the evidence we provided to give people ideas what they could include.

[Guest sweet tooth]

Part 2: Visa Application

 

Migration Agent or not?

Even though we thought we had a pretty straight forward relationship/case we were slightly unsure about a few things such as whether we were in fact going for the right visa, how long we could claim de-facto for and whether if I left a few weeks before the end of my WHV if that mattered?

Therefore we paid for a one off consultation with a migration agent to see what services they actually provided (& how much it cost!), asked them our questions and if there was any major evidence we were missing.

They did help in determining slightly different options we had not thought about/ didn’t understand, including applying onshore, returning to Oz on a tourist visa and actually said we had evidence to claim for at least 18 months de-facto so should be fine on that requirement but as a couple we decided we could do it ourselves and save some money as we were lucky enough to know a JP who was able to stamp our documents.

 

If you have the time to prepare all your documents, are very organised & need to save some money then personally I wouldn’t say its hugely necessary to use a migration agent but I understand why people do use them and their services.

 

Here is a list of what we sent with our application:

 

Section 1

47SP- Partner Application form, 40SP- Sponsor Application form, Certified Stat Dec by applicant, Certified Stat Dec by Sponsor, Certified copy of applicant’s passport & previous passport, Certified copy of sponsors passport, Certified copy of applicant & sponsors birth certificates, Sponsors payslips, UK & Australian police certificates for applicant, 26 form Medical Examination, 160 form Radiological report, 4 passport photos of applicant, 2 passport photos of sponsor, Certified copy if applicants Australian drivers licence, Print out of WHV grant email

 

Section 2

Joint statement regarding finances,Joint bank account statements,Rent payments,Migration agent receipt,Household appliance receipts,Copy of Overseas bank transfers

 

Section 3

Joint statement regarding nature of household,Utility bills,Receipts for petrol, cultural activities, groceries & Correspondence addressed to both

 

Section 4

Joint statement regarding social context, Stat Dec from sponsor’s mother-Aus Citizen,Stat Dec from Sponsor’s Aunt- Aus Citizen, Stat Dec from applicants mother, Stat Dec from mutual friend,(plus certified copies of ID for all), Photos, Wedding invites, Copies of birthday cards, Copies of hotel bookings

 

Section 5

Joint statement regarding nature of commitment to each other, Passport of next of kin, Skype records, Facebook messages, Phone Bills

[Guest yugoj]

GOT MY VISA GRANTED TODAY!!!!!:jiggy:

 

309 was granted today finally after 4 months, wooohoo! Shall be busy celebrating & booking flights but shall write an account of my application soon.

 

Soooo excited but feeling for everyone still waiting, hang on in there, your time will come sooner or later! Got my fingers crossed for you all!

 

 

CONGRATULATIONS Sweet Tooth! :jiggy:

Sorry to be so late to join the congrats gang.

 

Still planning on going to Canberra? We'll prob go over there to visit family at some point but would rather 'settle' in Perth. :biggrin:

[Guest CatMac]

We logged our application on 6th August, front loaded my medicals and police report, although I thought my CRB was sufficient, we had to obtain the migration police report, and this was hand delivered 1 week later. No news since, and I was just wondering if there are any other lodgers in August of this year and whether you received a letter advising 5 to 6 months??

 

We haven't heard anything since, is the interviewing a random selection or do they do this will all applicants??

 

I must say the waiting is a killer, I know we are all waiting but I don't usual stress of things and I find this waiting is unbearable!!!

 

Cheers

 

Nando65 (Nando and Jane)

 

Hi Nando

 

I applied in August too (stats below) they requested some further documentation, I sent an email to check they received it and they said they were satisfied with the relationship requirement

 

Looks like we are in for the long wait! Have all the people with 3/4 month timelines now received their visas? I think we should be some of the first with 5/6 month timelines

 

Cat

x

[Guest Nando65]

Hi Nando

 

I applied in August too (stats below) they requested some further documentation, I sent an email to check they received it and they said they were satisfied with the relationship requirement

 

Looks like we are in for the long wait! Have all the people with 3/4 month timelines now received their visas? I think we should be some of the first with 5/6 month timelines

 

Cat

x

 

Hi Catmac

 

Thanks for the information, yes we are definitely doing the wait and it does appear to be those that were told 4 months are getting them either just before or exactly the 4 months.

 

Our letter said the same as yours, 5 to 6 months and the waiting continues.....

 

Best of luck and be sure to post on here if you get any news, we will do the same.

 

Nando65 (Nando and Jane)

[Guest PanD]

VISA GRANTED YESTERDAY!

 

Front loaded application received by AH on 1/7, visa granted 26/10, which is a good thing considering we have flights booked for two weeks time! Straight to a subclass 100 (married 7 years, 2 kids), so a result all round! Now to start packing....!

 

Although it didn't feel like it at the time, have to say the whole process hasn't been too bad. The forms and documentation required is overwhelming, but we managed to get through it all without the help of an agent. Our CO has been quick to respond to any queries and delivered within the 4 month timeframe indicated, with days to spare. Only frustration is knowing your application is sitting there in a holding pattern when your'e desperate to get on with things.

 

Best of luck to everyone waiting on their visas, hope you get a result soon too. Although this is only my second post this forum has been a great resource for info and reassurance.

 

Melbourne, here we come!