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

[jomac]

Hi all

 

I'm new to the forum but here's our story.

 

I'm a UK partner to an Aussie guy and we have a son together who is just 6 months old. I've been in Oz for the past 22 months on a 12 month multiple entry visitor visa and our son was born there. I returned to the Uk on 9th March and we have lodged my spouse application via a migration agent to conincide with that date. My partner is unfortunately staying in Oz whilst my application is processed as he needs to work to continue supporting my son and I. We're wondering if anyone has heard of the processing times being fast tracked due to a family separated? We're desperate to get back before my son's first birthday in August but every day apart is really tough as my OH is missing out on so much!

I cant find how to edit my signature so here is our time line thus far...

Lodged 09/03/11, money taken 18/03/11 but not cleared from Oz account till 23/03/11....still waiting for case officer to be assigned.

 

 

Hi,

 

I too am married to an Aussie and we have a 7 year old daughter. We have been living apart since Aug 2009, due to his work and the need to support us, and the fact that our daughter is at school. We went up to Oz house ages ago to enquire about processing times and they said that we did have to wait the same time as others, but they generally don't like to keep families apart, so perhaps we should read between the lines. They also told us that we could ask our case officer for permission to go there on a 3 month tourist visa, with a view to leaving the country at the end of the 3 months. I am not sure how that leaves us though as it would mean taking our daughter out of school.

Can you ask your case officer for permission to do this too? I think it works out if you are prepared to fly to NZ a couple of times to make sure you stick to the rules of the tourist visa.

 

Hope that helps!

 

Jo

[Guest Chimpy chops]

My partner (England - 24 y/o) and I (Australia - 26 y/o) are in a (same sex) de-facto relationship and have applied for the Offshore Partner Visa 309. We are currently living apart until our visa is accepted, I'm in oz and my partner in England.

 

17th Jan 2011 - Visa application lodged at the London office

 

21st Jan 2011 - CO assigned to case

 

27th Jan 2011 - CO requested my partners parents write up statements, pledging that our relationship is genuine and ongoing

 

19th Feb 2011 - My partners parents are called by our CO and were asked questions about our relationship to verify everything said in their statements.

 

21st Feb 2011 - Our CO requested more information supporting that our relationship is genuine eg: hotel receipts, concert tickets, just anything that we did as a couple. We were also required to both have a telephone interview.

 

23rd Feb 2011 - My partner and I had separate interviews over phone.

 

24th Feb 2011 - Extra proof was sent through to our CO, he then replied within a few hours and requested that my partner complete health and police checks.

 

10th March - UK police check sent to London office.

 

14th March - Medical completed and Australian police check posted to office in Canberra

 

16th March - Email written to CO, asking how long the visa will take to process once medical and police checks have been received.

 

23rd March - Received a reply from CO, saying that current processing time is 5-6 months and they will email us once the visa is granted. In other words... “be patient”

 

28th March - Waiting!!!

 

Good luck everyone.

[Peach]

Hi, welcome to the forum. Sorry to be the one to share bad news, family seperation does not seem to be a reason speed things up. Was there a reason that you just didn't lodge your visa onshore?

[attypodian]

That's great news! We will have to monitor each other's progress and see if they are processing at the same speed.

Hope you guys are able to be together, seems a lot of us on here are apart from their other half while waiting for the visa to process. Hard work!

Good luck and keep us posted :wink:

 

I think our application has arrived at AH! I say I think because I left the tracking number at home :em0300: but remembered the first half and kinda guessed the rest and somehow got lucky, and it says delivered!

 

Fortunately we are together here in the UK but I do know what it's like to be separated because a couple of years ago when I had to renew my visa, I had to do it in Oz and it took two and a half months, so we were separated for most of that.

[jomac]

I think our application has arrived at AH! I say I think because I left the tracking number at home :em0300: but remembered the first half and kinda guessed the rest and somehow got lucky, and it says delivered!

 

Fortunately we are together here in the UK but I do know what it's like to be separated because a couple of years ago when I had to renew my visa, I had to do it in Oz and it took two and a half months, so we were separated for most of that.

 

I've just tracked mine and it has arrived at Oz house too! All systems go, I hope!

 

We have mostly lived apart since Aug 2009, but luckily, my hubby works for himself so he is able to travel over a fair bit. Costing a fortune though!

[Guest mjandmum]

Hi Jo - thanks for the reply.

 

I don't think they'd alow us another visitor visa as I was there 22 months on a 12 month visitor visa. I also had a no further stay clause on that visa so I had to leave the country anyway. Plus we cant really afford the extra set of flights right now anyway. So we're just gonna have to stick it out and wait. As with everyone else though, it sucks. Especially being away when my partners parents are ill and he is an only child so left alone to deal with it :0(

[Guest mjandmum]

Hi, welcome to the forum. Sorry to be the one to share bad news, family seperation does not seem to be a reason speed things up. Was there a reason that you just didn't lodge your visa onshore?

 

Thanks Peach - it was due to the "no further stay" clause on my visitor visa. We tried to appeal that when I found out I was pregnant as we always knew we wanted to apply but they said pregnancy was not an "unforseen circumstance" so therefore we couldn't appeal.

[Adelaide]

Just trying to get myself ready as Im also in a same sex relationship, has anyone had the dreaded interview with your CO and if so what do they ask you?:chatterbox:

[Guest Tillyloola]

Hi all

 

I'm new to the forum but here's our story.

 

I'm a UK partner to an Aussie guy and we have a son together who is just 6 months old. I've been in Oz for the past 22 months on a 12 month multiple entry visitor visa and our son was born there. I returned to the Uk on 9th March and we have lodged my spouse application via a migration agent to conincide with that date. My partner is unfortunately staying in Oz whilst my application is processed as he needs to work to continue supporting my son and I. We're wondering if anyone has heard of the processing times being fast tracked due to a family separated? We're desperate to get back before my son's first birthday in August but every day apart is really tough as my OH is missing out on so much!

I cant find how to edit my signature so here is our time line thus far...

Lodged 09/03/11, money taken 18/03/11 but not cleared from Oz account till 23/03/11....still waiting for case officer to be assigned.

 

This is most probably the only time I would ever say this but in your case I think you would have been better lodging an onshore visa application. You would have been put on a bridging visa till it was granted and you would have been alowed to stay in Oz.

 

I'm not to sure if compasionate grounds would apply here as I dont know your situation fully, once you have a CO you can always ask. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by asking. As far as I am aware compasionate grounds would normally mean like of you have just suffered a close family berevment and you are left on your own or that you partner is looking after someone. I dont think just having a small child and wanting to get over there qualifys as there are many other people in your position and it would be a tad unfair for the people that dont have children if you were bumped up the list, but again there is no harm in asking

 

If this is not an option you can always apply for another tourist visa and come over. Thats what I have done, got here Saturday.

[Guest]

My partner (England - 24 y/o) and I (Australia - 26 y/o) are in a (same sex) de-facto relationship and have applied for the Offshore Partner Visa 309. We are currently living apart until our visa is accepted, I'm in oz and my partner in England.

 

17th Jan 2011 - Visa application lodged at the London office

 

21st Jan 2011 - CO assigned to case

 

27th Jan 2011 - CO requested my partners parents write up statements, pledging that our relationship is genuine and ongoing

 

19th Feb 2011 - My partners parents are called by our CO and were asked questions about our relationship to verify everything said in their statements.

 

21st Feb 2011 - Our CO requested more information supporting that our relationship is genuine eg: hotel receipts, concert tickets, just anything that we did as a couple. We were also required to both have a telephone interview.

 

23rd Feb 2011 - My partner and I had separate interviews over phone.

 

24th Feb 2011 - Extra proof was sent through to our CO, he then replied within a few hours and requested that my partner complete health and police checks.

 

10th March - UK police check sent to London office.

 

14th March - Medical completed and Australian police check posted to office in Canberra

 

16th March - Email written to CO, asking how long the visa will take to process once medical and police checks have been received.

 

23rd March - Received a reply from CO, saying that current processing time is 5-6 months and they will email us once the visa is granted. In other words... “be patient”

 

28th March - Waiting!!!

 

Good luck everyone.

 

Hey, just wondering what questions your case officer asked in the phone interview? Did you find it intimidating? My app was received in AH on March 1st. Case officer assigned on March 3rd and additional police check requested which I have since provided! Sounds like your visa is sure to be granted but that you have to wait! It's a pain eh! Best of luck!

[Guest LoznWill]

Hi, welcome to the forum. Sorry to be the one to share bad news, family seperation does not seem to be a reason speed things up. Was there a reason that you just didn't lodge your visa onshore?

 

Hi All,

 

I've been trawling through the Fact Sheets on Oz Immi Website and have copied below some info which I thought might help in all of us being more informed (or more worried?? I hope not!!). Although capping doesn't really exist, I would imagine current waiting times are skewed in order to ensure the number of migrants entering Australia on a Partner Visa are in line with the projected number set for 2011. What do others think?

 

Partner visas are meant to be granted in line with current queuing guidelines. ie. in order of lodgement, or compelling reason for priority processing.

 

I remember reading (but can't find) that it does, unfortunately, state that the fact of having a child or being pregnant does not in itself represent a compelling reason for priority processing, as there may be other people with equally or more compelling reasons for priority processing. Pretty hard to swallow if you have a child and don't want them to be separated from their parent I know (I don't have kids but I know how i'd feel if I did). But I guess they do have to make some pretty icky hard decisions. The good thing is that if the current program processing times are extended in order to kick us over into the next program year, then we would be at the top of the queue. Anyway, if others know differently and/or I've got anything wrong please do let me know. Hope this helps just in terms of being better informed.

 

Information below directly copied from DIAC Fact Sheets.

 

The planning level for the 2010–11 Migration Program is set at 168 700 places for Skilled, Family and Special Eligibility Stream migrants. This maintains the government’s commitment to an immigration policy which seeks to balance social, economic, humanitarian and environmental objectives. The planning level for the family stream in 2010-11 is set at 54 550 visas, which represents 32.3 per cent of the total Migration Program.

Within each family visa category, visa applicants are generally considered in order of the date of lodgement. In relation to Partner and Child category visa applications, higher priority in processing may be considered in cases where there are compelling or compassionate circumstances. If such circumstances exist, applicants will need to advise the visa office where their application is being processed and provide evidence to support their claims. There is no guarantee that your application will be prioritised. Other applicants may have equally or more compelling and compassionate circumstances and there is a limited number of visas that can be granted in the program year.

Cap and queue

 

The Migration Act 1958 (the Act), allows the Minister to ‘cap’ or limit the number of visas which can be granted each year in a particular visa subclass.

This limit, or cap, applies only for the migration program year in which it is introduced. When a cap is reached, applicants then wait in a queue for visa grant consideration in a following year, subject to places becoming available.

This means that when the number of visas set by the Minister for a visa class for the migration program year has been reached, no further visas can be granted in that program year.

Family Stream

 

Partner category visas:

 

• Partner (subclasses 309/100 and 820/801) visas cannot be capped.

• Prospective Marriage (fiancé) (subclass 300) visas may be subject to capping.

None of the above are currently capped.

[Guest mjandmum]

This is most probably the only time I would ever say this but in your case I think you would have been better lodging an onshore visa application. You would have been put on a bridging visa till it was granted and you would have been alowed to stay in Oz.

 

I'm not to sure if compasionate grounds would apply here as I dont know your situation fully, once you have a CO you can always ask. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by asking. As far as I am aware compasionate grounds would normally mean like of you have just suffered a close family berevment and you are left on your own or that you partner is looking after someone. I dont think just having a small child and wanting to get over there qualifys as there are many other people in your position and it would be a tad unfair for the people that dont have children if you were bumped up the list, but again there is no harm in asking

 

If this is not an option you can always apply for another tourist visa and come over. Thats what I have done, got here Saturday.

 

We couldn't apply onshore as there was a 'no further stay' clause attached to my visitor visa. Obviously I appreciate everyone has their own extenuating circumstances but like everyone, ours feel pretty unfair to us. We know what it is to be separated awaiting visas - we had 2 and a half months waiting apart before my 12 month visitor visa was granted but this is sooo much harder on all of us because of the baby and my in-laws' ill health.

 

We haven't even heard from a case officer yet and payment was taken on the 18th!!! :0(

[attypodian]

Hey, just wondering what questions your case officer asked in the phone interview? Did you find it intimidating? My app was received in AH on March 1st. Case officer assigned on March 3rd and additional police check requested which I have since provided! Sounds like your visa is sure to be granted but that you have to wait! It's a pain eh! Best of luck!

 

Just trying to get myself ready as Im also in a same sex relationship, has anyone had the dreaded interview with your CO and if so what do they ask you?:chatterbox:

 

Hi Laura K and Adelaide,

 

Ages ago I found and saved these two posts regarding what questions might be asked during a phone interview, hope they help.

 

http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/migration-issues/58449-summary-spouse-visa-processing-times-offshore-uk-please-add-your-stats-168.html#post807058

 

http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/migration-issues/58449-summary-spouse-visa-processing-times-offshore-uk-please-add-your-stats-160.html#post798403

 

Atty.

[Guest Chimpy chops]

Hey, just wondering what questions your case officer asked in the phone interview? Did you find it intimidating? My app was received in AH on March 1st. Case officer assigned on March 3rd and additional police check requested which I have since provided! Sounds like your visa is sure to be granted but that you have to wait! It's a pain eh! Best of luck!

 

Just trying to get myself ready as Im also in a same sex relationship, has anyone had the dreaded interview with your CO and if so what do they ask you?:chatterbox:

 

attypodian sent through some good links. I checked out some forums on here before my interview and found them very helpful.

 

Our CO asked us more personal questions, little fine details about everything.

- your perfect day out together as a couple?

- does anything annoy you about your partner, if so what?

- how did you first meet?

- explain when you started your defacto relationship?

- when did you decide to move in together?

- details about certain things/events that you mentioned in your statement?

- we have been together for 3 years so over that time we had lived in 4 different apartments and he asked us every detail about the apartments, like what they looked like external/internal and what household duties were shared?

- what are your plans for the future?

- what would you do if your visa application was denied?

- what music does your partner like?

 

that's all i think can think of right now, i hope that was helpful.

just be honest about everything and you will be fine!

 

let me know if you have anymore questions?

[Guest WaitingPatiently]

We couldn't apply onshore as there was a 'no further stay' clause attached to my visitor visa. Obviously I appreciate everyone has their own extenuating circumstances but like everyone, ours feel pretty unfair to us. We know what it is to be separated awaiting visas - we had 2 and a half months waiting apart before my 12 month visitor visa was granted but this is sooo much harder on all of us because of the baby and my in-laws' ill health.

 

We haven't even heard from a case officer yet and payment was taken on the 18th!!! :0(

 

Hi mjandmum, I know how you feel but unfortunately the grounds for "compassionate circumstances" dont cover much. Like others have said, many of us have difficult circumstances and have gone to great effort and cost to minimise the pain of separation during visa processing. In our case we were separated for 5months previously and this time my partner may miss the birth of our child due to visa processing times. We are hoping to go down the tourist visa route if it gets too close to the birth! In your case perhaps you and the baby could go to NZ for a few months and your partner could visit there for much less time and cost? I understand how you must feel and hope that you find some way to see eachother or to make the time go as quickly as possible. Skype is great if you don't already use that! you get a CO soon so you can ask the question. Keep us posted x

[Guest WaitingPatiently]

Hi Chimpy Chops, we submitted 14Jan and are pretty much on the same timeline as you so we should both be granted around the same time. Will be great to hear if/when you actually get an estimated date for the visa to be granted. We have completed and sent in everything as of yesterday so are waiting the 2 weeks and will then try to get a date out of them (sounds like it's hit or miss if you get a specific date or the standard 5-6months blah blah blah). Well done and good luck :-)

[Guest Gwyndra]

Hi Everyone!

I've been reading your posts, and although our application was lodged back in Nov 2010, here i am waiting with you all......so i guess i'm part of the March Gang! Yay!!!

 

My OH is a very casual, layback fellow living in Yorkshire...I am happy to say that he's going to email our Case Officer (AB) on Monday 21st March to let him know the police check and medical checks have all been arranged and that he (AB) should have them on his desk by now...... I find it frustrating being way over here in Australia - being far away from my guy is rubbish...last time we were together was AUGUST 2009!

 

Anyway...here's our stats:

 

2nd Nov - Application sent

9th Nov - Money taken

17th Jan - My OH called Australia House....after hearing nothing so far.

31st Jan - Case Officer sends an email introducing himself - Hooray!

2nd Feb - Case Officer requests more proof of relationship

3rd Feb - Further proof supplied

17th Feb - Case Officer asks for Med Check & Police Check

1st Mar - Med checks completed & medical centre says will send directly after 10 working days

3rd Mar - Police Check applied for - They say they will process in 5 working days.

 

Judging by the 5-6 month turn around....reckon we'll hear something by end of April.

 

Just spoke to my englishman - we're both 'over the waiting' - it's getting boring. I said 'ah well - good things come to those who wait' Well that must make us two a couple of Saints!!!!

 

Hope you're all hanging in there ok just like me! Its soooo nice to know i'm not the only one in this world experiencing the sheer frustration of waiting for a visa stamp.

 

All the best!

 

 

Gwyndra:shocked: (this is me after reading all the posts) ha

 

 

 

 

 

AND Noooooow 30th March 2011 - My englishman received an email from Australia house.....VISA APPROVED!! HOOOOORAYYYYY!!!!! I'm so happy, i'm grinning like an idiot!

[Guest Toffa]

Hello all... to give you an update on our progress...

 

We have our application with them... we were asked for Police and Med checks which have now been received and ok'd...

 

Where are we now in the process?? Does this mean they have everything and we now play the waiting game??

 

Our timeline so far is

February 24th: Sent in Forms

March 1st: Payment taken

March 3rd: Requested Meds and Police checks only

March 24th: Everything with DP and no further information required

 

Hopefully that should be it now, but if anyone can let us know what to expect next that would be great.

 

Cheers all and keep the faith!! Toffa

[Guest dadoftwins]

Hi Everyone!

I've been reading your posts, and although our application was lodged back in Nov 2010, here i am waiting with you all......so i guess i'm part of the March Gang! Yay!!!

 

My OH is a very casual, layback fellow living in Yorkshire...I am happy to say that he's going to email our Case Officer (AB) on Monday 21st March to let him know the police check and medical checks have all been arranged and that he (AB) should have them on his desk by now...... I find it frustrating being way over here in Australia - being far away from my guy is rubbish...last time we were together was AUGUST 2009!

 

Anyway...here's our stats:

 

2nd Nov - Application sent

9th Nov - Money taken

17th Jan - My OH called Australia House....after hearing nothing so far.

31st Jan - Case Officer sends an email introducing himself - Hooray!

2nd Feb - Case Officer requests more proof of relationship

3rd Feb - Further proof supplied

17th Feb - Case Officer asks for Med Check & Police Check

1st Mar - Med checks completed & medical centre says will send directly after 10 working days

3rd Mar - Police Check applied for - They say they will process in 5 working days.

 

Judging by the 5-6 month turn around....reckon we'll hear something by end of April.

 

Just spoke to my englishman - we're both 'over the waiting' - it's getting boring. I said 'ah well - good things come to those who wait' Well that must make us two a couple of Saints!!!!

 

Hope you're all hanging in there ok just like me! Its soooo nice to know i'm not the only one in this world experiencing the sheer frustration of waiting for a visa stamp.

 

All the best!

 

 

Gwyndra:shocked: (this is me after reading all the posts) ha

 

 

 

 

 

AND Noooooow 30th March 2011 - My englishman received an email from Australia house.....VISA APPROVED!! HOOOOORAYYYYY!!!!! I'm so happy, i'm grinning like an idiot!

 

Congratulations, that's superb news. Fingers crossed that they process the rest of us at that speed (ish)

[Guest Roary]

Hello all

New here but have been reading through this. I am in the process of applying for a 100 (Permanent). Married 7 years to a an AUssie, together for 10, 2 small kids.

 

We are in an odd situation in that when we lived in Australia previously I was on a de facto spouse visa, for which we applied on-shore. It was granted in 2004 but we never converted it to a permanent resident visa because we had moved to the UK. I am assured this won't cause any problems, anyone else been in a similar situation?

 

I also wanted to ask has anyone gotten their visa FASTER than the 5-6 month waiting time? In 2004 when my first visa was granted, it only took 3 months but it was an onshore application. I have a vague sense that if things are extremely straightforward it can go faster, because they won't need to chase things up or to be as heavily convinced. I could be totally wrong though!

 

*MJandmummy* I think the only thing you can do is to write to your case officer the second he/she is assigned, explain the situation, and hope you get someone sympathetic, so they can process it as fast as possible when it comes up in the queue. I hope you put in your stat dec statement about the separation, etc?

[Guest]

Hello all... to give you an update on our progress...

 

We have our application with them... we were asked for Police and Med checks which have now been received and ok'd...

 

Where are we now in the process?? Does this mean they have everything and we now play the waiting game??

 

Our timeline so far is

February 24th: Sent in Forms

March 1st: Payment taken

March 3rd: Requested Meds and Police checks only

March 24th: Everything with DP and no further information required

 

Hopefully that should be it now, but if anyone can let us know what to expect next that would be great.

 

Cheers all and keep the faith!! Toffa

 

Hi Toffa,

 

My app was received in AH on 28th Feb I think. Case officer assigned March 1. March 3 (I think) the case officer requested another police check because the one I gave in will expire end of April this year! There was no other information requested.

 

I can't be 100% certain but from what I have been told on here etc, it's not usual practice for them to request Meds or police checks until such time as they are satisfied that you meet the relationship requirement.

 

My police check was emailed to the case officer over a week ago and the original sent in the post and so far I haven't been asked for any other information!

 

I may be a day or two out with my dates and I don't know exactly what was in the email requesting the police check because we are using an agent.

 

I hope this helps : )

[Guest Toffa]

Hi Toffa,

 

My app was received in AH on 28th Feb I think. Case officer assigned March 1. March 3 (I think) the case officer requested another police check because the one I gave in will expire end of April this year! There was no other information requested.

 

I can't be 100% certain but from what I have been told on here etc, it's not usual practice for them to request Meds or police checks until such time as they are satisfied that you meet the relationship requirement.

 

My police check was emailed to the case officer over a week ago and the original sent in the post and so far I haven't been asked for any other information!

 

I may be a day or two out with my dates and I don't know exactly what was in the email requesting the police check because we are using an agent.

 

I hope this helps : )

 

It does help... So from what we're all saying is now they have told us our relationship has been proven to be genuine and on going... Police and Med checks all with them... the next email we should get is whether we're a yay or neigh...

 

If you're in the same position as we are, we must be close now... Have you done the medical check yet??

 

I'll keep you posted on what we hear next...

 

We didn't use an agent, did it ourselves... don't know if that will slow it down or quicken it up to be honest.

 

Thanks for the message and good luck...

[Guest]

It does help... So from what we're all saying is now they have told us our relationship has been proven to be genuine and on going... Police and Med checks all with them... the next email we should get is whether we're a yay or neigh...

 

If you're in the same position as we are, we must be close now... Have you done the medical check yet??

 

I'll keep you posted on what we hear next...

 

We didn't use an agent, did it ourselves... don't know if that will slow it down or quicken it up to be honest.

 

Thanks for the message and good luck...

 

Yep, it appears that we submitted and were assigned a case officer on the same dates! We submitted full application - meds and police checks frontloaded! (had to provide more recent police cert as explained above)

 

It seems that some people have been given estimated grant dates and others told that they will be waiting the routine 5 - 6 months!

 

Let me know if you have any further correspondence from you case officer...that would be brilliant!

 

Cheers

 

Laura

[Guest mjandmum]

Hello all

New here but have been reading through this. I am in the process of applying for a 100 (Permanent). Married 7 years to a an AUssie, together for 10, 2 small kids.

 

We are in an odd situation in that when we lived in Australia previously I was on a de facto spouse visa, for which we applied on-shore. It was granted in 2004 but we never converted it to a permanent resident visa because we had moved to the UK. I am assured this won't cause any problems, anyone else been in a similar situation?

 

I also wanted to ask has anyone gotten their visa FASTER than the 5-6 month waiting time? In 2004 when my first visa was granted, it only took 3 months but it was an onshore application. I have a vague sense that if things are extremely straightforward it can go faster, because they won't need to chase things up or to be as heavily convinced. I could be totally wrong though!

 

*MJandmummy* I think the only thing you can do is to write to your case officer the second he/she is assigned, explain the situation, and hope you get someone sympathetic, so they can process it as fast as possible when it comes up in the queue. I hope you put in your stat dec statement about the separation, etc?

 

Hi Roary

Yes we put it our statement. And our migration agent promised to stress it in our covering letter too. Things are going from bad to worse now. My 78 yr old father in law is now in the midst of a cancer scare which could just prove the final nail in the coffin literally! My partner and his mum are both worried sick and I'm so far away I can't do anything to help.

Still no news on a case officer and payment was taken on the 18th. I've emailed the migration agent to chase it up for me. We've been away almost a month already and the waiting hasn't even started yet!!!

Fingers crossed yours is quick seeing as they've already granted you one in the past.

[Peach]

I also wanted to ask has anyone gotten their visa FASTER than the 5-6 month waiting time? In 2004 when my first visa was granted, it only took 3 months but it was an onshore application. I have a vague sense that if things are extremely straightforward it can go faster, because they won't need to chase things up or to be as heavily convinced.

 

4 months is considered a record turnaround these days. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme nor reason for the delay. Unfortunately, straightforward cases - such as yours - don't happen any quicker.