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

[koalakate]

Hi we applied on the 18th August and have not heard anything (as of yet). We uploaded lots of evidence- perhaps too much on reflection. I'm worried too and am tempted to email to check if they need anything else. I'll let you know when we hear anything else; CO, medical etc.

 

 

 

Hi everyone,

 

I applied for my 309 spouse visa 4 weeks ago. I've read back quite a few pages and seems people seem to hear back from the case officer approx. 6-8 weeks after lodgement so hopefully not too long until I hear back. I'm anxious that we've done everything correctly so can't wait to hear back. I'm hoping they will just request medicals and police check which I'm assuming should mean they are happy with everything else. We are both British, when I met my husband he was just finalising a permanent visa which he had granted not long after we were together so didn't get the chance to add me on then. We settled into life here for a bit, bought a house, got married and validated his visa on our honeymoon last year but now we've decided we would like to make the move together. We really need to move there before October next year to fulfil his resident return visa requirements however, we'd love to go about May time if we can get the visa in time and the house sold. I really hope it won't go against me that I had a permanent visa to move to Oz with my ex husband but I pulled out of going the last minute as I was getting increasingly unhappy in the relationship. I divorced him and stayed here so the visa lapsed. In the meantime I met my husband! What a wonderful twist of fate that he has a visa so we see it as a sign that it's the right life for us! I have been transparent about all this in the visa application and exactly how everything panned out so we've got everything crossed as now we've made the decision we would be heartbroken not to be able to go!

 

Can I ask who is still waiting for their visa to be approved? I could do with some support as I'm starting to get a bit anxious about it all. I'm hoping a spouse visa is just a formality to check we're a couple. We have a mortgage (1 1/2 years), joint account & are married (just over a year), 2 lovely statements from friends, have written a statement each, added photo's, official docs etc I called Australia House and they actually told me to send less than what I was originally going to send as it was overkill!

 

Looking forward to meeting some people on here - anyone else going to Queensland? :-)

[Alycat]

We applied on the 23rd June, Uploaded all the medicals and police checks on the 17th Sept, so just a waiting game for us now too. I'm very tempted to email them but I'm trying to trust that we are in the queue!

[NikkiLondon]

Hi everyone,

 

I applied for my 309 spouse visa 4 weeks ago. I've read back quite a few pages and seems people seem to hear back from the case officer approx. 6-8 weeks after lodgement so hopefully not too long until I hear back. I'm anxious that we've done everything correctly so can't wait to hear back. I'm hoping they will just request medicals and police check which I'm assuming should mean they are happy with everything else. We are both British, when I met my husband he was just finalising a permanent visa which he had granted not long after we were together so didn't get the chance to add me on then. We settled into life here for a bit, bought a house, got married and validated his visa on our honeymoon last year but now we've decided we would like to make the move together. We really need to move there before October next year to fulfil his resident return visa requirements however, we'd love to go about May time if we can get the visa in time and the house sold. I really hope it won't go against me that I had a permanent visa to move to Oz with my ex husband but I pulled out of going the last minute as I was getting increasingly unhappy in the relationship. I divorced him and stayed here so the visa lapsed. In the meantime I met my husband! What a wonderful twist of fate that he has a visa so we see it as a sign that it's the right life for us! I have been transparent about all this in the visa application and exactly how everything panned out so we've got everything crossed as now we've made the decision we would be heartbroken not to be able to go!

 

Can I ask who is still waiting for their visa to be approved? I could do with some support as I'm starting to get a bit anxious about it all. I'm hoping a spouse visa is just a formality to check we're a couple. We have a mortgage (1 1/2 years), joint account & are married (just over a year), 2 lovely statements from friends, have written a statement each, added photo's, official docs etc I called Australia House and they actually told me to send less than what I was originally going to send as it was overkill!

 

Looking forward to meeting some people on here - anyone else going to Queensland? :-)

 

I'm waiting too- I applied on 27 April and was assigned a case officer on 17 June.

 

The official waiting time as you probably know is 10-14 months for a U.K. Offshore visa. From what I see on this forum and others the average time seems to be about 6 months so fingers crossed I will be granted soon, and you will be able to move in May like you say!

 

The wait is agonising, you have to just try your best to forget about it so you don't go loopy but it's sooooo hard, especially when you're excited and wanting to make plans.

 

I'll be going to Queensland too all being well! My husband is from Brisbane. Whereabouts in Queensland are you going?

 

Good luck with your application, keep us posted on any updates!

 

 

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[carahunter4]

Most people seem to hear in a couple of months so I'm sure you'll hear very soon. I wouldn't worry about too much info, I think the worst that can happen is it takes them a bit longer to look through it all. Your case officer might just have had a holiday so is a bit behind. You could try chasing up and see what they say. Got fingers crossed you hear next week, keep us updated.

 

 

Hi everyone,

 

I applied for my 309 spouse visa 4 weeks ago. I've read back quite a few pages and seems people seem to hear back from the case officer approx. 6-8 weeks after lodgement so hopefully not too long until I hear back. I'm anxious that we've done everything correctly so can't wait to hear back. I'm hoping they will just request medicals and police check which I'm assuming should mean they are happy with everything else. We are both British, when I met my husband he was just finalising a permanent visa which he had granted not long after we were together so didn't get the chance to add me on then. We settled into life here for a bit, bought a house, got married and validated his visa on our honeymoon last year but now we've decided we would like to make the move together. We really need to move there before October next year to fulfil his resident return visa requirements however, we'd love to go about May time if we can get the visa in time and the house sold. I really hope it won't go against me that I had a permanent visa to move to Oz with my ex husband but I pulled out of going the last minute as I was getting increasingly unhappy in the relationship. I divorced him and stayed here so the visa lapsed. In the meantime I met my husband! What a wonderful twist of fate that he has a visa so we see it as a sign that it's the right life for us! I have been transparent about all this in the visa application and exactly how everything panned out so we've got everything crossed as now we've made the decision we would be heartbroken not to be able to go!

 

Can I ask who is still waiting for their visa to be approved? I could do with some support as I'm starting to get a bit anxious about it all. I'm hoping a spouse visa is just a formality to check we're a couple. We have a mortgage (1 1/2 years), joint account & are married (just over a year), 2 lovely statements from friends, have written a statement each, added photo's, official docs etc I called Australia House and they actually told me to send less than what I was originally going to send as it was overkill!

 

Looking forward to meeting some people on here - anyone else going to Queensland? :-)

[carahunter4]

The waiting is so difficult but you're a good way through the process now, it might take another couple of months though as the average seems to be about 6 months. Fingers crossed you get it approved before Christmas! When are you planning on moving and have you started organising yet?

 

 

We applied on the 23rd June, Uploaded all the medicals and police checks on the 17th Sept, so just a waiting game for us now too. I'm very tempted to email them but I'm trying to trust that we are in the queue!

[Nifa77]

The waiting is so difficult but you're a good way through the process now, it might take another couple of months though as the average seems to be about 6 months. Fingers crossed you get it approved before Christmas! When are you planning on moving and have you started organising yet?

@carahunter4 @NikkiLondon

we are hoping to go in February, if our visa is granted. We are going to stay with my cousin in Caboolture which is north of Brisbane but eventually we want to be living in the Sunshine Coast. We have already started some organing in the hope that our visa will come through soon, the waiting game is an excited but anxious one.

[carahunter4]

Hi,

 

You will hear any day now then I'd imagine - how exciting! When are you planning on moving? We're not sure where we're going yet, it depends where my husband gets work, he's looking for estimating or project managing. Ideally we'd like to be by the beach but it's something we need to look into properly when we get there before we buy somewhere. Are you from central London? We're from West Sussex and are used to living by the sea.

 

yes the wait is agonising, I'm just trying to keep busy and stay positive and calm about it all. I just can't wait to hear form a case officer and hope they only ask for police and medical checks and the rest of the info is all ok.

 

They have changed the processing times on immi.gov to aiming at 5 months from date of lodgement to visa grant so fingers crossed they are speeding up a bit. I also read on here that once they've done their bit in the UK they have to send it to the Australian High commission to approve which seems to take it's time - that must be the bit you're waiting for.

 

 

I'm waiting too- I applied on 27 April and was assigned a case officer on 17 June.

 

The official waiting time as you probably know is 10-14 months for a U.K. Offshore visa. From what I see on this forum and others the average time seems to be about 6 months so fingers crossed I will be granted soon, and you will be able to move in May like you say!

 

The wait is agonising, you have to just try your best to forget about it so you don't go loopy but it's sooooo hard, especially when you're excited and wanting to make plans.

 

I'll be going to Queensland too all being well! My husband is from Brisbane. Whereabouts in Queensland are you going?

 

Good luck with your application, keep us posted on any updates!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[carahunter4]

**** This message was supposed to reply to Koalakate ****

 

 

Most people seem to hear in a couple of months so I'm sure you'll hear very soon. I wouldn't worry about too much info, I think the worst that can happen is it takes them a bit longer to look through it all. Your case officer might just have had a holiday so is a bit behind. You could try chasing up and see what they say. Got fingers crossed you hear next week, keep us updated.

[carahunter4]

Fingers crossed it shouldn't be too long for you now, it's great that you've got family to stay with to get you started. We didn't have tome to go to the sunshine coast when we went there last year but we've heard it's amazing. We just can't wait to explore the whole area more :-)

 

 

@carahunter4 @NikkiLondon

we are hoping to go in February, if our visa is granted. We are going to stay with my cousin in Caboolture which is north of Brisbane but eventually we want to be living in the Sunshine Coast. We have already started some organing in the hope that our visa will come through soon, the waiting game is an excited but anxious one.

[Nemesis]

They have changed the processing times on immi.gov to aiming at 5 months from date of lodgement to visa grant so fingers crossed they are speeding up a bit. I also read on here that once they've done their bit in the UK they have to send it to the Australian High commission to approve which seems to take it's time - that must be the bit you're waiting for.

 

Five months!! How on earth are they going to achieve that with the current backlog?!

[Nifa77]

Fingers crossed it shouldn't be too long for you now, it's great that you've got family to stay with to get you started. We didn't have tome to go to the sunshine coast when we went there last year but we've heard it's amazing. We just can't wait to explore the whole area more :-)

 

Im originally from Adelaide, but job prospects look better in Queensland. It's a huge relief that we can stay with family, we're hoping to do a bit of exploring first and have some adventures, although we will have to get our girls into school. Where about are you looking to go in Oz?

[koalakate]

**** This message was supposed to reply to Koalakate ****

Yes, that's the main reason why I am worried as most people seem to have had a case officer assigned within 6-8 weeks of late. I'll wait a little longer and then I might call them. I'm off to the London Embassy tomorrow to lodge my son's Australian passport application (my son is not from my current marriage but is a citizen by descent). Maybe this adds a layer of complexity?? Who knows! I'll definitely let you know when we hear anything.

[carahunter4]

Low risk partner visa's are priority 1 out of 4 categories.

 

http://www.border.gov.au/about/access-accountability/service-standards/family-visa-processing-times

 

 

 

Five months!! How on earth are they going to achieve that with the current backlog?!

[carahunter4]

We want to move to Brisbane but not sure where yet until we start looking for work but it's a bit son for that as only lodged my visa 1 month ago and we'll have to sell the house. We're just slowly starting to do a bit of organising to be prepared as possible when the time comes. The dog has had her rabies jab (can't travel for at least 7 months after) and we're getting shipping quotes. So exciting but I'm trying chill about it all at least until I hear from our case officer. We absolutely loved Queensland when we went out last year but only had a week there as went to Melbourne & Sydney too.

 

Im originally from Adelaide, but job prospects look better in Queensland. It's a huge relief that we can stay with family, we're hoping to do a bit of exploring first and have some adventures, although we will have to get our girls into school. Where about are you looking to go in Oz?

[carahunter4]

It could just be taking them a little longer to process your application if it's a bit complicated, try not to worry (easier said than done I know) - it wouldn't hurt to call them though. I really hope you hear some good news this week. Where and when are you moving to Aus?

 

Yes, that's the main reason why I am worried as most people seem to have had a case officer assigned within 6-8 weeks of late. I'll wait a little longer and then I might call them. I'm off to the London Embassy tomorrow to lodge my son's Australian passport application (my son is not from my current marriage but is a citizen by descent). Maybe this adds a layer of complexity?? Who knows! I'll definitely let you know when we hear anything.

[Alycat]

The waiting is so difficult but you're a good way through the process now, it might take another couple of months though as the average seems to be about 6 months. Fingers crossed you get it approved before Christmas! When are you planning on moving and have you started organising yet?

 

Yes I hope so before Christmas!

 

We've started getting our cats ready, we have the blood test this week so hoping they will pass and then hoping to leave the UK as soon as they can fly (about May) *fingers crossed!*

[koalakate]

We will move after my son finishes his GCSE'S next July. He's really excited about going to college and hopefully University over there. We can't wait to hear some news so we can start to think and plan in more detail. We will move to Melbourne (where I was brought up and have family). I think it's the Visa 100's that are being processed particularly quickly. I don't think we will qualify for that, but not 100% sure.

[Alycat]

They have changed the processing times on immi.gov to aiming at 5 months from date of lodgement to visa grant so fingers crossed they are speeding up a bit.

 

 

this is the best thing I have read all day!!

[Alycat]

I just had a look on the border.gov.au site and it's 5 months for low risk from the date of receiving your COMPLETED application. Guessing I won't hear back till Feb next year

[Nifa77]

We want to move to Brisbane but not sure where yet until we start looking for work but it's a bit son for that as only lodged my visa 1 month ago and we'll have to sell the house. We're just slowly starting to do a bit of organising to be prepared as possible when the time comes. The dog has had her rabies jab (can't travel for at least 7 months after) and we're getting shipping quotes. So exciting but I'm trying chill about it all at least until I hear from our case officer. We absolutely loved Queensland when we went out last year but only had a week there as went to Melbourne & Sydney too.

@carahunter4

we found out this week our dog has passed his rabies blood test, so he is eligible to fly from March 2017. We are going ahead of him to settle in. Our house is going on the market next month, so hopefully we will have everything wrapped up by end of Jan. I need to start getting shipping quotes, so that's next on my list!

[NikkiLondon]

@carahunter4 We're not sure when we're moving, it depends on when we get the visa and we then have to work out our notice and get everything ready. Hopefully February or March, so at a similar time to you!

 

Yes we're in central(ish) london. Can't wait for a change of pace!

 

Re the processing times - the border.gov.au site has been saying 5 months for ages, I think they don't update it. The uk site still says 10-14 unfortunately - http://uk.embassy.gov.au/lhlh/immi_processing_times.html - and that's what my case officer email said too. That said I've seen grants on this forum and others at 6/7 months (both 309 and 100). So I think we have to prepare ourselves for a long stretch and we may get a lovely surprise a bit earlier!

@Alycat I believe by completed application they mean your initial application, so for you the count would be from 23 June (rather than from when you submitted your medicals etc)

 

 

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[Nemesis]

Low risk partner visa's are priority 1 out of 4 categories.

 

http://www.border.gov.au/about/access-accountability/service-standards/family-visa-processing-times

 

And they were the same when it was taking 12-15 months to grant and the website said 5 (ie last week). To be honest I wouldn't be relying on 5 months until we see some grants come through that quick......if they have suddenly gone to 5 months there should be a mountain of granted posts any day.

Edited October 24, 2016 by Nemesis

[Alycat]

@Alycat I believe by completed application they mean your initial application, so for you the count would be from 23 June (rather than from when you submitted your medicals etc)

 

 

thanks for clarifying:)

[carahunter4]

Thanks for the info, well most people on here that are low risk seem to be getting their visa's 6-8 months so fingers crossed it's not longer than that. I've seen a high risk thread where they are having interviews and they seem to be taking around 12 months. It does say that low risk is higher priority and it doesn't differentiate them on the UK website so perhaps that's why a lot are coming through quicker. The most frustrating thing is not being able to plan when we can go! Well I'm at the beginning of the journey, only a month in so I need to just keep busy and not get too carried away with it all! Not easy though as we're so excited about going!

 

It's great to have the support on here and I'm looking forward to hearing peoples updates. Good luck everyone!

[NikkiLondon]

Thanks @carahunter4 , you too! X

 

 

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