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

[Guest sr1992]

Hello, if you are like me and interested in how long it is taking the high commission in London to process applications for Spouse, Defacto and interdependency (Subclass 309 via the 47SP application), then please add your details to this thread.

12weeks is their standard quoted time but it seems some are granted much faster, especially if front loaded (Medicals and police checks completed prior to submission).

 

Please add your details if you submitted a 47sp Application for Subclass 309 Spouse visa, including the following information:

 

Application Submitted:

Case Officer (C/O) Email:

Visa Granted:

Please also include any additional information, like if you front loaded your application (ie, included your police checks and medicals), and also any additional information that may be useful (like if you were asked to complete an 80 form, if and what type of interview was required). If there is a better thread out there on this topic, Please paste a link to it..

 

Here is a short history I have gathered so far: (Sorry If I missed yours! Please add, I will Edit the Post so the list below is always comprehesive.)

 

 

APPLICATIONS IN PROCESS:

 

 

 

30th April: Sent Application (Frontloaded with 80 form).

6th May: We have had no news yet

 

30th April - Visa application sent (spouse visa 309)

5th May - Money taken from account

11th May - Email from C/O asking for further information (Police Check & ID card) Sent UK police check and form 80 also.

 

25/4 - App Sent Front Loaded

27/4 - Payment Taken

6/5 - Email from CO stating application and that processing times are currently 3 - 4 months

 

24th April: Sent application

24th April:Medical done 24th April, should be sent on 29th April, police checks almost ready, will send by first week of May 2009

28th April: payment taken

11th may: contacted by c/o, requested to send police certs and form 80, 11th may

13th may sent police certs and form 80

 

17th April sent 309: (front loaded with meds and police checks)

20th April: Received and payment taken:

23th April:CO contact requesting more evidence

27th April: Further evidence sent

29th April: CO requested further evidence

9th May: Further evidence sent

13th May: CO contact stating enough evidence and requesting phone interview:

18th May: Phone interview arranged

 

Submitted 15th April

CO on the 17th with the standard letter, & requested further information which all in all we managed to provide by the 24th April.

On the 24th we had an interview where our CO said he would be approving the application we just needed to get the police checks.

On the 24th i also asked about the processing times and he said average was 4-12 weeks. The police checks were sent off and received on the 28th April and since then we have not heard anything further from the CO.

 

 

Spouse visa application and police check sent 21.1.09...

c/o contact 30.1.09...medical done 6.2.09.....and still waiting...

 

COMPLETED SUCCESSFUL APPLICATIONS:

(Post Creator - SR1992s timeline)

3rd April 2009: Sent Application for Spouse Visa subclass 309, using forms 47SP and 40SP (Fully front Loaded wtih PCs and Meds)

6th April 2009: C/O Replied & Payment taken

7th May: Got impatient and Phoned CO to check if more info is required, no information given other than standard line "3-4months processing time due to backlog of applications".

15 May: email from CO stating that the 309 was approved. No additional information or interview was requested.

 

9th April - sent Spouse visa application via registered mail from Ireland (We frontloaded with meds & police checks (no form 80).)

14th April - application received in London

15th April - money taken out of account

20th April - received photos back in the mail

5th May - rang Aus House, as we've had no confirmation of receipt (supposed to confirm within 3 weeks of receipt of application). The lovely lady said our application was with a case officer and we should hear something soon!

it was actually approved on 16th April - we just never received the email to say so

 

 

Defacto App sent 2nd March 09,

C/O contact 18th March 09,

VISA GRANTED!! 20th March 09

 

Sent the app on 26th Feb, 09

Visa granted 19th March 09

 

Date lodged: 9th November 2008

Case Officer Allocated: 18th November 2008

Sent Form 80, medicals & police certificate; 15th Dec 2008

VISA GRANTED: 19th January 2009

 

309 Visa sent 17/10/08,

Email from CO 3/11,

more info requested 13/11,

sent back 28/11, phone ints 12/12 & 05/01,

VISA GRANTED 09/01/09!

Spouse Visa Application posted 8/11/08

Meds done 8/12/08

Visa granted 15/12/08

 

Lodged application 12th September 2008,

C/O replied 14th Sept 09,

Telephone interview 16th September

Visa granted 19th September 2009

 

June 11th 2008 - Sent off visa application!

June 18th 2008 - Request for further docs & form 80

July 2nd 2008 - Granted Spouse Visa!

 

 

Defacto visa submitted 21.05.08 frontloaded Police checks

Payment taken 22.05.08 Meds done 23.05.08

VISA GRANTED 17.06.08

 

 

 

 

application sent 14/04/08,

payment taken 16/04/08,

CO assigned 21/04/08,

police & meds requested 21/04/08,

police cert sent 06/05/08,

meds sent 15/05/08,

VISA GRANTED 21/05/08

 

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

[Guest tomo66]

Hello, if you are like me and interested in how long it is taking the high commission in London to process applications for Spouse, Defacto and interdependency (Subclass 309 via the 47SP application), then please add your details to this thread.

12weeks is their standard quoted time but it seems some are granted much faster, especially if front loaded (Medicals and police checks completed prior to submission).

 

Please add your details if you submitted a 47sp Application for Subclass 309 Spouse visa, including the following information:

 

Application Submitted:

Case Officer (C/O) Email:

Visa Granted:

Please also include any additional information, like if you front loaded your application (ie, included your police checks and medicals), and also any additional information that may be useful (like if you were asked to complete an 80 form, if and what type of interview was required). If there is a better thread out there on this topic, Please paste a link to it..

 

Here is a short history I have gathered so far: (Sorry If I missed yours! Please add)

 

COMPLETED SUCCESSFUL APPLICATIONS:

 

Defacto App sent 2nd March 09,

C/O contact 18th March 09,

VISA GRANTED!! 20th March 09

 

Sent the app on 26th Feb, 09

Visa granted 19th March 09

 

Date lodged: 9th November 2008

Case Officer Allocated: 18th November 2008

Sent Form 80, medicals & police certificate; 15th Dec 2008

VISA GRANTED: 19th January 2009

 

309 Visa sent 17/10/08,

Email from CO 3/11,

more info requested 13/11,

sent back 28/11, phone ints 12/12 & 05/01,

VISA GRANTED 09/01/09!

 

Spouse Visa Application posted 8/11/08

Meds done 8/12/08

Visa granted 15/12/08

 

Lodged application 12th September 2008,

C/O replied 14th Sept 09,

Telephone interview 16th September

Visa granted 19th September 2009

 

June 11th 2008 - Sent off visa application!

June 18th 2008 - Request for further docs & form 80

July 2nd 2008 - Granted Spouse Visa!

 

 

Defacto visa submitted 21.05.08 frontloaded Police checks

Payment taken 22.05.08 Meds done 23.05.08

VISA GRANTED 17.06.08

 

 

 

 

application sent 14/04/08,

payment taken 16/04/08,

CO assigned 21/04/08,

police & meds requested 21/04/08,

police cert sent 06/05/08,

meds sent 15/05/08,

VISA GRANTED 21/05/08

 

 

 

 

APPLICATIONS IN PROCESS:

 

 

 

Sent Application 3rd April 2009 (Fully front Loaded wtih PCs and Meds)

C/O Replied & Payment taken 6th April 2009

Patiently waiting...

 

Spouse visa application and police check sent 21.1.09...

c/o contact 30.1.09...medical done 6.2.09.....and still waiting...

 

Cheers!

Sent application 24th April

done medical on the 24th April, should be sent on 29th April, police checks almost ready, will send by first week of May 2009

payment taken on the 28th April

now I am waiting for C/O to respond for further progress

[BuddysMum 733]

Posted the forms 8/11/08

Meds done 8/12/08

PR granted 15/12/08

 

We didn't front load the meds as we had no idea how long it would all take and weren't in any hurry anyway.

[Guest becandtarso]

We applied on 30th April with the health checks, forms including 80, and the UK police check, we will send the Brazilian police check when we receive it.

We have had no news yet (6th May)

We are married with a 7 month daughter

[bubba911 12]

Our (very short) timeline is below:

 

25/4 - App Sent Front Loaded

27/4 - Payment Taken

6/5 - Email from CO stating application and that processing times are currently 3 - 4 months.

 

We are married with a 16 month old son!

[Guest irish ozie gang]

Our timeline so far:

 

9th April - sent Spouse visa application via registered mail from Ireland

14th April - application received in London

15th April - money taken out of account

20th April - received photos back in the mail

5th May - rang Aus House, as we've had no confirmation of receipt (supposed to confirm within 3 weeks of receipt of application). The lovely lady said our application was with a case officer and we should hear something soon!

 

We frontloaded with meds & police checks (no form 80). We're hoping that because we haven't heard anything so far, we have submitted enough info for them to make a decision (hope I'm not jinxing anything here.....)

 

Good luck to all. :biggrin:

[Guest christinenpete]

This is a great idea, thanks for all the info it will come in handy for us and loads of others in the future I'm sure :0)

[Guest Ozplorers]

20/4 - sent off application (frontloaded).

21/4 - money taken

27/4 - email from C/O confirming receipt of application

29/4 - received all the evidence we'd sent back in the post

05/5 - phoned C/O who infromed they didn't require anything else but there was a backlog of apps and it could take 3 months to hear.

[Guest sr1992]

Hi, when you say "received all the evidence we'd sent back in the post", what exatly did they send you back?? Also, where did you lodge your application? UK I assume.

[Guest Ozplorers]

Yes we've lodged our app in the UK.

 

By 'evidence' i mean all the banks statements, bills, letters, cards etc. we sent as evidence of our relationship

[Guest becandtarso]

Update Rebecca & Tarso

30th April - Visa application sent (spouse visa 309)

5th May - Money taken from account

11th May - Email from C/O asking for further information (Brazilian Police Check & Brazilian ID card, which are arriving in the post, we will send these at the end of week.) We had included the UK Police check and medical and form 80.

 

We are really hoping that the visa comes back soon as my daughter & I have booked our flight for the 5th of June...............good luck to all.

[bubba911 12]

Update Rebecca & Tarso

30th April - Visa application sent (spouse visa 309)

5th May - Money taken from account

11th May - Email from C/O asking for further information (Brazilian Police Check & Brazilian ID card, which are arriving in the post, we will send these at the end of week.) We had included the UK Police check and medical and form 80.

 

We are really hoping that the visa comes back soon as my daughter & I have booked our flight for the 5th of June...............good luck to all.

 

Was the email from the C/O yesterday the first contact that you had from them or did you get the standard email acknowledging receipt and stating the usual '3 - 4 months' processing time?

 

 

B.

[Guest becandtarso]

Hiya Bubba - Email was first contact, I can't remember what it said about 3 to 4 months - but it was requesting further information. Did I say that we lodged in UK? How is yor application going?

[bubba911 12]

Hiya Bubba - Email was first contact, I can't remember what it said about 3 to 4 months - but it was requesting further information. Did I say that we lodged in UK? How is yor application going?

 

 

We lodged in the UK too. Haven't heard anything other than acknowledgment. :swoon:

[Guest tomo66]

contacted by c/o 11th may

requested to send police certs and form 80, 11th may

13th may sent police certs and form 80:wink:

feeling positive, get a result by early june, I reckon

[Guest tomo66]

Hey there, this is Tomo, we are doing spouse visa also.

just wondering, does the the Brazilian have British citizenship as well as being from Brazil? Could have some bearing on things. We lodged same time as you and my wife needed police check from UK and Georgia, she is Georgian but has British citizenship now, we have just sent back our police checks(both countries) and form 80.

And also you may be cutting it fine booking a flight so soon on the 5th of June, good luck though, that is when we hope to get ours granted also:smile:

[Guest becandtarso]

Hi Tomo66, no my husband has only Brazilian citizenship. We have been asked for further information from the case officer, she asked for the Brazilian Police check, which we now have, just have to get translated and send it to her, and 2 types of Brazilian ID cards, we didn't know we had to send these as on the application form it said (if applicable) so we didnt send them, these are in Brazil so we will have to get them sent to the UK, it will add some time onto our application. When I spoke to C/O on Tuesday I asked how long the process would be..............she said the 3 months!! Ah, how annoying. That means myself and our daughter will be heading off earlier and the hubby will follow.

Keep us up to date with your progess, thanks

[Guest sr1992]

Becandtarso,

I hope your ticket is flexible!? We submitted beg April (Assuming like you that it would be turned around in about 4 weeks like all the other applicatons Jan-March 2009... But something seems to have happened at the end of March, and its taking longer.

I have not yet seen any posts relating to Apr applications being approved, thats why I created this post, so we can all help each other "estimate" processing times and plan our lives accordingly... All the best, I sincerely hope you get a speedy turnaround, and can make your June 5 departure!

S

[Guest tomo66]

hey they bec and tarso,

 

i really hope they start approving some apps soon, then we can get something to gage the waiting time, because right now its impossible to work out, in your reply email did they say that they aim to finalise the visa as soon as possible before saying the usual 3-4 month wait?

just wondering if that was a standard quote or if they really do aim to finalise my app as soon as possible, thanks appreciate any input,

Tomo

[Guest Ozplorers]

We had the same line in our email

 

"aim to finalise the visa as soon as possible"

 

We've heard nothing since 27th April.

[Guest becandtarso]

Our case officer said that they will process applications in the order they arrive, I was a bit unsure what this means, ie does it means that those which are front loaded will sit behind those that are not front loaded, I tell you its giving us a head ache. Good luck to you Tomo, I'm sure that it will be all worth it!! Let us know if you get any further information.

[bubba911 12]

I am sure it is a completely standard email. Ours said:

 

I am writing to confirm receipt of your migrant visa application and to advise you of your file reference number (shown above).

 

It is essential that you quote your file reference number in full and my name in future when corresponding with this office about this visa application via any medium, ie letter, facsimile, e-mail or telephone.

 

I aim to finalise the processing of your visa application as quickly as possible. During this period, it is important that you contact me to advise of any change in your personal circumstances that may affect your application (such as travel to Australia, pregnancy, a change of marital status or a change of address).

 

As a guideline for yourself, average processing times for Family Migration visas at the Australian High Commission London are approximately 3 to 4 months, regardless of whether all documents have been received. This timeframe will vary however with each individual application depending on various factors including the complexity of the application and the workload of the office. We therefore recommend that you do not take any irreversible action during the processing of your application (such as leaving your employment, purchasing airline tickets, or selling your property) until and unless it has been confirmed in writing that your visa has been granted.

 

I would also like to take this opportunity to advise you that, if we confirm in writing that your visa application has been approved, you will be required to enter Australia by a particular date, known as the ‘initial entry date’. This date will be linked to the expiry of your health and character clearances, which are usually valid for 12 months. The requirement to enter Australia by a particular date does not mean that a person is required to stay in Australia following initial entry. Therefore, if a visa is granted to you and you are not able to migrate wholly to Australia by your initial entry date because, for example, you need to sell your house, you must still enter Australia by the initial entry date. You can then depart and return to Australia at a later date, so long as your visa is multiple entry and is still valid. However, if a visa is granted to you and you do not enter Australia by the initial entry date, you will have breached a condition of your visa and your visa will be liable for cancellation.

 

If you have sent your documents to the office via special delivery or registered mail, you can confirm receipt of this at the office through the Royal Mail website (http://www.royalmail.com/portal). We aim to action all mail received within 10 working days of receipt.

 

Kind regards,

[Guest tomo66]

27th april is not that long ago, so you never no, thanks, I still am curious as to whether that "we aim to finalise" is standard for everyone or whether it is said to a select few, can any one else back this up?

[Guest Ozplorers]

Ours was the same, except rather than:

 

'regardless of whether all documents have been received'

 

we had:'due to our current workloads'

[bubba911 12]

Ours was the same, except rather than:

 

'regardless of whether all documents have been received'

 

we had:'due to our current workloads'

 

Thats interesting @Ozplorers as my application, like yours was frontloaded. Oh well, patience I guess.

 

We need our house to sell anyway. No viewers yet!