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

[Guest guest72634]

Did anyone have VF as there case officer!

 

I have VF. Doesn't seem many people on here have her. Was there a particular reason why

you wanted to know?

[Kayla]

VISA GRANTED ON 02/10

 

I am sooo happy right now. Our flight to Sydney is on the 21st and I just heard from someone there that it's already really warm there.

Can't wait to get off the plane!

 

Good luck to everyone who is still waiting. Trust me this feeling is worth the wait!!!

[ren ren]

Congrats on your visa Kayla, when did you apply?

 

VISA GRANTED ON 02/10

 

I am sooo happy right now. Our flight to Sydney is on the 21st and I just heard from someone there that it's already really warm there.

Can't wait to get off the plane!

 

Good luck to everyone who is still waiting. Trust me this feeling is worth the wait!!!

[Kayla]

Congrats on your visa Kayla, when did you apply?

 

I applied on 12th April, waiting time was 5.5 months. I emailed my CO a couple of weeks ago with my flight details

and she approved it this week. Happy Days!

[mng75]

Ming75 who is you case officer?

 

MT is our CO.

 

SarahRob198, good luck!

[Sticks]

I have VF. Doesn't seem many people on here have her. Was there a particular reason why

you wanted to know?

It's just that i have emailed a few times with no reply! due to the fact i have to supply more info.

[Guest ayeshaw99]

hi people could you help me out please, it's been 5 months since i have put my case on and have not heard anything yet..

[Guest GeorgeD]

hi people could you help me out please, it's been 5 months since i have put my case on and have not heard anything yet..

 

Did you apply offshore in the UK? Have you been allocated a Case Officer? If not, then you have a problem, this normally happens within the first 7-10 days. If you do have a CO and haven't heard anything since being allocated, then they probably don't need any more info from you, so you might not hear from them untill your visa is granted! Do you have a clear cut situation with lots of evidence? If so, then they don't need any more from you.

[kaoticturtle]

Hi everyone!

 

I've got a question for those of you who are slightly further through the process than I am. How long was it from when you completed your medicals to being told that it was all clear? I did my medical at the end of August (5 weeks ago) but I haven't heard anything from my case officer to tell me that he has received them.

 

Last week I tried asking my case officer whether he had received my police certificate (it was a week after i had posted it so I didn't feel it was unreasonably early to ask) and I got a very short, very unhelpful response saying that he would be going through his mail in the next few days and if I had sent it next day delivery I should check with royal mail. If possible, I think he used even less words that I have there and I definitely got the "go away and don't dare to bother me again vibe"! I responded to say that I had sent it first class as I couldn't get to the post office so I would appreciate it if he could let me know once he had been through his mail. I've had zero further contact from him in the week and a half since but yesterday the certificate turned up back here and it has been stamped as received so I guess he did get it. He was so unfriendly though that I'm a bit scared of asking any more questions unless I absolutely have to! I was a bit annoyed actually. I know that their job isn't to answer questions about your application progress or offer advice, but I didn't think questions about whether they have received requested documents was unreasonable!

 

So, did you hear anything official from your case officer following your medical and if so, how long did it take? Also, I keep reading about a "no further information required" letter - or at least I think I have. Does everyone receive this and is this the way that you know your medical has passed? I think I'm starting to panic because 5 weeks seems like an awfully long time...

 

Thank you all!

KT

[Guest guest72634]

Hi everyone!

 

 

I've got a question for those of you who are slightly further through the process than I am. How long was it from when you completed your medicals to being told that it was all clear? I did my medical at the end of August (5 weeks ago) but I haven't heard anything from my case officer to tell me that he has received them.

 

Last week I tried asking my case officer whether he had received my police certificate (it was a week after i had posted it so I didn't feel it was unreasonably early to ask) and I got a very short, very unhelpful response saying that he would be going through his mail in the next few days and if I had sent it next day delivery I should check with royal mail. If possible, I think he used even less words that I have there and I definitely got the "go away and don't dare to bother me again vibe"! I responded to say that I had sent it first class as I couldn't get to the post office so I would appreciate it if he could let me know once he had been through his mail. I've had zero further contact from him in the week and a half since but yesterday the certificate turned up back here and it has been stamped as received so I guess he did get it. He was so unfriendly though that I'm a bit scared of asking any more questions unless I absolutely have to! I was a bit annoyed actually. I know that their job isn't to answer questions about your application progress or offer advice, but I didn't think questions about whether they have received requested documents was unreasonable!

 

So, did you hear anything official from your case officer following your medical and if so, how long did it take? Also, I keep reading about a "no further information required" letter - or at least I think I have. Does everyone receive this and is this the way that you know your medical has passed? I think I'm starting to panic because 5 weeks seems like an awfully long time...

 

Thank you all!

KT

 

You CO doesn't sound very nice. Mine has been very helpful all the time. She has always replied to emails the next day. As for your medical, The doctor who done mine said if I didn't hear anything by the following week then it was all clear. Hope that helps.

[Guest guest76950]

Hi there

iv just joined the club sent off my off shore partner visa last week to australia house just wondering if i get the go ahead can i go to sydney on a tourist visa in december and be with my australian girl friend and wait 4 it there?

Thanks dean

[Guest GeorgeD]

You can go to Oz on a tourist visa while you wait. I did this, but you must abide by the rules of your tourist visa...like only being allowed to stay for 3 months on the eVisitor visa, and no work allowed. You also need to be offshore when the visa is granted, so you can't apply offshore and be in Oz at grant time.

[Guest guest76950]

Thanks george

Can i wait untill the they tell me the visa is granted in oz then fly to new zealand and come straight back in if not how would i no wen they are going to grant me the visa so i could be out of the oz

thanks again

[raeoni83]

Hey

 

Me and my partner are in the same situation as you - he is Irish and applying for 309 offshore.

 

We are flying to Oz with or without the partner visa, just make sure your CO is aware of your plans and they are "supposed" to warn you that your visa is about to be issued so you have time to fly out of Oz. From my explorations on the internet about the same issue, people tend to do a Bali or NZ run (i.e. take a week's holiday) when they get that communication from their CO and then upon their return to Oz they're good to go...

 

At least i hope to god that is how it works because it's too late for us to back out now!

[Guest jemma liverpool]

Hi All, Had my leaving party on Friday even though i was still waiting for my visa, Checked my emails this morning and it has been granted. Im over the moon, just looking for flights now for Melbourne. It was such a shock as i wasnt execting it until late October.

 

Lodged Subclass 309 Visa: 02/05/2012

Assigned CO (AB) : 15/05/2012

Police check: approved

Medical : approved

Visa status: GRANTED 08/10/2012

 

Good luck to everyone whos still waiting. All the stress is worth it! Mine took just over 5 months xxxxxx

[Guest guest76950]

Hey raeoni

hope all goes well 4 u looking at wot u said il prob do the same im just at the start of my app

[Mum of 5]

Hi everyone!

 

I've got a question for those of you who are slightly further through the process than I am. How long was it from when you completed your medicals to being told that it was all clear? I did my medical at the end of August (5 weeks ago) but I haven't heard anything from my case officer to tell me that he has received them.

 

 

So, did you hear anything official from your case officer following your medical and if so, how long did it take? Also, I keep reading about a "no further information required" letter - or at least I think I have. Does everyone receive this and is this the way that you know your medical has passed? I think I'm starting to panic because 5 weeks seems like an awfully long time...

 

Thank you all!

KT

 

We applied mid June, CO was appointed on 20th June, Medical was completed on 29th June, Police cert sent around July 10th.

We got our 'no further info required letter' on 17 July. We were never told if OH had 'passed' the medical or police check, but we weren't asked for any further info or clarification on anything, so taking it to mean he passed. Now all we have to do is wait.

 

best of luck with the wait

[kaoticturtle]

You CO doesn't sound very nice. Mine has been very helpful all the time. She has always replied to emails the next day. As for your medical, The doctor who done mine said if I didn't hear anything by the following week then it was all clear. Hope that helps.

 

Thank you for this - it reassures me that the medical was ok given that I haven't heard anything. I know that I passed everything on the day so it would only be the blood test or the chest x-ray that could have thrown a spanner in the works. For both of those, I would imagine that they would let me know if something was found so at least I know the timescale is a week or two for that

 

We applied mid June, CO was appointed on 20th June, Medical was completed on 29th June, Police cert sent around July 10th.

We got our 'no further info required letter' on 17 July. We were never told if OH had 'passed' the medical or police check, but we weren't asked for any further info or clarification on anything, so taking it to mean he passed. Now all we have to do is wait.

 

best of luck with the wait

 

Unfortunately this doesn't reassure me! I had my medical on the 30th of August and my police certificate was stamped as received on the 19th of September so its now nearly 3 weeks later...

 

Hmm...I'll give him another few days and then email him later in the week if I still haven't heard anything. I'm soo envious of everyone else's friendly and helpful case officers!!!

[littlekitty]

When did people start being told 8-9 months wait time? I am part of the "8-9ers" group and would love to know who else is in this club but who applied before me (before Sept) so I can stalk their progress! haha!

Also, when people say their 'estimated grant date' is say, "end of October" are you guys predicting that date because its between the 5-6 month mark? Or are you basing it on the latter date of 6 months?

 

PS - Waiting for the 'no further info required' letter as fiance has done medicals, police checks etc. so glad thats out of the way!!! ....Plus I'm England-bound for a romantic Yorkshire getaway in Nov and am glad we wont be discussing visa details on the trip!

[Guest GeorgeD]

Thanks george

Can i wait untill the they tell me the visa is granted in oz then fly to new zealand and come straight back in if not how would i no wen they are going to grant me the visa so i could be out of the oz

thanks again

 

Nope, you have to be out of Oz when the visa is granted, otherwise it could be invalid and it all goes horribly wrong! The way is usually works is you keep in touch with your CO and make sure they know you are in Oz. As you get closer to the expected timescale of grant your CO has told you, you contact them to confirm you are still in Oz...ask for a grant date so you can plan a trip overseas. If your visa is ready to be granted in the near future, they should be able to give you an exact date of grant so you can book a trip. This is all how it seems to work for most people. Agents on here will be quick to point out that COs actually have no legal obligation to tell you when your visa will be granted...and could easily grant an Offshore Visa when you are Onshore. This isn't a problem for them, but is for you as you have not complied with the conditions of the visa, making it invalid. Hence the reason for you to keep in touch with your CO advising of travel plans.

 

When it comes to doing the trip to NZ, Bali or anywhere else outside of Oz, some people have gone for a day, or even a few hours, landed in NZ, turned round and come back. I always think this is risky...what if your CO doesn't grant it at the right day or time as agreed??? What if they are off sick? What if they have IT system problems that day? I would be looking to stay out for 3-4 days minimum just to be on the safe side. If you return to Oz and they haven't processed your 309 visa, that's your problem, not theirs.

[Guest GeorgeD]

When did people start being told 8-9 months wait time? I am part of the "8-9ers" group and would love to know who else is in this club but who applied before me (before Sept) so I can stalk their progress! haha!

Also, when people say their 'estimated grant date' is say, "end of October" are you guys predicting that date because its between the 5-6 month mark? Or are you basing it on the latter date of 6 months?

 

PS - Waiting for the 'no further info required' letter as fiance has done medicals, police checks etc. so glad thats out of the way!!! ....Plus I'm England-bound for a romantic Yorkshire getaway in Nov and am glad we wont be discussing visa details on the trip!

 

I always went with the later date. Mine was granted just on the outside limit of the timescales published at the time. I daresay they have targets to meet and really try very hard to keep within those timescales...however you may find that they can't legally do whatever they need to do in less than the minimum timescale, so to count on getting "lucky" and getting an early grant really isn't going to happen. Sometimes your CO will give you an estiamte of a grant date (such as the 3rd week of October, etc) If they give you that, then you can usually assume it is pretty accurate.

 

As for the No Further Info Required letter...I never got one!

Edited October 9, 2012 by GeorgeD

[Guest guest76950]

Thanks george very helpfull

[Guest guest76950]

do u no if immigration will let me in on a one way ticket to sydney on a tourist visa as i would like to go over at xmas and as u prob no flights are mega exspensive then

[Guest GeorgeD]

It should be OK as long as you can prove you have sufficient funds to buy an onward ticket. You could easily argue that the fact you have paid a significant sum of money for a visa which would allow you to live and work in Oz and the application is in progress means that the chances of you overstaying are less than if you weren't applying, because overstaying could affect that application, or being Onshore at grant time could make it invalid. I think other people on here have done that previously...hopefully someone will be along to advise...

[Steve2012]

When did people start being told 8-9 months wait time? I am part of the "8-9ers" group and would love to know who else is in this club but who applied before me (before Sept) so I can stalk their progress! haha!

Also, when people say their 'estimated grant date' is say, "end of October" are you guys predicting that date because its between the 5-6 month mark? Or are you basing it on the latter date of 6 months?

 

PS - Waiting for the 'no further info required' letter as fiance has done medicals, police checks etc. so glad thats out of the way!!! ....Plus I'm England-bound for a romantic Yorkshire getaway in Nov and am glad we wont be discussing visa details on the trip!

 

 

Littlekitty, from your post I assume your partner is British as you submitted via London? Also, I see your partner submitted medicals and police checks when requested and not with the original submission on 3rd September. Is that all correct? I am curious as we are about to submit my application and are wondering if we should be bracing ourselves for an 8-9 month wait too! We will be submitting with medicals and police checks all completed, so I am hoping it may reduce it, but expecting we are more likely to be in the queue behind you.