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

[Mum of 5]

Just got the visa grant email... :xmas16:

 

:xmas16:Congrats!!!!! So happy for you

[Mum of 5]

Congrats Mum of 5, she was just toying with you

 

Fingers croseed for Kassa next...

 

Best

 

Thanks JMP2006, not nice to be toyed with though, could have done with out that stress! But YIPEEE

[auspanda25]

i have decided that the festive period is obviously a sore point for my C/O haha:xmas21: however all will be forgiven if they send the visa grant email and the way things are going a free hospital check up due to the fact i am bursting with excitement, annoyance and nervousness!

[kassa]

Thanks Mum of 5.. I am flying on 24 th December and come back to UK end of January to finish my Phd.

This is a great present for us. we are going to celebrate our wedding anniversary on 6th of January in Sydney...:xmas16:

Edited December 11, 2012 by kassa

[Donnab03]

Congratulations to everyone who got their grant today. All i got today relating to my visa was a bloody xmas new letter.

Thanks for that! :arghh:

[littlekitty]

Woo hoo! I love coming on here and seeing grants in a row like that! That's so cool guys, congrats!

:biggrin:

A little bit of good news for me this morning too - got the "OK" from LG that she will let my fiance know when to leave Aus "closer to the grant" to activate our PMV in April... So he will be here in less than 4 weeks if all goes well at the airport He's applying for the e676 tonight.

 

Thanks for the advice everyone - if anyone else is doing the tourist visa route, dont be a stranger - make sure you post on here so I dont feel like I'm the only one! I'm sure in 3 or so weeks I'm gunna be freaked out about the whole airport thing. I know in the back of mind I know it will be OK.. but there's always those niggling little worries.

[Happyviolet]

Hi littlekitty, I'm currently in Aus on an e676 which I applied for here (in Aus), when it became apparent that the 309/100 wasn't going to be granted before my evisitor expired (I already had this from a trip last Christmas - didn't expect to be back here so soon!!). I checked with my CO and spoke to someone in immigration here first, but all was straightforward, applied online and granted in less than 24 hrs. No problems coming in on evisitor originally, I didn't get asked a single question!!

[Sticks]

Woo hoo! I love coming on here and seeing grants in a row like that! That's so cool guys, congrats!

:biggrin:

A little bit of good news for me this morning too - got the "OK" from LG that she will let my fiance know when to leave Aus "closer to the grant" to activate our PMV in April... So he will be here in less than 4 weeks if all goes well at the airport He's applying for the e676 tonight.

 

Thanks for the advice everyone - if anyone else is doing the tourist visa route, dont be a stranger - make sure you post on here so I dont feel like I'm the only one! I'm sure in 3 or so weeks I'm gunna be freaked out about the whole airport thing. I know in the back of mind I know it will be OK.. but there's always those niggling little worries.

Hi Kitty

I'm on a 12mth e676 visa came through with ease and said i am waiting for my 100 spouse visa to be granted in june,they said good luck!

No questions asked about how i will support myself.Just enjoy your stay.

[kkr]

I too have gone down the tourist visa route while waiting on my PMV (applied 5/9/12) and all has worked out well. I came out on an eVisitor in September and as the 3 month mark is fast approaching, I went to DIAC in person, here in Melbourne, and applied for the onshore Tourist 676 to stay until my PMV is hopefully granted. Got the 676 granted for 6 months, taking me up until 31/5/13. Very happy! Makes the 8-9 month processing easier to handle.

 

I empathise with you re the worry of airport immigration! I was SO worried entering the country again on an eVisitor but, in the end, didn't get asked a thing.

 

All the best!

 

Woo hoo! I love coming on here and seeing grants in a row like that! That's so cool guys, congrats!

:biggrin:

A little bit of good news for me this morning too - got the "OK" from LG that she will let my fiance know when to leave Aus "closer to the grant" to activate our PMV in April... So he will be here in less than 4 weeks if all goes well at the airport He's applying for the e676 tonight.

 

Thanks for the advice everyone - if anyone else is doing the tourist visa route, dont be a stranger - make sure you post on here so I dont feel like I'm the only one! I'm sure in 3 or so weeks I'm gunna be freaked out about the whole airport thing. I know in the back of mind I know it will be OK.. but there's always those niggling little worries.

[littlekitty]

haha thanks guys, love hearing your stories! got the fiancé to apply for e676 last night and disaster has struck.. he kept getting an error saying he had a current application in progress and he can't apply online until he signs in using the application ID and password, which he never recalls using.. let alone use the immi website for visa apps in the past (he has always gone through a third party). we can't get a straight answer from immi in London apart from the fact that they can't reset passwords/IDs. this leaves us 2 options- apply in person or by mail. By mail is freaking me out as he has to send his passport and I'm worried it won't all get back to him in time (as aus house closes soon) and London is 3.5hrs away for him and he needs an appointment to go there. he can't apply fr eVisitor as he has a juvenile conviction. I am just so too stressed for this right now and he is all laid back etc... it's freaking me right out. can't call immi in London til tonight Perth time. might call the Perth office and ask if it's viable to get it back in time before our holiday on the 8th Jan... also, the paper version of the e676 wants all these extra questions answered, which I think puts us at a disadvantage in our situation as they will see all references to me on the app and maybe not deem him a tourist.

Edited December 12, 2012 by littlekitty

[Guest GeorgeD]

haha thanks guys, love hearing your stories! got the fiancé to apply for e676 last night and disaster has struck.. he kept getting an error saying he had a current application in progress and he can't apply online until he signs in using the application ID and password, which he never recalls using.. let alone use the immi website for visa apps in the past (he has always gone through a third party). we can't get a straight answer from immi in London apart from the fact that they can't reset passwords/IDs. this leaves us 2 options- apply in person or by mail. By mail is freaking me out as he has to send his passport and I'm worried it won't all get back to him in time (as aus house closes soon) and London is 3.5hrs away for him and he needs an appointment to go there. he can't apply fr eVisitor as he has a juvenile conviction. I am just so too stressed for this right now and he is all laid back etc... it's freaking me right out. can't call immi in London til tonight Perth time. might call the Perth office and ask if it's viable to get it back in time before our holiday on the 8th Jan... also, the paper version of the e676 wants all these extra questions answered, which I think puts us at a disadvantage in our situation as they will see all references to me on the app and maybe not deem him a tourist.

 

Don't worry about references to you making him not seeming like a tourist...what would be the purpose of his trip? To visit family? A partner/spouse is family. A tourist visa is appropriate for visiting family. A case full of shorts and t-shirts, saying you want to visit family, and a visa application in progress which will lead to additional rights (like working) but which requires you to be Offshore at grant time all suggest that the person will comply with the requirements of a tourist visa, and he will leave within the timescale of his visa.

 

Not sure how to go about the logistics of getting the visa to be honest given the problems he's having.

[littlekitty]

Yeah we just need to get into the mindset that he IS coming to do the right thing, it's like every answer we put sounds really suss, but really it's not.

I know I have read on here that Aus House is closed from 21st Dec... But I cant find that on their website... and I am hoping that they are only closed on the public holidays (which is states on the Aus High Commission website) so that he will have time to get the paper-676 application in. He lives in Yorkshire so it's hard for him to get to London and do it in person... So it looks like mail is our only option.

It should get to Aus House by friday, and then I hope that they see his travel date of Jan 8th so that he can get the visa and his passport back in time.

Just so frustrating... surely Aus house cant expect everyone to be able to apply online and people still need 676 paper visas over the xmas period......so I cant imagine they would shut up shop and ignore all applications till they get back from break...

[Guest]

Hi everyone, so we applied for the e676 12 month visa last night.... I am just wondering if anyone else has been granted a 12 month e676 without having a medical? Please can anyone who has had a 12 month granted share their experience of getting the visa please?

Thank you so much x

[Jen83]

"I know I have read on here that Aus House is closed from 21st Dec... But I cant find that on their website... and I am hoping that they are only closed on the public holidays (which is states on the Aus High Commission website)"

You can find the list of holidays at the following link:

 

http://www.uk.embassy.gov.au/lhlh/Holidays.html

 

Friday 21st is their last day of business.

Edited December 13, 2012 by Jen83

[Donnab03]

you have to think of the weekends as well in between them dates. lets hope us juners get our grants before the 21st!

[Sticks]

Hi everyone, so we applied for the e676 12 month visa last night.... I am just wondering if anyone else has been granted a 12 month e676 without having a medical? Please can anyone who has had a 12 month granted share their experience of getting the visa please?

Thank you so much x

Hi allsmallletters

I applied on line for my 12mth e676 on a monday and had it by the friday and they asked for no medical.So you should not have any prob's.

Good Luck.

[Guest]

Hi allsmallletters

I applied on line for my 12mth e676 on a monday and had it by the friday and they asked for no medical.So you should not have any prob's.

Good Luck.

 

Sticks!! Thank you so much. I just needed a little reassurance as I didn't know if everyone who applied for 12 months had to get one Did you have to send in bank statements etc? x

[Guest]

Hi allsmallletters

I applied on line for my 12mth e676 on a monday and had it by the friday and they asked for no medical.So you should not have any prob's.

Good Luck.

 

Sticks!! Thank you so much. I just needed a little reassurance as I didn't know if everyone who applied for 12 months had to get one Did you have to send in bank statements etc? x

[Guest jgca]

Emailed co today to check on progress. They responded with a definitely grant the visa tomorrow!!!!

Woo hoo:xmas16:

[littlekitty]

More dramas for me with the 676 visa. Fiance tried to apply online and couldnt, so he sent off a paper application ASAP. Anyway, I call Aus house and she tells me paper 676 apps take 4-6 weeks, which is too late for him to get on the flight we booked. Also, he had already posted it by the time I got to call him and tell him. She also tells me some people are having technical difficulties applying for the online 676, so try again today and Monday.

So, his paper application will arrive at Aus House today - there was no stopping it once the post office had it. Anyway, I call Aus house back and told them because we were having trouble with the online visa (she said yes, they are def having issues with the site), and said that we have already sent the paper app. She said if he is only applying for 3 months, then he could have a case officer by Monday and it might get done by the end of next week. I damn well hope that is the case!

What a nightmare. Our fault for booking flights (non-refundable/no changes allowed) and assuming the online application would work... but hopefully the case officer sees its only 3 months and grants it by the 21st. Fingers crossed!!!

[Guest]

Aww kitty I have everything crossed for you two. I really really hope you get it granted in time for the flight. I think you will!!! Positive thinking xx

[Sticks]

Sticks!! Thank you so much. I just needed a little reassurance as I didn't know if everyone who applied for 12 months had to get one Did you have to send in bank statements etc? x

Nope,no documentation required.Just applied and it was issued.

[littlekitty]

Ok so paper visa (676) has obviously been received around lunch time Friday (London time) as the money has come out of my account..!! Was so excited to see payment was processed right away. Hope because its only the 3 month visa the fiancé will have it by next Friday, I'm crossing everything! He flies on the 8th jan so lets hope this happens in time!

Thanks all for sharing your stories!

Since applying for the PMV, fiance leaving to go home to UK, etc. My fiancé and I now have a new outlook on things - imagine WORST CASE SCENARIO - if you think you can handle that happening, and once you have accepted that first, everything good that happens feels like such a bonus.

[JMP2006]

Hi Everyone,

 

Got my Visa on Friday

 

I phoned up my CO last week and told him I was all ready to go (finish work this Friday, wife and kids already there, etc) and asked if he could grant it now to save me a trip to NZ in January.....and he said yes, so I got the confirmation letter on Friday!

 

It seems they can be pragmatic about your situation and flex it by a few weeks. Which is good to know. Of course, it will all depend on the individual CO. I happened to speak to mine just before he disappeared on the Christmas lunch jolly!

 

I arrive into Adelaide on Christmas day now. Tis a good feeling :xmas4:

 

Good luck to the next batch of applicants.

Edited December 16, 2012 by JMP2006

[mng75]

What a great Christmas present!