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

[Guest GeorgeD]

Thank you. I wondered if anyone had any answers in relation to my question:

I have applied and been granted a 6 month tourist visa to allow me to gain entry and await a decision on my PMV. I go in late June and think it is less than likely that my application will get approved prior to late Nov/ Dec.

My question is, would it be possible to change my tourist visa to a work and holiday visa to allow me to work whilst I await the outcome of my PMV. I am 24 and have never previously held a WHV. If I cannot it would not be the end of the world as my fiancée is able to support me, it would just help with wedding costs and keep me from boredom.

...I think this is something my CO may need to answer...or maybe someone could help?

 

You can't 'change' your tourist visa to a WHV...but you can apply for any visa you want if you are eligible for it and it is suitable for the purpose of your visit. In other words, apply for the WHV the same is if you didn't have the tourist visa.

[Quinkla]

Alos, any advie as I have a 3 month notice period at work, I have absoultely no idea about when to give in my notice. Is there a trigger point at which i can say, I have about 3 months left to go? or is it a case of guess and wait?

This depends on your employer. Most (but not all) employers will be sympathetic and want you to be able to start your new life as smoothly as possible. Most will also be pragmatic enough to know that you could abandon your job with no notice, so any notice you do give would be helpful for them.

 

I worked in the UK for the Scottish Government. I had told my managers of my longer term intentions - though not sure they believed I would actually go. I gave three months "provisional" notice when I was offered a job and was able to submit a visa application (expected processing at the time was three months). I explained in the letter that this was all dependent on visas and I hoped that they would allow me to be flexible with my actual end date. They said yes, and asked that I give one month's actual notice. In the event, thanks to some horrible mistakes in processing my visa I actually stayed for four months and ended up giving three and a half week's real notice. They allowed me to do this with their blessing and good wishes for the future.

 

Your employer might not be as kind, but unless you think they would be obstructive then I would be as open as possible and hope they would be flexible too.

[swati dave]

Fab stuff you filed the same day as me :-). Whose your co? Gonna chase mine now, what did you say? I am about to send a job app sp wondering if i can use that as an excuse as i asked if they had everything a few. Weeks back. Eeeek exciting. when are you going?

Hii there....

My situation is quite different.. i was added in my husband 485 visa(as a partner). I got that in nov. 2011. I went there to be with my husband.. in this duration i got pregnant and came back to india for deliver the baby. When i was in india my husband visa status is changed to 885. And our 485 visa was expired in nov.2012... so i have to apply a new visa which is 309 visa in nov.2011.. and my case officer is appoint in jan 2013.. he assessed my application and forwarded it to the senior officer.. now it been 2 month above we havent got any response from them..*I am bit worried now.. what is going now.. please help me

[backtooz]

Hello people,

 

May I ask for you help, I am also applying next month for the temporary visa from the UK, I wonder how is the payment for the visa? how do we pay that? by cheque, by debit card?

 

There is a page on the form that says we cannot put the details of the card ...

 

Thanks

Edited March 18, 2013 by backtooz

[Guest]

Hii there....

My situation is quite different.. i was added in my husband 485 visa(as a partner). I got that in nov. 2011. I went there to be with my husband.. in this duration i got pregnant and came back to india for deliver the baby. When i was in india my husband visa status is changed to 885. And our 485 visa was expired in nov.2012... so i have to apply a new visa which is 309 visa in nov.2011.. and my case officer is appoint in jan 2013.. he assessed my application and forwarded it to the senior officer.. now it been 2 month above we havent got any response from them..*I am bit worried now.. what is going now.. please help me

 

I don't know a great deal about the partner visa when applied for from India. I think the wait time and processing takes longer than if a person applies in the UK from what I've read. Sit tight and perhaps have a browse of the migration forum and see if there are other threads posted with info on applying from India, may give you some pointers.

[Guest]

Hello people,

 

May I ask for you help, I am also applying next month for the temporary visa from the UK, I wonder how is the payment for the visa? how do we pay that? by cheque, by debit card?

 

There is a page on the form that says we cannot put the details of the card ...

 

Thanks

 

Have a good read of this

 

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

 

Should explain all

[backtooz]

Have a good read of this

 

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

 

Should explain all

 

Thank you! well I guess we can complete the payment mandate, is it safe to send this by post?

[Guest]

Thank you! well I guess we can complete the payment mandate, is it safe to send this by post?

 

You have to include it with your application.

 

You send your application via special delivery so its signed for all the way through and signature on delivery is proof they have received your application.

 

I've yet to hear of anyone had this form go missing or have problems including it in their application.

Edited March 18, 2013 by Guest

[hhayes89]

Does anyone know how long it takes to get allocated a case officer at the London embassy? They took the money last week but I'm going crazy just waiting to know someone has my application.

I lodged the prospective marriage visa.

[Tulip]

It can take about a week or so, mine took about that more or less.

[Guest]

Does anyone know how long it takes to get allocated a case officer at the London embassy? They took the money last week but I'm going crazy just waiting to know someone has my application.

I lodged the prospective marriage visa.

 

You should hear from one soon. Sometimes it can take a couple of weeks. Some only work part time also so it may be the person you are assigned isn't there for a few days or some such.

 

If you sent it recorded delivery then the tracking of it is proof your application is in (it says this in the blurb somewhere iirc). Log into the PO tracking and check the status, if it says delivered, then all good. I think you can figure though if the money has been debited then they have your application.

[Leen75]

Does anyone know what the approx time is at the moment for offshore De Facto visas? Thanks

[Guest]

Does anyone know what the approx time is at the moment for offshore De Facto visas? Thanks

 

8-9 months from application being lodged. It does explain more about the timeframe on the official websites etc.

 

On shore takes longer, currently 13 months or so (and more expensive).

[christiancarella]

I have just been assigned a case officer today. hooray!

Edited March 25, 2013 by christiancarella

[Quinkla]

I have just been assigned a case officer today. hooray! The name of my case officer is:...

Well done - but probably better to edit the full name out of your message and just stick with initials..

[Guest]

I have just been assigned a case officer today. hooray! The name of my case officer is: (DP) has anyone else had experience with him?

 

If you look at the spreadsheet then chances are you'll find the names of people who have DP as CO initials are given there in most cases.

[backtooz]

Hi, sorry to ask another question, I would like to ask, in the statement or statutory declaration written by the applicant and the sponsor for the partner visa, it says it has to be signed by a witness. My question is who can sign this?

 

Thanks

[BritChickx]

A solicitor, other people can but thats the main one

[backtooz]

Do we actually need to have a statutory declaration? as in the booklet 1 says..."The statements written by you and your partner can be on ordinary writing paper or a statutory declaration form may be used."

[BritChickx]

Yeah you do, they just mean you don't have to use their official stat dec writing paper, you can use plain paper but either way it needs to be signed

[backtooz]

Yeah you do, they just mean you don't have to use their official stat dec writing paper, you can use plain paper but either way it needs to be signed

 

Thank you for your fast reply!!!!!!!!

[backtooz]

Do you maybe have the list of people who can sign? for example a doctor or dentist could sign as witness?

[Tulip]

If you're in the UK, you have to have a solicitor, or justice of the peace sign it. I can't remember there the actual list is but it's very short. No doctors or dentists or nurses or police officers. If you're in Australia, you can have it signed by a lot longer list.

We had one statement witnessed, it was one my mum had written, we went to have stuff certified at the solicitors and had it witnessed at the same time. Cheap as chips, only a fiver.

[Guest GeorgeD]

Do you maybe have the list of people who can sign? for example a doctor or dentist could sign as witness?

 

Nope, they can't do it in the UK...they can in Oz.

 

Here's the list of ocupations who can certify docuemnts and witness statements in the UK as far as Australia House in London are concerned...

 

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

 

People will tell you they got a friend who was a bank manager, doctor, accountant, etc to do theirs. That's great. Fortunately their CO didn't care. If you happen to get the CO who actually does care, especially if you don't have tons of documentary evidence and are relying on people's statements, they may wonder why you didn't follow the guidance and got someone who isn't qualified to do it...so just stick to the list and you won't have any problems at all.

 

These people may charge for the service...so shop around!

[Guest]

Hi, sorry to ask another question, I would like to ask, in the statement or statutory declaration written by the applicant and the sponsor for the partner visa, it says it has to be signed by a witness. My question is who can sign this?

 

Thanks

 

Your own supporting statements (written by the applicant and the sponsor) do not need to be witnessed iirc.

 

The ones written by others, from family and friends do need to be. If its a stat dec (the Aussies writing those for you) GeorgeD has given a good explanation already.

 

My husband and I wrote our supporting statements, mine typed on A4, 3 or so pages, his hand written over 5 pages or so and simply signed them at the end, numbered each page 1/5, 2/5 etc and initialed each page also.

 

ETA - I would use plain paper for your own supporting statements. If you use a stat dec form for them that is when they ask for them to be officially witnessed.

 

From the partner visa migration booklet

 

The statements written by you and your partner can be on ordinary writing paper or a statutory

declaration form may be used. Each statement or statutory declaration must be signed and dated by the

author. For details on who can witness statutory declarations, see page 28.

Edited March 21, 2013 by Guest