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

[Guest Nadjez]

congratulations

[Guest Cab82]

309 Visa Sent (frontloaded with meds and police check) - 16.04.09

Email received requesting more info - 24.04.09

Sent requested info - 01.05.09

Email received requesting more info - 15.05.09

Sent requested info - 18.05.09

Heard nothing so phoned on 03.06.09 - Told they had all the info required and we were in a queue for them to make their decision. Still waiting.....

[Guest weebs]

Hi everyone,

 

Here are my stats:

Applied (frontloaded) 21/5

Payment taken 22/5

First contact from case officer 4/6 - she said they had all the information they needed and the current processing times are 3-4 months.

 

My partner is over in Oz already (I've been there on a tourist visa for the past six months) so hopefully we'll hear soon as it's hard being apart! Does anyone know why processing times seem to be a lot longer at the moment? I have two friends in the last year who received confirmation of their spouse visas in a week! Hopefully we'll all hear soon. Good luck to everyone, it's such a stressful process...

[Guest siamsusie]

Hi Clare, I am in the same boat as you as well. It is extremely hard, not pleasant at all. At least we will be there for Christmas lol. I cam catching up in spare time with Theatres(cheap matinees) Museums etc, the odd pub crawl down the thames, and I have promised myself a super new expensive hair do for when I a due to depart. What are your plans for filling in time? xx ss

[Guest weebs]

Hi Clare, I am in the same boat as you as well. It is extremely hard, not pleasant at all. At least we will be there for Christmas lol. I cam catching up in spare time with Theatres(cheap matinees) Museums etc, the odd pub crawl down the thames, and I have promised myself a super new expensive hair do for when I a due to depart. What are your plans for filling in time? xx ss

 

Hi Susie, glad to meet someone going through the same thing! It's so horrible being apart, especially with the different time zones etc. Sounds like you have lots planned to keep yourself busy, I love your idea about the haircut - might have to copy that one! I'm dividing my time between my Mum's house (I'm renting out my flat!) and spending time in London seeing friends I haven't seen for six months. I might look into finding some temporary work as well if I'm going to be here for a while... I haven't worked for six months being on the tourist visa so it might be a shock to the system but much needed! How long have you been waiting for now? It's driving me slightly mad already and judging by this very useful thread I haven't been waiting all that long yet! xx

[Guest siamsusie]

Havent been waiting long at all Clare. I have pm'd you....I think getting a job is a great idea, makes the time pass quickly and you can even leave some of the money here (due to poor exchange) and then come back with your man, use it for some european trips in the future! lol. The time difference is a pain, in some states more than others, where you are heading off to? ss x

[Guest scc36]

Hi everyone,

 

Here are our stats:

Applied 29/4

Payment taken 30/4

First contact from case officer 01/05 - asking for medicals. Medicals completed 27/4

 

Spoke to Case officer on 14/05 who said he had everything he needed and would contact us in due course!!! (Whatever that means?) Just fed up of waiting and checking our emails 20 times a day!!

[Guest darling number 1]

Hi everyone,

 

Here are my stats:

Applied (frontloaded) 21/5

Payment taken 22/5

First contact from case officer 4/6 - she said they had all the information they needed and the current processing times are 3-4 months.

 

My partner is over in Oz already (I've been there on a tourist visa for the past six months) so hopefully we'll hear soon as it's hard being apart! Does anyone know why processing times seem to be a lot longer at the moment? I have two friends in the last year who received confirmation of their spouse visas in a week! Hopefully we'll all hear soon. Good luck to everyone, it's such a stressful process...

 

Hi, Weebs and SS - hope you don't mind me hi-jacking your convo? Can I ask why you chose to lodge offshore in UK when you had been with your partner in Oz Weebs? My o/h is in OZ and me in UK for work - apart for a month so far, but will be nearly three by the time I get there. Did this have any bearing on your application? Did they question your time apart at all?

[Guest siamsusie]

 

Hi, Weebs and SS - hope you don't mind me hi-jacking your convo? Can I ask why you chose to lodge offshore in UK when you had been with your partner in Oz Weebs? My o/h is in OZ and me in UK for work - apart for a month so far, but will be nearly three by the time I get there. Did this have any bearing on your application? Did they question your time apart at all?

Darling number l. I arrived on a years visa, and was told I could lodge my application in Australia. When I arrived in Australia I was even told by Immigration to lodge my appliction as well, but this in fact wasnt so, it had to be lodged off shore so here I am playing the waiting game. I am married to an Australian and Clare is applying for a DF visa, so hopefully it wont take too long ss x

[Guest weebs]

Hi Darling number 1! I chose to apply in the UK because I went to Oz on a tourist visa (to stay together as my partner's UK visa expired). I had a return ticket booked and wanted to do everything by the book - ie not stay when I said I would return sort of thing. Also we were living near Adelaide and we were advised that the processing times on shore were a lot slower there - about six months a few weeks ago. Also it's a lot more expensive in Australia, although obviously you have to take flights into account. I had a return flight and needed to be in the UK for something this month anyway so it all worked out, apart from having to be apart now! They haven't questioned our time apart yet, although I have been told that it may be a problem if you can't explain it and give sufficient evidence of contact etc. I put in my de facto application the day I landed in London so when I applied we hadn't actually been apart for that long... I think if you can prove you needed to be apart for work you should be alright but I'd get some advice. Our first visa application seven months ago was unsuccessful so I'd always get advice and err on the side of caution before applying. Good luck and keep in touch x

[Guest tomo66]

to ozplorers,

I got the same response, about it taking the full 12 weeks, looks like we have the same c/o, would you mind posing your timeline, mine is basically,

24th april sent app

28th april money taken

11th may email response and request for police checks and form 80

13th may sent police checks, form 80

29th may request for info, she already had, her mistake

and that is it so far, c/o has everything she needs, but says I will contact you if I need anything more, pretty annoying! and I phoned her once around the 21st may, and thats when she said all apps are taking the full 12 weeks, I bloody hope not! they sound like a broken record when you ask how long, so who knows.

[Guest Ozplorers]

Our timeline is as follows:

 

20/4 - sent off application (frontloaded with med, xray, police check & form 80).

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.

28/5 - phone C/O again, no update, was told they have everything but applications were taking the full 12 weeks to go through.

[Guest tomo66]

thanks ozplorer, snap! yeah same deal all round, thanks for your update, I will be paying particular attention to your progress, when one of us gets granted, chances are the other should follow very soon after

[Guest tomo66]

Any news from anyone? It seems to be really quiet at the moment, I got confirmation that they have everything they need a bit over a week ago, since then nothing, I feel like calling or emailing but I think I will hold out, any updates most welcome.

[bubba911]

I'm afraid I have none either. It would appear that the three of us should be around the same time (tomo66, Ozexplorers and myself) since we submitted within a week of each other!

 

Only time will tell!

[Guest Ozplorers]

Surely we must all hear something soon... although i've got a feeling it wont be until the begining of July when the new AU finacial year starts.

[bubba911]

I think you could be right!

[Guest tomo66]

I hope you are wrong about early july, but it can be anytime from now until the end of july according to their 12 week plan, I dont understand if they have got all the info they require why it should take so long, my c/o already told me she was satisfied with our relationship, isnt that the main crux of the of a spouse visa? we were also very meticulious with getting all the docs and info spot on, so if you guys were the same I rekon by the end of june is achievable, good luck, and of course I will update as soon as i hear, feel free to ask any questions.

[Guest weebs]

Fingers crossed, I've been told they have everything they need too so let's hope we all get some good news soon. I'm trying to be patient but it's so hard! Good luck everyone, try to stay positive and I'm sure they'll get there as soon as they can xx

[Guest scc36]

We too submitted at around the same time (April 29). Tried to speak to our case officer the other day only to find he is away until 6th July!!. Does that mean nothing will happen til then or will someone else deal with it???

[Guest Southern Cross]

Here's our timeline to add to the mix....

 

25.3.09 sent off Spouse Visa Application with PCCs

26.3.09 email confirmation of receipt. medicals requested

23.4.09 medical done

01.5.09 confirmation medicals have been received

 

That's all so far! waiting for news now - trying to wait patiently but getting fidgety ...

 

Hopefully it won't be too long before we can put up the smiley face here!

[Guest tomo66]

To southern cross, you appear to be a bit unlucky, you submitted back in march? I would have called them by now, maybe they require something else.

[Guest tomo66]

ozplorers, I dont think the au financial year has anything to do with the apps, I just think they either have a slower "policy" or that perhaps they really are busy.

[pinkk8]

We submitted 19th of April. Looks like we are all about the same time. I had a phone interview on the 22nd of May and was told by CO that they were happy with application and just needed to sort the paperwork. My CO said they had a big backlog and mine would prob take till mid june....the waiting is awful. I haven't booked flights yet but am thinking about it because there are some good prices at the min.

Will let you all know.

[Guest siamsusie]

Fingers crossed, I've been told they have everything they need too so let's hope we all get some good news soon. I'm trying to be patient but it's so hard!

 

 

I am very finding it very hard as well, dreadful being apart hopefully something will turn up soon ss x