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

[Almostthere]

Have PM'd you with the email address.

[keithandkate]

Thanks for that. Will email if I don't hear within a few hours.

[keithandkate]

Have just sent the CO a mail, fingers crossed!

[keithandkate]

That seems to have done the trick! It has just come through, at exactly 9 months. A 100 visa to boot, hooray!

[Almostthere]

Congrats! That's great news.

[JonnoM]

That seems to have done the trick! It has just come through, at exactly 9 months. A 100 visa to boot, hooray!

 

Congratulations! The moral of the story seems to be that it is worth poking your CO if you get to 9 months. :smile:

[snmp]

That seems to have done the trick! It has just come through, at exactly 9 months. A 100 visa to boot, hooray!

 

Congrats!!!

[keithandkate]

Our daughter has Australian citizen by descent - though born in London, is it enough to just travel down on a tourist visa when we make the final move?

[Almostthere]

When are you planning to leave? Do you have enough time to get her an Australian passport? We got our boys their passports, it doesn't take as long as a British one to process, maybe a few weeks. Sorry, that doesn't really answer your question about a tourist visa.

[keithandkate]

We probably won't go until July or August - so plenty of time. How much does it cost and how long does it take?

[Ozmaniac]

Australian citizens are not eligible for Visitor visas. They are required to always enter and leave Australia on an Australian passport however if she is a minor and doesn't yet have an Australian passport, she will be able to travel to Australia on an Australian Declaratory visa (ADV) attached to her overseas passport. Cost is $185. Cheaper to get her an Australian passport if you ahve time to do so.

http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/pdf/931.pdf ADV application.

 

EDITED to add:

http://uk.embassy.gov.au/lhlh/Passports.html Getting an Australian passport in the UK

Edited January 22, 2015 by Ozmaniac

[keithandkate]

Australian citizens are not eligible for Visitor visas. They are required to always enter and leave Australia on an Australian passport however if she is a minor and doesn't yet have an Australian passport, she will be able to travel to Australia on an Australian Declaratory visa (ADV) attached to her overseas passport. Cost is $185.

http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/pdf/931.pdf ADV applicaiton.

 

Thanks Oz, may be best to just apply for her passport instead?

[Almostthere]

It costs $125, but you have to lodge the application in person, so you will have to go to the London office. We were lucky, the Edinburgh office was still open at the start of 2014 so didn't have to travel to London to submit the application. It's a fairly straightforward process, so I would definitely recommend getting her a passport. Be aware though, as soon as my husband had left Edinburgh, I received a phonecall to confirm the application and give my permission, and the person signing the photos received a phonecall also. Be sure to include and check the contact details!

[keithandkate]

It costs $125, but you have to lodge the application in person, so you will have to go to the London office. We were lucky, the Edinburgh office was still open at the start of 2014 so didn't have to travel to London to submit the application. It's a fairly straightforward process, so I would definitely recommend getting her a passport. Be aware though, as soon as my husband had left Edinburgh, I received a phonecall to confirm the application and give my permission, and the person signing the photos received a phonecall also. Be sure to include and check the contact details!

 

We live in central London, so that is ideal. How long does the process take? I only ask as number 2 is on the way mid March, and when we finally move to Oz will be dictated by that! (Why make life simple )

[Seizethedance]

We live in central London, so that is ideal. How long does the process take? I only ask as number 2 is on the way mid March, and when we finally move to Oz will be dictated by that! (Why make life simple )

 

We just submitted passport applications last week in London and were told we will receive them in the post in 2 weeks.

[Almostthere]

I think it took about 2 weeks, conservative estimate there! So about 1 week or so for the citizenship to come through, then a few weeks for the Australian passport. But then you want to factor in time for your British passport to come through as well. I would say that as long as you have all your paperwork in order and are on the case as soon as you have the birth certificate, you will have all your passports in time for July/August.

 

Obviously that depends on the British passport office not being the shambles it was last summer! The Australians seem to be much more efficient.

[keithandkate]

I think it took about 2 weeks, conservative estimate there! So about 1 week or so for the citizenship to come through, then a few weeks for the Australian passport. But then you want to factor in time for your British passport to come through as well. I would say that as long as you have all your paperwork in order and are on the case as soon as you have the birth certificate, you will have all your passports in time for July/August.

 

Obviously that depends on the British passport office not being the shambles it was last summer! The Australians seem to be much more efficient.

 

I guess you need to apply for her Citizenship first, and Citizenship/Passport can't be done in parallel?

[keithandkate]

I guess you need to apply for her Citizenship first, and Citizenship/Passport can't be done in parallel?

 

From the embassy website

 

Q11 - I am an Australian citizen and I've just had a baby. What do I have to do to get Australian citizenship and an Australian passport for him/her?

Before you can apply for an Australian passport for your child, he/she must first obtain Australian citizenship by descent. Citizeship must be applied for through the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP), also located at the Australian High Commission.

For further information please click the links below:

Citizenship by descent application checklist

When the child has obtained Australian citizenship, you can apply for a passport in the normal way using the Application for an Australian Passport Overseas form.

[Almostthere]

I'm fairly sure from what I remember, that because you are applying in person for the passport, they just take copies of the citizenship certificate and the birth certificate which in theory means that you can be applying for both the British and Australian passports at the same time, which might cut out a bit of time for you. I'd definitely try and get the British one done before the summer rush.

[Bronyaur]

309/100 LODGED 31/12/14, CO ASSIGNED 21/1/15,(No futher info required).MEDS/POLICE CHECK REQUESTED FOR END OF MAY.

Happy Days.

[Bound4Tassie]

Just started my online application form. ( only done 1 page so far!) Does it let you upload documents as you go along or do you do it at the end. Just filled in the citizenship by descent for my girls and I seem to have to do the docs afterwards.(Haven't done that yet as haven't got my head round the new scanner which arrived today!) There will be lots of docs to attach for the spouse one. I'm sure I will miss some if i have to do it all at the end!!

[bmap]

Once you complete your application, the system directs you to attach the files separately. You have time until a CO is assigned to attach all docs. There is a file size limitation of 5mb. Its hood to keep note of that.

[Bronyaur]

Just started my online application form. ( only done 1 page so far!) Does it let you upload documents as you go along or do you do it at the end. Just filled in the citizenship by descent for my girls and I seem to have to do the docs afterwards.(Haven't done that yet as haven't got my head round the new scanner which arrived today!) There will be lots of docs to attach for the spouse one. I'm sure I will miss some if i have to do it all at the end!!

 

Hi, Yes, after youve submitted and paid it allows you to upload your scanned docs. There are different titled categories for each type of document with an attach doc button next to them.

Unfortuantly you can only upload 1 scan at a time and no more than 5mb per file size. Its very boring but pretty easy.

Best of luck.

[JonnoM]

We probably won't go until July or August - so plenty of time. How much does it cost and how long does it take?

 

So is your "enter before" date 4/10/2015 to align with the expiry of you medical?

[Bound4Tassie]

Hi, Yes, after youve submitted and paid it allows you to upload your scanned docs. There are different titled categories for each type of document with an attach doc button next to them.

Unfortuantly you can only upload 1 scan at a time and no more than 5mb per file size. Its very boring but pretty easy.

Best of luck.

 

Is a 5mb file big or small? Is it a problem for attaching most files? ( I'm only semi computer literate!!)