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

[JonnoM]

The current quoted waiting times for London at 10-14 months

 

Some very recent applicants such as CameronsDad were quoted 9-12 months but, to avoid disappointment, it's probably wise to assume worst case 14 months and anything better than that is a bonus.

 

The PMV visa application process is relatively straightforward as basically all you have to do is prove that you

1. have a bona fide relationship and plan to get married within a certain timeframe

2. don't have a criminal record

3. are in reasonable health

You just have to have to be willing to wait in a long queue, but us British are supposedly good at queuing aren't we? :smile:

[Ozmaniac]

Hi all

 

I would really appreciate your help. My boyfriend is an Australian citizen and I am currently living in England. I am looking to apply for the Prospective Marriage visa (subclass 300). Can anyone tell me how long the processing times are? My other option is to apply for a skilled independent work visa but I think this will take much longer. I welcome any advice!

The time taken for skills assessment for a skilled Independent 189 visa is variable depending on your occupation but the visa itself usually takes only about 3 months from when you lodge the visa application. If you have an occupation on the SOL and are eligible to apply for a 189 visa, you would probably have that visa well before a Prospective Marriage visa and it will be permanent from day 1. If you go for a PMV, it will take you around 3 years from when you apply to get PR.

[lozaoza]

Woohoo finally. Applied 8 July received today. exactly 9 months. Good luck everybody

[Josh Fordham]

Congrats!! Who was your CO?

[lozaoza]

WP. Never had any contact apart from the initial email, rang a few times and sent emails but always get the standard responses from the contact centre. Not long for you now, hang in there

[Josh Fordham]

Ah that's cool, pleased for you!! To be fair, I'm not going until late August/September anyway, so not in too much of a rush... that doesn't stop me checking my emails every 5 minutes though

[thecoachbc]

Hi everybody,

 

Firstly, thank you for this forum, which I've read through briefly but am seeking clarification on a few things.

 

Brief background: I am an Australian-born citizen and my partner is British. We met online in late 2012 as I was looking for new friends before coming to UK on a study visa. We met in January 2013 and have been dating since then. We have lived together since March 2013 in both London and Sydney (she came on a working holiday visa in mid-2013 when my study visa in UK ran out and I had to come back to Sydney).

 

We have a joint-bank account in which we pay rent/bills for a property in which we are joint tenants. Previous to this we were living as a couple in mine, then her parents house respectively. We will be applying for a Partner Visa (309/100).

 

Question 1: Regarding the application process, if we apply online will it prompt us to send the documents after we've completed the application? Is there an option to just send everything into the processing department or is it recommended to apply online?

 

Question 2: We will be submitting 2 (or hopefully 3) statutory declarations on "form 888" from Australian citizens (my parents and sister) - is this sufficient? Additionally, we will submit brief statements from my partner's family who are all British citizens - do these need to be signed by a solicitor or is it ok to just print and send?

 

Are there any other tips/hints that we should be aware of? I have to leave UK (as I am currently on a 2 yr working holiday (tier 5) visa) in August 2016 so hopefully there's enough time to have it processed and approved by that time.

 

Cheers,

B

[CameronsDad]

Hi everybody,

 

Firstly, thank you for this forum, which I've read through briefly but am seeking clarification on a few things.

 

Brief background: I am an Australian-born citizen and my partner is British. We met online in late 2012 as I was looking for new friends before coming to UK on a study visa. We met in January 2013 and have been dating since then. We have lived together since March 2013 in both London and Sydney (she came on a working holiday visa in mid-2013 when my study visa in UK ran out and I had to come back to Sydney).

 

We have a joint-bank account in which we pay rent/bills for a property in which we are joint tenants. Previous to this we were living as a couple in mine, then her parents house respectively. We will be applying for a Partner Visa (309/100).

 

Question 1: Regarding the application process, if we apply online will it prompt us to send the documents after we've completed the application? Is there an option to just send everything into the processing department or is it recommended to apply online?

 

Question 2: We will be submitting 2 (or hopefully 3) statutory declarations on "form 888" from Australian citizens (my parents and sister) - is this sufficient? Additionally, we will submit brief statements from my partner's family who are all British citizens - do these need to be signed by a solicitor or is it ok to just print and send?

 

Are there any other tips/hints that we should be aware of? I have to leave UK (as I am currently on a 2 yr working holiday (tier 5) visa) in August 2016 so hopefully there's enough time to have it processed and approved by that time.

 

Cheers,

B

Hi

we have not long submitted online, after spending some weeks filling in forms on paper. It was so much easier online and it is simple to track your progress while you compile your application. You only submit when you are happy with your form and when you have all of your evidence ready to upload. It will prompt and guide you to upload your documents afterwards. It is very easy to navigate, just follow the online checklist after you submit the form. You have about a fortnight to upload everything.

 

Regarding the stat decs, we got 6 of the 888 forms from Oz folks but it only asks for 2 so I'm sure 3 Stat Decs will be enough. For the UK ones, we got a standard UK stat dec form, changed it slightly and got some friends to sign with a countersigned by police officers and a pharmacist. Your passports, birth certs, etc should be certified. We got the local councillor to sign. He did it for free. Our solicitor would have charged.

 

Hope that helps.

[oldangler]

Applied to Oz embassy Manila Philippines for 309/100 spousal visa and acknowledge receipt dated 15 April 2014.

Medicals etc done May 2014

VISA received 07 April 2015. So a week short of a year.

We have been given until 15 June to enter.

[Mrsguvs]

This thread has been so useful in my initial application stages so this is my first post after a few months of reading through. I applied for an offshore partner (spouse) visa on 28.11.14 (CF) with medical check and police checks requested for June 15. Confirmation letter stated there is at least a 10-14 month wait but in have seen 9 months from either posts so I'm hopeful it will come through so my husband and I can start our married life a fresh before christmas this year. We have been together for 5.5 years and married for 7months. Almost 5 months processing so far so just the long wait ahead now.........

[oldangler]

Lucky you in the UK. Here in the Philippines we think we have the worst service of any Australian Embassy in the world. Many Filipino's get refused visa's. The first tourist visa we applied for was denied. The Embassy here is staffed with Filipinos and it's a strange thing but seems that most applications through agents are approved but self applications are denied. I hope you have applied for a class 100 visa as with over 7 years together you can bypass the class 309. I think processing time for class 100 is shorter too. Seems to me that the only reason we are kept waiting so long for the 309 is to see if the relationship lasts.

[Melibios]

CameronsDad, think we applied around the same time, have you heard anything other than the original confirmation email?

I'm wondering if we'll get notice of when to do the medical (we've done the police check already) or whether to go ahead with it later on in the year if we don't hear anything. ..

such a waiting game!!

[thecoachbc]

Hi

we have not long submitted online, after spending some weeks filling in forms on paper. It was so much easier online and it is simple to track your progress while you compile your application. You only submit when you are happy with your form and when you have all of your evidence ready to upload. It will prompt and guide you to upload your documents afterwards. It is very easy to navigate, just follow the online checklist after you submit the form. You have about a fortnight to upload everything.

 

Regarding the stat decs, we got 6 of the 888 forms from Oz folks but it only asks for 2 so I'm sure 3 Stat Decs will be enough. For the UK ones, we got a standard UK stat dec form, changed it slightly and got some friends to sign with a countersigned by police officers and a pharmacist. Your passports, birth certs, etc should be certified. We got the local councillor to sign. He did it for free. Our solicitor would have charged.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Thanks for the quick reply and useful info! Does that mean that when we submit our application online that ALL supporting documents have to be uploaded online or can we send them in separately via post? If it is all online that would mean we would need to print out documents to get them witnessed and certified, then scan them back into the computer. Is this what other people have done?

 

Cheers

[Melibios]

Thanks for the quick reply and useful info! Does that mean that when we submit our application online that ALL supporting documents have to be uploaded online or can we send them in separately via post? If it is all online that would mean we would need to print out documents to get them witnessed and certified, then scan them back into the computer. Is this what other people have done?

 

Cheers

 

You need to submit everything online, that's what we did anyways.

Not sure about printing things off & having them witnessed and certified, we didn't as we just scanned things in as is or sent electronic copies of things - will be interesting to see what everyone else has done! (Ame worried now!!) We submitted everything electronically in march, at the time of submission and haven't heard anything, including any request for more info, so hoping that's a good sign! :-)

Good luck with your application!

[Melibios]

Thanks for the quick reply and useful info! Does that mean that when we submit our application online that ALL supporting documents have to be uploaded online or can we send them in separately via post? If it is all online that would mean we would need to print out documents to get them witnessed and certified, then scan them back into the computer. Is this what other people have done?

 

Cheers

 

You need to submit everything online, that's what we did anyways.

Not sure about printing things off & having them witnessed and certified, we didn't as we just scanned things in as is or sent electronic copies of things - will be interesting to see what everyone else has done! (Ame worried now!!) We submitted everything electronically in march, at the time of submission and haven't heard anything, including any request for more info, so hoping that's a good sign! :-)

Good luck with your application!

[CameronsDad]

CameronsDad, think we applied around the same time, have you heard anything other than the original confirmation email?

I'm wondering if we'll get notice of when to do the medical (we've done the police check already) or whether to go ahead with it later on in the year if we don't hear anything. ..

such a waiting game!!

No Melibios, we haven't heard anything other than the acknowledgment email, so not to worry. I'm quite an impatient person so not ideal for me, but we have a 6 month old to take our mind off things.

[CameronsDad]

Thanks for the quick reply and useful info! Does that mean that when we submit our application online that ALL supporting documents have to be uploaded online or can we send them in separately via post? If it is all online that would mean we would need to print out documents to get them witnessed and certified, then scan them back into the computer. Is this what other people have done?

 

Cheers

Yes you do need to do it all online. But I can assure you it is so much easier this way. It keeps everything together and you can see everything you've done at a glance.

The first thing we did was go out and buy a decent printer/scanner/copier. It has paid for itself during this process no problem.

 

In terms of the certified docs, we did scan, print, certify and scan again. Easy with the new machine.

[Mrsguvs]

Lucky you in the UK. Here in the Philippines we think we have the worst service of any Australian Embassy in the world. Many Filipino's get refused visa's. The first tourist visa we applied for was denied. The Embassy here is staffed with Filipinos and it's a strange thing but seems that most applications through agents are approved but self applications are denied. I hope you have applied for a class 100 visa as with over 7 years together you can bypass the class 309. I think processing time for class 100 is shorter too. Seems to me that the only reason we are kept waiting so long for the 309 is to see if the relationship lasts.

 

The application was both 309 temporary and 100 permenant together in one form so I assume it rests with the decision of the case officer if he/she thinks we qualify for a permanent visa as we have been in a relationship for 5.5 years - the application form States at least 3 years. This is actually the second visa we have applied for as in 2011 we were rejected for a de facto visa based on the fact we couldn't provide enough financial evidence. We lost our application fee and was a very difficult time in our relationship - when you have planned your life together and something stops you in your tracks where you can't live your life in the same country with the one you love is devastating. However 4 years we are stronger than ever and now married so we are hopeful this time will be a new chapter

I can't stress enough to others starting the process how important IT is to check you meet the criteria for the visa before you pay the charge - we learnt the hard way!

[Melibios]

CameronsDad, we have a 5 month old! :-) Trying to fill in the visa application between his naps was a challenge in itself! Think he knew it too and decided power-naps were the in thing!

We're just about to sort out his aussie passport, have you done the same for your little Un?

[CameronsDad]

CameronsDad, we have a 5 month old! :-) Trying to fill in the visa application between his naps was a challenge in itself! Think he knew it too and decided power-naps were the in thing!

We're just about to sort out his aussie passport, have you done the same for your little Un?

We have indeed. My wife travelled to the Embassy a few weeks ago for the 'interview' that lasted all of ten minutes! It was a three day trip due to flight times from Scotland, Cameron's routine and the time of the interview itself!! The passport arrived within a week which was good.

[Melibios]

We've got to do the same, we're in the north east so it'll be a two day trip for us on the train. Such a shame that the Edinburgh office was shut down, it's such a long way to go for a ten minute interview!

[bobby122]

Thanks for the quick reply and useful info! Does that mean that when we submit our application online that ALL supporting documents have to be uploaded online or can we send them in separately via post? If it is all online that would mean we would need to print out documents to get them witnessed and certified, then scan them back into the computer. Is this what other people have done?

 

Cheers

 

Only stat decs need to be witnessed and certified, evidence such as passports etc do not need to be, if you upload a colour scan online

[Ozmaniac]

Only stat decs need to be witnessed and certified, evidence such as passports etc do not need to be, if you upload a colour scan online

That's absolutely correct. If you upload colour scans of original documents, they do not need to be certified. DIBP will definitely accept them.

[CameronsDad]

If you read the notes in the online application it states which ones need to be certified. Stat decs are one of those and passports and birth certificates are others. I'd prefer to follow the guidance notes in the system but it's up to you how you go about it. I'm Sure some have been accepted in the past without certification though.

[lewis216]

Hey everyone! Just thought I'd update you all.

 

I just got the 'depart for grant' email from my case officer! When I come back into Australia it'll be as a resident! Woohoo!

 

I applied on: 13/07/2014, email received today so that's 9 months on the dot!

 

I'm meant to be in bed right now but I'm too excited to sleep! Good luck to everyone who applied in July and onward