The Brand New PIO Parents Visa thread

[suelear]

On 12/04/2018 at 11:53, HarrisL16 said:

Hi so pleased for you, this process is stressful enough without what you have had to deal with. Wish you lots of luck with the final stage ?

Great news after such a long wait. Good luck, keep us posted. 

[Ray and Geri]

9 hours ago, Catlady2014 said:

Yes, they give a reduced rate of just over a cent, e.g. the rate I got the other day was 1.8290, when the mid-market rate stood at 1.8410.  That was on a £20,000 transfer, so not a big amount.  I just did the calculation on Transferwise website and found that at the current rate of 1.8306, I would have got a hundred dollars or so less from Transferwise than I got from my dealer at the lower rate of $1.8290.  I think this is because Transferwise takes its cut out of the sterling amount before converting, leaving a smaller amount of sterling to be converted. 

But surely if the market rate was 1.8306 you wouldn't have got 1.829 for your transfer you would have got 1.8186 to the pound ( market rate - .012 cents ).......= $36,372. The same deal with transferwise minus the upfront charge of £90.59p would have got you $36,446.... ( £20000 - £90.59p= £19909.41 x $1.8306 = $36,446.165 ). Now that's only $74 ish.... but change up £200,000 or even £500,000 and it starts to mount up.  Anyway you gotta go with what you are happy and comfortable with haven't you and not look back because you just know that after you have changed up a few thousand pounds at a $1.83 the rate will rise to $1.84........ we just cannot win can we. 

 

[Mrs Depp]

Just a thought but when we got granted our visa (skilled) back in 2012. I vaguely remember some people on PIO saying their medicals had been referred. Some because of something that they had declared and some for no reason whatsoever but as you could lodge the application online it was easier to find out as I'm sure it stated 'referred' under the Medical section.  (Ours were straight forward so maybe someone on here might be able to confirm this) One lady was waiting over 3 months before she had her visa granted. So I'm wondering whether some 2nd VAC payments are not being requested and/or are taking longer for this reason because the Dept. just doesn't communicate anything! And maybe this is the reason why it looks like people are queue jumping but they're not.

 

[Alan Collett]

16 hours ago, thomas1965 said:

Did you lodge online or paper form? might be useful info for others.

Another thought is that with the change in income requirements on Apr 1, centrelink might've started processing the applications on a last-in-first-out basis, so they can easily decline the applications that don't meet the income requirement.

If I received an AoS request today and had an issue meeting the new income requirement I would be delaying progressing it - there is no certainty the change initiated in the Social Security portfolio will survive.

Media attention is now focusing on the issue, and there is hope of a disallowance motion:

https://www.9news.com.au/national/2018/04/13/16/20/income-threshold-up-for-migrant-families

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/apr/13/australia-doubles-financial-requirement-for-families-of-new-migrants

The Opposition ALP is onto it - this is an extract from a communication sent from a Labor Senator for Qld (not to me, I hasten to add), which I have seen:

Thank you for writing to me about your serious concern with the Liberal Government’s changes to Assurances of Support. This is of concern for many people and I have received many emails.

I have spoken with Jenny Macklin, Labor’s Shadow Minister for Social Services, and she has given me the following information to pass on to you.

Labor is very concerned that the conservative Government has tried to sneak this change through the Parliament without any debate.

We understand that these changes are significant, and will have a real impact on whether or not families are able to be reunited in Australia.

In many cases, people who have paid fees to make applications to give Assurances, on the basis that they have previously been eligible, will no longer be eligible under these new rules.

It is not acceptable that the Minister would attempt to hide behind parliamentary processes to avoid the proper scrutiny of his new rules.

This is just the latest attempt by the Turnbull Government to make life harder for multicultural communities around Australia.

Last year, Malcolm Turnbull introduced legislation to make it harder for older, new Australians to qualify for the Age Pension.

Currently, new Australians are eligible to receive the Age Pension after they have been a permanent resident for ten years.

However, if Mr Turnbull gets his way, new Australians will not be able to receive the Age Pension until after they have been a permanent resident for fifteen years.

Labor has opposed this cruel and unfair change to Age Pension eligibility.

The Liberal’s policy fails to understand the value that new Australians bring to our community through their involvement with local organisations and the informal support that they provide to other family members.
 

Best regards.

[thomas1965]

7 hours ago, Alan Collett said:

If I received an AoS request today and had an issue meeting the new income requirement I would be delaying progressing it - there is no certainty the change initiated in the Social Security portfolio will survive.

On the flip side, you might be assessed against the Apr 2019 criteria ... Which means a 15k bond.

[Alan Collett]

1 minute ago, thomas1965 said:

On the flip side, you might be assessed against the Apr 2019 criteria ... Which means a 15k bond.

I'm not suggesting deferring the AoS by some 12 months ... rather that I'd be waiting for a month or so to see whether this instrument survives in its present form.

Best regards.

[HarrisL16]

Just to let everyone know flew to Bali yesterday and our 143 Visa was granted before we landed. Can't believe it ,seems a bit surreal. So celebrating with wine beer and cocktails. 

Good luck to everyone whose in the waiting room and hope your visas will be granted soon, we are lucky just under 36months.

Thank you poms in Oz have learnt so much about the process from this site☺??

[Alan Collett]

7 minutes ago, HarrisL16 said:

Just to let everyone know flew to Bali yesterday and our 143 Visa was granted before we landed. Can't believe it ,seems a bit surreal. So celebrating with wine beer and cocktails. 

Good luck to everyone whose in the waiting room and hope your visas will be granted soon, we are lucky just under 36months.

Thank you poms in Oz have learnt so much about the process from this site☺??

Many congrats!

Best regards.

[whataday]

3 minutes ago, HarrisL16 said:

Just to let everyone know flew to Bali yesterday and our 143 Visa was granted before we landed. Can't believe it ,seems a bit surreal. So celebrating with wine beer and cocktails. 

Good luck to everyone whose in the waiting room and hope your visas will be granted soon, we are lucky just under 36months.

Thank you poms in Oz have learnt so much about the process from this site☺??

Congrats to you HarrisL16, what a great thing to celebrate! Well done

I noticed that your application was lodged on 28/4/2015 but official was still assessing up to 20/4/2015. How would it happen? No offence to you. It is my current frustration and concern. It seems a few applications lodged beyond 20/4/2015 have been granted also all of those were onshore at the time of 2nd payment request. I don’t understand how Immi processes the applications? Still in timely manner though? It appears that this is not the case at all

 

 

[lesleyh]

Thank you so much Alan , your information on the Aos has given me hope, your a good friend on the poms site.:-)

[whataday]

20 hours ago, SusieRoo said:

I can understand your frustration but spare a thought for Ray and Geri with a lodgement date of 23/4/15. They have not yet even had a call to prepare documents or medicals or AoS.

Hi SusieRoo

thanks for your message and understanding.

I do understand there are still a quite number of applications around 20/4/2015 struggling to get AOS completed due to various reasons.

I have been waiting for almost 3 years up and don’t mind waiting a few more days. My point is that the reality/truth about processing date is actually not up to date! Every time I got reply from PVC team strongly claiming the current offical date was 20/4/2015!  If so, why there are a few applications beyond 20/4/2015 have been granted? 

I am getting disappointed about how immi actually processes applications. Is that true  immi processes all of applications in timely manner?  Or applotions onshore have a priority?

 

 

 

[LindaH27]

Just wondering about delays etc. Are there really countries that Australia considers to be  “unsafe” for visa purposes? I read on another forum that some thought that delays are because applicants are from countries that are not considered to be “safe”  therefore they may need further/deeper/longer  assessment? 

[whataday]

2 minutes ago, LindaH27 said:

Just wondering about delays etc. Are there really countries that Australia considers to be  “unsafe” for visa purposes? I read on another forum that some thought that delays are because applicants are from countries that are not considered to be “safe”  therefore they may need further/deeper/longer  assessment? 

Who knows?

there are always some reason regarding assesssment delay etc 

[Kathss56]

32 minutes ago, HarrisL16 said:

Just to let everyone know flew to Bali yesterday and our 143 Visa was granted before we landed. Can't believe it ,seems a bit surreal. So celebrating with wine beer and cocktails. 

Good luck to everyone whose in the waiting room and hope your visas will be granted soon, we are lucky just under 36months.

Thank you poms in Oz have learnt so much about the process from this site☺??

So happy for you. ENJOY!! 

[SusieRoo]

48 minutes ago, HarrisL16 said:

Just to let everyone know flew to Bali yesterday and our 143 Visa was granted before we landed. Can't believe it ,seems a bit surreal. So celebrating with wine beer and cocktails. 

Good luck to everyone whose in the waiting room and hope your visas will be granted soon, we are lucky just under 36months.

Thank you poms in Oz have learnt so much about the process from this site☺??

Congratulations! Beer and cocktails in Bali sounds like the perfect end to your three year ordeal.

[SusieRoo]

29 minutes ago, whataday said:

Hi SusieRoo

thanks for your message and understanding.

I do understand there are still a quite number of applications around 20/4/2015 struggling to get AOS completed due to various reasons.

I have been waiting for almost 3 years up and don’t mind waiting a few more days. My point is that the reality/truth about processing date is actually not up to date! Every time I got reply from PVC team strongly claiming the current offical date was 20/4/2015!  If so, why there are a few applications beyond 20/4/2015 have been granted? 

I am getting disappointed about how immi actually processes applications. Is that true  immi processes all of applications in timely manner?  Or applotions onshore have a priority?

 

 

 

Thank you for the message. I can't imagine how frustrating it must be to have endured this process for three years and now be so close. Just hang on in there and I'm sure you will have your visas very soon.

[NickyNook]

1 hour ago, LindaH27 said:

Just wondering about delays etc. Are there really countries that Australia considers to be  “unsafe” for visa purposes? I read on another forum that some thought that delays are because applicants are from countries that are not considered to be “safe”  therefore they may need further/deeper/longer  assessment? 

Of course. That's what 'High Risk' countries are - there are loads of them that are considered a high risk for visa processing. Plenty of reasons for it - flaky untrustworthy record-keeping, high levels of corruption, endemic document forgery etc. When you can't trust any paperwork that originates from a particular country it makes it much harder to verify everything. 

[Catlady2014]

1 hour ago, HarrisL16 said:

Just to let everyone know flew to Bali yesterday and our 143 Visa was granted before we landed. Can't believe it ,seems a bit surreal. So celebrating with wine beer and cocktails. 

Good luck to everyone whose in the waiting room and hope your visas will be granted soon, we are lucky just under 36months.

Thank you poms in Oz have learnt so much about the process from this site☺??

Woohoo! ???

[Catlady2014]

1 hour ago, whataday said:

Hi SusieRoo

thanks for your message and understanding.

I do understand there are still a quite number of applications around 20/4/2015 struggling to get AOS completed due to various reasons.

I have been waiting for almost 3 years up and don’t mind waiting a few more days. My point is that the reality/truth about processing date is actually not up to date! Every time I got reply from PVC team strongly claiming the current offical date was 20/4/2015!  If so, why there are a few applications beyond 20/4/2015 have been granted? 

I am getting disappointed about how immi actually processes applications. Is that true  immi processes all of applications in timely manner?  Or applotions onshore have a priority?

 

 

 

For "processing", substitute "assessing".  Every application has to be assessed on its merits and particular circumstances.  Some are probably straightforward, others more complicated.  So for example, a straightforward application lodged on 20/4/2015 can be investigated easily and a decision made quickly and result in a quick request for the second vac, whereas a complicated application lodged on 20/4/2015 can take a lot longer to investigate and therefore the decision may be delayed, and consequently the request for the second vac will be much later.  Please don't shoot the messenger, I am simply trying to play devil's advocate here.   See my own timeline, my application was straightforward but it still took 36 months.  But I don't think you can assume that applications are taken out of turn. Factor in the situation where a CO takes on a case and then goes on holiday for two weeks, so a delay occurs.  Or one CO may work more slowly or take more care than another. These are just examples, I don't have any insight into the processes but I can see where differences might occur.  It is very frustrating as I know only too well.  

[NanaJan]

2 hours ago, HarrisL16 said:

Just to let everyone know flew to Bali yesterday and our 143 Visa was granted before we landed. Can't believe it ,seems a bit surreal. So celebrating with wine beer and cocktails. 

Good luck to everyone whose in the waiting room and hope your visas will be granted soon, we are lucky just under 36months.

Thank you poms in Oz have learnt so much about the process from this site☺??

Congratulations. Have a fantastic time in Bali and be careful crossing the roads!! ??

[whataday]

6 minutes ago, Catlady2014 said:

For "processing", substitute "assessing".  Every application has to be assessed on its merits and particular circumstances.  Some are probably straightforward, others more complicated.  So for example, a straightforward application lodged on 20/4/2015 can be investigated easily and a decision made quickly and result in a quick request for the second vac, whereas a complicated application lodged on 20/4/2015 can take a lot longer to investigate and therefore the decision may be delayed, and consequently the request for the second vac will be much later.  Please don't shoot the messenger, I am simply trying to play devil's advocate here.   See my own timeline, my application was straightforward but it still took 36 months.  But I don't think you can assume that applications are taken out of turn. Factor in the situation where a CO takes on a case and then goes on holiday for two weeks, so a delay occurs.  Or one CO may work more slowly or take more care than another. These are just examples, I don't have any insight into the processes but I can see where differences might occur.  It is very frustrating as I know only too well.  

Hi Catlady2014

thanks for your message.

Fortunately, my case has been confirmed by one of COs/admin staffs? back in January this year. In his email he suggested that it should be assessed by the CO very quickly because all docs look good to him and just wait until up to 24/4/2015. My understanding/thought was that my mother’ application should be straightforward and should be picked up very quickly.  Well you can see, I have not got 2nd VAC request yet even though other straightforward applications have been granted already.  

You could be right, perhaps the CO is on leave. Anyway I have to face the reality don’t I?

 

kind regards

 

peter

[sub7er]

Hi, Does anyone know if the new AOS rules introduced from 1 April 2018 would apply to existing parent visa 143 applicant ? I am a bit concerned as we have been waiting for more then 2 years now and we are very  close to be assigned a case officer and there is a good possibility we might be declined as my main sponsor per annum income will fall short of the new requirements.

 

Any feedback will be highly appreciated

[nyorksgrannie]

9 minutes ago, sub7er said:

Hi, Does anyone know if the new AOS rules introduced from 1 April 2018 would apply to existing parent visa 143 applicant ? I am a bit concerned as we have been waiting for more then 2 years now and we are very  close to be assigned a case officer and there is a good possibility we might be declined as my main sponsor per annum income will fall short of the new requirements.

 

Any feedback will be highly appreciated

Yes, but if you read back a few pages you will see there is a lot of discussion on this, see in particular Alan Colletts comments, he is a very helpful agent who contributes on here.

[Ammy143]

Do we need still AOS requirement if we first apply 173 subclass then 143 subclass aftrr aproval of 173

[Ray and Geri]

47 minutes ago, sub7er said:

Hi, Does anyone know if the new AOS rules introduced from 1 April 2018 would apply to existing parent visa 143 applicant ? I am a bit concerned as we have been waiting for more then 2 years now and we are very  close to be assigned a case officer and there is a good possibility we might be declined as my main sponsor per annum income will fall short of the new requirements.

 

Any feedback will be highly appreciated

Don't want to depress you but we have been waiting nearly 3 years and still haven't heard anything from immi dept..... don't get your hopes up too soon, on the visa site they are quoting 36 to 39 months.