Australian Spouse Visa

[Sel]

Our application was reasonable straight forward. Long term de facto relationship, 4 months married.

Put in our application 1st June 2009

Contacted for interview on 5th June

Interview on 19th June I think or there abouts, 2 weeks after 5th June

Approved 22nd July, notified by phone.

Pick up recommended on 24th July 2009.

So that's about 52 to 54 days (7 to 8 weeks) from application to visa issued

Hope that helps somebody

[clemine]

Hi All,

Anyone else here got an application in at the moment? Our application (Spouse Visa 309) was put in on the 5th June.

The Embassy rang on 21st July to request more paper work and to say the interview will be the 30th July.

Just wondering how long we will be waiting after the 30th.

Thanks...

21 Jul 2009 – Embassy rang Interview on 30 July

05 Jun 2009 – Applied for Spouse Visa (309)

30 Apr 2009 – Flight back to Bangkok

21 Apr 2009 – Married in Tasmania

01 Feb 2009 – Flight to Hobart Tasmania

12 Jan 2009 – Applied for Tourist Visa (subclass 676)

01 Dec 2008 – Bought car and fell in love traveling around Thailand

07 Nov 2008 – Met each other while on holiday in Bangkok

[Sel]

Near 2 months to an interview, that seems a lot. We were expecting approval about 3 weeks after the interview based on what others had indicated on TV. When we rang at 3 weeks to enquire they said that there are delays because of a lot of applications, s0 5 weeks waiting after interview.

[Sel]

Thought I would add our waiting time for our second stage Spouse (Migrant) (Subclass 100) Visa to this post

As I mentioned originally we were in a long term de facto relationship (7+ years) and married 4 months prior to our Spouse (provisional) subclass 309 visa application

Because of the long length of our de facto relationship we contacted ACTRO shortly after arrival in Australia to inquire about early consideration for a subclass 100 visa. A few months later it was approved. Here is the timeline

7th August 2009 - Arrived in Australia

18th August 2009 - Wrote ACTRO an inquiry email

25th August 2009 - Received a reply email with necessary .pdf paperwork to submit by post

29th August 2009 - Received a a postal letter acknowledging our inquiry and and outline to the process. Of note was the paperwork had to be submitted within 2 months of receiving this letter

18th September 2009 - Submitted paperwork by registered mail

6th January 2010 - Received a phone call from our case officer and a 15 minute phone interview was conducted with both my wife and I

11th January 2010 - Received a postal letter of visa grant effective as of 4th January 2010

So that's about 105 days (15 weeks) from lodging application to visa issued

Hope that helps somebody

[skippybangkok]

Silly Question...... We live in Thailand, and have no plans to settle in oz. Typically we go for a tourist visa on the rare occasion we go to oz ( i.e. every 2 or 3 years ). Is there any benefit for getting a "partner visa" ( i think same as spouse visa) for the Mrs? - Looks like its 50k+ baht which does not seem like a good ROI for our case . Correct?

[Sel]

I would think that a spouse visa would only be beneficial if you were intending to spend most of your time in Australia and were planning to get permanent residence and I suppose eventually citizenship for your wife.

[mark5335]

How long does the Spouse Visa last, eg, does it expire after 2-3 years, and subject to renewal? Thanks.

[skippybangkok]

I would think that a spouse visa would only be beneficial if you were intending to spend most of your time in Australia and were planning to get permanent residence and I suppose eventually citizenship for your wife.

Correct - and we have no intention to do that. Quite happy here.

[Sel]

Spouse visa has basically 3 timed steps as far as I'm aware and really depends on you actually spending most of your time living in Australia.

Either

1. Subclass 309 visa (temporary) for 2 years

2. Reviewed and generally if circumstances haven't changed receive a Subclass 100 visa (permanent) automatically for a further 5 years

3. Within 4 or 5 years (haven't looked in detail) you can apply for citizenship which takes something like 8 months

or

1. Subclass 309 visa (temporary) for 2 years

2. Reviewed and generally if circumstances haven't changed receive a Subclass 100 visa (permanent) automatically for a further 5 years

3. Next apply for a Resident Return Visa which last for 5 years with eligibility based on the amount of time spent in Australia as a permanent resident

The application fee for the spouse visa covers both subclass 309 and 100 so you don't pay a fee when you get your subclass 100. As for citizenship I think the fee is AUD260 which covers the test and the RRV subclass 155 visa is also AUD260.

Edited January 13, 2010 by Sel

[patongster]

Hello everyone with contributions! My wife has just had the interview today, 15 January. I am hoping it won't be long until she gets her visa, but the person interviewing her told her there are allot of people to process at the moment and it will take up to 3 months from when we first handed in the paperwork which was the 8th of December!

Timeline:

8th December handed in paperwork to VFS.

14th December contacted for interview at Australian Embassy for 15th January.

15th January interview at Australian Embassy.

??????????????

I was hoping 3-4 weeks max time left.

[neverburi]

8th December handed in paperwork to VFS.

14th December contacted for interview at Australian Embassy for 15th January.

15th January interview at Australian Embassy.

??????????????

I was hoping 3-4 weeks max time left.

Was it a complete application,medical check,police clearance certificate.

NB

[Sel]

??????????????? = 12th March at a guess

[patongster]

??????????????? = 12th March at a guess

Yes it was a complete application everything included.

12th of march surely not? that is over 3 months from date of application.

[patongster]

Timeline

8th: December handed in paperwork to VFS.

14th: December contacted for interview at Australian Embassy for 15th January.

15th: January interview at Australian Embassy.

26th: January wife contacted to pick up visa on the 29th January.

7 and a half weeks from start to finish.

[Khonkaenkid]

Hi thanks to all for the information on this forum. Am waiting for my wife to pass her medical, suspected TB, before we can apply for a spouse visa and was told the visa would take 3 months to be approved. Does that sound about right? What are our chances if all our paperwork is in order, have been married 6 months and the misses has spent 3 months in Australia with me on a tourist visa.