Request For Medical Or Interview For Aus 309 Visa

[Madivad]

Can anyone tell me, when the notification comes for "come for an interview" or "go and get a medical" are there any timeframes attached?

We're going to fly back to Australia in the coming weeks, but I feel the embassy may also call in that same time and send her off for the medical or interview. Which would be perfect. But if she lands in Australia and they call the next day, would she have to return in a given timeframe to keep it valid?

[electau]

One may suggest that you contact DIAC at the Australian Embassy and advise them of your intentions to visit Australia. Quote the file number if you have it. They will then advise you.

[Logarhythm]

On my wife's letter requesting her to have a medical.,it stated that she had 49 days (28 days if notified by email) to submit the requested documents.

[Madivad]

One may suggest that you contact DIAC at the Australian Embassy and advise them of your intentions to visit Australia. Quote the file number if you have it. They will then advise you.

every contact witht he embassy, the best you get is: "Oh, you want to go to Australia, no problem, just go"

[Madivad]

On my wife's letter requesting her to have a medical.,it stated that she had 49 days (28 days if notified by email) to submit the requested documents.

ok, that's the sort of thing I was afraid of... Seriously, I have asked (3 times now). And they just treat it like it's nothing. But flying back to Thailand from Australia is no cheap affair. But at least We'd have a month to do it.

Thanks Logarythm, cheers

[Madivad]

Just thought I would ask: if she is in Aus on a TV at the time she gets the notification to go for a medical, can she do it at a hospital in Australia? Or does she HAVE to have it done in Thailand

[Logarhythm]

Just thought I would ask: if she is in Aus on a TV at the time she gets the notification to go for a medical, can she do it at a hospital in Australia? Or does she HAVE to have it done in Thailand

I think if the application is offshore then so too is the medical. Please, someone correct me if I'm wrong.

[Berek]

My wife's (Sept) letter had her details and what she had to get done and where. Nothing about time limits in the letter that I can see.

[Madivad]

Well, luckily for us the embassy emailed out the medical request a matter of days before flying out on a TV. Both the email and attachment mention nothing about time frames, but like I say, we're still here and she can do the medical this coming week before we leave. Thankfully we got the email BEFORE flying out.

Some final questions/thoughts:

1. The email mentions that upon a health clearance, the application will be handed off to a decision maker. We've had no interview but been told that we need no further supporting documentation. Is any interview normally with the CSO or the reviewer? and could it come after the request for medical?

2. If we fly out this week to Aus, can a subsequent interview be conducted by phone to her in Aus? I know she has to leave Aus for her to re-enter on the TR visa, but can she just fly over to NZ or does she HAVE to return to Thailand.

3. Finally, I did buy refundable/transferable/reschedule-able tickets. I hadn't yet bought the return airfare for her (for this reason), what is the likely timeframe after medical and

What is the general consensus on staying back a few weeks in the hope she only has to enter only once AFTER the TR is granted?

[saintofsilence]

Well, luckily for us the embassy emailed out the medical request a matter of days before flying out on a TV. Both the email and attachment mention nothing about time frames, but like I say, we're still here and she can do the medical this coming week before we leave. Thankfully we got the email BEFORE flying out.

Some final questions/thoughts:

1. The email mentions that upon a health clearance, the application will be handed off to a decision maker. We've had no interview but been told that we need no further supporting documentation. Is any interview normally with the CSO or the reviewer? and could it come after the request for medical?

2. If we fly out this week to Aus, can a subsequent interview be conducted by phone to her in Aus? I know she has to leave Aus for her to re-enter on the TR visa, but can she just fly over to NZ or does she HAVE to return to Thailand.

3. Finally, I did buy refundable/transferable/reschedule-able tickets. I hadn't yet bought the return airfare for her (for this reason), what is the likely timeframe after medical and

What is the general consensus on staying back a few weeks in the hope she only has to enter only once AFTER the TR is granted?

Did they give you a time limit of how long is the waiting time after a decision maker looks at it ?

[Berek]

1. Sounds to me like there'll be no need for an interview.

2. Outside of Oz can mean NZ, PNG, Tassy

3. Ours was granted about 6 - 7 weeks after the medical.

[Madivad]

1. Sounds to me like there'll be no need for an interview.

2. Outside of Oz can mean NZ, PNG, Tassy

3. Ours was granted about 6 - 7 weeks after the medical.

Thanks for that Berek, I'd never considered PNG as an option. I did read somewhere recently about having to get a stamp in the passport from the embassy in Bangkok. But I thought it is electronically linked in the DIAC database. Will there be a need for her to visit Bangkok at all or would a run to PNG or NZ (but not tassy ) suffice?I think we might just go home at the end of the week and play it by ear.

Thanks again

[electau]

If you are going to Australia make sure that DIAC has the applicants address. Here is the website for a 929 form. All visas are now electronically connected to the DIAC data base, no more paper visa labels in a passport. They will give you a printout of the visa number and expiry date.

http://www.immi.gov.au/search/search.cgi?scope=www.immi.gov.au&query=929&collection=immi-all-sites&form=simple&num_ranks=10&Search=Go

[Logarhythm]

I'm a little confused here. My wife and I are heading to Australia early in December. She had her medical done in Phuket about 4 weeks ago. I didn't want to gamble on the 309 being approved by early December, so I went to Bangkok on Friday and applied for a tourist visa. Assuming that she goes on a tourist visa, once her partner visa is approved she can have it validated by traveling to any country. Is that correct? I was always under the impression that she would have to receive the visa in the country that she applied for it. If so, this is good news, as a short flight to somewhere like Fiji would be far cheaper.The multiple visits to Bangkok in the last 9-10 months have left me feeling a little cold about the place.

Edited November 7, 2011 by Logarhythm

[Madivad]

If you are going to Australia make sure that DIAC has the applicants address. Here is the website for a 929 form. All visas are now electronically connected to the DIAC data base, no more paper visa labels in a passport. They will give you a printout of the visa number and expiry date.

http://www.immi.gov.au/search/search.cgi?scope=www.immi.gov.au&query=929&collection=immi-all-sites&form=simple&num_ranks=10&Search=Go

Our initial application has a covering letter with all our addresses including current Thailand, proposed Aussie one (where we are going on Friday), my mums address in Australia, her mums address in Thailand and approximate dates for being st each of these addresses. I 'feel' that they know where we're going to be by virtue of the covering letter, but you've raised a good point. They also have it in another email I sent over the weekend. But we won't stuff around and will lodge this form as well to make sure they know everything. Thanks for the timely reminder.

[Madivad]

I'm a little confused here. My wife and I are heading to Australia early in December. She had her medical done in Phuket about 4 weeks ago. I didn't want to gamble on the 309 being approved by early December, so I went to Bangkok on Friday and applied for a tourist visa. Assuming that she goes on a tourist visa, once her partner visa is approved she can have it validated by traveling to any country. Is that correct? I was always under the impression that she would have to receive the visa in the country that she applied for it. If so, this is good news, as a short flight to somewhere like Fiji would be far cheaper.The multiple visits to Bangkok in the last 9-10 months have left me feeling a little cold about the place.

I was always of the belief flying anywhere would validate it as it's simply entering Australia on the correct visa that's required. But I read recently about someone having to go to Bangkok to have a stamp entered in the passport. Thinking about this now I realise that was probably someone who went through the system some years ago.

I sent an email to the case officer over the weekend and asked this exact same question, so I'll post the answer here when I get it. But I'm quietly confident a short trip anywhere will cover it. What I propose on doing is before Friday (after an answer from the case officer) I will purchase her a ticket to somewhere (probably NZ) for a date in 3 months time. That will cover her leaving the country and keep the airline happy for boarding. I reckon in that three months she'll be approved and going to NZ for the weekend will cover us. It'll certainly be cheaper.

I'll let you know of her reply

[electau]

If you are in Australia you can contact DIAC general enquiries on 131881. That is where I found out the original information on address change and passport renewal (Thai passport).

Before the days of the electronic visa you could carry the old passport with the current visa label if it was still valid eg, permanent 100 or a 155 RRV.

Not so now. I did ask if it could be done at an Australian Port of Entry but the answer was negative, the Form 929 must be submitted. It took me about 5 minutes on the phone to obtain the information.

It is a point that could be easily overlooked.

[Logarhythm]

I'm a little confused here. My wife and I are heading to Australia early in December. She had her medical done in Phuket about 4 weeks ago. I didn't want to gamble on the 309 being approved by early December, so I went to Bangkok on Friday and applied for a tourist visa. Assuming that she goes on a tourist visa, once her partner visa is approved she can have it validated by traveling to any country. Is that correct? I was always under the impression that she would have to receive the visa in the country that she applied for it. If so, this is good news, as a short flight to somewhere like Fiji would be far cheaper.The multiple visits to Bangkok in the last 9-10 months have left me feeling a little cold about the place.

I was always of the belief flying anywhere would validate it as it's simply entering Australia on the correct visa that's required. But I read recently about someone having to go to Bangkok to have a stamp entered in the passport. Thinking about this now I realise that was probably someone who went through the system some years ago.

I sent an email to the case officer over the weekend and asked this exact same question, so I'll post the answer here when I get it. But I'm quietly confident a short trip anywhere will cover it. What I propose on doing is before Friday (after an answer from the case officer) I will purchase her a ticket to somewhere (probably NZ) for a date in 3 months time. That will cover her leaving the country and keep the airline happy for boarding. I reckon in that three months she'll be approved and going to NZ for the weekend will cover us. It'll certainly be cheaper.

I'll let you know of her reply

Cheers, Madivad.

[Madivad]

Ok. Now we've been advised to wait for result, here are the responses I got:

- As we are only waiting for the health check of [my wife's name] which is the last outstanding document.  Once the medical results is received and if it is cleared.  The application will be ready to refer decision maker for finalisation which will be taking approximately 4 weeks.  Therefore I would advised [her] to wait for an outcome of this visa application.

 

- If you still want to go to Australia, once this visa is finalised and if visa is approved.  We can transfer the approval to our office in Auckland for you to collect the visa there.  However, you may need to stay there several days and the visa can be used to travel to Australia from NZ.  But I think it would be easier to wait for this visa from Bangkok

A couple of interesting points:

1. Logarythm, you said your wife did hers 4 weeks ago? It would appear then, it should be very close to being finalised. Maybe you've wasted your money on the TV, but peace of mind is a good thing.

2. We can activate it by going to another country but we still have to attend the office to pick up something so they can transfer it. Not quite the answer I was looking for, but still better than coming all the way back to Thailand

3. I did ask about the 929 form, her response was that we can scan it in and email it to her.

[Logarhythm]

Ok. Now we've been advised to wait for result, here are the responses I got:

- As we are only waiting for the health check of [my wife's name] which is the last outstanding document. Once the medical results is received and if it is cleared. The application will be ready to refer decision maker for finalisation which will be taking approximately 4 weeks. Therefore I would advised [her] to wait for an outcome of this visa application.

- If you still want to go to Australia, once this visa is finalised and if visa is approved. We can transfer the approval to our office in Auckland for you to collect the visa there. However, you may need to stay there several days and the visa can be used to travel to Australia from NZ. But I think it would be easier to wait for this visa from Bangkok

A couple of interesting points:

1. Logarythm, you said your wife did hers 4 weeks ago? It would appear then, it should be very close to being finalised. Maybe you've wasted your money on the TV, but peace of mind is a good thing.

2. We can activate it by going to another country but we still have to attend the office to pick up something so they can transfer it. Not quite the answer I was looking for, but still better than coming all the way back to Thailand

3. I did ask about the 929 form, her response was that we can scan it in and email it to her.

Good information, Madivad. I hope I have wasted my money on a tourist visa. That would mean that the 309 will have be approved before we go.

[Madivad]

But I certainly got the inference that she needs to go to Bangkok to pickup the visa. I really thought that step could be negated.

[Berek]

My wife had to attend the embassy with her passport to pick up the grant letter. Ours was 6 weeks so 4 is looking good. One thing is if you enter on a tourist visa you might need to enter again on the 309 by the due date. Sucky situation but I prefer certainty especially when dealing with bureaucracy. Don't want you to end up on an episode of Border Patrol

Edited November 7, 2011 by Berek

[Madivad]

We have been advised that if (when?) granted she will have until 12 months after the date of lodgement to enter the country. That won't be a problem.

She will be entering this time on a TV but as stated above she can finalise everything in NZ and re-enter on the TR visa without too much complication. It seems to be progressing smoothly and we've been lucky to finally receive good communications with the CSO. Others recent good news keeps our hopes high now and even the CSO's passing comments have been promising.

As has been said elsewhere, all there is to do now is sit back and wait, but we'll do so from the comfort of my home in Aus

[Berek]

she will have until 12 months after the date of lodgement to enter the country. That won't be a problem.

Ahh I'd wait for the letter We applied late May and the enter before date is mid Feb 12. Due to problems with her temp ID card, we'd got the police check in Feb 11.

Probably one way to game the system, front loading early.... but you didn't hear that from me

[Madivad]

Her case officer has given us an enter before date. As I've always suspected it's related to various factors, expiration of certain other documents and the application lodgement. My wife has a new id card, the police check and medical are recent and as a result she was able to give me the enter before date. For us, it is 12 months after lodgement.

[gburns57au]

The enter by date is 12 months from when the Embassy receives the first document for the application, this could be the police report, med report or the application itself.

[Berek]

Nope. It's the date you got the police report done (only one you can do before app submission now medials are electronic)

[gburns57au]

Nope. It's the date you got the police report done (only one you can do before app submission now medials are electronic)

Ok not the med report now......Police report can be lodged with the app though. And it is the date it is received by the embassy.

[Madivad]

The enter by date is 12 months from when the Embassy receives the first document for the application, this could be the police report, med report or the application itself.

Nope. It's the date you got the police report done (only one you can do before app submission now medials are electronic)

I do love flat out rebuttals. I have to side with gburns on this, since the date she gave is exactly 12 months after lodgement, and nothing to do with the police report, since that was done days later. I'll stick to my "it's based on various factors" and as I said, for us, it's based on the application itself. If you do the police report before lodging the app, it'll be 12 months from the police report. If you do the police report after lodgement, it'll be lodgement. I also believe it also takes into consideration the expiry of other documents, namely the ID card. I don't remember where I read that one, but I believe it was in these forums

[Berek]

Everyone loves to debate

I'm only quoting what I see with my own eyes

Arrrrg stupid image won't show.

Edited November 10, 2011 by Berek