Australia Spouse Visa

[chareehusbee]

Howdy all, just another boring question regarding timelines.

Alot of info out there on the Net is dated, and it's hard to find anything current, so better to ask the pro's here straight up.

My wife and I applied for Aussie Spouse Visa on Nov 4, 2005, and got the interview about 6 weeks later on Dec 14. Now almost a month later and we're still waiting. I realize it's pretty fast and all anyway, but being apart from your spouse really sux (as y'all know). At the interview our case worker told us that our app was perfect and she'd contact us "early next year". We're worried, tho, that the holiday period (xmas & new year) might've slowed things down a bit.

So what are average waits after the interview? I mean, in people's experiences.

Will we still need to wait months, or can we expect a resolution within the next month or so (2 months after interview)?

Any info would be helpful!

We really miss each other and want this wait to be over already! Call us impatient but it's hard when you've been together almost every day for a year and then you're not anymore!

cheers

c.h.

[Mighty Mouse]

In our case the wait was about three months, but I had to supply additional information to them.

If you haven't been asked for follow up information, your application could come through a lot quicker than that.

It sounds like your case worker has made a positive recommendation. Your g/f will be the first to know with a phone call.

[chareehusbee]

They asked us for additional info, letters, and things right off the bat, and we followed-through really fast and gave them all the info at the interview. The case worker then perused it at the interview before she gave any comment about our application.

My recommendation to anyone going into an interview is just relax. My wife went in there with no expectations and had a jolly good time yakking with the case worker (for about 90 minutes!) on her favourite topic (me!).

In our case the wait was about three months, but I had to supply additional information to them.

Do you mean 3 months from the start or 3 months after the interview? If 3 months after the interview, what was your total time to get the visa?

[Mason45]

Im an Aussie guy 60 yo and my Thai wife is 50 yo, we live in Bangkok, we've been married for 2 years. We now wish to apply for an immigration visa for her. She's been to Australia two times before with me on short stay visas. Does anybody think its wise to go through an immigration law office or handle the paper work yourself. Also does anybody know what these law offices charge, they all seem to be very reluctant to mention costs until they have you in their interview rooms.

[chareehusbee]

Mason45:

It's just as easy to do yourself, especially if you're a stickler for details like me. The Partner Migration booklet pretty much lays it all out for you, and you can get all the forms and things from the Embassy or from the DIMIA web site. We were gonna go the lawyer way but decided not to and I'm glad we didn't. I've heard some bad things about them, and you have more control, IMO, by doing it yourself. It's not rocket science. It depends how you feel about filling out forms and getting things done, and also how much time you have for doing those things. I also think it's probably faster doing it yourself.

[gburns57au]

Would agree with the comments here....Three months would sound about right as an average Some maybe shorter waits or longer waits...no application is the same.

Mason....doing it yourself is easy enough....takes a bit of work on yours and your partners part. If you dont feel confident enough you can use an agent but they will cost you....

[Mighty Mouse]

Do you mean 3 months from the start or 3 months after the interview? If 3 months after the interview, what was your total time to get the visa?

It took 3 months from the time of submitting the application.

[chareehusbee]

MightyMouse: thanks!

Perchance, do you remember what day of the week your wife got The Call?

Every day we hope and pray for The Call! In the past, they've mainly contacted us on Fridays though.

[Mighty Mouse]

MightyMouse: thanks!

Perchance, do you remember what day of the week your wife got The Call?

Every day we hope and pray for The Call! In the past, they've mainly contacted us on Fridays though.

She was with me in Australia (on a tourist visa) when the call went through to her mother. Her mother speaks the northern dialect and did not understand the telephone call from the Embassy, so did not pass on the message.

It was not until my g/f returned to Thailand that she learned her permanent visa had been granted.

I have no idea what day of the week that may have been.

[chareehusbee]

She was with me in Australia (on a tourist visa) when the call went through to her mother.

How was she in Australia with you? Surely they had taken her passport to put the visa in?

They took my wife's passport at her interview.

[Mighty Mouse]

She was with me in Australia (on a tourist visa) when the call went through to her mother.

How was she in Australia with you? Surely they had taken her passport to put the visa in?

They took my wife's passport at her interview.

We applied prior to the Visa Application Centre coming into operation. In those days all applications were handled directly at the embassy.

On the same day we lodged applications for both a tourist visa and a permanent visa. Her tourist visa (third one) was approved on the spot with her passport being stamped and returned. The application for her permanent visa was to be processed over the next three months.

Edited January 16, 2006 by Mighty Mouse

[chareehusbee]

At what point do you think it's okay to touch base with them without upsetting them?

It's now been about 6 weeks since the interview...

[gburns57au]

Unanswerable question, how long is a piece of string???

They will contact you....if after 3 months you havent heard anything then I would think about asking them................... but that is just me

At what point do you think it's okay to touch base with them without upsetting them?

It's now been about 6 weeks since the interview...

[chareehusbee]

They will contact you....if after 3 months you havent heard anything then I would think about asking them................... but that is just me

It'll be 3 months at the end of next week...

[Cossi]

They will contact you....if after 3 months you havent heard anything then I would think about asking them................... but that is just me

It'll be 3 months at the end of next week...

My GF application was approved after 28 days. I sent a couple of emails to the case officer and always got a prompt reply.

Goodluck

Cossi

[chareehusbee]

My GF application was approved after 28 days. I sent a couple of emails to the case officer and always got a prompt reply.

Lucky! was that 28 days after the interview?

What did you say in your emails to the case worker?

also, what time of the year was it?

cheers

ch

[Chris Lawrence]

My GF application was approved after 28 days. I sent a couple of emails to the case officer and always got a prompt reply.

Lucky! was that 28 days after the interview?

What did you say in your emails to the case worker?

also, what time of the year was it?

cheers

ch

Hi chareehusbee

How are tings now!

We put application in August, wife pregnant at the time, so we only completed medical mid january.

Trying to get any info out of the case worker is quite rediculious. I had problems with Bangkok as soon as we went to lodge the application. They told me up front to contact a migration agent as they would not talk to me until I paid the money. Then sent me to the visa application centre which was as helpful as tits on bull.

Finally got thru to the embassey again via email and they made an appointment for us to come in there. Got an Aussie for this transmission.

The first case officer turned out to be diparaging in her tone and the information that we were to further supply. This started because I wanted to tell her of the run around that we got from the begining. I felt she took this as a personal attack. Any way I told her I had considerable money in the bank but she requested in the interview to provide an 'Assurance of Support'.

So what did I do go back to Australia to do this only to find that I needed their offical letter to get this done with Centrelink. In frustration I rang Immigration in Sydney, Who I must say were extremley helpful, after telling of my frustration and the money it cost to do this, it was suggested to lodge a complaint. Which I did.

The out come to this was got to speak to David the Aussie boss in Bangkok and transfered to another case worker ( David said the case notes reflected no such request but when I told him how much I had he said no problem; go figure that one out)

However we are still waiting for a reply to an email that was asking them when after the medical can we expect to have everything approved.

We are living here in Thailand I have some medical conditions that need to be fixed, I have a job waiting for me which they also asked that I supply.

So I am at my wits end. I too felt not like complaining.

Night has got to follow day here, maybe it takes someone to turn the light on for them.

here are some names;

Ross Greenwood

Acting Assistant Secretary

Overseas Operations Branch Canberra

Principal Migration Officer (PMO) in Bangkok, David

Merz, [email protected]

[email protected] Rachel works in this area Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs, Senator the Hon Amanda Vanstone' office

Your local member

If you also look at the Commonwealth ombudsmans site you will see that the department has not had a good run with complaints.

So I know I have been long winded but the thing is somtimes the merit of the request deserves a reply. The down side to this is the lack of transparency we will have to live with.

But I am at the point of f^^k u

[chareehusbee]

Chris, sounds like they are indeed giving you the runaround there! Forunately for us, we haven't had any trouble like that. Things have been pretty straight fwd besides the usual lack of information about what's going on, but I believe that that is pretty par for the course in regards to visa affairs.

So did you talk to this David guy? Is he one of the guys that makes the decisions or is he just a general manager type? I'm still curious about the number of actual decision-makers at the Embassy in Bangkok...

Ah well, we are still optimistic we're gonna find out soon, it seems that the average process time is around 4 months if things go smoothly, and we just hit 3 months, so we're hoping!

Anyway, best of luck and keep us posted with new developments!

cheers

c.h.

[gburns57au]

Any way I told her I had considerable money in the bank but she requested in the interview to provide an 'Assurance of Support'.

So what did I do go back to Australia to do this only to find that I needed their offical letter to get this done with Centrelink. In frustration I rang Immigration in Sydney, Who I must say were extremley helpful, after telling of my frustration and the money it cost to do this, it was suggested to lodge a complaint. Which I did.

Why did you need Centrelinks asssistance ???...

[chareehusbee]

Any way I told her I had considerable money in the bank but she requested in the interview to provide an 'Assurance of Support'.

So what did I do go back to Australia to do this only to find that I needed their offical letter to get this done with Centrelink. In frustration I rang Immigration in Sydney, Who I must say were extremley helpful, after telling of my frustration and the money it cost to do this, it was suggested to lodge a complaint. Which I did.

Why did you need Centrelinks asssistance ???...

Centrelink handles AoS now, I believe.

[gburns57au]

From the Immi website....

Some visa applicants need to provide an Assurance of Support before their visa application can be granted.

This Fact Sheet gives an overview of the Assurance of Support scheme.

What is an Assurance of Support?

An Assurance of Support is a legal commitment by a person (not necessarily the sponsor) to repay to the Australian Government certain welfare payments paid to migrants during their respective Assurance of Support period.

Respective Assurance of Support periods are:

- 10 years for Contributory Parent visa holders or

- 2 years for all other visa types where an Assurance of Support is needed.

The Assurance of Support scheme enables welfare costs for these migrants to be met by an Australian permanent resident or citizen, rather than the Australian community.

Types of Assurance of Support

Required Assurance of Support

A required Assurance of Support applies to the following visa categories:

Skilled – Australian-sponsored

Skilled – Designated Area-sponsored

Skilled – Australian-sponsored Overseas Student

Skilled Designated Area-sponsored Overseas Student

Skilled Australian-sponsored New Zealand Citizen

Skilled Designated Area-sponsored New Zealand Citizen

Parent

Aged Parent

Contributory Parent

Contributory Aged Parent

Aged Dependent Relative

Last Remaining Relative

Carer

For these visas:

- an Assurance of Support must be provided before the visa can be granted and

- the Assurance of Support requirement cannot be waived

Discretionary Assurance of Support

In most other visa subclasses, a discretionary Assurance of Support may be requested if an applicant is assessed as being at risk of becoming a charge on Australia’s welfare system. This request is based upon close consideration of the education, skills, employment history, English language capacity and age of the visa applicant and their sponsor.

Roles and Responsibilities

DIMIA

The Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs determines:

- which visas should include an Assurance of Support requirement and

- in discretionary Assurance of Support cases, when an Assurance of Support is needed.

The Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs does not undertake assessments of Assurance of Support applications.

Centrelink

The Assurance of Support scheme is based in the Social Security Act 1991 and is delivered by Centrelink.

Centrelink:

- provide Assurance of Support application forms

- assesses an Australian resident's capacity to provide an Assurance of Support and

- counsel assurers about the implications of the Assurance of Support undertaking

- advise the requirements that need to be met by assurers (including joint assurers) in order to provide an Assurance of Support

- advise obligations of being an assurer, including the bond lodgement and procedures for bond release, and

- advise the recoverable social security payments affected by an Assurance of Support.

More information about the Assurance of Support scheme can be obtained from Centrelink by one of the following methods:

visiting Centrelink’s website at www.centrelink.gov.au

calling Centrelink on 131 202 (languages other than English)

calling Centrelink on 132 850 (English).

What steps do I need to take to obtain an Assurance of Support?

The Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs will send you a letter advising that you need to obtain an Assurance of Support.

You must forward this letter to your potential assurer.

Your potential assurer is to provide this letter to Centrelink to initiate the Assurance of Support assessment.

Centrelink will advise your assurer how to make an Assurance of Support application and the responsibilities that accompany an Assurance of Support commitment.

How will I find out about the outcome of the Assurance of Support assessment?

Centrelink will advise the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs and the assurer when the Assurance of Support is finalised.

Further information is available on the departments web site:

www.immi.gov.au

The department also operates a 24-hour national telephone service inquiry line on 131 881, for the cost of a local call from anywhere in Australia.

Fact sheet 34. Produced by the Public Affairs Section of the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs. Revised 12 July 2005.

© Commonwealth of Australia 2005.

[Fact Sheet Index]

I have highlighted the types of visa that require an AOS....However it upto the DIMI if one is required.

This sheet has the 24 hour helpline number on it...

[chareehusbee]

A quick update... it has now been 2 months since the interview and 3.5 months since the start.

We're still hoping we'll here something "any day now", but it's upto the powers that be to decide.

Despite the separation our relationship is as strong as ever (as it should be)!

[Mighty Mouse]

You have demonstrated what 'patience' is all about. A decision must be just around the corner and then you both have the rest of your lives to look forward to.

Fingers crossed.

[Chris Lawrence]

A quick update... it has now been 2 months since the interview and 3.5 months since the start.

We're still hoping we'll here something "any day now", but it's upto the powers that be to decide.

Despite the separation our relationship is as strong as ever (as it should be)!

Hi Chareehusbee

I got good news. Application approved 10/02/06; put in application in late Sept. 2005. I also lodged a complaint with the dept. on this day too.

David Merz is the head guy by all accounts in Bangkok, the other Aussie was Rob, I cant find his ser name.

I ended up writting to Prime Minister, Kim Beazly, opposition spokesperson on Immigration and local member. They all seemed to have contacted immigration in Bangkok. The thing the Beauracats don't like is a ministerial letter of request to answer?

Look, these guys are only providing a service. When we step into the breach of dealing with the frailities of a human being we become responsible for their well being. It is not my place to inflict any more concern onto another human being than is necessary.

This concept the Thais dealing with the Aussies don't seem to understand. In my case I saw very little compassion shown.

All I wanted from the Bankok office was communication and direction. Surely the department can indicate the progress of an application and where it is in the que. This is not rocket science and I don't believe this is an over demanding exercise. Unfortunatly it does take the nerve of some to ask the question. In the end I questioned myself as to wether my actions would cause problems, but then I flet more like a soft C##k by just sitting back.

The hardest thing to get from the case officers is who is in charge in Bangkok. They appear not to want to tell you how the department is structured here. This disempowers u from the start.

While I was in the embassy waiting, spoke to a few Thai women on their own waiting for visa, with husband in Australia. Some had been waiting for six months? and no answer. Hearing on this forum the waiting time is 3-4 months. I know every application is different but why is there a lack of transpearancy from the Department?

Maybe, a new topic should be "Whos Who in the Immigration at the Australian Embassy". It would appear to me that the only way u will get anywhere is by speaking to an offshore Aussie officer at the dept. in Bangkok.

As I have said my gripe was the lack of communiction and direction. The service charter for the Dept states

'Our obligation to decide applications in accordance with the laws of Australia means that we cannot

always provide the outcome our clients seek. However, we can do our best to meet our clients’

expectations of:

• personal service;

• clear and correct information;

• simple, efficient processes; and

• timely processing.

In order to meet these client expectations we need to:

• be accessible and attend to clients promptly;

• identify ourselves to our clients;

• be responsive to their particular circumstances;

• only ask clients to provide information or documentation that we need to decide their applications;

• constantly review our information, products and systems for consistency and useability;

• set reasonable service standards and work to meet these standards.'

"The fiduciary duty is a concept which arose from the courts of equity. Although the fiduciary duty has escaped a precise definition, a fiduciary duty is said to arise "where, as a result of one person's relationship to another, the former is bound to exercise rights and powers in good faith and for the benefit of the latter." This is another concept that falls by the way side by Bangkok office.

I am pissed off with the Bangkok office, but I must say the dealings I have had in Australia have been first quality. I know I have rambled on but why is there a difference in getting this information?

I now put it down to a bad exercise with the Keystone Cops.

[Chris Lawrence]

Any way I told her I had considerable money in the bank but she requested in the interview to provide an 'Assurance of Support'.

So what did I do go back to Australia to do this only to find that I needed their offical letter to get this done with Centrelink. In frustration I rang Immigration in Sydney, Who I must say were extremley helpful, after telling of my frustration and the money it cost to do this, it was suggested to lodge a complaint. Which I did.

Why did you need Centrelinks asssistance ???...

To this date I do not know. I say this based on the savings I have in the Bank.

The first case officer suggested that I would have to provide this as part of our application. This sent me back to Aus for 2 weeks.

When I got back to Thailand spoke with David Merz at the embassy. I was told that the monies I had in the bank were sufficent funds. I have lodged a complaint against this case officer for the advice that was given to me on AoS. Hopefully it may come out but the case officer is denying that she said this to me in the interview. How did I hear about the AoS??? Never knew of this before.

When u get to speak to an Aussie in the embassy everything appears to get explained. Don't know what the problem is. I can only speculate that the Thai case officers have very limited autonomy when dealing with applications or stay emmotionaly distant from the application or maybe I am just a cranky P###k.

See I was also told by the first case officer "I don't have to give you any information" in regards to the application. There service charter states the exact oppisite to this.

Thanks for your brief on the information provided. This is useful information for people in the process.

[Donz]

Howdy all, just another boring question regarding timelines.

Alot of info out there on the Net is dated, and it's hard to find anything current, so better to ask the pro's here straight up.

My wife and I applied for Aussie Spouse Visa on Nov 4, 2005, and got the interview about 6 weeks later on Dec 14. Now almost a month later and we're still waiting. I realize it's pretty fast and all anyway, but being apart from your spouse really sux (as y'all know). At the interview our case worker told us that our app was perfect and she'd contact us "early next year". We're worried, tho, that the holiday period (xmas & new year) might've slowed things down a bit.

So what are average waits after the interview? I mean, in people's experiences.

Will we still need to wait months, or can we expect a resolution within the next month or so (2 months after interview)?

Any info would be helpful!

We really miss each other and want this wait to be over already! Call us impatient but it's hard when you've been together almost every day for a year and then you're not anymore!

cheers

c.h.

My gf was approved on a spouse visa in 2004 and our application was approved right at the end of the intervew. We had a agent help us with the application and he told me that if they dont do it on the spot that they are checking for things etc.

The longer it takes the more worried you should be.

Do not bother asking the immigration officers at the front desk as they dont know nothing, when i asked a question and showed her my gf student visa they said they will put my gf in a detention centre (THIS JUST CAME OUT OF NO-WHERE) I almost punched her face in . and did i cause a seen, hehehehhe. which im sure you can understand. They seem to hate people applying for permanent visa's.

[chareehusbee]

My gf was approved on a spouse visa in 2004 and our application was approved right at the end of the intervew. We had a agent help us with the application and he told me that if they dont do it on the spot that they are checking for things etc.

The longer it takes the more worried you should be.

Since the avg is 3-4 months, from what I've seen, I'll give it to the 4 month mark, early March, before getting my knickers in a twist about it (as they say!). I'm not particularly worried about it tho, let them do their checks and they'll see it's all water-tight and legit. No worries, matey!

Congratulations Chris! You must be rapt about finally getting the dang thing! So it took about 5 months all in all? That's not much over average anyway... I'd be happy to get it at that time, as the earliest my wife could come is mid-March anyway after her finals (which is only a month away now! )

Edited February 15, 2006 by chareehusbee

[ronniem]

My wife applied for spouse visa last year

Submited application 24th May

Interview 19th July

Advised visa successful 13th September

Think this is pretty standard .

Good Luck

[chareehusbee]

My wife applied for spouse visa last year

Submited application 24th May

Interview 19th July

Advised visa successful 13th September

Think this is pretty standard .

Good Luck

Yep, that looks on-target...

You're in Melb too huh? How did your missus take to integrating into life here?

[ronniem]

She has adjusted quite well ,Little home sick at the start .

Has been studing english at AMES in the city She has made some friends there .

I have a phone card so she can phone friends and family in Thailand whenever she wants .

She arrived here start of december

Regards