Resident Visa For Australia Success

[noodlecart]

Hi All,

I have followed all the great advice and commiserated with all the people who have had problems getting a visa for Australia. I would just like to offer my experience so that people regain confidence in the Australian system. We must thank many people for bringing the problems to the right people's attention, too.

Our story

Friday October 13 - application submitted to VFS agency, Bangkok, together with fee

Tuesday October 17 - partner receives phone call to arrange interview for Friday Oct. 20

Friday October 20 - partner has interview with case officer and not told of any problems - asked the usual questions - (I wasn't asked in at all)

Monday October 30 - case officer calls partner advising that visa is approved and to come in Friday November 3

Friday November 3 (today) - partner has a permanent residency visa put in passport.

This was a painless exercise once we had all the documents together. As advised by many of you, we made sure everything was complete and we gave genuine information for everything. That took some time, especially letters from Australia, but it was all worth it.

Kob khun krub Austrakian embassy officers

After over a decade in the LOS I'm heading back to Oz with my partner and no bad taste.

Thanks to you all on this forum for the advice that I read and followed.

Cheers!

[jdinasia]

Congrats!

[Mossfinn]

Great stuff and Good Luck

Moss

[migginsmiff]

if you dont mind me asking are you married? I applied in may interview in june and still no response

[Mighty Mouse]

It's always nice to read of successes with the Oz Embassy. Congratulations.

You refer to your partner as "partner" rather than 'wife'.....what category of visa did you get?

[aussiestyle1983]

Congrats!!!!

Good to hear about your quick processing time......................

[noodlecart]

if you dont mind me asking are you married? I applied in may interview in june and still no response

My partner and I are in a same sex relationship. I think the marriage question is not as relevant as how long have you been in a de-facto relationship (or as the Oz bureaucracy calls it, an interdependent relationship). I think the fact that we have been in one for over 5 years was very important for the final decision.

Best of luck and I'm sorry that I can't offer any advice of my own.

[noodlecart]

It's always nice to read of successes with the Oz Embassy. Congratulations.

You refer to your partner as "partner" rather than 'wife'.....what category of visa did you get?

The visa is referred to in the letter that accompanied it as a "spouse visa" and in the passport it is a "residence visa" that allows unlimited stay and also immediate access to social security. We applied for an "interdepency visa" in the first place.

I hope this is the beginning of more successes, even though the Howard govt is threatening to make life less inclusive for migrants. Couldn't he migrate somewhere himself ;-)

Cheers and still smiling!

[jdinasia]

Congrats again! Doubly so for not having the issues us yanks would have under similar situations!

[Mighty Mouse]

Thanks for the reply Noodlecart and good luck in Australia for the both of you.

There is government talk of strengthening the necessary criteria to become an Australian citizen, but so far this is just talk.

It is not aimed at Asians anyway.

[Jockstar]

Congrats. Are you sure its permanent residence. The reason i ask is. My wife has the spouse visa in her passport which is a provisional residence and leads to permanent in 2 years time.

[gburns57au]

Congrats. Are you sure its permanent residence. The reason i ask is. My wife has the spouse visa in her passport which is a provisional residence and leads to permanent in 2 years time.

Was wondering the same thing...???

Usually its a temp or provisional residency and with limited access to Soc Sec

[noodlecart]

Congrats. Are you sure its permanent residence. The reason i ask is. My wife has the spouse visa in her passport which is a provisional residence and leads to permanent in 2 years time.

Sure as anything. The visa says "Permitted to remain in Australia indefinitely. Multiple travel". The letter that accompanied the visa was very specific in mentioning that the two-year temporary status usually applies, but in my partner's case, it doesn't. That means instant access to Medicare and other social security. The officer at the embassy mentioned the fact that we have been together for more than 5 years as important.

Thanks again to all those who sent their positive feedback, and good luck to others in the process!