ministerial discretion s22.9

Old Jun 26th 2015, 9:24 am
  #91  
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Default Re: ministerial discretion s22.9

Originally Posted by Tr1boy
Yeah but you know, special snowflakes an all that.
If waiting is good enough for the rest of us....!!
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Old Jun 26th 2015, 9:34 am
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Default Re: ministerial discretion s22.9

Originally Posted by Pollyana
If they told you the documents are with the supervisor j don't see how you can expect a random stranger on the internet to have more info than that!

Ministerial discretion takes time. by its very nature it means you are doing something out of the normal run of things, so you should expect to wait and be patient. The option is to get in line with the rest of us and apply when you meet the normal criteria.
Did you apply from ministerial discretion?
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Old Jun 26th 2015, 10:51 am
  #93  
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Default Re: ministerial discretion s22.9

Originally Posted by Mah29
Did you apply from ministerial discretion?
If i had do you think I would be saying "get in line with the rest of us". I did my time, lived here as long as I had to, & got turned down for jobs because I wasn't eligible for a fast-track queue-jump for citizenship.


Anyone applying for ministerial discretion is applying for a favour. They are asking for special treatment. And that means they have to wait their turn, as anythng which is unusual is bound to take longer than a normal run-of-the-mill application
No-one can tell you what is happening to your application except the case officer. Each one is different and will take a different length of time- because it is a special favour situation.
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Old Jun 29th 2015, 7:37 am
  #94  
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Default Re: ministerial discretion s22.9

Originally Posted by Mah29
Hi gdoubleu!!i applied for my citizenship on 2 of March in melbourne and still im waiting,I called them last month and they said my documents are with supervisor,when did u apply and how they contacted you,by mail,email or call?im wondering why still im not getting any answer from them,i appreciate your answer.
Email, expect to be contacted within 4 months. The people over the phone cannot give timelines. To my knowledge, there are no time service standards for discretions.
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Old Sep 21st 2015, 9:14 am
  #95  
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Default Re: ministerial discretion s22.9

Originally Posted by gdoubleu
Things are moving. I have been asked to sit at a citizenship test.
it has been 6 months since we sent all the required documentation and no word yet. we applied from overseas though. I just sent them an email to ask, fingers crossed!!!
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Old Oct 13th 2015, 7:56 am
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Default Re: ministerial discretion s22.9

Just an update we received an email asking for one additional document last week. So it took about 6.5 months to get a case officer assigned and get the documents checked. We responded... now the waiting continues.
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Old Oct 13th 2015, 4:21 pm
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Default Re: ministerial discretion s22.9

Originally Posted by denizci
Just an update we received an email asking for one additional document last week. So it took about 6.5 months to get a case officer assigned and get the documents checked. We responded... now the waiting continues.
Thanks for the update denizci. I was invited at a ceremony couple of weeks ago so altogether (from lodgment to certificate), it took just under 8 months – onshore.

I will keep this story for another time, but I had to rush a passport application since you are not supposed to travel (from Australia) without an Australian passport when you have a citizenship certificate.
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Old Oct 22nd 2015, 9:57 am
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Default Re: ministerial discretion s22.9

Originally Posted by gdoubleu
Thanks for the update denizci. I was invited at a ceremony couple of weeks ago so altogether (from lodgment to certificate), it took just under 8 months – onshore. I will keep this story for another time, but I had to rush a passport application since you are not supposed to travel (from Australia) without an Australian passport when you have a citizenship certificate.
So we did get a response today asking us to travel to Dubai (the Dubai office will get in touch with us to arrange the test date) to take the Citizenship test. I guess great news after all.
Is this the final step? It states that the application continue to be processed once the test is cleared.

Last edited by denizci; Oct 22nd 2015 at 10:11 am.
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Old Oct 22nd 2015, 10:39 pm
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Default Re: ministerial discretion s22.9

Originally Posted by denizci
So we did get a response today asking us to travel to Dubai (the Dubai office will get in touch with us to arrange the test date) to take the Citizenship test. I guess great news after all.
Is this the final step? It states that the application continue to be processed once the test is cleared.
You have now entered the "regular" stream of applicants, congrats. Sitting the test will be the last step prior to the ceremony, so from this point onward, the standard waiting times will apply for the location you will be asked to receive the certificate from (during the ceremony).
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Old Oct 23rd 2015, 3:38 pm
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Default Re: ministerial discretion s22.9

This thread was very helpful for me when I was going through the process, and I wanted to contribute by sharing my timeline. Basic background is that I applied for ministerial discretion at the Washington DC embassy after having lived close to three years in Australia.

15 Apr 2015- Submitted offshore citizenship application online
17 Apr- Contacted by OCU (overseas citizenship unit) for certified copies of original documentation and additional supplemental documentation
2 May - Posted requested documentation to OCU in Canberra
21 Jun - OCU requested additional proof of intention to return to Australia
23 Jun - Submitted additional proof via email
24 Aug - Citizenship exam at DC embassy
23 Oct - Citizenship ceremony at DC embassy

Overall I'm very impressed with the Australian naturalization process. It is much more straightforward and transparent compared to the US one. There was a quick turnaround time and most everything could be done electronically. The only downside is that I had to fly to DC from California twice to take the exam and the oath in person, I would have preferred doing it at the SF consulate but at least I didn't have to fly back to Australia.

Best of luck everyone.
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Old Oct 23rd 2015, 3:40 pm
  #101  
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Default Re: ministerial discretion s22.9

Originally Posted by calvinch
This thread was very helpful for me when I was going through the process, and I wanted to contribute by sharing my timeline. Basic background is that I applied for ministerial discretion at the Washington DC embassy after having lived close to three years in Australia.

15 Apr 2015- Submitted offshore citizenship application online
17 Apr- Contacted by OCU (overseas citizenship unit) for certified copies of original documentation and additional supplemental documentation
2 May - Posted requested documentation to OCU in Canberra
21 Jun - OCU requested additional proof of intention to return to Australia
23 Jun - Submitted additional proof via email
24 Aug - Citizenship exam at DC embassy
23 Oct - Citizenship ceremony at DC embassy

Overall I'm very impressed with the Australian naturalization process. It is much more straightforward and transparent compared to the US one. There was a quick turnaround time and most everything could be done electronically. The only downside is that I had to fly to DC from California twice to take the exam and the oath in person, I would have preferred doing it at the SF consulate but at least I didn't have to fly back to Australia.

Best of luck everyone.
Thanks for posting the feedback and timeline! Being such an unusual situation its hard to find info to help other posters, so feedback from people like you who have been through the process is invaluable!
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Old Jan 27th 2016, 7:17 am
  #102  
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Default Re: ministerial discretion s22.9

So we finally managed to get my wife to sit for the test last weekend in Dubai. And today we recieved the confirmation that her citizenship is approved. So we will be waiting for the ceremony, which will again take place in Dubai.

Overall the process took around 9 months as we applied end of march last year but we delayed the citizenship test due to our own personal circumtances for 3 months or so. I would say, it takes around 6-7 months overall.

Good luck everyone!
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Old Jan 30th 2016, 8:01 am
  #103  
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Smile Re: ministerial discretion s22.9

Originally Posted by gdoubleu
I have also applied under the 22.9 discretion, on 06FEB. I will report back here when it's completed.

I had the misfortune to apply while on a business trip overseas. Despite having started an application prior to leaving, and upon resuming it, I was asked for my current "residence country". The system ultimately knows that you are overseas, and considers your are living overseas when you apply from abroad. This had other ramifications. You could not enter an AU address as your residence, it had to be an address in the country where I was.

The OCU (Overseas Citizenship Unit) contacted me promptly to request supporting documents to be mailed since scans could not be accepted. I had them change my residency address to AU, and my application went back into the onshore stream where those requirement do not apply.

As far as my application is concerned, I tick all boxes for the citizenship except for the 90 days in AU in the past 12 months. My work is such that I spend more than 90 days (but less than 110) overseas on any given year. Hence the application under 22.9.

Also, my Australian wife does not usually follow me when I go overseas, for various reasons, but this is not a red flag as the Act does not enforce that. Merely, the Australia Citizenship Instructions (ACIs) suggests that the Australian spouse should be with the applicant when overseas. Doing some further research, I have found there are several Tribunal cases where judges highlight that those instructions shall be used as a guidance only and are not laws. I have objectively documented my request presenting all facts, let's see what happens!

Hi

Based on page 82 of ACI - July 2014 - https://www.border.gov.au/Citizenshi...-july-2014.pdf, ACI does not show "that the Australian spouse should be with the applicant when overseas" , could you advise which version you referred ? Thanks.
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Old Jan 30th 2016, 8:03 am
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Smile Re: ministerial discretion s22.9

Originally Posted by whtzau
Hi

Based on page 82 of ACI - July 2014 - https://www.border.gov.au/Citizenshi...-july-2014.pdf, ACI does not show "that the Australian spouse should be with the applicant when overseas" , could you advise which version you referred ? Thanks.
Hi All,

For short and frequent overseas travel (1 to 2 months) without accompanying with Australian spouse, could we claim these absence as PR living in Australia ? Any opinion and experience sharing would be highly appreciated.
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Old Jan 31st 2016, 9:52 pm
  #105  
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Default Re: ministerial discretion s22.9

Originally Posted by whtzau
Hi All,

For short and frequent overseas travel (1 to 2 months) without accompanying with Australian spouse, could we claim these absence as PR living in Australia ? Any opinion and experience sharing would be highly appreciated.
My opinion is that I am a bit baffled as to why you think time overseas without Australian spouse could be counted as time in Australia. Seems highly unlikely to me.
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