fal

Hi

I'm applying for a partner visa offshore from the UK (husband of 35 years is an Australian Citizen). According to this forum my application might be processed quite quickly.

I'm very confused about the medical requirements. Could anyone give clarification on the following:

1. Do I need to have my medical at the only listed centre in Knightsbridge or are these just suggestions? (I do live near London).
   
2. Should I apply now (I hope to submit my application within a few weeks)? I have read about the risk of applying too soon and the medicals expiring.
   
3. Do I apply using the e-Medical/Electronic Health Declarations/My Health Declarations?
   
4. What is the approximate cost and do they vary according to where you go (Knightsbridge sounds expensive!)?

I'm totally confused.

Pollyana

Yes you must do it at one of the listed and approved centres. Phone them for a current price.
Once the medical is done it is valid for 12 onths - in that time you need the visa grated AND you must enter Australia to validate it, so many people leave the medical until the case officer actually requests it. I certainly wouldn't recommend doing it before you have even applied, even though grants at present are quite quick.

fal

Thank you, I'll phone the choice of two on Monday. Do you know how much notice you get to enter Australia once they grant the visa and is there any particular length of time you need to stay on that occasion? Is there any reason some people wait to be asked to do the medical presuming that it is always compulsory?

Pollyana

Once they grant the visa you have a limitedtie to enter (or validate). That time is usually (but nto always) 12 months from the date of your medical or police check, whicever was the earlier. So the earlier you do the medical, the less time you will have to enter.
When you go to Australia to validate the visa, you can either stay and make it a permanent move, or leave again on the next plane, have a holiday or whatever. The only requirement is that you enter the country.

The reason people wait is to maximise the time they get to enter.

If you do your medical today, then don't get round to applying till maybe May 2018, and if the visa doesn't get granted till perhaps December 2018, you would only have until 3rd March 2019 to make that trip to Aus.
But if you wait, apply in May, get a medical request in perhaps Octpber, granted in December - you then have until October 2019 to enter.

Hope that makes sense!

fal

Yes thank you Pollyana, that's a very clear explanation for a newbie.

The police checks are usually very quick so I guess that should be left until they ask for it. It’s not a real problem for me to go with a few months’ notice but it’s always good to have more in case of it clashing with family arrangements, appointments or even a booked holiday etc. The website does say that you can apply for the medical beforehand to lodge a complete application. Is it the appointment or the results that takes so long?

Pollyana

Neither takes very long You can usually get an appointment within a few days, the results are usually in within a week and go straightto Immigration. Its the whole visa process that takes time
Having said that, at the moment spouse visas in the UK are being granted in only 1-2 months, so doing the medical early is less of a risk. Last year when they were taking over a year to be granted you ran the risk of having to do the medical again if it was done too early.

In your shoes at present with grants being quick, I would lodge the application, and then do the medical soon afterwards, like in the next 2 weeks or so, and send for the police check as soon as the application is lodged. That's not professional advice, just person opinion from one who has been through it before!

fal

That's amazing, I'd better get on with it before the processing times increase again! I'll follow your "unprofessional" timing advice.

I have another question. Do I have to certify my key documents - birth certificates, marriage certificate, passports? I've searched the forums and found conflicting information. Should I just upload colour copies and wait and see if they're accepted.

Dorothy

Colour uploads do not need to be certified.

fal

Wonderful. I did read that the visa information brochure is out of date about certified copies but it didn't elaborate. Is there an update somewhere on their website?

Pollyana

I doubt it!
But you can believe us. The system changed recently so all aplications now have to be done online and I don't think the booklets etc have caught up yet.

As long as you are uploading full colour scans of the original documents they do not need certifying

fal

Good job there's helpful people on these forums. That's quite a bonus and both time and money saving.

spouse of scouse

Amen!