Brisneyland

So I conclude that current processing times (at Melbourne) are about 3 months.

joquin

Well my 2 years were up on 3 nov 2010 still waiting for approval

Sent to canberra

I just want to feel like i belong here.

Brisneyland

good luck joquin, I'll let you know when it comes. It seems to just be luck of the draw where it gets sent. I think they transfer loads of cases between the processing centres too, to balance the load. Hve got my fingers crossed for you.

And I can sympathise and relate to the "wanting to belong" feeling. I'm sick of feeling in limbo, can't make any major decisions about anything.

Steinberger

Sent off for my AFP cert thing, I will work on the rest now.
I was only asked for Form 80, Stat Dec for each of us, and copies of our passports.

I have a question about the Statutory Declarations.
Do I have to supply documents to support each of the questions? Bills, bank statements etc? I sent a book of stuff for the first one, don't really want to do that again.
If so, do I have to get each copy of bill/statement etc certified? or is that only for official govt documents like birth/marriage certs etc?

Question 9 on the stat decs asks for names/addresses etc of 2 people? Who do they have to be? living where?
I don't know 2 people in Australia, not even 1 (except my wife).

Any input from people that have submitted theirs recently would be great! Thanks

Brisneyland

Stat decs or form 80.

I believe the stat decs is this one... http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/pdf/888.pdf

I can't see a question 9.

Have you been living here for 2 years?

Steinberger

Stat decs, it's not Form 888 that they sent me.
There's no form number on it. At the top it says:

"Commonwealth of Australia
STATUTORY DECLARATION - PARTNER VISA (APPLICANT)
Statutory Declarations Act 1959"

There's one for the Sponsor too.
I have been in Australia for over 1 year, over 2 years since my application.

SillyOldBag

You only have to send them back what they specifically ask for so you don't need to send any copy bills etc etc... This is based on my experience from the end of last year.

The contacts we put were all australian residents or citizens but if you don't really know anyone then you'd have to put people whom you know from UK I suppose. I'm not sure what the go would be on that but it didn't specify aussie citizens as far as I remember.

Brisneyland

Well, it came on Friday.

Very happy now. 2 months past the 2 year date. It says valid for 5 years and they encourage application for citizenship within this time.

I have a question though, it still says it is a partner visa 801 what would happen if we were to split up now it has been granted? Is the granting of it dependant upon us remaining together. Mind you having gone through the migration process together I think we'd cope with anything now but still curious.

Thanks.

SillyOldBag

With the granting of the 801 visa, you are now a Permanent Resident. Your PR is not dependant on you now remaining in the relationship. You can stay in Australia indefinitely, the implication of the 5 year validity is that if after that time you want to leave Australia and come back then you would have to apply for a Resident Return Visa to ensure you can return! However, if you apply for citizenship within the 5 years then the RRV is not an issue. I plan on applying for citizenship as soon as I can, which should be the end of this year!

Congrats on getting your visa - it is such a relief when it comes through and it's all over and done with!

Brisneyland

Thanks SillyOldBag, yes, it is a relief. Hard to describe the feeling really. There was never any reason why it wouldn't happen and yet at the same time I could/would never ASSUME it to be happening. It's still sinking in, I'm still smiling.

I'll be eligable to apply for citizenship September next year (4yrs in the country) which I plan to do. I've heard (someone at work had PR for years but not residency and had to go back for a funeral) the resident return visa's aren't cheap.

JoeBloggs80

I have sent off for my police cert, and am now in the process of filling out form 80 and the stat decs.

My question is, will I have to passport off at any time to get the visa put in it? Presuming the process takes a few months, and I was hoping to make a visit back to the UK in that period, which I'll obv be unable to do if I dont have my passport!?

Brisneyland

You shouldn't have to send your actual passport to them. Only ever a photocopy of the info page from it. You have to get a certified copy of this, so photocopy it and then get it signed as a certified copy by a Justice of the Peace. ey're usually available in shopping centres or libraries.

Hope this helps.

JoeBloggs80

Thanks! Yeah I know I have to send them a certified copy...I just seem to remember for my temporary residency I had to send off the actual passport itself..

Good to know - much appreciated!

Prudi

Steinberger, I think I know the question you are talking about (I sent off my second stage paperwork two weeks ago). Just put anyone you know who can vouch for your relationship. We used my mother-in-law and her partner (both in Australia). If you scroll back, I asked the question about whether these people get contacted and it seems that they don't, so I wouldn't get too bogged down in it. Now I think about it, I think they were supposed to be Australian residents, weren't they? This came up for us because the mother-in-law's fiance is a Kiwi (actually quite nice people), and that was okay. In summary, the question is asking for witnesses to your relationship. Put Australian residents, if you can find anyone who is willing to do vouch for you, if not, use people from overseas. Don't lie, don't falsify anything - if you have a genuine relationship, you have nothing to worry about. All the best!

Brisneyland - congrats! And thanks for asking the question that was kind of on my mind but that I didn't want to bring up.

Re JoeBloggs80's question, I'm quite surprised that I don't get a new sticker in my passport. Does that mean we get stuck with the provisional visa sticker when we are permanent residents?!

SillyOldBag

They don't automatically give you a new visa label when you get PR - however, if it will make life easier for you then you can go into any DIAC office and get a visa label. I had to do this after I got the temp spouse visa (after the prospective spouse one) because medicare were being monumental pains in the bum! I haven't had a need to get the visa label for PR yet but to be honest, I might get it if I'm stuck in town one day with nothing better to do! I think if I were leaving Australia on holiday I would feel happier with a visa label in my passport, but at the moment there is no prospect of that, so it's all theoretical!