this damned war
Apr 7th 2004, 3:25 pm
#1
BE Enthusiast
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2004
Location: UK
Posts: 374
this damned war
Hello all
Just thought I'd share a few things from my troubled mind....
Me and the old lady are applying under 138, Skilled Sponsored as my brother has been a citizen for 20 years or so. We started this crazy process in Jan 2003 and was asked for meds and police clearance 23/2/04.
The medicals went without a hitch as did the UK police record. I lived in Italy for a couple of years about 4 years ago and for some insane reason I decided to declare this on the application form and in turn ASPC asked for police clearance for my time in Italy. The instructions for obtaining this document on the DIMIA site are crazy lies. I contacted the Italian Consulate in London who told me to call the British Embassy in Rome. After holding for twenty minutes on my mobile (international calls are blocked at work) a very helpful lady said I would have to call the Foreign & Commonwealth Office in London.
This I did and after be bounced around the building I was put through to some wet behind the ears Oxbridge grad who said he could facilitate the documents I required and all for only £72 !! I sent him the requested information on dates etc and the fee on 27/2/04. I received a letter about a week later saying that they would do their best to help me but these things take a long time and don't hold your breath etc etc. To date I have heard nothing.
After a couple of weeks of hearing nothing I found a web site in Italy which explained that if I send a bankers draft(£16 NatWest) in Euros with copies of my passport. This I did via DHL (£42) and to date have heard nothing.
I was telling, via email a friend of mine in Milan this saga when he replied that he coiuld help and to send him the documents with a signed authority form for him to act on my behalf. This I did via DHL (£42). He walked into the court and walked out again ten minutes later with the document which he sent back to us via DHL(£42).
We then sent this along with all the other info to our agent in Perth via DHL (£42). He emailed when received to say that I hadn't included an English translation of the Italian document, I could have cried. He said he would arrange on for me which has cost AUSD 100...... It is due back tomorrow when he is due to send it all to ASPC. Let's hope it doesn't get lost eh ?
The moral of this story - Don't live in Italy and if you do don't declare it on Australian Migration application forms and never trust the Foreign & Commonwealth Office.......
Just thought I'd share a few things from my troubled mind....
Me and the old lady are applying under 138, Skilled Sponsored as my brother has been a citizen for 20 years or so. We started this crazy process in Jan 2003 and was asked for meds and police clearance 23/2/04.
The medicals went without a hitch as did the UK police record. I lived in Italy for a couple of years about 4 years ago and for some insane reason I decided to declare this on the application form and in turn ASPC asked for police clearance for my time in Italy. The instructions for obtaining this document on the DIMIA site are crazy lies. I contacted the Italian Consulate in London who told me to call the British Embassy in Rome. After holding for twenty minutes on my mobile (international calls are blocked at work) a very helpful lady said I would have to call the Foreign & Commonwealth Office in London.
This I did and after be bounced around the building I was put through to some wet behind the ears Oxbridge grad who said he could facilitate the documents I required and all for only £72 !! I sent him the requested information on dates etc and the fee on 27/2/04. I received a letter about a week later saying that they would do their best to help me but these things take a long time and don't hold your breath etc etc. To date I have heard nothing.
After a couple of weeks of hearing nothing I found a web site in Italy which explained that if I send a bankers draft(£16 NatWest) in Euros with copies of my passport. This I did via DHL (£42) and to date have heard nothing.
I was telling, via email a friend of mine in Milan this saga when he replied that he coiuld help and to send him the documents with a signed authority form for him to act on my behalf. This I did via DHL (£42). He walked into the court and walked out again ten minutes later with the document which he sent back to us via DHL(£42).
We then sent this along with all the other info to our agent in Perth via DHL (£42). He emailed when received to say that I hadn't included an English translation of the Italian document, I could have cried. He said he would arrange on for me which has cost AUSD 100...... It is due back tomorrow when he is due to send it all to ASPC. Let's hope it doesn't get lost eh ?
The moral of this story - Don't live in Italy and if you do don't declare it on Australian Migration application forms and never trust the Foreign & Commonwealth Office.......
