jwood

Hi,
Has anyone out there completed a visa application by them selves and been granted a visa?
we are just about to send TRA info to our agent and hopefully hubby will get trade recognition. I am trying to decide whether to continue with the agency for the visa application but am unsure of the process. I have trawled through the DIMA web site and have all the forms necessary for the application.
I know DIMA tell us when they want the meds, but when do i send the police checks? Do i have to fill in character assessments for all of us(2 adults, 2 children under 15 and 1 child over 15)or just people over 15 years old, and wait to be asked for police checks, or do i send completed police checks when i lodge the visa application.
Agency is brilliant but expensive, and i am not sure we will have enough time to save all the cash needed. Hubby will be 45 in May 07, so visa needs to be sent of asap, after TRA approved.
Any help will be gratefully received.
Thanks in advance
Jackie

Wendy

Hi Jackie

Which visa are you applying for, and I will see how much help I can give you.

Police checks are only for applicants age 16 and over.

I will try to answer more questions when I know which visa you are going for.

Wendy

Poppett44

We did ours ourself,,, well,,,DH did!!
I will get him to reply to this thread later when he gets home

jwood

Skilled indipendant - 136. Hubby is an electrician
Thanks jackie

Wendy

Hi Jackie,

Your first step is to send in a 47sk form and a form 80 for each applicant over 16. Meds and police checks can either be done at around the 4 month mark (front loading) after your application is recieved or you can wait for a request. You can find a checklist of other things you need to send with your application here

If you decide to front load anything you need to put on your file number, which is usually in the format of CLF2006/xxxx or similar. Front loading really depends on your situation. If you have a house to sell for instance, it may not be an idea to front load as you will need to validate your visa before 12 months of the earliest date of either police checks or medicals. But if you want to go as soon as visa is granted then it will save you around 4 - 6 weeks of waiting.

Police checks need to be done for anyone aged 16+. These can be requested from your local station of can be done online (just google your local force name.)

Meds need to be done for all applicants, X-rays for anyone aged 11 +
Forms can be found below along with a list of doctors.

http://www.australia.org.uk/vti/HTML/medical.html

I should also add that your hubby's age at the time the application is received is used. So make sure you get it sent of a few weeks before his birthday.

If you have any more questions feel free to ask


All the best
Wendy x

jwood

So correct me if i am wrong, i don't need the police checks when i post the visa application.Will DIMA request them?
I have printed all the forms that i need so thats one less job.Oh i nearly forgot, i am right in thinking that i have to send certified copies of birth certs, marriage certs and passports for the whole family with the application.
We have a house to sell so won't be "front loading". I am hoping to get the final reference from hubby's boss this week and plan to book a day of work next week to get everything certified, I am hoping to send the TRA stuff to my agents by the end of next week.(I have heard that the TRA can take up to 3 months, is that correct) then the waiting game begins.
Thanks for all your help i think i will be in touch again to let you know how i et on. Jackie

Wendy

That's right. They will be requested when needed
Yes that's correct. You will also need to send everything that you are sending to the TRA, plus the certificate they give you when you pass. So get as many copies as you can to save money getting them certified.
It did when we did ours, but it seems to be taking less than 4 weeks now.

Good Luck

jwood

Thanks Wendy
I didn't know that you have to send ALL trade certs and the TRA cert. I have read on here somewhere that you have to go through the same thing in Oz for another TRA when you get there, so i am having at least 2 copies of everything certified, and keeping them close at hand for when (if) we arrive.
Thanks again
Jackie

Wendy

Well my hubby is an electrician, so will let everyone know what we have to do to get that when we get there in a few months.

john_w

Also have a look at the posts- 4 months in Oz as Electrician.

john_w

You will need more than 2 copies.!
1 for first TRA in UK, another for visa application,and another for TRA in Aus. Plus whatever your future employer needs to see.

jwood

Just worked out how many certifications that is for 3 copies of everything.51 if i just gets hubby's stuff done but 80 if i get mine and the kids done. I think thats gonna cost a little more than the price i was quoted. :scared:

Do DIMA need copies of any qualifications i have also, or just John's.

I think i need to get selling stuff.

on another note any ideas of how to change Curriculum Vitia's, as i have read that we need to include this in Australian format. Whatever that means.

Thanks for that
Jackie

Wendy

When you get the references, ask them for 3 or 4 copies of it. This will cut down on what you need to get certified.

LOL, you don't need to sell anything just yet. Your skills don't need to be put on the application as you don't need the points for them.

They like a bit more detail than UK employers. Register on www.seek.com.au and you will be able to type up a more Australian CV.

jwood

Thanks Wendy
It was hard enough trying to get one reference out of some employers, i only received one copy so i will have to get them certified.
I have had a dummy run of the visa application form and most of it seemed straight forward until i got to one section. That is "other family members"part F of the form.
Do i need to fill in this section- is it just other family members that are planning to come with us(of which there are none)or is it so they can check family backgrounds.
Any help with this question would be appreciated.

Thanks Jackie

Wendy

In part F you need to put all your family members details. Mum, Dad, Sisters, brothers including any step family. It doesn't need to extend to cousins etc, just immediate family.