brissydeb

We sent our visa application away at the start of July, was lodged in Australia on the 19th. according to timelines we are looking at a 8 month wait. Who else is on 138 and heard that the visa grant would take this length of time. If we send meds and police checks away in October could this speed things up. Is there anyone else in the same situation?

Debbie

jenny79

hi my application reached DIAC on April 30. I received an acknowledgement on July 23, now I'm waiting for a case officer. A friend of mine who has just been granted the 138 visa had been waiting for a year.

suzimc

Hi,

We applied for our 138 visas and received them in October 2006, 8 months almost to the day after applying. We frontloaded medicals and police checks with our application and didn't have any complications which required us to answer any extra questions. Having said that, processing times do tend to fluctuate so it's always worth checking in with what's happening right now. i always found the best way for me to keep up to date was using www.austimeline.com where people register their key dates so you can get a good idea of the trends within your visa category.

Good luck!

rebnatoli

Our 138s took 11 months but we didn't frontload our medicals which would have saved time - probably about 3 months.

WS

Ours took exactly 7 months, timeline is on my profile. Good luck!

manic-miner

hi, we submitted our 138 on july 18th and are yet to receive confirmation.

We did consider front loading but wanted to have as much time as possible to plan the move. The 9 month period to activate the visa starts i think from the date your medicals etc are carried out. which means if the process takes longer than usual. you end up having to rush things and ensure you can either make the move quickly or can afford a second set of flights to go out on a holiday just to activate the visa. (i may be wrong?)

From what we have read it can take from 6 - 12 months depending on the skill and complexity of your application. (and a bit of luck!)

Suuz

Hi all. Great that this thread has been started as there is often a lot of info regarding 136 modl but not so much on 138. Me (I'm a nurse), my husband and two teenage boys applied May 07. CC debited 30th May but not a word since. Hopefully receive pre-ack soon as waiting is driving me mad. Hope to hear something soon. Hi to everyone. Suuz xx:

Kipsters

Hi, we sent off application at end of June and had pre ack on 1st August.
I have been told that if you haven't got your 138 visa by Jan 2008, then you will not need to do the AOS/bond bit that's required on a 138, which should speed up the process a bit (maybe by a couple of months).
I don't know where the person got this info from, but if anyone can confirm the AOS is to be scrapped for pre Sept 2007 aspplicants (after Jan 2008) it would be reassuring.

Suuz

Hi kipster. Can I ask, are you using an agent and did you frontload any PCCs or meds? Just wondering if this speeds things up a bit? Getting a bit worried as our application submitted before yours. Suuz

Kipsters

No haven't used an agent, just did it myself using immi website and help from here.
Not even thought about meds or anything else. Is it 9 months from meds to validating a 138, thought it was 12 ??
We're planning to go for a hol next summer, so don't want to do meds too soon!
Would have really liked to be out for Jan 2008 for new school year, but am not sure the visa will be that quick, so think may go out for Jan 2009.

bobbyfaescotland

Ours took 6 months and 13 day's. We frontloaded our meds and PC's and got a case officer within 3.5 months.

Bobby

WS

Kipsters - yes, it is usually 12 months for validation from the date of the earliest PCC or medical

Nix and Mike

Just to join this discussion - we are about to submit our 138 application - hopefully before 1 Sep.
Interesting disucssion re the meds - do they still have to be valid when you validate your visa !?
We live on a Caribbean Island and there are no panekl doctors here, so our meds are going to be complicated....don't even want to THINK about that right now....one step at a time stuff.

We too are hoping to be in Oz late next year....in time for Jan 2009 school year.

Nice to see some 138ers out there !

Nix

jenny79

yes, meds and PCCs have to be valid at time of initial entry.

brissydeb

I had heard that if you sent your app after 1st Sept the AOS would be scrapped but if your app was received prior it would still apply?!

Debbie