hueymc

Hi all,

We're currently in the UK and have just received the fantastic news that out 175 Independent visa has been granted , but one point in the letter has worried and confused us. (BTW, we will call the immigration department later tonight, but we thought that someone here might be able to put our minds at ease first).

Our visa lodgment date was 2 June 2008, and it was granted on 19 January 2009 (i.e. yesterday). But the letter goes on to say this:

Now that visas have been granted the visa holders must make their initial entry to Australia as holders of a Class VE, subclass 175 Skilled - Independent by no later than - 27 March 2009. The initial entry date cannot be extended and a visa may be cancelled if a visa holder does not enter Australia by that date.

Obviously 27 March is not a long way off - we were expecting the application itself to take a year, and then we were hoping to move to Oz at the beginning of next year (2010).

Does anyone have any experience of this? Can it really not be extended? Is it just because that's the anniversary of our police checks? Could we not just get them redone? Flying over there just to kickstart a visa and then coming back seems like an pretty extreme (and expensive) option - there must surely be another way? Also, would both of us have to fly over, or just the applicant (my partner - I'm a dependent on her application).

We couldn't find any info online about it, so if anyone can allay our panic we'd really appreciate it... or we'd better start packing (and saving!)

Thanks for all your help in advance, Huey

newjersey

This date can not be changed - that is the rule. There are very rare exceptions, with at least one poster on this forum (saved young ones the trip half world over). You can obviously try, no harm there, but you have to have very compelling arguments as to why you want this extended. Re-doing the PCCs or medicals at this stage can not help.

The date itself may be the anniversary of the Police checks or expiration of the medicals (12 or 6 months if one of the family ended up getting a group B in health checks).

Re. moving in 2010 - sure you can do this, not everyone is making their permanent move on the first go. So long as you validate your visa, you will be able to make a move within 5 years from the date of grant. Read the article on validation, there is a link in the bar at the top of the forum, there is more good info there.

NJ

slippery30

congrats on ur visa..amazing speed!

1. 27mar 2009 is the earlier of 1st anniversary ur pcc or medical

2. this date is non-extendable, there have been rare cases of someone reporting on this forum of being granted extension of 2-3 months in it by DIAC.

3. All applicants have to validate the visa by the grant date, but the main applicant has to validate first( she can be first in the queue at the airport

Hope it helps

Safaet

Congratulations hueymc!!
Seems that you got it 1 year in advance!! Great.......

starwin4u

Hi, No Worries, atleast you got your visa as soon thane everyone,

Just make a Visit to OZi before the specified date, just go as a tourist, atleast for sigh see.

No Worries, Be Happy for the Visa,

WinZi