step1

Sometimes I think the only person who can give me the grant is Santa. I hope Santa doesn't let me down this christmas!

Accountant

Yeah, there are lots of things to ask for. I understand your concern, too.
The only possible reasons I can suppose are
1) the cost of resource allocation.
2) the bottleneck of April applications
Really, who knows even the rough ratio of pre-July to post-July figures in both criteria?
But anyway, we have right to ask for explanations. Maybe for non-MODL cases it would be a good way to collect people, who already are out of 50 weeks timeframe and ask ASPC if they are a statistic splash or whole system works wrong. And if the latter, we should require the true terms and realistic obligations.
As for MODL, I still think we should abide by terms of they letter. We'll wait and we'll see, how people in Russia often say Possibly, I'm more patient than others, but this doesn't mean my position is right under the circumstances.
Anyway, I'll be glad if both the streams MODL and non-MODL will move faster and successfully due to our efforts. Cheer up!

Alan Collett

I understand your frustration (I've been through the process myself), but if I may say so the Department of Immigration will decide when it wants to grant your visa, which applications it decides to process as a priority, etc.

Indeed, DIMIAs reaction to your comment about the waiting being unbearable is likely to be that you are always at liberty to withdraw your application if you want certainty as to outcome.

My understanding is that there are an increasing number of people wanting to move to Australia (witness the increase in the Skilled Independent visa passmark - it was 110 points only 3 years ago). I have a view on decisions taken that have meant skilled visa applicants lodging post 1 July 2004 are receiving visas months before those who lodged prior to that date, the introduction of Centrelink into the Assurance of Support process, TRAs processing times and the withdrawal of deeming dates on their classification letters, etc - and I express them to the professional body of which I am a member (the Migration Institute of Australia), which has regular meetings with the DIMIA. Out of those meetings positive things do happen ...

The bottom line is that fairness and equity are often of no consequence to the DIMIA - intending migrants don't have a vote. You have to be patient, accept the reality of the situation, and (if it helps) sound off on this forum.

I fear little of the above will be of comfort to previous posters on this thread, but that's the situation as I see it.

Best wishes to all.

Alan Collett

Have you read this as well?
http://www.gomatilda.com/news/article.cfm?articleid=324

Best regards.

badri

Hi Alan,

Thanks I saw you message on your site.

I thought of putting that when I wrote my message.

Badri

lyndab

I applied 2nd February 2004 and am just a plain old 136 no modl. I am really fustrated like the rest of you, but to be honest the most fustrating thing is my agent.

They just keep on saying that there is no pre-july/post-july issue at all, and that DIMIA are just busy.

ARGGHHHHHH

its hard to have patience but I know once my visa is granted I will laugh at how stressed I was

yinwong

I lodged my plain 136 non-MODL app in end of June 04 and it arrived at ASPC on 28th June 2004. Back then, I haven't found this wonderful website that could have given me the Post-July info. If I had known abt this, I would have posted my app a few days later and it'll arrive right after 1st July 2004.

After joining this forum, then only I found out abt all these mess. I consoled myself "hey.. it's ok.. nobody knew abt it".. But not! I found a thread started by Alan on the 16th June and he already knew abt it before it happened! Only if I joined this forum earlier...

My stupid agent knew nothing abt it back then. Whose agent can be lousier than mine??

Now, I am at all the way back of the queue of the slowest lane! who can be slower than me?

Alan Collett

It is difficult for us as agents too Lynda when we have nothing to report ... probably not as emotionally difficult as for our clients, but as a skilled migrant myself I do have sympathy for you.

Some might remember the debacle when skilled visa processing was moved from offshore posts (eg London) to the new Adelaide Skilled Processing Centre (on 1 November 2002 I recall). There was an intention for posts such as London to process all applications lodged before that date and all skilled applications lodged after that date had to be sent to the ASPC. This again created an arbitrary mismatch of skilled applications with applications sent to the ASPC being processed to visa grant months before those being processed offshore. Reason: resources weren't appropriately allocated (sound familiar?).

This was compounded when a residual London skilled visa caseload was transferred to the ASPC, and sat around for several weeks (it may have been months) before a team was assigned to the applications. Result: many who lodged skilled visa applications in London had to wait 20+ months for a visa decision.

Indeed, I also recall that the Pretoria caseload was lost in transit between South Africa and the ASPC (Jeremy - JAJ - may have a better memory than me on this one).

All of which goes to show that there is always likely to be someone who has had to wait for his or her visa longer than you ...

Best regards.

K S Adityan

Alan - it was Nov 2001 when DIMIA centralised the applications processing at ASPC. My 2 cents worth about the processing at Adelaide - I really don't think the delays have been intended and since ASPC has started functioning the processing times have been considerably reduced. There were times when the processing had been a couple of years and more and my own application took nearly 3+ years when the changes were introduced in 1989/90. The reason why they had to introduce the changes in processing arrangements and priorities is a valid one and if some have to wait a bit longer and others get it quickly, it is only in the short term and everyone will benefit in the long run. So hang in there and it will be well worth the wait. As many of you think that the RMAs are not posting a reply, it has necessitated for me to post one and it is not to get any browny points with DIMIA. Cheers

Alan Collett

Thanks ... I posted from memory - clearly the years are passing more quickly than I realise!

Best regards.

mcpraj

fine, DIMIA used to take 3 years prior.. but does that there should be no improvements..

now, since DIMIA have improved, why lose the foothold...

regards,
raj

madsad

Again thanks for the replys Alan. Your above perfectly sums up the traffic warden mentality of DIMIA. The worry from my part is that with applications piling in day after day, when will the situation ever improve?

yinwong

If you ask me, the only way to solve this is to move everybody to the new system. As I am typing here, I have to admit that I have zero knowledge of what's happening within DIMIA. But as for any system, common sense tells us that running two different sets of procedures concurrently is normally highly expensive and inefficient.

Well oh well, what can we do besides whining...

TOADFISH

Alan thank's for being the one agent that has replied to this (no surprise) i have taken a note of the ministers e mail address and like madsad will wait until mid Nov before doing anything. Even then it will be done through my agent as he has been paid in full and it's his job to do so.

Stewie

This is an accurate statement Alan. It's not only skilled applications with extended waiting times. I have applied under Contributory Parent Visa. My final paperwork has been at DIMIA since the beginning of August and they haven't moved to AoS. I have the money just waiting...and I want to pay them, and as you know it is a substantial amount, both for the bond and 2nd VAC. Other applicants who applied within 2 weeks of myself for sub class 143
have already recieved the visas. You see it's just frustrating, as you know when this happens.