vlooi

Just want to enquire from the lucky people who already have their visas. It will be 6 weeks on Monday since we received a CO (13/10) and absolute silence after that. SHe did request extra info on my work experience like P60's and payslips which I provided the very next day 14/10. Evertyhing else like medicals and PCC's are frontloaded even before CO was assigned. When looking at the BE update timeline, I see applicants getting visas from CO to grant in a timeframe of about 4-8 weeks without even frontloading. (so this time period many times include the medical and pcc!) I start to feel very paranoid whether there is a problem.

I am from a high risk country but by checking my fellow countrymen's timelines, I found that applicants who applied and received CO's after me was recently (last week or two) issued their visas.

We work through an agent who I trust a lot, but he is of opinion that there is nothing to worry about and just to wait. That we do...it is just difficult not to feel worried if you compare timelines of other applicants from CO to grant who did not even frontload.

Any advice or similar experiences will be appreciated thanks.

commonwealth

Did you try sending a post-lodgment enquiry?

I am also from a high risk country and my visa was granted almost 4 months after I submitted all the additional docs requested by CO. My meds and PCCs were also frontloaded months earlier. Based on my periodic enquiries with ASPC during that 4-month waiting period, they said my application was undergoing further background checks.

It is quite possible that yours is also going through routine background checks (security and employment verification), and the timing of the visa grant will depend on the turnaround time of the AU embassy (in your country) to finish the background checks on behalf of ASPC, as well as the speed of the CO to make the decision after receiving the results of the checks.

vlooi

Thanks for sharing your experience. We are using an agent, and as far as I know the agent has to do the post-lodgment enquiry. Apparently from what I've read on this forums, even if we phone DIAC we will be told that we have an agent and DIAC will not be willing to speak to us...

I really trust my agent and think he is one of the best in the business and I dont want to go over his head, it is just that my anxiety levels are skyhigh and I am just looking for some reassurance from other applicants who were in the some situation before visa grant.

commonwealth

you may want to regularly ask your agent to do the enquiries every other week and give you the status updates once received from ASPC

Luigimon

Hi Vlooi.
I'm in a very similar situation as you are:
- High risk country citizen
- Visa application on 2007-12-06
- Medicals and PCCs frontloaded on 2008-05
- CO assigned and further info requested on 2008-09-28
I called DIAC last week and I was told that the CO might come up with the final resolution before the end of November...
So it's going to be almost a year since I submitted the application...

vlooi

May I ask what was the further info requested? Mine was proof of work experience. Did you use an agent?

This is nervewrecking stuff hey...

commonwealth

if they are not still satisfied with additional work experience docs, they might conduct additional checks via their embassy in your country. this could further delay the decision making.

vito

Hello Luigimon,

Did you speak with your C.O when you call DIAC?

Thanks
vito

vlooi

It makes sense yes. I actually hope for it to be true as they are welcome to do any checks-everything is 100% the truth! I already submitted EVERYTHING they additional asked for (P60's tax slips, bank statements and contract of employment) the very next day after my CO was assigned!

commonwealth

sometimes the COs are too busy dealing with many files and could take time to get back to your file even if you already submitted everything. their workload is seriously crazy, so it helps to chase them once in a while. i had to chase mine before the CO went back to my file and grant the visa.

vlooi

I gather you did not use an agent and was able to chase your CO? How long was it for you between CO and visa grant?

commonwealth

i actually chased my agent to chase the ASPC manager to chase the CO. LOL
i waited 4 months from CO to grant.

Luigimon

Hi VLOOI!
Yes I'm using an agent.
What the CO asked for was a more detailed proof of work experience, such as a letter from the CEO (originally I submitted one from my direct boss) of the company that I work for and some payslip copies from all the years that I had been working there.
I sent through my agent those documents almost a week after the CO requested them.
And still waiting (not-so)patiently

Luigimon

Hi Vito.
Unfortunately I did not spoke with my CO on the phone.
Seems to me that the people answering those calls are not case officers, they are more like a "customer service" sort of thing.
I have called two times in the past, and they helped me to check the case status and comments added by the actual case officer...
Not sure if they are decision makers or are able to make changes to the application.
Cheers!

vito

Thanks for sharing Luigimon.