MelbourneCityRach

After a very fraught process we have success!! Such a relief, me and the fella are booking his flights tonight!

Our CO was brilliant - really fast. Timeline for anyone interested:

Submitted 14th June
Asked for form 80 18th June
Submitted form 80 2nd July
Visa granted TODAY!

We had a difficult app in terms of there being a conviction on OH's record, and we don't share any bills or anything, but it was all ok in the end so be reassured those in similar circumstances.

Rainydaze, I know you submitted at the same time as me - hope you hear soon!

Will post up our cover letter for anyone that would like a template soon - for now, there's champagne to drink! I can't wait to go home!!


Rach

Bernieboy

Brilliant news Rach,we too are hanging out for our visa,submitted a week after you,so maybe soon.Anyway best of luck

stubbieholder31

Hey Congratulations! And thanks for sharing you're post.
Enjoy the celebrations

JBlokeUK

Congrats Rach, great news!

I could do with seeing a cover letter as im about to submit my app for a PMV any day now!

MelbourneCityRach

Here you are then! and I'm sure it's coming any day now bernieboy

If this is useful to anyone, please note that it does NOT include Form 80 which it absolutely should have done as it was an absolute nightmare to fill in and I wish we'd done it before submitting!!!!

************************************************** ***************

XX JUNE 2008


Dear Case Officer,


Re: APPLICATION FOR TEMPORARY SPOUSE VISA SUBCLASS 309



Please find enclosed an application for Spouse Visa (Subclass 309) for myself, (applicant). I, (applicant), intend to be sponsored by my de facto life partner, (sponsor). (sponsor) is an Australian Citizen.


Our application is divided into five parts. Our application includes the following:


Section One: Our Application

Completed form 47SP

Completed form 40SP

Signed statement by (the applicant)

Signed statement by (the sponsor)

Certified identification documents from(the applicant)

Certified identification documents from (the sponsor)

4 x passport photos of (the applicant)

2 x passport photos of (the sponsor)


Section Two: The Financial Aspects of Our Relationship

Joint statement detailing how we intend to share our finances in Australia

Joint statement outlining the way in which we share household expenses

Letter from sponsor’s employer confirming the salary of the sponsor

Joint bank account details

Joint insurance documents

Joint payment of car club membership

Last will of (the applicant)

Last will of (the sponsor)


Section Three: The Nature of Our Household

Statement outlining the way in which household chores are divided

Lease agreement for the period may 2006 – present

Joint rent receipts for the period may 2006 – present

Correspondence addressed to both the applicant and the sponsor at the same address

Details of shared holidays taken together


Section Four: The Social Context of Our Relationship

Declarations from family and friends, inclusive of two statutory declarations form Australian citizens

Joint invitations to social engagements in both names

Joint Christmas and other occasion cards in both names

Except from the sponsors employers hr file naming the applicant as the next of kin

Evidence of joint holidays

Emails & correspondence from friends and family evidencing shared plans with us as a partnership


Section Five: The Nature of Our Commitment to Each Other

A joint statement outlining the nature of our commitment to each other and our plans for the future

Phone bills evidencing the frequency of our contact over time

Emails and correspondence from September 2005 to present from ourselves and others referencing our relationship

Photographic evidence from September 2005 to present



Please do not hesitate to contact us should you require further information – We are more than happy to provide any evidence you require as far as we are able.


We are also very willing to attend an interview should this be necessary.


Please do not hesitate to contact either of us, by phone or email, should you require anything further whatsoever.

We appreciate you reviewing our application, and look forward to hearing from you.


Yours Sincerely,

FrancesandMatt

Congratulations on your visa success! Just wondered what your situation was whilst applying? Is your other half in Australia at the moment and employed?

I am an Australian citizen and my partner Matt is British, we both live in the UK (I have a spouse visa here) but I'm returning to Australia mid august and Matt is migrating in September. We are going to apply for a spouse visa in Australia. We're both currently working in the UK but when I return I wont be looking for work until September because I have family commitments before then.. so I'm concerned about not being able to prove employment in Australia and be a sponsor. Do you think that not being employed at the time of application will affect our visa application?

wolfmanche

Hi FrancesandMatt,

I am Rach's OH.

We both live in the UK at present, rach is leaving for australia at the beginning of august and I intend to travel early october.

I can't say if having a job will help or not, if you have time it might be worth applying for the visa over here to mimise the risks. Ours was completed very quickly, which I think was down to a couple of things:

we had evidence for each section asked on the form (even if it wasn't much)
Getting medical out of the way before applying
Getting police check before applying

Also, our cover letter does not include certified copies of birth certificates, which I was asked for after our first application, so I suggest adding that to the list.

we didn't use a visa agent either.

good luck with your app.

MelbourneCityRach

Hey Frances, I wouldn't worry. I won't be working for a few weeks after landing in Aus and have no prospects. If you're worried you could always join a temping agency or two and include it in your app?

FrancesandMatt

Thanks for your responses! I'm glad to hear that it didn't take long, as we've booked matt's ticket for sep 26th so should really hurry up and get it sorted. We were thinking it would be quite simple as we've done it before for me to have a visa in the UK but looks like Australia is a bit more complex. Your thread is of great assistance. Good luck, bet you can't wait to get home Rach!

FrancesandMatt

Sorry to bother yet again, but did you just get a medical before you applied even though it says on the website:

Applicants outside Australia
Do not attend a health examination before you lodge your visa application unless the information about your visa specifically asks you to do so. Otherwise, you will be advised by the department if and when to attend a health examination.

Same goes for the police checks, do you need to get one done before you apply or only if they ask you?

medon

Hello,
With regard to getting health and police checks before applying, I received this piece of information from the London office:

"The website advises clients not to provide a front-end loaded application (everything including health and character checks) as the information is for all of the countries of the world. The health and character checks are only valid for 12 months, and their validity determines the initial entry date required if a visa is granted. Some countries have long processing times so the website advises applicants to check with the processing office first. As our office takes up to 12 weeks to process, you can go ahead and obtain your health and character checks before you lodge your application if you choose, or you can wait until you are asked to provide them."

I am a little confused though, as I read elsewhere that for the health check you have to wait until you have submitted the application as they will contact you with some information which you will require before going for the check (I think it was a reference number or something similar).

Anyone been through this and know what is best to do?

Thanks.

MelbourneCityRach

DEFINITELY front load your health and police checks.

Frances - you will not have a visa by Sept 28th if you dont, the police check alone took three weeks and booking in a medical can take time too. And you're right, you will get your visa, but the process seems a lot more complex to go to Aus than to come here, my OH was so annoyed, I paid a £150 fee and waltzed on in to the UK, he is £1000 down and it's taken weeks!

FrancesandMatt

Thanks again, its such a relief knowing there is people on the forum who are doing the exact same and can help you out with the whole process! Getting the police checks and medicals sorted asap.

medon

Hi,
Does anyone know anythign about form 80? I'm a bit confused as I have read about it somewhere but in the advice on getting police checks section on the immi.gov.au website for UK citizens it doesn't mention a form 80, just gives you a link to the police checking site.
Cheers!

FrancesandMatt

just got a quote and timescale for geting medical, looks like ill have to wait a month, and pay up to 150 pounds, without even getting xrays, is this price normal? Has any one got experience of going into au on a 3 month holiday visa,
then lodging application once in the country? ( ive already used up my working visa)

as im sure a medical there would not be nearly as much, I have a one way ticket, and im worried that if i take this option they wont let me in the country, claimed that im entering under false pretenses.

any body taken this route?