racketman

Great news this morning. We received an email from Australia requesting medicals and police checks. Some additional information regarding my son who has turned 18 since the original application has also been requested.

We are applying from Scotland and our Case Officer is 'Region 3'.

We have 70 days from today to return the information.

Am off now to organise medicals and police checks.

orange&

Great news Racketman! DIMIA seem to be keeping to the 4 month timeline then. I wonder where region 3 is? Not that it matters when all we wish for is a timely response!

neepneeps

Hi this is a great thread! well I am only just beginning on the 139 app, just sending off VETASSESS tomorrow. I am a Graphic designer and my boyfriend is a Events manager - sadly we cant send off our main app until May 2005 (as then we will have been living together a whole year, even though we have been together 3 years). I hope this wont be too late... seems mixed opinions as to whether we will have time or not. my main prob is if we post on 1st may and app is still pending while the visa changes whether they will honour the original visa or change it to the one where we have to stay in relatives region (which is Darwin so we are not keen on that! as not many jobs for us there)

I suppose the best thing to do is just hope for the best!! Good luck to everyone else! x

orange&

This is a very good question. Does an acknowledgement of receipt of application "guarantee" that your application will be assessed as an 139 application or does this guarantee only come into play once a case officer is allocated? If a case officer is allocated after 1st July 2006 will this mean that an old-style 139 application is assessed as a new-style 139? This is really a question for an agent. However....from the bits and pieces of information I've picked up on this and other sites, it seems that as long as a 139 application is received by DIMIA prior to July 2006 then it will be assessed as such. However, it would be good to get other views on this.

lacey21

I have just asked DIMIA and they said your case is processed and assessed from the date it came through the door. So for a 139 it is 4 to 6 months to access. However you can be given a CO anytime after it comes through the door. The lady says that what ever time / day / date is stamped on it, it is accessed from that date.

I have just phoned and asked

cheers Lace xx

orange&

Now that's efficiency! Thanks v. much Lacey for finding this out... great stuff.

orange&

This is a bit off-message, but I was wondering what strategies to use to help cope with the long wait for a visa. One thing I do to remind myself what it's all about is to have a look at www.coastalwatch.com which has live webcams of all the favourite beaches in Queensland, NSW, Victoria and W Australia. You can take a peak at Sydney harbour and watch the ferries going to Manly; you can see everyone going to work along the highway past the Opera house; you can see surfers on the beach at Noosa..... Sad I know, but it helps sharpen the old focus.........!

lacey21

Yeah just had a look at that,
the other thing that my family and I watch is sky Travel (world live) at 9:00pm and 11:00 pm, this shows Australia and most of the world on little cameras like this one. We always cheer when it has any part of Australia on lol

sad I know but it keeps us going lol

lace x

CathnPaul

Big relief that one for me Lace....

Cheers x x x x x x

neepneeps

thanks Lacey... also great to know there are others in the same boat!! x

glenzoe

Hi

Can you show me the wesite links for it ?

Thanks
Glen

orange&

Glenzoe, not sure what links you're looking for. Could you be more specific?

orange&

Der.... didn't see the quote at the bottom of your post. I've cut and pasted below some info from a DIMIA fact sheet....

"Fact Sheet 01: Migration Program Working with states and regions to meet their skilled migration needs

By working with state and territory governments and regional authorities, DIMIA seeks to help each state/region access the particular skills they need. To supplement the range of mechanisms already in place, the Australian Government will be taking a range of further measures described below. Skilled Designated Area Sponsored Visa From mid 2006 the Skilled Designated Area Sponsored Visa will be modified to improve its effectiveness in helping participating areas of Australia to access the skilled migrants they need. Skilled migrants sponsored by families living in designated areas will from mid-2006 enter on a three year temporary visa. They will be eligible to apply for a permanent visa after living in the same designated area as their family sponsor for a minimum of two years and working in the designated area for at least one year. These two stage visa arrangements will give states and territories greater assurance that people sponsored under these arrangements will settle in the same area as their sponsor, in line with the objectives of the visa."

lacey21

I know cathnpaul, I phoned the other night, I did try to phone you but you weren't in honey.

Good news that eh!!!!
Hugs Lace xx

Jensen Healey

Hmm, what do they define as "the same area" - is it just the same state, or the same subset of area codes, or (God forbid!) the exact same area code???