Partner Visa 309 Questions
 

Hi,

I'm going to be making an application for this visa (from the UK) in the next couple of months. I have a few questions that I was hoping you could help me with. If you can't answer them all but have knowledge on a couple, I would still appreciate your answer :)

- There is a difference in processing times on the Australian border website and the Australian UK Commission website. The Australian border website says for this visa (low risk) the processing time is 5 months, but the UK commission website states minimum 10 months. Is there a reason for this discrepancy?
- Related to the above, if you apply online does this go to the Australian authorities based in Australia (and hence 5 month average low risk) and if you apply by post, it will go to the UK commission (and thus 10 month)?
- Once your visa is approved, how long do you have to 'activate' (move to Australia)? If this is different for everyone, how long is the average?
- Where can I go to get certified copies? Does everything we submit need to be certified?
- Do we need statutory declarations from friends / family, or is this optional? If it is mandatory then: do they need to be statutory declarations or can they just be written statements? I assume the latter doesn't have to be 'certified'?
- With regards to social evidence, are things like Facebook screenshots ok? It is a picture of you both with a timestamp. If not, then what things are ok? I can submit bank statements and go through and highlight things, and have lots of travel receipts / holidays we could show.

Thanks very much for your help :)
Oliver

Re: Partner Visa 309 Questions
 

Current website timings have not been updated for years.

Based on actual reports of grants the current time is 10-15 months for a low risk country like the UK, regardless of whether it is lodged onshore or offshore

Generally 12 months from the date of the police check or medical, whichever was done first

Solicitors, JPs, try your local magistrates court . If you use colour scans, no need for certifying. Only the official documents need it anyway, just birth certs, passports etc. If the Partner Booklet doesn't specify certifying, don't do it.

If they are Aussie citizens or PR they must use Form 888 and get it witnessed, also supply a copy of their passport/visa. If they are not Aussies it can be on any piece of paper and does not need certifying.

All the things you mention are good. Photos showing you both with friends, invites to weddings etc together, cards and letters sent to you both, joint membership of clubs, anything like that.

Hope that helps a bit :)

Re: Partner Visa 309 Questions
 

The DIBP website quotes processing times; that is how long it takes to assess a complete application. It does not take in account planning levels which will determine when the application will actually be granted. For applications processed through London grant times are running at about six to nine months at the moment. Of course that may not be the case in six to nine months time but application numbers have dropped off considerably since the last price hike as many are now choosing to lodge onshore.

Re: Partner Visa 309 Questions
 

Wow they've caught up a lot in he last two months then. Must admit the grants I've seen lately have all been longer tha that but I guess they had to catch upp eventually. Clearing the backlog before they bring in the new rules maybe?

Re: Partner Visa 309 Questions
 

There may be longer processing times but I suspect those applications aren't complete when initially assessed or people take their sweet time sorting out health assessment and penal certificates. If you're really on the ball and your CO is on top of their caseload you can even have it done in five months as it stands.

Re: Partner Visa 309 Questions
 

Good to know that at least its possible to get through quicker now even if it is a bit of a lottery!

Re: Partner Visa 309 Questions
 

Thank you for the responses. Big help :) I have a couple more questions if you don't mind:

- You mentioned 'new rules' coming into play - what are these? And when do they come into play? I plan to submit the visa application April/May 2017.
- We want to move no earlier than April/May 2018, so would quicker processing times actually prohibit us from doing this? (I.e. we need to move earlier because of the conditions of the visa/timescales with police/medical checks)
- You mentioned price hikes and people lodging onshore instead. I thought the cost for an onshore visa (820/801) was the same for offshore (309/100)?
- If you generally have 12 months to move to Australia after medical/police check, at what point in the process of application do they usually request these? I.e. do they request them 3 months after initial application was made? 9 months? etc.
- We have a tenancy agreement that we can show (in both our names), but all other bills are in my name. My partner then transfers me a set amount each month to cover the bills. Would submitting a bank statement and highlighting this be good enough? Or do you think this isn't even necessary if we submit photos together, holiday receipts together, tenancy agreement, along with statements from Australian citizens (partner's family and friends).

Thanks again for your input.

Re: Partner Visa 309 Questions
 

Don't know anything about new rules, will leave that to others.

You have a year from the date of police checks / medicals to validate the visa, either by moving permanently or making a trip. So in your case, if you don't do medicals or police checks before April 2017 then you won't need to move to (or visit) Australia before April 2018.

I would not think photos or holiday receipts would come close to substituting for showing shared finances. Most people chuck a few photos in but they are very much supplementary to an application, after all you can have your photo taken with anyone, it doesn't mean you are defacto. Your joint tenancy agreement is excellent evidence, presumably you are both named on the council tax bill too, any other bills or statements you have at the sane address even if not a joint bill or statement are also excellent evidence.

It is often advised to hold a bit back initially, because sometimes they just ask for more and this way you are ready to submit something amd not left scratching your heads wondering what else to produce.

Re: Partner Visa 309 Questions
 

Re new rules -
http://britishexpats.com/forum/immig...artner-884064/

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The cost currently of the 820/801 is equal to the 309/100. This has only been the case for the last year or two. Before that it was much cheaper to lodge offshore. The offshore price then went up by about $3000 overnight, making the two costs the same. Hence a huge number of people decided to come to Aus on tourist visasand apply onshore for a 820 instead of the 309. Timelines for the 820, which had been around 2-3 months, almost instantly ballooned to 15-18 months. Applications have even been sent offshore by DIBP in an attempt to catch up.
BritInParis may be right about the timelines dropping again now, but other forums are still reporting waits of over 12 months as the rule rather than the exception.