goobie

Hi guys
My wife and I have lived apart for a year or so while she completed a masters degree in Australia.(loads of money on phone calls and flights )We have decided to live in Australia now , as she is starting a Phd.I have submitted my spouse visa app in London (returned here after visiting her) via an agent and have completed medicals and south african police checks, provided evidence etc.The UK police check is pending...day 39 and no joy.
Three questions..
1.what is the longest time anyone (reading this board)has waited for a UK police check.ie:do they post them on day 40 occasionally , thereby arriving on day 42?
2.I intend travelling back to Oz on my ,still active, visitor ETA to visit my wife, and will fly out of Oz to pick up the spouse visa ,when it is approved.(we are struggling a bit, living apart ) Has anyone else done or heard of somebody doing this?
3.How long does it normally take to get a reference number back from the High Commission in London ? (realise this is only based on opinion or experience)
Thanks in advance for any advice
G

Kentish Man

Varies.

If they do take longer than 40 days you can contact them and shout 'Data Protection Act!' down the phone. They'll issue it pretty sharpish then.

mlbonner

Hello & welcome

Answer to your questions IMO;
1/ UK police checks are usually quite quick; mine took about two weeks, most seem to be back within a month. Where did you apply for your checks? Maybe a chaser phone call might help them - have they debited the money out of your account yet?

2/ I can understand that, recently got my visa and by the time I get back there it'll have been 5 months since I saw my partner. Haven't heard of anyone doing this, but I dont think that there is any problem with visiting on an ETA then returning afterwards HOWEVER, your visa needs to go in your passport - you obviously need your passport to travel with!

3/My reference number took 3 days from when they received the application.

JAJ

You can visit on your ETA. However you can't get a bridging visa on the basis of an offshore application. When your visa is ready to be granted, you need to leave Australia - but it should be possible to have the visa evidenced in Auckland if you don't want to go back to the UK. You should plan 7-10 days for the Auckland process to complete.

Jeremy

goobie

Thanks for the speedy replies.Day 40 and no clearance.The only way to chase the UK clearance seems to be to send a letter to the records office..great more paperwork!!
Anyway, will probably wait until this clearance issue is sorted before flying to OZ.
Will keep you posted
Thanks again
G

mlbonner

No, am sure I've heard of people calling/faxing them - have a search on here for that and threads by Pollyana (she used to work for that dept when she was here, and is a great source of info for this topic )

Pollyana

NSY switchboard is 020 7230 1212 and ask for the Data Protection Office.

theres a couple of numbers on these threads too, but I won;t guarantee that they are still current:

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...hreadid=153164

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...hreadid=169666

goobie

You guys are lifesavers
managed to get through first time
Thanks a million.Clearance is being posted today.My mind is a little more at rest
Thanks again
G

Smiley

Hi goobie, could you please tell me how long it took for your south african police check to come back? My fiance has just applied for his and we have no idea how long they take to come back.

goobie

Hi Smiley
I used the investigations company who advertise through South Africa House in London. Their flyeris sent out with the application form from SA house
Mine took about 10 days (really suprised me how quickly it came back)
It cost £140 but was worth it. I am not sure how long it will take if you used the postal method.I am sure someone on this board will be able to help with that.
G

goobie

Got the ref number and a letter asking for the medical(which my agent sent in yesterday) and the UK police clearance.The UK clearance should be in the post box tomorrow with a bit of luck So I will hang around in the UK until the visa is approved .Any comments on how long the wait for the visa should be now?
We will send my passport and the clearance in on Monday, I hope!
Opinions welcome
Thanks
G

mlbonner

Anywhere between 2 days and 6 weeks seems to be about average at the moment... .doesn't help much I know. The fact they've requested your meds & PCC I'd take as a good sign, means they've read through your file already and seen its not there

goobie

Seems like the decision to stay here and wait was the wrong one.Still waiting... sent the Uk clearance and passport in on Monday last week.
Living in Limbo land is no fun.
Wish I knew how long I have to wait.

Pollyana

You have my sympathy, been there, waited for it.
I used to think like that when I started the process, me in the UK, fiance in Oz. Then I found this forum and suddenly realised that some skills people wait 12-18 months, without knowing whether they will get approved at the end of it. Suddenly I realised how lucky The Bloke and I were, to be only waiting for a Prospective Spouse visa. Hard though it was, waiting till the time was right to submit it etc, I really feel for those poor souls who wait months or years.

goobie

Thanks for the reply.This board has been invaluable.I appreciate that others have to wait longer periods.I am just frustrated at the unknown factor that endures through this whole process.Obviously comes with the territory, but not easy to endure having spent a significant time apart due to circumstances beyond control.
Good luck to all
G