Jameehan

Just wondering what experience anyone has had with Spousal visa
processing times in Washington?

Washington received our front-loaded application (minus medicals, but
everything else, including the FBI and PCC) on May 25th, 2006, and they
received my husband's medicals on June 13th, 2006.

I am an Australian (born) citizen, my husband is a US (born) citizen.
We have been together for almost 11 years, and married for 6.5 of those
years - no kids.

How long should we expect to wait until the visa is granted???

Waiting patiently. :(

Juliet

--
Posted via http://expatforums.com

Liam

Juliet

If your application satisfied the criteria, he will first get a temporary
visa to travel to Australia.
The department will then wait for, as stated in the legislation, at least
two years have passed since he was given his temporary visa to grant his
permanent residence visa.
Note that the requirement is at two years have passed, not exactly two years
and usually 2 to 3 years.
It does not matter how many years you and your husband have lived together
or have been married, the 2 years starts from the time he is granted a
temporary spouse visa.

Cheers

Liam


"jameehan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected].. .
    > Just wondering what experience anyone has had with Spousal visa
    > processing times in Washington?
    > Washington received our front-loaded application (minus medicals, but
    > everything else, including the FBI and PCC) on May 25th, 2006, and they
    > received my husband's medicals on June 13th, 2006.
    > I am an Australian (born) citizen, my husband is a US (born) citizen.
    > We have been together for almost 11 years, and married for 6.5 of those
    > years - no kids.
    > How long should we expect to wait until the visa is granted???
    > Waiting patiently. :(
    > Juliet
    > --
    > Posted via http://expatforums.com

Pollyana

Actually your reply isn't totally correct.
I think the poster is asking mainly about how long it takes for Washington to grant the first stage of the spouse visa. I can't be sure (more certain on UK timelines) but there have been a couple of US ones on the forum recently, and I think they were only a couple of months, if that. I'll try and find one later.
Secondly, if the couple have been together for several years, and maybe also have children, then the applicant may get PR at once, without having to do the two years on a temp visa first. This temp visa does not just give permission to travel to Aus, it allows the spouse to travel there, live there and work there. I believe its something like 5 years together with no kids, and 2 years with kids, as a rough rule of thumb for PR straightaway. For this poster there should be no problem, PR should be granted at once.

Jameehan

    > > Juliet
    > > If your application satisfied the criteria, he will first get a
    > > temporary
    > > visa to travel to Australia.
    > > The department will then wait for, as stated in the legislation, at
    > > least
    > > two years have passed since he was given his temporary visa to grant
    > > his
    > > permanent residence visa.
    > > Note that the requirement is at two years have passed, not exactly
    > > two
    > > years
    > > and usually 2 to 3 years.
    > > It does not matter how many years you and your husband have lived
    > > together
    > > or have been married, the 2 years starts from the time he is granted
    > > a
    > > temporary spouse visa.
    > > Cheers
    > > Liam
    > > "jameehan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > > news:[email protected].. .
    > > > Just wondering what experience anyone has had with Spousal visa
    > > > processing times in Washington?
    > > > Washington received our front-loaded application (minus medicals,
    > > > but
    > > > everything else, including the FBI and PCC) on May 25th, 2006, and
    > > > they
    > > > received my husband's medicals on June 13th, 2006.
    > > > I am an Australian (born) citizen, my husband is a US (born)
    > > > citizen.
    > > > We have been together for almost 11 years, and married for 6.5 of
    > > > those
    > > > years - no kids.
    > > > How long should we expect to wait until the visa is granted???
    > > > Waiting patiently. :(
    > > > Juliet
    > > > --
    > > > Posted via http://expatforums.com
    > Actually your reply isn't totally correct.
    > I think the poster is asking mainly about how long it takes for
    > Washington to grant the first stage of the spouse visa. I can't be
    > sure
    > (more certain on UK timelines) but there have been a couple of US ones
    > on the forum recently, and I think they were only a couple of months,
    > if
    > that. I'll try and find one later.
    > Secondly, if the couple have been together for several years, and
    > maybe
    > also have children, then the applicant may get PR at once, without
    > having to do the two years on a temp visa first. This temp visa does
    > not
    > just give permission to travel to Aus, it allows the spouse to travel
    > there, live there and work there. I believe its something like 5 years
    > together with no kids, and 2 years with kids, as a rough rule of thumb
    > for PR straightaway. For this poster there should be no problem, PR
    > should be granted at once.
    > --
    > Pollyana

Hi Liam and Pollyana - thanks for both responding.

Pollyana - you are correct in what I was asking. I have posted on
several different forums to see if anyone has had any experience with
the Washington Embassy - yours and Liam's were the first responses!!

We are hoping, although I don't know if we are being overly optimisstic,
that we will get his visa by mid-July??? What do you think? Am I
crazy??? :confused:

Thanks!
Juliet

--
Posted via http://expatforums.com

JAJ

People in a "long term relationship" at time of application skip the temporary visa and go straight to a permanent one. This is defined as 2 years together if there are children, 5 years otherwise.

Jameehan

    > Just wondering what experience anyone has had with Spousal visa
    > processing times in Washington?
    > Washington received our front-loaded application (minus medicals, but
    > everything else, including the FBI and PCC) on May 25th, 2006, and
    > they received my husband's medicals on June 13th, 2006.
    > I am an Australian (born) citizen, my husband is a US (born) citizen.
    > We have been together for almost 11 years, and married for 6.5 of
    > those years - no kids.
    > How long should we expect to wait until the visa is granted???
    > Waiting patiently. :(
    > Juliet

Ok, ok - another question - do you think the fact that my hubby and I
have been married for 6.5 years will speed things up??? We have been
together since 1995 - I was able to provide a joint bank account from
1996!! :)

Just curious if the length of our relationship is going to help getting
us to Brisbane quicker!

Juliet

--
Posted via http://expatforums.com

Pollyana

Can't find many reports from the US in recent times,

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=370222

has a fiance visa that was granted in a month, and I can't imagineit would be much more for a spouse - esp as you have been married a while. That might speed things up as they aren't likely to request more info from you.