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| Visa Processing / Passport | |
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| Topic Started: May 8 2008, 02:06:31 AM (685 Views) | |
| anater | May 8 2008, 02:06:31 AM Post #1 |
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True Blue Mate
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Does anyone know if we need to submit our Passports with our 457 Visa applications? How long are they kept and what happens if we want to travel during that time? This is all being done through my husband's work, and unfortunately I don't the list of required documentation. I want to make sure everything is ready to submit as soon as he returns from his trip.... Thanks! |
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| mily1383 | May 8 2008, 05:09:41 PM Post #2 |
True Blue Mate
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I don't know anything specific to the 457 but I know for ours we need certified copies of our passports, specifically of any "biographical data". Then again, we're going in person, so they may check our physical ones as well. I find it hard to believe they'd keep your passport, or they'd want you to mail it. |
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-Emily/Yank/PERMANENT RESIDENT!. -Melyssa/Aussie/Partner/Fiance/Gay lover type person. From San Diego to the Gong. Gay Specific Visa Questions? Email me! I'd love to share! LipstickLesbianSeeksPerfectColor@Hotmail.com  | |
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| pastrycook-136 | May 8 2008, 10:10:08 PM Post #3 |
True Blue Mate
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For my visa sticker to be placed into my passport I had to mail (certified mail) my passport to the Aus. Embassy in Washington DC with a prepaid envelope to return it. They mailed it back to me (in Miami) in about a week. This only needed to be done after the visa was granted. Only certified (noterised) copies were needed to obtain the visa. |
| "If you want to gather honey don't kick over the beehive!" | |
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| anater | May 9 2008, 02:52:58 AM Post #4 |
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True Blue Mate
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Pastry-Cook, was this for a 457? We were told just to make sure that we had up to date passports, nothing about needing a certified copy. So frustrating....just when I thought we had everything ready. Thanks for this info - looks like I'll be requesting certified copies. I hope there is not a backlog and the turnaround is quick in our case. |
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| pastrycook-136 | May 9 2008, 08:39:13 PM Post #5 |
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True Blue Mate
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My visa is a skilled subclass 136 visa for permanant residency. I am not sure what paperwork would be required for your visa or if the process is much different from mine. To be ready for any situation simply make photocopies of your and your husband's passport bio page (the first page) and have a local notary stamp them as certified copies, that's it! Have the actual passports for the notary to see and get a business card with the notary's address and contact info too. The Aus. embassy in Washington, DC has a website and a 1-800 or 1-888 toll free number to call too if you have additional questions. Hope this helps,Jed |
| "If you want to gather honey don't kick over the beehive!" | |
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| shylady | May 9 2008, 09:26:52 PM Post #6 |
oldYank
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anater, I believe it's the same for your 457, you don't send your actual passport till your visa is granted, certified/notarised copy is enough with the application 
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"I could’ve turned a different corner, I could’ve gone another place... " ku,'09 | |
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| anater | May 13 2008, 08:04:03 AM Post #7 |
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True Blue Mate
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I've been calling all over and it appears that WA State appears to be one of those states that won't allow a notary to certify a passport. They won't even allow the option of notarizing my affidavit that it is a true and correct copy, as CA does. So, off go my requests to the State Department....more waiting. |
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| Volcane08 | May 13 2008, 09:36:04 AM Post #8 |
True Blue Mate
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We had that same problem with some of our copies needed for my spouse visa. Certificates like marriage and birth needed to be original copies from the dept. where they were officially issued, but there was no problem having photocopied passports notarised. Have you tried the notary at your bank? I think we were able to get ours done at Kinko's/FedEx. If all fails, you may have to send your original passports and be unable to travel overseas for the time being. :& |
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| rdhay | May 13 2008, 12:31:29 PM Post #9 |
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Yacker
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Hmm, I just did affidavits, but pointed out that the originals are "readily available should they be required and/or requested." Hope that works :headscratch: |
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| anater | May 13 2008, 03:47:39 PM Post #10 |
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True Blue Mate
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After researching online it looks like every state has different rules that notaries have to follow, and what documents they can certify. Our migration agent said just to have a notary copy and certify our passport. I am very frustrated as none of the local notaries I contacted will certify anything regarding a Passport, or vital records. They won't even certify an affidavit re a Passport. To make it even worse, the State department will forward certified copies of the Passport "records", but not a copy of the actual passport. They also can't tell me if the passport "records" are what is required for an Australian visa. I guess my next step is to call the Australian embassy to see if they have any ideas. I'm even considering sending in our original Passports to avoid waiting for the copies and the expense of ordering them. :banghead: Thanks for letting me vent. |
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| Volcane08 | May 13 2008, 07:03:39 PM Post #11 |
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True Blue Mate
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Some of these notaries don't know what they can and can't do (no disrespect to those on the board who are notaries). The one I dealt with at our bank (in Wisconsin) was convinced it was illegal for her to certify a photocopied passport...and I phoned my CO in frustration, telling her what was going on. Unfortunately, she was not very sympathetic. You may need to be persistent, and show the notary your checklist where it states that you must have this document certified for your paperwork. I know these little stumbles can be infuriating, but hang in there and don't give up. |
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| rdhay | May 14 2008, 01:34:48 AM Post #12 |
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Yacker
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I'm a notary here in Utah, and the law says that a notary can't certify any document issued by a government entity. But unless the law is different there, they CAN notarize your signature on an affidavit that you made the attached copy of the complete original (which is what I decided to do). Worst case scenario, I'm happy to just send the originals. |
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| anater | May 14 2008, 07:08:05 AM Post #13 |
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True Blue Mate
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:ta: rdhay and Oblivimum! My local bank is very customer orientated, knows everyone by name, etc. I haven't tried there yet, but I'm sure they have a notary. I'm not even going to call, I'm just going to show up with the affidavit and my agent's checklist and see if they will certify it. If an affidavit has worked for others, it should work for us. What was the wording you used on your affidavit? We're hoping to be there by the end of July, so these little bumps in the road are a pain. |
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| rdhay | May 14 2008, 08:07:05 AM Post #14 |
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Yacker
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I think it was something to the effect of... I, (your name), hereby swear that the foregoing document is a true, complete, and correct copy that I made on ___________, 2008 of the original (Passport/Birth Certificate/whatever) issued to (me/my son, (son's name)) by the (United States of America/State of ______), bearing (Document/Certificate/whatever) No. ______ and with the name of (name as shown on the document). I didn't do this, but I vaguely remember seeing something similar that stated that the original is in your possession as well. Oh, and if it IS a passport, I also put that it's a copy of the information page of the original. And for extra information, you could probably squeeze in an issue/expiration date as well if you wanted to. Hope that helps:) (both of us, that is) 
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| anater | May 15 2008, 01:44:53 AM Post #15 |
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True Blue Mate
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Thanks - We'll see what happens on Monday. |
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| dave2006 | May 15 2008, 11:28:25 AM Post #16 |
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True Blue Mate
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As I recall, I just sent a (uncertified) copy of my passport in the application. Once I arrived in Australia, I sent the passport itself to be stamped. It was for a 457. The whole certified copy thing States-side always seems to cause a huge amount of confusion and I never found a good solution to it. When you ask for a "certified copy" of something there, most people look at you like you have an extra hole in your head. |
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| imafranktoo | May 15 2008, 12:54:08 PM Post #17 |
Little Miss Key Breaker
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When we got to Australia we had to turn our passport over to my husband's company who sent it off to Immigration who entered the visa into the passport permanently. (We came on a 457 and my husband's company handled all of that)...don't know if this is always the case. |
| FRANKIES[color][font][/color][/font] | |
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| lilhermiejobo | May 15 2008, 08:28:45 PM Post #18 |
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True Blue Mate
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I ran into the same problem at my bank when I asked them to make photocopies of my passport and birth certificate. I'll NEVER forget the look on the bank president's face (clearly making a photocopy was far too complicated for a standard teller and required for the one serving me to ask every other teller in the bank, who then in turn would also ask the other tellers and so on down the line) when I eventually repeated my story of what I wanted and why. She seemed to be in utter shock and horror at the shear thought of someone wanting a photocopy of their passport and birth certificate and absolutely REFUSED to do so. Long story longer, I got my photocopies and got them notorised based on the stipulation that I signed them (apparently they aren't able to just notorise it as a certified copy) and then after they watched me sign them, they were happy to notorise it. Of course all the while staring at me in disbelief that I would ask them to do such a thing. Needless to say, the entire situation was very odd and I felt as if I were the only sane person in the building. Having personally used a copy machine and watching several other people use them over the years I've been on earth, I honestly cannot see how difficult it could possibly be to take something as small as, let's say a passport, and open the front cover, place it face down on the glass and close the lid. I suppose maybe it could be a physical condition that causes them great pain to press that magical green button. |
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| anater | May 16 2008, 03:12:25 AM Post #19 |
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True Blue Mate
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Thank goodness it's not just us running into these problems. Thanks everyone for the tips - an affidavit seems the be the next request if they won't certify the copy itself. I really am baffled at the responses I'm getting. No one will do it, but no one has an alternative suggestion. It's not like I'm just making this request up for the fun of it, to see notaries heads explode....although the looks I've been getting are one step away from that :rollin: |
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| SanDiablo | May 16 2008, 09:00:12 AM Post #20 |
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True Blue Mate
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We have 457's and ran into the same issue with certification by notaries. We simply sent in originals for documents like birth and marriage certificates and just copies of our passports. No affidavits. Then as already stated, sent our passports certified mail with prepaid priority envelopes for the return (we didn't do it certified.) Good luck. |
| "I'll try anything twice." | |
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