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| De Facto Spouse -- Onshore; lodged @ Melbourne CBD office | |
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| Topic Started: Jun 10 2009, 11:42:15 PM (1,536 Views) | |
| KimInMellie | Jun 10 2009, 11:42:15 PM Post #1 |
True Blue Mate
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Yay! application in. Michael and I met online, moved in together in Oz in December 2007, and the rest ... I'd been living in Oz for a while on a student visa, collecting evidence. So this is what I did: 16-1-09: Appt for medicals made. 2-2-09: Medical, including x-ray, over at Swanston/Victoria Sts. 20-2-09: Mailed off request for AFP checks. 24-2-09: Mailed off request for FBI checks. 25-2-09: Rec'd AFP check. No Record, but my name was misspelled on the verification letter. I thought that might be a problem, so I requested a correction via phone same day. 25-3-09: FBI report rec'd. No record. 4-3-09: corrected AFP report rec'd. No record. 25-3-09: Asked several of Michael's friends for stat decs. 3-2009: Rec'd health check back. 5-2009: FINALLY got back all the stat decs from Michael's friends/family (and mine). Four total; three Australian, one American. 31-5-2009: Reviewed all paperwork and made copies. 2-6-2009: Turned in application in person. I was told that while my application might be approved in as little as one week, it would take 6 to 8 weeks to have a case officer assigned. ... which I'm guessing means I won't hear a peep until August. (At the Melbourne CBD office you're no longer allowed to make an appointment to lodge; when I lodged 'in person' it was to a clerk, not a case officer. It's not much different, procedurally, than mailing it in, though we did get a few questions about some irregularities with our application answered.) Well, at least the hard work is done. 6-8-2009: Contacted by my CO requesting form 80 (character assessment). Completed and sent it out same day. 13-8-2009: Followed up via email to make sure form 80 had been received at DIAC. Was told by CO that it had, and she would be looking at my app again the following day (a Friday). 17-8-2009: APPROVAL GRANTED!  As an interesting aside, I noted that there was a HEAP of emptied binders and dividers behind the very well organised desk when I turned in my application, which I pessimistically took to mean that my tabulated, bright pink binder would be drawn to no-one's attention. Perhaps a tightly bound app with no extraneous recyclables would get a better run. Here's to an efficient bureaucracy.  Edited by KimInMellie, Aug 17 2009, 02:09:58 PM.
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 Go that way really, really fast. If something gets in your way, turn. -- Charles De Mar | |
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| blarg | Jun 11 2009, 12:38:42 AM Post #2 |
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True Blue Mate
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Now begins the wait. I'll race ya! |
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| minx | Jun 11 2009, 03:23:08 AM Post #3 |
True Blue Mate
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 Good luck, Kim - here's hoping it's a quick turnaround for you.
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| KimInMellie | Jul 26 2009, 07:47:05 PM Post #4 |
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True Blue Mate
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Monday 28 July (tomorrow) is 8 weeks since I lodged the application. I was told when I lodged my app in person that it would be 6-8 weeks to get a CO. Still don't have a CO assignment. When is it okay to call and find out why the delay? |
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Go that way really, really fast. If something gets in your way, turn. -- Charles De Mar | |
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| (gordon38555) | Jul 26 2009, 07:56:02 PM Post #5 |
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Piker
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just to f*ck with your mind 
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| KimInMellie | Jul 26 2009, 08:25:16 PM Post #6 |
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True Blue Mate
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Go that way really, really fast. If something gets in your way, turn. -- Charles De Mar | |
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| JasonP27 | Jul 26 2009, 08:42:44 PM Post #7 |
Yacker
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I would call now. Just politely ask the status and updated ETA of assigning your case to a CO. Hope everything goes well for you! |
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| blarg | Jul 27 2009, 06:18:04 PM Post #8 |
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True Blue Mate
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Yup, I'm with Jason. When they give you a time frame and that's been surpassed, it's fair enough to ask. It helps to make sure that things are still progressing and get an update as to the new time frame. |
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| KimInMellie | Jul 27 2009, 10:11:44 PM Post #9 |
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True Blue Mate
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I called today and was told that my application is processing 'normally'  and that I won't hear anything until a decision has been made on my application or if they need more information. (I thought the woman behind the counter said I'd get a letter when my case officer was assigned, but maybe I'm misremembering.) I was also told that their 'standard of service' is SIX to EIGHT months  and that it's really early in the process for me. Funny ... when I turned in the application, I was told that it was 6-8 weeks to case officer assignment, and that from there it could be as little as a week or perhaps up to a couple of months. Now I'm nervous!! I hope it's not that stretched out. My next door neighbor, also American, turned in her spousal app last December and had it approved by mid-February, I think. I hope my timeframe is more like hers!! 
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Go that way really, really fast. If something gets in your way, turn. -- Charles De Mar | |
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| KimInMellie | Aug 6 2009, 04:49:20 PM Post #10 |
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True Blue Mate
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Well, yesterday a message was left for me from the Melbourne immi office requesting that I call back regarding my application. Yay!  Contact! Except -- when I grabbed a pen and punched the button to replay the message to write down name & number, I accidentally pressed the Delete button and LOST the message without getting any of the info down!  I was frantic. First, I looked all over the net to see if there's any way to recover a deleted message from a digital answering machine. Not without a lot of trouble and expense, apparently. Then I called the DIAC national number to find out if there was a record of the call that they could read back to me. Nope -- and the lady I spoke with told me I didn't even have a case officer assigned yet! Finally, desperate, I faxed my dilemma to the local Melbourne DIAC fax number (the only local number for the office I could find) and hoped for the best. Didn't hear anything back.LUCKILY, the woman who had called me yesterday called back today. Turns out she's my case officer! When I told her how I'd talked with the national line and been told I didn't have a CO, she was as confused as I was. Anyway ... Good news! Everything looks good on my application; she just wanted my form 80 (character assessment). I sent that out right away. So hopefully I'll have my approval SOOOOON! 
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Go that way really, really fast. If something gets in your way, turn. -- Charles De Mar | |
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| shylady | Aug 6 2009, 04:59:45 PM Post #11 |
oldYank
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"I could’ve turned a different corner, I could’ve gone another place... " ku,'09 | |
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| blarg | Aug 7 2009, 03:39:20 PM Post #12 |
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True Blue Mate
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It's amazing how good it feels to finally feel like you're getting somewhere! |
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| KimInMellie | Aug 17 2009, 02:07:09 PM Post #13 |
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True Blue Mate
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 I GOT IT!!! Today in the mail. Emailed my CO on Thursday to make sure she'd gotten my form 80 (and to give an oblique nudge) and she responded that she had, and that she'd be looking at my app again on Friday. The acceptance letter must have gone in the mail that day. 
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Go that way really, really fast. If something gets in your way, turn. -- Charles De Mar | |
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| minx | Aug 17 2009, 02:27:24 PM Post #14 |
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True Blue Mate
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YAY!! Congrats, Kim! Feels great, doesn't it?
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| shylady | Aug 17 2009, 03:06:03 PM Post #15 |
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oldYank
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YESSSSSSSSS!!!!!! Congrats, Hon, THAT didn't take long!!! |
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"I could’ve turned a different corner, I could’ve gone another place... " ku,'09 | |
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| meg1388 | Aug 17 2009, 03:07:43 PM Post #16 |
True Blue Mate
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Awesome news! Congrats!
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| blarg | Aug 17 2009, 03:08:10 PM Post #17 |
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CONGRATS!!! So, have you withdrawn from your class and enrolled in the one you want to be in yet?
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| NurseJules | Aug 17 2009, 04:07:02 PM Post #18 |
True Blue Mate
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thats awesome news kim! congrats! |
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| Pamm | Aug 17 2009, 04:07:56 PM Post #19 |
True Blue Mate
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Congrats, Kim, that's great!
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| KimInMellie | Aug 17 2009, 06:28:35 PM Post #20 |
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True Blue Mate
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Thanks everyone! It took 10 weeks and 6 days. I think I would have gotten it about a week earlier if I'd sent in the form 80 with my original application, rather than waiting for it to be requested like one of the checklists says. No matter!
That's the first thing on my list! Luckily, my approval came through before my current school's census date of Aug 28, so I can withdraw and 'only' lose $200 per class instead of the entire tuition. Unfortunately, I'm too late to start the semester with the new course, but next year, I'll be there!
Edited by KimInMellie, Aug 18 2009, 11:51:08 PM.
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Go that way really, really fast. If something gets in your way, turn. -- Charles De Mar | |
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7:22 AM Feb 8