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| Onshore to offshore suddenly | |
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| Topic Started: Feb 12 2010, 10:10:59 AM (364 Views) | |
| elenita | Feb 12 2010, 10:10:59 AM Post #1 |
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Anklebiter
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I have been planning to apply for an onshore de facto visa in March, from a WHV. That plan was suddenly turned on it's head yesterday afternoon after a long, casual conversation with a friends father who just happens to be an independent migration agent. He highly recommended we wait a few more months to be sure we have over 12 months concrete, official evidence. That unfortunately means I have to quickly make plans to leave within the next month, which upsets the whole balancing act. So while I will still be applying and all the effort put into the process hasn't been for nothing, I do have a few questions regarding applying offshore. And today of all days, the Immigration website seems to be down. I have had my x-rays and blood work done here, and had an appointment for the medical exam next week. (Which also fell through yesterday; the medical center rang to inform me that the doctor was 'ill' and would be unable to take appointments so they were cancelling. Can make another appointment with doctor elsewhere in Aus, but now a bit lost...) I ought to be able to take the results and send them in with my offshore application, right? Or will I have to redo the whole process outside Australia with a panel doctor? Or do I take solely the x-ray and pathology results, which are being sent to me, and hand them to a panel doctor offshore for the medical...would they even be accepted? As I have been focused on mainly onshore applications, I am unsure as t the exact process when dealt with offshore. I believe it's much the same, except that all forms and evidence are being sent into the embassy/consulate; are there any other major deviations from that of the onshore application? If an offshore visa is granted, how long does one have to enter Australia? I'm sure there are other questions I should be remembering to ask, but it's all just come up so quickly. Suddenly working out how to go about this offshore, where exactly I am "leaving" for, and then of course when my partner is able to follow. It's not the end of the world, but it's just another uprooting, another separation, another total unknown. If it doesn't kill you it may make you stronger, but you sure may be a candidate for the loony bin in the meantime. Just so hard after we've managed to sort out all the other hurdles. Ringing Immi as I write to ask some of the same questions; elevator music while on hold is not particularly soothing. Always nice to have mulitple answers, as they don't always concur. Appreciate any advice, information, or simple tolerance of my slightly panic stricken post. |
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| elenita | Feb 12 2010, 12:10:44 PM Post #2 |
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Anklebiter
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Another question. IF a visa is denied, is a person able to re-apply at another later date, or is it really one shot only? (Obviously taking into mind paying the full amount again, redoing all tests et cetera). Really do not expect that to be the outcome here, but just wondering. |
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| blarg | Feb 12 2010, 02:31:03 PM Post #3 |
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True Blue Mate
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I applied onshore, so I can't address most of the offshore questions, but my understanding is that as long as you're willing to continue to pay application fees, you can keep applying for visas. It, of course, would start to look fishy after a while, but if they denied you because you couldn't prove a solid 12 months, and then you applied again 6 months later with more evidence, that would make sense to most sane people. What sort of proof are you lacking for your start date? When's your first joint bill, additional credit card holder authorisation, binding nomination for super, jointly addressed junk mail, lease? Any of those? |
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| shylady | Feb 12 2010, 03:16:22 PM Post #4 |
oldYank
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I'm pretty sure that if you apply offshore, you're going to have to get your medicals done by an offshore panel doctor from the Embassy's list. And that would include the x-rays and labs, to be done by the panel doc, since they're included in the fee you pay him/her. The panel doctors send your results and exam directly to the Embassy, so they probably would not accept any you gave them.  Lisa |
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"I could’ve turned a different corner, I could’ve gone another place... " ku,'09 | |
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| Janda | Feb 12 2010, 07:11:51 PM Post #5 |
True Blue Mate
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Just wondering why you have to have 12 months concrete evidence to apply onshore? I applied onshore and the only evidence I showed them was what we developed after I got to Australia. I didn't save anything from before Australia because I didn't know I would need it because coming here and planning to stay was not my original plan. I arrived October 28th, 2007, Married December 8th, 2008, Applied for Visa Feb, 2008 and was approved 14 days later. As I said, the evidence that I sent in was only things after our marriage had taken place. Bills in both our names, bank account, wills we had made, photos, stat. declarations from friends and family and our own stat declaration explaining how our relationship started as friendship and developed into the love story of our life times. Either way you do it, Good Luck, but in my opinion, if you have nothing to hide and your 100% legit why would you even bother using an Immi agent? Not saying you do have anything to hide or that your not legit. Don't take my word for it but if your relationship is pretty cut and dry, you may just save yourself some money doing it yourself and going ahead with plan A. EDIT: Oh...I just noticed that you are applying for a defacto, not spouse....sorry, not sure if that works the same way. Edited by Janda, Feb 12 2010, 07:13:08 PM.
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| elenita | Feb 12 2010, 08:18:31 PM Post #6 |
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Anklebiter
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Thanks for the responses. Blarg- unfortunately while we have lived together for over 2 years, much of that was spent doing 3 months here, 3 months there, 3-6 in Mexico, on repeat. No bank statements, bills, mail exist now before April of '09. Sounds ridiculous, but there was just no real need nor would it have been easy as we couldn't technically live in one place together. Even things like mobile phone ended up in his name, as I couldn't set up an account with an Australian drivers license. Same basic story applied to most everything. Any random mail from friends wasn't saved at that point, as we weren't planning on needing it at any stage. Shylady- I have a feeling you're correct in saying I would need to have the medicals done offshore. Of course, when I rang Immi today, I was told it would be fine to send in my results from Aus with my offshore application. Hmmm think I'll ring a couple more times, just to see if the info changes. Janda- No, unfortunately the requirements for a de facto visa are different from that of a spouse visa. Must prove the 12 months. Believe me, have pondered the idea of just getting married for the hell of it, but it hasn't come down to that just yet, and neither of us particularly feel the need to do so for any other reason. And I am not using an immigration agent; was at dinner with friends, and one of those in attendance is a friendly acquaintance and just happens to be an agent. He is aware of our situation, and inquired as to how it was all going. |
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