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| Offshore Spouse Visa Granted!; Timeline | |
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| Topic Started: Dec 31 2010, 02:57:34 AM (1,382 Views) | |
| escameron | Dec 31 2010, 02:57:34 AM Post #1 |
Yacker
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October 13th- (1) Ordered FBI, PA, and USVI background checks (2) scheduled flight to PA for medical exam on January 31st and to move our dog off island while the temperature is low enough October 14th- Received USVI background check October 20th- Received PA background check December 18th- Received FBI background check December 29th- Mailed my application with all required information included except the medical exam to Washington DC for arrival by noon on December 31st...here we go!  I'm so nervous and excited!************************************************************************************************* January 4th- Embassy finally signed for my express document...they were closed from the 31st to the 3rd (I should have known better).  It's a small delay but hopefully we're on track now!  ************************************************************************************************* January 6th- My card was charged the processing fee...I've never been so excited for someone to take my money!  ************************************************************************************************* January 14th- Received the preliminary email from immigration with my assigned case officer's (D.L.) contact information and general information about the process  ************************************************************************************************* January 31st- Medical exam conducted in Philadelphia. Unfortunately, I was informed that the radiologist was on vacation so it would be a few weeks until the results would be ready. ************************************************************************************************* March 2nd- Finally, after waiting for a month the doctor has sent my medical exam results to the embassy in D.C. The tracking number given confirms what they told me and the package should be there by 3:00pm tomorrow. I don't mind being patient, but it helps knowing that I'm waiting on immigration not just a doctor who's vacationing. I'm ready for a different kind of wait...with these results in my application is finally complete, so now I'm just waiting for a yes or no! Here's hoping it's a yes! ************************************************************************************************* March 18th- Received a call from D.L. explaining that with the evidence provided in my application that he would only be able to consider issuing a provisional (temporary) visa. However, since our relationship statements describe being together for much longer than that, if we could prove a spousal arrangement more than 3 years ago then he could consider a permanent visa. We asked for the weekend to round-up what evidence we could to support the longer spousal relationship. ************************************************************************************************* March 21st- Faxed evidence of our longer spousal arrangement including a lease agreement and phone bill in both our names, a joint Christmas card, and emails addressed to and from both of us. All of these documents were from either 2006 or 2007 and so more than 3 years before my application was received by the embassy. I also emailed D.L. to confirm sending the fax. About an hour later I checked my email and my grant letter was there!!  Edited by escameron, Mar 24 2011, 12:58:16 AM.
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Erin Cameron
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| AmbroseChick | Dec 31 2010, 09:04:18 AM Post #2 |
True Blue Mate
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Hi Erin - ooooh super excited that you are going to be in Brisbane! How long have you been married? When are you hoping to move? Welcome welcome to the group and keep us posted! ~ Indy |
| Check it out! Facebook page: Americans Living in Queensland | |
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| Kiandi | Dec 31 2010, 04:29:50 PM Post #3 |
True Blue Mate
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Congrats on your timeline!!! I sent my App on December 10th and still haven't heard from anyone yet. But I guess that's what happens if you send it in before the Holidays. Hopefully you and I will both hear from them soon.
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 The Visa Gods Answered Our Prayers | |
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| escameron | Jan 1 2011, 12:13:01 AM Post #4 |
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Yacker
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Hi, and thanks Kiandi and Indy! It is super exciting!  Kiandi, I have been married since December of 2009 and if all goes well we hope to be headed to Brissy in September of 2011. How about you? I'm sure you're right about the holidays delaying your response. Hopefully, as you said, we'll both be hearing from them soon. Indy, how do you like the Gold Coast? My husband and I are hoping to settle in Brisbane intially because of his family, but my husband is a captain and would like to move to the Gold Coast in the next few years. I saw you have your own business...what do you do? Thanks again for the support ladies...I'll keep you posted! |
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Erin Cameron
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| AmbroseChick | Jan 1 2011, 12:33:33 PM Post #5 |
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True Blue Mate
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Hi Erin - Happy New Year! I love the Gold Coast but I'm a warm weather person and I love living so close to the beach. I do like Brisbane as well but I wanted to be closer to the water and Brisbane is only an hour away so its close enough to get to. We run an import/export business and we've been doing it for about 10 years! Your husband is the captain of ? Navy? airplane? His Destiny? I'm assuming you have visited Australia before? The time is going to fly by for you!~ Indy |
| Check it out! Facebook page: Americans Living in Queensland | |
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| escameron | Jan 6 2011, 03:57:56 AM Post #6 |
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Yacker
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Hi Indy, Happy new year to you too! It's nice to hear that you love the Gold Coast and the import/export business sounds interesting...what kind of stuff to you specialize in? Or do you work with everything? I imagine that is a pretty complicated business to be in, but since you've been doing it for 10 years you must love it!  I have been to Australia before. We were just there for a month from mid August to mid September. In fact, my husband has family in Mermaid beach and we spent some time in Bigger Waters researching the Gold Coast area since we also love the warmth and are totally water people.  We are moving from the Caribbean so we figured living by the Brisbane River will suffice for a while, but we really would be happiest in the Gold Coast. We were very interested in the Coomera area because of the massive marine precinct, but any final settling place will be determined by where we can find work. My husband, Gordon, is a commercial sea captain in the US and is currently doing the required course work with Queensland Marine Training Services in Berkdale to get his Queensland license. We have a long road ahead of us before we make any final decisions but we have lots of great ideas! I guess the first step is to get this visa...here's hoping you're right and the processing time flies by.Nice chatting with you and best wishes for a fabulous 2011! Erin |
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Erin Cameron
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| AmbroseChick | Jan 6 2011, 05:22:19 PM Post #7 |
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True Blue Mate
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Hi Erin! Great to hear from you again! Your husband's work sounds very interesting! If you settle in Coomera then it would be almost halfway between Brisbane and the Gold Coast so its a good compromise! We specialize in cars and boats but we say that we'll ship anything that is legal Have you heard from immigration yet? Keep us posted! ~ Indy |
| Check it out! Facebook page: Americans Living in Queensland | |
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| minx | Jan 8 2011, 04:27:53 PM Post #8 |
True Blue Mate
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Hi Erin and  Just wanted to say good luck with your application, and keep us posted!
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| escameron | Jan 10 2011, 03:41:27 AM Post #9 |
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Yacker
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** Oops! I think this should have said: Minx, Thanks for the welcome and support! Congrats to you on your newly granted citizenship! Best wishes to you! (I'm not sure where I got that "wedding and new visa" idea from...sorry for the confusion) Edited by escameron, Mar 14 2011, 05:59:57 AM.
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Erin Cameron
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| escameron | Mar 4 2011, 04:35:55 AM Post #10 |
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Yacker
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I just checked the tracking info on Fedex.com and my medical exam results were delivered! I'm all done for now...the real waiting game begins
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Erin Cameron
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| AmbroseChick | Mar 4 2011, 09:36:54 AM Post #11 |
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True Blue Mate
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Depending upon the results - it shouldn't be too terribly long now! |
| Check it out! Facebook page: Americans Living in Queensland | |
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| Kiandi | Mar 4 2011, 01:18:53 PM Post #12 |
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True Blue Mate
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Wow, I can't believe you waited a month for your medicals to arrive in Washington!  Glad they finally made it there!
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The Visa Gods Answered Our Prayers | |
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| escameron | Mar 15 2011, 12:53:44 AM Post #13 |
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Yacker
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Hi Kiandi, I can't believe it took that long either!! I'd call once a week and be super deflated to hear that the doctor was still away. Oh well, that's over now and the process continues...I am trying not to be all-consumed by this waiting but it's really hard. We have so much planned and our whole future hinges on this visa. As of today, D.L. has had my application for exactly 2 months. Oh how I hope I get one of his speedy approvals, so we can breath a little easier. In the meantime, "no news is good news" has become our mantra. How are you holding up? Wedding and moving plans going ok? |
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Erin Cameron
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| Kiandi | Mar 15 2011, 05:58:59 AM Post #14 |
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True Blue Mate
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I totally agree with you!  Wedding plans are still on though it can all change depending on when I get my visa. Hopefully it won't come to that. We have a lot planned also but can't really follow up on anything since we are in "Limboland" so I feel you..... I know exactly what you are going through. lol I just hope my C.O. comes through soon.... *sigh* I wish I had D.L. You are one of the lucky ones. Anyways, we both need to hang in there......... 
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The Visa Gods Answered Our Prayers | |
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| sunshine | Mar 17 2011, 07:24:09 AM Post #15 |
True Blue Mate
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Is it weird that I'm also on pins and needles about your visa approval? You're a month ahead of me in the waiting game, same case officer too. Sounds like you're golden
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| Steph | |
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| escameron | Mar 22 2011, 02:22:38 AM Post #16 |
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Yacker
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I just received my grant letter via email for a spouse visa subclass 100 for permanent residency!!!!! Woot Woot! I am unbelievably excited and still in shock! Good luck to those of you with similar timelines! What an amazing feeling! I'll be checking in to see how everyone else goes! As an FYI for your timelines, I received a call from D.L. on Friday saying proof of a spousal relationship more than 3 years ago was needed to issue the permanent visa (apparently our evidence was too recent). Otherwise, he'd only be able to issue a provisional visa (I'd have taken anything). I asked for the weekend to see what evidence I could round up and faxed over a lease, joint Christmas card, emails addresses to both of us, and a phone contract in both our names all from 2006 and 2007 this morning...an hour later I got my grant email! D.L. rocks! Edited by escameron, Mar 23 2011, 01:37:02 AM.
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Erin Cameron
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| Melbs | Mar 22 2011, 03:09:12 AM Post #17 |
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wowwwwee!!!! congratulations erin!!!!!!! so happy for you!!!! oooh and... hehe thanks for taking some work load off of D.L so he can focus on fewer people....no one inparticular tho!! hehe 
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| jennylee | Mar 22 2011, 04:10:15 AM Post #18 |
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Chinwagger
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Congratulatins Erin!!! That is sooo exciting!!! D.L sure moves them along!! Good luck with the move, keep us posted!! 
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| Kiandi | Mar 22 2011, 04:19:58 AM Post #19 |
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True Blue Mate
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OH WOW!! That is super awesome!!!!! When are you leaving for Australia? |
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The Visa Gods Answered Our Prayers | |
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| MeltoMelb | Mar 22 2011, 04:28:17 AM Post #20 |
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Yacker
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Congrats!! DL sure is speedy!! |
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