Got an extension to my working rights on my WHV whilst I wait for my 820 visa!

[Kacymru]

Thank goodness!!

Visa stuff is so nerve wracking not to mention time consuming!

 

It took me nearly 3 months to fill out my Onshore Partner Visa Application (Subclass 820).

I'm currently on my 2nd One Year Working Holiday Visa (WHV) which finishes in January 2013. My partner and I have been together for 15 months so we thought we'd best submit the application. Apparently there's a 13 month processing period at present!! Well, that's what the automated email said - when you submit your visa app you get an automated email that let's you know they're received your application and also has a list of FAQs.

 

A friend of mine waited 12.5 months for her visa!

 

Anyway, I went trawling the internet for useful info on how to put it together and what to put in it etc, there were some useful posts on various sites but nothing overly detailed, or rather, nothing particularly current.

I've written about my personal experiences on my blog: www.kacymru.wordpress.com it also has links to all the forms that I downloaded from the official Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) website so I'm hoping people will find it pretty helpful. However please be aware that I am not an expert and don't have any qualifications - it's just about my personal experience with Australian Visa applications and details of how I put it together and submitted it :-)

 

If anyone has any questions then please feel free to ask me - I know how stressful this sort of thing is and sometimes it's just good to chat to someone who's been through it.

[snifter]

Good luck with it all

 

As a spouse myself I've found the gathering of information pretty straightforward. Much of it is just common sense stuff. Shared bills, names on documents, proof of living together, photos, bookings for the both of us (and as a family), shared bank account, mail to the same address, invites to events and so on. And then the supporting letters from family and friends about us. The DIAC info is all available online direct from their website so its never been a problem looking for how or where to find it. I downloaded and printed off the PDF booklets and just went through and highlighted all the essentials in different colours so I knew what order to do things in and so on.

 

Our sister site, Poms in Oz has a decent amount of info from lots of people who have gone through both off shore and on shore partner/spouse visa applications. The threads are supportive also as people are currently going through the process and you can share experience, how your application is going etc with others. I just browsed the threads there and got plenty of ideas from people as to the overall process and then just went and did my thing. The process is slightly different depending if off or on shore but having looked at both I can't remember being too phased if we had decided to file on shore in Aus. Just it takes longer and then iirc you have to leave Aus and re enter to activate your new visa.

[Kacymru]

Thanks for the reply Sniffer, I suppose some people find it easier than others, I just wanted to get lots of different points of view and try and find the best way to present everything.

 

Since we didn't have my name on the lease and bills, and we only opened our joint account in the last few f

months we had to work hard to collaborate all our evidence (dental bills, post, bank statements and emails). At times it was quite stressful and a fair few tears of frustration were shed!

 

I'll just be glad when it's granted!! :-)

[xzibit]

We applied for a 820 last year and it was granted in 4 days (after receiving the application) so sometimes you get lucky with processing times. They said that full complete applications are usually processed far quicker than incomplete applications.

 

Good luck, hope you aren't waiting too long.

[Kacymru]

Thanks Xzibit, it's always heartening to hear positive stories! Fingers crossed ours comes through soon!