Going from 475 to perm visa

[Guest JT1]

Hi does anyone know in simple terms, how you become a permanent citizen in Australia once you fulfilled the obligations of a 475 visa ie lived here 2 years worked for 1 yr? Also does anyone know, does it matter if you do 3 month contract then a gap then another 3 month contract say until you acquire 12 mths or must it all be in one go?

 

Thank you

[jo_marnes]

You apply for an 887 visa, online, in the same way you apply for a 475.

 

Contracts and different jobs (with gaps) are fine, so long as you work full time for minimum 12 months of the 3 year 475.

[jim and adel]

I assume you mean permanent resident rather than citizen (which is a different matter again). Typically, you go from 475 to perm by applying for the 887 visa. Unless they've changed the rules very recently, you don't need to be in continuous work as long as by the time you apply the work you've done totals 12 months full time employment.

 

Jim

[Guest MutleyCrew]

Hi, this was a question I had also been pondering but no longer need to thanks to JT1. As I am the main visa applicant and on a 475 this is very useful. Does anyone know if it has the same sort of cost as when applying for the 475 visa or is it, hopefully, considerably less? Likewise, do we all have to do the meds and police checks again? Many thanks.

[Guest Zoot]

Cost is about $200 I think - no you dont need to do your meds again and you can use your police check from before but you will need a Federal Police Clearance - get form online, fill in form, get passport certified at Cop Shop, go to post office send off whole shebang (they get so many they know exactly what to do) - wait and about a week later it arrives in the mail.

 

Gaps in employment are fine - I have been temping and so have heaps of gaps in my employment and still got my 887.

[Guest MutleyCrew]

Cheers for that, sounds relatively straight forward compared to obtaining original visa!!

[jim and adel]

Cost is about $200 I think - no you dont need to do your meds again and you can use your police check from before but you will need a Federal Police Clearance - get form online, fill in form, get passport certified at Cop Shop, go to post office send off whole shebang (they get so many they know exactly what to do) - wait and about a week later it arrives in the mail.

 

Gaps in employment are fine - I have been temping and so have heaps of gaps in my employment and still got my 887.

 

I agree with this but just giving a slightly different interpretation of the process: in the main people don't seem to get asked for meds when applying for the 887 (but some have, I recall); the paperwork states that you might have to do them again and when filling in the application there are questions about it - just assume these don't apply to you unless your c/o tells you otherwise!

 

Generally, UK police checks remain valid but do eventually expire (ours had because of the length of time between originally applying for our SIR visa and finally applying for the 887, so we had to get them again).

 

For the federal check we didn't take anything into a police station, just did it all by post, easy and quick.

 

Jim

[Guest paudel_bishnu]

hi Guys,

 

the immigration website clearly states that we need to meet health requirement to apply for 887 visa.

Skilled – Regional (Residence) visa (subclass 887)

Thanks

[Guest smac]

hi Guys,

the immigration website clearly states that we need to meet health requirement to apply for 887 visa.

I applied for the 887 in Feb 2010. It was granted in March about 4 weeks later. We did need the Australian police clearance, but did not need any further health check beyond what we went through to get the temp visa 3 years prior to that.

[Guest Zoot]

Applied in Feb for 887 and visa granted 2 days later and not asked to do any further medicals.

 

I think it says you may be requested to do a medical but most people arent unless circumstances have changed dramatically. I just did what a previous poster recommended when it asked had you booked a medical I said no, and then in the comments said something like not required completed for 495 (now 475) visa and they accepted that.

 

I wasnt asked to get a police clearance from my home country, I just uploaded my previous police clearance certificate and my Federal Police Clearance Certificate and that was sufficient.

 

I got the copy of my passport certified as I had visions of me sending all the info off and then it going into limbo as I hadnt certified it. Didnt want to give anyone any opportunity for turning it down. Dont think it is necessary as it doesnt say you have to do it but I guess this whole visa process turns one neurotic.

[The Flinns]

Applied in Feb for 887 and visa granted 2 days later and not asked to do any further medicals.

 

I think it says you may be requested to do a medical but most people arent unless circumstances have changed dramatically. I just did what a previous poster recommended when it asked had you booked a medical I said no, and then in the comments said something like not required completed for 495 (now 475) visa and they accepted that.

 

I wasnt asked to get a police clearance from my home country, I just uploaded my previous police clearance certificate and my Federal Police Clearance Certificate and that was sufficient.

 

I got the copy of my passport certified as I had visions of me sending all the info off and then it going into limbo as I hadnt certified it. Didnt want to give anyone any opportunity for turning it down. Dont think it is necessary as it doesnt say you have to do it but I guess this whole visa process turns one neurotic.

 

I recall that we didn't get our passports, police clearances, etc. certified when we applied for our 475 as it clearly stated that scanned, full colour pdf's would suffice. I would imagine that the same would apply for the 887?

[Guest enabrutus]

I recall that we didn't get our passports, police clearances, etc. certified when we applied for our 475 as it clearly stated that scanned, full colour pdf's would suffice. I would imagine that the same would apply for the 887?

 

It is correct as long as you apply online...

[The Flinns]

It is correct as long as you apply online...

 

Good point, forgot to mention that we applied online.

[delbart]

Hi

 

Can anyone help, just applied last week for 887 visa, currently on 475. We got a Case Officer today and they have sent letter stating that we have to complete medicals again. We had medicals completed when getting our 475 visa has anyone else had to re-do the medicals? Not happy as $300 each!! tried to ring but can't get through to Brisbane.

Cheers Jan

[jo_marnes]

Arrghh, how come you have a CO?! We don't yet as far as I know and we applied on 16th. Have your medical circumstances changed? Hope we don't have to do them again.

hope yours comes quick now though xx

[jo_marnes]

Now I'm getting really grumpy as can't even log in to check status... service unavailable. Grrrrr

[delbart]

Arrghh, how come you have a CO?! We don't yet as far as I know and we applied on 16th. Have your medical circumstances changed? Hope we don't have to do them again.

hope yours comes quick now though xx

 

No absolutely nothing has changed and Medicals in UK were all clear. Neither of us have any Medical conditions. Just so frustrating if have to pay out more money! We applied on 20/03 for 887. Also need to do Police Checks. Cheers

[Guest Zoot]

What did you say on your form when they asked about medicals? Did you say you had gone for medicals or were going for medicals? That may be the area of confusion. I know it is possible to be asked to redo medicals but wonder why they would want you to if there was nothing on the original test which would give concern.

[delbart]

Hi Zootz

 

We applied on line couldn't bypass the Medical Health check section so just input we had them completed in 2008 in UK. Surely they would know this when going from 475 to 887 that you have had them completed. The annoying thing is can't get to talk to anyone to ask why? Oh well will try and contact them to find out.

[Guest enabrutus]

I just had my 887 granted recently and medicals were not required, except for my baby daughter... AFP checks seem to be always a requirement though.

[Guest Zoot]

I think the only thing is to check it with them like you said and hopefully it is a mistake or they didnt realise that the 887 visa is not a "new" visa application in that you have had to have been living and working in Oz during this time to qualify and that the medicals are usually only part of the initial visa application (perhaps they confused you with a "new" visa application and considered your medicals expired). None of us that were granted our 887 recently were asked to redo our medicals. Unless of course this is a new thing and they just pick people and random and make them redo the medical. Ouch $300 for a medical is a lot of money to pay out.

[jo_marnes]

Ouch $300 for a medical is a lot of money to pay out.

 

I'm dreading them asking us to do them.... there's 5 of us!!

[delbart]

I just had my 887 granted recently and medicals were not required, except for my baby daughter... AFP checks seem to be always a requirement though.

 

 

Well, I just phoned Brisbane got throught to my case officer said if Medicals are over 12 months old need to re-do them!! I do not understand this as everyone who applies for 887 will have had their Medicals completed in UK more than 12 months previously. I really don't think we have a choice though as he said it was every visa that needed Medicals again if out of date!

[jim and adel]

Well, I just phoned Brisbane got throught to my case officer said if Medicals are over 12 months old need to re-do them!! I do not understand this as everyone who applies for 887 will have had their Medicals completed in UK more than 12 months previously. I really don't think we have a choice though as he said it was every visa that needed Medicals again if out of date!

 

I suppose there's nothing much you can do if that's the advice, and perhaps it's a new rule but I rather suspect that had a different person answered the phone you'd have got a different story! The lack of consistency with handling visas seems to be something DIAC can't overcome.

 

Jim

[Guest Nick11]

Well, I just phoned Brisbane got throught to my case officer said if Medicals are over 12 months old need to re-do them!! I do not understand this as everyone who applies for 887 will have had their Medicals completed in UK more than 12 months previously. I really don't think we have a choice though as he said it was every visa that needed Medicals again if out of date!

 

That's very bizarre..never heard of anyone being asked to do a medical again..unless they have been out of Australia for a prolonged period of time..in a country where TB is prelevant.

We were certain we would need one as hubby was a cat b and had to attend medical appointments every 6 months at the chest clinic here in adelaide. Never was asked for one thank godness.