All applicants try to figure out the Australian Partner Visa processing time… i.e. how long they have to live in limbo wondering what their future will bring and when it will bring it. Our 309 de facto Australian Partner Visa story:
Day 1
Applied from a low-risk country (U.S.A.)
Day 72
Received an “automatically generated email” stating, “Your application will soon be allocated for assessment.” We were instructed not to reply and to be sure we had everything uploaded. We were reminded expected processing time was 12-15 months.
Day 86
I called the services center with an upload problem, ended up on the phone with a supervisor, and asked her about the 25 November email. She said it just means that an underling will eventually be checking to see that we have all materials soon, before it’s forwarded on to a C.O. for review. When I asked how long until that happened, she quoted 12-15 months.
Day 106
Traveled to Australia on a tourist visa to be with my partner… in the hopes that our application would be approved within the 90 day tourist-visa window. Otherwise, I’d have to go live in purgatory in some country surrounding Australia while we waited to officially start our Australian lives together. (I wasn’t about to spring for an enormously expensive trip back and forth across the Pacific to wait in the U.S.)
Day 146
Contacted via email by a random woman who asked for a document I could not provide. I offered an alternative solution.
Day 147
Replied to by a different woman who accepted my alternative solution and asked me to proceed. I believe this was our case officer.
Day 153
I had submitted the required alternative days earlier, and the response on this day was an email asking me to leave Australia (I had traveled there on a 90 day tourist visa). I booked a flight immediately and left the country a few days later. I was asked to stay outside the country for at least three business days.
Day 159
Due to a snowstorm in Washington D.C., my visa grant was made official this day (a day later than expected – hence the three business day requirement.)
Hope that helps!
Related:
Our Australian Partner Visa Evidence
Avoid a Payment Fee When Paying the Visa Cost
Australian Partner Visa Application Tips
Twitter Facebook Google+ StumbleUpon Reddit Pinterest