Onthemove Posted February 27, 2017 Report Share Posted February 27, 2017 Good morning to all roomies, afraid no progress has been made on the visa processing. Today's response to a test mail: "OFFSHORE APPLICANTS (subclass 143/173) When your application is allocated to an assessing officer, you or your authorised contact may be asked to provide more documents, including but not limited to, Assurance of Support (subclass 143 only), police certificates and health clearances to finalise your application. We are currently assessing applications lodged up to and including 19 August 2014." Hang in there, it has to change soon....... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindasmit Posted February 27, 2017 Report Share Posted February 27, 2017 We received our VISA 9 months ago, exactly 24 months after it was lodged, during this time the date has only advanced 4 months. My heart goes out to everyone in the waiting room. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashmount Posted February 27, 2017 Report Share Posted February 27, 2017 4 hours ago, MomMuerte said: Good morning to all roomies, afraid no progress has been made on the visa processing. Today's response to a test mail: "OFFSHORE APPLICANTS (subclass 143/173) When your application is allocated to an assessing officer, you or your authorised contact may be asked to provide more documents, including but not limited to, Assurance of Support (subclass 143 only), police certificates and health clearances to finalise your application. We are currently assessing applications lodged up to and including 19 August 2014." Hang in there, it has to change soon....... Good day MomMeurte, You are fortunate to receive a reply to your Test mail. We have not received a reply to our emails. Do you think they are behind with the applications or just not updated the date?? Just feel "in limbo" at the moment !! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onthemove Posted February 27, 2017 Report Share Posted February 27, 2017 Hello Ashmount, I so wish I knew the answer to that hopefully it's just that they haven't updated their auto response or they may be having system issues. I concur with your feelings of being in limbo ! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elna57 Posted March 1, 2017 Report Share Posted March 1, 2017 Hi Roomies I so wish that we knew what was going on or somewhere we could find out. So depressed and frustrated. You all have a nice day though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTN Posted March 2, 2017 Report Share Posted March 2, 2017 Hi All Been away for a while. We also did not receive a reply to our email sent to " parentsimmi..... ". What worries me is the 7175 capping of visas for a 12 month period ( July to June ). I pray it is not that, and that it is just a glitch in their system. As the saying goes " they only serve those that stand and wait " so we just wait. Best wishes for all applicants. Take care 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTN Posted March 2, 2017 Report Share Posted March 2, 2017 On 2017/02/23 at 6:05 PM, Dirkz said: Thanks for the update JTN. You are so correct! If we could just know where we are in the queue and have an indication how to plan our future. They don't realize how unnerving it is for us who are going through this transformation at our age and for some of us, also all the planning associated with this big move. For example, we have been renting for more than a year to be ready for our CO, have other people who want to move into our rental (they are waiting for us to move out), our Police Clearance Certificates are about to expire in another two months, the shipping company is getting suspicious of us sitting with all their packing boxes they've dropped here last year already, our children getting worried in Aus, grandchildren not trusting us anymore, etc, etc. But on a positive note, in the mean time have a cappuccino and nice meal for a fraction of what you're going to pay for it when in Australia ? Hi DirkZ, We have no control over the AU authorities so we will never know where in the queue we are. As far as the PCC is concerned better to get it only once your CO is allocated to you. We in a similar boat, we packed away all the items we planned to take to OZ - all the good kitchen stuff now if we invite someone we have to re-open the boxes to use some items - very frustrating. We are now in the 21st month of our application so you can imagine the anxiety - anyway life has to carry on so cheers on the cappuccino. Take care 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTN Posted March 2, 2017 Report Share Posted March 2, 2017 On 2017/02/23 at 11:59 PM, Elna57 said: Hi All Waiting roomies. I have been trying very hard to stay positive and just reading the posts without commenting, but this is just too hard. Not knowing exactly where we are in the queue............I just so wish that Immi would be more forthcoming/clear as to where and when we are in the q. Next year my hubby will be 65 and we will be able to apply for the much cheaper and faster onshore aged parent visa .......... so if we are not going to be able to leave before then (we thought we would have been in Aus for sure by now when we applied two tears ago) what is the whole purpose of this whole process, which, when we applied , was supposed to be a waiting peiod of 18 to 24 months? I am just so extremely frustrated. From my perspective, we as Saffers, should actually be considered refugees. For us, it is not JUST about being with our families in Aus, but also a serious real life threat. Crime is really increasing horrendously,( regardless of what statistics are showing.).. and moral integrity which in my opinion is the basic foundation of any civilised community, is non-existent.. We are completely outnumbered by the UK and Asian applicants for this particular visa category because of exchange rates and population issues. We still are the minority. Nobody knows how desperate our children were to get out of here or how hard it was for them and us to take that step. Nobody knows about our sacrifices, our hardships, our tears and our pain to let our children leave us behind in search of a better future for them and our grand children. I begged my only child on my knees to not ever change his mind in pursuit of a better future for himself and he did it and he is so happy in his new country of which he will soon be a proud citizen. I wish to thank the Australian Government for affording our children this great opportunity to live a life of freedom and safety, of equal opportunities and most of all ... for protecting our children. That, my roomies, is the silver lining . I pray and trust that we shall all be here again tomorrow morning cheering each other up, keeping the faith and hopimg that MAYBE tomorrow we will get a different (or at least honest) reply from Immi as to what the situation is really like. Hi Elna You did good - best advice given and of course taken - glad that your son is so happy in OZ. Do not worry you will be there soon - keeping fingers crossed. Take care 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashmount Posted March 2, 2017 Report Share Posted March 2, 2017 On 3/1/2017 at 9:17 AM, Elna57 said: Hi Roomies I so wish that we knew what was going on or somewhere we could find out. So depressed and frustrated. You all have a nice day though. Hi Elna, Don't despair - we all know the feeling but we are all waiting "together". This Forum is really good for one, as when you feel frustrated and desperate you realize that others are in the same boat. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirkz Posted March 2, 2017 Report Share Posted March 2, 2017 Hi all in the waiting room, If all goes to plan we should soon be in line to receive a letter from Border Control to get our papers ready and do our medicals. It seems that they are still busy with the 2016/2017 143 visas, so we just hope and pray that they will not reach the limit too soon. We have been waiting for close to 28 months now. You will be the first to know if anything happens. We also don't even get replies from the automated response on our Test emails. It's really frustrating but what can we do? Stressing about it won't add years to our already advanced age ? All I can say for the roomies is: enjoy your time left in RSA by doing what you like and might not be able to do again when in Aus ! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marchhawker Posted March 7, 2017 Report Share Posted March 7, 2017 kids are sick so i am at home today, thought i would take the opportunity to ring immigration to see if all the visas have been allocated for this year.. still on hold.... number 87 in the Que...... there phone lines are like the visa ques....long!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onthemove Posted March 7, 2017 Report Share Posted March 7, 2017 Morning Marchhawker, very brave calling Immi - good luck ?. Let's hope they're willing to give an answer. Speedy recovery to your kids 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marchhawker Posted March 7, 2017 Report Share Posted March 7, 2017 Wow an Hour and 15 mins on the phone holding, to be told visa for the contributory parent visa is 18-24 months, when i kindly told them they are talking a load of crap as they are currently only processing visa dated the 19th August 2014 which is 32 months, they said i need to send an email to parents@border.gov.au if i am not happy with the processing time... to which i replied its not that i am not happy i just want to know what is going on! if they have run out of visa tell us!!!! aghhhhhh well that is 1 hr and 15 mins i will never get back! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onthemove Posted March 7, 2017 Report Share Posted March 7, 2017 Thank you Marchhawker for sharing this experience. Pity about the bureaucratic response, particularly if they don't read the question properly and are immediately on the defensive. I wonder if they ever consider how much our money is in fact contributing to their coffers!! Visas are not something they provide for free . Wouldn't it be nice if we got a discount for every extra month we're kept waiting !! That principle would most definitely speed up the process from their side. But, let's keep hoping against hope this will improve. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onthemove Posted March 7, 2017 Report Share Posted March 7, 2017 Hello all roomies, Although this process and the wait is frustrating, let's remember this is a fast tracked visa for people who wouldn't have qualified under any other category and thus we must accept the ways of our future adopted country, else what is the point of this exercise? We are indeed fortunate to still have this opportunity. So chins up and fingers crossed - time will pass - there's a better future ahead of us! Good luck ? everyone 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashmount Posted March 7, 2017 Report Share Posted March 7, 2017 (edited) Thank you Marchhawker, My daughter received a response on the "test" email this morning , it is no different to the last email received : “In the 2016-17 Migration Programme year, 7175 Contributory Parent visa places are available for applicants applying from in and outside Australia. Due to high numbers of Contributory Parent visa applications lodged in May and June 2014, processing time for these is expected to exceed 24 months. OFFSHORE APPLICANTS (subclass 143/173) When your application is allocated to an assessing officer, you or your authorised contact may be asked to provide more documents, including but not limited to, Assurance of Support (subclass 143 only), police certificates and health clearances to finalise your application. We are currently assessing applications lodged up to and including 19 August 2014. TEMPORARY TO PERMANENT APPLICANTS (subclass 173 to 143 and 884 to 864) We are currently experiencing delays in processing onshore applications, this is due to unprecedented applications lodged in May/June/July 2014. We will recommence processing s/c884 and s/c864 as soon as possible. An update will be posted 1 February 2017. We are currently assessing applications lodged up to 22 June 2016.” I am sure they have not updated their email !! If you read "an update will be posted on 1 February 2017" well we are not on 7 March 2017!! Edited March 7, 2017 by Ashmount 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirkz Posted March 7, 2017 Report Share Posted March 7, 2017 Thanks Marchhawker for your trouble of phoning and contributing to the waiting room. I wish your kids a speedy recovery. It's that time of year when the season breaks and colds and flu target the people. Wise words from MomMuerte to calm us down. We need some positivity to keep our chins up! Like I said before, there are things here that we can still enjoy in the mean time which will take our minds off the waiting. In the end there doesn't seem to be anything we can do to speed up the process, except worrying about it ? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orphan Posted March 7, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2017 I have been quite disappointed at the tone of some of the comments posted here recently. While a certain level of frustration at the seeming lack of progress is understandable, it is very unreasonable and unhelpful to take out one's frustration on the visa authorities, who I know to be extremely hard-working and diligent in their duties. Further, one should always remember that an Australian visa is a highly sought after commodity, and the worldwide demand for entry into this country significantly exceeds the number of places available. Those who are in the very privileged (and I use that word deliberately) position of being able to qualify for a visa, should be celebrating their good fortune, and not grumbling about things that are out of everyone's control...particularly not on a public forum such as this one. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RYLC Posted March 7, 2017 Report Share Posted March 7, 2017 (edited) Hear hear @Orphan Something I really don't miss is an angry, demanding, "hurry up" Saffa attitude. You'll get yourself labeled so quickly if you bring that attitude with you. We have all been or are going through the frustrations of this process. You are not unique or alone. Humble patience is more the Australian way. It is lucky that everything is online now because at least you have a way of checking at all. The email from immi is very clear: ...due to unprecedented applications lodged in May/June/July 2014. As for where you are in the queue: they are up to 19 August 2014 They can't give you a "number" because it would keep changing as some people pause the queue while they go off to get documents or any other delay. The best system they have come up with is by lodgement date. You surely wouldn't want them to "halt" the queue when the person who has now got to the front needs to wait for say police clearance. We all know how long that takes. Unfortunately too, parent visas are probably the lowest priority of visa processing. The priorities will be people of working age who will add to skill and productivity levels here. The number of overall visa applications across ALL classes has sky rocketed over the past few years. It's going to take time to clear the traffic jam. Edited March 7, 2017 by RYLC 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeTMI Posted March 7, 2017 Report Share Posted March 7, 2017 Hi Guys I'm not following the thread so apologies if this has already been mentioned here. Aged Parent Visas – Changes to the Age Pension impacting on the Definition of 'Aged' e.g. 804, Aged Parent 864, Contributory Aged Parent 884, Contributory Aged Parent (Temporary) As of the 1st July 2017 the age at which men and women will be considered 'Aged' will increase by 6 months every 2 years until it reaches 67 on the 1st of July, 2023. Tee 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invisible Posted March 9, 2017 Report Share Posted March 9, 2017 Hi, My parents have been in the Queue for ages now... Visa submitted July 2015 (over 600 days ago) I walked into the Brisbane office earlier this week and had a chat to somebody there. I specifically asked about the email and the response that was still sating that applications are being processed as at 19 August and that this is the status it has been since 1 February 2017. She suggested to me that the queue was in fact moving fine and that she had heard that the mail was only going to be updated every six weeks. I guess this means that we should hopefully see some big jumps in between updates... Also if you had already received a reply you would not get another until there was a change. ( I tested this by sending form a different email address) The parents@immi.gov.au also stopped working and that the correct address to use was parents@borders.gov.au By my calculations and provided that there are no big lists like there where in June that the processing times for us will still be another 262 days that will mean a total of 862 days end to end. I do hope I am wrong and that things will speed up soon. I expect the next update to be around the 15th March and that the date for offshore 143 applications will be processing applications received on 5 October 2014 Please note I do not have any inside knowledge here, I am simply speculating like everyone else Patience patience patience... (reminds me of our own visa application process, getting upset about all this stuff does not help anyone...) Hanging in here Playing the waiting game Cheers 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashmount Posted March 10, 2017 Report Share Posted March 10, 2017 @Orphan Not too sure why you are “quite disappointed at the tone of some of the comments posted here recently”. Nobody is taking out their frustration on the Immigration authorities. We are all merely bouncing off one another to get an idea as to when our date will come up. Due to the lack of response to our emails from "parents@immi", I am quite sure you will understand our anxieties, we too like you were, are anxious about getting our plans in place. No one is accusing them of being “unreasonable or unhelpful” nor questioning the fact that there are “extremely hardworking and diligent” workers at the Immigration Department, we are all well aware that it is an efficient, diligent hardworking department. It is all well and good for someone who is on the other side and happy in their new abode to forget the stress that goes with getting to the other side. We all realise that the Australian visa is a “highly sought after commodity …..”, if we were not fully aware of that fact we would not be in the queue to join children in the amazing country. Your post on 2 August 2016 “…..As I did so, all the memories of our time in the waiting room came flooding back. The frustration, the anxiety, the planning, the dreaming....And then I remembered the day of our departure, saying our goodbyes at the airport, waiting for our flight to be called, settling into our seats on the plane, the thrill of the takeoff, a final last look at the brown earth of South Africa, and then the realisation that our life had started afresh. The bad memories fade fast, and are quickly replaced by new experiences in this wonderful country. Its all worth it in the end” @RYLC - As Orphan was quite disappointed at the tone of some of the comments posted on this Forum, so am I disappointed with your tone. I am pleased to hear that you have adopted the “humble patience” of the Australian culture and given up “the angry, hurry up Saffa attitude”. For the record, I’m humble and patient and have certainly don’t displayed anger or a Saffa attitude (whatever that might mean). I was under the impression that this “Forum” was to help and support the people in the “Waiting Room”. We all know that we are “not unique or alone”. I am sure you have both forgotten the stress that you went through before arriving in Australia, let us have a bit of consideration for the rest of us waiting for their Case Officer to be appointed, and to hopefully obtain the required 143 visa, and also enjoy the wonderful country that we hope to spend our “twilight years” with our children. Thanks for pointing out the “…..due to unprecedented applications lodged in May/June/July 2014……..”, we all capable of reading and understanding this, but maybe an extraordinary number of lodgements requires a review of the method use to keep applicants updated. Receiving the same response month after month with little or no progress results in speculation, whether you’re South African or in any other country. You both need to chill (no attitude intended) and be more understanding. @Orphan –I have said before that your Guide to the 143 Visa has been truly helpful and we have followed it step by step. Thank you. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RYLC Posted March 10, 2017 Report Share Posted March 10, 2017 (edited) The forum relies on those who have gone before to answer the questions of those coming through. @Orphan et al could stop doing so and we could leave you to it. Including the knowledge that certain Saffa behaviours are not well regarded here AT ALL! We can leave you to find out the hard way if that is preferable. @Ashmount we have the catch 22 of you understanding better once you are here, but needing to get here first to do so. Hopefully the time goes as fast as possible for you and I hope you keep posting once you are here to help others understand this too. For the record though, it wasn't your posts that seemed angry, impatient or arrogant and I wasn't referring to you in particular. But if you feel singled out then that would be your choice. I'm unfazed by your "disappointment" Edited March 10, 2017 by RYLC 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindasmit Posted March 10, 2017 Report Share Posted March 10, 2017 I am really glad I am not in this waiting room. The problem Ashmount is that the current group of roomies are actually making things worse for each other. All the timlines, statistics, communication, ifs and maybes is just adding to the stress and frustration. The day each and everyone of us made the decision and took that first step nobody promised us that it would all be plain sailing. For some it is more stressful than for others. My husband for one could not handle the pace at which our application was processed and we had our hands full to keep him away from the immi mails although we only checked once a month and not every day as is the case with this group. He wanted to quit at one stage. The best advice, although very difficult, is to carry on with your lives as best you can. Once you are out of there you are going to be sorry you did not travel more and spent more time with family and friends you might never see again. Chill and enjoy the time you still have in South Africa everything that must happen will happen, good or bad. You might not even like it over her especially if you cannot get use to the laid back situation over here. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orphan Posted March 10, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2017 (edited) @Ashmount. I disagree with your claim that " Nobody is taking out their frustration on the Immigration authorities" Comments such as Quote " i kindly told them they are talking a load of crap" does exactly that! And the following comment not only denigrates the work ethic of all visa officials, but insinuates that parent visa applicants deserve better service because they are paying for it Quote "Pity about the bureaucratic response, particularly if they don't read the question properly and are immediately on the defensive. I wonder if they ever consider how much our money is in fact contributing to their coffers!! Visas are not something they provide for free . Wouldn't it be nice if we got a discount for every extra month we're kept waiting !! That principle would most definitely speed up the process from their side." When someone feels strongly enough to post "I am really glad I am not in this waiting room", that should serve as a warning to everyone on this thread that the posts going out from the "current group of roomies" are unappealing and unattractive. As has been said (by me and others) previously, my purpose for starting this thread was to help others coming behind us, by providing useful, informative, and helpful advice to those new to the parent visa process. Unfortunately, this is no longer the case...it seems to have degenerated into a type of Facebook blogging site where everyone is posting their daily ramblings, and venting their frustrations. And I want no part of it any more. So this represents my final farewell. Edited March 10, 2017 by Orphan 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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