Jump to content

Our 489 visa process


MichKen

Recommended Posts

Almost there....!

 

Renovations done!  AT LAST!

Tenants found, just waiting on paperwork!

Final matric final today!

Pupplet settled into PETport and flying on Wednesday!

Started with goodbyes yesterday....!

 

4 days to go!!!!  We fly out on Friday.....!

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Welcome to Oz, you will love it. We arrived on 3rd December 2016, so just about a year ahead of you but the story is very similar. We are also on a 489 and life has been fantastic. Just embrace it and take in the change. After a year it already feels like we have been here forever.

 

Enjoy

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ah @MichKen

It feels surreal that we are both at the final stage. My daughter writes her final Visual Art paper tomorrow. She is booked into to do a hospitality course (coffee barista, bar tending and food handling) in Melbourne in January. Hoping this will help her meet people and be in a position to get a part-time job. We have 33 days left before we fly out. 

Sending loads of positive energy. Looking forward to your thoughts on arrival and first days. So exciting.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Everyone,

We are new to the forum. We have also applied for a 489 visa to Adelaide. Visa application was submitted in Aug/Sept 2017 but still waiting for Visa Grant. We're hoping to be in Adelaide by Aug 2018 or a bit sooner if all goes well. My family in-law know about the move, told by boss on Monday and have told all of my family last week, except for my Mother, which I have no idea of what to do or what to tell her :( . Will have to break the news to her soon but scared about how she will react.

We have a 4 year old boy - so he will have to do about 6 months of pre-school that side before we can enrol him in a reception year class as his birthday is in August.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Sakuya,

 

Welcome to this awesome forum as it is very helpful and glad there's another 489er:)

 

I applied for the 489 on 6th June, we lodged other documents needed in August and will waiting.  However our issue is incomplete birth certificates for our kids which is still sitting with DHA.

 

I haven't told anyone accept my immediate family and its not easy.

 

Good luck with your grant and please post when you receive it as I will do the same.

Thanks

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey guys; welcome!  If we can share experiences and help in anyway let us know....

Unique group we are as our visa type is much less common and that’s why I thought a thread like this may help others later.

 

@Charnmario I had the same problem - what you need to do is go an reregister those in your family you are still waiting for UBCs for.  The way to do this is go into a home affairs offices and ask for late registration of birth documentation; it will include a registration form and an affidavit for your / parents completion.  Complete in the offices and ask for a copy once they have stamped and signed them.

Then scan and email that to HACC@dha.gov.za with your reference number (assuming you have already escalated this at DHA call Centre).

 

If you still don’t get it in the next couple of weeks, then email them to Sakia.Lekala@dha.gov.za;  Shoki.Mphokane@dha.gov.za; Norman.Ramashia@dha.gov.za; and to 

Robela.Mogane@dha.gov.za

 

The issue is many birth records are missing (allegedly) so no amount of follow up will help you; this is the only way around it.  Worked a charm for me....! Got them almost immediately!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 hours ago, MichKen said:

Hey guys; welcome!  If we can share experiences and help in anyway let us know....

Unique group we are as our visa type is much less common and that’s why I thought a thread like this may help others later.

 

@Charnmario I had the same problem - what you need to do is go an reregister those in your family you are still waiting for UBCs for.  The way to do this is go into a home affairs offices and ask for late registration of birth documentation; it will include a registration form and an affidavit for your / parents completion.  Complete in the offices and ask for a copy once they have stamped and signed them.

Then scan and email that to HACC@dha.gov.za with your reference number (assuming you have already escalated this at DHA call Centre).

 

If you still don’t get it in the next couple of weeks, then email them to Sakia.Lekala@dha.gov.za;  Shoki.Mphokane@dha.gov.za; Norman.Ramashia@dha.gov.za; and to 

Robela.Mogane@dha.gov.za

 

The issue is many birth records are missing (allegedly) so no amount of follow up will help you; this is the only way around it.  Worked a charm for me....! Got them almost immediately!

Hi MichKen,

 

Thanks for the advice but even if we re-apply, it will still give us the incomplete BC's as the issue is that they have excluded my husband's name from the record.  We have applied to link the name to our kids and that's where it's stuck....I have already sent emails to Sakia and other people at DHA, with no response to date.

However, we will go in next week to get copies of our forms which we didn't take.

Appreciate the advice and good luck with your move to Oz

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

So, here we are.... IN ADELAIDE! Never thought this day would come. I sit some days and think back to the visa process, the S-T-R-E-S-S of it all, the emotional rollercoaster ride, the sleepless nights, the S-T-R-E-S-S, the uncertainty.... the LIMBO.... well, to tell the truth I still feel a little bit in limbo! I am job hunting like crazy, landing interviews, just cannot seem to land the job offers; of course, I am doing my usual over-analysis thing.  I have managed to do a temp job for a month, so at least now my resume has some local experience on it; with this there has been a marked increase in interest and I'm hoping one of these upcoming interviews results in an offer.  Ken, on the other hand, settled really quickly into an IT support job, so he is busy and happy!

 

For my daughter - we tried the public high school thing - that lasted 1 day - then we immediately went to a private, Christian high school and what a massive difference! In the public school the kids were rude and so unwelcoming - literally laughing at her when she'd try talk to them......!!!  In the new school, they have welcomed her with open arms and go out of their way to make friends with her.  She loves it.  The teaching styles are also worlds apart, according to her.

 

For my son - he has run head-on into the job market, tackling anything that would come his way and has done well so far.  He's had some casual jobs, doing some awful jobs, but that quickly gave him something to put on his CV, with a local reference or two.  Now he is enjoying a job at a call center and has a potential opportunity in a warehouse.  Its great because he can help with our living expenses and save toward his Uni fees.  Best of all he is getting to know what he likes, what he is good at and now is forming a strong idea of what he wants to study.

 

My little pupplet... she has had a serious upgrade in lifestyle - she loves Australia.  She loves her morning walks, playing on the beaches, the dog parks, just being able to go anywhere and everywhere with the family.  This is such a dog-friendly country.  Everywhere we go, people ask if they can pat her (which was strange at first for us....) she loves making friends and chasing sea gulls on the beach (thankfully she never catches them, but they do love to tease her back), she loves meeting other dogs and having a good sniff :lol:

 

Now it's time to knuckle down and get to that 887 as quickly as possible...!!

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Mich for the update.

 

We are arriving at the end of May 2018 and wanted to know what's Adelaide like, the people, the treatment of SA immigrants, etc.  I was shocked my the treatment your daughter received really unacceptable in my opinion and I don't want me twins to have the same experience.

 

We have 10 year old twins in grade 4 now in private schools and i wanted to try the public ones there as they should get a good standard of education.  Have you come across any good primary schools that you can send me information on please?

 

Also living areas, where did you find were some of the nicest, family oriented cities as we have no idea yet on where to settle.

 

Lastly, when you arrived, did you stay in a BnB for a few days or rented as this is what we'll have to do, get over the jet lag and then start house, school and job hunting!!!

 

Super-excited:D

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just to clarify.... her experience at this school was not because of the school itself... the teachers and staff were very welcoming, and really warm.  Kids at that age are just so "clicky"... they usually have well established groups of friends and its just the dynamic of teenagers, I suppose.  The difference is that at the new school she had a friend or two that she had made at church youth, who recommended the school to her and that gave her a foot in the door to making other new friends.  I think it would be a completely different experience if she had joined at primary school age and grown up with them.  Maybe it would have settled over time, but I just felt that I needed to help her feel settled as quickly as possible so she could concentrate on her academics.  Having come out of public school in ZA, she is loving the more individual attention from her educators with the smaller classes in her current school.

 

Generally I have found people really welcoming, and really friendly!  It's something that immediately stood out to me.  From the government departments to the grocery store checkout, people are really friendly and we got (and still get) a lot of "welcome to Australia".

 

My husband arrived 6 weeks ahead of the rest of us, and this worked really well for us.  He stayed at an airbnb for about 4 weeks, which was much cheaper for 1 person as opposed to 4. You are not likely to find a rental and move in within a couple of days.... and our budget didn't allow for us all to live in a bnb for an extended period.  He found our rental in the second week and moved in 2 weeks later.  The guy who he stayed with at the airbnb was great at giving him alot of information from how to handle everything from the municipal bins through to where to find food bargains.  When the kids and I arrived it was to a settled, established home and it was much easier for us.  Having said that, those 6 weeks were hard on us all...  But very worthwhile because it made settling much easier for us all.  Staying at the bnb gave him time to look at all the neighbourhoods we had identified... and we chose none of them, lol.  Instead we chose to be closer to the city and on a good bus route, so we could all move around easily - important with older teenage kids.  We did hours of whatsapp calls, he took me on virtual tours of neighbourhoods and houses and we eventually chose where we are for practical reasons.

 

Each families needs are different, so i guess we can share our experiences, but what works for one family, may or may not work for others.  This definitely worked for us though.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ah @MichKen Great to read your update. Seems like you are loving Australia as much as we do. 

Picking up our doggies on Monday. Super excited and can't wait to take them to the beach. 

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Husky, I’m sure you can’t wait to have your fur babies join you!  It really makes the family feel complete!  Enjoy every moment!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Everyone, we came back from Holiday this week (from Perth) and on the EXACT same day we left SA for holiday we received our 489 Visa grant (30 January)!

So Adelaide 2018 :) for us. We hope to be leaving by the middle of the year (July-August).

We went to Perth as we have family there to check everything out and get a feel of the Country and after the 1st 4 overwhelming days of all the newness and jet-lag we really really loved and enjoyed Perth. So hoping Adelaide will be the same experience for us. Already missing Australia after being back for a few days... :( 

Loved the parks, some parks in Perth we're walking distance from us and my son loved the playgrounds, we loved all the self service checkouts everywhere!!!

 

My son will be in pre-school for the remainder of the year and will then have to go to Year R or his Reception year in 2019. We're also waiting to decide whether to go to public or private school. After being in Perth I'm leaning towards private school unless Adelaide public schools are different.

 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

@Sakuya that is fantastic news for you!!!! Well done on the Visa grant, and yes - you will love Adelaide.

Feel free to reach out when you get here if you would like to chat about settling in?  You can just drop me a private message with your email address and I will send you my contact information.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Good luck @Sakuya,we leave on 15 Jul. Catch up with you in Adelaide! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All the best to both of you!  Save travels! See you soon! Keep your winter woolies handy, it is freezing cold!

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

So after one cold week in Adelaide we have a rental sorted in Mount Barker (not our initial idea of where we wanted to stay), but we love the area and the house, its affordable and not as busy as closer to the city! Going to feel like living in the country side.

We bought a car, preschool is kind of sorted, but going to be a long drive when school starts (as we've decided on a preschool in Flagstaff Hill).

The husband went for an interview yesterday and has a follow up interview tomorrow morning... so holding thumps!

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 9 months later...

We are 18 months in and 6 months from being eligible for our 887, I find myself once again obsessed with reading everything I possibly can about the application process and how to get a direct grant.  With 887 waiting periods sitting at 16-17 months, and growing.... at present it feels like getting to PR is a bit of a moving target.  It feels like watching a queue grow and grow and knowing that all you want to do is get on with it and get it done, but you have to wait your turn to wait!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 4/21/2019 at 4:32 PM, MichKen said:

We are 18 months in and 6 months from being eligible for our 887, I find myself once again obsessed with reading everything I possibly can about the application process and how to get a direct grant.  With 887 waiting periods sitting at 16-17 months, and growing.... at present it feels like getting to PR is a bit of a moving target.  It feels like watching a queue grow and grow and knowing that all you want to do is get on with it and get it done, but you have to wait your turn to wait!

We applied for the 887 in Dec '18, and coming to know of the long 887 grant process is quite frustrating to say the least. It is quite a simple PR to apply for so one wonders why it takes so long to assess, or do they just want applicants to remain in regional areas for as long as possible. For us all is ok until December '19 but after that my son is going to University and the cost difference is quite significant if we do not have PR by then. We also want to purchase property in the Gold Coast but are limited until we get PR. I am hoping that the application times will decrease again, hopefully after the next election?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Interested in following this as I will be eligible to apply for the same PR visa. Landed July 2017, however only began renting my own place 6 months later. My  children however, began school immediately. Am I able to use their school reports as 'proof of living' as well as telephone bills or do I need to wait and use the rental history from Feb 2018...? The latter will only delay my process and I am keen to get things moving! I have already ticked the Year's Full Time Work box twice over! 

Also, how does one go about getting a police clearance certificate from SA, while in Aus? I have one from when I applied for the 489 - do they expire?? 

Also, do I need to do another English proficiency? The website makes mention of a partner English proficiency exam... I don't have a partner? Do I need to do one? 

Edited by MargotOrch
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

@TakeItOnTheChin, I can relate to that! My son is out of school and studying a random tafe course in the interim for that exact reason, cost of international fees.  Hopefully the processing times speed up substantially soon, hope you are right.  Last year it was 4 months to a direct grant, now it seems to be 14....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@MargotOrch that is a difficult one.... I’m not too sure myself.... could you perhaps get a stat dec from wherever you were living and bank statements, mobile phone statements, rego statements, along with the school reports perhaps?  I don’t think the school reports alone will be enough, but I may be wrong.  It might be better to provide multiple types of evidence of living in a designated area in your circumstances.  As I understand it, even with a lease agreement in hand, one needs other evidence to back that up like utilities, etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...