Send originals or certified copies?

[W+R]

Please help me out here.....

The way I understand it is that with your visa application (in my case 136 MODL) you need only send certified copies of your IELTS results and skills assessment but they require originals for Police Clearances and Medicals ??

Can anybody please confirm if this is correct?

I am on the verge of sending my application and I want to make sure that I get it right the first time. I have a letter confirming that my skills assessment was successful and will have my IELTS results soon. I would like to keep these originals if it is allowable to only send certified copies.

Is it OK if I only send certified copies of my IELTS results and skills assessment?

[Guest Karla]

Hi

I understood it as follows:

For the IELTS test you only have to enter the reference number on the test certificate.

Police clearance must be original.

Rest can be certified copies.

Don't know about medicals.

Hope it helps

[Lindy-Lee]

W+R

You will receive your medicals in a sealed envelope...NOT TO BE OPENED - it's gets sent on to whoever sealed.

Police clearance- original.

The rest certified copies.

good luck

Lindy-Lee

[W+R]

Thanks for the replies!

OK, you definitely send originals for medicals and police clearance.

But now I have come across a site that says you need to send originals for the IELTS certificate and skills assessment too?

The only documents sent in the original are the forms you fill out from the Australian immigration authorities, your original IELTS certificate, your Skills Assessment certificate, and the Police Clearance.

This is the website I am talking about:

http://www.australia-travel-visa-immigrati.../consulates.asp

I just want to be sure.....

[Pippa]

Hi Werner,

I would send certified copies. If they need originals, your case officer can always inform you that they need it. I will be very reluctant to send originals!

Good luck!

Pippa! X

[W+R]

Pippa,

Thanks for the reply!

My plan so far is to do exaclty what you suggested and send certified copies, don't want to let go of the originals!!!

I suppose you don't get any work done either because just like me you are always reading the forum?

W

[JacoE]

Hi,

I would definitely use the Australian Immigraion Deprtment's website as the only authority on the matter. I also understand that site to indicate that everything should be certified copies except for police clearance and medicals which as stated above by other clever members should be originals and in the case of the medicals should still be sealed when DIMA gets it.

Jaco

[rsteyn]

Hi W+R

You need to send the following

IELTS = Originals

Assessment = Certified Copy

Police Clearance = Original

Medicals can be send by the doctors performing them.

NB!!!!!! Keep certified copies of all originals that you have send.

Know if you are applying for a PR 136 please keep in mind that your initial entry date will be for about 11 months from the issuing date of the earliest docs either Medical or Police Clearance depends on which was done first. So if you are front loading your application you might have to go for them again, or you will have a really short period to do Initial Entry in.

They recommend that you wait for CO to be assigned and Medicals and Police Clearance to be requested as this will be the most beneficial for the applicant.

I see that you will be doing 136 MODL which should give you a time line of about 4 months before CO will be assigned. From my experience I waited till CO requested Medicals and Police Clearance send those in 3 days after the request and 6 weeks later have still not received any request or correspondence from CO.

My point is this if you front load your application you will have:

4 Months for CO's allocation

2 Months for Medical and PCC clearance

1 Month for Visa Grant

Total 7 months if you did your Medicals and Police Clearances 1 month before your application was lodged that will give us 8 month in total now you will only have 3 months left to make initial entry which is a bit tight.

I hope this helps.

Cheers

Rudi Steyn

[W+R]

Hi Rudi,

Thanks for the advice and also the timeline information.

I am just curious: Did you send the original IELTS results from the beginning or did you send certified copies and then they specifically asked for originals?

On the 136 form itself they ask for certified copies of everything, not originals (except medicals and PCC).

If our application is processed without any hiccups and our timeline is similar to what you have laid out it would work like this:

We will send the application approx: 18 Dec 2006

Let's say:

CO allocated: 1 May 2007

Medicals and PCC received by ASPC: 1 July 2007

Visa granted: 1 August 2007

Say i obtain my medicals and PCC on 15 June 2007

Then initial entry date approx: 15 May 2008 which is 9.5 months after visa grant which is quite OK.

However if our visa is granted 1 Aug 07 we would probably be there by October 2007

W

[Pippa]

Hi W+R,

Have a look at the latest Processing Times. As per the current processing times, your visa should be granted July 2007. Ek hou styf duimvas!

Bye, Pippa! X

[rsteyn]

Hi W+R

Hi I send the IELTS originals upon request from my agent. I know that the MODL applications take about 3 months faster to process, but I have seen some MODL applications take 12 months to process. The hardest part is to time the CO allocation and request.

What we did was to monitor the Tuesday email every week and then tried to predict when we where going to get assigned a CO. So on our prediction we applied for the PCC about a month before the predicted time and was planning on doing the medicals as soon as we got back the PCC but we where out by about 2 weeks.

So if you try to plan it, this is what I would suggest:

Monitor the email update every week then try to predict your CO allocation date.

About a month before your predicted date apply for PCC and Medicals as the Meds take about 4-6 weeks to clear from LCU.

Once you have PCC and proof of medical undertaking send this on to DIMA.

With a bit of luck you will time it nicely and only lose about a month of entry date and then if the CO looks at your file every thing will be there that they need and that should save you about a month time. What they will request is a 1112 change of circumstances.

Which you only have to complete for things like new birth or address changes else you can just mail CO back and kindly notify them that are none.

Please keep in mind that this is just my opinion and experience and not a process to be followed by the letter for success.

Cheers

Rudi

[Tania]

Hi Rudi en ander forumiete

Het jy jou visa aansoek eers elektronies gestuur en toe die papierwerk? Klink my dit gaan dan nog vinniger?

Weet een van julle of daar 'n seker kwota of hoeveelheid aansoeke is wat hulle, bv elke 3 maande vat? Is dit dan beter om jou aansoek begin Januarie in te gee in plaas van Desember - dan is jy in die begin vd kwota??

Van die ouens vir wie Heini sy CV gestuur het vir werk - antwoord dat hulle baie belang stel en dat sodra hy sy "timeline" het, moet hy hul weer kontak. Wat op die aarde bedoel hulle met "timeline" - jy weet tog nie hoe lank of waar jou aansoek in die "grapevine" is nie, of hoe? Ek neem aan dit is dieselfde "timeline" wat Pippa altyd aanstuur, maar dit is tog ook net 'n aanduiding.

Dankbaar en groete

Tania

[rsteyn]

Hi Tania

Sover ek dit verstaan kan jy nie 'n 136 elektronies doen nie, dit is slegs beskikbaar vir sekere applikasie tiepes.

Die kwotas maak nie regtig saak nie dit rol net oor na die volgende jaar toe. Wat ek well vir jou kan se is kry dit so gou moontlik in want dan begin jou wag vroeer.

Ek weet nie of jy dit weet nie maar al wat jy nodig het om applikasie te lodge vir 'n 136 is die volgende:

1 x 47sk

2 x 80 (een vir elke persoon be die ouderdom van 18)

1 x 1190 (altwee moet dit teken)

1 x Skills assessment (Original)

1 x Passport copies (Certified Copies)

As jy kyk na die applikasie vorums is die Skills assessment die enigste ding wat jy nodig het om te kan lodge vir 'n 136. As jy by vraag +- 61 (IELTS) van forum 47sk se net "Yes" en los dit daar. Dan as julle klaar die IELTS results gekry het stuur dit in en hulle sal dit by jou applikasie sit.

Ek het 'n check list attach om te sien wat jy alles moet stuur in totaal. Maar probeer soveel montlik van die goed in stuur as wat jy kan sonder on te wag vir iets wat lank gaan neem om te kry, want jy het nog 7 maande om die res in te stuur.

Byvoorbeeld jy het nie elts results of birth certificates nodig om the lodge nie jy kan dit alles na die tyd stuur.

Hoop dit klaar dit vir jou op.

Die timelines waarna hulle verwys neem ek aan sal wees wanneer jy jou VISA verwag.

Cheers

Rudi

CheckList.doc

[W+R]

hi rudi I noticed that your 1st post says copies of assessment while your 2nd post says originals. which did you use? thanks for the info. writing this on my cellphone. . ...

hi rudi I noticed that your 1st post says copies of assessment while your 2nd post says originals. which did you use? thanks for the info. writing this on my cellphone. . ...

[Tania]

Hi Rudi,

BAIE DANKIE! Dit help baie!

Die ander dokumente het ek, so nou is dit net vir aansoek invul en courier! Lekkerrr sous!

Toodles

Tania

[JohanK]

Rudi, juts one question did you get this checklist from the DIMIA web site?

Or did you get the list from your agent?

Thanks

Edited December 7, 2006 by JohanK

[W+R]

While on the topic of certification:

The authorities seem to be quite strict with the certification part.

I recently had a lawyer (commisioner of oaths) certify the documents I used for skills assessment. He stamped the pages and signed them. But it didn't have his contact details on the stamp and the stamp also didn't say "Certified a true copy of the original" as I have sometimes seen before. Well this worried me and I was afriad it would be rejected, but my application was successful.

Now I am going to send the BIG application and I am once again wondering if this type of certification will be accepted.

OR, should I insist that the stamp says "Certified a true copy of the original" ???

[Pippa]

Hi Werner,

OR, should I insist that the stamp says "Certified a true copy of the original" ???

I think you should rather insist. Do it right the first time!

Good luck!

Bye, Pippa! X

[rsteyn]

Hi W+R

Sorry for the mistake on the first post they send the original assessment. I Kept a certified copy of it.

Cheers

Rudi

Rudi, juts one question did you get this checklist from the DIMIA web site?

Or did you get the list from your agent?

Thanks

Hi JohanK

Got the check list from my Agent.

While on the topic of certification:

The authorities seem to be quite strict with the certification part.

I recently had a lawyer (commisioner of oaths) certify the documents I used for skills assessment. He stamped the pages and signed them. But it didn't have his contact details on the stamp and the stamp also didn't say "Certified a true copy of the original" as I have sometimes seen before. Well this worried me and I was afriad it would be rejected, but my application was successful.

Now I am going to send the BIG application and I am once again wondering if this type of certification will be accepted. unsure.gif unsure.gif unsure.gif

OR, should I insist that the stamp says "Certified a true copy of the original" ???

Hi W+R

I certified all my documents at the SAP Police Station and so far the DIMA seems to be happy with that.

Cheers

Rudi

[JohanK]

Hi

That is agents for you here is the check list for subclass 136 straight form DIMIA

Only the police clearance has to be the original.

http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/checklists/136.pdf

Don’t just give away your original documents guys you never know when you will need them again.