Jamie Posted June 26, 2013 Report Share Posted June 26, 2013 Exciting progress Maudei, well done! I'm sure you feel like the horse seeing the finishing line and just want to gallop from here So happy for you. You'll be there before you know it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichtB Posted July 1, 2013 Report Share Posted July 1, 2013 Hi Maudei.This is good news. You are in the home stretch! After 2nd VAC payment is the visa grant - often within weeks of DIAC receiving the payment. I cannot advise you you on the best payment method as our agent handled that for us. Perhaps credit card is the fastest, but more expensive?When are you planning to fly out of South Africa on a one way ticket? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maudei Posted July 6, 2013 Report Share Posted July 6, 2013 Hello All........ I have GREAT pleasure in announcing that I received my Contributory (Permanent) VISA grant yesterday, 5 July!!!! I cannot express how elated I am.... Finally I can be with my son. It has been a long and agonising wait of 3 and a half years. This was my second application.... Organising the flights on Monday.... Need about 3 weeks to finalise the few things one cannot do until the VISA is granted.... Everything else had been organised well in advance. I am soooo HAPPY!!!! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordy Posted July 6, 2013 Report Share Posted July 6, 2013 Oh wow congratulations! So happy for you. So from start to finish it was 18 months for the visa? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacques Voogt Posted July 6, 2013 Report Share Posted July 6, 2013 Congrats!!!Hopefully one day my perents will join us too.Jordy, how is your parent visa progress? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie Posted July 6, 2013 Report Share Posted July 6, 2013 Oh Maudei, I am SOOOOO happy and excited for you! Enjoy making all your plans. The waiting is finally over. Big hugs x 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maudei Posted July 6, 2013 Report Share Posted July 6, 2013 Just to add the last bit of information for those who are still to go through similarAs you know a week ago I had received the letter requesting the 2nd VAC payment and with very clear statements that this does not mean the VISA is approved yet.Although the letter did have extras like: "should it be approved then......"There were only 2 options of payment Credit Card or Bank Guaranteed Cheque. I opted for Credit Card although with my credit card company it was a little tricky but I wrapped my head around it all and managed okay.In the same letter requesting the 2nd VAT, the timeline for finalisation after DIAC receives the 2nd VAC payment and the Case Officer has received the receipt from the admin department would be 1 to 2 weeks. Well mine happened the very next day. Payment went through my credit card on Thursday and Friday I received my VISA Grant. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie Posted July 6, 2013 Report Share Posted July 6, 2013 Thanks for sharing that Maudei. It's so encouraging (and comforting!) when you know what's ahead.This time next year, this will be us 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maudei Posted July 6, 2013 Report Share Posted July 6, 2013 Oh dear I realised that earlier when I announced my visa grant I omitted "Parent" from Contributory Parent Visa (permanent)... sorry about that, but I am sure most of you knew what I meant.Jamie - I love your hand shake, thank you so much and for the wonderful wishes. I look forward to catching up with your progress Jordy - thank you and yes mine took 18 months from start to visa. I look forward to hear more about your parents visa progress. Should not be long and they will be hearing from DIAC after that huge stretch of silence. (I am not sure but had a feeling my process may have been stretched a little perhaps because finalisation was so close to their year end? Will be interesting to compare with your parents)Thank you Jacques and congrats to you too with your recent visa. I wish you all the best and that your parents will enjoy the same in time. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichtB Posted July 8, 2013 Report Share Posted July 8, 2013 Hi Maudei,I am so happy for you. Yes one cannot explain that feeling, when you realise that now you can finalise things in RSA, buy the ticket and be with your child/ren.We sometimes think, perhaps we should have done it earlier, but then perhaps we arrived at the right time - who knows.Where will you be settling? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maudei Posted July 8, 2013 Report Share Posted July 8, 2013 Thank you so much RitchtB, I hear what you say, the right time happens when it should. I am settling in Brisbane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maudei Posted August 5, 2013 Report Share Posted August 5, 2013 Hi FolksJust a quick note to say that I have landed in Australia, late on Friday 2 August. It was so wonderful to see my son again in the flesh after 2 and a half years. We are both so relieved and very Happy to be reunited again at last. I am battling jetlag quite badly but hope that it will be a thing of the past soon.Take care and for everyone waiting for their visa's I hope that your dreams to reunite with your children will be a reality soon.Blessings 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordy Posted August 5, 2013 Report Share Posted August 5, 2013 Welcome to Australia. We still waiting for a CO 14 months after submitting. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie Posted August 5, 2013 Report Share Posted August 5, 2013 So happy for you Maudei. Do enjoy every moment of settling into your new life and being together with your precious son again. Bliss! Jordy, I'm sure you will be hearing any day now. Fingers crossed for you x 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordy Posted August 8, 2013 Report Share Posted August 8, 2013 Parental Visa fees to increase to $48550 from 1st September 2013 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacques Voogt Posted August 8, 2013 Report Share Posted August 8, 2013 *sigh* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nessa Posted August 8, 2013 Report Share Posted August 8, 2013 Wow that's a big increase! It was about 34 300 when we did my mom's back in early 2010. Ouch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeTMI Posted August 8, 2013 Report Share Posted August 8, 2013 Parental Visa fees to increase to $48550 from 1st September 2013The full set of charges for the CPV as of the 1st SeptemberFirst InstalmentBasic Charge $2370Additional Applicant >18 $1185Second Instalment$48,550 (per adult applicant) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maudei Posted August 8, 2013 Report Share Posted August 8, 2013 O my goodness, almost cannot look at this new increase to be and I thought mine was bad enough. To those who have already lodged applications, remember that your 2nd VAC will not increase too. Your 2nd VAC is set to the amount that was applicable on the date that your application was lodged. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maudei Posted August 9, 2013 Report Share Posted August 9, 2013 Welcome to Australia. We still waiting for a CO 14 months after submitting. Hi Jamie, thank you so much.It took a week over 15 months for a CO to actually be assigned to my case. However I did hear from DIAC prior to the CO being assigned at 13 and a half months (in the form of the preparation letter) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maudei Posted August 9, 2013 Report Share Posted August 9, 2013 Hi Jamie, thank you so much.It took a week over 15 months for a CO to actually be assigned to my case. However I did hear from DIAC prior to the CO being assigned at 13 and a half months (in the form of the preparation letter)Oops sorry, I said Jamie instead of Jordie! in my reply.... apologies apologies 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordy Posted August 9, 2013 Report Share Posted August 9, 2013 O my goodness, almost cannot look at this new increase to be and I thought mine was bad enough. To those who have already lodged applications, remember that your 2nd VAC will not increase too. Your 2nd VAC is set to the amount that was applicable on the date that your application was lodged.Thank goodness for that. So we will pay 2011 fees because we got it in in June 2012 before the 1st July 2012 fees kicked in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CSephton Posted September 9, 2013 Report Share Posted September 9, 2013 Hi Guys!I would like to find out - we are only moving to Aus in October and my parents now want to apply for the Contributing Parent Visa as my Dad is only 52. Can he apply as soon as we are in Aus or does he have to wait untill we have been there 2 years?Thanks for the help xoxox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordy Posted September 9, 2013 Report Share Posted September 9, 2013 As far as I know you have to prove that you are settled in Australia. DIAC uses the 2 year period as sufficient proof. What I am not sure is that would they consider other factors such house purchase etc. But if they take the 2yr as a start then the app itself takes up to 2 years to process. So you could be in for a 4 year wait. We applied June 2012 and have heard nothing 15 months later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maudei Posted September 9, 2013 Report Share Posted September 9, 2013 Hi CSephtonYour father can only apply after you have been in Australia for 2 years. DIAC are very strict about that 2 year time frame. I know of applications declined that were applied for too soon. The idea was to time it so that when the application was processed the 2 year period would be up, problem came in that their application was looked at sooner than expected. There is no such thing as hold onto the application for a few weeks please and 2 years will have passed. DIAC make their decision based on what they have in front of them on the day of decision making. It is important to adhere to all of the criteria given for the Visa a person is applying for. My advise would be to not try to cut any corners. There is such a thing as extenuating circumstances but very hard to prove. In that instance a person would need an immigration lawyer to define if they would qualify for extenuating circumstances. Even more costly that route and I imagine very risky. Contributory Parent Visa's are expensive as it is. I hope that everything goes smoothly with your move across and that your parents can follow suit. All the best to you all. Maudei Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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