GideonVD Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 Following on from my previous post ().Unlike my previous two posts, this one will follow the journal style Date entries 15 October 2012Our agent representative Rene has asked us to provide her with the other certified documentation like our marriage and birth certificates, ID's and proof or residence.She started with filling in the VISA application online, but this was already beginning to be slow due to the massive influx of applications on the DIAC site.She also advised us to apply for our police clearances while we wait for the forms to be submitted and the case officer to be assigned, this was mainly based on the long expected turn-around time expected from SAPS.16 October 2012We arranged to have our finger prints taken at Silverton Police Station and pay our R59 per person application fee for the Police Clearance Certificates (PCC's). The process was messy indeed, seriously doubted anybody could see any details in those fingerprints as they looked very smudged to me.18 October 2012I decided to take the PCC forms, finger print form and receipt of payments through the SAPS Criminal Records Centre/Client Support Centre in Pretoria (Schoeman street), since they where literally 3 block away from where I worked. Got there, expected a massive queue... not at all. Got winked closer by the person behind the counter. He took my details, all the documentation and then gave me a reference card with the request number and said to me, phone this number in 3 weeks time to check, they should be done by then. Surprise number 1 1 November 2012Finally get a notification in the post box that my long awaited IELTS TRF has arrived at my local post office. We've been waiting for this for almost a month since 5 October 2012. My wife collected the document on my behalf from the post office, scanned the TRF and mailed it through to our agent representative Rene.My wife also just checks the online PCC status web site and discovers our PCC's are done and ready for collection. Surprise 2, only 2 weeks? That's almost unlike SAPS 2 November 2012Took my reference card, walked to the SAPS CRC/CSC and collected the two PCC's. Checked them out before leaving, 100%, no issues or mistakes. That afternoon, scanned and mailed through to our agent representative Rene.5 November 2012Our agent representative Rene has informed us our VISA applications are complete, she's struggling to access the payment section to make the payment to DIAC to get the ball rolling.8 November 2012Rene has phoned me and got my credit card details. Afterwards she confirms the payment is done, also forwarded the onscreen receipt from the system. AU$3060... OUCH!!!! O well, necessary evil. Just waiting for the confirmation email, should be received by no later than 15 November. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GideonVD Posted November 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2012 (edited) 15 November 2012We received the confirmation of the application from DIAC and all the related stuff. Rene has forwarded the list of Doctors on the Panel for the medicals and all the related forms.Now we just need to find a gap to make an appointment, November and December is currently my most demanding months at work and getting time to go for these medicals will be difficult. Hope they are able to maybe see us on a Saturday, otherwise this might have to wait for early January. PS: We made an appointment for the 11th of December 2012, the morning. So will just need to reshuffle my hours Edited November 19, 2012 by GideonVD 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Posted November 19, 2012 Report Share Posted November 19, 2012 If she's sending you for medicals already, is she that sure you will be picked in the next round? (75 points is pretty high I guess)Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GideonVD Posted November 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2012 We've got invites already, applied for VISA's, that's what the medicals are for... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunnyskies Posted November 19, 2012 Report Share Posted November 19, 2012 I treated that medical on the same priority level as if my child is sick (ie you just have to do it now). I must say that the medical at the drs offices was pretty quick, it was sitting around waiting for an X-ray that was mindblowing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GideonVD Posted November 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2012 Problem for me is I work on contract, "no work, no pay".I don't get any leave. So I need to "arrange" my hours and availability. December is also a short month, so I'm already making a slight loss in terms of hours worked and income.But hey, we've got an appointment for the 11th, so hopefully it will not upset the apple-cart too much Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GideonVD Posted November 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2012 29 November 2012Receive a call from Rene this morning. We have been assigned a Case Officer. She's started uploading the requested documentation and confirmed that our medicals have been booked. She also asked me to forward her my last 3 payslips.One step closer... now it's just to get the medicals done and then the wait I guess. Just happy we have a Case Officer now 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlBrough Posted November 29, 2012 Report Share Posted November 29, 2012 29 November 2012Receive a call from Rene this morning. We have been assigned a Case Officer. She's started uploading the requested documentation and confirmed that our medicals have been booked. She also asked me to forward her my last 3 payslips.One step closer... now it's just to get the medicals done and then the wait I guess. Just happy we have a Case Officer now Congratulations Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GideonVD Posted November 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2012 Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
africancowgirl Posted November 29, 2012 Report Share Posted November 29, 2012 Yay...really happy for you Things move pretty quickly from there so get ready.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GideonVD Posted November 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 30, 2012 (edited) Agreed, hope its not too quick Thanks Edited November 30, 2012 by GideonVD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toitjie Posted November 30, 2012 Report Share Posted November 30, 2012 congrats on the CO! You'll have your visa in no time at all, maybe a christmas surprise? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynnie Posted November 30, 2012 Report Share Posted November 30, 2012 Baie sterkte :ilikeit: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllisonW Posted November 30, 2012 Report Share Posted November 30, 2012 Good luck. Things will move quickly now. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robz Posted December 5, 2012 Report Share Posted December 5, 2012 Got so excited reading this post! Nearly there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GideonVD Posted December 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 5, 2012 30 November 2012Rene gives me a call and asks if we have any passport photo's available. Intrigued I said "Yes, a couple still left." She then explained to me that they now require a piece of paper with one photo for both my wife and I, along with our dates of birth. So, that afternoon when I got back home, we organised a little paper using Word and also added our SA ID numbers and Passport numbers as well. Stuck on the photos and scanned and mailed it through to Rene.Seems a couple of things are new for these EOI based applications... and Global Visas (Rene) are definitely on the learning curve. But I must admit, they haven't let us down so far Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
21yearsoutofrsa Posted December 5, 2012 Report Share Posted December 5, 2012 A RSA I'd book is a document you can't live without in RSA, in fact you can't step outside the house without it. There are more checks involved in issuing an id book than a passport (since an id book is a requirement to get a passport), but in Australia it means absolutely nothing, nothing, zip, nothing. You're better off giving your passport details in any correspondence with Australian authorities.Of course you will require your RSA drivers license to convert to your applicable state license in Australia, so don't throw it away as you get on the plane. Lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GideonVD Posted December 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 5, 2012 Thanks, we will most likely be keeping our ID's at least in case we ever needed to somehow prove we were South African at some point... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GideonVD Posted December 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2012 11 December 2012The day has finally come, medicals. We wake up and get going early morning. Rock up to the medical centre, they kindly inform us to take a walk to the radiology section at the main building of Wilger's Hospital. So we walk all the way there. Wait till 8:00 to get our chest X-rays sorted. Finally got the stuff done and paid R840 for the both of us.We walked back to the medical centre to see the doctor. Get there wait quite a long bit. They tell us that they should have actually first have done us before radiology, as they are struggling to pull our records from eHealth. The finally take as for the examinations and during this process we discover to our horror that our agent Rene somehow filled in that my wife had been positively diagnosed with HIV, Hep-B/C... when she did the application she asked me "have you ever did a HIV test and it was positive?", to which I replied "I have had test, for policies and they where all negative."... now this in some bizarre way translated into a positive for my wife... ??? Seriously... (Guess who's getting a stinky email about PEBKAC soon). The doctor at least did all the possible notes for the CO to indicate she made a bugger-up and that my wife has never been diagnosed with HIV, Hep-B/C ever.After that we paid the R1100 for the medicals and were sent of to get blood drawn for HIV tests. We sauntered off to the next door building and then had the necessary blood work done. Paid R306 for that also.So all in all a slightly traumatised morning with the medicals, R2246 out of pocket and a mad dash to get back to work in-time as the whole medical story took nearly 3 and a half hours to complete...I need a stiff drink! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunnyskies Posted December 11, 2012 Report Share Posted December 11, 2012 Gee, I need a stiff drink just reading that! Medicals were probably the scariest thing we did in getting our PR, as you feel so out of control of the situation. My husband got referred as his blood pressure was sky high during the medicals. We worked out that he suffers from white coat syndrome, so just seeing a white coat is enough to raise his blood pressure. After a day of wearing an arm cuff taking his blood pressure at irregular intervals he got the all clear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlBrough Posted December 12, 2012 Report Share Posted December 12, 2012 I was about to say, tired much?Well done on getting your next step done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GideonVD Posted December 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2012 Thanks... still a bit miffed at our agent for the bugger-up... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GideonVD Posted December 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2012 Just an update, the Case Officer has been made aware of the issue, and said no problem, he's only interested in the medical report. Now we just need to hope and pray this gets done quickly this week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GideonVD Posted December 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2012 13 December 2012My wife called the doctor and verified that all our medical information has been uploaded. Just waiting for Rene to confirm the upload with the Case Officer. Really hope everything went smoothly.Here's keeping fingers crossed... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunnyskies Posted December 13, 2012 Report Share Posted December 13, 2012 Sounds like you could be getting a really good Christmas pressie! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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