Processing time for Partner Visa

[Groover]

Hi there,

 

My wife is Australian and we have been living in Cape Town for almost two decades (married about 15 years). I see on the Australian govt website the processing times for partner visas (820/801) could take up to 17 months. 

 

Does anyone know if this is the time it takes in practice? Also once you receive the temporary visa (820), can you go over to Australia and start to work etc?

 

Tks

J

[TeeTMI]

Currently (and this may change) when you apply for the Partner visa, as such you apply for both the Temporary and the Permanent Visa together within that one application. 

This is why some people can go straight to PR.  They have applied for it within that overall initial application & they assuming they have provided evidence that they meet the exemptions and meet the PR criteria then they obtain that visa straight away.

[RYLC]

Yes this is the time it takes in practice.  The department update those processing times regularly.
 

Processing time

Stream                        75 per cent of applications    90 per cent of applications processed
820 - Temporary visa         17 months                        19 months
801 - Permanent visa [1]    15 months                        20 months
[1] Processing time for subclass 801 Partner (permanent) visa is from date of eligibility (2 years after the 820/801 application is lodged) to finalisation.
Last updated 17 May 2017 (for month ending 30 April 2017)

 

Here is what you can do on the 820 visa:

What you can do on the Partner visa (subclass 820)

• The temporary Partner visa (subclass 820) lets you:
• stay in Australia until a decision is made on your permanent Partner visa (subclass 801)
• work in Australia
• study in Australia (no government support)
• travel outside Australia as many times as you want
• access up to 510 hours of free English language tuition provided by the Adult Migrant English Program
• enrol in Medicare, Australia’s national health scheme.

Edited May 26, 2017 by RYLC

[TeeTMI]

If you are looking at applying whilst in South Africa you are looking at the subclass 309/100  not the 820/801, which is for onshore applicants.  These are quoted by DIBP to be taking 11-14 months.

 

We are potentially expecting so changes to the Partner visa later this year which may impact on processing times, the full details are yet to be confirmed.

 

Yes, once your wife has been granted a visa she could travel to Australia and it provides full work rights. 

 

NB there may be other scenarios with regard to a visa application depending upon your aims and circumstances.

 

 

[Peterthe1]

On 5/26/2017 at 8:25 PM, Groover said:

Hi there,

 

My wife is Australian and we have been living in Cape Town for almost two decades (married about 15 years). I see on the Australian govt website the processing times for partner visas (820/801) could take up to 17 months. 

 

Does anyone know if this is the time it takes in practice? Also once you receive the temporary visa (820), can you go over to Australia and start to work etc?

 

Tks

J

Why don't you apply for a subclass 100 visa? I got this visa straight away due to my Australian wife and myself having been in a relationship for 13 years when we applied. I skipped the 309 visa altogether. The processing time is also less.

Check this link.

http://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Visa-1/309-/Partner-(Provisional)-visa-(subclass-309)-and-Partner-(Migrant)-visa-(subclass-100)-document-checklist

Edited May 29, 2017 by Peterthe1
Added details

[AFreshStart]

On 5/29/2017 at 2:36 PM, Peterthe1 said:

Why don't you apply for a subclass 100 visa? I got this visa straight away due to my Australian wife and myself having been in a relationship for 13 years when we applied. I skipped the 309 visa altogether. The processing time is also less.

Check this link.

http://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Visa-1/309-/Partner-(Provisional)-visa-(subclass-309)-and-Partner-(Migrant)-visa-(subclass-100)-document-checklist

 

@Peterthe1,

 

The 100 is the second phase of the 309/100. Years ago you could just apply for a 100, now it's two parts, up until recently it was being on a 309 for TWO years and then you'd be eligible for the 100, no additional costs/fees, you'd just have to do the TWO year, now potentially it could move to THREE before applying for the second phase. You have all the benefits are PR on a 309 - Work, Medicare etc, but there are a few uncomfortable caveats.

 

South Africa is considered a "high risk" country, they found people were coming to Aus on a VISA 100, getting divorced or their relationship wasn't deemed "genuine and on going", rortting the system, claiming PR and there wasn't much they could do about it.

 

This way there is a stop gap to protect the system by having the 2-part VISA.

 

Cheers

 

Matt

 

 

[TeeTMI]

2 hours ago, AFreshStart said:

 

@Peterthe1,

 

The 100 is the second phase of the 309/100. Years ago you could just apply for a 100, now it's two parts, up until recently it was being on a 309 for TWO years and then you'd be eligible for the 100, no additional costs/fees, you'd just have to do the TWO year, now potentially it could move to THREE before applying for the second phase. You have all the benefits are PR on a 309 - Work, Medicare etc, but there are a few uncomfortable caveats.

 

 

 

There are a number of specified circumstances where the visa applicant can go to the second stage at effectively the same time as the first stage.  One of the exemptions does include long relationships. 

[AFreshStart]

4 hours ago, TeeTMI said:

 

 

There are a number of specified circumstances where the visa applicant can go to the second stage at effectively the same time as the first stage.  One of the exemptions does include long relationships. 

 

Hi @TeeTMI,

 

Understood, I myself have been through that, but the grant outcome lies with the allocated case officer NOT the application, unless I'm wrong, but you don't just get to choose to apply directly for 100, hence the two-part VISA.

 

I only share my experience, but from South Africa, despite my over 10-year marriage and two children our case worker still only granted a 309, but after being in Aus for 6-months, settling in and asking for a review from Borders was I able to move her to 100 status. But had to apply for an appeal.

 

Cheers

 

Matt

[Peterthe1]

I applied from the UK. Applied for the 309 visa and got the 100 straight away. There was no waiting time at all. 

[Dave3519]

Any partner visa grants as of late?