# Degree Verification and Character Assessment



## auimmi (Apr 13, 2010)

Dear All


I am a CS professional from Pakistan. I had lodged my application (GSM subclass 175) online on 22nd Dec 09. On March 5, I got the first reply by case officer. He had provided the Form 80 to fill (PDF Format) and asked for degree verification. 

I have two queries 

1. I have dispatched the degrees to HEC for attestation and to forward it to AU High Commission. HEC said that they have forwaded the degrees to AU High Commission but I could not get any response and my degrees back from AU High Commission since last 25 days. How much time they will take?

2. After character assessment and degree verification, what will be the next step and how much time it will take to complete my application?

I shall be ever thankful for your reply. 

Regards


----------



## auimmi (Apr 13, 2010)

*Please reply urgent*

Experts please reply..............



auimmi said:


> Dear All
> 
> I am a CS professional from Pakistan. I had lodged my application (GSM subclass 175) online on 22nd Dec 09. On March 5, I got the first reply by case officer. He had provided the Form 80 to fill (PDF Format) and asked for degree verification.
> 
> ...


----------



## Wanderer (Jun 16, 2007)

Is CS = Computer Sciences, Civil Servant or what?
But first step prior to submitting a visa application is having your qualifications assessed and that is not done by immigration or high commission people.

I'd not know who you mean by HEC but details on A-Z Occupations List - Australian Skills Recognition Information may help.

I'd not be surprised your application will be rejected if you have not had your qualifications assessed and supplied appropriate certificate.

You need to make good use of the *Checklist* in the *applying for this visa section *of the 175 .
A complete and correct application with a higher priority may be processed within a couple of years, perhaps more.

Have a read of changes in regulations to be made, a link in sticky thread in top of section.


----------



## auimmi (Apr 13, 2010)

*CS is Computer Science and HEC is Higher Education Commission*

Dear Wanderer

Thanks for your reply.

CS = Computer Science 
HEC = Higher Education Commission Pakistan

I had done my skills assessment before lodgement of visa application by ACS and got the positive result.

After 3 months of lodgment of application, my CO required two things: 
1. Degree Verification (from HEC Pakistan). In this case he had asked me to forward my original degrees to HEC for attestation and then HEC was supposed to forward my degrees to Australian High Commission. So HEC has attested the degrees and forwarded to the AU High Commission but AU high Commission is not responding since one month.

2. Character Assessment. Which I have filled in and dispatched to the CO online.

Hope that will be helpful.

Regards


----------



## Wanderer (Jun 16, 2007)

Again, I say you ought to look more closely at what Immi requirements are.
I've never seen it stated anywhere that qualifications are assessed by any organisations other than the ones nominated by Immi.

If you choose to do something differently, Immi will take no notice of it and may decide that you are not deciding to comply with a visa application.

Have you had your qualifications assessed?


----------



## auimmi (Apr 13, 2010)

*Letter by CO*

Dear Wandrer

Thanks again for your repy.

This is the letter I have received from my CO. 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As a result of difficulties with the verification of documents from some countries the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) has taken additional measures to ensure their authenticity.

This letter explains the procedure for obtaining verification of tertiary qualifications from educational institutions in Pakistan. Please provide this for the B. Computer Science degree.

Each applicant, who has submitted a skills assessment as part of this application and who holds a tertiary qualification from an educational institution in Pakistan, is required to forward their qualifications for verification to the Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan. Please note that all tertiary qualifications from Pakistan must be verified.
To verify educational qualifications, please submit a copy of this letter with all the required documentation and the appropriate fee to the HEC. Further information regarding the documentation required, processing fees, forms and contact details can be found on the HEC website.
hec .gov .pk
Please follow the instructions relating to Degree Attestation. (Note: An equivalence check is not required.). When applying to the HEC, please indicate that the results are to be collected by the Australian High Commission in Islamabad. Please request that the HEC quotes the file number at the top of this letter in its communication with the Australian High Commission. The Australian High Commission will collect the verification results and the appropriately endorsed original qualification certificates from the HEC. The verification results will not be accepted unless they are collected in this manner. If your qualification is determined by the HEC to be genuine, the Australian High Commission will return the endorsed qualification documentation directly to you by mail, and will advise this office of the verification result.

Please do not contact the Australian High Commission regarding the results of the qualification verification, as they are not able to provide you with any information relating to the results. It is the applicant's responsibility to submit this request to the HEC directly. This application cannot be successful until the results of the qualification verification are received.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What do you say now ?


----------



## Wanderer (Jun 16, 2007)

The full letter explains the process over and above assessment.

Immi can have concerns over documentation validity at times, that being true and it would seem the process you describe is something that has been instituted because of that, a process in Pakistan on top of what a normal application entails.

Looking at part of the letter,


> When applying to the HEC, please indicate that the results are to be collected by the Australian High Commission in Islamabad. Please request that the HEC quotes the file number at the top of this letter in its communication with the Australian High Commission. The Australian High Commission will collect the verification results and the appropriately endorsed original qualification certificates from the HEC. The verification results will not be accepted unless they are collected in this manner. If your qualification is determined by the HEC to be genuine, the Australian High Commission will return the endorsed qualification documentation directly to you by mail, and will advise this office of the verification result.
> 
> Please do not contact the Australian High Commission regarding the results of the qualification verification, as they are not able to provide you with any information relating to the results.


I imagine the AHC collecting verification results could be considered the same as the HEC forwarding them, that up to AHC but you should also read that *"Please do not contact the Australian High Commission "*means exactly that and you ought to get your degrees back in due course, still an unusual approach in that Immi have a general policy of only ever asking for verified copies and in that the Pakistani HEC are doing the verification, there would seem no real need for originals to go beyond the HEC.

It's all a bit cumbersome, typical of government departments the globe over but something that gets introduced to prevent fraud.

As to what length of time a visa can take for processing of various steps/stages, that'll always be variable as it can depend on many factors, primarily staffing and workload of Immi people as well as services from outside agencies if other verification is sought.


----------



## auimmi (Apr 13, 2010)

*Thanks*

Dear Wanderer

Thank you very much for your reply. I am really grateful to you.

Can you please tell, what will be the next step after character assessment?
I mean to say police clearance OR Medical. According to my knowledge, only above mentioned two steps (Police Clearance and Medical) are left after Character Assessment. Am I right ?

And approximately after how much time of Character Assessment, CO calls for next step?

I shall be ever thankful.

Regards


----------



## Wanderer (Jun 16, 2007)

auimmi said:


> Dear Wanderer
> 
> Thank you very much for your reply. I am really grateful to you.
> 
> ...


I do not work for Immi and as I've already said processing times of all stages may vary.
Immi information itself even states that medicals and police/character checks completed is no guarantee re granting visa and it's just a case of waiting - many people possibly having waited far longer than yourself.


----------



## auimmi (Apr 13, 2010)

*Wanderer Please reply*

Wanderer

Please reply urgent.

Thanks in advance.


----------



## Wanderer (Jun 16, 2007)

auimmi said:


> Wanderer
> 
> Please reply urgent.
> 
> Thanks in advance.


If you find it hard to read what I said, try again:


> I do not work for Immi and as I've already said processing times of all stages may vary.


What I can tell you is that whilst a visa is usually being processed by one Immi officer/section, that same person will have multiple applications on the go at any one time and a section several hundred of them and there will continually be different information being received for assessment.

I would not think they will have individual calendars marked up for each application and you need to understand that Immigration just like any organisation with multiple functions to perform will address applications as they can.


----------

