# How long were you given to enter after visa was granted



## louiseb (Dec 22, 2012)

I ask this question allot to myself( I know its sad really lol) once the visa has being granted I find most people are given roughly about 6 weeks to pack up and move, now I always though that the time you had depended on your application, so why do the DIAC give you so little time, surely they must know after keeping everyone waiting months that a few weeks to pack your house or sell your house, leave your job ect really isn't enough time. 
Is this 6 week period enough to move considering the amount of preparation we need to do?


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## kttykat (Oct 30, 2012)

In my grant it stated:
Initial entry to Australia
You are required to make your first entry to Australia on this visa by 21
August 2013.

Therefore they gave me over 4 months. It didn't matter to me because I returned to Australia the next day  I have no idea how they worked out this date. My police checks would have been up in May and my medicals up in November so it would seem to have nothing to do with either of those. Just a date they got out of their as.. I mean thin air...

Kttykat


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## louiseb (Dec 22, 2012)

That's what I don't understand where do the dates come from, I had everything submitted all at once as I went through the agency back in May 2012, my visa was granted 26th January and I was told by the 5th march I had to enter Australia, which is actually 5 weeks Lol.


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## Adventuress (Jan 8, 2012)

That's very interesting, Kttykat.

My husband's visa was granted at the very end of March and they gave him until the beginning of May to enter. So just over four weeks. But this was tied to the police checks, as I'm sure his police check was dated to the exact same date as his initial entry, although of course a year previous. We applied towards the end of June. His medical check was done a couple of months after his police check, in July.

Interesting for us was that they gave him a chance to extend his initial entry before they granted. His case officer called a week after his interview and said the decision had been sent for final approval but said if it were granted he'd have to arrive by the beginning of May and was that ok? She didn't give him an alternative, such as redoing the police check, but at least he was given a choice to have a say on the initial entry, as it was so early.


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## louiseb (Dec 22, 2012)

Adventuress thank you for your reply, that's exactly what I'm getting at how come they only give people a few weeks to enter, my police checks were done the week before we submitted the application I re did it and sent it via courier to the agency who in turn forwarded it off to the CO, I thought if the certificates were close to the date of submitting it would give me more time before I had to enter Australia, how wrong was I lol.


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## Adventuress (Jan 8, 2012)

Yes, Louise, I find this really quite strange. Ours was normal I think because his initial entry date would've been exactly a year after his police checks, but all these other cases where there's still plenty of the year left but they're still given only a few weeks is quite weird. Were you given a chance to have a say on this before it was granted, or did they just grant you and give you only six weeks without saying anything beforehand?

I know that the initial entry date can't be changed once the visa's been granted, so it would be nice if they actually contacted people to ask, like they did us. The process is so random that they can't expect everyone to tell them straight away how much time they'll need, as nobody knows how long their individual process will take and any number of things can happen during!

I am as confused as you are, Louise!


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## louiseb (Dec 22, 2012)

I was actually informed that my CO had changed and that a decision would be made for sure within the next few weeks, i was pleased my CO had being changed ( long story ) i just thought ok the new CO will have to go through my file ect, so i didn't expect a replie, 2 days passed and it was granted under the new CO, i wasn't asked or called nothing, just and email informing me that the PMV had being granted and i had to enter before the beginning of March. I was going abroad the day after for 10 days which really put the spanner in the wheel, I had 5 weeks to pack 232 boxes organize a container work my notice, say my goodbyes, organize my home for renting ect, so little time. Oh i was over the moon i had the visa but i was shocked at the time they gave me to enter Australia, the joke was they said enter Australia to activate the visa then you can leave and return back at a later date, i don't think so spending 4,000 dollars each for a ticket just to come here ( and with no home to enter into as we had rented it out) and then return wasn't my intention. I like most wanted to come over and that's it lol.

I wasn't given the option of changing the date nothing. But hey im here now lol and my container is arriving tomorrow am Yehhhh.


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## Aussieboy07 (Jan 4, 2013)

Sorry but you either want to be here or not. You have spent months waiting and you could not have a plan?? DUH


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## Adventuress (Jan 8, 2012)

It's excellent that your visa was granted so quickly after your CO was changed (I've been reading your story beginning to end as you post ) but it's quite strange and unfair that they didn't even give you a chance to comment on the initial entry date, that they didn't even consider that perhaps you already had important plans for those six weeks. And six weeks sure isn't a long time to pack everything up and move. It's even worse considering you're not allowed to change the date after the visa's been granted.

I find it quite strange that you and others weren't given the full year from your police/medical checks to enter. It says so quite clearly on their own website (emphasis is mine):



> The department will advise you of the date you are required to enter Australia (your initial entry date) at the time of visa grant. *Your initial entry date is usually the same as the expiry date for the validity of either your health or character checks, whichever is the earlier*.
> 
> If you do not enter Australia by the initial entry date, your Partner visa may be cancelled.
> 
> ...


Looking at that last paragraph of theirs, I come back to this: how are you supposed to know that you won't have sufficient time to finalise your affairs, if processing times are hugely variable for individuals and you're not even warned of the impending grant or given a chance to comment?! Now we're again on the point of the need for more transparency from the department.


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## Adventuress (Jan 8, 2012)

Aussieboy07 said:


> Sorry but you either want to be here or not. You have spent months waiting and you could not have a plan?? DUH


Everyone who applies wants to be here rather than not, but the issue is that there is no consistency applied in their granting for everyone to even be ABLE to have a plan in the first place. Everyone's told they'll have to wait a certain number of months for the process to be completed, and then some are granted in mere weeks while others go over their standard processing time. Are we supposed to put our lives completely on hold for up to year that it MIGHT take to process and be ready to leave the country at any time the grant comes through? That means no overseas trips, no commitment to work projects, no having friends to come and stay from overseas for that whole time...

If they say we will have until our police/medical checks expire to enter, they should damn well stick to that so that we're able to make plans before we apply and keep to them.


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## Suze Rush (Apr 6, 2013)

Considering this visa thing is new to most of us here and having no idea of a time frame or how DIAC works and how unpredictable they are, I think Aussieboy's comment was a bit rude....Obviously she wants to be there like the rest of us. Common Courtesy would be nice, no need for rudeness.


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## CollegeGirl (Nov 10, 2012)

Aussieboy, I generally love your posts but that was harsh. How exactly can one plan when it could be anywhere from 5 to 12 (or more) months before one's visa is granted? You can start packing, yes - but you can't pack everything. You need many things available on a day-to-day basis. You can look at container companies - but how can you reserve one when you can't even tell them what month you need it? You can put feelers out for people to rent your house from you -- but what if you rent it out and they're another 9 months processing your visa? It's expensive having to live somewhere else during that time. You can start getting things ready for your departure at work - but if you tell some companies TOO early that you're leaving they may let you go long before your visa is approved. 

It doesn't matter how well you plan - there are a number of things you can ONLY do once your visa is approved, and those things all take time. 

I myself am pretty fortunate that I will only have to get rid of a car - I live with family right now, so I won't have to be dealing with the offloading of a house or the ending of an apartment lease. I imagine I will still feel rushed, though, with all the packing I'm going to have to do. I've already started culling my belongings - donating things I don't use to family or to charity - but there's only so much I can do.


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## louiseb (Dec 22, 2012)

Aussieboy07 said:


> Sorry but you either want to be here or not. You have spent months waiting and you could not have a plan?? DUH


Ausie boy not every one knows for sure they will have there visa granted, so i pack all my things in storage just to be told i have being refused, i have to unpack all my things, 
I cannot give my notice into work because i don't know if i am leaving or not, and remember you have to work your notice you cannot just leave.
I have a house and i have to arrange for people to rent it out which takes time, this is not something i can do before i know for sure if i have the visa,
I had a plan a very small plan and it was once i know for sure i have the visa i can start to tie up the last minute things, packing, container and there's another thing how can i book a container if i don't know the date, what's the point in paying thousands of euros for something i may never use, i needed to settle all my bills and cut off the water and electricity which isn't a flick of a switch in Malta, they need to come and do the reading and you need to sign for it and from that day forth you don't have power. So although i had a plan i still needed to tie up loose ends lol.


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## louiseb (Dec 22, 2012)

Thank you college girl and suze rush i usually enjoy Ausieboy,s post lol poor lad must be having a bad day bless him, ((((((((((((all is forgiven)))))))))))). Im waiting for the red card to be dealt lol go on CG you can do it lol


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## kttykat (Oct 30, 2012)

Hi All,

I found this on the immigration site

http://www.immi.gov.au/migrants/partners/partner/309-100/after-lodgement.htm Initial entry date to Australia

The department will advise you of the date you are required to enter Australia (your initial entry date) at the time of visa grant. Your initial entry date is usually the same as the expiry date for the validity of either your health or character checks, whichever is the earlier.

If you do not enter Australia by the initial entry date, your Partner visa may be cancelled.

If before your Partner visa is granted, you advise the department that you will not have sufficient time to reasonably finalise your affairs and make the necessary travel arrangements, the department may consider changing your initial entry date to a later date. 
Note: In these circumstances, you may need to undergo new health and / or character checks before you can be granted your Partner visa. 

I was sure I had read this somewhere before, hence my earlier post. It would appear though that this is one of those flexible guidelines for COs to follow. My initial entry date should have been May really due to my police checks running out but they gave me until August, however they must have deemed me a low risk to national security....

Kttykat


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## dunan (Oct 5, 2012)

Excellent topic...seeing its expat n wife here we are really excited to get visa when it arrives but so much to do before we can leave...im scared of the cold so we hope to fly in the warmer months so I can adjust....plus got to organize my disorganized family...sort out where we will live in Aust even though we have accom with friend we hope to find a rental for ourselves but not sure yet how that will work...So I understand both excitement and fear lol..


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## Aussieboy07 (Jan 4, 2013)

Sheepishly i apologise
My fiancee only needs to pack a suitcase and resign from work and say her good byes
Different countries, different circumstances and maybe my previous transient style of living previously. I was not thinking of a no rejection, yes that would definitely change the playing field. I will take that red card now CG


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## CollegeGirl (Nov 10, 2012)

No red card necessary now that you've apologized. We're all learning here... and we all have different things to learn.


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