# Prospective Marriage Visa waiting time?



## GiuliaM (Mar 4, 2014)

Hello everybody,

I just joined a couple forums today cos I've applied for a PMV at the end of February and now I'm waiting for a Case Officer to be assigned... I suppose.

I was recently reading british forums where the waiting time was always 8 to 9 months: is there any chance that it varies from nation to nation? I'm from Italy (low risk) and I've never heard of somebody applying before me so it's so hard to compare.  On this note, my online application is taken care of at either the Berlin or London embassy cos Rome doesn't handle visas.

I tried to look here and there in this forum but any help would be appreciated!

Thank you so much.


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## CollegeGirl (Nov 10, 2012)

Wait times vary from embassy to embassy. You don't know which embassy they sent your application to? If London is handling your case it will be 8 to 9 months. I'm not sure about Berlin, but there's a thread on the board about the Berlin embassy - do a search above for "Berlin" (just thread titles) and it should turn it up for you. You'll be able to get a better idea of processing times for Berlin there.


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## GiuliaM (Mar 4, 2014)

Had I sent the application by post it would have been Berlin, but when they asked in the form which place was closer to me to attend for possible interview I replied London.. maybe I should change it? If it's possible AND if it actually matters. 

Thank you, will search now!


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## Dkaya (Feb 10, 2014)

Hi GiuliaM.. Me and my husband applied on the 18th of September 2013.. and we are still waiting.. We are nearly 6 months into waiting and still we have no idea or any clue what so ever when the visa will be granted.. the CO told us we are in the queue and that depending on the number of applicants before us it may take a few more months ( which I'm dreading!) so I guess looking at other post and other people's experiences the time is anywhere in between 5-12 months unfortunetley immigration has changed alot and I think for the worst personally.. the embassy we applied to is at Turkey (I'm a Australian with Turkish background, my husband is coming from Turkey) and we applied at the Australian Embassy in Ankara and they only have a few case officers and only 1 senior migration officer who makes the decision ( pathetic really) but this is the reality and I wish they would do something to make the system a bit better with not only training there staff more but also the numbers..


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## GiuliaM (Mar 4, 2014)

Aw wow  at least you're almost there now!

I've got a reply today for a question I've asked and I found out that Berlin is dealing with my application, and apparently I've been assigned a Case Officer already... don't know when this happened but I applied on the 26th, payment was taken the day after.

I did my health checks whilst in Australia and I had all docs + police checks all ready and uploaded. Of course it's sad to be apart from my fiance, but it's also hard cos it's really difficult to find jobs in Italy at the moment so I cannot save up for our cute wedding and distract myself with work. But I strongly believe the key is positivity so.... good luck to the both of us


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## Dkaya (Feb 10, 2014)

I would hate to say that yes you are at the beginning but I pray for you it do sent take too long.. its ridiculous how it takes so long.. My case officer had told me it takes a average processing time of 5-6 months however a month ago she said it might take a few more months so I' am hoping that sometime soon now we hopefully get notified and I hope we don't hit the 8-9 mark  I guess the quicker you do get your documents sorted it does and will help in faster processing time.. where as I guess if you submitted things later on and you had things missing and they requested for more information it would drag it on a bit more.. I know me and my husband we did everything in the first 2-3 months to the best of our ability and he was called in for a interview a second time after I came back to Australia so it was nerve breaking that I couldn't even be with him to support him..  CO do their part of their "job" and that's it hand it on to the senior migration officer who makes the decision so I bet our application is sitting in a pile  I hope all goes good for you and the best of luck


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## pinkco16 (Mar 10, 2014)

GiuliaM said:


> Aw wow  at least you're almost there now!
> 
> I've got a reply today for a question I've asked and I found out that Berlin is dealing with my application, and apparently I've been assigned a Case Officer already... don't know when this happened but I applied on the 26th, payment was taken the day after.


hi GiuliaM, my fiance also applied online for PMV visa on 17th Feb and until now we have not had any update. He is Dutch and his application would probably go to Berlin as well.. We are anxious and like all we can't wait to be together. You mentioned that after you sent them a question only then you knew that a Case Officer has been assigned. May we know who you had sent your query. we are worried if our submission did went through or not. other pmv applicant told us they got a CO within a week they submitted but we have not had any..


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## Place2Be (Mar 10, 2014)

I also posted in the 'Berlin' post... but my fiancé is also Italian, so thought I would repeat it here! Do you know who your CO is?

We applied in October 2013, application was sent in mid-October (we are using an immigration agent in Australia), confirmation with CO received late October (KM is the CO, in Berlin).

My partner is from Italy, we are applying for a class 300 prospective spouse. She did medicals in November (early Nov).

The immigration agent said we have a very simple, and very complete application, so it shouldn't take 'too long'... but as you all know, there are no guarantees on timing in this game!

There have been no communications from the embassy, aside from an initial request for an extra certificate, this request came at the same time as the confirmation of CO in late Oct. We sent the extra info in within a week or 2, since then.... complete radio silence.

We are also (obviously) very interested in current processing times... it is now getting close to 5 months since our application went in (4.5 mths since our CO's first contact). In the first contact he said 'current processing times are 6-9 months (approximately)'.... but there is a lot of conflicting info. The Aus immi site says 5 months for a non-restricted country (so Italy is OK here), but some info on the Berlin embassy site says 8-9 mths.

Waiting, waiting, waiting... very very impatiently!

S.


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## GiuliaM (Mar 4, 2014)

pinkco16 said:


> hi GiuliaM, my fiance also applied online for PMV visa on 17th Feb and until now we have not had any update. He is Dutch and his application would probably go to Berlin as well.. We are anxious and like all we can't wait to be together. You mentioned that after you sent them a question only then you knew that a Case Officer has been assigned. May we know who you had sent your query. we are worried if our submission did went through or not. other pmv applicant told us they got a CO within a week they submitted but we have not had any..


Omg yes it's not even a month that we're apart and I can't take it anymore lol, I'm trying to distract myself with...cross-stitch and wedding arrangements :')

Yes I got to know only then probably cos I had submitted all infos already, like I had my medicals done in Australia right before leaving cos I couldn't be bothered going to Milan once at home (it's just one hour away but whatevs).

If they have taken the payment I'd assume it's all good and just a matter of waiting. I've used the contact form on the Immi website, they have different forms and one is for query from/for Europe, you can also choose what language to get the reply in


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## GiuliaM (Mar 4, 2014)

Place2Be said:


> I also posted in the 'Berlin' post... but my fiancé is also Italian, so thought I would repeat it here! Do you know who your CO is?


May I ask where from? 

My CO is MB apparently, but i've never heard from his so far!

Pls update when you gonna get your visa etc, you should be close to the date now, how excitinggg


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## Place2Be (Mar 10, 2014)

Ciao Giulia,

she is from Milano... not far from you by the sound of it?

I will certainly let you know when the visa is granted - I know (hope) it is not far away, but the wait is excruciating! We are making a lot of plans every day, but it is tough when you don't have any idea of the date.

S.


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## GiuliaM (Mar 4, 2014)

Place2Be said:


> Ciao Giulia,
> 
> she is from Milano... not far from you by the sound of it?
> 
> ...


Ha yes I'm from the Bergamo area so not very far! Finally some another italian applications, I was desperately looking for similar experiences to compare.


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## Place2Be (Mar 10, 2014)

I'll be sure to keep you updated!

I am also desperately looking for similar applications and timing... has to be getting close... has to be!

Cheers,
S.


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## curious110 (Dec 26, 2013)

*Migrant agent who does phone consultation*

Hi,

Just wondering if anyone knows of a good agent who does phone consultation and doesnt matter which city.

It'll be much better if he is knowledgable about african cases.

thanks very much


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## pinkco16 (Mar 10, 2014)

any news yet? we have no word from a CO or anything since we lodge the visa but looks like the status has change from 'submitted' to 'in progress'... i hope that's something good?


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## GiuliaM (Mar 4, 2014)

pinkco16 said:


> any news yet? we have no word from a CO or anything since we lodge the visa but looks like the status has change from 'submitted' to 'in progress'... i hope that's something good?


Did they take the money? It should be good, they contact you only if and they need more info!


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## pinkco16 (Mar 10, 2014)

Yah, they took our money .. goodluck to yours too..


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## Eifster (Jan 16, 2015)

Hi

My partner and I submitted my application in late December 2014. 

What I can't figure out is whether the online applications are dealt with in Australia, or does it go to my nearest embassy like the paper ones do? 

I'm in Ireland, so that would be London, so that would mean the processing times are 10-14 months now, it seems. I wrote that I would do an interview in London if needed - would it have been faster to write Berlin? Is it possible to change this, and would there be any benefit?


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## Mish (Jan 13, 2013)

They get processed at your local embassy based on where you reside (you don't get a choice). However, London and Berlin both have the same processing times anyway.


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## Eifster (Jan 16, 2015)

Thanks for that info. 

It seems obvious now that I know, but I'm only now realising that we have the full 9-14 month wait ahead of us. And no word from a CO yet, after putting the application in on 22nd Dec 2015. 

I'm confident that we have every box ticked and that we put in a very strong application, but I really thought the online system was instead of the local system, and that we were looking at 5 months roughly. 

Not happy. We're in different parts of the world now - I'm dreading telling my partner when he wakes up. 

Well, I guess I'll be checking back in here over the next few months, good luck to everyone.


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## Gringo Peregrino (Nov 26, 2015)

Hello, any update on how long the process took for you?


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