# prospective marriage visa AUS and INDONESIA



## rohana (Mar 15, 2012)

hello
i just have some questions if someone could help me 
im australian and my fiance is indonesian from bali 
just wondering if anyone know how long the process of accepting the Prospective marriage visa is? i have heard it takes 5- 12 months just wanting to know is anyone has some good feedback from their application and if it can take less time then 5 months?? we have been together for 1 year now and i have been to bali many times throughout the year to visit him and his family he is coming to australia in may to meet my family on a tourist visa and then we are hoping to apply for the PMV in september or october. we have a very strong committed relationship and lots of evidence to show eg: photos, western union receipts , phone bills, i also have his name tattooed on me 
also when you apply how long do you have to wait until you get an interview?? as i want to go to bali to submit the application with my fiance in person and do the interview...will that make the application process quicker?? also with medical checks where do they have to take place ?? can i an australia do a health check in bali when my fiance does and how long until the results come back?? hope to hear from someone soon 

any feedback will help me 
thanks rohana


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## baligirl (Feb 29, 2012)

Hi Rohanna, i was asking the same question a couple of weeks ago but I had no reponse . I am same as you, Oz citizen, Fiance balinese  We are lodging our PMV - TODAY in Denpasar.... My fiance has just done police checks through his regency and will do his medical in the next couple of days at BIMC. On the indo immi web-site it has the list of panel dr's. I hear processing times are around 6 mths... i cant really give u any more info until i hear about how the lodgement went, later this arvo... its a roller coaster love and I wish you well.


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## rohana (Mar 15, 2012)

ohh thank you so much ...goodluck to i hope and pray all goes well for you  ... let me know if you can  my fiance is coming in may so we can get all our documents ready any chance you could give me a list of thing we need to have and organise to submit our application? and to ensure we are doing everything correct  is it just him who has to have medical and police check?

thanks rohana


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## baligirl (Feb 29, 2012)

Hi Rohana, where abouts in oz are you? i am in perth  nice and close to bali  check the immigration website for the partner migration booklet. that has everything. also the forms 40sp and 47sp applicant/sponser have checklists too. there is lots of reading to be done, but if u take your time and methodically make your way through it, you will be fine. you dont need to have the medical/police check, just the applicant.


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## rohana (Mar 15, 2012)

im from the gold coast  not close at all  okay awesome thanks ..would be really good to keep in contact with you to see how it all goes for you and see if i have a chance  i know we can make a very strong application as we are very committed and really just want to live together and never have to be apart  can i ask how long you have been with your partner?? i have heard of a few people that have applied for a PMV and been accepted after just a few months  fingers crossed 



baligirl said:


> Hi Rohana, where abouts in oz are you? i am in perth  nice and close to bali  check the immigration website for the partner migration booklet. that has everything. also the forms 40sp and 47sp applicant/sponser have checklists too. there is lots of reading to be done, but if u take your time and methodically make your way through it, you will be fine. you dont need to have the medical/police check, just the applicant.


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## baligirl (Feb 29, 2012)

hey rohana, if ur are on facebook, add me (jeanette donners) and we can keep in touch on there? might be easier.. i hear pmv are easier to get than defacto or spouse, so i think if you can present a genuine r/ship, all should go well . we have been together for 18mths, and he has been here 3 times now... we also own a spa in bali and have a house there that we are into our 2nd year lease. but we havent lived together full-time as my kids are here in perth. i just go up every month for a week at a time. being doing this it feels like forever, now just time to be together full-time


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## rohana (Mar 15, 2012)

ohhhh i wish i could go for 1 week every month  i tried looking for you on facebook but i couldnt find...can you search for me ( rohana austin )

i really wish i could get a job in bali just to live there until our visa gets sorted..being apart is so hard 



baligirl said:


> hey rohana, if ur are on facebook, add me (jeanette donners) and we can keep in touch on there? might be easier.. i hear pmv are easier to get than defacto or spouse, so i think if you can present a genuine r/ship, all should go well . we have been together for 18mths, and he has been here 3 times now... we also own a spa in bali and have a house there that we are into our 2nd year lease. but we havent lived together full-time as my kids are here in perth. i just go up every month for a week at a time. being doing this it feels like forever, now just time to be together full-time


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## baligirl (Feb 29, 2012)

found u and added you... i'll keep u posted on what happens this arvo  have a great day


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## rohana (Mar 15, 2012)

thank you soooo much  hope all goes well  have a great day to 



baligirl said:


> found u and added you... i'll keep u posted on what happens this arvo  have a great day


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## Guest (Mar 17, 2012)

rohana said:


> hello
> i just have some questions if someone could help me
> im australian and my fiance is indonesian from bali
> just wondering if anyone know how long the process of accepting the Prospective marriage visa is? i have heard it takes 5- 12 months just wanting to know is anyone has some good feedback from their application and if it can take less time then 5 months?? we have been together for 1 year now and i have been to bali many times throughout the year to visit him and his family he is coming to australia in may to meet my family on a tourist visa and then we are hoping to apply for the PMV in september or october. we have a very strong committed relationship and lots of evidence to show eg: photos, western union receipts , phone bills, i also have his name tattooed on me
> ...


Hi there 

I'm Malaysian, my fiance is Australian from Sydney. I just got my PMV approved and I'm willing to share with you what I know from my experience.

It took me just ONE MONTH for my PMV to be approved! I lodged it in the Kuala Lumpur office in person. I've only been with my fiance for about less than 3 months and I didn't have a lot of evidence of our relationship because we met online. But we did have an engagement ceremony in Sydney with both our families present so I provided photos of that trip, evidence that my fiance can support me financially, a short but straight-to-point 2 page relationship statement about our relationship, supporting letters from his doctor (he has a medical condition and we asked the doctor to confirm this and recommend that the visa be approved faster in view of his condition), statements from his parents, statements from his two brother in laws, statements from my parents, copies of phone bills, some emails, money transfer documents (he transferred cash to my account), flight tickets to Sydney, honeymoon bookings, a letter from our marriage celebrant with our notice of intended marriage..along with other stuff like police checks etc. I even included a copy of my degree transcript as I was told that they would consider applications from working professionals faster than average (I have a law degree and I work for my country's government).

My advice is, you shouldn't put too much documentation as to make your application bulky. Just put enough to prove your point, you don't really need to go through the details. I wasn't interviewed. I was just asked to do my medicals 3 weeks after I submitted my application. After I did my medicals, 3 days later I got an email from my case officer saying my visa is approved! If they want to interview your fiance, they would do so AFTER PMV is lodged. It will take some time for them to decide on that. The only way to make your application quicker is just to fulfill the checklist, that's all.

Because your fiance is Indonesian, it will take longer for it to be approved because Indonesia is not in the list of 'low risk countries' (means its high risk) so you might have to hang in there for a while 

For me my medicals are only done upon instructions from my case officer. I think if I'm not mistaken high risk countries can do them earlier but I think you need to ask around for this, I'm not sure where I read it. I did it in the panel clinics listed in the Kuala Lumpur office website. They have the online system called 'eHealth' which is directly linked to the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC). Took only 3 days for results to be electronically transmitted to the system. Immediately after it was received by the system, my case officer approved my application.

If you need to know anything more, feel free to do so  My wedding is on the 5th April and I'm having a tough time trying to pack!


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## rohana (Mar 15, 2012)

Hello  
Thanks you so much for your reply and information 
That's awesome news your visa got approved very quickly. Is malaysia in a low Risk country ?? I believe we will have a strong application and we have many photos  so you think if I went to Bali to lodge the application with my fiancé they may accept quicker ?? With the marriage celebrant my fiancé will be here with me on the gold coast in may so we just have to get a NIOM form and signed?

That's really awesome your wedding is so soon . I wish you and your partner the best of luck for your future together 

Thanks again,
Rohana 



foxymardy said:


> Hi there
> 
> I'm Malaysian, my fiance is Australian from Sydney. I just got my PMV approved and I'm willing to share with you what I know from my experience.
> 
> ...


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## Guest (Mar 18, 2012)

rohana said:


> Hello
> Thanks you so much for your reply and information
> That's awesome news your visa got approved very quickly. Is malaysia in a low Risk country ?? I believe we will have a strong application and we have many photos  so you think if I went to Bali to lodge the application with my fiancé they may accept quicker ?? With the marriage celebrant my fiancé will be here with me on the gold coast in may so we just have to get a NIOM form and signed?
> 
> ...


Yes, Malaysia is a low risk country. Low risk countries are those who can enter Australia using ETAs. There's a list of low risk countries on the Australian Department of Immigration & Citizenship website. Countries not listed are all high risk countries.

My case officer advised that if I don't have children and this is the first marriage for the both of us, the quickest I can get it approved is in 3 months. Maximum for complicated cases is 10 months. So I was shocked to get the approval in only one month! For high risk countries it can be anywhere between 5 to 12 months. That's why i say you might have to hang in there a bit. But it can be approved sooner, it really depends on your case officer  If he/she is efficient, you have a clear cut case and he/she doesn't have much workload it can be approved sooner. Mine was approved very quickly because of 'compassionate grounds' that came with his doctor's letter.

Like I said before make it easier for them to process it by gathering only the necessary evidence. Even if you have a lot of photos, pick those that have both you and your fiance's family spending time together.

It will not make any difference if you lodge it with your fiance or not. They will not take it into consideration, they just want to look at your documentation. I read that some people submit it via post instead of in person and it didn't make any difference. The only person who needs to submit it is your fiance.

Best of luck for you!


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## Guest (Mar 19, 2012)

rohana said:


> Hello
> Thanks you so much for your reply and information
> That's awesome news your visa got approved very quickly. Is malaysia in a low Risk country ?? I believe we will have a strong application and we have many photos  so you think if I went to Bali to lodge the application with my fiancé they may accept quicker ?? With the marriage celebrant my fiancé will be here with me on the gold coast in may so we just have to get a NIOM form and signed?
> 
> ...


About your NOIM, your fiance doesn't need to sign, you just sign and photocopy the form to be attached with the letter from your marriage celebrant. Ur marriage celebrant will explain in the letter that you and your fiance have lodged NOIM but he/she cannot hand in the original NOIM form as it should stay with the celebrant.


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## rohana (Mar 15, 2012)

Ohhh thank you sooo much for your help  I really appreciate it  hopefully it all goes okay for us


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## baligirl (Feb 29, 2012)

We just lodged our application in denpasar on 15th and it was recieved at Oz consulate in jakarta on 19th. My fiance rang them today to see if ok to come back to oz, and they said he must wait for his file number, so then he may go and have his medical. Problem is they cant say whether the file number will be issued in 1 week or 12 weeks (maximum). He will call again on Wednesday and if they still cant give us an answer, he will fly back here to Perth, then just wait.. 
Awesome for foxymardy to get hers so quick, but Indo is different processing centre to Malaysia, so im not sure we can use any of the information for our benefit. Just keep it simple...


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## Guest (Mar 22, 2012)

baligirl said:


> We just lodged our application in denpasar on 15th and it was recieved at Oz consulate in jakarta on 19th. My fiance rang them today to see if ok to come back to oz, and they said he must wait for his file number, so then he may go and have his medical. Problem is they cant say whether the file number will be issued in 1 week or 12 weeks (maximum). He will call again on Wednesday and if they still cant give us an answer, he will fly back here to Perth, then just wait..
> Awesome for foxymardy to get hers so quick, but Indo is different processing centre to Malaysia, so im not sure we can use any of the information for our benefit. Just keep it simple...


That's right, I'm just telling you what I know based on my experience  For me my case number was issued immediately after I submitted and my case officer didn't stop me from going to Oz if I wanted to. All I had to do was inform him. I think its different because Indonesia is a high risk country..so I guess they have more thorough procedures. It's unfair though, to read about people who can get approval as fast as 8 days then hear about those who had their applications lodged a year ago and they STILL haven't heard anything from their respective Australian Embassy/High Comm.

Btw, police checks are required for both you and your fiance. Medicals are not necessary. Whatever it is, make sure you read up the Partner Migration Booklet and download the checklist from your country's visa processing center website.

I hope you both get to be with your loves and wish you all the best


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## baligirl (Feb 29, 2012)

hi foxymardy.. congrats on your quick visa...i agree, processing times seem to be so inconsistent. May I ask why you believe both of us need police checks and no medicals are required? this seems very unusual....


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## Guest (Mar 23, 2012)

baligirl said:


> hi foxymardy.. congrats on your quick visa...i agree, processing times seem to be so inconsistent. May I ask why you believe both of us need police checks and no medicals are required? this seems very unusual....


Hi Baligirl,

I read it in my checklist (for Kuala Lumpur). http://www.vfsglobal.com/australia/malaysia/pdf/prospective.pdf

It says so in item 9


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## Vyktoria (Aug 18, 2011)

foxymardy said:


> Hi Baligirl,
> 
> I read it in my checklist (for Kuala Lumpur). http://www.vfsglobal.com/australia/malaysia/pdf/prospective.pdf
> 
> It says so in item 9


Uhh, actually, the sponsor only has to have an Australian Police check if there is a child involved that is not an Australian citizen. Number 9 actually clarifies that.

Also, ALL applicants have to undergo a medical because they have to make sure they aren't allowing individuals in with dangerous communicable diseases. The required tests may be different based on which country the applicant is from but all applicants have to have a medical.


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## Guest (Mar 23, 2012)

Vyktoria said:


> Uhh, actually, the sponsor only has to have an Australian Police check if there is a child involved that is not an Australian citizen. Number 9 actually clarifies that.
> 
> Also, ALL applicants have to undergo a medical because they have to make sure they aren't allowing individuals in with dangerous communicable diseases. The required tests may be different based on which country the applicant is from but all applicants have to have a medical.


In my case I was the only one who did medicals, but my sponsor submitted his police check. That's what we understand from the list. My case officer didn't request for any medicals from my sponsor at all so I assumed it wasn't needed. I guess I gave additional documents if I got it wrong then  Or it was inadequate coz my sponsor didn't submit medicals? Like I said this is just from my experience and understanding, it might be different for everyone else. I'm not fussed, I got mine approved in a month so yeah whatever works hehe


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## Vyktoria (Aug 18, 2011)

foxymardy said:


> In my case I was the only one who did medicals, but my sponsor submitted his police check. That's what we understand from the list. My case officer didn't request for any medicals from my sponsor at all so I assumed it wasn't needed. I guess I gave additional documents if I got it wrong then  Or it was inadequate coz my sponsor didn't submit medicals? Like I said this is just from my experience and understanding, it might be different for everyone else. I'm not fussed, I got mine approved in a month so yeah whatever works hehe


The sponsor does not have to submit medicals but all applicants do. The sponsor only has to submit an Australian Police Check if there is a child under 18 involved, whether or not they are migrating AND if the child is not an Australian citizen. The applicant must provide police clearance for all states they lived in for 12 months or more within the past 10 years. For places like here in the US, I had to provide my FBI clearance as well.

It's very confusing but I've spoken to the embassy many times and researched this for a couple of years ;-)


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## linnaen (Mar 2, 2012)

foxymardy said:


> I guess I gave additional documents if I got it wrong then  Or it was inadequate coz my sponsor didn't submit medicals?


Hi Foxy, my partner is also MY, and we will be applying soon. Can you tell me if you had to get any of those documents you handed in with your application professionally translated?

For example I presume my partners birth certificate will be written in Malay and her ID card will be too, so did you get things like that translated?


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

baligirl said:


> Hi Rohanna, i was asking the same question a couple of weeks ago but I had no reponse . I am same as you, Oz citizen, Fiance balinese  We are lodging our PMV - TODAY in Denpasar.... My fiance has just done police checks through his regency and will do his medical in the next couple of days at BIMC. On the indo immi web-site it has the list of panel dr's. I hear processing times are around 6 mths... i cant really give u any more info until i hear about how the lodgement went, later this arvo... its a roller coaster love and I wish you well.


Hi guys, have either of you had any updates yet? I'm going through a similar situation, I'm aussie, my partner is Indo (not Balinese from Madura). We're going through an agent which costs more but we wanted the security. Originally we wanted to go for the defacto visa but the agent told us they are very hard to get, especially for indo's. We were worried of going through everything and not getting it approved, we are planning on getting married later but moved it forward and applied for the PMV. Application lodged on the 07/02/12, he's gone back to his island to get the police checks, but we haven't been asked to get the medicals done yet! The agent told us 6-8 weeks and it's just over 8 weeks now. I sent her an email today coz I too have read people getting things much quicker. We're planning on him coming back in June on a 3 month visa to wait for the PMV, but can't apply until May coz it might have a condition he has to enter within one month. Ah I can't wait until life is no longer a waiting game!!


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

I'm not sure why I'm going through Jakarta and you guys can go through the visa office in Denpasar.. Hmm


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## baligirl (Feb 29, 2012)

Hi Madura, nice to hear from someone just ahead of us. We lodged PMV at VFS Global - Denpasar (consulate agent) on 15/3, but they forward it to jakarta 19/3, so we are all processed at the same place. When we took it into VFS the guy said "oh good, a complete application" and that we might get lucky and receive our file number in 1 week, oooorrrr maximum 12 weeks. We included police check but not medical.(cant do this until file no. received). So apart from having an email that our app is received, we are just waiting. My partner is coming back to oz soon, as we have found out he can just do his medical here when they request it, and it will get electronically processed. We have a multiple entry, valid to Dec 12, sooo lucky we can be together in this time. Let us know how your conversation went with your agent, it will be interesting to hear what she says about times etc. 
Take care and all the best with everything


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

baligirl said:


> Hi Madura, nice to hear from someone just ahead of us. We lodged PMV at VFS Global - Denpasar (consulate agent) on 15/3, but they forward it to jakarta 19/3, so we are all processed at the same place. When we took it into VFS the guy said "oh good, a complete application" and that we might get lucky and receive our file number in 1 week, oooorrrr maximum 12 weeks. We included police check but not medical.(cant do this until file no. received). So apart from having an email that our app is received, we are just waiting. My partner is coming back to oz soon, as we have found out he can just do his medical here when they request it, and it will get electronically processed. We have a multiple entry, valid to Dec 12, sooo lucky we can be together in this time. Let us know how your conversation went with your agent, it will be interesting to hear what she says about times etc.
> Take care and all the best with everything


Oh I don't think I am ahead of you, the agent hasn't told me that she has received confirmation that the app has been received yet  We lodged the application before he had his police checks as he had to go to Ra'as, then Java then Madura.. oi it took over 2 weeks dealing with all the different police stations. It's all sorted now but maybe that set us back a bit. I emailed the agent, she said she hasn't received anything yet but will email Jakarta. I'll post any updates if and when they come 

Good luck, it's so good that you have a multiple entry, I know being apart is one of the hardest parts of the whole shamboozle.


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## baligirl (Feb 29, 2012)

Hi Madura, i would get yr agent to get confirmation that your app has been received by Jakarta, i think that is important. Maybe let her know that ours was sent 15/3, received 19/3, that might make her a bit more insistent on finding our that yours has def. been received. Maybe you can try and get multiple entry visa too, makes the process a bit easier, take care and look forward to your updates


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

baligirl said:


> Hi Madura, i would get yr agent to get confirmation that your app has been received by Jakarta, i think that is important. Maybe let her know that ours was sent 15/3, received 19/3, that might make her a bit more insistent on finding our that yours has def. been received. Maybe you can try and get multiple entry visa too, makes the process a bit easier, take care and look forward to your updates


Thanks, I've sent her another email letting her know. Can I ask, was it difficult getting a multiple entry visa? How long is it valid for? I asked my agent for a 6 month tourist visa last time and she said they don't like giving them any more, only multiple 3 month visas.


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## baligirl (Feb 29, 2012)

This is our third tourist visa.. this one is valid for one year, but we have to go back every 3 months to Bali.. which is kinda good  if you can get one of those, i would say "go for it " its a whole less stressful than being apart  Let us know how you go ..


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## breed (Aug 11, 2010)

*in the same situation*

hi rohana i also have an indo missus and she wants to come out here, i live with her part time in bali then i come home for few months of work then back to bali. she cant come out here due to work committments at the moment with her company. she has a uni degree in social science. she is coming out here in june and we are gonna take things from there as far as pmv visa etc.
my name bradley reed look in facebook i'm from byron bay look forward to hearing from you. cheers brad


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

So the agent has forwarded me on a letter I think is the confirmation, I wish she sent it to me as soon as she got it! 

It confirms my application was received at AVAC and will be forwarded to Jakarta for decison. It's got a file reference number, and advises a case officer will be allocated within 12 weeks, which has gone up, it used to be 6 - 8 weeks. I'm a bit nervous about the phone interview, my boy isn't too good with details. I'll definately be looking up what other people have been asked so we can practise


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## daphsta (Apr 10, 2012)

foxymardy said:


> Hi there
> 
> I'm Malaysian, my fiance is Australian from Sydney. I just got my PMV approved and I'm willing to share with you what I know from my experience.
> 
> ...


Hi FoxyMardy, I am also a fellow Malaysian looking into lodging PMV by June. I am now in a dilemma as to when to set a wedding date and make a reservation for a venue. 
How far ahead did you set your wedding date from the date you lodged your visa? Also, did you already started to make reservations and planning for your wedding after you submitted your visa?


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## Caraj86 (Apr 13, 2012)

Hi

The length of time it takes for the PMV is completely dependent on how busy the embassy you are lodging it at is. My fiance is Albanian and it took 10 months however this had a lot to do with case responsibility for Albania moving embassies half way through. Originally it was lodged in Berlin and then moved to Belgrade where it took 5 months to be granted, however it would have taken much longer if it stayed in Berlin due to their workload. 

I am not sure about the embassy in Denpasar however my best advice is to be prepared for it to take awhile and then you can always be surprised!

Good luck with everything.


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

Got an email forwarded from the agent Friday night from the embassy!!

So application lodged 07/02/12 heard back 13/04/12

We've been assigned our case officer and he's reviewed our application... The great news is no interview required!! They do follow that with 'at this stage' but it must be a good sign. The boy has 28 days to get his medicals and a statement back to the CO. Ha! 28 days, he'll be on the next boat back to Bali to get it asap! So happy, they did advise up til 12 weeks and it's been just over 9. Hope everyone else gets news soon! Fingers crossed


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## baligirl (Feb 29, 2012)

Wow, thats awesome news Madura !! Hope all goes well with the medicals... why does he have to go to Bali to get them, is there nowhere local where he is ?


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

baligirl said:


> Wow, thats awesome news Madura !! Hope all goes well with the medicals... why does he have to go to Bali to get them, is there nowhere local where he is ?


Thanks! He got them done, cost around $200 aussie.

This is from the case officer below:

With the medicals they will be sent directly to JKT and then they forward the medical to Australia for clearance. This can take up to 1 month.

Medical examinations and x-rays must be conducted by qualified doctors and radiologists nominated by the department as a panel doctor. The result of your examination will be sent directly to the Immigration Section by the panel doctor.

You may access the list of panel doctors from our website by following webpage link: 
Indonesia - Panel Doctors

They wouldn't have had a panel doctor in Java near my fiance's island. Probably on the other end Jakarta way they would.

You guys will have no prob both being Bali locals


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## rohana (Mar 15, 2012)

Hay baligirl how is it all going for you guys hope all Is well  I have a few questions to ask  my fiancé is coming on a one month tourist visa in may and then he will go back to Bali we then want to apply for a 6 month tourist visa so he can come here for a while ... Are they quite easy to get ??? We were also planning on getting the defaco visa or do you think we are better to just go for the PMV ?? Also when we apply for the PMV can he come to Australia on a tourist visa until it is approved ?and can I go there?? I know I can just look on website but it's just a lot easier to hear from someone who is going through it already  
Thanks heaps rohana


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## Ria (Jul 26, 2011)

Madura said:


> Hi guys, have either of you had any updates yet? I'm going through a similar situation, I'm aussie, my partner is Indo (not Balinese from Madura). We're going through an agent which costs more but we wanted the security. Originally we wanted to go for the defacto visa but the agent told us they are very hard to get, especially for indo's. We were worried of going through everything and not getting it approved, we are planning on getting married later but moved it forward and applied for the PMV. Application lodged on the 07/02/12, he's gone back to his island to get the police checks, but we haven't been asked to get the medicals done yet! The agent told us 6-8 weeks and it's just over 8 weeks now. I sent her an email today coz I too have read people getting things much quicker. We're planning on him coming back in June on a 3 month visa to wait for the PMV, but can't apply until May coz it might have a condition he has to enter within one month. Ah I can't wait until life is no longer a waiting game!!


Hi there..was just wondering what agent told you that de facto are harder to get for Indo's, I mean was it an aussie agent or an indonesian agent? and what reason did they give? 
My partner and I were thinking to apply for the de facto visa based on the circumstanses that we're in. So was just curious if there was any reason given by the agent.
This thread is really helpfull since there aren't many references for applying from Indonesia.
Good luck again and appreciate your help.


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

Ria said:


> Hi there..was just wondering what agent told you that de facto are harder to get for Indo's, I mean was it an aussie agent or an indonesian agent? and what reason did they give?
> My partner and I were thinking to apply for the de facto visa based on the circumstanses that we're in. So was just curious if there was any reason given by the agent.
> This thread is really helpfull since there aren't many references for applying from Indonesia.
> Good luck again and appreciate your help.


Hi Ria, she's an aussie agent, married to a Balinese and she used to work at the Australian Embassy. It wasn't her professional opinion that they don't give defacto visas for Indos, more advice and my deduction. The reason she gave is just before us she had a few couples that applied for the defacto visa and they were all declined. Defacto visas are harder to get than the PMV, usually require much more evidence of co habitation and shared finanical aspects than the PMV. The fact that Indonesia is a high risk country makes the process harder for us than say low risk country who just seem to hand them out! Argh it's not fair.

My partner and I were only just on the one year requirement, had quite a meaty application, and had every intention of applying for the defacto visa but for the amount of money and time we could lose if it wasn't approved, and knowing the PMV would pretty much be a guantee and we were planning on getting married later in life anyway, it just wasn't a risk I was willing to take. I don't want to discourage anyone completely, this was just my experience. I agree this thread is great for us specific to Indonesia  I'd say do a lot of research on both types of visas to get a good idea which one is for you and your partner.


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## Ria (Jul 26, 2011)

Mmm Madura, tht really makes me nervous when u say those defacto apps were rejected. I wonder y. We hv been contemplating between the PMV vs the DFV actually for 2 years, we've been together for 3. I guess reason y we can't do PMV is becoz we're both separated frm our prev spouses and therefore cannot re-marry (I'm catholic-indonesians won't accept divorce in the church) unless we get married in another church. But I don't think thts an option we wanna take. Hence the choice with DFV. We hv enough if not lots of evidence to prove tht we are very committed and the only reason we're aprt is just because of work. Anyway goodluck on ur apps n keep us posted.



Madura said:


> Hi Ria, she's an aussie agent, married to a Balinese and she used to work at the Australian Embassy. It wasn't her professional opinion that they don't give defacto visas for Indos, more advice and my deduction. The reason she gave is just before us she had a few couples that applied for the defacto visa and they were all declined. Defacto visas are harder to get than the PMV, usually require much more evidence of co habitation and shared finanical aspects than the PMV. The fact that Indonesia is a high risk country makes the process harder for us than say low risk country who just seem to hand them out! Argh it's not fair.
> 
> My partner and I were only just on the one year requirement, had quite a meaty application, and had every intention of applying for the defacto visa but for the amount of money and time we could lose if it wasn't approved, and knowing the PMV would pretty much be a guantee and we were planning on getting married later in life anyway, it just wasn't a risk I was willing to take. I don't want to discourage anyone completely, this was just my experience. I agree this thread is great for us specific to Indonesia  I'd say do a lot of research on both types of visas to get a good idea which one is for you and your partner.


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

Ria said:


> Mmm Madura, tht really makes me nervous when u say those defacto apps were rejected. I wonder y. We hv been contemplating between the PMV vs the DFV actually for 2 years, we've been together for 3. I guess reason y we can't do PMV is becoz we're both separated frm our prev spouses and therefore cannot re-marry (I'm catholic-indonesians won't accept divorce in the church) unless we get married in another church. But I don't think thts an option we wanna take. Hence the choice with DFV. We hv enough if not lots of evidence to prove tht we are very committed and the only reason we're aprt is just because of work. Anyway goodluck on ur apps n keep us posted.


Wow 3 years, that's good. How long of that have you lived together in that time? The minimum is 1 year of living together, they're not very flexible on that, even though it says on the site they take work factors into consideration. The type of docs they look at are joint banks accounts, any joint property or assests, shared household costs, if you've got superannuation or assests make each other the beneficiary. If you're renting have both names on the lease, get at least 7 stat decs from all your friends and family, statements from landlords stating time when you lived together, and all the usual stuff like photos and letters etc. It's a shame religion comes into play, all the best with whatever you decide.


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## baligirl (Feb 29, 2012)

Hi Madura
Have you guys done all your medicals yet ? any news on anything ? we're still waiting for case officer/file number, nearly two months now since submitting .....


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

baligirl said:


> Hi Madura
> Have you guys done all your medicals yet ? any news on anything ? we're still waiting for case officer/file number, nearly two months now since submitting .....


Yes, he did the medicals 4 weeks ago but we haven't heard anything since. They won't approve his tourist visa until his medicals are clear, which she said usually takes 4 weeks (I'm constantly checking my emails). Apparently, they don't tell you the results, just call you back to do another test if something was wrong.

We got our case officer/file number 2 months and 6 days after submitting our application, so hopefully its any day for you now.


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

So there's some updates on our PMV and Tourist visa applications, some good news some bad.

The good news is the medicals have been cleared for the PMV, approx 5 weeks after the test. The agent mentioned she recently had an application for PMV approved in only 5 months that wasn't, in her opinion, as good as ours and required a phone interview, which we were exempt from. Our processing time will be 4 months on 07/06 so hopefully we'll have good news soon.

The bad news is, a week before he was coming to be with me in Australia, the consulate in Bali refused him a 3 month Tourist Visa. Luckily I hadn't bought the ticket, never buy the ticket before the visa comes through. The grounds of the refusal I'll list below to help anyone avoid the 'mistakes' we made.

1. He hasn't spent enough time in Indonesia - In the last year, he's spent 6 months in Indonesia and 6 months in Australia. They didn't take into consideration he has spent the last 4 months and 4 days in Indonesia. Make it clear to them in your statement the time spent apart so they can't only count the time together. Use only touristy reasons for them coming, one of the reasons we put was we want to start planning our wedding. They didn't like that, even though we have a PMV application processing.

2. Not enough evidence to return to Indonesia - We included his shop rental agreement which was sufficient both previous times but somehow not now. Family connections - We are returning to Ra'as to be with his family in a few months for Ramadan, which is a pretty big religious and family connection alas not enough for this Client Service Officer. Property and assets - He owns a bike worth 2k and two houses on his island but they don't have deeds as commonly over there so make sure you can get copies of all assets. 

3. They acknowledge we're applying for a Partner Visa but haven't been assigned a Case Officer - This is total bulls poo. We got our CO back in April, we didn't apply for the Tourist Visa until May. They're meant to check it in their system but include evidence of your CO so they can't lie. 

4. He's had three Tourist Visas in the last year - Again total BS. He's only had two, which we did mention in our statement but they still ignored and made up another visa, that I don't know how to avoid.

Even though our visa was refused due to the Client Service Officer's inability to assess in a factual and correct manner, we have no chance to point out the mistakes. By law, no further assessment will be taken, do not request it. Instead, they ask us to submit a new application and pay again. Not bloody likely mate! I'll still send them an email pointing out the invalid assessment, but want nothing more to do with them.

Good news is I'm taking my annual leave now rather than September so I'm off to Bali on Thursday to be with him for 4 weeks. If we're lucky the PMV will be approved in July so he can just come home to Australia then. 

I hope everyone has more luck with the Australian Consulate in Bali than I did this time, it seems experiences and success vary for so many different cases!


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## Indah K (May 27, 2012)

Hi guys just want to share my experience in getting PMV.
I'm from Bali and currently living in Melbourne. My fiance (now my husband) is PR with Indonesian nationality. We've been in relationship for 6 years at the time we logged the visa and we did long distance relationship. During 6 years he visited me every once a year. We had a lot evidences such email, pictures, bank account, fb page, etc. We've got engaged in August 2010 when I visited him in Melbourne. Anyway, here is my timeline:

12/11/2010: Logged the application in AVAC Denpasar.
14/11/2010: Medical check in BIMC.
21/11/2010: Result of medical check.
15/12/2010: The application received in Aust Embassy Jakarta (File number and case officer allocated) Informed that they need my Original Birth Certificate. Dispatched it on the same day.
25/1/2011: Informed that I sent the wrong police clearance they need "The Indonesian Police Clearance from Jakarta".
14/2/2011: Sent the Police Clearance.
2/3/2011: Visa granted. No interview.

It took around 4 months for the visa to be granted. I think the visa will be granted sooner if getting the police clearance wasn't toooo complicated. I need to go here and there to get "stamp and sign"  and finally get my "Indonesian Police Clearance from Jakarta". But I'm not sure about incomplete documents in application result in the processing time. Yes it can delay the process, but that's not the only matters. After my marriage and I need to apply for the Partner Visa subclass 820/801 onshore here in Melbourne, I have sent the application with complete documents (they haven't contacted me to inform anything) and it took about 5 months (applied 5/9/2011, granted 3/2/2012) for the visa to be finalized. So, never know why it can take so long or short for the visa to be granted...Now i'm waiting for the permanent visa to be granted..should be 2 years from now 

Well, good luck for you guys


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## baligirl (Feb 29, 2012)

Hi Madura, thanks heaps for the information... we are still waiting for our case officer, cant get through by ringing or emailing.. so just hanging in there. We have actually submitted paperwork in april to convert our application to spouse Visa as we got married in Bali in April (yay). Submitted forms and certificate through VFS but have had no confirmation received by Jakarta.. i feel quite frustrated but oh well ... My partner came to oz in April and got questioned for 2hrs by customs about whether he is working here "soo not working" and they asked him why he is spending so much time in oz.. umm - so we can be together... now he has had to go back to bali for some business reasons and im quite nervous about him being able to come back in. We have a year multiple entry valid till dec 2012, but apparently they still need to tick the boxes before entry is permitted. our consulate said these 3 requirements are : funds to support stay here ie $1000 p/m, a reason to go back to Bali, & genuineness of holiday here. So i sent him back to bali with money and a letter of invitation, saying he needs to look after my kids here while i work full time, and will provide evidence of spouse visa applied for and that we have a business in bali together too... I tell you.. and you know yourself, this is soo draining and I cant wait for the day that we are free to live our lives just how we want.. Encouraging from yourself that it could only be a 5mth process. Our consulate said 9-12mths !!! take care Madura and enjoy your 4 weeks together and I dearly hope you have good news soon


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## Moose (Jun 11, 2012)

Hi IndahK,

My fiance is Balinese and is gathering all the documents to apply for a PMV to come here to Oz. She obtained a letter of recommendation from her village Police who told her to take that to Police Headquarters in Denpasar to get the Police check. The police at Denpasar advied her that she has to get the check from Jakarta which is quite a shock as that means she now may have to fly to Jakarta just to get this document. From your experience did you have to get the check from Jakarta or do you know if it is possible to get it without the need for her to fly to Jakarta just for the day??


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## baligirl (Feb 29, 2012)

Hey Moose, my fiance was in the same position. he got letter from village to go to district police, and then from district police they sent him to regency police. From there he went to Bali police (Polda Bali) in Denpasar. He was told to go to jakarta, but he said no, this should not be the case.(had to be quite strong about this ). Ended up in an office and had to "contribute" to the officer to get this done in Bali. Was a long round about process but ultimately got what we wanted without having to go to Jakarta... Good luck to her...


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## Moose (Jun 11, 2012)

Thanks baligirl.

Yes I thought this was the issue. I received information from another forum advising the same. But there is an option of getting a migration agent in Bali to apply for the Police check on her behalf and that seems like a good option.

She will go back to the Ploce today and try the "contribution" angle and if that does not work we will get the migration agent to obtain the check for her.


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## baligirl (Feb 29, 2012)

Finally !! a case officer after 3 months (to the day) of submitting our application.. no interview required , and medicals are booked for 2 weeks time. Lucky my partner is here in Perth, so he will just do them electronically through Medibank Health Solutions.... also just need to send 1 document which was not certified.... what a relief thought, that finally, someone is looking at our application


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

That's great news baligirl! My fiance is from Surabaya and I'm from Perth. We submitted the application on 11/5/12 (via secure courier) and it was received at the embassy in Jakarta on 15/5/12.

Got a letter back from VFS with file number etc on the 15th.
Have heard nothing so far, but I guess it has only been 6 weeks.

I have a friend who is a migration agent and she assisted us in preparing the application, so I'm hoping it will be a nice simple one for them to process. We decided against her coming out here on tourist visa's etc at this stage because there can be complications if her visa is granted at the time she is in Oz. We either meet up in Bali every few months or actually this September I'm going to Surabaya for the first time, so that should be interesting! 

Hope everything goes well for you!


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## MArk Harrison (May 31, 2011)

*Indo Fiance*



rohana said:


> hello
> i just have some questions if someone could help me
> im australian and my fiance is indonesian from bali
> just wondering if anyone know how long the process of accepting the Prospective marriage visa is? i have heard it takes 5- 12 months just wanting to know is anyone has some good feedback from their application and if it can take less time then 5 months?? we have been together for 1 year now and i have been to bali many times throughout the year to visit him and his family he is coming to australia in may to meet my family on a tourist visa and then we are hoping to apply for the PMV in september or october. we have a very strong committed relationship and lots of evidence to show eg: photos, western union receipts , phone bills, i also have his name tattooed on me
> ...


Hey mate, my fiance is from indonesia too. I used a lot of information from this website- its fantastic! get everything witnessed from police station etc. my visa took just over 4 MONTHS! so it is very possible to go qickly. i sent a email to our case officer every month just to touch base on a basic question or something just remember you dont want to annoy therm. they never really contacted us they just asked for her medicals which we did. if you have any questions please let me know- mark
also when you apply how long do you have to wait until you get an interview?? as i want to go to bali to submit the application with my fiance in person and do the interview...will that make the application process quicker?? also with medical checks where do they have to take place ?? can i an australia do a health check in bali when my fiance does and how long until the results come back?? hope to hear from someone soon


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

Baligirl congratulations!!! Mrs Baligirl now haha  That's wonderful news. Aww!! Was it difficult to change from fiance to spouse visa? It's crazy that it takes longer to get a visa for your husband rather than a fiance. Hopefully now you've got a CO it all goes quickly from here, great news about no interview too.
It's been 5 months and 4 days, we haven't heard anything from Jakarta. The agent said not to expect it until September, which is the quoted 7 months. I was hoping it would come through in 5 months, hearing all these stories of others getting it faster. It sucks coz if it does take the full time it's another 2 months of being apart ;( I feel exactly the same as you, can't wait for the day until some stranger doesn't have a say in my relationship! But the road of a mixed couple is a long one, until he's an aussie citizen it won't be 100% over. But I'm happy to settle with just being able to live and work together for now. Hopefully will have that approval email we're all waiting for soon


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## baligirl (Feb 29, 2012)

Hi Madura, thanks for your kind wishes, I thought your email was going to be an approval !! bummer... but was very easy to change, just submitted a change of details form, marriage certificate, and some photo's. Figured easier to do this, than have to re-submit after pmv approval with stat dec etc, and get charged an additional $960!!. So Gede, had his medical done here last week, and just today I posted off the results to Jakarta, then thats its as far as information they need.... fingers crossed we all get some good news in the next few weeks


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

I don't know if anyone else has heard of this, but this is what my agent told me about visas not currently being issued by Jakarta: 

'Jakarta is obviously still waiting for the go ahead to start re-issuing visas as they have capped their quota. It was suppose to be started at the beginning of July but I don't know what happened so we have to wait until they get the go ahead.

I will let you know when this starts again.

My reply:

Wow, I didn't know they had capped their quota. That's not good news. Do you have any idea approximately of how long until they start issuing? Do you think once they start reissuing the outcome will be issued shortly after that?

Her reply:

Your visa is not due until around September as it was only lodged in February 2012 but fingers crossed they issue it earlier.

Once they get the go ahead to start issuing visas it shouldn't be too long. I thought they would start issuing visas by the end of this month. I have other clients waiting too so hopefully not much longer.

I hope this won't affect our visas too much, but who knows?


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## baligirl (Feb 29, 2012)

Hi Madura... i think it has taken me a few days to digest this news.. Wow, thats is a huge bummer, has Natalie given you any more news since? I really dont know what to say apart from 'HURRY UP JAKARTA!!!" , We did all our medicals, and case officer said they are all good, but any further communication to case officer (DS) has been ignored since..this is such a loooooooooooooooong, frustrating process....take care


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## TLim (Aug 5, 2012)

Hi Madura, I am new on this forum and thank you and baligirl for the information that you have posted. I have followed your thread for a while as my fiancee submitted her PMV around the same time as you both. She applied for her visa on the 13th of March this year. I am waiting anxiously as well. She has done her medicals and was dissapointed about the capping that was imposed in Jakarta.... Hope you have more information and updates for us soon.... Thx, TLim


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## baligirl (Feb 29, 2012)

Has anyone else got any news on the Jakarta visa capping ??


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## lovesbaliii (Jul 30, 2012)

My partners from Bali to.... Were just finishing getting all our docs ready to apply at the end of the month not looking forward to being without him  I was hoping for a quick visa process but this stuff about Jakarta has def got me down hopefully they get there act together!


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## TLim (Aug 5, 2012)

Hi lovesbaliii,
Yeah, hopefully Jakarta has started processing the visa's now. No news so far from the CO.... My partner has just been waiting patiently for almost 5 months now. All the best with your application.


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## lovesbaliii (Jul 30, 2012)

Thanks so much its stressful getting everything together and the thought of us going to Bali and leaving without him not ready for that I hope all our applications go through smoothly....did u guys get your partners passport translated or just certified?? I got it certified I'm not sure if we have to get it translated..


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## TLim (Aug 5, 2012)

We just got the passport certified, not translated. Where abouts in Aus are you? Are you still in Bali at the moment? Just make sure all the docs are in order and follow the checklist. As long as all the docs are in order, I believe that the application will run smoothly. Unfortunately, we all have to go through this process of not being with our partners till the application is approved.


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## lovesbaliii (Jul 30, 2012)

I'm in NSW in Newcastle ....not yet we go over the 20th of Aug yup everythings in order just gotta get the last few stat decs done and we should be good to go!! I know just gotta come home from Bali and get straight into work get my mind off things I can't change


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## TLim (Aug 5, 2012)

Hopefully I'll be in Bali at the end of October to bring my fiancee back to Perth  All the best and let us know how you go... You will be fine.... Just think ahead when all this is done  It will be worth the wait....


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## lovesbaliii (Jul 30, 2012)

I def will keep in touch to I hope all goes well with you guys xxx


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

Hi all, well it's reached the six month mark last week, haven't heard anything new... yet! It's gotta be any day now! Well at least until they start processing visas again but I haven't heard anything new on that either. I turned to google and tried to do some research but I couldn't find anything, Baligirl your CO hasn't replied? 
I emailed my agent today to check, will definately pass any news on. Tlim happy to help with whatever we can  It seems some people have very different experiences when applying for visas but I think it all depends on the time you apply, how many applications Jakarta has to process, what time of year (it seems the change in financial year affected the quota). Looks like the earlier the better, the visa regulations just get tougher and tougher and processing time longer and longer especially for those of us with
partners from 'high risk' countries like Indonesia. 
But I'm grateful that we have the opportunity to live together, even though its long and painful to be apart now, its better than some people have it. Hope it's all good news from here!


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

Word from agent - Jakarta has started to issue visas again but only a few.


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## TLim (Aug 5, 2012)

Hi Madura, thanks so much for the updates!!!  It is good to know that Jakarta has started to issue some visa's again. Better some than none! We have almost passed the 5 month mark. Yes, I tried to google as well and could not find anything on the internet. Well, I do hope that you have news on your application soon as it should be close now for you. All the best Madura.


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## baligirl (Feb 29, 2012)

Hi Guys, 5 months for us today... i had heard too that Jakarta is re-issuing Visa's so lets hope hope hope that within the next 1-2 mths ours can come too  Madura, we have emailed 3 times our case officer and we get absolutely no reply - dead space... so, resigned to just waiting ... fingers crossed good news soon, take care everyone


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## lovesbaliii (Jul 30, 2012)

Did u girls Use paperclips or just leave them lose when doing your applications??? I just wanna make the process as easy as it can be lol got the money ready now excited for Bali but.... 4months together and then being apart for god knows how long dreading it already just have to focus on a nice holiday together and knowing it will be the last time apart


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## TLim (Aug 5, 2012)

Hi Lovesbaliii, use paper clips. Don't staple your application and also stack the application in order of the checklist. Hope that helps...


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## lovesbaliii (Jul 30, 2012)

Thanks yup its in order for them and I have used paper clips I just wasn't sure if it was better to just leave everything lose but ill just leave it paper clipped thanks heaps


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## TLim (Aug 5, 2012)

Have fun in Bali!!! Wished I was going too  All the best with the application....


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## Moose (Jun 11, 2012)

*Processing time have changed*

Hi all,

My partner and I have yet to apply for our PMV as she is still getting all of her documents together an Aussie migration agent I have been speaking with in Bali just advised me the processing times for PMV/spouse visas assessed in Jakarta changed on the 1st of July. Before July the processing times were up to 7 months however the new changes mean the time is now up to 12 months.

Of course an application could still be approved faster than that but just to think it might be 12 months is very depressing.


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## TLim (Aug 5, 2012)

Hi Moose, thanks for letting us know. I did see the update on the DIAC website that now it is up to 12 months for high risk countries. I just hope that this does not some how affect some of us here that applied early this year as we are all still waiting patiently.
I am eager and waiting daily to hear good news from some of the posters here on the forum to spread the good news that their PMV's have been approved from Jakarta.
All the best in your application Moose.


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

I had a really thick application (maybe too much) so couldn't paperclip everything, but had it all in the one envelope. Bulldog clips can suffice too. I wrote a cover letter explaining what each sections included and how it proved our relationship, it's not required but I was so obsessive over the application. Glad all that's over, I don't think the PR application should be as tedious (I hope). 

I wish I was going to Bali too! Soak up as much love as you can, I had a refill in June, it was pure bliss. Then back to the waiting game boo. We've been apart 10 months of our (coming up) two year relationship, sigh, I'm over being alone but in a way so used to it, it'll be an adjustment at first having him around all the time 

That sucks about the processing time! All I can say is I also got told that it could be approved faster, I really got my hopes up and convinced myself 
it would come through in 5 months but here we are a week away from 7 months and still nothing. It makes you wonder, are there more Indo/Aussie relationships or are 'they' trying to make it harder to get visas?

I really really really hope that doesn't mean we all have to wait 12 months now, I don't think so but nothing is a sure thing. Good luck troops and keep the updates coming! Ha ha


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## TLim (Aug 5, 2012)

Hi Madura... When I saw your post I thought that it would have been that there would be good news and that the visa application was approved! I knew that your application was coming up to 7 months.... Hope you hear some news next week! I couldn't take it any longer being apart from my fiancee as well and decided to go over for the weekend next week.
I hope that you get some news soon as I too was hoping that the application would have just taken 5 months  Take care and hope your next post will be one to tell us all the good news


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

Ha ha yeah false alarm  thanks and don't worry after I call my partner screaming that we got the visa and book his flights, I'll jump online and share the good news  Oh god I hope it's good news I'm sharing. Otherwise it's onto the indonesian immigration process for me eeek


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## baligirl (Feb 29, 2012)

Thought is was good news too Madura, I think you will be the first one out of all of us and now you must be soo close now. 
I heard that the 12mths only applies to applications after 1 July, so hopefully we are all in the 7mth bracket still.... lots of our friends last year got there's in about 4.5mths... so guess things must have changed over time.... and pleeeessse dont even think about refusals !!! take care


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## TLim (Aug 5, 2012)

Madura, I hope you hear some fantastic and great news this week! All the best and yes, please let us all know if the visa is all approved


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

Thanks so much! Fingers crossed it's this week. Will definately let you guys know


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## lovesbaliii (Jul 30, 2012)

We applied for our pmv visa on monday and yesturday got the confirmation only 4 days  and requesting our medicals we are doing them on monday then the long wait for us!!!!! but least its in now dreading even thinking of a 12 month wait but


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## Brazilian (Sep 7, 2012)

lovesbaliii said:


> We applied for our pmv visa on monday and yesturday got the confirmation only 4 days  and requesting our medicals we are doing them on monday then the long wait for us!!!!! but least its in now dreading even thinking of a 12 month wait but


I hope happen like that to me


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## lovesbaliii (Jul 30, 2012)

Just wondering guys will I get an email from someone saying there or CO or is just the email requesting our medicals and with our reference number enough to say someones at least looking at it???


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## baligirl (Feb 29, 2012)

We got an email after 3mths of lodgement, from our CO, introducing himself, his contact details, and then with the request to get the medicals done... that was all, now we have done all this and just waiiiitttinnngggg..............


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## lovesbaliii (Jul 30, 2012)

oohhh ok  we got a request for medicals but no introduction from a co so manybe no co yet ... ohhh well the wait continues Its only been a week since we applied lol


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## TLim (Aug 5, 2012)

Well, we have passed the 6 month mark now and I was hopeful that we would have had some good news from Madura by now. I hope that the Embassy in Jakarta will hurry up on those applications  Things seem like they are going at a snail's pace at the moment... All the best lovesbalii... Hope the medicals went smoothly...


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

Ignore my post above. We emailed the embassy this morning and they advised a letter had been sent by express post on the 5th Sept. My fiance didn't receive it, so we ended up filling out a form 1193 to authorise contact via email.

We were advised against doing this initially, but the Indonesian postal service is about as reliable as a tradesperson arriving on time.

Just waiting for the embassy to send her a scanned copy of the original letter they sent in the post! I imagine it will just be a request for medicals or something... but at least we now have some contact with them and the ball is rolling!


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## lovesbaliii (Jul 30, 2012)

hey guys just wondering with the way indonesia hasnt been handing out tourist visas as much as they use to how long do u think would be sufficent time to apply for another tourist visa??? my partner was here from may till aug 20 im hoping he could be here for my birthday in oct on the 24th and for christmas,,,,, do u think the visa would be approved just worries me


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## TLim (Aug 5, 2012)

Hi lovesbalii, as far as I am aware, if you have lodged your PMV, it might be hard to get a tourist visa to come into Australia. I could be wrong and someone could maybe correct me if I am wrong.


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## lovesbaliii (Jul 30, 2012)

oh really can they really expect us to wait 12months to be with our partners... we have completed medicals and a police check and now just waiting i hope this isnt the case!!


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## TLim (Aug 5, 2012)

If I am correct and from what I have read, yup, it is just wait  I have gone over to Bali a couple of times since we submitted the PMV just to be with my fiancee. That's the only way that we can be together... We are now passed our 6 month mark and still waiting. I can't understand why processing of visa's have slowed down  Still waiting for other posters to share good news, but nothing as yet....


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## lovesbaliii (Jul 30, 2012)

oh wow this is a downer i pritty much only just left and dont no when ill get back there missing him like crazy I hope this isnt the case  oh hopefully u get some news soon!!!!  thanks for the reply


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## baligirl (Feb 29, 2012)

Madura... you must be just about pulling your hair out now ....  any news from natalie ?


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## daphsta (Apr 10, 2012)

TLim said:


> Hi lovesbalii, as far as I am aware, if you have lodged your PMV, it might be hard to get a tourist visa to come into Australia. I could be wrong and someone could maybe correct me if I am wrong.


I came into Australia on a tourist visa while my PMV was in process, but I was on ETA. However, it is legal to visit Australia on tourist visa while the PMV is in process. I just got notified by my CO today to leave the country to finalize my PMV, so I suppose it is possible to do so.


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## TLim (Aug 5, 2012)

Thanks for letting me know daphsta. However, will lovesbalii still be able to get her partner a tourist visa if they have yet got a CO? I guess it is an option for me to think off as well then. Thanks again...


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## daphsta (Apr 10, 2012)

TLim said:


> Thanks for letting me know daphsta. However, will lovesbalii still be able to get her partner a tourist visa if they have yet got a CO? I guess it is an option for me to think off as well then. Thanks again...


What I have experienced is that would be possible. I flew over to Australia without a CO assigned hence it will not be in the immigration database that you have applied for a PMV. When I arrived at the airport, I was briefly interviewed by the immigration officers on basic questions like, who am I visiting, how long am I staying in the country...etc. And I told them I have already applied for a PMV but it didn't show in their records because I didn't have a CO assigned then.


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

Some great news this morning. After 4 months of waiting she got an email from CO introducing herself.

Advised no interview required, asked her to get medicals and also a little unusual request - they want the marriage celebrant here in Oz to write a letter outlining the plans for our wedding, the venue etc, also include any receipts we have from venues or catering companies. We already submitted a NOIM form with the application so this will be in addition.

Waiting for letter then I'll have the joy experience of sending it to Jakarta via DHL for $80-$100 

Hope the rest of the process goes fast! Application was received at embassy on 15th May 2012.


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## TLim (Aug 5, 2012)

I'm sure lovesbalii will be delighted to hear this.  
BonezAu... good news. We also had that request, however, we were just going to get married at the Perth Registrar office and they don't give out dates, but just a NOIM. So we replied stating just that. Hope that it is okay as we did not hear back from the CO after replying.


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## lovesbaliii (Jul 30, 2012)

I am more then excited  just hope 2 months out of the country will be ok for them.....
congrats bones that fantastic news


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

lovesbaliii said:


> I am more then excited  just hope 2 months out of the country will be ok for them.....
> congrats bones that fantastic news


Terima kasih!

I went to Surabaya in late August/early Sept so we've had our recharge. It's my mum's 60th this year so the whole family have decided to go to Bali and stay in a nice villa in early December. As a surprise for my mum I have booked flights for her whole family (4 adults, 2 kids + fiance) to fly and meet with my whole family - should be a blast! She has been to Perth and my my fam but the rest of her fam haven't met mine yet. Mum won't know until the morning when we pick them up from the airport, teehee. It could even be a nice surprise for both of us if the visa is already approved before then, but who knows. 15 May + 7 months = 15 December... we *could* be in luck.

Fiance going to get medicals done tomorrow morning, no need to wait for a booking time as the clinic is not booked up. Should get a reply from our celebrant tonight hopefully.

And to the poster above, if your CO didn't reply I hope that means it is sufficient. We might even have the same CO if they asked for the same thing, who knows... Today I was scrambling for venues since we hadn't actually decided where we wanted to get married yet - had planned to wait until the fiance arrived then find something pretty quickly, so I called the registry office in Perth and same - they don't give out dates more than about 5 weeks in advance.

I would prefer to still get a letter from the celebrant since that is what they asked for and I'd hate any delays. So still looking for a venue but should get something sorted out in the next couple of days!


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## baligirl (Feb 29, 2012)

Congrats BonezAU for finally getting some contact !! I would email your CO and ask if you can just scan in the information for the wedding details and then email it to them.. Save you some money and time doing it this way. Its not as though its a super important document .. does seem like a bit of an odd request.. because how can you book and pay for a venue, when you have no idea when your visa will get processed ?? maybe suggest to yr CO.. ok if I book for December, can I have my Visa ready .??..lol ...


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

Baligirl - Still no visa. I've reached a point where I'm not excited anymore, every time we reach an estimated time we get told to wait another month. One week past 7 months I emailed Natalie asking her to email the CO. We got the below reply from Jakarta:

I will have a look at the file to see if it's ready for finalization.
Hopefully, I will be able to update you within two weeks.

Regards,

Christy.

Now Christy is not our CO. I was so disapointed, I thought he was coming last weekend but now it seems it won't be for another 2 weeks AT LEAST. 2weeks to check a file? How ridiculous! How can they make people wait that long for something so simple as checking a file? It's almost 2 weeks past the quoted time of 7 months. I'd like to light a fire under them rather than relying on Natalie to email them but part of me is worried if I emailed and was persistent they would just get the shits and deny the visa. I don't want to do anything to hurt our chances, patience really is a virtue.

My experience was not successful obtaining a tourist visa while the PMV was processing. Even though they are obviously going to leave the country in order to come back on the PMV that's not enough for the tourist visa to be approved. We were already assigned our CO 2 months before we applied for our tourist visa, though one of the reasons the tourist
visa was rejected was we weren't yet assigned a CO. Go figure. You have to clearly outline everything in your application, we were told they would check their records to see about the CO, but if they did they got it wrong. Don't give them that opportunity. Also, they don't give a rats about couples spending time together or planning a wedding, so make sure all your reasons for requesting the tourist visa are strictly touristy. Sight seeing, travel, all that stuff.


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## baligirl (Feb 29, 2012)

Ohh Madura.... im so sorry... its so f&^%^& up, knowing its soo close, but technically so far, as its out of our hands, being able to do anything.. i dont get how hard it can be, and agree - two weeks to check a file ... pffft... i wish i understood the process better, then i could make allowances for delays... but seeing as no one from jakarta will talk to us, its a bit bloody hard.. keep strong Madura, surely it wont be long now till you are both celebrating on oz soil


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

Thanks Baligirl, I know it's gotta end sometime, but as you said it just seems so far away. Plus once we're married, we have to do a whole nother application to get him on the TR. Yes, that means everything all over again... and I didn't photocopy the last application. I said to immigration, but we've just had everything assessed, can't we just submit things in the gap from the visa to the marriage? No, this is a seperate application, we need to see everything from the beginning. At least we'll be together though.


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## baligirl (Feb 29, 2012)

Yeah, thats one of the (un)romantic reasons we got married sooner rather than wait until after PMV process, its was a given that we would get married - so we did.!.. we didnt want to have to go through the TR process and give them another $960 for the pleasure.. thank god, we just have to wait for the 2yr to PR once ours is done (sorry, you probably didnt want to hear all that too ) ..


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

Cool story bro. Was it really worth your time signing up to this forum and locating this thread full of people who are as nervous as hell about life changing situations to tell us about your fake ID's?

lol


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## baligirl (Feb 29, 2012)

Awesome Thiery1!!, I am going to ring Jakarta and tell them to throw our application in the bin and get a new fake passport from you and tell my hubby to catch a boat here, Ok ?


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## daphsta (Apr 10, 2012)

Sounds like a Nigerian scam


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## melandabdul (Sep 1, 2012)

Thiery1 how about you tout your wears somewhere else!!!


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## lovesbaliii (Jul 30, 2012)

I don't know what the point of that was when we all have just payed 2000 plus to get our partners her legally to even try get our partners here illegally... is he crazy


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

Ha ha yeah I know we took the long way with the PMV, but when I did the application I thought we'd be applying for the defacto. It was only after we were just about to submit Natalie said if we went PMV it was pretty much guanteed but defacto would be hard to get. I thought about just getting married but at the time I wanted the extra 9 months, I was a bit nervous and was angry that the gov could force a wedding on us to be together. Plus, I wanted my parents to be there, I'm their only daughter and the youngest in 
the family, mum would have been devo. It's great once you get your visa it's almost over! We're pretty much going to get married as soon as he gets here anyway, so the 2 years can start, so he can get medicare, and he can start his apprenticeship! 

So by changing to spouse from PMV, does that mean you have to wait up to 12 months rather than the 7? 

Thanks Thiery for giving all of us a laugh. It was well needed. But I hope no one would ever take you seriously.


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## TLim (Aug 5, 2012)

BonezAu... How was Surabaya? Glad you had fun. Yes, with the request for venues etc, I thought the same thing as Baligirl as I had no idea when mu fiance would be granted the visa, so how could I go ahead and get all that sorted out??? 
I was assured by the Registrar of Marriages that the NOIM they supplied was more than sifficient and said that if I encountered any problems for the CO to call them, so that's what we wrote back to the CO. Have not heard back from him asking for more information, so hopefully like you said, fingers crossed and that it is sufficient.
Madura, I have a feeling that your application should soon be approved... It can't be much longer!!! I can't believe it if they are not going to drag all of us to wait the full 12 months even though we applied before the 1st of July....


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

TLim said:


> BonezAu... How was Surabaya? Glad you had fun. Yes, with the request for venues etc, I thought the same thing as Baligirl as I had no idea when mu fiance would be granted the visa, so how could I go ahead and get all that sorted out???
> I was assured by the Registrar of Marriages that the NOIM they supplied was more than sifficient and said that if I encountered any problems for the CO to call them, so that's what we wrote back to the CO. Have not heard back from him asking for more information, so hopefully like you said, fingers crossed and that it is sufficient.


Surabaya was great thanks... also went to Yogjakarta too which was awesome.

I spoke to our celebrant and she has written a letter stating that we are getting married in a nice park near my parents house, and confirming that she has a copy of the completed NOIM on hand etc. I'll send it through straight to the embassy... we can't really give them any other kind of proof so hopefully that will be enough.

Now we have a problem where the fiance went to get her medicals done and the clinic needs a HAP number so they can lodge the result via eHealth. The CO didn't provide this number, and we've been waiting a day and a half since emailing the embassy for them to get back to her with the info.


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## baligirl (Feb 29, 2012)

Madura, I dont think my processing time should blow out to 12 mths (dont freak me out ).. we submitted PMV in march and changed to spouse in april, our CO's introduction letter acknowledged all this and it still said "processing time 7mths (more or less)"... so hey...can only go on this information. Did you already organise an apprenticeship for your Fiance? how? and what will he be doing ?? thats cool ...
bonezau : the HAP number should be on an attachment to the email about all the medical stuff .. have you checked that ?
ah well.. on with the day .. this forum is so helpful, knowing we are all "stressing out" together ... so many people say "oh but your married surely that means automatic resident" hahaha... little do they know what we are really going through


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

baligirl said:


> bonezau : the HAP number should be on an attachment to the email about all the medical stuff .. have you checked that ?
> ah well.. on with the day .. this forum is so helpful, knowing we are all "stressing out" together ... so many people say "oh but your married surely that means automatic resident" hahaha... little do they know what we are really going through


What happened initially is we were advised by my friend (who is a migration agent) that if you tick the box to elect paper based communications (post) then you get longer to reply to them when they ask you to do something. (28 days vs 7 days electronic).

So we did that... then they sent her a letter on 5th Sept and it never arrived. Good ol' Pos Indonesia.

Just by chance my fiance emailed the embassy to get an update because it had been 4 months with no response. They then told us they had sent a letter via express post. They then sent her a form 1193 to authorise them to contact via email rather than post, then they sent my fiance a scan of the original letter they posted her that didn't arrive.

That letter doesn't have any of the HAP info unfortunately, so we have been waiting for the embassy to send it through.. it's almost been 2 full days since she emailed them and no response yet 

And yeah, you are right - most people assume it's really simple and don't realise what we're all going through!


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

Sorry I didn't mean to worry you! It's fantastic they will process it in 7 months. My partner wants to do a carpentry apprenticeship, though I found it difficult to find out if a TR could start an apprenticeship. In short, I was told two answers, one saying yes he can start but only once we're married and he's on TR visa 309 (though he's not eligible for any adult apprentice incentives until he's a PR - fine with me, I'll just be bloody happy once he's working and we have a second income) aannnnddddd another answer saying no he needs to be a PR. I got this info from Australian Apprentice Centres who help organise the paperwork and study side of things and even can help 
find employers who wants apprentices. 

Ha long gone are the days of getting married to stay in the country! I find it extremely helpful to talk with others who are going through the same thing, misery loves company! Haha just joking, it's great talking to real people, hearing experiences after reading pages of official guides.

Thanks TLim, we can only hope and have faith. And repeat 'it can't be much longer' over and over again


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

Don't get excited guys, no good news to share as yet! As you all know, we're almost 3 weeks past the due date of 7 months. 2 weeks ago, we were told they would check the file, no one has gotten back to us. I emailed them yesterday, and was told our CO was on a business trip and wouldn't be in until the end of the week....Total eye twitching frustration. No one is even looking at our application, booooooo!


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## TLim (Aug 5, 2012)

Hahaha Madura... Good one! When I saw your post, I thought that it was definately great news.... Yes, it is very very frustrating knowing that it should be close now. I cna't even plan anything properly now because I too don't know when the application might be approved. 
Is your CO David? If it is, then our application will also not be looked at for another week  Relax.... We have waited this long and the wait should soon be over... We have already waited more than 5 months, so anything from here on should just be a walk in the park


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

Fiance finally got the letter containing the HAP ID etc for medicals yesterday, she is getting them done at the clinic right now.

I also sent off a letter via DHL as they requested from our celebrant confirming the venue and date/time etc. $71 to send 2x A4 pieces of paper... *cough cough*.
I don't trust the postal system though and the embassy insisted on a certified copy so didn't have much choice.

Hopefully it'll be fast from here on!


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## lovesbaliii (Jul 30, 2012)

how long have u been waitimg bonez??? hopefully one of us get good news soon


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

lovesbaliii said:


> how long have u been waitimg bonez??? hopefully one of us get good news soon


Application received at embassy 15th May 2012.
We got confirmation from VFS, then waited 4 months without hearing a single thing.

Now my fiance got a letter saying no interview required, please get medicals done and also a request for a letter from our celebrant detailing wedding plans. She did the medicals this morning and I have just sent off the letter they asked for via courier.

She will get medical result tomorrow and then they lodge it online straight to the embassy.

I guess we just wait a couple more months now


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## lovesbaliii (Jul 30, 2012)

ohhhh hopefully not to much longer then  sounds like great news!!!!!!!!


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

I received 2 missed calls today while in a meeting from 02 6261 1111, which is the number for Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade... which Immigration falls under.

From what I have been able to research online, all Australian embassy's worldwide show this number (phone via VoIP I presume), so I suspect our CO in Jakarta is trying to get hold of me.

Anyone ever had the embassy call like this? I'm not the applicant of the visa, my fiance is... 

I want to know what they want!! My phone is in my hand with me for the rest of the afternoon!


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## baligirl (Feb 29, 2012)

BonesAU, hope your phone rings soon !! let us know if its Visa related...
TLim our CO is David too.... why does a CO need to go on a business trip !! he should be sitting at his desk stamping our Visa app "Approved" !! ...lol. Our lodgement date was 20/3, so you and I must be very close together, fingers crossed ...
Madura... i would imagine you're up to a full body twitch now ...lol 
Keep smiling everyone... it really cant be too much longer... really ??


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

It wasn't anything exciting... they just called again.
Yesterday I sent a letter that the CO requested via DHL... it only left Perth last night and is sitting in a warehouse in Singapore... probably will go off to Jakarta tomorrow.

Apparently DHL in Indonesia had contacted the embassy advising that there may be a customs clearance fee and they can't deliver it until it's been paid. The embassy managed to track me down in their system just by my name, then get my phone number off the 40sp, so that's pretty good!

The embassy just wanted to know what was in the letter etc. I rang DHL here and gave them the tracking number, they said there are no invoices on the system yet but rightly so since the package hasn't even arrived in Indonesia yet!

He also thought it was very odd that DHL Indonesia would contact the embassy in advance to tell them that... and he said it would be pretty weird for them to charge a customs clearance fee on an envelope with 2 sheets of paper in it.

Just told me to keep an eye on the tracking and if it looks like it's being held up anywhere, just give them a call and they'll check to see if any invoices have been generated.


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## TLim (Aug 5, 2012)

Hi Baligirl, Good to know... yeah, I was thinking the same thing the other day when Madura said the CO was on a business trip? What sort of business trips do these guys go to??? Hahaha... I doubled checked our lodgement date and it is the 13/03, so yes, our lodgement dates are really close. I really feel like contacting the CO when 7 months comes around to just let them know we are still 'alive' and waiting for approval!
BonesAU, never had a call for the PMV, only when applying for her tourist visa last year did they call me. So hopefully they try again and let you know what they are after....


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## lovesbaliii (Jul 30, 2012)

My friend applied for there pmv in july and just got word yesturday there visa was approved so hopefully not much longer for you guys!!!!!!!!!!! god im gana be on this page all alone soon haha


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

lovesbaliii said:


> My friend applied for there pmv in july and just got word yesturday there visa was approved so hopefully not much longer for you guys!!!!!!!!!!! god im gana be on this page all alone soon haha


Wow that is so awesome!!

I wonder how long it takes between the time medicals are submitted and the visa is granted... anyone know? (on average?!)


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

My CO is David as well! Possibly just a generic name they use, as I'm sure they don't to give out their real name when dealing with people that have so much invested emotionally and financially in the application. I don't beleive the business trip thing either, it's just an excuse to not have to answer to us.

Lovesbaliii, your friend applied for a PMV through Jakarta in July and it got approved 2 months later?


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## lovesbaliii (Jul 30, 2012)

sorry i stand corrected they applied in Feb but she told me in july sorry for the miscommunication


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## TLim (Aug 5, 2012)

Well, at least we know that visas are getting approved!!!! If the David is the same David with the same surname, i hope that his workload is not too heavy and start processing some of those visas after his business trip. If what lovesbalii posted is anything to go by, your visa should be approved next week Madura... 
Also does anyone knows what the process is after the visa is approved? Does the passport need to be sent to the Australian Embassy for them to put the 'sticker' on a page?


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

TLim said:


> Does the passport need to be sent to the Australian Embassy for them to put the 'sticker' on a page?


Yeah, VFS will contact you and advise they are sending a courier (if you are doing a postal application).

The courier will collect the passport, they will put a visa in it and send it back.

Pretty sure that's how it works anyway.


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

If the post by lovesbaliii is anything to go by, my partners visa would have been approved 3 months ago. We've been waiting almost 8 months. Good for them they only had to wait 5 months. Would be great if we all got the same! 

Our agent said it's all electronic, so we can buy a ticket and he can come asap once the visa has been granted. So glad we don't have to wait any longer once we get that magic email


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## TLim (Aug 5, 2012)

Madura, not long for you now. LovesBalii corrected her post saying her friend applied in Feb and just got the PMV approved... So that is close to the time you applied... Thanks BonezAU and Madura for giving me feedback on what hap[pens after approval....


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

Oh i took 'they applied in Feb and they told me in July' to mean it was approved in July, which would only be 5 months. I thought that was a bit weird, given that they just increased the waiting time. I hope ur right & next week is the week, 7 months of being apart is enough. Maybe check with David when he comes back how the visa stamp thing works for u, they could do both ways depending on what you choose. I'll let you know if i get any contact from the agent or Jakarta of course.


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

His visa got approved today!!!!! So so so happy - 3 days short of 8 months and we'll finally be back together!! Booking him on the next flight out tonight so he'll be here tomorrow morning! 

This received from Jakarta:

Please find attached letter of decision in relation to your client's
application. The original letter and some documents to return (eg. photos
and other evidence of your relationship) will be forwarded to AVAC Bali via
their Jakarta office this morning. You may be able to collect them early
next week.

There is no need for you to submit the passport for visa evidencing process
as we now have a label-free arrangement in place as of 1 July 2012. Please
read the notification attached below for detailed information.

I'm so happy to finally share this with you guys, I hope to see the same for you all too! If I can help at all let me know!


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## baligirl (Feb 29, 2012)

OH YES !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Madura, sooooooooo happy for you guys, I have shivers and feel like crying !!!!! Did it come by email ?


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

Madura said:


> His visa got approved today!!!!! So so so happy - 3 days short of 8 months and we'll finally be back together!! Booking him on the next flight out tonight so he'll be here tomorrow morning!


Congratulations!! Party time!

Good to know about the new electronic process they have in place now too. My fiance already paid for return courier from VFS Jakarta so I wonder if they'll give her a refund?


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## TLim (Aug 5, 2012)

Great news Madura! So happy for you.... If this is what we need to go by, hope I will be able to share good news with you guys in a months time  all the best Madura and thanks for sharing... Really good to hear positive news from you....


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## abc (Sep 11, 2012)

Madura said:


> His visa got approved today!!!!! So so so happy - 3 days short of 8 months and we'll finally be back together!! Booking him on the next flight out tonight so he'll be here tomorrow morning!
> 
> This received from Jakarta:
> 
> ...


Congrats Madura . I'm happy to hear that great news


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

Thanks for your kind words everyone, it's been an emotional ride! Baligirl - you're so sweet! I got the news via email, Jakarta sent it to Natalie and CC'd me (only coz I was annoying them so much by the end they had my email address). It didn't come from David, it came from Christie and had her details on the approval. Bonez, I'd be asking for a refund. TLim, I hope you hear good news soon too! If I'm anything to go by you guys can expect 8 months but as we all know it's unpredictable, Jakarta may process them faster now everyone is back from their business trip haha. I'm stoked they sent back the evidence to Bali so I can use it for the next application, it's with the agent already.


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## TLim (Aug 5, 2012)

Emailed our CO on 10/10/12. Absolute silence and no response to my email.  Getting a little frustrated at the moment not knowing what is happening. Is there a quota for how many visa's they approve a month? Just hope the wait isn't going to be any longer...


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## lovesbaliii (Jul 30, 2012)

Not as exciting as a pmv visa being granted but my fiancee got his tourist visa granted so excited and in 5 days! was so sure it was a no!!!!!!! cant wait to at least wait out 3 months together


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## baligirl (Feb 29, 2012)

TLim : the deathly silence is soo frustrating, dont even get a "read receipt" to the email, so who knows if they even look ! My partner is here in Oz, and im a bit scared that they will just send an email granting it, without asking him to leave the country. I actually sent our Co (David) an email advising this, and requesting he acknowledge..but NOTHING.... 8 days till our 7 mths... surely you or I will hear something soon .....


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## TLim (Aug 5, 2012)

Well Lovesbaliii... that's great that your partner got his tourist visa granted! Congrats! Have fun together 
Yes, Baligirl... it is really frustrating. We are on 7 months now... heading into the 8th month now... So hopefully it will be soon... I've never been to Bali so many times in a year before in the last 2 years! hahahaa... Good to know that your partner is here with you as well... Enjoy... Hope your partner has been enjoying the decent weather we are having here in Perth


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## baligirl (Feb 29, 2012)

TLim, yeah, i reckon i've just about filled my passport with bali immi stamps in the last 2 yrs too... is your partner here too ?


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## TLim (Aug 5, 2012)

Unfortunately she is not here with me as we thought that she would have been here by now! So, we didn't plan anything and also now we hope it is close to getting approved, so I will go to Bali once more time to bring her home with me. She is from Banyuwangi, East Java. 
So, was it easy to get the tourist visa whilst the PMV is being processed? I remember Madura had some problems, that's why I never bothered getting my partner to come here after we submitted the PMV....
Anyway, hopefully she will be here for good soon.... I should visit your spa in Bali the next time I'm there... where abouts is it?


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## baligirl (Feb 29, 2012)

Oh, it must be so hard to be apart.. thats a bummer. We were lucky, we had applied for our 3rd tourist visa Dec 2011, and scored a 12mth with 3monthly exits.. love a reason to go back ..lol.. and submitted our visa app march 2012, so we already had the tourist visa in place. luckily.
our spa is on Jl Legian, near seminyak, welcome to pop in any time  
So, hopefully both of us will get some good news in the next couple of weeks - Maybe... I too wonder about the allocation of visa per month, but then, who knows how many applicants they are apart from the 3 of us on here ...lol


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

Congrats lovesbaliii, it's so great, the wait is much more bearable when you're together. You're right TLim I did have problems getting a tourist visa, but looks like it's not impossible... but you'll get an email shortly and once you're back together it seems like the time just flew. 
Bali girl, from the forums and sites I have looked at, there are apparently 20,000 onshore applications and 20,000 off shore, but that's worldwide, who knows how many of those are with Jakarta. Fingers crossed in the next few weeks, so we all can have Christmas in Australia! Maybe Melbourne cup


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## TLim (Aug 5, 2012)

Hi Madura... Great to hear from you! You sound happy  So your partner settling in well? At the moment, if I count by weeks, next week will be 8 months for us, but if I count by months, it is another 3 weeks before the 8 month mark. Hopefully we will get an answer just before the 8 month mark like you did Madura. The next few weeks will be agonising.... Just waiting and hoping that the news does come through and when it does, it will be good news not bad... 
Yup, hope Baligirl gets good news too and like you said... Christmas together... That's a nice thought to keep me being patient


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## baligirl (Feb 29, 2012)

Nice to hear from you Madura, you must feel so relaxed about life right now... and so you should be   the last 8 mths must feel like just a bad dream  
TLim ; i am going mental, i have never been so obsessed over email its not funny..lol.. Did you end up getting any response from CO ? (is it David?) .. how long will you let it go until you start hassling ? ....
Lovesbalii, hope your fiancee got here all ok, and is enjoying oz


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## TLim (Aug 5, 2012)

Hi Baligirl, No, David (CO) did not respond to my email. That was last Monday, so it has been a week. I guess I will wait till the 13th of Nov before I email again... I think these next few weeks is going to be torture... Just wondering when the day might be getting any news is truly agonising... Well, hopefully it would be good news... They won't make you wait 8 months and reject a visa, would they?


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

Ha ha yes I can't hide it  We're getting the engagement ring end of next week so he can propose properly! He found a job and is working full time. I know it's so hard waiting, it always seems like it's a few more weeks, which to other people isn't long but when you've been waiting for so long and have been apart from your partner, its an eternity.

Baligirl it's a bad dream I won't forget, but I think we'll appreciate our relationships that much more coz we had to fight so hard to have them  
Yeah I was fanaticially checking email, all day and night. 

I wondered the same thing, thinking of reasons they could possibly decline it but don't torture yourself TLim.


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## TLim (Aug 5, 2012)

Thanks for your kind words Madura  Hopefully as you all said, it will be positive and only a couple of weeks more to wait... Will see


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## Aduncan (Oct 19, 2012)

O my god so I found a thread that's somewhat useful to me! So happy to find other people in the same boat! Ok so if anyone could give me any direct info that would be amazing as I'm completely new to this whole thing and u guys seem quite experienced! So basically short story is....me and my partner met last year in July. We have kept regular contact and I went over in December to be with him for 3 months and it all went amazing that I booked to go over in may and was there for a month, he has just came and visited me over here for a month on a tourist visa but watching him leave yesterday was horrible and we are both a mess and have both said "screw it lets figure this out so we can't be apart" we have both met and stayed with others family and friends, we talk every single day and there's not a moment where we dont know what each other is doing thanks to 'what's app' on the iPhone haha! But now we are at a complete stop as to what our next move is....arrrr the joys of long distant relationships.


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## TLim (Aug 5, 2012)

Hi Aduncan... Welcome!  May I ask where your partner is from? Do you both intend to get married?


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## Aduncan (Oct 19, 2012)

He is from Jakarta and yeah we do


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## TLim (Aug 5, 2012)

Yes, the joys of long distance relationships  I guess you just need to figure out what you want to do now before making a decision on which visa you will be applying for. Most of us here have gone the route of applying for a PMV. Have you had a look at the DIAC website? It is quite informative and it will give you some idea what you will be up for I guess... Good Luck Aduncan...


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## jagzone (Sep 2, 2012)

Hey I'm new here. Just signed up after browsing from Google. Although most people in this thread are doing PMV is there anyone doing spouse visa from Jakarta?

My wife lodged late June this year and till now still hasn't been assigned a CO, so I'm wondering if that's normal nowadays? When she got the acknowledgement letter of application receipt she was also given instructions on where to do the medical checkup, which she has done. Since then there has been no further contact from embassy, and when I ask they say wait for a CO to be assigned.

My friends tell me that they had the whole process done in 3 months but this was some time ago. They also advised me to keep calling up the embassy for an update or emailing them to show that we're serious. Is that advisable or should I just wait for their response?

Although I didn't want to apply for a tourist visa initially, thinking the spouse visa would come out in 3 months, we have a wedding reception planned here in December and so applied for a tourist visa. Relieved that she was given 6 month's single entry.


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## baligirl (Feb 29, 2012)

well..... a bit of an update from us... I had tried to call our CO as we found out some friends of ours had their spouse visa approved this week, and they had lodged MAY !! This did my head in, as we had applied in March, so on Tuesday got on the phone and made a complaint to the GLobal Feedback Unit, through the Immi line in Oz. They advised me we were in the Global processing time of 12 mths so there was not a lot they could do. I insisted our letter advised approx 7 mths and that I was unhappy as our CO continuously ignored our emails etc. they advised they will submit our feedback to Jakarta and I should expect an answer in 10 working days. I rang Jakarta yesterday morning and our CO (David) was on another business trip for the week !! So imagine my shock/surprise when i received an email yesterday arvo, from Jakarata apologising for their lack of communication and if my partner was to leave Oz and go back to Bali, they will finalise and grant his Visa !!!! So yeeeehhhhaaaaaaaa , he's booked on a flight for sunday and has to contact Immi on monday morn to finalise everything !! my head is still reeling and i cant quite believe its happened, but once he gets back and gets sorted, maybe then we can relax


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

That's great news baligirl. My partner also applied in May so fingers crossed things will happen soon!!


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

baligirl said:


> well..... a bit of an update from us... I had tried to call our CO as we found out some friends of ours had their spouse visa approved this week, and they had lodged MAY !! This did my head in, as we had applied in March, so on Tuesday got on the phone and made a complaint to the GLobal Feedback Unit, through the Immi line in Oz. They advised me we were in the Global processing time of 12 mths so there was not a lot they could do. I insisted our letter advised approx 7 mths and that I was unhappy as our CO continuously ignored our emails etc. they advised they will submit our feedback to Jakarta and I should expect an answer in 10 working days. I rang Jakarta yesterday morning and our CO (David) was on another business trip for the week !! So imagine my shock/surprise when i received an email yesterday arvo, from Jakarata apologising for their lack of communication and if my partner was to leave Oz and go back to Bali, they will finalise and grant his Visa !!!! So yeeeehhhhaaaaaaaa , he's booked on a flight for sunday and has to contact Immi on monday morn to finalise everything !! my head is still reeling and i cant quite believe its happened, but once he gets back and gets sorted, maybe then we can relax


Hey baligirl, just curious to know if you can PM me with your friend's CO's first name? Would love to know how they already granted based on that. Our CO's name starts with a C and it's a woman. Not the same person by any chance? 

Cheers
BonezAU


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## baligirl (Feb 29, 2012)

*Visa Granted  *

wow, its been a long hard battle, but finally we got the email today confirming our Visa grant 
TLim, BonezAU, and Lovesbalii, i keep my fingers crossed that you all get good news very soon.. push your case officer, it seems the only way that you can get a result.. happy days


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

congrats baligirl! good luck with everything and hope you can both be together soon!


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## jagzone (Sep 2, 2012)

Congrats baligirl on the visa grant. When your partner was here, how did they contact him that he should go back to Indonesia for the visa decision?


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## baligirl (Feb 29, 2012)

Hi Jagzone, because i had complained to diac, they had picked up our file and emailed apologising for their lack of communication and advising if my partner leaves oz and goes back to bali, they will finalise and grant his visa.
Im not sure what would have happened if i hadnt done this, as I had previously on two occassions emailed our CO advising he was in Oz and wanting his acknowledgement of this.. both these emails were ignored. So, i would recommend calling your CO, and telling them this information.. from hindsight now, i would suggest keep on at your Co, maybe once a fortnight, hearing of people getting theirs in much shorter timeframes as mine, purely because they were active in their case.... i believe its worth a try... good luck


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## jagzone (Sep 2, 2012)

Hi baligirl. Thanks for your information. It's been 4 months since my wife's applicatino was lodged but her case still hasn't been assigned a case officer yet so I don't know what we should do or who to call.

Do you know when the processing time changed from 7 months to 12 months?


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

If this is of any help, my fiance's took almost exactly 4 months before she had contact with a CO. 
I believe it changed from 7 to 12 sometime in the last 2 months.


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## baligirl (Feb 29, 2012)

It changed in July, but this is like a Global processing time. Our CO tried to insist our would now be 12 mths, but we reminded him our letter stated 7mths. good luck with a quicker processing time 
Jagzone, have you received confimation from Jakarta that they have your application. ?


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## jagzone (Sep 2, 2012)

Thanks BonezAU, I hope a CO will contact my wife anytime soon.

Baligirl, my wife's application was lodged on 28th June and she got the acknowledgement of receiving the application from the embassy on 3rd July. On it, it mentioned approximately 12 month processing time.


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## TLim (Aug 5, 2012)

I've recently complained about the lack of communication from our CO and have yet to receive a response. Mind you it has only been 3 days since I complained and the timeframe for any feedback is 10 days. I wrote to our CO again and no reply as usual. So, I will be calling tomorrow to see if I can speak to our CO or with someone that cares. Thanks for the advice Baligirl....


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## baligirl (Feb 29, 2012)

Yeah, definately call TLim, David is away again next week....


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## TLim (Aug 5, 2012)

Update on the call to the Australian Embassy in Jakarta today.... After trying to piss me off at the switch board telling me that PMV applications had a processing time of 12 months and me telling them that our processing time stated 7 months, I told the person at the switchboard I wanted to speak to our CO about this... and I was put through to another lady telling me it was 12 months whereby this stage I said I wanted to speak to someone in charge.... They didnt tell me who they were transferring me to, and when someone finally picked up the phone... well well, it was our CO. He told me that he had not received email replies from my fiancee etc and that's why there were delays. I told him that it was impossible as she responded to his emails etc instantly and I had copies of them... He put me on hold and eventually found the emails! Anyway, after all this, we have found that the application is now on track to be finalised. I hope the wait will soon be over!!!! Thanks again Baligirl for all your advice and help...


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

Oh my god Baligirl!!! Woooooooooooo!! That's fantastic!!!! I'm reliving the excitement as my own visa hahaha! I'm so happy for you. Good on you for insisting you get an answer, it actually worked and gave them a kick up the bum!! Bloody David and his business trips (I honestly don't beleive it but anyway) So your man's back now? You must be so happy it's all over!!!! Yahooo! I'm so jealous haha I'm getting together our next app for TR and PR. I have some experience though this time! 
I'm so happy for you, I wish I knew sooner but i don't seem to get emails when you guys reply on here. Pop the champagne!!!!


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

Jagzone yep, I think all of us are going/went through Jarkarta. It used to be around 2 months to be assigned a case officer but after July 2012 the processing time increasesd to 12 months from 7, with it the wait for everything else. The whole process used to be much faster from all the stories out there but it seems to keep increasing at a steady rate. (Except for those odd lucky ones like Baligirls friend, just enough to drive us crazy!!) Keep emailing. You're lucky your partner got a tourist visa, it can
be pretty hard to get when applying for a PMV. 

TLim that's great news!! Yay for finalisation!!!! Look at you guys taking action and getting answers woooo


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

Great news for a few people around here at the moment! We're at the 6 month mark right now and my fiance emailed the embassy 30 minutes ago and she just got a reply directly from her CO! I am really surprised.

The reply basically said they are waiting for medical clearance from Australia, please check with me again around the middle of this month.

I wasn't aware that after she submitted the medicals that it was sent off to Canberra for verification, but I guess that's what they do.

Praying that she can get the visa before Xmas!!  Applied on 15th May, so 7 months will be 15th Dec.


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

Wow that is fast for a CO response. Lets hope it a sign of things to come for you guys.


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## Ria (Jul 26, 2011)

I'm so happy for everyone here who got their visas already!!! congratz guys!! still long way away for me just lodge the papers mid october, done my medicals and now the waiting game starts i believe. From what i read so far i'm guessing id be looking at appx 5 months before i hear anything from DIAC, but just in case i never miss a day without checking my emails. Quick question for those of yous applied from JKT, you know the notice letter they sent you to do your medicals, there's a name at the bottom of the email, that wouldn't be the case officer would it? I had a hunch that it maybe just an admin officer or something..am i right?
Anyway, congratz again for you guys!!!


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

The name at the bottom of the letter is the CO. The letter my fiance got was signed off as:

<CO Name>
Permanent Entry and Citizenship Unit
Immigration Section, Jakarta
Department of Immigration and Citizenship

Good luck with your application!


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

I did mine through an agent so I didn't see that letter sorry. Yep, buckle in for months of fun


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## Ria (Jul 26, 2011)

BonezAU said:


> The name at the bottom of the letter is the CO. The letter my fiance got was signed off as:
> 
> <CO Name>
> Permanent Entry and Citizenship Unit
> ...


Thankz BonezAU..
My letter only has the name, so like this:
<A name>
Immigration Section, Jakarta
Department of Immigration and Citizenship

Do you reckon i should just email that name and cross check? I mean it has no specific email address or anything, just the immigration.jakarta address.

I can feel myself slowly going insane..


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

Yeah just email [email protected] and attention the email to the name on the bottom of that letter.


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## jagzone (Sep 2, 2012)

Ria, I don't think that name is your CO.

My wife emailed the person at the botom of the email from the HAP letter, and another person replied. A few other correspondences also came from other names.

My wife got a CO assigned yesterday, but the contact email address is still [email protected] and there was no direct phone line given.


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## Ria (Jul 26, 2011)

jagzone said:


> Ria, I don't think that name is your CO.
> 
> My wife emailed the person at the botom of the email from the HAP letter, and another person replied. A few other correspondences also came from other names.
> 
> My wife got a CO assigned yesterday, but the contact email address is still [email protected] and there was no direct phone line given.


Yea Jagzone..apparantly its not.. coz i sent one earlier and then another person replied..so you're right..
Thats good that your wife got a CO assigned, may I know when did she lodge the application? I'm just trying to work out some kind of time line...
Thanks alot..


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## jagzone (Sep 2, 2012)

My wife lodged on 28th June so it took about 4 months and a few days to get a CO.


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## Moose (Jun 11, 2012)

Hi ,

I have a question I am hoping someone can help me with. I just arrived back in Oz from Bali and my Balinese fiance and i lodged our PMV application about a week ago at AVAC. We have received confirmation the application arrived in Jakarta and my fiance just got her police check today and will send that through to them soon.

We now need to organise her health check at BIMC and I am just wondering if anyone could tell me the approximate costs of this. She needs to get a medical (including HIV test) and also chest x-rays.

If anyone can advise on the fees I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

My fiance got her medicals done in Surabaya and the price was around Rp. 2.3 million (~$230). Apparently they recently changed the rules and everyone (not just Indonesians) have to get a full CT body scan now to get the visa (in place of chest x-rays), but that was still included in the price.


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## baligirl (Feb 29, 2012)

I believe you will have to wait for the email for the medical request which has your HAP Id no. on it, as they are all done electronically now


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## Moose (Jun 11, 2012)

BonezAU and Baligirl...thanks for the replies.

Yes, we have received the e-mail with the ID number to do the test.

Cheers!


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## TLim (Aug 5, 2012)

Good news and the last couple of months of anxiety and uncertainty is now a thing of the past! Yaaahhhoooooo.... Fiancee's visa approved today...

Please find attached letter of decision in relation to your application.
The original letter will be forwarded to AVAC Bali via their Jakarta office
this afternoon. You may be able to collect them early next week.

There is no need for you to submit your passport for visa evidencing
process as we now have a label-free arrangement in place as of 1 July 2012.
Please read the notification attached below for detailed information.

The email was signed off by Christy.

Thanks everyone on this thread being so supportive and also giving great advice. Thanks so much Baligirl, Madura for your support and good luck to everyone still waiting... As Baligirl said, make sure there is contact all the time with CO if possible... not to the extent of hassling them, but to keep you updated with the status of the application.... Good luck everyone!


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## Moose (Jun 11, 2012)

Hi everyone,

My Fiance applied for her PMV only last week and received confirmation it had arrived in Jakarta and also received a letter with her ID number to get the medical. We are both aware that we possibly have a long time to wait for approval so we are hoping we can apply for a tourist visa for her to come here for three months in January 2013.

I have read almost every post in this thread and it is just bizzare how there are so many differences in the processes everyone has to go through.

I see that some people get tourist visa applications refused and some get theirs approved.

My question is.....If we apply for a tourist visa should we just apply along the lines of her coming for a holiday and not mention we have applied for the PMV?? (I say this because from what I have read if we apply for the tourist visa before she has been assigned a CO then maybe the PMV application will not have any impact on the tourist application as it has for some of you)

Or...

Do you think it is better to be completely honest and advise that we have applied for the PMV however the tourist visa is strictly for a holiday and sightseeing etc.???

At the time we apply for the tourist visa her medicals will have been done and I have heard that if they know you have applied for a PMV and a CO has not looked into the medical side of things and ticked that off then the applicant can be seen a risk and a tourist visa refused (again bizzare)

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks


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## baligirl (Feb 29, 2012)

TLIm - yeeeeeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, knew it would happen !!! congratulations to you both... enjoy your reunion, its been so long for you guys, and all the best for your future together... good luck to all still waiting, hope you get news soon too


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## lovesbaliii (Jul 30, 2012)

wowwwweee congrats everyone lots of visa have been approved lately been abit slack here with my partner here  long way off our visa being approved we only applied in early sept.....by the time my partner is back to bali it will only be 4 months for us.... my friends sent me a message to say she got a 12 month multi entry for her partner to be in aus with her while her pmv waits im totally jealous but not sure if we should try for a 12month or just wait it out think of the long run and save for the next steps of our lives...arghhhh think of the now...or think of the future waaaah


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## jagzone (Sep 2, 2012)

Hi everyone I got great news too. My wife got her temporary partner visa 309 approved today after 4 months and 7 days. It's such a relief as I was expecting it to take longer given the long time people here have experienced lately.

Moose, I'm not sure if a PMV is viewed differently when applying for tourist visa, but on my wife's tourist application she mentioned that a temporary partner visa was in process.


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## baligirl (Feb 29, 2012)

Wow !! thats fantastic, congratulations ! such a quick turnaround..


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## lovesbaliii (Jul 30, 2012)

wow jagzone that is amazing!!!!!!! 4 months whats your secret??? haha but really.... ours has been in for 2months hope we have the same luck as u!! did u use natalie?


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## Moose (Jun 11, 2012)

Congratulations Jagzone and thanks very much for the feedback.

I agree that it is better not to hide the fact we have already applied for the PMV, Just wanted to hear what other people had done.


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## jagzone (Sep 2, 2012)

Yeah lovesbaliii it was a surprise to me as I thought the increased boat people coming over had a strain on the immigration budget, reducing the quotas of granted visas.

We didn't use an agent, just went to Avac in Jakarta ourselves and made sure all docs in the checklist were there. The following week my wife got the HAP letter (stated 12 months processing) and did her medicals and after that the waiting game began.

Up until getting assigned a CO, we didn't know how long this was going to take. We'd email the embassy once a month asking if there was anything else needed and we'd either get a canned response or one that said wait for a CO. 

We made some plans in Aus, so I had to bring my wife another way while waiting for her temporary, so we applied for a tourist visa and got granted 6 months single entry.

After 4 months I called the embassy asking for an update about my wife's case. The man I spoke to said it was waiting in the queue (as there is a queue) to be processed and he wasn't sure when we'd get a CO. The following day we get assigned a CO and it was the first time we could ask about our case. The CO advised us the processing could take up to take but was aiming for 7 months as ours was submitted before July 2012.

A week later she gets the temporary visa. Perhaps they have more visas available to grant now, or the CO saw our case being straightforward. 

I hope everyone else will be quick like ours too from now on. It's really tough being without your partner or being able to plan for the future while the decision is pending.


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

My fiance just got her visa granted!!! woooohooo!

Date submitted: 15 May 2012
Date granted: 28 Nov 2012

Soooo happy, and the best part is I'm flying to Bali on Friday for a holiday and she's going to fly down and meet me there. The purpose of the holiday was to catch up (and buy some wedding rings!) but it looks like we'll be talking about dates as to when she wants to come out to Aus.

I think she wants to spend Christmas with her family, but she might change her mind now


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## baligirl (Feb 29, 2012)

Yippeeeee, congratulations, what a relief for you guys... !!! enjoy your holiday and reunion in Bali and hopefully she will join you soon her in oz, so you can start your new life together


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

thanks so much baligirl! When did your partner submit his application and hows it going??


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## baligirl (Feb 29, 2012)

we are already approved ! submitted in march and approved end of october   happy and settled in oz and loving life


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

Awesome! I'm gonna send you a PM, hope you don't mind but I have a few questions


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## lanslot12 (Nov 28, 2012)

I can be of help to or you already had a solution?


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## baligirl (Feb 29, 2012)

a solution to what Lansalot ??


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## Moose (Jun 11, 2012)

Hi Everyone,

I have a question I am hoping someone may be able to help me with. My Fiance applied for her PMV in Denpasar in October, has done the medical but of course has not had any news of being assigned a case officer yet. So...about 15 days ago she applied for a 3 month tourist Visa to come to Aus as we are invited to a few family events for NYE, etc and we also plan to go on a holiday up the east coast of Aus for a few weeks. We know that due to the Christmas rush the Tourist visas are taking 15 days or more to get a decision at the moment however last Friday she noticed a missed call on her phone from the Australian Embassy in Jakarta.

Due to public holidays the embassy has been closed since then and she has not been able to call them.

I know we may be guessing, pre-empting and also panicking a bit but we have no idea why the Embassy might be calling her. Another friend suggested that they may want to organise an interview with her as they only attend Bali at certain times.

Now I am about to really talk about some big "IF's" now but, if she gets her TV then apparently she has 4 weeks to use this Visa to come here but what if the embassy does want to organise an interview and the interviews are say in 5 weeks????

If she had to stay in Bali for the interview this means her TV would expire so my (hypothetical) questions are....

1. If that did occur could she ask for her time to use the TV to be extended? 

or

2. Could she do the interview here in Australia if she is here on her TV.

I am hoping someone (anyone) might have been through a similar situation and have some idea what our options would be if this all turns out like this.

Thanks for any help or comments!!


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## cwas (Apr 19, 2011)

So happy to have found this thread. I've read through some of it and can't believe how much visa timelines vary. I'm hoping there might be someone out there who put their application at the same time as we did just for a bit more reassurance.

My partner submitted his partner visa application in Indonesia at the start of July and 6 months later we are yet to hear ANYTHING!! He has been in to see them after it had been 4 months and they just said "it's in the pile". My partner works crazy hours so struggles to find time to follow up with them, but hopefully now after the Christmas period he'll go in and see them again.
So after 6 months of hearing nothing we are beyond frustrated!! 
We thought we would have had a CO by now, as I'm pregnant with our second child due in April, so time is getting away!
So I guess I'm just hoping for some reassurance that someone out there may have submitted their application around July and if they have got a CO yet or not??
Fingers crossed we hear something soon!
Congrats to all those that got their visas approved after such a and long frustrating wait!


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## lovesbaliii (Jul 30, 2012)

hey guys havent been on here for awhile lately ive had a couple of friends get there pmv in 5 months... my friend got hers a couple of days ago and she applied 3 weeks before us so im hoping ours isnt to far away.... just wanted to see how everyone is doing?? hope u all have a great new year filled with lots of visa approvals x


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## Shirl (Jan 15, 2013)

Hey everyone
Glad to know that you all got your visas approved!
Im not sure how long we have to wait for ours
I know that the waiting period is 12 months but kinda hoping that ours would be quicker
Ok so we havent applied yet but weve got everything done and ready to go, we use an australian agent and ive sent him everything from my end here and all he needs to do is put everything in order
He has assured me that it wouldnt take long at all tho
The docs are still in singapore for transit (ive checked)
But do you guys have anymore secrets or tips that might make the process quicker?
Do they take the length of the relationship into consideration?
Just wondering on how long i have to wait for them to contact me to do my med check up
How long for me to get a CO assigned to our case
And do you get your agent to do the follow ups or can you do it yourself?
Really nervous about our app kinda worried that it would get rejected
Do they ever reject an app?


Thanks guys


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## Ria (Jul 26, 2011)

Happy New Year all!! 
May there be many many more speedy visa grant this year....!!
Quick update, I've submitted my 309 from Jak on 16th Oct'12 and on 15th Jan'13 a lady called my from the embassy, found out that she is my CO, saying that they wanna do the interview for the application the next day.
So I had the interview 3 months exactly after i lodge my application.
Although i cant say I'm thrilled about the interview, she keeps coming back to the same question as though she didnt hear me the first time, which is kinda frustrating.
Anyhow, after the interview she said she will notify me about the outcome of the interview, if they need more evidence etc etc that will be told on that email.
So I'm kinda anxiously waiting for that email and who knows when that will come.
Keep the faith..!!


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## Shirl (Jan 15, 2013)

Ria said:


> Happy New Year all!!
> May there be many many more speedy visa grant this year....!!
> Quick update, I've submitted my 309 from Jak on 16th Oct'12 and on 15th Jan'13 a lady called my from the embassy, found out that she is my CO, saying that they wanna do the interview for the application the next day.
> So I had the interview 3 months exactly after i lodge my application.
> ...


Hey ria
How was your new year?
Do you mind me asking you what they asked you about?
And do you use an agent?
And how long have you been with your partner?
Haha
Sorry for being so nosy

Thanks


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## Ria (Jul 26, 2011)

Shirl said:


> Hey ria
> How was your new year?
> Do you mind me asking you what they asked you about?
> And do you use an agent?
> ...


Hei Shirl..

Naaww..ur not being nosy..
I've been with my partner since 2009, and no we didnt use an agent, did all the work ourselves.
The questions were basically what we've written on the application. So my details, his details. Certainly about how we met and the story behind that.
Then she would go through her list (i think) like when did the relationship begin, what was the sure sign that the relationship is genuine, what sort of financial arrangement are we in, stuff like that.
What i didnt like was she seem to be more focused on the list then listening to my answer, because often she would ask the same question to what i have just explained to her. So i was like, didnt you hear what i just said..
But hopefully it was all good.
Hope that helps..

Cheers!!


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## Shirl (Jan 15, 2013)

Hey ria thanks for the reply
Did they call your guy too?
What about your family?
Have you done your med check up?
Hopefully we can apply for ours soon
The docs are still with the agent
*sigh*

Thanks


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## lovesbaliii (Jul 30, 2012)

hey guys great news from us my partners pmv visa got approved 4 months after we applied he left australia and the day after his visa was approved  no interview required over the moon


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## Shirl (Jan 15, 2013)

lovesbaliii said:


> hey guys great news from us my partners pmv visa got approved 4 months after we applied he left australia and the day after his visa was approved  no interview required over the moon


Hey lovesbaliii
Thats great news
Congrats!!!
Only 4 months?
Geez i think you were lucky
Did u use an agent?
Im just waiting on my docs should arrive sometimes in the next week i think and then im gonna apply and see how we go
Were just dying to be together again
How often did you contact your co?

Thanks


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## Shirl (Jan 15, 2013)

Aduncan said:


> O my god so I found a thread that's somewhat useful to me! So happy to find other people in the same boat! Ok so if anyone could give me any direct info that would be amazing as I'm completely new to this whole thing and u guys seem quite experienced! So basically short story is....me and my partner met last year in July. We have kept regular contact and I went over in December to be with him for 3 months and it all went amazing that I booked to go over in may and was there for a month, he has just came and visited me over here for a month on a tourist visa but watching him leave yesterday was horrible and we are both a mess and have both said "screw it lets figure this out so we can't be apart" we have both met and stayed with others family and friends, we talk every single day and there's not a moment where we dont know what each other is doing thanks to 'what's app' on the iPhone haha! But now we are at a complete stop as to what our next move is....arrrr the joys of long distant relationships.


Hey aduncan
Has your partner applied for the visa yet?


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## lovesbaliii (Jul 30, 2012)

nah we did it ourselves...... i contacted the co (although we never were assigned just one person or someone saying they were our co ) i emailed a few times in the first 2 months when i bought wedding stuff or i had to update something but then stopped once my partner came for a holiday in aus just told them he was here and when he left........


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## ciin2002 (Jan 29, 2013)

Hi Guys, I am new to this forum. 
Reading all the posts make me nervous. I submitted my PMV application on December 21. They sent me email a week later for Medical check and my fiancee did it on the 7th January. I really hope my fiancee's visa get approved in 4 months like others. Fingers Cross.
For anyone who is in the same boat as mine, please give update on your application progress. 
Thanks


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## ciin2002 (Jan 29, 2013)

Hi again, 
I have a question that I hope you guys could help me. 
I was planning for my wedding to be on the April or May (eventhough I haven't start planning anything, and it would only be a small wedding party). I was thinking, if my fiance's visa is still not approved by then, I am just going to apply for his tourist visa and get married here in Australia. Do you guys think I could do that? Do I have to state about my wedding plan on my sponsorship letter for the tourist visa? Has anyone been in this situation before?
Thanks Guys


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## CollegeGirl (Nov 10, 2012)

If you get married while your application for the PMV is being processed, you would have to notify DIAC, and your PMV application would be changed to a Spouse Visa application and the requirements for your case would change to the requirements for the spouse visa. So your wait would be longer, and the criteria would be harder. Additionally, I think there's an issue with getting married on a tourist visa.. but I'll wait for someone more experienced to chime in on that. 

What country is your fiance from? You can get a better idea of general timelines if you know if he's from a high-risk or low-risk country.


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## kttykat (Oct 30, 2012)

CollegeGirl said:


> If you get married while your application for the PMV is being processed, you would have to notify DIAC, and your PMV application would be changed to a Spouse Visa application and the requirements for your case would change to the requirements for the spouse visa. So your wait would be longer, and the criteria would be harder. Additionally, I think there's an issue with getting married on a tourist visa.. but I'll wait for someone more experienced to chime in on that.
> 
> What country is your fiance from? You can get a better idea of general timelines if you know if he's from a high-risk or low-risk country.


There can be issues on a tourist visa in terms of applying for a change of visa if there is an 8503 no further stay condition on the tourist visa. The other thing is that if you get married while on a tourist visa then there can be issues relating to the proper use of a tourist visa. If you were to marry soon after arriving and then apply to stay they will assume that was your intention and then it becomes an issue of migration fraud. There is no problem coming to Australia and getting married as long as your intent is to leave again, it becomes a problem if your intent was to stay.

Kttykat


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

It's a really, really bad idea to get married whilst waiting for the PMV. One of the conditions of the PMV after it IS issued is "Not marry until at least entered Australia once" - eg, do not get married until your fiancee has entered Australia on the subclass 300 visa.

Like CollegeGirl said, it would be then changed to a spouse visa and you would need proof that you've been living together for a substantial amount of time etc.

My advice is that you plan your wedding for April NEXT year, not this year. If the visa was submitted on 21st Dec, it will take up to 12 months for a decision to be made.


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## Moose (Jun 11, 2012)

*Help!*

Well........the ups and downs of the partner visa application process 

My fiance received an e-mail today from the immigration department in Jakarta advising her that she has been assigned her case officer, that's the good news (application lodged - Oct 30th, 2012)

the case officer advised her that no interview is required but asked for another 2 documents from her. She stated these documents must be sent within 28 days but the problem is my fiance is currently here in Australia on a 3 month tourist visa so she will not return to Bali until the first week of April.

Once she gets back there she will organise the two documents asap but both may take a few weeks to get knowing the ways things work in Bali.

My question is what the hell do we do??? Will not getting these documents lodged within the 28 days time frame cause us major problems?

Has anyone else been in a similar position or handed requested further documents in after the time they want them?

Any help is greatly appreciated,

Thanks.

ps: We sent an email to immigration advising them that she would be here for three months on a TV and it just seems bizzare that the case officer would not be aware of that fact. Surely that would be on her file??


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

Wow, tough situation. If you don't mind me asking, what are the 2 documents that are required? Does she have any family in Bali that could request the documents on her behalf if she sends a written authorisation?

A similar thing happened to us, when my fiancee lodged her visa we got the email at about the 3 month mark from the CO introducing herself and asked for a letter from our celebrant outlining the date, time and venue of the wedding. I had no choice but to send 2x A4 pages from my celebrant to Jakarta from Perth via DHL at a cost of about $55!

When I read back through the application checklist I don't ever remember seeing that as a requirement, but the CO did request it. We had already included a notice of intended marriage form signed off by the celebrant but we were surprised that we had to provide additional info. A little birdy (who may or may not happen to be a migration agent) told me that they often like to ask you for further documentation just so they can push your application back down the queue a bit - it looks better for them when the computer says they are waiting on the client, rather than waiting on the CO.... I don't know if that's just a rumor or not, but nothing would surprise me 

I guess it's tough - if there's no way that she can get her family over there to request the documents, your partner may need to jump on the next flight to Bali and get it sorted ASAP. They always tell you it's 28 days, but if you are nice and explain your situation they might allow for extra time (ie, tell the CO you're working on it and will get the documents ASAP) but there's no guarantee they'll play nice.

Sorry if I delivered any bad news. I'm not a professional like most of us here, just chipping in my 2 cents worth.

Good luck and I hope you find a solution 

edit: Just wanted to clarify, if the CO says 28 days and you can't come to any form of agreement with him/her about delaying it until April, then you are in the poo. If you do manage to strike up an agreement, get a FIXED date in writing from the CO. Generally the advice I would give is if the CO asks for something, bow down and hand it over - they don't like to be stuffed around and they have the ability to stuff you around even more :/


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## Moose (Jun 11, 2012)

Thanks for the input BonezAU,

I take it that from what you are saying that if she does not get these documents to immigration in time then the consequences will be dire.

Can this cancel her application or cause it to be refused???


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## kttykat (Oct 30, 2012)

Moose said:


> Thanks for the input BonezAU,
> 
> I take it that from what you are saying that if she does not get these documents to immigration in time then the consequences will be dire.
> 
> Can this cancel her application or cause it to be refused???


Yes it can. At the very least you should contact DIAC, explain the situation and ask for more time.

Kttykat


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

Moose said:


> Thanks for the input BonezAU,
> 
> I take it that from what you are saying that if she does not get these documents to immigration in time then the consequences will be dire.
> 
> Can this cancel her application or cause it to be refused???


Potentially, yes. If you tell us what the documents are it may be of use, but if you'd rather keep it personal that's fine. Also feel free to private message me if you don't want to post.

Basically I was advised that if you opt to be contacted by the embassy during the application process via email, the deadline is 28 days that you must submit what they ask for.

If you tick no, I want to be contacted by post you get a longer period, something like 60 days or similar. I don't know the exact figure.

We were advised by a friend of mine who is an agent in Australia that it's best to tick the No box so you get longer to submit the paperwork, but that backfired on us because the original letter the CO sent out went missing and was never to be delivered to my fiancee in Indonesia.... after we waited and waited and waited she finally emailed the embassy and they said "well if you have a problem with your local mail service, perhaps it's better for you to use email".

From that point on we had no problems at all.... At the end of the day it came down to a lazy courier/postman that decided he didn't deliver to her suburb nor had the courtesy to call and inform her of that. She lived in Surabaya which is the 2nd largest city... no idea what the excuse was but she lived pretty close to the centre of the city.

We've just been through a process of getting a number of her family out to Perth on tourist visas for our wedding and it was a bit of a nightmare - it almost felt harder and more complicated than the subclass 300... anyway it depends on the documents the CO requested and if you are able to strike up a deal with them or have family try to organise stuff from the Bali end.

Even if you have to courier things back and forward for her to sign etc it would still be cheaper and better than your partner having to leave Australia (on what I presume is a single entry TV!)


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## Moose (Jun 11, 2012)

We did respond to the e-mail today to advise she was her until April and asked what we can do.

the two documents are a bit of a drama. They want a certified copy of her sons birth certificate - but he doesn't have one and it it a bit of a process to get one and she would have to be there.

The other info they want is a copy of her divorce certificate and a copy of the court decision on the custody of her son but she and her ex were never legally married (only village ceremony) and therefore do not have a divorce certificate. They did not go to court for custody as it is Bali custom that the father keeps the children with him.

we explained both of these points in a letter we submitted with her application that was signed by her ex and attached a copy of his ID card.


This is freaking us both out big time


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

Ouch... that does sound complicated but I fully understand the situation and feel for you guys.

Is she still perhaps on talking terms with the ex that she could ask him to organise a notarised copy of the birth certificate, or is that completely not an option?

Failing that, I would recommend writing another email directly addressed to the CO and explaining the situation in full. They aren't robots, they do take things into consideration - but perhaps the reason they asked for that at the first glance of the application was because they noticed a few holes in the story...

As for the divorce certificate, the closest you might get is to get your partner and her ex to write a statement and have some local government officials/village leaders in Bali sign it... I feel sorry for you guys...

I think if you explain to the CO that your partner is in AU and needs to go back to Bali to get these documents organised they should hopefully give you an extended timeline to do that, but that means you'll be separated again 

The things that we need to do for love sometimes suck.... Perhaps someone else can give another idea, but sorry dude - I'm all out...


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## Moose (Jun 11, 2012)

Thanks for your help.

She gets on fine with her ex and she thinks she has a document like you mentioned but it would have to be translated but to organise all of that she would have to go back there. The thing is she just arrived here 2 weeks ago and we have many plans for the expected 3 months she is to be here for so we both dont want her to go back early. I have e-mailed the CO so I suppose we will just have to wait and see what the CO says


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

Ok it sounds like you have some options.

Good to hear she still can communicate with her boy & dad. (for now, hehe).

There's no need for her to go back to Bali to get it translated as long as she can send you an original copy and you have a NAATI accredited translator here you'll be fine. I don't know where you live but I know of a decent contact in Perth (who we used) that can do it for much cheaper than the big companies do - he works from home but is fully accredited to translate bahasa Indonesia... 

If that would help you then please feel free to message you with your email address or phone number and I'll talk to you tomorrow. I've got to head out now but always love to help someone in need when I can.

Edit: when I say she will need to send it - it would be about Rp. 600.000 to send to Perth, much more if you are on the east coast of Australia. DHL is worth every cent you pay, door to door pickup and drop off with signature, no issues ever.


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## abc (Sep 11, 2012)

Moose said:


> Well........the ups and downs of the partner visa application process
> 
> My fiance received an e-mail today from the immigration department in Jakarta advising her that she has been assigned her case officer, that's the good news (application lodged - Oct 30th, 2012)
> 
> ...


I experienced that too.Im on my 3 months tourist visa when my case officer emailed asking additional documents .I kinda worried that time coz I'm in Australia what I did is emailed him asking if I can pass additional documents tru email or courier as I am outside my homeland.He replied to me that I can pass tru email.So I scan all the additional documents he asked and sent to his email.And he replied to my email that he confirm the additional docs I passed.


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## scubagirl (Feb 23, 2013)

*309 Visa Help please*

Hi Madura !

Im new here, Im an Indonesian and will get married with my partner an australian guy this April after having a long distance relations for 2 years.

Im a bit confused with the documents, since some things are different between those posted in Australian Embassy in Jakarta and in Immigration website.

Since you guys have the most recent sucess.. would you please share what kind of documents that your partner submitted ?

Thanks So much !



Madura said:


> Got an email forwarded from the agent Friday night from the embassy!!
> 
> So application lodged 07/02/12 heard back 13/04/12
> 
> We've been assigned our case officer and he's reviewed our application... The great news is no interview required!! They do follow that with 'at this stage' but it must be a good sign. The boy has 28 days to get his medicals and a statement back to the CO. Ha! 28 days, he'll be on the next boat back to Bali to get it asap! So happy, they did advise up til 12 weeks and it's been just over 9. Hope everyone else gets news soon! Fingers crossed


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## scubagirl (Feb 23, 2013)

BonezAU said:


> That's great news baligirl! My fiance is from Surabaya and I'm from Perth. We submitted the application on 11/5/12 (via secure courier) and it was received at the embassy in Jakarta on 15/5/12.
> 
> Got a letter back from VFS with file number etc on the 15th.
> Have heard nothing so far, but I guess it has only been 6 weeks.
> ...


Hi there.. im from Indonesia and getting married with an australian guy this april in melbourne.

I saw your message also see the information in the immigration website, stating that by the time of the visa granted, my location should be outside of australia if im applying from jakarta.

anyone knows that is it really that strict ? what happen if visa was granted and i am in melbourne on tourist visa or any other visa ?

Thankss


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## CollegeGirl (Nov 10, 2012)

Yes, they are incredibly strict about that. If you apply offshore, and are in the country when they grant the visa, your visa will be nullified and you will lose all the money you spent applying. 

That said, there are folks here who have had success applying offshore, then contacting immigration and letting them know they plan to travel to Oz on a tourist visa and asking if their CO would be so kind as to let them know before they grant the visa so they can leave the country. Some will do this for you. But, of course, it's still a risk.


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## scubagirl (Feb 23, 2013)

CollegeGirl said:


> Yes, they are incredibly strict about that. If you apply offshore, and are in the country when they grant the visa, your visa will be nullified and you will lose all the money you spent applying.
> 
> That said, there are folks here who have had success applying offshore, then contacting immigration and letting them know they plan to travel to Oz on a tourist visa and asking if their CO would be so kind as to let them know before they grant the visa so they can leave the country. Some will do this for you. But, of course, it's still a risk.


Thanks CollegeGirl.. i think i would take that road.. cant bear to be unable to see him for so long. we've been in long distance relations for 2 years.. one of the reason to get married is to enable us to stay together..

I currently have a tourist visa valid until next year, i think i will use that to visit him .. By the why.. would applying for 309 visa nullified my tourist visa ?? anyone know anything about this ?


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## Ausstart National (Aug 22, 2012)

Making an application for the 309 will not affect any visa you already have.


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## Moose (Jun 11, 2012)

Hi everyone,

Good news for us. We e-mailed our Case officer and she has very kindly allowed my fiance more time to submit the two documents she requested. We advised her my fiance was here in Aus on a Tourist visa and she advised that my fiance can get the documents to her as soon as she can after my fiance arrives back in bali in early April. 

Very happy that we have been allocated a case officer that is understanding of our situation and gets back to our e-mails almost straight away.


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

scubagirl said:


> Hi Madura !
> 
> Im new here, Im an Indonesian and will get married with my partner an australian guy this April after having a long distance relations for 2 years.
> 
> ...


Hi Scubagirl, welcome! I would recommend going by the partner booklet found on diac's website more than anything. I've listed some things below that I included, I hope I haven't missed anything out but maybe you can use it as a guide along with Diac's booklet.

I submitted:

* All emails between myself and our agent, myself and my family (We didn't have many emails between us though I had heaps talking about how things were going especially from when I was OS in Bali)
* Photocopies of all letters and cards to each other
* Flight records from a trip we took together (accompained by photo's on the trip), and trips visiting each other - His showing I paid for it with itineray going to my email address
* Phone records which showed every phone call and message since the beginning (luckily I'm on a plan)
* Bank receipts from me sending him money, I mentioned in my cover letter the purposes we used the money for i.e, for our bike payments, his brothers uni, fixing up his mum's house
* Certified copies of both our passports, birth certificates, Notice of Intended marriage certificate, my partners identity card and family certificate, 5 x 888 forms, 47SP, 40SP, and 956 forms.
* A letter from my employer stating how long I have worked for them and my salary
* A print out and letter to show my partner as my emergency contact at work 
* My tax returns
* Our rental agreement together 
* A print out of my facebook page and messages between us and friends where I talk about my relationship with him 
* Copy of my Australian Superannuation fund with the total balance showing him as my beneficiary 
* A copy of our kwitansi - receipt from our shop together with his uncle and a receipt for our rental agreement for our rental property in Jimbaran
* My partners business card showing his mobile number and email addresses
* A bank statement and letter of card activation from our account together - I am unable to make it a joint account yet as the Australian bank requires him to be a resident before he can have a joint bank account, which will be done when he can get residency 
* Copies our cards from our bank account together 
* Hotel cards we've kept from our trip to Melbourne together. We both keep one in our wallet. There are also train tickets from us visiting my family together
* An activation confirmation from our Greenpeace account
* A copy of the registration and ownership papers showing both our names for the motorbike we purchased in April 2011. Also the bank statement showing the withdrawal of the deposit from my bank account. I've included some photos of us with the bike. 
* A copy of our sponsor letters for each other's visits to our countries be together
* A valuation of the engagement ring he bought me and proposed to me with

I had a heap of photos, which I just submitted in a bunch but in my next application I attached the photo's to related emails, so if I had an email or cards about a birthday, I put those photo's with them. You can put the photos two per page with a little description on how it was important.

I've probably missed some things but hope it helps


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## SiteManager (Jan 21, 2013)

Ok, so does this means that it is much easier to apply for *Prospective Marriage Visa (Subclass 300)* rather than *Partner Visa: Onshore Temporary and Permanent (Subclasses 820 and 801) * ?


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

They are two different things. If you are offshore and your partner is an Australian citizen or permanent resident, yet you have not lived together before nor are married, then you would need to apply for the subclass 300 first. Once you get to Australia and get married then you would apply for the 820/801 which will grant you temporary residence while they decide about your PR. My partner came here on the subclass 300 and we're getting married in 2 months, we've already started collecting documents and bits for the 820/801 so we can lodge it as soon as we have our official marriage certificate 

If you are overseas but have previously lived with your partner (not necessarily in Australia) and have significant proof of your relationship then you could apply for a 309, followed by the 820/801 once in Australia. If you are already in Australia and can prove you have been with your partner for a significant period of time you can apply directly for the 820/801

And to answer your question in another form, the paperwork, documents and forms needed for the 300 and 820/801 are very similar but from what I can see it's going to be way easier and less complicated for the 820/801 than it was for the 300. My partner had troubles chasing up some of her documents, then she was always busy working etc. It dragged on for ages. At least now she's here, has all her originals plus any further proof can be obtained from within Australia, not trying to organise stuff via Skype


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## SiteManager (Jan 21, 2013)

BonezAU said:


> They are two different things. If you are offshore and your partner is an Australian citizen or permanent resident, yet you have not lived together before nor are married, then you would need to apply for the subclass 300 first. Once you get to Australia and get married then you would apply for the 820/801 which will grant you temporary residence while they decide about your PR. My partner came here on the subclass 300 and we're getting married in 2 months, we've already started collecting documents and bits for the 820/801 so we can lodge it as soon as we have our official marriage certificate
> 
> If you are overseas but have previously lived with your partner (not necessarily in Australia) and have significant proof of your relationship then you could apply for a 309, followed by the 820/801 once in Australia.* If you are already in Australia and can prove you have been with your partner for a significant period of time you can apply directly for the 820/801*
> 
> And to answer your question in another form, the paperwork, documents and forms needed for the 300 and 820/801 are very similar but from what I can see it's going to be way easier and less complicated for the 820/801 than it was for the 300. My partner had troubles chasing up some of her documents, then she was always busy working etc. It dragged on for ages. At least now she's here, has all her originals plus any further proof can be obtained from within Australia, not trying to organise stuff via Skype


Bonez,

Thank you for the clarification, so I yes, I'm in Australia already for 8 years, I've known her since last year, she's still on Student Visa until august this year after extending her study for another year just to get to know her, we're both living in different place and just moved together in to the shared accommodation this month but then it is still not enough to be considered as De Facto relationship.

My intention is to sponsor her right away before her visa runs out at the end of August this year. So in this case based on your sharing I can't apply for *Prospective Marriage Visa (Subclass 300)* since we both are in Australia and not yet married ?

We're both planed to get engaged in July 2013 so that's about one month before her visa expiry.


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

Hi SiteManager,

Hmm. I am not really sure with this one. Perhaps someone else might be able to advise you better, or if possible speak to Immigration or even an migration agent.

Your partner certainly can't apply for a subclass 300, not unless she goes back to Indonesia, applies and waits 12 months for it to be processed. Then you get married AFTER she comes to Australia on that visa.

She might be able to apply for an 820/801 but like I said above you would need to be able to prove that you've been in a genuine ongoing relationship for more than 1 year. Things that will help you are joint bank accounts, utility bills at the same address in both your and her names etc. If you aren't living together it makes it a bit harder.

I would recommend you talk to a professional. Good luck...


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## SiteManager (Jan 21, 2013)

Cool, many thanks for the quick reply I appreciate your clarification.
then the only way to sponsor her quickly is by applying Visa 820 for Permanent partner.

if that is the case then it is lesser than one year of living together because of her visa limitation.

and then we'll have to be separated for the duration of the visa process while waiting for the Visa to be approved. How long would that take ?


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## kttykat (Oct 30, 2012)

SiteManager said:


> Cool, many thanks for the quick reply I appreciate your clarification.
> then the only way to sponsor her quickly is by applying Visa 820 for Permanent partner.
> 
> if that is the case then it is lesser than one year of living together because of her visa limitation.
> ...


OK, unless you have been together for a year, have registered your relationship or are married then you can't apply for the 820 visa without it being rejected. Many people are separated waiting for visa approval, it is Australian government policy to cause pain and suffering to couples who want to be together, requiring proof that they are living together and then keeping them apart as much as possible.....

Kttykat


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## SiteManager (Jan 21, 2013)

kttykat said:


> OK, unless you have been together for a year, have registered your relationship or are married then you can't apply for the 820 visa without it being rejected. Many people are separated waiting for visa approval, it is Australian government policy to cause pain and suffering to couples who want to be together, requiring proof that they are living together and then keeping them apart as much as possible.....
> 
> Kttykat


Yes that's how we feel, so in this case the only way to sponsor her is by using Visa 300 after her student visa expired at the end of August.

which means applying offshore for a prospective marriage offshore.


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## kttykat (Oct 30, 2012)

SiteManager said:


> Yes that's how we feel, so in this case the only way to sponsor her is by using Visa 300 after her student visa expired at the end of August.
> 
> which means applying offshore for a prospective marriage offshore.


Yes, the whole onshore offshore process is a pain... We did the right thing and applied offshore for the 309 but feel that we are really penalized for doing so, if we had broken the rules and applied onshore I would have been allowed to stay and work while they contemplated their navels or what ever they do when it takes them more than a few months to decide if we are indeed genuine or not....

Kttykat


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## SiteManager (Jan 21, 2013)

But obviously to apply onshore you'll have to get married onshore (using wedding celebrant) or does it needs to be 12 months evidence of living together ?


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## kttykat (Oct 30, 2012)

SiteManager said:


> But obviously to apply onshore you'll have to get married onshore (using wedding celebrant) or does it needs to be 12 months evidence of living together ?


To apply onshore you only need the right kind of visa when you apply (ie with a no further stay 8503) and to be married or have lived together for the last year or more.

Kttykat


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## SiteManager (Jan 21, 2013)

Ah Cool, that'd be alright because we're planning to get married soon.

So in this case the wedding should be registered before I applied this Visa 820 or after ?


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## scubagirl (Feb 23, 2013)

Madura said:


> Hi Scubagirl, welcome! I would recommend going by the partner booklet found on diac's website more than anything. I've listed some things below that I included, I hope I haven't missed anything out but maybe you can use it as a guide along with Diac's booklet.
> 
> I submitted:
> 
> ...


Thanks so much Madura !
wow you do have alot of proof !

We have a lot to explain since we both live n work apart most of the time, although we visit each other often, bought each other flights ticket and gifts but unluckily we have no card to copy or proof of money transfers.

When I read your message.. can i conclude that the explanation should be put in the cover letter and not the statutory statements ?

I am actually in a better financial situation compared to him, do you think it will hinder our chance to get the partner visa for me ? He do have a permanent job with a good salary, however if they go through his credit rating, he might not look stable.

Is anyone know if the credit ratings would be considered by the immigration dept ?


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

No worries, once you start the process of collecting and pick up tips from others of what they submitted it starts to add up. Me personally, I wrote a smaller CL explaining what was in each bundle. We didn't complete any stat decs, just wrote two main cover letters explaining our relationship (one from him and one from me) 

I doubt very much you being in a better financial position would be a negative. If anything it's usually easier to prove it's not all one way on the sponsor's part. 
I'm not aware of immigration looking at a credit rating at all, (remember the assessment is completed in Jakarta) though if he'll be supporting you until you find work here they may look to see what your savings looks like and if a stable full time job is in place. Of course I could be wrong but that's my two cents.


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## scubagirl (Feb 23, 2013)

Madura said:


> No worries, once you start the process of collecting and pick up tips from others of what they submitted it starts to add up. Me personally, I wrote a smaller CL explaining what was in each bundle. We didn't complete any stat decs, just wrote two main cover letters explaining our relationship (one from him and one from me)
> 
> I doubt very much you being in a better financial position would be a negative. If anything it's usually easier to prove it's not all one way on the sponsor's part.
> I'm not aware of immigration looking at a credit rating at all, (remember the assessment is completed in Jakarta) though if he'll be supporting you until you find work here they may look to see what your savings looks like and if a stable full time job is in place. Of course I could be wrong but that's my two cents.


Thanks Madura !
I am collating now.. wish me luck


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

Good luck! Patience and determination will get you through this.


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## lovesbaliii (Jul 30, 2012)

gotta keep this forum alive guys hehe 
hows everyone going with visas any new grants?
since my partner moved to aus he got a job in a week and were loving life together although still working on moving out of the parents place lol

trying to organises this next visa onshore partner visa..... just not sure what to include whats everyone including??? still living at home def has some disadvantages


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## Ria (Jul 26, 2011)

Hai everyone...
Just wanted to update...got the notice letter for the grant of visa today !!!!!!! yeayyy!!!
So happy..i was quite confused for the first 5 minutes when i opened the email..coz i simply wasnt expecting it to be approved in March..
We applied in Oct 2012.
Anyhow..felt so relieved that all the hard work of collating paid off. 
Good luck for everyone out there and keep the faith!!


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## SiteManager (Jan 21, 2013)

Ria said:


> Hai everyone...
> Just wanted to update...got the notice letter for the grant of visa today !!!!!!! yeayyy!!!
> So happy..i was quite confused for the first 5 minutes when i opened the email..coz i simply wasnt expecting it to be approved in March..
> We applied in Oct 2012.
> ...


Wow so I guess it is approximately about 6 months of waiting until the PMV300 is lodged ?


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

lovesbaliii said:


> since my partner moved to aus he got a job in a week and were loving life together although still working on moving out of the parents place lol
> 
> trying to organises this next visa onshore partner visa..... just not sure what to include whats everyone including??? still living at home def has some disadvantages


Wow, he was lucky to get a job really fast! My partner got a job within about 4 weeks of being here, it was 6 nights a week at a restaurant... pretty crap pay and conditions but she was lucky enough to find something better after only 2 weeks of working there. Unfortunately English is a bit of a barrier for her here. Her English is quite functional but not at a high enough level to fully understand everything - won't take long to change that though!)

We're getting married on 27th April, 1 month yesterday - scary but exciting! Been running around like you organising the 820/801 too, as soon as we can submit that the better, as the minute she submits that visa she also gets access to the AMEP English classes.

Also Ria, congrats! That is certainly a very fast process, you received a CO very quick too - the application must have been well presented and ticked all the boxes! Good luck


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## lovesbaliii (Jul 30, 2012)

wooohooooo well done ria life is now begining for you 

Bonez just wondering what type of evidence you are included in your partner visa ill be lodging my partner visa ( after the fiancee) in oct and dont no what to add cause im still living at home......


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## Ria (Jul 26, 2011)

Thank you guys!! The support from ths forum is amazing!!
Quick question, i might b a little paranoid, i was still on my TV till 2014/ multiple entry/3 months each visit, of course with the 309 being approved so tht cancells the TV right..i was already planning on going to aus in May before the 309 came out, so...does tht mean i can still go back to jkt as planned n permanently move later on ? (Says on visa latest entry by sept)
I hv stuff to get settled, banking, paperworks, any hint as to wht else i should make ready bfore i move? 
Thanks so much for the ongoing support.


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## esme_daniella (Jan 12, 2013)

Hey there... I'm also Indonesian, and my partner is in Australia. Great news today that my de-facto partner visa is granted... I'm ready to fly back to Perth to see my man again soon  had been waiting for almost 5 months, but its all paid now. I hope all of you here will be hearing a good news too soon.


P.S. I'm glad there some Indonesian too in this forum


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

esme_daniella said:


> Hey there... I'm also Indonesian, and my partner is in Australia. Great news today that my de-facto partner visa is granted... I'm ready to fly back to Perth to see my man again soon  had been waiting for almost 5 months, but its all paid now. I hope all of you here will be hearing a good news too soon.
> 
> P.S. I'm glad there some Indonesian too in this forum


Selamat yo 

Good news for you and 5 months is fast for the 309 partner visa.


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## esme_daniella (Jan 12, 2013)

BonezAU said:


> Selamat yo
> 
> Good news for you and 5 months is fast for the 309 partner visa.


Than you  mine is not 309, but 461.. its actually 2 months longer than the standard process time.


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

Ah my bad... at least it's all done now anyway, that's the stress out of the way


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## meesha121 (Apr 10, 2012)

Hi all - I've been gathering info from this forum for a while now but I'm a first time poster so forgive me if I do anything I'm not supposed to.
I am an Australian citizen with partner from Indonesia. We have been making plans and gathering evidence for off shore partner visa (de facto) for the last 12mths but I just wanted to check out what others think of our plans and get any advice I can.
We have been in a relationship since Feb 2011 and registered our relationship in NSW in Feb 2013. We have visited each other in our home countries many times and I am about to move to Bali so that we can live together for the first time. We plan to lodge his application in Sept 13 after we have lived together for 6mths. 
I think we have enough evidence in all other areas ie lots of photos together, joint travel, shared expenses, will, superannuation, and life insurance cert, Skype call logs when apart, lots of friends willing to write stat decs for us. We obviously have the next 6mths to gather more evidence when we actually live together but I worry that 6mths living together might not be enough. I understand that the relationship registration can waive the 12mth requirement but is that just 12mths 'living together' that is waived and you still have to prove 'defacto' for a 12mth period by other means? Because we have only just registered our relationship I'm worried about our chances of getting the 309 approved. We have thought about PMV but prefer not to do it that way if we have a good chance of 309 being granted..
I would appreciate any thoughts...


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## esme_daniella (Jan 12, 2013)

Hi Meesha121, I could be wrong, but in my opinion it will still require you to living together for at least 12 months to apply a de-facto partner visa, unless you're planning to get married soon, already in marriage relationship, or have child/children together you may ignore the 12 months living together requirement. For the exact and valid information maybe you can ask this matter to DIAC Jakarta by email?


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

Update of PMV stage 2 - I submitted our application on the 18th of Jan, aside from the acknowledgment letter saying the estimated time is 13 months(!!!) I haven't heard anything. I sent an email last week asking for confirmation of receipt of form 80 and when I can expect a CO and received an auto reply advising if the 13 months is not up they won't reply to any enquiries. I was told it would take approx 6 months to get TR, I'm happy he is here and we're together but am a bit daunted by a 13 month wait.

Congrats Ria and esme, it's the success stories that give the rest of us some hope


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## esme_daniella (Jan 12, 2013)

Madura said:


> Update of PMV stage 2 - I submitted our application on the 18th of Jan, aside from the acknowledgment letter saying the estimated time is 13 months(!!!) I haven't heard anything. I sent an email last week asking for confirmation of receipt of form 80 and when I can expect a CO and received an auto reply advising if the 13 months is not up they won't reply to any enquiries. I was told it would take approx 6 months to get TR, I'm happy he is here and we're together but am a bit daunted by a 13 month wait.
> 
> Congrats Ria and esme, it's the success stories that give the rest of us some hope


once an indo friend in Perth who did the PMV a long time ago suggested me to lodge the tourist visa straight away after I lodged the partner application. This is considering that they might told you to stay in Indo land if your first medical wont be enough for the MOC(this happened to me coz i didnt listen to my friend huhuhu)
If i may suggest you, just put the TR application asap, so it'll be process asap too. then you can go with your partner to Oz once you're sure all evidence is complete. I also wonder if you can do the med.check in australia, it'd be so much better, but im not sure.
it'll be a challenging situation while waiting for more than a year for your visa comes through, I only waited for 4.5 months but it felt like years... semangat!!!


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

You can do your medical in Australia but from what I've heard, it's a *lot* more expensive.


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

esme_daniella said:


> once an indo friend in Perth who did the PMV a long time ago suggested me to lodge the tourist visa straight away after I lodged the partner application. This is considering that they might told you to stay in Indo land if your first medical wont be enough for the MOC(this happened to me coz i didnt listen to my friend huhuhu)
> If i may suggest you, just put the TR application asap, so it'll be process asap too. then you can go with your partner to Oz once you're sure all evidence is complete. I also wonder if you can do the med.check in australia, it'd be so much better, but im not sure.
> it'll be a challenging situation while waiting for more than a year for your visa comes through, I only waited for 4.5 months but it felt like years... semangat!!!


Good advice, though I put the TR application in on the 18th of Jan and I'm living my partner in Australia already  I'm an Aussie citizen and he came here in Oct 2012 on the PMV, though after we married and submitted the TR application, he was put on a bridging visa A. So it's not so bad waiting, we're together and he can work. We'll have to apply for him to leave the country for our holiday to Indo in August, but we can only apply 4 weeks before.. eek, we've already bought the tickets but I can't see any reason they should decline it. My friend had a defacto application in a few months back and when she was going on holiday and applied for permission to leave, they just approved the defacto application rather then changing the visa. Though, her partner was from a low risk country. Hope I have the same luck!


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

Madura said:


> We'll have to apply for him to leave the country for our holiday to Indo in August, but we can only apply 4 weeks before.. eek, we've already bought the tickets but I can't see any reason they should decline it. My friend had a defacto application in a few months back and when she was going on holiday and applied for permission to leave, they just approved the defacto application rather then changing the visa. Though, her partner was from a low risk country. Hope I have the same luck!


Oh crap, I didn't realise that was the case. My partner is here on the subclass 300 and we're getting married in a couple of weeks and then will probably submit the 820/801 application in May. We were planning on heading back to Indonesia for a holiday in September.

I just noticed that under the terms of a bridging visa A it states "A BVA does not allow you to return to Australia if you leave."

Do you have any further info about applying for permission to leave for a holiday and re-enter?

Thanks


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

This is from the auto email I received:

If you do not hold a visa which permits re-entry, but hold a 'Bridging Visa A' (BVA) associated with your partner visa application, you may apply for a BVB (see instructions below) which will permit multiple re-entry to and stay in Australia during processing of your s/c 820 partner visa application. Note that BVBs granted on or after 24 November 2012 have been granted without any work or study restrictions.

You can check if your current visa permits re-entry to Australia by accessing our Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) service at: Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO)

Holders of BVCs and of BVEs are not eligible to apply for BVBs and therefore will be unable to re-enter Australia should they depart, unless they obtain a new visa from one of our overseas visa offices.

To apply for a BVB, download Form 1006 from our website and send it to us at the address provided in your partner visa application acknowledgement letter: (http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/pdf/1006.pdf).

Keep in mind that if you depart Australia during processing of your partner visa application, and irrespective of any permission that you might have to re-enter Australia, the Bridging Visa you were granted upon lodging your partner application (BVA, BVC, BVE) will cease upon that departure (exception: BVBs which permit return to Australia do not expire on departure). You must remember therefore to apply to have your Bridging Visa (except BVB) replaced upon your return to Australia, (even if you are still the holder of a substantive visa), to ensure that you remain lawfully in Australia pending finalisation of the partner visa application. To apply for a replacement BV, download Form 1005 from our website (http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/pdf/1005.pdf) and send it to us at the address provided in your partner visa application acknowledgement letter. Note that BVAs granted on or after 24 November 2012 are not subject to any work or study restrictions.

A bit much to take in, but in essence if on a bridging visa A, we need to apply four weeks before the trip to leave and re-enter the country with the BVB.


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

Thanks for that info. Gawd, they really like to complicate it for people don't they... You would think that it could make things easier by giving you the choice at time of lodging the PMV.

"Are you planning on going overseas in the next 6-12 months? No, oh ok fine here's your BVA"
"Are you planning on going overseas in the next 6-12 months? Yes, I'm going to visit my family and friends for a 8 day holiday with my husband/wife then returning" Oh ok, here's your BVB"

I bet there have been a lot of people caught up over the years who didn't know this, then return from a short trip only to be refused entry. That would be horrific!

Edit: and the application fee for a BVB is $125... grrr
Might have to schedule our holiday before the subclass 300 runs out, less paperwork and fees!


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

Just another hurdle on the list of visa requirements, could be much simpler. It would be devasting to be held up at customs on such a thing! I'm so glad I found out through 
my friend, and credit to forums like this where we can find out/share important info.


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## Shirl (Jan 15, 2013)

Hey ria congrats on the visa!!!
Lucky you!!!
Its been a month and a half since weve got a confirmation for our PMV visa
I havent done my med check up just yet and my partner called the embassy a couple of days ago and was advised to wait for a couple more months before we actually get the med check done.
But the thing is im about to start a new job and cant really take a day off just to do the med check up so im just gonna have to do it at the end of this month.
What do you guys think?
Hey bonezAU and madura its nice that yous and the others are still posting on this forum even tho youve already got your visas approved.
Oh and also the person that he spoke to said that it takes a month or two to get a CO, so hopefully we will get ours soon!


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

Shirl said:


> Hey bonezAU and madura its nice that yous and the others are still posting on this forum even tho youve already got your visas approved.
> Oh and also the person that he spoke to said that it takes a month or two to get a CO, so hopefully we will get ours soon!


No worries, I still enjoy coming back and seeing how everyone's going. It's amazing the interesting tips and useful facts you pick up whilst reading other peoples stories 

It took my fiancee longer than that before she got a CO btw... she applied on 15th May 2012 and the first thing we heard from the embassy was on 5th Sept! Good luck to everyone still waiting though. This exact time 2 weeks from now we'll be married and enjoying our first night together in a luxuary hotel as Mr and Mrs... the nerves are kicking in!!!

Then we start the depressing paperwork all over again, haha.


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## Shirl (Jan 15, 2013)

BonezAU said:


> No worries, I still enjoy coming back and seeing how everyone's going. It's amazing the interesting tips and useful facts you pick up whilst reading other peoples stories
> 
> It took my fiancee longer than that before she got a CO btw... she applied on 15th May 2012 and the first thing we heard from the embassy was on 5th Sept! Good luck to everyone still waiting though. This exact time 2 weeks from now we'll be married and enjoying our first night together in a luxuary hotel as Mr and Mrs... the nerves are kicking in!!!
> 
> Then we start the depressing paperwork all over again, haha.


Haha
The joy of life
Dont worry too much about it tho
You guys will be fine
Have fun enjoying your time together as husband and wife
Haha
What do we have to do after we get the PMV approved?
From my understanding itll only be valid for 9 months doesnt it?
Do you use an agent?
Its good that she already has a better job now tho


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

Shirl said:


> Haha
> The joy of life
> Dont worry too much about it tho
> You guys will be fine
> ...


Yeah I'm sure everything will be okay 
After the subclass 300 is approved it is valid for 9 months after first entry to Australia, during which time you must marry your partner then apply all over again for the 820/801. There's plenty of info on the Immi website and in the partner migration booklet (1127.pdf - google it and it's the first result).

We didn't use an agent as such, however I have a friend who is a licensed agent and she helped us prepare a few bits and pieces in the early stages then looked over it before we submitted, so we didn't really use an agent for the whole process but it certainly helps to have friends who are willing to assist like that!

Thanks for your kind words and good luck with your application(s)!


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## cwas (Apr 19, 2011)

Ria said:


> Hai everyone...
> Just wanted to update...got the notice letter for the grant of visa today !!!!!!! yeayyy!!!
> So happy..i was quite confused for the first 5 minutes when i opened the email..coz i simply wasnt expecting it to be approved in March..
> We applied in Oct 2012.
> ...


Congrats Ria!! very happy for you but also very jealous!! My partner submitted his application back in July, and we still waiting... havent even got a CO!!! our second child is due in 2 weeks so he is coming here on a tourist visa which is just a pain... we so thought we would have had the visa granted by now or a least a CO!!
is there anyone else out there who's 309 is taking FOREVER!!!


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

Hi Shirl, I used an agent though I wouldn't say it's neccessary. I only did it because my partner didn't feel confident dealing with immigration and I'm the organiser of the 
two of us. We got our CO in approx 2 months but this was last year and things can change in that time. Fingers crossed it's not too long for you.

Woo I'm hearing the wedding bells Bonez! It's so great once you're married. Yeah it's by far not the end of the visa journey like it used to be, just don't think about that 
second application yet. Did you make copies of your evidence from your first application? I didn't, I wish I did. I got some stuff back from Jakarta, but not all.


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

Madura said:


> Woo I'm hearing the wedding bells Bonez! It's so great once you're married. Yeah it's by far not the end of the visa journey like it used to be, just don't think about that
> second application yet. Did you make copies of your evidence from your first application? I didn't, I wish I did. I got some stuff back from Jakarta, but not all.


Yeah the bells are ringing... just want it to be over and done with though - so much organising and fuss for one day! haha...

I did keep copies of everything, even if it was just a scanned copy. The only thing I should have done right the first time was to get extra copies of my fiancee's ID translated. Apart from that, there's nothing else that we can't already obtain.

She renewed her police clearance the week before she left Indonesia so that is valid, her medical is still valid as it will be less than 12 months since she had it done for the 300 and all of her other ID and documents she has the originals with her in Oz.

Luckily I had all of her original docs translated to English in Australia. She sent them to me via DHL, I had it done and then took them back when we met in Bali for a holiday (and to sign off on the application together). The good thing is that I was able to go back to the NAATI translator guy here in Perth and ask him to re-print the documents and stamp them, just for a small admin and postage fee since he had already done the translations previously and kept them on file.

I'm not 100% sure what came back from Jakarta, I know photos did but apart from that I don't know. Was there something else you realised you needed now that they didn't give you back?

Maybe I have forgotten something too, not sure!


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

Jakarta said they would only be giving back evidence of the relationship, I got back some photos, some phone records and the odd piece of evidence but it wasn't complete. I 
wouldn't recommend anyone rely on that, so it's good you made copies, that way you can't really forget anything. Since I didn't make copies I went back to the list in the partner booklet and went over it with a fine tooth comb. 

As far as I know, your partner won't need to do the police checks in Australia unless she's been here in total for 12 months including any periods on a tourist visa.
My partner was under the 12 months, we didn't submit one and as yet haven't had one requested. They asked for a form 80 which is not listed in the required forms, it's 
quite long and asks for a lot of details, specifically all work and addresses in the last ten years, no gaps allowed. I think I've written out our names, addresses, passort details about a million times. You'd think they wouldn't need it over and over again on every form in the same application. Alas, it's worth it for the cause.


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

Hey Madura,

Yeah I am pretty sure that's all my partner got back from jkt as well, just basic stuff. 
She won't need to do police checks so that's good... I am pretty sure that the Form 80 is now listed (in the new versions of documents April 2013) as a requirement. I do remember reading somewhere that is has to be included in the application. I have already completed the 40sp, 47sp and the form 80 - they are the easiest part!

Just waiting to get our wedding out of the way then we can sit down and write our statements and get everything else together.


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

*Visa Update*

Hi all. I got some good news last week, my partners TR has been approved. We applied on the 17th of January and approval came through on the 3rd of May, making it around 3 and a half months waiting time. I'm so relieved as the auto response said it could be up to 13 months.

This means we won't have to apply to leave the country as he's now on a subclass 820, which has multiple travel facility. It's stated we do not need to make a further application for the PR, though I'm imagining they will ask for evidence our relationship is continuing and ongoing. I think I read somewhere about the possibility of a home visit from them.

Now, we wait two years for the PR, unless I try to go down the path of applying to have that reduced based on the time we have been together, but not sure I can be bothered looking into that right now. I've had my fill of applications though it would be worth it for him to be a PR. Anywhoo hope everyone else is happy and applications are coming along.


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

Hi Madura, that's great news - congrats. We're in the final stages of preparing the 820/801 to send off anytime within the next fortnight. Just waiting on stat decs from friends and family but we have everything else ready to go!

Which office did you submit it to just out of curiosity?


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

I mailed it through to the Sydney office. I wanted to drop it off to make sure they had it, no stuffing around with post so I called and asked if I could drop off my application, but they said I had to make an appointment and they don't gave them unless you have a problem or need to talk something through. The lady said it's a bit hard to get an appointment, so just to mail or courier the application it in.


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

Hey guys, just thought I'd give an update.

My wife got her 820 granted today 

14 days since it was received at the Perth office. She had not even received the "We have accepted your application" letter nor a bridging visa. It went immediately from the subclass 300 to the subclass 820 in only 14 days.

I received a weird phone call about 3pm today from Immigration asking for my partner. I asked "May I ask who is calling?" and she said she was from Immigration, then asked if I was BonezAU, so I said yes. Then she said "I can't find your marriage certificate... did you include it in the application?" I said yes then told her which section of the application to look in, and she eventually found it and laughed because I think she felt a bit silly for not seeing it in the first place.

Received 16th May (via Australia post).
Visa application charge deducted 22nd May
820 Granted today.

Good luck to anyone else still waiting


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

Congratulations! That's great news. It's a load off knowing you're home free for your trip. Looks like the Sydney office is the busiest.. Let the two years begin!


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## takeavvay (Jan 12, 2013)

Ah its a good feeling seeing others in my position :') I'm an Australian engaged to an Indonesian (From Lampung). I recently got a tourist visa for her to come here, in future we want to get a prospective marriage visa  If you can add me also on facebook (Alec Storey) it will be good to keep in touch with you guys


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

Welcome. I hope our pages of angst can be of use


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

Madura said:


> Congratulations! That's great news. It's a load off knowing you're home free for your trip. Looks like the Sydney office is the busiest.. Let the two years begin!


Thanks! Yeah now we can finally go on a honeymoon, uh, eh, uh, after we've saved some money - lots spent on the wedding even though it was smallish 
Does the 2 years begin from the 820 grant date do you know? Still haven't received the grant letter from DIAC yet, just been checking it on VEVO lol.


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

Generally, applicants become eligible two years after the date of the lodgement of the combined application. Shortly before that date, the department will write to you and invite to provide further information.

So much to do, so little money to spend. Weddings, honeymoons, trips back to 
Indo, saving for a house, the kids (eep). Any thoughts on a honeymoon destination? We're thinking Thaliand, money's worth more but somewhere different than indo all the time.


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

Madura said:


> Generally, applicants become eligible two years after the date of the lodgement of the combined application. Shortly before that date, the department will write to you and invite to provide further information.


Cool, thanks for that - hadn't even thought that far yet.


Madura said:


> So much to do, so little money to spend. Weddings, honeymoons, trips back to
> Indo, saving for a house, the kids (eep). Any thoughts on a honeymoon destination? We're thinking Thaliand, money's worth more but somewhere different than indo all the time.


I know the feeling! We were thinking exactly the same as you - Thailand, just not sure which part yet. Don't really want to go to Phuket though. Also since we are going to be up that way it would be good to come back through Indonesia to visit family and friends.

Would love to take 3 weeks off and travel/relax but after the wedding.... arrhh! no money!


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## Moose (Jun 11, 2012)

Hi Everyone,

Please to hear that applications are being approved. Congratulations to those that have finally received good news.

I have a question regarding what information a visa applicant has a right to know during the applications process.

Our case officer requested some further information from my fiancé relating to her previous marriage and children from that relationship.

My fiancé has one child from her previous marriage however when she married her ex he already had 3 kids from a previous marriage. (By the way, their marriage was not 'legally' recognised as it was a just Hindu ceremonial marriage in their village in Bali so there was no marriage certificate and no divorce certificate. My fiancé has already supplied immigration with a statement stamped and signed by her , her ex and the village leaders to confirm their marriage ended some time ago)

When my fiancé recently obtained a birth certificate for her only son, she and her ex had to apply for the BC and supply their old family card which of course listed all of his children so the BC for her son listed him as the 4th child of the parents. Our case officer saw that and asked why my fiancé had not listed all of her children on her application form.

My fiancé sent a detailed response back to the CO explaining that she had only one child with her ex and further explained why the BC would have listed him as the 4th child of that relationship. The response we sent back was very detailed and also made mention of the fact that although Bali is in Indonesia, the bureaucracy and government processes in Bali are very much different from other parts of Indonesia and the processes in Bali relating to marriage, divorce, birth certificates, etc. was very different. We also stated that we had been completely truthful with every aspect of the application and will provide any further information or documents the case officer might require.

After not receiving a response to our e-mail for about 5 days we sent another e-mail to the case officer asking if she had received the response and she replied yesterday with this&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;"* I have received your statement and will process it accordingly. Thank you"*

Of course as we all know this whole process is very stressful and not knowing exactly what is going on plays tricks on your mind, but her response has now left us wondering if she has accepted the response we gave to her questions. Is there a chance she may not believe what we have told her and instead of asking us for further evidence she could just determine that we are not being truthful and refuse the application? or are we just jumping at shadows and reading way too much into this?

With all of our plans we have for our future together for us to even think there is a chance the application could be refused is freaking us both out so&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;.

Does an applicant have the right to ask a case officer if the application is progressing towards approval?

Could we send her an e-mail asking if the application looks like it will be approved or not? Or are we just at the mercy of this person to decide?


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## 19729 (Feb 4, 2012)

Hi Moose,

From an outsiders view, I don't find the CO's response negative. I find it more to lean on the positive side. Everyone knows what local marriages and children are like in Indonesia, so I don't think that would be a reason to decline your application. It sounds like you provided a detailed response, hence her not requiring further information.

You can definitely ask if your application is going to be approved, however, I can't see them telling you if it's leaning a particular way. I've personally have never come across it.


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## Ria (Jul 26, 2011)

I agree with Madura..best way to approach this is just prepare what they asked for..positive thing is at least they are really looking into it..
In my case I was suddenly asked for my childrens birth certificate when i clearly state that they will not be coming with me (for the time being), I was going to contact them and tell them that but thought that it would be quicker for me to get than to complaint to them about it. At the end, they grant my visa just 3 days after i submit those birth certificate.
So I think just do what you can to prepare all they need. And have faith.


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## Moose (Jun 11, 2012)

Well,

I am not sure if it was all of my moaning and complaining of late or just divine intervention but my Fiances PMV was approved today. I hope this means that approvals will start flowing thick and fast now that we are in the new Financial year. I want to thank everyone on this forum for their kind words and advice during this whole process that has certainly been an eye opener for me. Good luck to all of you who are still waiting and I will not be a stranger to this forum as I hope from time to time i can provide some advice to someone who is going through this very, very stressful process.

All my best to you all of you that have given me feedback (good and bad) on this wonderfully helpful forum.... Special mention to Mark Northam for his wise words of clarity, Collegegirl, BonezAU and any others I have forgotten to mention.


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

Congrats Moose, great to hear it was finally approved! Good luck to you two for the future


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## Ria (Jul 26, 2011)

Yeayy!!! Way to go Moose..congratz to both of you..best of luck indeed. Anyone planning to stay in Melb? Im leaving on the 24th July and still in search of a job..staying positive though..
Congratz again Moose..well done!


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## mademoiselle_nina (Jul 6, 2013)

Hi everyone,

I am new to this forum and already love it to bits as it holds so many informations that i need.
Congratulation on everyone's approved PMV and partner visas  and good luck for those who are waiting 

So i am an Indonesian who currently is seeing an OZ citizen. He met my family last March and i am to meet his family this coming October on a 1 month tourist visa. We plan to get married next year.

From what i read in this thread, i made my conclusions on how it works? CMIIW 
1. Apply for PMV, 
2. visit OZ at least once with the visa, 
3. get married before the visa expired, 
4. move to OZ on PMV
5. Apply for temporary and permanent partner visa on shore (once we are in OZ?)

Is that right? 

Regards,
Nina


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

mademoiselle_nina said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> 1. Apply for PMV,
> 2. visit OZ at least once with the visa,
> ...


Yep, that's pretty much one way of doing it. It sounds like you are planning to get married in Indonesia? That is no problem but as you mentioned, as long as you have visited Australia on the subclass 300 visa at least once, you can get married wherever you like.

The only issue you may have is that if you aren't planning on coming to Australia immediately after the visa grant, you'll have problems gathering enough proof for the 820/801 application. Ideally you need to show that you are married, living with your partner, sharing household responsibilities such as utility bills (have some in your name too if you can), joint bank account together, mail sent to you at the address etc.

If you are planning on getting married overseas and then coming to Australia immediately after you're married then I don't think it will be too much of a problem, I would just recommend that you don't waste too much time between when the visa is granted and when you get married... so that you have enough time to collect the evidence above to submit for the 820/801.

Hope I haven't confused you too much, and good luck


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## mademoiselle_nina (Jul 6, 2013)

Thank you very much for the answer! Nope your answer doesn't confuse me at all, in fact that's an awesome one, thank you 

Yap, up to now that is the plan Bonez, be married in Indo and coming with him to Australia right away as it will not be possible for us to live together before that (my family is a conservative one )
Yea I reckon that no time should be wasted once the PMV issued (fingers crossed). I haven't processed anything though...Do you think we need to at least wait a month (live together for a month) before processing the PV so we can provide other documents (such as shared bills, etc)?

Is there any other scheme do you think i can consider?


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

mademoiselle_nina said:


> Yap, up to now that is the plan Bonez, be married in Indo and coming with him to Australia right away as it will not be possible for us to live together before that (my family is a conservative one )
> Yea I reckon that no time should be wasted once the PMV issued (fingers crossed). I haven't processed anything though...Do you think we need to at least wait a month (live together for a month) before processing the PV so we can provide other documents (such as shared bills, etc)?
> 
> Is there any other scheme do you think i can consider?


That's perfectly fine, I understand about not being able to live together until you're married. My partner is from Indonesia as well but her family was not so conservative... her mother was surprised that we'd been sleeping in the same bed for a few months before we were married but she was okay with it in the end 

The best thing in my opinion would be to apply for the subclass 300 prospective marriage visa, once granted, come to Australia to 'activate' the visa then go back to Indonesia and get married as quickly as possible. Maybe even plan and prepare everything for the wedding before you come to Australia.

As soon as you are married, come back to Australia and move in with your partner. Get at least one of the utility bills (listrik/gas) changed into your name if possible, open a joint bank account and keep some photos of you two together here. If time allows, live together for 3 months or so and prepare the 820/801 visa then submit it. If your application is 100% complete, you may be lucky and get it granted very very fast (ie. 2 weeks), but if it's not all complete and decision ready they will grant you a bridging visa while a decision is made.

It's even better if you are in a position to:

a) Come to Oz ASAP after your visa is granted, even if you just fly from Jkt/Bali to Perth on a budget airline and stay for a few days! 
b) Go back to Indonesia and get married ASAP
c) Come back to Australia to live here
d) Collect evidence over a couple of months

You shouldn't have any issues 

If you are not planning to come out here ASAP after your visa is granted then time may be a bit tighter between the wedding and being able to collect enough evidence to show that you are living together etc. Whatever you feel comfortable with at the end of the day should be alright, just don't leave everything to the last minute.

semoga sukses ya...


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## mademoiselle_nina (Jul 6, 2013)

Terrific answer BONEZ, terima kasih for the suggestion, explanation, and the wishes of 'sukses'


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## meesha121 (Apr 10, 2012)

Hi - can anyone help me with getting Police check done in Bali for partner visa..we have been told that we need to go to Jakarta to get this done but surely there is a way to get it done in Bali. 
Thanks


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## 18302 (Nov 23, 2011)

meesha121 said:


> Hi - can anyone help me with getting Police check done in Bali for partner visa..we have been told that we need to go to Jakarta to get this done but surely there is a way to get it done in Bali.
> Thanks


This thread might help. My partner was able to get a police check done in Surabaya, and it even states the reason for the check as "Visa Australia". Not sure what the go is in Bali, but surely there has to be a way to do it without going to Jakarta or Surabaya.


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## french_fries (Mar 30, 2013)

Hi 

I have one question. Does all of the statdecs need to be signed in front of notary?
My fiancee (Indonesian) is going to get the important statdecs signed in front of a notary, but we have some statdecs about a couple of things to clarify something (e.g statdec to confirm that her number that shows up on my phone bill is really her number)

I ask this because the cost of notary in Indonesia is expensive.
It's 300k IDR (30 AUD) for a notary to witness a document to be signed.
We have about 7 important statdecs (1 my fiancee's statdec,6 indonesian supporting witnesses' statdecs) that need to be signed so in total we have to spend 210 AUD for those statdecs.
WE have statdecs from indonesian witnesses because all of my family are Indonesian (I am the one who is australian), all of my friends who know her are in Indonesia and my fiancee has never been to Australia.


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