# Update from Vienna office



## sunnysmile (Oct 13, 2011)

Before I post any news about progress of my visa I would like to tell you that I am married to my Australian wife for 5 years and we have daughter of 4 who is Australian citizen too and we live together here in Croatia. As I was close to 7 months (lodged 19.06 2012.) of waiting for Partner visa from Vienna office I sent them an email asking about possible date of visa grant because we would like to book our flights, sell the car and other things and I received their call with information that we should not expect anything before June or maybe even longer because processing times are now 12 months! I am very disappointed and sad. This is absolute catastrophy for me and my family and this means we have to make very painfull decisions.

Sorry, not that good news from me.


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## CollegeGirl (Nov 10, 2012)

For what it's worth, Sunny, that's right in line with what the DIAC website says:

Client Service Charter

For the countries DIAC considers high-risk (and Croatia is among them), 12 months is the quoted standard processing time for offshore 309 applications.  I'm so sorry. That is a long time to have to wait, especially when you're hoping for less!


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## kttykat (Oct 30, 2012)

CollegeGirl said:


> For what it's worth, Sunny, that's right in line with what the DIAC website says:
> 
> Client Service Charter
> 
> For the countries DIAC considers high-risk (and Croatia is among them), 12 months is the quoted standard processing time for offshore 309 applications.  I'm so sorry. That is a long time to have to wait, especially when you're hoping for less!


I still don't understand why there can't be a special bridging visa for offshore applicants, at least after the medicals and police checks are done. You could be the worst of the worst, apply onshore and you stay. You can be the best of the best, apply offshore and can't come in until they bother to dust off your file and read it after a year or so. This just seems crazy.

Here I am in Australia on an ETA, took 2 minutes to get, had no hassles at the border arriving on a one way ticket, but will now have to leave the country when they decide it is OK for me to stay  I still think I should ask if I can have a day trip to the US embassy in Canberra as that makes just about as much sense, it is American soil after all 

Kttykat


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## CollegeGirl (Nov 10, 2012)

kttykat said:


> I still don't understand why there can't be a special bridging visa for offshore applicants, at least after the medicals and police checks are done. You could be the worst of the worst, apply onshore and you stay. You can be the best of the best, apply offshore and can't come in until they bother to dust off your file and read it after a year or so. This just seems crazy.
> 
> Here I am in Australia on an ETA, took 2 minutes to get, had no hassles at the border arriving on a one way ticket, but will now have to leave the country when they decide it is OK for me to stay  I still think I should ask if I can have a day trip to the US embassy in Canberra as that makes just about as much sense, it is American soil after all
> 
> Kttykat


Amen, Ktty! So frustrating. I like your daytrip idea - let us know how that goes for you, hee hee.


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## sunnysmile (Oct 13, 2011)

CollegeGirl said:


> For what it's worth, Sunny, that's right in line with what the DIAC website says:
> 
> Client Service Charter
> 
> For the countries DIAC considers high-risk (and Croatia is among them), 12 months is the quoted standard processing time for offshore 309 applications.  I'm so sorry. That is a long time to have to wait, especially when you're hoping for less!


The same CO told me 7-9 months back in August. And one other member from Croatia who applied 15 days before me got her visa on 31.12.2012. so what is standard?


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## CollegeGirl (Nov 10, 2012)

By "standard" I just mean what DIAC has listed as "standard" on their website (which I linked to). And you can't really go by when one other person gets theirs - there are always outliers that get theirs quicker than everybody else. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you that yours won't really take that long. You just never know!


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## sunnysmile (Oct 13, 2011)

Even they use that magic word "standard" the fact is that there is no standard processing time. It could be earlier or later or could be extended at any time and they don't have any obligation to explain it. Standard processing time is when we get our visa grant, whenever it happens.


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## CollegeGirl (Nov 10, 2012)

sunnysmile said:


> Even they use that magic word "standard" the fact is that there is no standard processing time. It could be earlier or later or could be extended at any time and they don't have any obligation to explain it. Standard processing time is when we get our visa grant, whenever it happens.


Yep, I'd have to agree with that 100%, Sunny. Believe me... I understand. Processing for my fiance's 186 was supposed to be 3-6 weeks... we're past five months now.


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## nadam (Jan 8, 2013)

sunnysmile said:


> Before I post any news about progress of my visa I would like to tell you that I am married to my Australian wife for 5 years and we have daughter of 4 who is Australian citizen too and we live together here in Croatia. As I was close to 7 months (lodged 19.06 2012.) of waiting for Partner visa from Vienna office I sent them an email asking about possible date of visa grant because we would like to book our flights, sell the car and other things and I received their call with information that we should not expect anything before June or maybe even longer because processing times are now 12 months! I am very disappointed and sad. This is absolute catastrophy for me and my family and this means we have to make very painfull decisions.
> 
> Sorry, not that good news from me.


I don't want to get your (or my) hopes up, but I find the whole '12 months' thing a little difficult to believe.

How is it possible for them to tell us for seven months that the standard processing time is "7-9 months," then -- all of a sudden -- it has increased by 3-5 months?

When I say 'all of a sudden,' I am talking about a matter of weeks.

I think we should take solace in the fact that a previous applicant from Croatia, 'Fuerstin', was told by the very same case officer as you & I that her application would not be finalised until February or April 2013 at best, but, what do you know, it was approved by the end of December 2012.

Not to mention that her application was lodged a mere 3 days before mine, and two weeks before yours. Five-and-a-half-months difference between those applications? I'm not buying it.

Again, I do not wish to get your hopes up, but I also do not think you should be getting down because of what the case officer said. They are pretty notorious for giving standard, generic responses to get applicants off their back(s).

During those first 7 months, they are constantly telling us the "expected processing time is 7-9 months." That stops us from bugging them every day or week with, 'When will I get my visa?'

Now that it is past 7 months (at least for me), it's probably easier for them to just say, "Don't expect anything until the 12-month mark" - otherwise we will always be calling them with the aforementioned question; at least I know I would be.

So, keep the faith, brate!

PS. If you that worried about it not being approved for quite some time, you definitely should look into a tourist visa. An Australian friend of mine recently secured a tourist visa for his Bosnian de facto partner. Similar to you, they have a (baby) child who is an Australian citizen. Their application was approved in 9 days. 
This is an option my partner and I have been looking at, but we're holding onto hope that the partner visa will come through before it comes to that. 
If you have any questions about that, feel free to ask.


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## sunnysmile (Oct 13, 2011)

Hi, nadam. Nice to see you here. What do you say about these COs words: " you will not get your visa before June and after that...we'll see". "we'll see"!! Horror, absolute horror.


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## nadam (Jan 8, 2013)

Posted 26 November 2012:



fuerstin said:


> Thank you Mica, but there will be nothing before February 2013. I called my CO and she told me that the earliest date to get the visa will be February but it could be April as well, she told me that everything is ok with my application and I`ll get the permanent status, but there is just a standard procedure and she can`t help it. And she told me, that there is no more high risk and low risk country, now its all the same. To be honest, its maybe better, so I have more time to make a very good plan, my husband was now for 3 weeks in Perth (after 15 years) and of course a lot of things changed and it will be difficult with a job and accommodation and school...More time-less mistakes-hopefully!


Posted 1 January 2013:



fuerstin said:


> i received my visa yesterday (permanent!) and hopefully end of january we will be in Perth!!!!


---------------

Looking at that first post, so much for "earliest date to get visa will be February" and the whole thing about "no more high risk and low risk country."

As I said, don't let standard CO language get you down. No way will your case take 12 months.


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## sunnysmile (Oct 13, 2011)

Thank you, nadam, for nice and encouraging words. We would consider tourist visa, definitely. After first shock we agreed to wait one more month for partner visa and if they don't grant it after that time my wife and daughter will go without me. I will keep on waiting for them to bless me with visa (CO works in mysterious ways).


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## alma89 (Jan 16, 2013)

I spoke to my CO at the vienna office yesterday and she told me that the processing time has changed and is now upto 12 months. Last time I spoke to her she said 7-9 months. I dont understand how they can just change. I am preganant and my husband is in Bosnia while I am in Australia. We submitted our application in May and have now been waiting for almost 8 months. We thought that it was getting close now seeing as it was 7-9 months but now that its 12 months we have no idea. If it does take 12 months then my husband wont even be here for the birth of the baby. I dont know what they could possible be doing for 12 months. He did apply for tourist visa at the beginning but it was refused as they said the tourist visa was not designed to be in Australia while waiting the outcome of the visa. Dont know what to do anymore its just taking too long.


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## sunnysmile (Oct 13, 2011)

I am sorry that it happened to you too. They are very unfair if they extended processing time for almost finalized applications.


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## nadam (Jan 8, 2013)

I think the key words quoted there are "*up to* 12 months."

A complicated case from _any_ country at _any_ processing office could take that long.

I still hold on to the hope that she is merely quoting the '12 months' stuff to prepare us in case it actually does take that long. It would be a misguided action for her to say "It should come through in the next few weeks" when she can't be one-hundred percent sure of that.

In any case, I received an e-mail response yesterday from the DIAC Europe Service Centre re: applying for a Tourist Visa. (I think the woman who wrote to me was based in Croatia, if anyone is curious.)



> The processing time for partner visas is *currently 8-9 months*, unless there are particularly
> compelling and compassionate reasons (such as death in the family/family
> illness), you should expect your visa to take this full period of time for
> a decision.


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## sunnysmile (Oct 13, 2011)

Today's update from Vienna office is not an update actually - it is anniversary of full 8 months of waiting for my partner visa. I hope that others would bring better news here.


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## mcru (Jan 25, 2013)

nadam said:


> I think the key words quoted there are "*up to* 12 months."
> 
> A complicated case from _any_ country at _any_ processing office could take that long.
> 
> I still hold on to the hope that she is merely quoting the '12 months' stuff to prepare us in case it actually does take that long. It would be a misguided action for her to say "It should come through in the next few weeks" when she can't be one-hundred percent sure of that.


I wish we were told that originally. We applied in Dec 2011 (not Vienna) and In May and June last year we were told - in writing - our offshore 309 would be issued after mid-July. We didn't ask for that date - we just made the mistake of relying on it. We're still waiting.

In general, I don't think it's the CO's fault. They're human and do a difficult job dealing with peoples lives, as well as sorting the genuine applicants from the fakes. Often they empathise with applicants situations. It's the system that clearly could do with some process improvement and efficiency - for the benefit of everyone.

All the best sunnysmile, hope you have some good news soon.


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## sunnysmile (Oct 13, 2011)

Today's update from Vienna office is not an update actually - it is *anniversary of full 9 months* of waiting for our partner visa. "12 months and beyond" thread, here we come. It is time to celebrate so for this great occasion I am going to give you something special: answer to our "feedback" to DIAC about processing of our application:



> Dear ...,
> 
> I am writing in relation to your recent feedback concerning the processing of your application for a Partner (subclass 309) visa, which was lodged in Vienna.
> 
> ...


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## sunnysmile (Oct 13, 2011)

10 months today.


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## sunnysmile (Oct 13, 2011)

nadam said:


> As I said, don't let standard CO language get you down. No way will your case take 12 months.


Well, mate, it's 10 and a half months now so it is likely to be 12 months or even more, unfortunately.  Come on people who lodged your applications in Vienna, contribute in this thread and post news from your CO if any or just share your experience.


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## sunnysmile (Oct 13, 2011)

11 full months of waiting for Partner Visa from Vienna office today.


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## sunnysmile (Oct 13, 2011)

12 months of waiting for Partner visa from Vienna office. 1 YEAR!


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## CollegeGirl (Nov 10, 2012)

I am so sorry, Sunny.  I wonder why your security checks are taking so long? Bizarre and so frustrating.


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## sunnysmile (Oct 13, 2011)

13 months of waiting for Partner visa from Vienna office. 1YEAR and 1 month.


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## krissaid (Sep 5, 2012)

Hi sunnysmile, 

I don't know if it any consolation or I might freak you out, but we are 6 weeks away from 2 years of waiting for PMV through Berlin. It is awful, and I feel for you.


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## nadam (Jan 8, 2013)

sunnysmile said:


> 13 months of waiting for Partner visa from Vienna office. 1YEAR and 1 month.


Initially told "7-9 months" and then "up to 12 months."

We're now long past that stage with no idea what to even expect.

Have you been told anything to give you some idea of how long it is expected to take!?


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## sunnysmile (Oct 13, 2011)

Hi, mate. The last thing I heard from them was:

"Current expected processing time for Partner Migration visas at the Australian Embassy in Vienna is at least 12 months for most applications. In some cases the wait can be lengthy – in many cases 12 months or more and this office is not advised of the progress of security checks."

Today, when I hit 13 months mark, I made a complaint to IGIS. Why don't you do it too? Let them hear our voices.


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## nadam (Jan 8, 2013)

sunnysmile said:


> Hi, mate. The last thing I heard from them was:
> 
> "Current expected processing time for Partner Migration visas at the Australian Embassy in Vienna is at least 12 months for most applications. In some cases the wait can be lengthy - in many cases 12 months or more and this office is not advised of the progress of security checks."
> 
> Today, when I hit 13 months mark, I made a complaint to IGIS. Why don't you do it too? Let them hear our voices.


Our case officer has been away for the last two weeks or so. She should be back Monday or Tuesday, so will give her a call to find out what the deal is. Following that, we will decide whether to contact IGIS. Cheers


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## sunnysmile (Oct 13, 2011)

Just to add - that answer I quoted is answer from her.


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## sunnysmile (Oct 13, 2011)

I received reply on complaint to IGIS about lenghty security check and here it is:



> I refer to your inquiry concerning any security assessment that may be required for this visa application and advise that there is no unexplained delay, illegality or impropriety by ASIO affecting this case. The application appears to be progressing through expected channels and there are no grounds for any further action by this office at this stage.
> 
> I understand that this visa application was lodged in June 2012 and more than 12 months has now elapsed without finalisation. However, many other applicants are also experiencing similar delays. Please note that the length of time taken to process the visa is not necessarily indicative of the outcome of the application.
> 
> I encourage you to contact the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) for updates regarding the status of this visa application. If you have not received an outcome for the visa application by February 2014 then you may contact this office again for another inquiry.


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## sunnysmile (Oct 13, 2011)

14 months of waiting for Partner visa from Vienna office. 1YEAR and 2 months.


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## CollegeGirl (Nov 10, 2012)




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## chicken999 (May 2, 2013)

I feel ur pain. 10 months for us now


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## chicken999 (May 2, 2013)

Visa granted! Omg I can't stop crying and laughing


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## onemorecountry (Mar 24, 2012)

Wow there seem to be long waiting periods for the vienna office. Does anybody know if this is also true if you come from a low risk country (aka Austria)?


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## sunnysmile (Oct 13, 2011)

As far as I am member here (and it is almost 2 years) I have never seen someone from Austria who applied for partner visa that waited more than a year. Such long waits are served to applicants from some of ex-Yugoslavia republics, or precisely, to Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatian nationals.


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## onemorecountry (Mar 24, 2012)

Thanks for the reply. That really gives me hope! My CO asked me this week to get my medicals done so hopefully it wont be too many months until my visa is granted.


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## onemorecountry (Mar 24, 2012)

I got my visa granted today and they gave me Subclass 100! I can't believe it. I was told by my CO that average processing time would be 9-12 months and now i got the visa after 4.5 .

I applied for 309 on 31 May 2013 (including police checks) and did my medicals on 20 September 2013. 

I supplied loads of documentation (about 3 kg) since we don't have a joint bank account and we have travelled extensively and lived in various countries since we met in 2009. The last couple of months we have lived with my parents without a rental contract or utilities in our name.

It seems like staying in high-risk countries like Libya, Zimbabwe, China, Honduras, etc. has had little impact on my background check waiting time


I still can't stop starring at that email. 

Good luck to all of you!


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## KitKaat (Oct 9, 2013)

The CO in Egypt sended us this email :

Kindly note that current world processing time for a complete assessment and decision to be made is twelve months but Cairo has advertised we are looking to finalise applications within 9 months of receipt and earlier if possible. Some cases can take a shorter period time; some can take longer depending on their complexity, how complete the application was at time of lodgement and the varying length of times taken to receive clearances to the department's mandatory checking requirements.


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## KitKaat (Oct 9, 2013)

Congratulations Onemorecountry for the visa!! 

How's everything going sunnysmile, any new update ?


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## sunnysmile (Oct 13, 2011)

> How's everything going sunnysmile, any new update ?


Update is that there is no update but thanks for asking, KitKaat. Next Saturday is going to be 16 months of waiting but I have a feeling processing doesn't even started. Friends ask me what do I think when it will come and I tell them: "Never!" and almost the same answer hides in me about the question when will I go to Australia. Sorry but I don't feel welcomed to country that made me go through this hell and made me wait this long.


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## KitKaat (Oct 9, 2013)

Sorry to hear that sunnysmile, but don't ever give up, there is always tomorrow and a new day. Please be positive we shall see each other in Australia  I can feel it .. Don't give up.


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## sunnysmile (Oct 13, 2011)

Thank you, KitKaat.


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## nadica (Nov 6, 2013)

sunnysmile said:


> Update is that there is no update but thanks for asking, KitKaat. Next Saturday is going to be 16 months of waiting but I have a feeling processing doesn't even started. Friends ask me what do I think when it will come and I tell them: "Never!" and almost the same answer hides in me about the question when will I go to Australia. Sorry but I don't feel welcomed to country that made me go through this hell and made me wait this long.


I'm sorry to hear that. There is no explanation for your waiting ? I'm really worried now. I applyed start of august this year. All papers sended except medical which they asked to provide in november (this month). Straight away got CO, few days after aplication was loged.


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## onemorecountry (Mar 24, 2012)

Hi, I was also asked for my medicals 3 months after lodging my application and I was granted my visa soon after that. 

I hope the same will be true in your case.


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## nadica (Nov 6, 2013)

onemorecountry said:


> Hi, I was also asked for my medicals 3 months after lodging my application and I was granted my visa soon after that.
> 
> I hope the same will be true in your case.


Thank you . Did they said to you too process time is at least 9-12 months ? But you got it sooner .


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## onemorecountry (Mar 24, 2012)

Yep. They also told me at least 9-12 months processing time and I got it after 4.5.


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## AmonRa (Feb 3, 2015)

Hi guys,

I was wondering what are the processing times for a partner visa application at the Vienna embassy, if anyone has applied through them?
I am a Australian citizen and my wife is from Bosnia, I'm currently in bosnia waiting for her visa to be granted, I've contacted the embassy many times and given random answers, they told me the standard waiting time is 14 months, I called today and they told me the standard waiting time is 12 months or can be granted earlier depending on how many slots are available, we have been currently waiting for 9 and a half months.

Any advice on the waiting times or people that have gone through the Vienna embassy would be appreciated.

Here are some of my details.

Visa type/Subclass: 309/100
Date of Application: 24th April 2014
CO Assigned: 30th April 2014
Medical Done: 15th October 2014
Embassy of Application: Vienna
Country of Applicant: Bosnia and Herzegovina


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## nadam (Jan 8, 2013)

AmonRa said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> I was wondering what are the processing times for a partner visa application at the Vienna embassy, if anyone has applied through them?
> I am a Australian citizen and my wife is from Bosnia, I'm currently in bosnia waiting for her visa to be granted, I've contacted the embassy many times and given random answers, they told me the standard waiting time is 14 months, I called today and they told me the standard waiting time is 12 months or can be granted earlier depending on how many slots are available, we have been currently waiting for 9 and a half months.
> ...


Hej, kako ste vi? Gdje zivite u BiH?

I just got an email with a notification saying there'd been a post in this topic, so thought I'd help out as much as I could.

It's been about a year since my wife (Bosnian) had her partner visa approved. We waited 18 months even though we were originally quoted "7-9 months". There was a pretty big backlog then but 18 months was huge for that time. I'm not sure if they've fixed up this area over the past 12 months. I hope they have for your sake.

One thing that helped us a lot was my wife (then my fiance) having a Tourist Visa approved so she could come back to Australia with me. (I was in Bosnia for 12 months. When I had to return, we'd already waited 8 months, and they granted her the Tourist visa when we applied at the last minute.) If you have any questions about applying for a tourist visa when in such a position, I'm more than happy to help.

Bear in mind however that she obviously won't be able to work while on the tourist visa for an indefinite period of time. For my wife that turned out to be almost another 12 months, which was a bit difficult to balance.

Bright side is that she got the visa, and is eligible for permanent residency in a few months.

Cheers from somewhere else in Bosnia right now, probably close to you.


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## AmonRa (Feb 3, 2015)

nadam said:


> Hej, kako ste vi? Gdje zivite u BiH?
> 
> I just got an email with a notification saying there'd been a post in this topic, so thought I'd help out as much as I could.
> 
> ...


Dobro , kako ste vi?  trenutno smo u sanskom mostu.

Yeah my agent sent me an email about this saying that I should try to apply for a tourist visa, the only problem is that she is currently 5 months pregnant and we are expecting in june.

Wooow 18 months that's just crazy, I don't understand why it takes so long for a visa to be processed for bosnia, I mean I've looked at the waiting times for Egypt, india, even Cambodia the waiting times are shorter 10 months at max.

We paid for the visa and also in addition we went through a agent who is also a lawyer and it cost a lot of money thinking it would speed up the process, I thought because we are both really young it would help, I'm 25 and my wife is 19.

Thank you for your reply and support Nadam, I've been in bosnia so long and want to go back to Australia for work but can't leave my wife.
Let's hope it's within the 12 month period.


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## Bosnian. (Mar 2, 2015)

*Just sharing some more pain.*

Ok so as I have written in the title, I registered to share some of the pain that me and my wife are currently going trough..

We have lodged our Visa on 16th of February 2014, meaning that soon it will be 13 months since we are waiting for our Visa to get granted. While it is true that last document we have submitted was in April it still is quiet a long wait in my opinion.

I am Bosnian and my wife is Australian by birth. Our CO did not ask me to do a medical, she said that is not necessary. Both of us are 22 years old.

We got a CO assigned a month after lodging the application. Last time we contacted our CO she said that they are counting 12 months from the time application was fully submitted, that is all of the documents. So for two of us that would be until the end of the April of 2015, lets hope it does not take longer then that.. 

Regards.


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## CollegeGirl (Nov 10, 2012)

I'm assuming you applied for a Partner Visa? If so, a medical IS necessary, and you WILL have to do one. They're mandatory for Partner Visas - no way around it. Maybe what she meant is not to do it YET as it was too early.


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## Bosnian. (Mar 2, 2015)

CollegeGirl said:


> I'm assuming you applied for a Partner Visa? If so, a medical IS necessary, and you WILL have to do one. They're mandatory for Partner Visas - no way around it. Maybe what she meant is not to do it YET as it was too early.


Hello,

Sorry for a late response. I don't think it is too early for me to do my medical tests because it has been 13 months since the time we lodged the application.. I guess, if she was about to ask for medical tests, it would be in the first 3 to 4 months.

I don't know even what to think anymore. Still, thank you for your response.

Regards.


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## Bosnian. (Mar 2, 2015)

We got our answer yesterday, after 14 months of waiting - our visa was rejected.
No reason was given. My wife and I are devastated that after making us wait for such a long time it was declined. We're pretty much upset.
Our question is, obviously we're going to contest it, we just need information on how to do that and how the whole procedure will go.
Any help will be greatly and immensely appreciated!


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## CCMS (Oct 10, 2013)

Bosnian. said:


> We got our answer yesterday, after 14 months of waiting - our visa was rejected. No reason was given. My wife and I are devastated that after making us wait for such a long time it was declined. We're pretty much upset. Our question is, obviously we're going to contest it, we just need information on how to do that and how the whole procedure will go. Any help will be greatly and immensely appreciated!


It would depend on the reason the application was refused. Sometimes a fresh application is a better option than an appeal. I suggest you get a professional to look at this. This is not a matter for lay persons to advise you on.


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## Mish (Jan 13, 2013)

Bosnian. said:


> We got our answer yesterday, after 14 months of waiting - our visa was rejected.
> No reason was given. My wife and I are devastated that after making us wait for such a long time it was declined. We're pretty much upset.
> Our question is, obviously we're going to contest it, we just need information on how to do that and how the whole procedure will go.
> Any help will be greatly and immensely appreciated!


Legally they have to give you a reason why you were rejected. There has to be a section of the legislation that you did not meet and then they should tell you why you did not meet this section.

As CCMS said sometimes it is better to do a fresh application with help. From what I have seen a brand new application can get processed faster than MRT. I believe MRT takes around 12 months or so and then it gets sent back to the embassy for processing which then takes more time as well.

Sorry about your rejection.


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## CCMS (Oct 10, 2013)

The decision letter will have a detailed explanation why the application was refused, quoting the relevant regulations etc.

A new application gives you the opportunity to address the reason(s) the application was refused. That is not necessarily the case with an appeal. You must have valid grounds to appeal the decision. Otherwise you are wasting your time and money.


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## Bosnian. (Mar 2, 2015)

Thank you for your response people.


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## Bosnian. (Mar 2, 2015)

Keep reading.. I am making this just so I would have 5 posts and be able to post links..


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## Bosnian. (Mar 2, 2015)

Keep reading.. I am making this just so I would have 5 posts and be able to post links.. I really hope nobody kicks me of the forum for this.. God I hate this rule.


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## Bosnian. (Mar 2, 2015)

Okay now to discuss the situation, in the letter I have got from our case agent, there were two files attached.
First file was "IMMI Refusal Notification with a Decision Record", and that file contained only this information: 

"Notification of refusal of application for a Partner (Provisional) (class UF) (subclass
309) / Partner (Migrant) (class BC) (subclass 100) visa

The applicant did not satisfy the provisions of the Migration Regulations 1994 (the Regulations).

The attached Decision Record provides more detailed information about this decision as it applies to this applicant.

Review rights
The decision can be reviewed.
The department cannot consider your visa application any further. However, your sponsor
is entitled to apply for a review of this decision to the Migration Review Tribunal (MRT).
An application for review of this decision must be given to the MRT within 70 calendar days
after the day on which you are taken to have received this letter."

Second file attached was named "M10 Migration Review Tribunal brochure" and that file is the same file you can download on this link: 

No matter what I do this site wont let me post the links.. So just google: "mrt rrt Factsheets-and-brochures" without quotes, and click on the first link in search.

on the bottom of the page. But on that page it is named: "Migration Review Tribunal - the review process - (M10)".

Any help and suggestions will be highly appreciated.

Regards.


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## GBP (Jun 1, 2013)

Bosnian. said:


> "Notification of refusal of application for a Partner (Provisional) (class UF) (subclass
> 309) / Partner (Migrant) (class BC) (subclass 100) visa
> 
> The applicant did not satisfy the provisions of the Migration Regulations 1994 (the Regulations).
> ...


is that all? No attachment or anything else?


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## Bosnian. (Mar 2, 2015)

GBP said:


> is that all? No attachment or anything else?


Yes sir, not a thing.. I have contacted the lady that was working on our case before but she still did not email me back.. I don't know what these regulations might mean.. to me it sounds really vague..


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## chicken999 (May 2, 2013)

So there was no "decision notice' attached.? If so that's outrageous they can screw up so badly. I think they forgot to attach it. The decision notice sets out the reasons u were rejected. Hopefully ur case officer can urgently send u a copy. 

What visa did u apply for and what evidence did u submit


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## CCMS (Oct 10, 2013)

There should be a "Decision Record" . Maybe your "case worker" ( did you mean case officer or a migration agent) forgot to attach it?


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## Bosnian. (Mar 2, 2015)

Yes I believe this is outrageous as well.. Only thing in entire email that they have sent that sounded sort of like explanation was this sentence: "The applicant did not satisfy the provisions of the Migration Regulations 1994 (the Regulations)." What ever that might mean..

There was no other form of Decision notice attached in email. And no, we did not have a migration agent working on our case, I was talking about our case worker (the lady working for the department of immigration and border protection).. We did it all by our self.. We applied for: " Partner (Provisional) (class UF) (subclass 309) / Partner (Migrant) (class BC) (subclass 100) visa".

Me and my wife are both 22 years old, we have met online, and we dated for four months online and then when she came to visit me, we decided to get married. After that she left to live back in Australia while Visa was getting processed, so we do not have any joint property or any joint bank accounts or anything else.. Since we have met she visited me two times, each time she stayed with me for a month.. We know each other for almost two years now and a year and a half of that we have been married. So maybe that is why they refused Visa.. maybe they are thinking that I do not have right to enter Australia because it did not take us a lot of time to date first, and then to live together for a couple of years.. I believe that despite of the fact that we did everything in a short period of time we still deserve to be together just as anybody else does.

Anyway, I sure would like to hear opinion of all of you guys on this matter.


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## chicken999 (May 2, 2013)

It's only a guess but it sounds like they didn't believe ur relationship was genuine perhaps because of the lack of evidence u submitted. Apart from all the usual forms and id what evidence did u submit to prove u were genuine ?

I'm really sorry this happened to u - we also know the pain of rejection and Mrt and reapplying (read my posts if u want the story)


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## CCMS (Oct 10, 2013)

The refusal may well be due to you not meeting the relationship requirements. 

Just being married does not account for much without sufficient co- habitation, a joint household or other evidence. 

It is a pity you didn't seek professional help before lodging the visa, so those issues could have been addressed.

Judging by the little info provided, a prospective marriage visa might have been a better option. 

The refusal letter normally comes with 3 attachments, so maybe the decision record was not attached.


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## Bosnian. (Mar 2, 2015)

Thank you for giving us your opinion guys, I will wait now to receive elaboration email from our case worker.. And after that I will update the reason for refusal. But, just in case the reason is them not believing that we are genuine couple, or us not providing enough information.. what would you suggest us to do? How to move forward from this point?

I provided them with all the information that they asked from us.. and the worst thing of all is the fact that we had to wait for 14 months just to get: "NO" for an answer without them even elaborating on reason of rejection.. Also, in past maybe eight months they have not asked anything from us, any sort of forms to fill in or any other details to provide.. They did not even ask me to do the medical tests or police checks, and if I understood correctly those are mandatory in every partner Visa application.. Only thing they asked me to do after sending the mandatory documents while lodging for Visa, was "Form 80 Personal particulars for assessment including character assessment".. and that was on the 30th of April 2014, and we have lodged our Visa on 14th of February 2014.. That was the only correspondence they had with us.. 

Trough entire Visa processing they kept us in the dark by saying that we have lodged everything they asked from us, and everything that's left is for us to wait.. And even now after 14 months when they have rejected us, they are still keeping us in the dark regarding the reasons of the rejection.. I don't know what to think at this point anymore.


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## CCMS (Oct 10, 2013)

Best thing to do right now is to wait for the decision record and go from there. 

Police records and medicals are usually only requested ( if not previously provided) when all the basic requirements have been met. 

There is no requirement for the Department to request any additional documentation. They can make a decision solely based on the documentation provided. It's the sort of thing a migration agent checks on.

Look, I really feel for you. I was your age when I met my wife and we also went through a lot of hassle to be able to be together, even though we are both originally European, but from different countries. We migrated to Australia together afterwards and that was another major and quite stressful exercise. 

My advice: get a professional to look at your refusal letter and work out the best way forward for you.


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## Etharion (Jun 21, 2015)

Uh, bets of luck trying to get this sorted out for you both :/

Best of wishes from nearby, in Croatia.


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## Bosnian. (Mar 2, 2015)

Etharion said:


> Uh, bets of luck trying to get this sorted out for you both :/
> 
> Best of wishes from nearby, in Croatia.


Thank you very much, we appreciate the support.. (I will write in english so the others could understand too..)

So right now we have applied for MRT, and the agent that we hired is saying that it might take 12 to 18 months for the process to be finalised.. and even then it is not 100% secure that the Visa will be granted..

Well we took our chances anyway.. hope this time it works out.. The reason that Department of Immigration and Border Protection stated for refusal is that they see me as a "gold digger" that is trying to use the opportunity.. Also they stated that since her parents don't know about us the entire situation is too suspicious to them..

Regards.


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## Etharion (Jun 21, 2015)

Yeah it sucks :/ a major hassle, and it doesn't help that both the waiting times are so HUGE, as well as the prices being enormous..

Plus for Croatia at least i don't get why the long wait time..we're a "high risk" country yet we're even in the EU now...
Big load of good that does us...here, can't even speed up our visas


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## Wildflower (Jul 31, 2015)

Hi everyone, 

I've been reading this wonderful forum for months now but only decided to join today. We applied for the 309 visa last year in December through the Vienna embassy. Other than a health examination and an additional document being requested in March we haven't heard anything from the embassy. 

It would be great to see the Vienna thread as active as the others on this forum. I hope everyone is having a great day


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## shep (Mar 23, 2015)

Hey all, 

We applied online for a pmv300 visa on the 27/6/2015 through the Vienna embassy from Hungary. I would also like to see this thread a little more active. How many of us are in the 'waiting room'? And when did you apply and from where? And for those already granted, how was the process and time length through the Vienna embassy?


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## Kas&Sal (Mar 7, 2015)

My cousin applied for a PMV through Vienna Embassy...she is from Australia and her fiance is from Kosovo. She applied Dec 14 and still waiting. So it has been around 8 months so far.


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## Wildflower (Jul 31, 2015)

Hi Shep and Kas&Sal, 

If you don't mind me asking who is your (your cousin's) CO? I feel like my life is currently on pause, I'm so eager to get back home. Are you currently with your partner?


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## Kas&Sal (Mar 7, 2015)

Hi Wildflower. Sorry I am not sure. She is currently in Kosovo with him, so can't ask her.

I am also waiting for my fiance to come but he is in Macedonia and we have applied through the Belgrade Embassy. It has been nearly 9.5 months since PMV lodgement for us.We are not together in the wait.


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## Wildflower (Jul 31, 2015)

@Kas&Sal any news with your visa? And has your cousin's husband been granted his? 

It's October now and still no news for us! :-(


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## Wildflower (Jul 31, 2015)

I've been reading this forum a lot over the past year and it seems like the London embassy is issuing visas at around 10 months and Berlin at around 9. Does anyone know how Vienna compares?


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## Kas&Sal (Mar 7, 2015)

I think I was mistaken about my cousin's husband. I found out it was an October 2014 application. She is still there with him waiting. Apparently SHE got the phone interview but not him! (She is the sponsor). She got the interview last week. She has a return ticked booked for Australia in a few weeks so is hoping they get the visa before then.

As for me...11 months tomorrow through Belgrade and have not heard a thing since March.

I am not sure how Vienna compares in general. It is a tough wait.


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## Wildflower (Jul 31, 2015)

Wow that is a long wait for the both of you.  I too need to go back but I am hoping my husband gets his visa so we can go back together. I think it's even more frustrating when people are getting their visas granted and they applied around the time when we did or later


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