I've recently stumbled across your blog while looking up on the captioned and left a comment on your blog. However I thought I might just as well email and get in contact.
Thanks (again) for sharing your thoughts and stories via the blog -real helpful.
I appreciate you taking your own time off to do all these and if you could provide your opinion or suggestions on this, we'd be grateful. But if you can't, no worries we understand.
So our story goes....
My partner and I are intending to register our marriage (newly weds to-be) and he'd sponsor my partner visa (subclass 309). He's got his AU citizenship.
Thing is, we've dated for 5 plus years and it was long distance relationship since the beginning. We visit each other at least once every year and more importantly we're genuine (which makes it a lot more frustrating because all these questions are in place to deter fraud acts). So our major problem would be to fill up the financial and nature of household aspect of the Genuine Relationship section.
Aside that I've little questions here and there too and maybe you can help me with it:
1. Certified copies means stamped by local JP? How do I go about it?
2. How long does the visa application takes? There's online submission right or do I have to submit the copy at the embassy of sort?
3. Health check is only applicable after submitting the application right? Attempting to submit a fully completed version of the application as much as possible.
Any thoughts?
Cheers,
A
Hi A,
1) Call up any Justice of Peace in Singapore and ask if they are willing to certify your copies. Bring along both your original document and the copies. The JP will check and sign on them. These will be recognised as certified true copies. JPs will not usually charge for doing these. Alternatively, law firms provide certifying services as well but their charges vary quite widely. Unlike in Australia where many professionals (such as policemen, nurses, pharmacists etc.) are able to certify or be a witness, lawyers are the only recognised vocation to do the same. Ironic. The crooks.
2) According to borders.gov.au [link]
| Visa Application | Lodged in Australia | Lodged outside Australia | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low Risk | High Risk | Low Risk | High Risk | |
| Partner (temporary) (subclass 309) | 6 months | 8 months | 5 months | 12 months |
Mine took about 12 months in all. Thus I was deemed as a high risk case. If your application is rated low risk, you will be able to get it processed in half the time. Though an online application is possible, due to the unique nature of this application, there will likely be a lot of hard copy items to be submitted. Thus a submission to the embassy may be a better choice.
3) Your health check is only required when a Case Officer picks up your application. If an officer requests for a health check, it usually means that your application is in order and is approaching the final stages. It will be approved within 1-2 once your health check (and police clearance) reaches the immigration office in Australia. (the clinic will post the results there by mail)
The questions can all be answered by Mr Google.
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