Visas & Advice Detail
What happens to your visa application?
Waiting for news on your visa after you’ve submitted your application to the Adelaide Skilled Processing Centre is undoubtedly one of the most frustrating parts of the whole emigration process
Shirley Booth explains what actually happens to your application during this period and just why the wait is so long.
Once you have lodged your application, you will want to hear something back as quickly as possible but I'm afraid this is were you will have to be very patient indeed!
The current waiting time is very simply due to the huge volume of cases that the Adelaide Skilled Processing Centre (ASPC) processes as they handle all skilled visa applications from applicants all over the world, not just the UK.
We understand that they receive at least a thousand new applications every week so you may appreciate why your application will take some time to be dealt with. There is certainly no need to panic and just because you don't hear anything, it doesn't mean that there is anything wrong with your application!
Once your application has been lodged, you will generally receive an acknowledgement letter from the ASPC confirming receipt of your application, and advising you of your file reference number within about four to six weeks. This letter also provides some additional information about the ASPC's current processing timeframes and the dates of applications they are presently handling.
The ASPC processes applications in a chronological date-received order. However, they also then prioritise according to the visa class and whether your occupation is on the Migration Occupation in Demand List (MODL). Processing times for priority applications is at the moment around six months, while non-priority ones are taking between six and nine months.
Following receipt of your acknowledgement letter, you will then have to wait around another four months or so before your application is actually dealt with by a case officer. You will then be contacted, either by email or letter, and be requested to undertake the medical and character checks and provide any other information that the case officer asks for. You will generally be given around ten weeks to provide the results of these. The deadline they give you is not set in concrete, so to speak, so if you do experience a delay or problems with providing anything, you just need to let your case officer know about this.
You need to be aware that the ASPC does not acknowledge receipt of mail etcetera, and they will not advise you how each stage is progressing. It really is a case of no news is good news! Once you have completed your medicals and police checks, etcetera, you can then expect to wait another six weeks or so before you are notified of the decision on your application. You need to be aware that if there are any issues relating to your medicals, police checks or the assurance of support (if you are a sponsored applicant), then your application will take longer to be finalised.
Once you have been notified that your visas have been granted, you will then need to post your passports to Australia House to have the visa labels put into them.
This process generally takes around a week and once you have got your passports back, you are then free to travel.
The visas granted to you will be valid for five years and they also incorporate an 'initial entry' date. This date is based upon the 12 months expiry date of your medicals and police checks (whichever is soonest) and is the date by which time you and your family members must travel to Australia to activate your visas.
Don't forget that all of your family members included in your application must travel, it can't just be the main applicant. The process can be a very frustrating experience but patience is very definitely a virtue in this business and what you must always keep in mind is your long-term goal.
All being well you will eventually get a visa that will change you and your family's life forever, so it really is worth the wait!
For futher information:
Australian Migration Associates
Register for your FREE emigration starter pack
Subscribe to Emigrate magazine. Read more ...