Cheap Parent Visas Part I

[johnbshepherd]

It has now been confirmed that the 804 visa will be closed to new applicants before the beginning of the next immigration year. The exact date of cessation will be announced 'shortly"

http://www.immi.gov.au/Live/Pages/certain-family-visas-closure.aspx

 

Some other visas will be closed as well. These are

 

 

• Parent visa (subclass 103)
  
• Aged Dependent Relative visa (subclasses 114 and 838)
  
• Remaining Relative visa (subclasses 115 and 835)
  
• Carer visa (subclasses 116 and 836).
  

 

The only faint bright spots, as Alan Collett points out in the link above, are that applications already made will continue through the system and new applications may still be accepted until the cut-off date.

 

 

Cheers

Edited May 23, 2014 by johnbshepherd

[johnbshepherd]

Just to make my previous post a little gloomier it looks as if the total allocation for non-contributory parents has been reduced from 2250 (2013-14) to 1500 (2014-15). This will almost certainly increase the waiting time for people already in the queues.

[Alan Collett]

http://www.gm-parent-visas.com/contributory-parent-visas-options-following-the-end-of-parent-and-aged-parent-visas/

 

Blog post on the visa choices for parents following the end of parent and aged parent visas for new applicants.

 

Hopefully of help to some who are affected by the recent announcement.

 

Best regards.

[Alan Collett]

http://www.gm-parent-visas.com/contributory-parent-visas-options-following-the-end-of-parent-and-aged-parent-visas/

 

Blog post on the visa choices for parents following the end of parent and aged parent visas for new applicants.

 

Hopefully of help to some who are affected by the recent announcement.

 

Best regards.

[Gollywobbler]

FWIW, I think that anyone contemplating applying for one of the visas described by johnbshepherd should make their application as quickly as possible.

 

I say this because DIBP has "form" about this one. A few years ago, they suddenly announced one morning that they would not acccept new applications for the [xyz] visa after midnight AEST that night. Then they actually prevented new applications after 23:30 that night. There had been no prior warning about the final 30 minutes but DIBP's feeble excuse was that they had needed to do something to their IT system.

 

They might do the same thing again, so I would urge all prospective applicants to act very quickly.

 

Cheers

 

Gill

Edited May 24, 2014 by Gollywobbler
typos

[johnbshepherd]

Gill was so right!!. All of the visas I mentioned have been killed with effect from June 2 2014 - i.e Monday morning. This means that it is too late to apply already.

 

Cheers

 

John

[Guest underdog]

Hi guys,

 

I posted this on PIO and got some responses but then I came across this post: http://www.pomsinadelaide.com/forum/adelaide-migration-issues/28703-there-way-around-double-parent-visa.html#post213100

 

Can anyone kindly tell me if it's still possible?

 

Re-post from PIO forum:

 

My dad got his CPV 143 visa in July last year. When we applied for his visa we didn't include our Mom due to financial reasons. Few months before my Dad's 143 was granted we lodged a 173 for my Mom hoping things would improve financially. My mom's 173 is currently in process and would likely be picked-up sometime end of this year but we won't be able to pay for it so very likely withdraw when the time comes. I don't know if a request to delay the 2nd VAC charge by 6months to a year would be even considered?

 

My dad moved here in last July on 173 and Mom on a 5-year long-term visitor visa(she can only can stay 12 months in any 18 month period) . We were hoping that 5 yrs down the road my Dad could sponsor for a Partner visa but was shocked to read this on immi's website:

 

http://www.immi.gov.au/Visas/Pages/309-100.aspx

Limitations on sponsorship

Contributory parent visa holders

 

There might be limits on your sponsorship if:

 

 

• you were granted a permanent Contributory Parent visa on or after 1 July 2009
  
• you were in a partner relationship on or before the Contributory Parent visa grant date
  and
  
• your partner did not apply for the Contributory Parent visa at the same time as you, or they withdrew that application (before it was finalised).
  

 

The sponsorship could still be approved if:

 

 

• 5 years have passed since your Contributory Parent visa grant date
  
• your partner did not apply at the same time as you due to compelling reasons, (other than financial reasons)
  
• your partner applied at the same time as you but withdrew their application for compelling reasons (other than financial reasons).
  

 

 

Now we are completely confused. My Dad is planning to take up citizenship when his 4 yrs of residency are up. Don't know if that will make a difference. They really love it here and hate for things to not work out due to short term financial troubles.

 

Any advice? Thanks a ton.

[MAMAROCK]

Hi

Does anyone know which lodge date is currently being processed for 103??? My parents applied in May 2008. I am hoping we are getting closer.

Noted that the quota has been reduced to 1500 in 2014/15

Any update on 103 processing timelines will be greatly appreciated

thanks

[johnbshepherd]

Hi

Does anyone know which lodge date is currently being processed for 103??? My parents applied in May 2008. I am hoping we are getting closer.

Noted that the quota has been reduced to 1500 in 2014/15

Any update on 103 processing timelines will be greatly appreciated

thanks

 

The crucial date is your parents' queue date. In January this year they were processing people with queue dates in December 2007. If your parents already have a queue date you can work out roughly when they will reach the front of the queue. The overall waiting time from first application to award of the visa has been about 7 - 8 years for the past few years (despite what immigration says). Unfortunately there are two complications.

 

1) Shortly after they handed out queue dates in 2007 they took an 'Administrative Decision' to stop handing out queue dates altogether. This threw the whole queue system into complete confusion. They resumed handing out queue dates sometime last year but they are taking a long time to work through the backlog of people who are in the pipeline but don't yet have queue dates. In effect there are now two queues. There is the real queue and the queue of people waiting for real queue dates - I hope that makes sense.

 

2) As you say, the number of non-contributory parent visas handed out each year has been reduced. I think that the 1500 which you mention is the combined number of 804 visas and 103 visas. If I am right I am afraid that the waiting time will be even longer.

 

Regards

[MAMAROCK]

The crucial date is your parents' queue date. In January this year they were processing people with queue dates in December 2007. If your parents already have a queue date you can work out roughly when they will reach the front of the queue. The overall waiting time from first application to award of the visa has been about 7 - 8 years for the past few years (despite what immigration says). Unfortunately there are two complications.

 

1) Shortly after they handed out queue dates in 2007 they took an 'Administrative Decision' to stop handing out queue dates altogether. This threw the whole queue system into complete confusion. They resumed handing out queue dates sometime last year but they are taking a long time to work through the backlog of people who are in the pipeline but don't yet have queue dates. In effect there are now two queues. There is the real queue and the queue of people waiting for real queue dates - I hope that makes sense.

 

2) As you say, the number of non-contributory parent visas handed out each year has been reduced. I think that the 1500 which you mention is the combined number of 804 visas and 103 visas. If I am right I am afraid that the waiting time will be even longer.

 

Regards

 

 

Hi Johnbshepherd

 

Thanks so much for this info. I did not realize that there was a queue waiting for real queue dates. Thankfully my parents were notified of their queue date of early May 2008. So I am assuming the processing of applicants will be based on the queue dates advised???

If they were processing dates of Dec 2007 early this year how do I figure out how many applicants would get processed as I dont know the capping split between 103 and 804 ...Yes 1500 is the combined number

 

Also is the number of applicants ahead of my parents queue date anything to go by? they currently have 1700 applicants ahead of them. I've read that this number may not be exactly correct.

Any how the queue calculator was only update in June (last month) no change this month. I check regularly for any changes

 

Again thanks so much for your comments and info

[johnbshepherd]

Hi Mamarock

 

In previous years between 70% and 75% of the non-contributory parent visas have gone to the 103 visa with the remainder going to the 804. If this pattern is applied this year there will be around 1,000-1,100 103 visas handed out this year. If we accept the calculator figure of 1,700 in front of them they should reach the front of the queue sometime in 2015-16. However the calculator is very unreliable. For example, it still says that there are several hundred people in front of me in the 804 queue when I actually got the visa in December 2013!! With luck, I would expect your parents to reach the front of the queue within the 2014-15 immigration year which began on July 1. Incidentally, our final medical exam was much less fearsome than we expected. I took a look at the records of the Migration Review Tribunal and it seems that only a very small number of people fail the final medical.

 

Good Luck

 

Regards

 

John

[MAMAROCK]

Hi Mamarock

 

In previous years between 70% and 75% of the non-contributory parent visas have gone to the 103 visa with the remainder going to the 804. If this pattern is applied this year there will be around 1,000-1,100 103 visas handed out this year. If we accept the calculator figure of 1,700 in front of them they should reach the front of the queue sometime in 2015-16. However the calculator is very unreliable. For example, it still says that there are several hundred people in front of me in the 804 queue when I actually got the visa in December 2013!! With luck, I would expect your parents to reach the front of the queue within the 2014-15 immigration year which began on July 1. Incidentally, our final medical exam was much less fearsome than we expected. I took a look at the records of the Migration Review Tribunal and it seems that only a very small number of people fail the final medical.

 

Good Luck

 

Regards

 

John

Hi John

Thanks again for the info. It is encouraging to know that the wait is not too long. My parents applied early 2006 - so its been 8 yrs already. I do hope as in your case those numbers we see ahead of them to be actually lower.

Not sure how the 804 differs from 103 for AOS and medicals/police reports, I am hoping when they are asked to provide this it wont be too difficult.

 

Do you think emailing DIBP and requesting for status on which application date is being processed would help?

 

Anyhow I guess we just have to play the waiting game at this point but it is encouraging to know that it will not be for too long. Fingers crossed.

 

Thanks again for sharing and congrats on getting your visa finalized last Dec. It must have been a great relief. Would you mind sharing how long you were in the queue or when it was that you applied.

Again thanks so much

 

 

Mamarock

[MAMAROCK]

Hi John

I just checked the queue calculator and the number ahead of my parents have now been reduced to 1300. I am excited to see that these numbers are reducing. Hopefully it wont be too long

Thanks

Mamarock

[Guest Ian103]

Hi Mamarock, I'm also in the queue for the 103, applied January 2008 with a queue date of May 2009 so one year behind your parents. Just checked the calculator after reading your post and the number ahead of ours has decreased by 420 since June. We are now at 4070 so moving up the list pretty fast. I would guess your parents should be contacted fairly soon. Please keep posting on their progress!

 

Ian

[johnbshepherd]

For Mamarock, Ian103 and anyone else who is interested, I just discovered a useful fact. If you send an e-mail to (please PM for email) with no subject and no content you should get an automatic reply giving lots of information about the 103 timeline. I just did so and the reply included the following:-

 

For your information, we are currently assessing for finalisation subclass 103 parent visa applications with a queue date from April 2008 and subclass 804 applications with a queue date from April 2008.

 

 

From this it sounds as if Mamarock should hear something very soon and Ian within a year or so.

 

Regards

 

John

Edited July 24, 2014 by snifter
DIBP email

[MAMAROCK]

Hi Mamarock, I'm also in the queue for the 103, applied January 2008 with a queue date of May 2009 so one year behind your parents. Just checked the calculator after reading your post and the number ahead of ours has decreased by 420 since June. We are now at 4070 so moving up the list pretty fast. I would guess your parents should be contacted fairly soon. Please keep posting on their progress!

 

Ian

 

Hi Ian

 

Yes I am hoping my parents will be contacted soon - I am hoping it wont be long before their applications will be processed. Of course once they notified I know the next hurdle will be medicals and police clearance etc. I know they did this already but understand this is required again.

 

I guess will cross that bridge when we get to it. I will certainly be posting any progress and keep you updated when the queue calculator is updated. I will be checking regularly anyways.

 

Mamarock

[MAMAROCK]

For Mamarock, Ian103 and anyone else who is interested, I just discovered a useful fact. If you send an e-mail to *emailed removed* with no subject and no content you should get an automatic reply giving lots of information about the 103 timeline. I just did so and the reply included the following:-

 

For your information, we are currently assessing for finalisation subclass 103 parent visa applications with a queue date from April 2008 and subclass 804 applications with a queue date from April 2008.

 

 

From this it sounds as if Mamarock should hear something very soon and Ian within a year or so.

 

Regards

 

John

HI John

 

Thanks so much for this info. This is what I was wanting to email POPC about. The update you've gotten is great. I am so happy to know that it should not be too long before my parents application is reviewed. Its closer for Ian too - probably about an year or so more. I will try emailing and have my mom email as well to check this out. Again thanks so much for this info. You guys are the best

Mamarock

Edited July 24, 2014 by snifter
email removed

[johnbshepherd]

Hi John

Would you mind sharing how long you were in the queue or when it was that you applied.

Again thanks so much

 

 

Mamarock

 

Sorry, I didn't notice this bit. We (wife and I) first applied for the 804 visa in September 2006 and got a queue date of May 31 2007. I followed the queue date calculator regularly from then onwards and in July 2013 it claimed that there were still 880 people in front of us. The rate at the time was 550/year so we went to England on holiday thinking that we had at least a year to wait. In fact, they emailed me to say that we had reached the front of the queue on September 13 2013 while we were still in England. They gave me a deadline of thirty days to provide medical certificates, police clearance and AoS which for the 804 all had to be done in Australia. My case officer, was extremely efficient and cooperative and readily extended the deadline to run from the day I got back to Oz. After that it was a little over two months before I actually got the visa.

 

Cheers

 

John

Edited July 24, 2014 by snifter
CO name removed

[MAMAROCK]

Sorry, I didn't notice this bit. We (wife and I) first applied for the 804 visa in September 2006 and got a queue date of May 31 2007. I followed the queue date calculator regularly from then onwards and in July 2013 it claimed that there were still 880 people in front of us. The rate at the time was 550/year so we went to England on holiday thinking that we had at least a year to wait. In fact, they emailed me to say that we had reached the front of the queue on September 13 2013 while we were still in England. They gave me a deadline of thirty days to provide medical certificates, police clearance and AoS which for the 804 all had to be done in Australia. My case officer was extremely efficient and cooperative and readily extended the deadline to run from the day I got back to Oz. After that it was a little over two months before I actually got the visa.

 

Cheers

 

John

Hi John

Thanks so much for sharing and it seems like they could process applications sooner that what is indicated on the queue calculator. This info is very helpful and gives us feel for the timelines involved.

Again thanks for sharing and for your invaluable comments etc

 

Best

Mamarock

Edited July 24, 2014 by snifter
removed CO name

[Guest Ian103]

Thanks for that email address John. We came out to Adelaide in 2005 on the sub class 410 applied for the 103 in 2007 received a queue date May 2009 so looks like we will be near the top towards the end of 2015.

This lets us plan our overseas trips next year. I follow the BERIA site and used to see your posts there. The Poms in Adelaide site is more relevant for our visa.

 

Best wishes

Ian

Edited July 24, 2014 by snifter
removed email address

[Guest Ian103]

Hi Mamarock

 

All good news now for those in the queue for the 103. The email address from John is a real help knowing what month they are processing, so your parents should be hearing hopefully next month!! Just on a point to note - have you informed and updated the department with any changes to your parents address, email address or passport numbers since their original application? I believe that the police check and medicals are routine for all - just another obstacle to overcome!

 

Best wishes for next month.

 

Ian

[snifter]

Just a friendly mod reminder to not use CO names on the forum please. Initials only.

 

Thanks

 

snifter

[johnbshepherd]

Just a friendly mod reminder to not use CO names on the forum please. Initials only.

 

Thanks

 

snifter

 

Point noted. In future if you wish to"remind" people of something perhaps you could tell them about it in the first place.

[MAMAROCK]

Hi Ian

Great point. I believe my mom informed about her email address change. I know they've got updated passports since. Will ask them to advise the department of these changes

Thanks for this tip.

 

Well I will be certainly checking on status over the next few weeks.....Not sure how long it takes before they start processing queue dates from May 2008??? I will be sure to post any new developments.

 

Thanks

Mamarock

[MAMAROCK]

Hi

I just checked the queue calculator and its changed again - I am excited and even the number may not be the real thing. I hoping thats the case

At least indicates the numbers are reducing and system is updated

 

Mamarock