The wait is finally over. We now have our visas officially GRANTED!
It was a long and nerve-racking road, but now it’s over. I’m flying to Moscow soon to stamp our visas into passports and we start packing. While packing we plan on getting our driving licenses to simplify the process of acquiring them in AU afterwards. It’s much easier this way.
It’s time for another update on our Australian Visa progress. It’s been a long way and we managed to pass through the last phase after which we just have to passively wait for the final verdict.
As you know from my previous post, we had our medical examinations and police clearance pending. Police clearance for both of us was ready last Friday without any hitches, while medical exams that we scheduled on September 1 were quite a trip.
To start with, Kate got sick 3 weeks before the tests, swallowed antibiotics, yogurts, and a ton of other pills days after days for a week and a half. Now can you imagine that right after she recovered, I got started with the same thing, and that’s a week and a half away from final tests that we can’t reschedule. (28 short days for everything.) I started on heavier antibiotics and cured myself, but killed my microflora which turned my tongue acid yellow by heavy dysbacteriosis. No way a doctor could say I’m in good shape should I open my mouth. But that was far from the only problem as it appeared.
We booked the checks for 11:45 AM in Kiev, and had to fly there on the first plane from Simferopol at 7:15 AM. To make that happen, we needed to get up at 2 AM and head out at 4 AM. Thanks to Kate’s parents, who picked us and drove to the airport, we made it in time, yet only to find our flight delayed until 10:40 AM. That’s three and a half hours, for Christ sakes! It meant we are going to miss all the fun and there’s nothing else we can do. Air company refused to look for any options and said that the only way is to wait.
Kate negotiated with the medical center and managed to carve out 45 minutes more, and thanks to the taxi driver, who stayed in the 130 km/hr lane all the way from the airport to the city center, we made it there in time and took all the necessary tests in the next 3 hours. All checks were impressively thorough and now it’s clear why it’s the only authorized center in the whole country that is trusted by Australian, American and Canadian immigration offices. It’s well equipped and top notch in every respect.
So, we passed the tests almost perfectly. There were slight deviations from the norm I guess. My blood tests and some Kate’s tests were still pending when we left. They promised to call should there be something wrong, but no one ever came back to us, so we happily assume it’s all chocolate.
Now we have to wait again. The results will be forwarded to the Health Operations Centre (Sydney) for the review. They will contact our officer to let him make the final decision. I personally don’t see a single reason why wouldn’t they grant a visa, but let’s wait and see. There’s no fixed time frame for this phase, but usually it takes 7 to 40 days. In the meantime the work is boiling around us, so we aren’t bored.
Yesterday was huge. One of the checks our immigration officer needs to perform (the most important and decisive) is the skilled employment check. They need to know if I really was employed as I claim during the period of two years right before the application date. To prove that I was given a choice to provide contracts and agreements, pay slips, bank statements, or any other documentation that conforms my paid full-time employment.
Thanks to Pito and Kate we managed to collect in one (!) day just enough evidence to prove that I had skilled paid employment during the period and finalize the check. Thanks guys!
Today I’m getting my military training certificate back from the translations office, filling the form 80 and sending it all over to my case officer. Right after that, the only thing we need to do is to pass our medical examinations in Kiev. Which is tough actually, since Kate is not in her best shape right now. We are delaying the checks for one and a half weeks to let her recover.
This morning I had great news in my mailbox. They finally assigned an officer to my visa application case. After 18 months of waiting we are on the final straight. The officer requested additional documentation that I have to provide within 28 days. After we send everything over to him, the case will be reviewed once again and the final decision is made.
Our next step is a journey to Kiev to pass medical examinations. According to the regulations, we have to pass them at a certified center that will seal the results and send them to the ASPC all by themselves. Security measures.
Now we have mixed feelings… On one hand, we waited so long that we are glad it’s getting somewhere, on the other, we were very close to settling down over here and almost bought and apartment. That could have been an unpleasant surprise. That’s for sure.
Anyway, all is good!
Since 15 October 2007, if you apply for visa, you need to sign the Australian Values Statement to acknowledge that you understand and appreciate the values, way of life and laws of Australia. It’s mandatory now and you can’t get an approval without it.
To give you all necessary facts and figures, they issued a 40-page book called Life in Australia. On its colorful and well-designed pages you learn many curious geographical and lifestyle facts. I only quickly skimmed through it, but my immediate impression was that it is a great and entertaining read.
Here you can learn more about the statement, the procedure and download the book itself. You can also order a printed version on some languages, and they promise to release an audio version soon.
Interesting, hah!
On Saturday, as we landed in Kiev on a way back from the vacation in Egypt, my cell buzzed with a message. A second later my heart broke out the chest — a note from my mother said that they had received the letter from ACS with my skill assessment results. Oh my God!
The next day I paid a visit to my parents, opened the letter to learn that I was approved and granted the highest category of IT specialist. On top of that, they certified me suitable for additional points for excessive knowledge in J2EE, and attached the form for a discounted membership. As you may or may not know, ACS is an organization gathering and training IT specialists under its umbrella, which helps immensely when looking for new job opportunities.
The next step would be to collect all documents necessary for the main visa application and proceed with it online. It will probably take another year to process it to immigration office, but still it’s already half way up to success.
Great news, hah!
The Ruby on Rails addict, industrial photographer and amateur electronic music composer. In the mean time I build great web applications, contribute to OSS and help AVAAZ to save Great Barrier Reef.
