Australia Thread 2

[mama squeak!]

I had sunblock but forgot to re-apply since the air was cool. Pero yun nga tingkad ng sikat ng araw. Overall it was a good visit. Next target namin ni hubby overnight kami sa Blue Mountain area probably after the holidays na. Grabe block buster ang pila sa immigrations/security ng pauwi namin. Andaming naiwan na pasahero sa ibang airline. 

[rocky]

^sa kin naman, mas mahaba pila pagdating ng sydney pero mabilis naman akong nakalabas ng airport. wala namang tanong. na-stress lang ako nong pabalik kasi nasa dulo ang counter ng PAL

^^yes sis, online din ako

[mama squeak!]

^Ako naman mabilis yung pagdating ko, wala pang 30 minutes yung immig then customs nasa labas na ako. Pansin ko yung arrival card ko nilagyan ng T ng IO so when I surrendered it sa customs pina-exit ako agad unlike yung iba na nag-xray pa ng bagahe.

Re online visa application, try to check yung status again. If for some reason you can not log in or hindi ma-access record mo, expect mo you'll be getting an email soon with your visa grant. Ganyan din kasi na-experience ko every so often nag-checheck ako ng status then lagi sagot sa akin is "In Progress". Then on the end of the second week I was trying to log in, hindi ko na ma-access. Akala ko nag-down lang system nila for the day kasi the whole day hindi ako maka-log in. Yun pala by 6PM meron na akong email with my visa.

[glacy_rein]

^Pano ichecheck sis? kasi naka-state agad na "In Progress" so once I see it log out nako..

[mama squeak!]

^yup, once you log in and see that "In progress" pa rin yung status ng application mo, nothing to do but wait and check again. You can check naman as often as you want since wala naman limit on the number of times you can log in. Yun lang kakapagod mag-check kung gagawin mo mayamaya.   

[sachism]

Humid ba ang init sa sydney ngayon? How abt sa end of dec?

I was in Brisbane from November 5-12. Weather is comfortable except kapag tirik ang araw. You can still walk about 500m ng walang pawis.

Then I went to Adelaide from November 12-19. Dito ako naka experience ng 40deg for 2 days I think. Super init, I didnt want to leave the hotel. Mainit na dry pa. I developed a skin allergy (itchiness and dryness) in ADL kasi after ng super init days, malamig na naman. Kaya naman pag d blowy, mala Baguio weather during Feb/Jan pero kapag nag blow na ang hangin, nginig na.

Then I went to Sydney from Nov 19-23. Weather was just perfect. T shirt is enough. Sa gabi lang baka need mo light sweater kapag naging blowy na din.

Overall, mas OK ang weather na naexprience ko sa Sydney.

[rocky]

^mas gusto ko rin weather sa sydney compare sa canberra & melbourne. grabe don, hindi mo maexplain, hehe paiba-iba

[RuChe]

Sa mga nag apply online ng tourist visa, sang portion ba mag-a-attach ng supporting docs? After clicking 'submit' ba?

[mama squeak!]

^You can only submit your docs once you have paid the fee. You'll be prompted to submit docs pag na confirm na your payment.

[glacy_rein]

Awww two weeks now.. Still no news..

[theflygirl]

Prepping my docs for a spur-of-the-moment BNE trip. I hope my application gets approved and in time for the flight.

Sorry, don't have much time to backread. For VFS applicants, how long is the usual processing time nowadays? (I know their site says 1month but what's the trend so far?) Peak season for airline travel is fast approaching and I am super anxious already.

I don't even want to plan my itinerary till I get approved. LOL.Can submit my docs mid-next week pa.

[mama squeak!]

^Answered your PM, sis.  I am also hoping hubby gets a flight for the New Year in Sydney so we can watch their NYE fireworks at Harbour Bridge.

Since I've received some PMs about my online application, I'm sharing it here to benefit everyone:

Link to the Australian Embassy's online application:

http://www.immi.gov.au/Services/Pages/immiaccount.aspx

Visitors Visa Subclass 600 Fee AUD130 (roughly Php5000-5300 depends on the conversion rate on the day of payment)

Timeline of application:

Oct 26 (Sunday)  -  Submitted my application form/Paid my visa/Scanned supporting docs**you can only submit your docs after you pay the visa fee
Oct 28 (Tuesday) - Submitted pahabol documents
Oct 29-Nov 10 - waiting period. I log in once in a while to check the status of my application (still "In Progress")
Nov11 (Tuesday) - Tried to log in in the morning but couldn't access their website. Tried again in the afternoon, still inaccessible. Finally at 5PM I received an email with my visa grant = One year/Multiple Entry (this is my first AU visa)

The visa came out exactly 10 working days.

Supporting documents I submitted (all scanned, no notarization):

1.) Current passport (bio page, entry/exit stamps)
2.) Valid US and Schengen visas
3.) Hubby's company ID
4.) Hubby's ITR (I don't have one anymore since I'm retired)
5.) Bank Passbooks
6.) Credit Card Billing Statements (last 3 months)
7.) Real Estate Titles, Stock Investments
8.) Passport-sized colored photo (white background)

I didn't submit any itinerary nor flight bookings since I indicated in one of the questions that I will be accompanying my husband who flies to Sydney regularly. In short I travel as staff (standby travel). I also indicated multiple travel dates.

Of all my visa application experiences, getting an AU visa is the easiest and most hassle-free one.   

[theflygirl]

^Thanks for the info! One thing, why the pahabol docs? Due to staff travel issues, I'll be submitting hubby's employment certificate na rin. Good luck to me since all the of us pilots' wives are tagging along on the flight. Lol

[mama squeak!]

^Pahabol docs was my hubby's company ID. He was flying (to Sydney actually with a two-night layover) the time I submitted the first batch of docs. I only got to scan his ID when he came back. I was initially going to submit his COE but it was going to take a while to get it since their office was moving to their new building. Kaya bahala na si Batman na lang with the ITR and company ID. Thankfully the docs I submitted were enough to support my application.

I know what you mean about staff travel! Good luck talaga during peak season. 

[glacy_rein]

the visa grant just arrived today! yay!

[rocky]

^congrats sis haaaaay nataon ako sa CO na mabagal, 1 month na sa friday

[oreo08]

when I applied for my Mom's tourist visa in 2013, naku super tagal rin inabot bago sya maapprove I think 2 months? May backlog daw kasi ganyan ganyan... naghihintay daw ireview ng Global Health yun medical exam nya... whatever!

So medyo nagalit ako so I BOMBARDED the Immigration dept with emails and I made several long distance calls. I rang and emailed Global Health tapos my kuya and I contacted our respective MPs here in Australia kasi hello manganganak na ako saka 2 months earlier na nga kami nagfile eh usually 2 weeks lang meron ng approval! So inescalate ko talaga! I dunno blame it on the hormones?

Ayun, naapprove agad nung kung sino sino na inemail at tinawagan ko dito. She was granted a 3 yr multiple entry visa.

It will expire in 2016 but when we apply for another visa, I'll make sure magapply kami agad. Siguro mga 3 months in advance lol

[rocky]

^akin naman sis visitor visa lang & second time ko na. yong 1st time ko inabot lang ng 2 weeks. baka inaaral pa nilang mabuti kasi nag-change ako ng name, ginamit ko na yong lastname ni hubby sa new passport & ibang docs pag wala pa sa friday, papa-email ko na kay hubby para follow up

[theflygirl]

^Did you apply online or via VFS? I'm soon stressed with the waiting game. Haha.

[rocky]

^online sis