[frombelarus]

I am in the process of applying for Prospective Marriage Visa (PMV) visa subclass 300 for my fiancée who is from Minsk, Belarus. This means we will be submitting the application to Australian Embassy in Moscow.
I do not see a lot of applicants on this forum who have or has submitted their applications to Moscow. Since every embassy has their own ways of dealing with applications, embassy in Singapore may do things a lot different from in Moscow. Also most employees from Moscow are Russians, this inherently makes the whole business of processing applications different.
Since I do not see a lot of people applying to Moscow on this forum and we do not know/aware of inner workings of Embassy in Moscow. Our best bet would be to collect enough samples/history from others and connect the dots to get a rough idea of how and when the processing takes place.
Any suggestion/trick/tip that you have come across and might help others in this situation?

Few things that we have discovered so far is:

1. All documents not in English must be translated into English (including letters of support/bank documents).
2. Embassy in Moscow cannot be contacted after 12:30 pm local time for any queries or questions.
3. Some are polite and some are not (depends on day/weather/luck).
4. Partner visas with children usually take longer than partner visas without children involved (both in time and documentation needed).
5. Do not do medical examinations unless advised by the Embassy with HAP ID.
6. Personal submission of applications in Moscow do not entail on the spot interviews (they used to do that in the past).
7. Interviews for partner visas have been over the telephone more often than physical face to face. (Please vote on it)
8. Previous travel to Australia does help.

Please feel free to add to the list (for Moscow)

Thanks

 

[ampk]

Hi,

We are currently not ready for the commitment of a PMV yet, so tried to get a Visitor Visa for her and 2 daughters to visit from Ukraine to here for 6 months. To be sure - We have both been married before and both have kids.

It was rejected (16/9/13) as they did not think it was going to be a temporary visit.

Currently in process of trying the Visitor Visa again for 3 months - hope to have that application in next week.

If all goes well after some more time together, we will be going the PMV path, so will be great to see what headaches we can expect from Moscow.

 

[frombelarus]

Sorry to hear that ampk, Have you applied online or paper for your visitor visa? Online is better in many ways.
The difference between 3 months and 6 months is that 6 months takes medical examination and is forwarded to a visa officer, while 3 months has a lot less steps involved (if you are lucky processed in hours to days, plus i have been told by immigration helpline that it is processed in Australia, but ours got a call from Moscow for some reason). This is from the immigration website.
hope that helps

 

[ampk]

Online is not a option available to us from Ukraine.

Process time for what it was worth was 3 weeks.

If we wanted just to try beat the system - would lodge and pay for a PMV then apply a Visitor Visa, that would most likely be approved. Then their reason for rejection would be stupid as it is only a matter of $ extra for that application for us.

We just honestly want time and not to mess 5 kids lives around by getting married to early.

 

[frombelarus]

Hi Ampk.
If she is a citizen of Ukraine then she can apply online.
This is from the embassy website:
"...From 22 July 2013, citizens of the Republic Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine, who hold a valid passport issued by their respective government, will be eligible to apply for a subclass 600 Visitor Visa online...."

Link: Visas and migration - Australian Embassy

I can tell you the procedure if you want more details.

 

[ampk]

Thanks for that link. will follow up on that. It may help

Cheers.

 

[frombelarus]

Past Statistics from Moscow (Partner and/or Prospective Marriage Visa 300)

This is what I gathered from my research and links that I have posted elsewhere:

In Moscow, Staff employed on 31 Aug, 2011 = Australians = 3, Locally Engaged Staff (LES) = 19

Average Processing time For Family Visa: Moscow
2008/2009 2009/2010 2010/2011 2011/2012
194 197 213 188

World Prospective Marriage Visa Grants by Year
2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12to 31 Dec
6309 5932 6354 6257 5926 3247

Moscow Prospective Marriage visa grants
2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12to 31 Dec
238 213 232 237 273 127

The grant rate for Prospective Marriage visa applications during the period 1 July 2006 to 31 December 2011 was 87 per cent. Nine percent of applications were refused and four per cent were withdrawn or otherwise finalised.

 

[ampk]

Interesting!

Productivity is not up, but cost is! massively

Love to know the thing we all know - process time is not up!

Good work.

 

[Gummy bear]

Online is not a option available to us from Ukraine.

If we wanted just to try beat the system - would lodge and pay for a PMV then apply a Visitor Visa, that would most likely be approved. Then their reason for rejection would be stupid as it is only a matter of $ extra for that application for us
.

The PMV would not beat the system .you still have to abide by the Australian immigration requirements ,and applying for a PMV and thinking that getting a visitor visa will be easier ...think again ,if they have refused you once i would think your chances of getting it approved will be low. the problem you have is the Ukraine is a high risk country. your best bet is to wait a while and then if you are sure that you are both happy to commit ,apply for the PMV .I would expect that you will have to wait around 12 months for approval.I wish you well.

 

[frombelarus]

Gummybear mate !
be careful with your words..they have been waiting already and you are suggesting wait another 12 months?
put yourself in his shoes and you'll know the weight of your words you just said.
no offence but just be careful what you say

 

[ampk]

Gummy Bear,

Was just a point. VV's are easy to get after a PMV has been applied for!

Any fake applicant is not concerned about the cost of this if they just want to land and run.

Thank you but ZERO intention of waiting 12 months to reapply for a Visitor Visa to have my partner visit here. Simple not in my nature.

I am a very stubborn person and simply I will find a way to get a VV granted.

 

[Gummy bear]

Gummybear mate !
be careful with your words..they have been waiting already and you are suggesting wait another 12 months?
put yourself in his shoes and you'll know the weight of your words you just said.
no offense but just be careful what you say

ok was just stating that if he applies for a PMV it will take around 7 -12 months and it probably will not help in his application with a visitor visa
Sorry if i upset anyone

 

[ampk]

None taken gummy Bear.

Many years ago I played the system, My now Ex wife and 2 kids came on visitor visas, Kids simple.

Wife was not, but circumstances changed and her No Further Stay was dealt with legally. I did it all myself.

FYI she left me (later found it was mental illness) with 3 young kids to look after and 2 companies I started to run. Life was hell for a while, but I survived it. Now is my chance of love - nothing will stop it!

 

[Waiting1965]

Hi

My fiancée applied for a Visa Sub: 300 Prospective Marriage Visa from Minsk Belarus

Date of application – 05th December 2013

No Agent

Type - Paper application through the Moscow office

Police clearance sent with original application

Phone Interview done – 11th April 2014

Medicals done - 07th May 2014

Case Officer – a lady responded with her name and details originally acknowledging application on the e-mail but nothing has happened since. I have emailed the office on the 6th of June and they have acknowledged receipt of the medicals and will contact me if anything further needed. I have since phoned the office on the 7th of July and was told that they are processing the application. I rang the contact number on the 15th August 2014 at the European service center and was now told that there is a quota of people that are allocated for a calendar year and that my fiancée’s application can take 12 to 14 months, originally my fiancée was told it should be finalized by July middle August 2014.

How does one find out if the police checks are being done ? Who the case officer is ?? What is the hold up on the Visa and what is required??? Your time line seems similar to my fiancée’s can anyone enlighten me with some information. I am in OZ and she is in Minsk.

 

[frombelarus]

Hi Waiting1965,
I can understand the confusion, To begin with you can check our visa application timeline for some comparision. Besides that, We posted our paper application with police clearance without agent on 5th December,2013 and the email reply on 10th dec dated the application on 9th December,2013 (official time when the application starts). The lady who sends the email is your case office btw. (or the one with the signature at the bottom of the email).
We did the medical in Jan just a month after. I wonder why it took so long for you. Btw You don't need to wait for the case officer to give you HAP ID for medical.It took them a while to update this information. You can get a HAP ID for medical examination BEFORE you apply. Though once you have applied, The HAP ID will be supplied by your case officer. By now you are way far beyond worrying about if the medical or police clearance has been done. When they say " will contact if anything further is needed" it means all your supplied information has gone thourgh. Anyways, I think in your case you have cleared all the hoops that you need to clear so far. Only thing that is left is visa grant letter.
There was one twist in our case though, My fiancee was in australia the whole time on tourist visa. (that is another big story though). We informed them that we will go ahead with our wedding and informed about the wedding along with joint finances and a photo from wedding. Before that we called the European call center twice about changing our visa from 300 to 309 and the repercusions and each time we got different answer; first time they said it doesn't make a differnce you still will get the visa at the destined time and second time we were told that 309 visa timeline will start anew from the day we change from 300. So based on my experience I'd recommend not to take the recommendations from the call center seriously. a) because they are not embassy employees actually dealing with granting visa. b) They express their opinions which varies according to their training and experience at the job.
If your visa application did not include any dependents then I'd say that it shouldn't be far away. The annual quota that they suggested starts anew from financial year (1st July each year) Even then you are in a safe position.
We received our changed 309 visa, 24 days after wedding we got the email that the visa has been granted. Though before hand we were informed about being offshore for the visa to be emailed.
In a nutshell, based on your message, I'd say only thing you have to wait is visa grant.
btw someone has compiled a google doc version of visa grants, not complete but will give you some idea of how things stand in famil visa issued by moscow.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...RKZ3EwS2ZjcGV5RkNvNlpkQVE&usp=drive_web#gid=0

 

[Waiting1965]

Thanks

Hi From Belarus

Thank you for your informative response to my questions this morning. I spoke to my fiancée and told her all the information that you have given me. I hope we get our VISA sooner rather than later.
I mentioned to my fiancée my how your wife was with you here in Australia while waiting for the visa to come through. She mentioned to me that during the interview with the case officer she recall being asked why she did not consider going to Australia on a tourist while her Visa was being processed ? My fiancée did mention that it was because of the fact that she did not have leave form her job as a lecturer and also the cost factor involved.
I guess like U rightly put it we just need to grit our teeth and bear it while we wait for her VISA and she can join me in South Australia. If I had known earlier I would have gone on a holiday myself to Belarus. I guess hindsight is always perfect vision.
Thank you once again for your information and I hope my fiancée gets her VISA some time this coming week and we have something to celebrate. If U can think of anything that will assist me in the form of information or any link that will guide me to better understand this very complex subject the Australian immigration is please let me know. I did read through the link you sent me however was not very clear about how the volume of granted VISA were calculated.
Thank U

 

[rick5292]

Hi Waiting1965
We lodged our 309 application 13/12/13. My wife is waiting in Russia and I am in South Australia. It is an agonising wait. Her work is finished now so we have lodged a tourist visa last week for her to come out. The Europe Immigration centre told us 8-9 months, so we are hoping our turn will be soon. we have had no contact at all from a case officer...

 

[mickspawn]

Hi Waiting1965,
I can understand the confusion, To begin with you can check our visa application timeline for some comparision. Besides that, We posted our paper application with police clearance without agent on 5th December,2013 and the email reply on 10th dec dated the application on 9th December,2013 (official time when the application starts). The lady who sends the email is your case office btw. (or the one with the signature at the bottom of the email).
We did the medical in Jan just a month after. I wonder why it took so long for you. Btw You don't need to wait for the case officer to give you HAP ID for medical.It took them a while to update this information. You can get a HAP ID for medical examination BEFORE you apply. Though once you have applied, The HAP ID will be supplied by your case officer. By now you are way far beyond worrying about if the medical or police clearance has been done. When they say " will contact if anything further is needed" it means all your supplied information has gone thourgh. Anyways, I think in your case you have cleared all the hoops that you need to clear so far. Only thing that is left is visa grant letter.
There was one twist in our case though, My fiancee was in australia the whole time on tourist visa. (that is another big story though). We informed them that we will go ahead with our wedding and informed about the wedding along with joint finances and a photo from wedding. Before that we called the European call center twice about changing our visa from 300 to 309 and the repercusions and each time we got different answer; first time they said it doesn't make a differnce you still will get the visa at the destined time and second time we were told that 309 visa timeline will start anew from the day we change from 300. So based on my experience I'd recommend not to take the recommendations from the call center seriously. a) because they are not embassy employees actually dealing with granting visa. b) They express their opinions which varies according to their training and experience at the job.
If your visa application did not include any dependents then I'd say that it shouldn't be far away. The annual quota that they suggested starts anew from financial year (1st July each year) Even then you are in a safe position.
We received our changed 309 visa, 24 days after wedding we got the email that the visa has been granted. Though before hand we were informed about being offshore for the visa to be emailed.
In a nutshell, based on your message, I'd say only thing you have to wait is visa grant.
btw someone has compiled a google doc version of visa grants, not complete but will give you some idea of how things stand in famil visa issued by moscow.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...RKZ3EwS2ZjcGV5RkNvNlpkQVE&usp=drive_web#gid=0

hi frombelarus,
have you got your PMV yet?
on a sidenote. I just hit the 12 month mark yesterday. put visa app on Aug 17 2013
still no visa from Moscow. Mrs and one dependent. I don't know what the fark to do. Ideas on my visa? Anyone?

 

[CollegeGirl]

Since you've passed 12 months, you can certainly contact the embassy to again to ask about the status of your application, but it's quite possible they'll just tell you "it's still being processed." Unfortunately there is no requirement for DIBP to process visas in any particular timeframe, so they can take as long as they like with them.

 

[frombelarus]

Mickspawn
we have 309 Spouse visa now. It was granted on 11th August. Though it could have been granted couple of weeks earlier if my fiancee was offshore.
As I mentioned before, during our PMV processing we changed it to 309 after our wedding. Though the law states that it is automatic, we withdrew our 300 and asked to start 309 visa processing without any charge/penalty. (We did supply proof of wedding and our joint finances, as 309 requires evidence of not just of relationship but its validity among peers(joint pictures with family and friends) and commitment (joint finance).

When we applied the standard processing time was average 7 months for Moscow (on their website). Now it is reported to be anywhere above 8 months. With dependents it goes up, as ostensibly the police clearance and medical clerance for each dependent takes extra processing time. Again its an opinion not a fact, just like quota for family visa is not written anywhere(that I'm aware of) but just something everyone has a gut feeling about.

Hope it helps