So our applications are randomly assigned to CO from the system? How does the system work?Anyone knows？
Visa Grant Delay 189
I phoned DHA and asked a related question to the guy and he said if you applied onshore your application is processed onshore and the same otherwise. There are applications for some visas that are processed and decided offshore if It was lodged offshore, but in terms of the skill visas I don’t know the process of work allocation by DHA. I couldn’t find any information on this.
If someone knows It would be greatly appreciated you share that information with us. It would give us a clue how they would process applications. Although this is a very unique situation to be sure, there would be a lot of speculation instead unless they release an statement advising on this.
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Thanks for your information!
Yes. It is very painful to wait without any updates, since we had put so much efforts …
Thanks. Let us hope that way. lodged several complaints via Global Feedback Unit, But received the same generic response from them. don’t know how long we have to wait. Thanks again for this information.
Hi mates…I lodged feedback to DHA 2 times and i got reply that right now due to covid, the deptt is wrking on essential travellers cases only… And I am advised to contact the DHA minimal so that they cn wrk without getting interrupted. I requested that atleast decision can b provided so that mental tension wud b relieved but i got no answer regarding it. God knws how much wait is still there fr us who hv crossed processing times so many times.
Thanks…
Hi, I am a bit confused, you called DHA, i read your comment on other forum that they said if the application was applied on shore(by both main n secondary applicant) it will be treated as onshore even if secondary applicant is stuck offshore. Is it for 189 or some other visa?
Someone who applied onshore April last year received grant the 15th of July, two days ago. This is on immitracker.
The guy only said if the application was lodged onshore it would be processed as an onshore application. When I asked this I was more like if the secondary applicant was offshore at the time of lodgement, but the main applicant onshore.
It make sense because there are distinctive features between this one and offshore application. Bridging visa is one of them. Some applicants even already applied for Medicare. In terms of the secondary applicant being offshore doesn’t change the fact the application was lodge onshore.
However, I didn’t ask or have in mind secondary applicants stuck offshore on a bridging visa B or a temporary visa. What would be a very unique situation though is those who got stuck outside on a bridging visa B and it’s now expired as they are only granted for 3 months. This is all new and I’m not too sure about it. He wasn’t very specific. I guess that’s a different story because bridging visa B can only be applied onshore unless they change this rule due covid 19 issue.
I learnt about someone who got his grant while overseas, but that was in January this year. There was no covid 19 and his Visa B was still valid.
If that is what you’re after. You could probably ring them and be more specific in your question and share with us what they say. I guess If a bridging visa B is expired while you’re outside there should be other instructions or policies. I would say they shouldn’t make it complicated for them as It’s not their fault the government decided overnight to close the border.
There are some articles where agents acknowledge this issues for bridging visa B holders stuck outside, but didn’t say how it would be treated it. They brought it up more as a question mark.
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I’m in a similar situation.
I lodged my 189 onshore in Nov 2018, but I have never been contacted by the CO. Even the application status on visa portal also hasn’t changed a bit.
I got a Bridging visa B earlier this year, to travel overseas but unfortunately due to the “Overnight border closure” I got stuck here. My BVB has already expired, and I’m getting the same scripted reply from DIBP helpline.
I’ve also tried contacting the skilled.support@homeaffairs.gov.au which resulted in a template email reply after a week. Contacted the ABP Commissioner for compelling and compassionate reason to travel back, as I am paying my bills + rents in Australia from overseas and may also lose my full time job there. Got denied. Even contacted the Commonwealth ombudsman, which took two weeks of investigation and emails, but in the end, they said “We are satisfied with the department’s progress on your case. All you can do is just wait”.
My medicals and AFP PC have expired too. Lets see how it goes now as it will be exactly 20 months next week 
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I’m so sorry you’re going through this now. To me they should give you a solution.
This is all because they have been delaying decisions. Processing time for this visas had been on average 6 months in the past with even more invitations issued in a month, and for reasons they don’t openly share, but we all speculate about, last year they put applications on hold and now this unexpected covid 19 make it worse.
They are using the complexity of cases etc… as an excuse for delays which makes the process less transparent and distress applicants.
This is why I previously suggested to look at the MP option to have people advocating for us, as an affected group, not giving particular names if you don’t want to, as some other groups such as student or temporary visa holders have done.
Let’s see I just hope they keep working on visa grants to solve the issue of many of us.
Me and my husband both applied onshore 189. And hes the main applicant, and right now he is in Australia and I am stuck offshore as secondary applicant n my BVB expired. Such tough situation for me, every single day I feel nothing but stress
Damn…sorry to hear…I know the stress you’re talking about…
My guess there will be a generic solution for those stuck overseas on a bridging visa B. I’m sure DHA acknowledge this is not applicants’ fault and a solution should be on the way.
Have you asked your agent what can be done from his/her end?..They seem to be clueless from what I read on this on the news. They are more like DHA should solve it.
I have read that some visa conditions are being changed, maybe valid for a particular period, like the students whose courses have been moved online to enable them to apply for a temporary visa after completion. This is because the condition to be granted this graduate visa is to have completed a two years full time course.
They also relaxed working rights of some students visa. I’m just referring to this just to give you an idea of what DHA have done to provide answers to some scenarios.
I would probably expect actions from immigration agents for clients in situations like this one and raise the issue to DHA for them to come up with a solution.
Guys this is an article addressing the issue
contacted twice? what did they ask for on both Occasions ? by the way I applied in Sep 2018, got asked to do med&PC again in march 20.
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Medical check and police check (own country) one.
I think medical check validates for 1.5 years and aus police check for 6 mths?
Is Australian PCC valid for 6 months only ?
What about oversea PCC and medical, please confirm.
Hello folks - Is the SkillSelect system open to file EOI at the moment ?? any idea?
bro ur nationality ? offshore or onshore?