Help with filing in Australia

[loz9 0]

My understanding is that only your husband has to file in the DS230 because he is the one who is intending to immigrate.

...

My in-laws will be co-sponsoring us (they completed the forms already and we will receive it next Monday). My father in law is the joint sponsor and he completed form I-864 and my mother in law, being a member of his household and also with an income, has completed form I-864A.

I hope to have all my documents ready by the end of next week... but my only "problem" is that I still have to wait for my Japanese police check to arrive.. it's only been 3 weeks since I applied for it and it's supposed to take 2 months to process >< I hope the Consulate will let me submit my DS-2001 and schedule an interview first (so that husband can accompany me), then forward the Police Check onto them later.. hmm...

Thanks for that. That's what I thought about the DS230.

I just scheduled the medical appointment for my H and he's in on July 9 at 9:15. They apparently JUST had a cancellation, so we probably got a little lucky on that.

Our 'problem' is my tax returns. I have to file (didn't know I had to) for last year and this year. I think my dad is going to help me file online. Hopefully if we can get that done in the next couple of days that won't hold us up too much with the other forms.

I hope your Japanese police check comes through faster than expected. Waiting is the worst part! Are you Japanese or did you just live there for a while?

[kaffy 2]

Good luck with your tax returns! My husband tried to do his 2007 online but it got too complicated for him so he ended up filing the regular way.

I'm not Japanese but lived and worked there for 2 years (which is how I met my husband). Does your husband need to get any other police checks other than his Aussie one?

[loz9 0]

You sound so organized!!

Yea I'm hoping it's not too complicated to do online. I take our taxes to get done so I don't really know what I'm doing. I tried e-mailing H&R Block about getting my last 2 year's taxes prepared (based on my foreign income) and they told me to call a US 1 800 number...um, not very helpful! My dad offered to help, so hopefully he will be able to get it done quickly. I don't want to rush him b/c he's being nice and helping us out, but I want it done ASAP! hehe

I don't think he will need to get police checks from anywhere else. He attended school in the US, but never lived there for more than 12 months at a time. He also lived in Indonesia, but it was when he was under the age requirement, so he won't need one from there either.

I've called the police station and he can go in today to get fingerprinted. Tomorrow I will go get the money order and send the application off.

I've paid the deposit to hold his medical appointment and have all the info from them on what he needs to bring.

So much to do but I'm just so glad we can move forward now!

[kaffy 2]

You sound so organized!!

some would say a little obsessive compulsive

What's the money order for?

[loz9 0]

My in-laws will be co-sponsoring us (they completed the forms already and we will receive it next Monday). My father in law is the joint sponsor and he completed form I-864 and my mother in law, being a member of his household and also with an income, has completed form I-864A.

Just another clarification (I swear, immigration forms make me feel stupid)..your husband still filled out an I-864 right? So you'd have 2 - one from your H and one from FIL (with the I-864A attached for your MIL).

You sound so organized!!

some would say a little obsessive compulsive

What's the money order for?

Hahaha. OCD. Organized. Same thing.

The money order is for the police check. It costs $127 in Victoria to process. Boo to that. Visas are so expensive!

[kaffy 2]

Yup, you are right

Husband - I-864 (which I am doing now.. not sure what to write for his current individual annual income since he finished his job in May and won't be resuming work until after he finishes his masters.. so I guess $0.00.. sounds awful )

Father in law - I-864

Mother in law - I-864A

The QLD police check is quite expensive too.. about $145 The medical is the biggest shocker though.. about $450. I remember when husband had his medical for his Aussie spousal visa it cost much less than that

[faith0922 0]

Kaffy, congrats on the speedy approval of your petition! Can't help but be jealous of you two!

Anyways, we just received a communication from Sydney that my husband's Adam Walsh clearance request was sent on June 23 (two weeks after we filed it in Perth). It seems like where you file the petition DOES have an impact on the processing time.

Anyways, patiently waiting and hopefully by next week we'll receive our Packet 3 too.

Loz, it might be worth looking at camistanbul's comments re: taxes and tax forms on this link:

However, I still haven't confirmed whether a photocopy of the tax form will be sufficient, or whether an official IRS statement is mandatory. If an official IRS statement is not necessary, then life will be a lot easier. Fingers crossed on that one. Because IRS told us that my husband will not be able to backfile online, and it would take approx 3 weeks to process.

Kaffy, did you have to make an appointment for the Aus police check? Seems like there's always a long cue just to get your fingerprints done here in Perth. We called to make an appointment last week (just in case we will need it), and the earliest I could get was for the 2nd week of August!

Anyways, sorry if my thoughts are scattered here. Busy at work with boss needing speedy outputs, but also excited to see you guys are moving forward!

[faith0922 0]

OK as soon as I sent my last post, I received the email from SYDNEY!!!

We just got our PACKET 3!!!!

I'm so EXCITED!!!

[kaffy 2]

Kaffy, did you have to make an appointment for the Aus police check? Seems like there's always a long cue just to get your fingerprints done here in Perth. We called to make an appointment last week (just in case we will need it), and the earliest I could get was for the 2nd week of August!

Hi Faith, I went to the police station a few weeks ago to enquire about the process and as far as I am aware I don't need to make an appointment. I just have to fill in the application form, get fingerprinted at the local police station and then they will forward it onto the relevant people for checking. I remember they said it takes about 2-3 weeks to process and they will directly send it onto the Consulate.

I hope that your approval comes soon!!

OK as soon as I sent my last post, I received the email from SYDNEY!!!

We just got our PACKET 3!!!!

I'm so EXCITED!!!

yaay congratulations!!

Looks like we might all be going to Sydney together

[faith0922 0]

Looks like we might all be going to Sydney together

Thanks!

Yeah, would be awesome if we actually have our visa appointments at the same day!!!

[kaffy 2]

Did you find out if you needed an Aussie police check? If you do I hope you can get an earlier appointment!

ps- I am SO NOT looking forward to getting poked with a needle, exposed to high dose of radiation and peeing in a cup on Monday (which happens to be my 1 year wedding anniversary!)!

Edited July 3, 2008 by kaffy

[faith0922 0]

Did you find out if you needed an Aussie police check? If you do I hope you can get an earlier appointment!

ps- I am SO NOT looking forward to getting poked with a needle, exposed to high dose of radiation and peeing in a cup on Monday (which happens to be my 1 year wedding anniversary!)!

I think I got the same generic Packet 3 email. So yeah, I will need an Aussie police check as well. I believe my husband was told that we can go to our local police dept to get my fingerprints. So that shouldn't be a problem. Glad I don't have to worry about my Philippine police clearance, as I've already got it earlier this year when we were initially thinking of applying for PR here.

I hate medical exams! It's never comfortable... and I try to act like a big girl, but I'm really scared of needles. But hey, if that's what it takes to be with our spouses... Although, I still need to get varicella vaccine (more needles!). So I might have to wait to finish all doses before i can get my medical exam. Will still need to call and inquire on that.

[loz9 0]

This is crazy!! We really may all end up being in Sydney at the same time!

Congrats Faith! Thanks for posting that link to the tax stuff. From what I've read on that link it seems like just a copy will do. That does give me a bit more hope knowing that I won't have to wait for the actual returns and that copies will be ok.

Kaffy, I know what you mean about the medical. Ours is going to cost $310.35 total. My medical exam for my Aussie visa cost over $400. It's painful. They don't actually DO that much either. Just an xray, minor bloodwork and an exam really. Overpriced. Oh well. It's a necessary evil I guess.

For the police check, we wrote to send it directly to us. Is that wrong? I thought we had to bring it with us when we have the interview. Same with the medical stuff.

[kaffy 2]

You should be okay Loz, according to this: http://canberra.usembassy.gov/consular/vis...ate.html#return

it says that only QLD and NSW residents will have their Police certificates sent directly to the Consulate.

Immigration stuff can be so confusing to understand... I think I would be so lost without this forum!

[loz9 0]

Thanks kaffy! I'm hoping one day soon immigration will stop confusing me. *sigh*