DCF - Melbourne, Australia

[Poi_n_J 0]

Hi All!

Another newbie here.

Is there anyone from Melbourne who has done this and can give any details of the DCF procedures that are different to the other states. Such as:

How long this can take, from petition to visa in hand?

Where can we find out the procedures and application for the police check, so I can get this now?

What are the procedures for the medical, so I can get this asap?

How long after getting married does it take to get the marriage certificate from births, deaths and marriages registry?

Is it really ONLY the last Wednesday of every month for the petition interview?

My USC is due here in January and we need to be back in the states by July, should this be enough time?

Would be really helpful, much appreciated in advance.

[Lunamel 0]

Welcome to visajourney! You should also check out the aussie thread under the regional discussion board, as there's lots of fellow aussies there too!

You've probably seen the pinned DCF guide for Australia at the top of this thread, but if you haven't, have a read of that as it should answer a lot of your questions.

I'm currently in the middle of going through the DCF process in Australia, though we're somewhere between the old and the new systems as I'd already received packet 3 before they made the changes.

The process if you're from Melbourne is really little different than if you're from anywhere else in Australia, EXCEPT you can file the I-130 petition in Melbourne. But you don't have to -- you can always do a walk-in in Sydney instead. That's what we did, as the Melbourne consulate does only allow I-130s to be filed on the last Wednesday of every month. We didn't want to wait for that, so we went up to Sydney to file instead.

You could go ahead and get the police certificate now, as they're valid for 12 months from date of issue. I've posted elsewhere that the Victoria Police told me they won't do police checks for overseas permanent residency visas anymore, so I got one through the AFP instead (after checking with Sydney that this was fine). I got the Vic police to take my finger prints though (you can make an appointment to have this done in Flinders St, usually takes about 3-4 weeks to get an appointment). Just make sure you get the police check with fingerprints, NOT the name only check.

You won't be able to get the medical done until you've got packet 3, which you'll receive once you file the I-130 petition. Packet 3 also contains the list of doctors who'll do the medicals -- a couple of us can give you the details if you want, just PM. There's only two doctors in Melb, one in the CBD and one out at Monash -- I had to wait about 4 weeks for an appointment.

As far as the official marriage certificate goes, takes about 2 weeks after the wedding, though it can take longer if your celebrant/minister doesn't file the paperwork promptly. We got ours 2 weeks after the wedding, no problems.

Once you tell SYdney you're ready for the interview, after you've got the medical done and prepared the other paperwork, you should get an interview in about 4 weeks -- at least, that's the timeframe they seem to working with at the moment. So your 6 month timeframe should be plenty of time, provided you're planning to get married early on in your time here.

Hope that helps! And let us know if you have any other questions.

[Poi_n_J 0]

Welcome to visajourney! You should also check out the aussie thread under the regional discussion board, as there's lots of fellow aussies there too!

You've probably seen the pinned DCF guide for Australia at the top of this thread, but if you haven't, have a read of that as it should answer a lot of your questions.

I'm currently in the middle of going through the DCF process in Australia, though we're somewhere between the old and the new systems as I'd already received packet 3 before they made the changes.

The process if you're from Melbourne is really little different than if you're from anywhere else in Australia, EXCEPT you can file the I-130 petition in Melbourne. But you don't have to -- you can always do a walk-in in Sydney instead. That's what we did, as the Melbourne consulate does only allow I-130s to be filed on the last Wednesday of every month. We didn't want to wait for that, so we went up to Sydney to file instead.

You could go ahead and get the police certificate now, as they're valid for 12 months from date of issue. I've posted elsewhere that the Victoria Police told me they won't do police checks for overseas permanent residency visas anymore, so I got one through the AFP instead (after checking with Sydney that this was fine). I got the Vic police to take my finger prints though (you can make an appointment to have this done in Flinders St, usually takes about 3-4 weeks to get an appointment). Just make sure you get the police check with fingerprints, NOT the name only check.

You won't be able to get the medical done until you've got packet 3, which you'll receive once you file the I-130 petition. Packet 3 also contains the list of doctors who'll do the medicals -- a couple of us can give you the details if you want, just PM. There's only two doctors in Melb, one in the CBD and one out at Monash -- I had to wait about 4 weeks for an appointment.

As far as the official marriage certificate goes, takes about 2 weeks after the wedding, though it can take longer if your celebrant/minister doesn't file the paperwork promptly. We got ours 2 weeks after the wedding, no problems.

Once you tell SYdney you're ready for the interview, after you've got the medical done and prepared the other paperwork, you should get an interview in about 4 weeks -- at least, that's the timeframe they seem to working with at the moment. So your 6 month timeframe should be plenty of time, provided you're planning to get married early on in your time here.

Hope that helps! And let us know if you have any other questions.

Thank you, thanks so much!

One more question, for now lol... Why can't I get the medical till I receive 'packet 3'....?

[Lunamel 0]

No worries at all

In order to have the medical, you need to give the doctor the medical examination forms that are contained in packet 3 -- hence the need to wait!

[CarolineM 0]

We are from Melbourne and did DCF but that was BEFORE the changes. Lunamal gave you GREAT advice!!!

Good luck! As long as you're organized - the whole process is a piece of cake!

Glad to see another AUssie/American couple here. Check out our thread in the regional forums...nice group here

edited to ask:

are you married yet? If not, and you are planning on marrying in Oz...you have to file an intent to marry ONE MONTH in advance...be sure you do that

We got married at the registry in Melbourne - it was REALLY nice!!

Edited October 18, 2006 by CarolineM

[Poi_n_J 0]

Ah, I see. Thanks Lunamel.

One more thing; I noticed in your 'signature' that you handed in other forms at the same time as you did the walk-in. I don't recognise those forms from the instructions given me from the consulate where did you get those from?

Hi Caroline,

Lovely to 'meet' you, a fellow Melbournian.

Thanks for the well wishes, is nice to hear it's not that difficult. I will check out that regional string when I get a chance.

We aren't married yet and yes we too were planning to get married there also. I have just downloaded the instructions from the website. It's good to hear the venue is nice, it looks nice in the pics.....well, it's Melbourne..!! B)

One question: How'd you go about flying to Sydney for the last interview...was it a hassle? Can you do it and fly back in one day? I work full time and am not happy about having to go all that way at all.

[meauxna 15]

I work full time and am not happy about having to go all that way at all.

LOL, I'm sure you'd be less happy if you didn't have this abreviated process to benefit from.

A little perspective, please.

We had a total of 6 r/t flights between the 2 of us to accomplish case (at $200us a pop). It's all water under the bridge now.

[Poi_n_J 0]

LOL, I'm sure you'd be less happy if you didn't have this abreviated process to benefit from.

A little perspective, please.

We had a total of 6 r/t flights between the 2 of us to accomplish case (at $200us a pop). It's all water under the bridge now.

Hi meauxna

I'm sure ur right and I sympathise with ur case but whilst I'm grateful for that it still seems incredibly illogical that the WHOLE country must travel to one city for an interview. Melbourne for one, with all it's modern cons is quite capable to host such things as simple as interviews.

As I stated in another string to me, it's the equivalent of asking all USCs to travel to Washington for their petition interviews.

[meauxna 15]

All Canadians go to Montreal.

All Russians go to Moscow.

Do all the Chinese IVs go thorugh one post? Maybe not, due to volume of activity.

All geographically big places. All with one IV issuing post.

Some countries don't have an IV post at all, and immigrants have to travel to another country to get their visa to the US. It's not the Stop-n-Shop, it's a once in a lifetime event.

Point is, Immigrant Visa interviews (Ks included) are a specialized type of thing. There are also serious numerical limitations on visas for each country (outside certain family categories). It's simply not practical to staff every Consulate to do these sorts of initerviews. It's not a question of mod cons or not.

And, all Americans *do* travel to the single Embassy of a foreign country, when they want a visa. The majors are all in Washington DC. USCs wouldn't need to travel to interview for their petition---none is required because we are already citizens. You're the one asking permission to come in.

I realize you're annoyed, and this probably isn't helping.

[Poi_n_J 0]

No, you're alright.

Perspective is a good thing and thanks for that. And at the end of the day it is another country and we are asking for permission as you said.

It's just that the world gets smaller every day especially when you do something like this so you expect processes to follow and become just as convenient.

The only really annoying thing is not being able to get a cheap ticket, by buying in advance, as I wait for the appointment date....still waiting on any tips from Caroline on that one...

[Emerald 0]

Can i just ask when the best time to file is?? We are hoping to be over there by June 2007, so when should Hubby file?

[CarolineM 0]

Hey!

We flew jetstar from Melbourne...actually that's a lie - we flew jetstar from Avalon...but it's cheap either way.

Jetstar is def. the cheapest we found It was quick and you CAN fly back - or just stay somewhere in Sydney over night

[meauxna 15]

Can i just ask when the best time to file is?? We are hoping to be over there by June 2007, so when should Hubby file?

I'd be interested in knowing some rough timelines for the Australian Consulates--->visa interview now, too.

[Lunamel 0]

Ah, I see. Thanks Lunamel.

One more thing; I noticed in your 'signature' that you handed in other forms at the same time as you did the walk-in. I don't recognise those forms from the instructions given me from the consulate where did you get those from?

Hi Caroline,

Lovely to 'meet' you, a fellow Melbournian.

Thanks for the well wishes, is nice to hear it's not that difficult. I will check out that regional string when I get a chance.

We aren't married yet and yes we too were planning to get married there also. I have just downloaded the instructions from the website. It's good to hear the venue is nice, it looks nice in the pics.....well, it's Melbourne..!! B)

One question: How'd you go about flying to Sydney for the last interview...was it a hassle? Can you do it and fly back in one day? I work full time and am not happy about having to go all that way at all.

Hi Poi_n_J

The other forms I mentioned in my timeline are forms that are in packet 3 -- we were half-way between the "old" and the "new" system so we already had all the forms. In your case, you'll receive those additional forms and instructions about them in packet 3, at the time your partner files the I-130.

I guess you can't predict how much airfares are in advance, but I wouldn't worry too much about booking your flights closer to the interview. My interview is on 31 October, and I only booked my flights up from Melbourne early this week. As long as you book at least 2 weeks ahead, and you're a little flexible about the times you fly, you should be able to get a pretty cheap ticket on Qantas (about $125 each way). You might also be able to find something cheaper on Virgin Blue.

And hi Emerald. Have a look at what I posted above about timing. While the times in which Sydney get things done are always open to change, I reckon you'll have plenty of time if you start the process in December or January. Once you receive your visa, it's valid for 6 months until your date of entry, so you also dont' have to leave for the US straight away.

[Poi_n_J 0]

Hey Emerald

Which State are you from?

Thanks again Lunamel.....you're a