# 12 MONTHS for background check??



## fourthird (Sep 11, 2013)

My CO has been allocated today. In his email he says that the background check process has started and it is likely that it will take at least 12 months!

Is that how long it usually takes in reality?

I've been living in Perth on a 457 visa in the last 2 years. So an extra year to wait will be counted as the 4 years required to get the citizenship anyway, but still one year sounds too long. :confused2:


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## soeid (Oct 19, 2012)

Iran is a high risk country. Citizens from Middle East countries undergoes additional security checks.


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## fourthird (Sep 11, 2013)

I know that, just 12 months is stupid long.


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## sunnyboi (Jul 10, 2013)

Really hard to believe it's going to take that long. One of the downside of being in a high risk country. Hopefully, the time can be used to calculate part of the experience in points?


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## fourthird (Sep 11, 2013)

Thanks for your insightful comment BlackBelt; that didn't occur to me.


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## msaeed (Mar 6, 2013)

BlackBelt said:


> Don't complain: The other option for you is to move back to Iran and live there.


I think that's not the way of replying to some one who is going through issues and problems..


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## snarayan (Jun 28, 2013)

BlackBelt said:


> Don't complain: The other option for you is to move back to Iran and live there.


I would like to see how you would react when you get a co allocated and tells you it would take 12 months.


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## Innovation (Oct 31, 2012)

I just believe in 1 thing , perfect documentation faster the process . 

I wish you all the best , i wish u good luck ..... 


fourthird said:


> My CO has been allocated today. In his email he says that the background check process has started and it is likely that it will take at least 12 months!
> 
> Is that how long it usually takes in reality?
> 
> I've been living in Perth on a 457 visa in the last 2 years. So an extra year to wait will be counted as the 4 years required to get the citizenship anyway, but still one year sounds too long. :confused2:


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## fourthird (Sep 11, 2013)

Innovation said:


> I just believe in 1 thing , perfect documentation faster the process .
> 
> I wish you all the best , i wish u good luck .....


Thank you friend for your kind words. I hope the best for everyone waiting for their visa grant.


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## BlackBelt (Jan 18, 2011)

I truly apologize. I didn't want to be harsh. I was trying to be sarcastic and forgot to raise my "sacarsm" sign...


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## Urlacher (Oct 2, 2012)

Innovation said:


> I just believe in 1 thing , perfect documentation faster the process .
> 
> I wish you all the best , i wish u good luck .....


Well, that is not the issue. Unfortunately, "perfect documentation" would not change anything in his case or in any other. 

He must wait as external agencies such as ASIO are in charge for background checks, and that process take time. DIAB and CO are not able to influence that process, which is out of their reach. They also do not know for how long it will lasts. 

I applied from Bosnia and Herzegovina and my CO told me that my application is undergoing the mandatory checks, which can lasts for 12 months or more. That information really dissapointed me, as I followed the perfect documentation principle. 

Good Luck, in the end it is easier to wait for visa while you are in Australia.


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## 2013 (Sep 16, 2013)

Do we have a link to check high/low risk countries?


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## salf (Sep 29, 2013)

Being in a high risk countries is not pleasant. Its like paying for the sins of your country . There is not much to do but to wait and hope something is happening for the application, and that somehow it will be successful. But a whole year of security checks is way too long, especially considering that GSM applicants are simply/generally law abiding citizens without criminal records.


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## Urlacher (Oct 2, 2012)

I am very courious to know, which is criteria for sending someones application on external checks.

There are many people from Pakistan which are going under external checks and they are waiting their visa for 12 months or more. Yet, some of them have got the visa for 60 - 80 days. The same case is for India, even though the most of the application from India are getting grant soon, just few get stucked with external checks. Also the same is for Bangladesh applicants. 

I think that CO decide wheather the application is going to be checked by ASIO or not, but still according to which criteria.

I create thread where I was asking other expats who had their application under external checks to share dates in order to sort data and create some kind of table which could give aproximate waiting time for external checks. Nobody seems to be interested for sharing. 

http://www.expatforum.com/expats/au...1-your-timeline-visa-189-external-checks.html


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## fourthird (Sep 11, 2013)

Urlacher, that's a good question. Initially I was hoping I would be lucky enough to not go through long security checks since I've got an Australian visa and before that a 3-year Canadian visa... but PR is different.

My CO is in Adelaide Team 13, is this also your team?


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## Urlacher (Oct 2, 2012)

fourthird said:


> Urlacher, that's a good question. Initially I was hoping I would be lucky enough to not go through long security checks since I've got an Australian visa and before that a 3-year Canadian visa... but PR is different.
> 
> My CO is in Adelaide Team 13, is this also your team?


You are in Australia already, so relax and enjoy your waiting :car: 

I think that as you traveled a lot, and you are from Iran (HR Country) that they will had to check you in detail which will take time. 

Your CO is from Team 13  that is weird as nobody had never had CO from that team.

TEam 13 are in charge for background checks inside DIBP. They are assissting the COs in visa processing.

Team 13 have contacted me three times since I lodged application, asking some additional information. They emphasised that they are supporting team.


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## fourthird (Sep 11, 2013)

Urlacher said:


> You are in Australia already, so relax and enjoy your waiting :car:
> 
> I think that as you traveled a lot, and you are from Iran (HR Country) that they will had to check you in detail which will take time.
> 
> ...


Oh... I checked again and you're right: Team 13 is the one that requested some information from me. My CO is from Adelaide Team 7.


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## yellowdragon (Apr 23, 2014)

Hello,

i a not really sure if anyone will reply but here it goes. Looks like i am going through the same issue regarding the background check, since i am half lebanese. 
did it really take a year to get your visa? just wondering 

best regards


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## fourthird (Sep 11, 2013)

Yes, it took a year. But I've heard and seen that if you're a girl it's faster, maybe around 5 months. I was living in AU already so it wasn't hard for me but if you're living outside AU and waiting for your PR I feel your pain. Hope you get it soon.

By the way, I don't think being half-lebanese is going to require you to go through extensive security check.


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## TheExpatriate (Feb 7, 2014)

fourthird said:


> Yes, it took a year. But I've heard and seen that if you're a girl it's faster, maybe around 5 months. I was living in AU already so it wasn't hard for me but if you're living outside AU and waiting for your PR I feel your pain. Hope you get it soon.
> 
> By the way, I don't think being half-lebanese is going to require you to go through extensive security check.


actually Lebanese and even anyone who lived in Lebanon for a long time goes through an awfully long security check due to the probability of being affiliated with the Iran-backed terrorist organization (Hizbullah) and many other militias (Amal ...etc.)


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## SuperMan1983 (Sep 22, 2014)

fourthird said:


> Yes, it took a year. But I've heard and seen that if you're a girl it's faster, maybe around 5 months. I was living in AU already so it wasn't hard for me but if you're living outside AU and waiting for your PR I feel your pain. Hope you get it soon.
> 
> By the way, I don't think being half-lebanese is going to require you to go through extensive security check.


Dear Fourthird

Appreciate if you can share your timelines

Thanks


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