# How long is a visa valid for?



## karlom (Dec 15, 2008)

Hi all,

We are applying for an independent skilled migration visa early in 2009. Even though I nearly have all the documentation ready for applying, I still need to convince my wife that it would be a good idea to go!

For that and other family reasons we would not be in a position to go to Australia for some time so my long winded question is: does anyone know how long a permanent visa will be valid for once it is granted?

The second part of that longwinded question is do we need to travel to Australia once we get our visa in order to validate it?

thanks for the help

K


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## kaz101 (Nov 29, 2007)

Hi Karlom,

With our visa (skilled independent 136) we had a year to validate the visa from the time of our medicals / police checks, and then we had 5 years to move over. 

For the validation we came over here for a holiday but it really means just going through passport control  So yes you do need to come to Australia to validate your visa.

We had our visa granted in 2004, came out within a year to validate the visa, but didn't move over here permanently until July 2007. 

Regards,
Karen


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## Dolly (Feb 17, 2008)

Hi there,

As Karen said, it will all depend on when you submitted your police checks/medicals. The clock starts ticking from whichever is submitted first. Usually you get a year, but if you get a category B on your medicals it will probably be 6 months (unless the rules have changed since we went through our application).

Dolly


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## karlom (Dec 15, 2008)

*how long is a visa valid for*

thanks Karen & Dolly,

just so that I am clear, they order things happen in is:

Perpare documents
get skills assessed
do Ilets
Submit all of above
once approved we are then told to go for medicals & police checks

Once the checks are done we have a year to travel to Australia on a holiday to validate it. Once that happens we have another 5 years to use it or lose it?

thanks again

Karl


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## andy172 (Mar 5, 2009)

*regarding applying for the skilled visa program*

Hi,

I came across your thread on applying for the skilled visa program in australia and I thought I can request your suggestions on some of the questions I have.
I am Anand and I just started to look for info to apply for this program so that I can move to Australia with my family in the future.
I am an Indian but currently working in USA for the last 4 years with 2 years of graduation in US.

My basic questions are :
Can you give me the whole list of documents we need to gather (sources to gather if some of them are complex)?
How much does usually take for the whole process? 
What could the total cost everything included?
Once we get the PR visa, how long can I stay out of australia before moving there?
And how often do we need to renew this visa?
Once the visa is approved, what is the process to validate?

Thanks for all the help..
-ANand


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## anj1976 (Apr 24, 2008)

Hi Anand

1. Can you give me the whole list of documents we need to gather (sources to gather if some of them are complex)?

you basically are putting your life in documents. papers to prove ur work experience, papers to prove your roles and responsibilities, your qualification proofs in form of certificates, marksheets, degree etc, birth certificate, marriage certificate, references from employer and co employee. all in all everything to support your resume.


2. How much does usually take for the whole process? 

You get your skill assessed, which takes 8 to 12 weeks, ours took 3 weeks. The visa takes close to 8-9 months. this depends on which visa you apply for. The PR (175) takes this much time but if u get state sponsorship, it takes not more than 6 months now since it comes on top in priority list of application processing


3. What could the total cost everything included?

That would be the skill assessment fee plus the visa fee. visa fee is 2100A$ and I cant recall the assessment fee, i think it was 400A$. If you hire a lawyer/agent they charge an average of 200A$ for the same. give or take a few.


4. Once we get the PR visa, how long can I stay out of australia before moving there?

you get about a yr for your initial entry, after that the visa is valid for 5 yrs. once you make the entry you can go anytime but if you are looking at citizenship, it is advised not to waste time since 4 yrs of presence in AU makes u eligible for the citizenship, so u got just one yr to play around with.


5. And how often do we need to renew this visa?

Once you have your PR, you need not worry fro 5 yrs, if youw ant, you apply for the citizenship, else you get your PR renewed, which I dont think anyone gets.. I dont know how right nI am in this regard.


6. Once the visa is approved, what is the process to validate?

Process of validation would be, buy a ticket, reach AU, take a ticket back and come back to where ever u r from. ur visa is validated. you dont even need to step out of the airport if you dont wish to.

and my suggestion would be posting a new thread, so that you get more replies. 
ask if you got any more in your mind. I know you would have a list of them 

Hope this helps
cheers
anj


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## andy172 (Mar 5, 2009)

Thanks so much for the quick and detailed response Anji.

As you said I have more questions 

I am just gathering info on the process before I start, please bare with me.

Here are some of questions I have after I read your responses:

1. Steps wise, in the whole process, Getting skills assessed is the first step??
If so, I am kinda confused over what to select . I did mechanical engineering in India, Masters in industrial engineering in US, working for 4.5 years as a Sr.Statistical Analyst with the title Decision Science Manager . My work has a lot of computer programming, math modeling and engineering methods. And I work in Finance domain. Please help me the right selection.

2.For english skills, Can I use my stay in US , GRE , TOEFL scores(5 years old) instead of taking IELTS?

3.When you said the fee would be around 2100+400, what is the other 2400(A) 2nd installement fee as posted on the australian immigration site?

4.In which stage of the process should we pay the fee?

5.DO they need any of my spouse's documents?

6.As I am residing in the US for the last 6.5 years, do they need any documents based from India, my home country?

7.Lastly, to validate, do I need fly from and back to US or India?

Please respond to me on these.
Once again, thanks for all the help.

Did you also apply for this visa or you already living in australia on this PR?
Just to know more about you.

Cheers
-Anand


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## anj1976 (Apr 24, 2008)

Hi Anand

1. Steps wise, in the whole process, Getting skills assessed is the first step??

I think its best if you check the skill list and see if your skill comes in it. You have to get your skill assessed and yes, that is the first step. If you check the immigration site, which is immi.gov.au, you will plenty of info, infact I know a lot of people who are doing it on their own just by reading form the site. other option can be taking professional assistance from an agent. but make sure he is a registered agent. that takes a lot of burden off the shoulder since we dont hv to put 2 and 2 together, they do it for us. 

As per the skill assessment rule one, you have to have the qualification required for the skill and a 4+ yrs experience. out of which last 12 months have to be in the skill which you plan to get assessed. 

2. For english skills, Can I use my stay in US , GRE , TOEFL scores(5 years old) instead of taking IELTS?

for english language, you have to take ielts, and not just you, even your spouse has to take it. I really dont know if toefl will work n AU. but wait till someone else comments.

3.When you said the fee would be around 2100+400, what is the other 2400(A) 2nd installement fee as posted on the australian immigration site?

the 400 (or whatever it was) is the skill assessment fee and the 2100 is the visa fee. that is all we paid other than the agent fee. i think the 2400 that you are talking about is for spouse who does not meet the english requirement.. i am not sure but it must be mentioned where u read it. 

4. In which stage of the process should we pay the fee?

the fee is paid upfront when u put in ur application, there is no installment procedure. one shot u pay it and wait till they take ur case file.

5. DO they need any of my spouse's documents?

yes for the visa application they need ur spouse documents. I gave my educational certificates, marksheets, my birth certificate and a CV. no proofs for my work experience. our marriage certificate and all the papers that we gave for ACS (AU comp society-my husband is an IT professional so he got his skill assessed from ACS)

6. As I am residing in the US for the last 6.5 years, do they need any documents based from India, my home country?

As you said would they need documents from India. What documents are you talking about? You see, they need ur life put in papers as proofs, ur schooling proofs, college proofs, work proofs, ur birth proof, affidavits incase u r not able to provide any docs.

7. Lastly, to validate, do I need fly from and back to US or India?

you can validate from anywhere. not particularly US or India.



Me and my husband applied in September '08. still waiting for the Case officer to be allocated to our case file. below is my timeline..

Country: India
Agent: Yes
--------------------
Main Applicant My Husband
Skill Assessment (ACS) Lodged: May 04, 2008
May 23, 2008 Positive Result
ASCO code (2231-11, MODL, CSL)
------------------------------------------------------------
Cleared IELTS with 8 in all modules for both me and my OH
------------------------------------------------------------
Visa Type: Skilled Independent
Subclass: 175
Application Lodged: September 19th, 2008
------------------------------------------------------------
CO: Are you Kidding Me?
Visa: No way.. Waiting

Hoping we get our Case officer in a couple of months. lets see how it goes.

and u'r most welcome, if u got any more, just ask. there are a lot of people willing to assist here. and again, post a new thread so that people read ur question from the thread.

cheers
anj


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## andy172 (Mar 5, 2009)

Thanks again for the info anj.

Glad to here you guys are almost getting close to get the visa.

Are you guys planning to move as soon as it gets approved?

anyways, I got another one, where do we get the skills assessment done?
I went to the immigration site, it says to get the skills assessment by authorities, what does it mean?


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## anj1976 (Apr 24, 2008)

hi anand, i think urs would be australian computer society, if i am not wrong.. ACS is the assessment authority for IT&T
Australian Computer Society - Skills Assessment

in the stickys there are please read thread which have info on which authority assesses what skill. first check your skill, i mean if it is in the list or not. accordingly follow the assessment authority.
www.immi.gov.au/allforms/pdf/1121i.pdf
this is the skill occupation list

also, i dont know how close we are to getting our visas. one moment i am so positive and the other i am so scared.. this is what happens when u wait and wait and wait. we hv been waiting for 5+ months and trust me, its a killer


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## andy172 (Mar 5, 2009)

Thanks Anj. I will look into these agencies.

I will open a new thread regarding TOEFL vs IELTS question.

Well, I will keep my fingers crossed for you then

-Anand


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## anj1976 (Apr 24, 2008)

thanks anand, thats very kind of u.  and i do suggest starting a new thread for every question that you have. that way lot more people see it and u do get the best in term of replies 

again, i dont think toefl can be used, i checked the form again and if at all they had an option, they would have mentioned it somewhere..


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## andy172 (Mar 5, 2009)

Oh shoot.... Its a pain to take these tests. I hate them.
I mean the pain is to sit for the test for 2-3 hours. I hope I can take these online somewhere in the US. Is there a timeframe to take this before I start my application process?
Also, I just checked the ACS site, seems totally for IT. And given my background studies in Engineering, working in Finance domain building software applications for math models. I dont really know which exact skills agency I should contact.

I think I will open another thread on this one too

-Anand


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