# Your Timeline for VISA 189 with external checks



## Urlacher (Oct 2, 2012)

I am courious about waiting time for completion of external checks during the visa 189 processing. 

How long have you been waited from the point when your CO told you about external checks until visa grant???

Have GSM Team 13 Adelaide contacted you during this period of waiting???

I would thankfull to everyone who is willing to share info about this issue.

Timeline can look like these...

Visa lodged ??? Co assigned ??? CO informed me about external checks ??? visa grant???

You can put some other characteristic time points in the line.


----------



## Sunlight11 (Apr 27, 2013)

I am looking down the barrel now .... CO in her first email informed me routine process will take "Considerably Long Time" ... ! I wonder if they really find anything substantial for this year long database search even for pretty straightforward cases.


----------



## bluesand4 (Jan 12, 2013)

Hi,
I have been waiting for 9 months till now (starting from the date when my CO informed that the checks started).


----------



## Urlacher (Oct 2, 2012)

Sunlight11 said:


> I am looking down the barrel now .... CO in her first email informed me routine process will take "Considerably Long Time" ... ! I wonder if they really find anything substantial for this year long database search even for pretty straightforward cases.


Hi Sunlight,

You made detail research about external/internal checks, as I saw from your recent posts. 

I think that for DIBP there is no straightforward cases, even though I think that all depends on CO, because he/she initiates everything. Your case as well as mine are processed for external checks by COs order. 

According to my research, when you finish your visa application, upload your documents, you immediately get CO. 

From that point CO first check does the all EOI claims are covered with proper documentation. If not, visa get refused and they will inform applicant in 7 - 10 days from the date of application. If it is ok, next step are INTERNAL CHECKS, which you very nice explain in one of your posts so I will copy it here...

"Internal checks are done by the high-commission officers and may take at most a month or two, these verifications include education, skill assessment, IELTS, sometimes employment, passport and that's about it, majority of these can be done within few days through just phone calls weather it is UK or HR countries. If electronic medium is available, then within hours some of the checks can be finished, else may be a month for phone\email verifications... and I believe for majority of the applicants (HR&LR) these are carried out more or less"

In the middle of this internal checks CO initiate External checks. I am very courious which is the CRITERIA for visa processing to external checks. 

External checks are conducted by ASIO and AFP. Obviously ASIO has a lot of problems with other issues regarding the national security. 

I was confident that I will get my visa in 3 month period as I provide them all neccesery documents and even more. Yet, my application is underiong for those checks, and CO told me that they can last for 12 months or more:frusty:

I find only one guy from Bosnia and Herzegovina who applied for 189, and he had waited for 13 months from the application till grant, so I am trying to turn off myself and live normal life without thinking about visa, but it is quite hard.


----------



## Urlacher (Oct 2, 2012)

bluesand4 said:


> Hi,
> I have been waiting for 9 months till now (starting from the date when my CO informed that the checks started).


Well, you will get your grant soon :fingerscrossed:

Could you please share what CO told you about checks???Did he/she told you exact timeframe for waiting.


----------



## Sunlight11 (Apr 27, 2013)

Urlacher said:


> Hi Sunlight,
> 
> .............. and CO told me that they can last for 12 months or more:frusty:
> 
> I find only one guy from Bosnia and Herzegovina who applied for 189, and he had waited for 13 months from the application till grant, so I am trying to turn off myself and live normal life without thinking about visa, but it is quite hard.


Hi Urlacher, Yes it is nearly impossible to turn away from visa issues till a decision is made ...

Not all people are equally fortunate, that's a fact. I believe Nationality is the primary factor on which ASIO's involvement is decided ... even though they clearly said it is not possible to disclose the framework to public.

Let's hope we get through without hitch .... !


----------



## Urlacher (Oct 2, 2012)

Sunlight11 said:


> Hi Urlacher, Yes it is nearly impossible to turn away from visa issues till a decision is made ...
> 
> Not all people are equally fortunate, that's a fact. I believe Nationality is the primary factor on which ASIO's involvement is decided ... even though they clearly said it is not possible to disclose the framework to public.
> 
> Let's hope we get through without hitch .... !


Does TEam 13 have contacted you????


----------



## Sunlight11 (Apr 27, 2013)

Urlacher said:


> Does TEam 13 have contacted you????


No they didn't, my documentation is pretty minimum as I don't have 3 years of Skilled Experience, so no point claimed + front-loaded Form 80.


----------



## Urlacher (Oct 2, 2012)

Sunlight11 said:


> No they didn't, my documentation is pretty minimum as I don't have 3 years of Skilled Experience, so no point claimed + front-loaded Form 80.


Any news from your CO regarding visa???

I had sent an email to my CO a month ago and asked about status of my application. Reply was the same, mandatory checks by external agencies is undergoing. I have to wait at least around 7.5 months


----------



## Sunlight11 (Apr 27, 2013)

Urlacher said:


> Any news from your CO regarding visa???
> 
> I had sent an email to my CO a month ago and asked about status of my application. Reply was the same, mandatory checks by external agencies is undergoing. I have to wait at least around 7.5 months


Well nothing as of yet, few days back Team 13 contacted me asking for few clarifications, some of which was already there the in Form 80 anyway... Yesterday made a query to CO asking What exactly is 'Routine Processing" and what's up with my app... not sure if she will reply or not... !


----------



## Urlacher (Oct 2, 2012)

Sunlight11 said:


> Well nothing as of yet, few days back Team 13 contacted me asking for few clarifications, some of which was already there the in Form 80 anyway... Yesterday made a query to CO asking What exactly is 'Routine Processing" and what's up with my app... not sure if she will reply or not... !


Yes, team 13 had contacted me as well three times since I lodged application. They asked for the same info from Form 80.

CO will aswer you, just be very polite.


----------



## Urlacher (Oct 2, 2012)

Sunlight11 said:


> Well nothing as of yet, few days back Team 13 contacted me asking for few clarifications, some of which was already there the in Form 80 anyway... Yesterday made a query to CO asking What exactly is 'Routine Processing" and what's up with my app... not sure if she will reply or not... !


Hello Sunlight,

Any news from you regarding visa decision???

Have you contacted your CO???What he/she told you???


----------



## Urlacher (Oct 2, 2012)

bluesand4 said:


> Hi,
> I have been waiting for 9 months till now (starting from the date when my CO informed that the checks started).


Hello bluesand,

Have you got the visa decision???


----------



## Urlacher (Oct 2, 2012)

Thank you for your reply. 

Well you had not been waited for so long, regarding external checks. 

I noticed that people from India gets their visa grants very fast. Obviously it is well known process. 

When CO notify you about external checks, does he/she actually told you about time frame of those checks???For example, external checks can last for 12 months or more???

Thank you in advance.




DotNetDoctor said:


> Hi Buddy,
> 
> *  How long have you been waited from the point when your CO told you about external checks until visa grant???  *
> 
> ...


----------



## Urlacher (Oct 2, 2012)

Ok...thank you....

All the best...


----------



## Hunter85 (Dec 5, 2013)

guys could you please be more specific about external checks? Is it a process only for 189?

I am applying for 190 and I am not claiming any points for work experience. What can be the external checks for me?

(I have a total of 5 years of XP where ACS deducted 2 years, I worked for a company for 3 years and another 2 years in another company. I am not claiming points because I dont have enough evidance from my first employer. I dont have bank statements but all other documents are available but I simply dont want to risk. Will they contact my current employer for any checks?)


----------



## Urlacher (Oct 2, 2012)

Hunter85 said:


> guys could you please be more specific about external checks? Is it a process only for 189?
> 
> I am applying for 190 and I am not claiming any points for work experience. What can be the external checks for me?
> 
> (I have a total of 5 years of XP where ACS deducted 2 years, I worked for a company for 3 years and another 2 years in another company. I am not claiming points because I dont have enough evidance from my first employer. I dont have bank statements but all other documents are available but I simply dont want to risk. Will they contact my current employer for any checks?)


Dear Hunter,

External checks are realted to additional security checks of your application by Australian Security agencies. Those checks as far as I know are also related to visa 190. 

As those checks are done by external agencies the main issue is their timeframe as they can last for a long time. 

They will check your police certificates and everything else regarding your uploaded documents, your identity etc.

In some cases they will call your employer and ask normal questions such as, are those statements from skill employment certificats correct etc.


----------



## ehanu009 (Apr 26, 2013)

mine is stuck in background checks too.

this is probably the most relevant thread for me. but don't know why it wasn't showing up earlier.

in my case the CO hinted a longer processing time by saying 'it may take more than six months...'. i was already upset by then. and now its more than a year. they say that they have no idea on how long it may take and there is no deadline or anything. so, theoretically i can deduce that it can take forever! 'was very eager to know what could be a reasonable practical limit though. i could hardly find any information on the forum / internet, and it sort of feels like i'm swimming alone... 

btw, i am an onshore applicant. however, it's not either pleasant to get stuck on bridging visa as it has its own limitations on travelling overseas.

i had all necessary documents cleared on lodgement and the CO also acknowledged that he didn't expect anything more from me. i front loaded all possible docs including meds. the meds are about to expire now  recently my CO asked for AFP clearances for my family as the initial ones have expired. i have done that again and submitted... keeping on spending money and waiting endlessly. really frustrating


----------



## Melbourne_Vic (Jul 6, 2014)

ehanu009 said:


> mine is stuck in background checks too.
> 
> this is probably the most relevant thread for me. but don't know why it wasn't showing up earlier.
> 
> ...




Hi did you getyour grant? if then when? we are stuck in external check as well


----------



## ehanu009 (Apr 26, 2013)

Melbourne_Vic said:


> Hi did you getyour grant? if then when? we are stuck in external check as well


not yet. possibly not any time soon either.

when did you apply? which subclass?


----------



## RUSAUS (Feb 20, 2013)

Hi Everyone,

My External Checks took around 1,5 years.

Tim


----------



## farjaf (Jan 4, 2016)

God know how long does it gonna take to get external check clearance for 189.
Don't know why again sent for external checks: was already in external checks for 457 visa.


----------

