True intentions
During the interview we had with our case officer, he mentioned the reason I said I wanted the tourist visa was to travel and that I was staying with a friend. He then asked if I had done any actual travelling. I panicked, because the main reason why I applied for the 6 month tourist visa, was because I wanted to stay with my partner and so we could get the 12 months together. My partner piped up and said that we had drove to Adelaide and Sydney, and then said that we didn’t do a lot of travelling. I think that is when the officer said “yeh, when in fact you got the visa so you could be together.” I really really hope that if we have another interview, he asks us individually about our travels. I told my partner that we needed to get our story straight, just in case. I guess I also can say that even thou I wanted to travel, my partner wasn’t able to take a lot of time off of work, so we did a lot of weekend day trips. Just because I wanted to stay longer on a tourist visa, hopefully didn’t mean I HAD to travel. I didn’t work, I met my “conditions” I just didn’t travel as much as I could have. That question keeps popping into my head, and I really hope it isn’t brought up anymore during any interviews. The guy knew that the main reason why I got the visa was so I could stay with my partner. He should also know that I wasn’t supposed to let immigration know that I was hoping to become a permanent resident.
It just seems like every thing we’ve done, we’ve had to be secretive, about my intentions of staying. Why should we have to “hide” the fact that I want to stay permanently? If they have interdependency sponsorship applications, why don’t they have interdependency spousal visas that we can come on? Like a marriage visa, something straight people are able to get? It seems like there is a lot of red tape, and a lot of stuff we as “average people” have to know. It’s like damned if we do, damned if we don’t. With the way my mind has been turning, it’s like everywhere I turn, there is something blocking us from being able to get my residency. At the time of lodging the application, we didn’t fit all of the requirements, because we had 10 months of cohabitation (legally). They say that if there are compelling reasons why it was only 10 months, that can be waived. Well, compelling reasons were, we THOUGHT we had the extra 2 months. But then it backfires on me, and according to immigration, the visa conditions were still within my control. But how was I supposed to know that, way back in May when I rang up DIMIA? I didn’t know I had to give my passport details. And isn’t that the job of the person on the phone? And even at the customs desk, wouldn’t it seem logical, that if someone asked if they got an extension on their visa, that the officer would look to make sure? Or does immigration not care if someone stays illegally? I know they do care, but according to our officer, it’s not the customs officer’s job to check and make sure that every single person comes in with a legit visa. But that IS their job, that’s usually why they set people aside and ask them about their intentions of visiting the country.
I’m hoping and praying, that everything works out for us. The letter we wrote is very heartfelt, and of course we are biased. But the officer could clearly see that it was a genuine mistake, and hopefully the combination of our letter, how long we’ve been together, and proof we’ve given of our genuine and continuing relationship all makes the person who inevitably makes the final decision realize that it IS the right decision to grant me my temporary residency visa.
Last night after staying at my sister in law’s house, I was at home alone. I got to thinking, and within an hour, I was crying my eyes out. Usually I would be okay, but every so often, I’d get a pang of worry that would wash over me, and my whole body would get a stinging sensation. I rang my partner, and was blubbering on the phone, she couldn’t understand me. She felt bad because she couldn’t do anything to comfort me. So I got off the phone with her and ended up ringing my sister back in the states. It was 6:00 in the morning or just after, and I was blubbering on the answer machine as well. She didn’t pick up straight away, but she did pick up. We talked for about 20 minutes. She kept telling me that there wasn’t anything we could do yet. That they have to do their side, and that everything has to be in writing. They can’t just make a decision, based on verbal communication. Everything has to be written, so that if something was to ever happen, there would be a paper trail. I started blubbering about having to go back home, and how hard it was going to be for me to do that, aside from the emotional aspect. She told me to stop thinking about that. She said wait to find out what happens here, and then if the appeals process has to happen, then to focus on that.
But like everyone has been telling me, it is completely out of my hands, out of my control right now. There is nothing I can do, the letter is in the mail, and it’s gone. We just have to hope he gets the letter on Monday and then quickly makes a decision…hopefully the one we want. We may have to come in for another interview. I’m hoping we do, instead of them just sending us a rejection letter. I am kind of hoping that our officer already has sort of an indication of whether he’ll grant us the visa or not. And that this letter, that gives compelling reasons why I should be granted the visa, is only the icing on the cake. I’m hoping that the interview we already had, was sort of a test for him to see how we handled things under pressure, and how we interacted with each other. Even thou the interview would have been to determine the genuineness of our relationship, if we didn’t have this visa hiccup, that the case officer was secretly hitting two birds with one stone. He knew he couldn’t grant me the visa just yet, but wanted to see how we reacted.
My partner has a friend at her work, that knows someone who I think is an immigration lawyer for DIMIA. She said she would give us his phone number soon. This immigration lawyer helped her husband’s son migrate here to Australia. So maybe he’d be able to give us some help, or even an indication as to what our chances are of getting this visa. He might be able to help us with the appeals process, or at least direct us toward someone who can. I don’t want to have to think about the appeals process, but it still is in the back of my mind.
Someone told me yesterday that “good things happen to good people” and that’s my affirmation for the day. My partner and I are good people, and we deserve something good to come out of this. It’s strengthened our relationship, if you can believe that. It’s also proved beyond a doubt, of just how committed and just true our feelings are for each other. Not that there were any doubts, but this whole situation has put so much at stake, and we both know that our love will help us get through this. We just hope we are, or were able to show the case officer the same thing.
So keep the positive thoughts, all the prayers and good vibes and send them our way. They WILL pay off
-current mood-ACTUALLY HUNGRY
It just seems like every thing we’ve done, we’ve had to be secretive, about my intentions of staying. Why should we have to “hide” the fact that I want to stay permanently? If they have interdependency sponsorship applications, why don’t they have interdependency spousal visas that we can come on? Like a marriage visa, something straight people are able to get? It seems like there is a lot of red tape, and a lot of stuff we as “average people” have to know. It’s like damned if we do, damned if we don’t. With the way my mind has been turning, it’s like everywhere I turn, there is something blocking us from being able to get my residency. At the time of lodging the application, we didn’t fit all of the requirements, because we had 10 months of cohabitation (legally). They say that if there are compelling reasons why it was only 10 months, that can be waived. Well, compelling reasons were, we THOUGHT we had the extra 2 months. But then it backfires on me, and according to immigration, the visa conditions were still within my control. But how was I supposed to know that, way back in May when I rang up DIMIA? I didn’t know I had to give my passport details. And isn’t that the job of the person on the phone? And even at the customs desk, wouldn’t it seem logical, that if someone asked if they got an extension on their visa, that the officer would look to make sure? Or does immigration not care if someone stays illegally? I know they do care, but according to our officer, it’s not the customs officer’s job to check and make sure that every single person comes in with a legit visa. But that IS their job, that’s usually why they set people aside and ask them about their intentions of visiting the country.
I’m hoping and praying, that everything works out for us. The letter we wrote is very heartfelt, and of course we are biased. But the officer could clearly see that it was a genuine mistake, and hopefully the combination of our letter, how long we’ve been together, and proof we’ve given of our genuine and continuing relationship all makes the person who inevitably makes the final decision realize that it IS the right decision to grant me my temporary residency visa.
Last night after staying at my sister in law’s house, I was at home alone. I got to thinking, and within an hour, I was crying my eyes out. Usually I would be okay, but every so often, I’d get a pang of worry that would wash over me, and my whole body would get a stinging sensation. I rang my partner, and was blubbering on the phone, she couldn’t understand me. She felt bad because she couldn’t do anything to comfort me. So I got off the phone with her and ended up ringing my sister back in the states. It was 6:00 in the morning or just after, and I was blubbering on the answer machine as well. She didn’t pick up straight away, but she did pick up. We talked for about 20 minutes. She kept telling me that there wasn’t anything we could do yet. That they have to do their side, and that everything has to be in writing. They can’t just make a decision, based on verbal communication. Everything has to be written, so that if something was to ever happen, there would be a paper trail. I started blubbering about having to go back home, and how hard it was going to be for me to do that, aside from the emotional aspect. She told me to stop thinking about that. She said wait to find out what happens here, and then if the appeals process has to happen, then to focus on that.
But like everyone has been telling me, it is completely out of my hands, out of my control right now. There is nothing I can do, the letter is in the mail, and it’s gone. We just have to hope he gets the letter on Monday and then quickly makes a decision…hopefully the one we want. We may have to come in for another interview. I’m hoping we do, instead of them just sending us a rejection letter. I am kind of hoping that our officer already has sort of an indication of whether he’ll grant us the visa or not. And that this letter, that gives compelling reasons why I should be granted the visa, is only the icing on the cake. I’m hoping that the interview we already had, was sort of a test for him to see how we handled things under pressure, and how we interacted with each other. Even thou the interview would have been to determine the genuineness of our relationship, if we didn’t have this visa hiccup, that the case officer was secretly hitting two birds with one stone. He knew he couldn’t grant me the visa just yet, but wanted to see how we reacted.
My partner has a friend at her work, that knows someone who I think is an immigration lawyer for DIMIA. She said she would give us his phone number soon. This immigration lawyer helped her husband’s son migrate here to Australia. So maybe he’d be able to give us some help, or even an indication as to what our chances are of getting this visa. He might be able to help us with the appeals process, or at least direct us toward someone who can. I don’t want to have to think about the appeals process, but it still is in the back of my mind.
Someone told me yesterday that “good things happen to good people” and that’s my affirmation for the day. My partner and I are good people, and we deserve something good to come out of this. It’s strengthened our relationship, if you can believe that. It’s also proved beyond a doubt, of just how committed and just true our feelings are for each other. Not that there were any doubts, but this whole situation has put so much at stake, and we both know that our love will help us get through this. We just hope we are, or were able to show the case officer the same thing.
So keep the positive thoughts, all the prayers and good vibes and send them our way. They WILL pay off
-current mood-ACTUALLY HUNGRY
posted by Gaylicious© at Friday, October 14, 2005
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