Sharptongue wrote:
> > > Declan Murphy <declan_murphy@hotmail.com> dixit:
> > Yes. Quite spectacular episodes of bureaucratic bloodymindedness and
> > incompetence. Almost enough to make the Oz Defence Department look
> > brilliant.
>
> hahahahhahahha
>
> >I was thinking more of the problems I've encountered
> > recently. It took 14 months to get a visa for the Japanese spouse of a
> > (white) Australian citizen, married (in Japan) for 4+ years, with 2
> > Australian passport holding sprogs.
>
> I'm no apologist for the Aus govt, but the minimum to grant a perm
> residence for a J spouse is 2 years. As far as I know, it can be
> fast-tracked to one year if there are children, so it looks like you
> did pretty well.

It was a friend of mine. From application to visa issue took 31 months,
despite having 2 Oz children. It is actually easier to immigrate to
Japan.

> My spouse is Japanese. She'd lived/studied in Aus over a period of ten
> years when we met, and it took 2 years and 6 months to get her perm
> residence approved, living together here in Aus.

Which is utterly ridiculous. If Alex Downer's wife could just swan into
the country, the same red carpet should be rolled out for the people
who pay his salary & perks.