Visa Processing Time - how long a wait?

My DH quit after just 3 months due to family problems and we submitted the visa application for her replacement to the Immigration Department around 22 Sep with a speed up letter. It's now 5 Nov and we've heard nothing.


Has anyone else recently received or recently applied for a helper's visa - and how long did you wait for it? Did you submit a speed-up letter? Is there anything else one can do to make them go a bit quicker?


A friend of mine said that the backlog at the Immigration Department caused by the cancellation of the levy has been cleared and is no longer an issue - does anyone happen to know if this is true? If yes, I can't understand why they're taking so long with my helper's papers ...

Hi,


I applied mine July 7th (from consulate) and was released Sept 4. At that time, they have lots of work bec of levy issue. It took us 8 weeks before helper comes.


I coursed it thru an agency, they say if you do it yourself, faster. Did you go thru an agency?

Yes, I'm using ACJ, which is supposed to be a good one. Do you really think using an agency slows things down that much? They submitted the papers to the Phil Consulate on 15 Sep and to the Imm Dept on 22 Sep.


BTW did you write a speed up letter? I am very much doubting whether these speed up letters actually make any difference at all ...

6-8 weeks

Immediately if you can get a DH released for financial reason by the employer, as this is on of the few reasons (death of employer, leave HK) which allow for a transfer to a new employer.

Add a speed up letter when you submit your forms to Immigration saying why your situation is urgent and you may get a week or so earlier. They do work!

we are also waiting for helper visa my is almost 7 week still dont know when i get

hkwatcher -

So if you write a speed up letter you only get the visa a week earlier? That's terrible! I thought they would do it much faster than that for people who genuinely have an urgent / very difficult situation. It's almost not worth writing the letter at all ...

Snow Rose

Sorry, the Immigration Dept always (emphasis always) says it takes 4-6 weeks, if you happen to be on the 4 weeks (luck of the draw) you might get the visa in 3. If is worth it to write the letter b/c you never know.....

If you have a Dr's form stating the medical need that will also work.

Dadda, you are quite right. I think the Imm Dep should clarify the issues regarding these speed up letters. They should have some kind of rules, like families with a disabled parent / child, parent physically unable to take care of kid, special needs kid etc only can write them, and what references they require and how much quicker they will go.

As for me, I do have a special situation and I did make that clear in my letter, included references etc, but they've had all my documents since 22 Sep and I've still no visa and no helper, which I feel is pretty harsh... Actually I also happen to know a couple with newborn twins who've been waiting more than 2 months for the visa for their 2nd DH (they need 2 helpers as both parents are working), so they didn't get any extra help from Immigration, either.

Do you have a VCA number? They mail your number to you on a card that you fill in when you submitted your forms. You can call them and using this number they will locate your case.

Since it is now six weeks as of Nov 5th, you should expect you visa very soon.

Sometimes a call helps, I had been waiting nearly 7 weeks for my previous helper, I phoned and told immigration my special circumstances, it was approved that afternoon.

Thanks, CD, I think you're right. I had a call from an Immigration Officer just now, the first time they've contacted me since I submitted my application 6.5 weeks ago. I tried to ask, in the most tactful way possible, why on earth they had taken such a long time even though I had written to explain my difficult circumstances, and she had no valid reason at all - her voice was young and she sounded to me like the kind of person to whom the idea that some people might have a tough deal has never ever occurred. When the penny finally dropped she said she would try to do it as quickly as possible and issue it next week! I nearly burst into tears right on the phone.


About the idea of phoning them to describe one's special cirumstances, I had 2 problems:

1. I have heard scary stories, on this forum, of Immigration "punishing' callers by making them wait even longer. The idea being to discourage people from keep phoning to ask about their maid's visas.

2. We did actually try to ring a couple of times, but were unable to get through to a human being. The voicemail box was full and we couldn't even leave a message. But we didn't try hard because of the fear of being punished.


Anyway, my conclusion is that probably phoning them is a good idea after all, if you have special circumstances, because they are not able to get the idea just from reading a speed-up letter, which in my particular case has not made the slightest difference to the processing time (by the time I get the visa next week it will have been 7 weeks Imm Dep + 1 week Phil Consulate = total 8 weeks).

I think it depends on the reasons for wanting it fast tracked, e.g just not having a helper and having a young baby is not a valid reason, even having young twins, and already having 1 helper is not a good enough reason. I found them to be very helpful once I managed to speak to someone.,

MayC -


I really feel for you! My helper's visa was approved 10 days ago, after I started re-sending the fax of my urgent letter almost every day. I was shocked and disappointed that they took longer than the 6 weeks even though I had submitted my urgent letter as soon as I had the VCA. And if you are not submitting an urgent letter you may have to wait another week or 2, I really can't think it would be any longer than that. Hang in there, MayC, you'll almost certainly get the visa by the end of this month.

Here is my situation, I need to hire a helper which to take care of my kids, because they already here in HK to take up their studies. We choose EMRYs Employment Agency to take care of our application and to ease our burden for our chosen helper (We gave our documents last 1 JULY 2011).


Since one of the basic requirement is MEDICAL CLEARANCE (Philippines) we have no choice but to follow their instruction. She undergo all medical procedure/requirements but until now (more than a month) the helper have not yet received the so called MEDICAL CLEARANCE (FIT TO WORK) from their agency and not yet even file our Helper’s application to Philippines Consulate or HK Immigration. We follow their instruction from the start but they always insist THAT she need to go to medical clearance, even though we want to sign a waiver.

Also, as per my understanding and informed them that The HK Government policies (Part XII of the Employment Ordinance) contradicts with their company policy as stated in their receipt (see attach) that the helper will be the one who will shoulder other medical expenses such as her ultrasound showing negative results (but on their Physical Examination she has a bilateral cysts), eyeglasses, tooth extraction etc. which all of this directly cost her about Php 25,000 ($4,700 approximate) to fulfill her medical requirement. We also mention in our previous email that we are willing to have her medical examination here in HK(as their findings she has a bilateral cyst). But instead they want me to sign a waiver to clear Emrys and All pro staffing (I don't know WHY?).

As the result of these (me, my family and my helper) having many difficulties, frustration in transacting with that agency. We are mentally tortured that AFFECTS my working efficiency. Which I’m always asking WHY?, what’s the problem and what went wrong? May be, it is because she did not choose their accredited Medical Clinic that from the start they didn’t inform her to go on your affiliated clinics. As the result they didn’t gain profits from her medical examination that’s why they don’t want to give her a FIT TO WORK Status? Also, we force to cancel her application due to her medical clearance FIT TO WORK status, because we know they have no plan to gave her medical clearance.


Do you think that I can file a case against employment agency since their policy is contradict with the HK Labor Ordinance? Because in my mind their policy is the can manipulate everybody who want to seek for a job here in HK and it root of corruption, since they always insist that the helper is the one who shoulder extra expenses.


Hope I can hear from your good office regarding my situation.


Emrys Information:


Agency : Emry's Employment Agency

Address : Shop 355, 3/F World Wide Plaza

19 Des Voeux Road, Central,

Hong Kong

Fax : 25459155

Tel: 28156060 , 28154114