[rubenr]

Hi Friends

I received my 189 invite on 25th July 2017, currently in the process of assimilating documents. Have a question, would much appreciate your inputs:
Question 1
-------------
1. Has anyone who has received the invite in the July 12 or July 26 2017 invitation rounds (189) and have front loaded their documents, have anyone got a CO assigned to their case? Has anyone got a Direct Grant ?

The reason why I am asking is that post the notification that processing times have more than doubled (8 months) due to staff shortage and spike in applicants, I wanted to know what is the trend that Immigration authorities are following.
Question 2
-------------
after reading many posts, I gauged that the suggested cheapest way to pay the visa fee (in AUD) is forex card, but I called up my HDFC bank (have salary account) and spoke with forex card deptt. they say I need to go to local branch with passport, valid visa and/or travel itinerary, how will that work ? I do not have any valid visa and neither a travel itinerary.
Also, the exchange rate which they quoted is : Rs 52.30, which is quite high.....

I have a HDFC @All [email protected] credit card......wouldn't that be good? (to save money)

Regards
Rubenr

 

[bnetkunt]

Hi ..what's your Job code and points?

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[karanbansal91]

Hi Friends

I received my 189 invite on 25th July 2017, currently in the process of assimilating documents. Have a question, would much appreciate your inputs:
Question 1
-------------
1. Has anyone who has received the invite in the July 12 or July 26 2017 invitation rounds (189) and have front loaded their documents, have anyone got a CO assigned to their case? Has anyone got a Direct Grant ?

The reason why I am asking is that post the notification that processing times have more than doubled (8 months) due to staff shortage and spike in applicants, I wanted to know what is the trend that Immigration authorities are following.
Question 2
-------------
after reading many posts, I gauged that the suggested cheapest way to pay the visa fee (in AUD) is forex card, but I called up my HDFC bank (have salary account) and spoke with forex card deptt. they say I need to go to local branch with passport, valid visa and/or travel itinerary, how will that work ? I do not have any valid visa and neither a travel itinerary.
Also, the exchange rate which they quoted is : Rs 52.30, which is quite high.....

I have a HDFC @All [email protected] credit card......wouldn't that be good? (to save money)

Regards
Rubenr

For Question 2 : I am also in same situation...BEWARE ABOUT CREDIT CARD : HDFC charges 3.5 % Foreign transaction charge(Currency conversion charge) extra on transaction. I am also exploring other options.

 

[rubenr]

For Question 2 : I am also in same situation...BEWARE ABOUT CREDIT CARD : HDFC charges 3.5 % Foreign transaction charge(Currency conversion charge) extra on transaction. I am also exploring other options.

Hi Karanbansal91

Thanks for your response.
What you mean to say is that if HDFC today's exchange rate is Rs.50 then for paying 6425 AUD it would take (6425 * 50) = Rs. 321250 and then a 3.5% of 321250 (=Rs.11244) so total I end up paying = Rs 321250+Rs 11244 = Rs. 332494?

Regards
Ruben

 

[rubenr]

Hi ..what's your Job code and points?

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

Hi Bnetkunt
261311, 75

 

[Strikeforce]

Hi Friends



I received my 189 invite on 25th July 2017, currently in the process of assimilating documents. Have a question, would much appreciate your inputs:

Question 1

-------------

1. Has anyone who has received the invite in the July 12 or July 26 2017 invitation rounds (189) and have front loaded their documents, have anyone got a CO assigned to their case? Has anyone got a Direct Grant ?



The reason why I am asking is that post the notification that processing times have more than doubled (8 months) due to staff shortage and spike in applicants, I wanted to know what is the trend that Immigration authorities are following.

Question 2

-------------

after reading many posts, I gauged that the suggested cheapest way to pay the visa fee (in AUD) is forex card, but I called up my HDFC bank (have salary account) and spoke with forex card deptt. they say I need to go to local branch with passport, valid visa and/or travel itinerary, how will that work ? I do not have any valid visa and neither a travel itinerary.

Also, the exchange rate which they quoted is : Rs 52.30, which is quite high.....



I have a HDFC @All [email protected] credit card......wouldn't that be good? (to save money)



Regards

Rubenr

I have uploaded almost everything, only form 80,1221 and medicals are pending. Rest all have been uploaded.

I am not sure if CO has been allocated, it seems there is no notification for that.

The safest and the cheapest way to pay is if you have a friend in Australia who has a card with that kind of credit limit, ask him/her to pay and transfer the money to their account (Australian or Indian). That's how I did it..

The only other way is a Indian credit card with that much credit limit or Forex card.. Forex card is an it of tricky matter.. they need justification on why you need the Forex card.plus you end up paying conversion fee, loading fee, transaction fee and stuff. So strike a deal with the bank. Explain them everything. Hope they will understand. If you don't have that much limit on your card, ask the bank to increase te credit limit. Your hdfc card should be either visa or MasterCard.. if it is.. then it will be accepted without any issues. I saw option of debit card as well but I am not sure if indian debit card is accepted.
Give it a try. There can be no part payments as well. Tried that also.




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[karanbansal91]

Hi Karanbansal91

Thanks for your response.
What you mean to say is that if HDFC today's exchange rate is Rs.50 then for paying 6425 AUD it would take (6425 * 50) = Rs. 321250 and then a 3.5% of 321250 (=Rs.11244) so total I end up paying = Rs 321250+Rs 11244 = Rs. 332494?

Regards
Ruben

Exactly, but u forgot 0.98% surcharge to add in visa fees. So add another 3300 INR in total amount.

 

[anindita07]

Hi Friends

I received my 189 invite on 25th July 2017, currently in the process of assimilating documents. Have a question, would much appreciate your inputs:
Question 1
-------------
1. Has anyone who has received the invite in the July 12 or July 26 2017 invitation rounds (189) and have front loaded their documents, have anyone got a CO assigned to their case? Has anyone got a Direct Grant ?

The reason why I am asking is that post the notification that processing times have more than doubled (8 months) due to staff shortage and spike in applicants, I wanted to know what is the trend that Immigration authorities are following.
Question 2
-------------
after reading many posts, I gauged that the suggested cheapest way to pay the visa fee (in AUD) is forex card, but I called up my HDFC bank (have salary account) and spoke with forex card deptt. they say I need to go to local branch with passport, valid visa and/or travel itinerary, how will that work ? I do not have any valid visa and neither a travel itinerary.
Also, the exchange rate which they quoted is : Rs 52.30, which is quite high.....

I have a HDFC @All [email protected] credit card......wouldn't that be good? (to save money)

Regards
Rubenr

I received my 189 invite on 12th July and filed my visa on 15th July.
I uploaded most of the documents upfront but recently uploaded India PCC and still awaiting Singapore PCC.
To answer your questions:
CO assignment is pending for cases who filed even 2-3 months back, so I think it will be a long wait. They have already updated the visa processing times to 8-11 months so better to file as soon as you can and keep uploading documents.
Regarding visa fee payment, forex card is not that easy to procure and there are charges involved in that. The total fee with surcharge comes to 3705.97 AUD. I paid using my Citibank credit card (thankfully I had enough limit) and I have been charged around 6000 Rs extra as per the conversion rate on 15th July.
Atleast it was easier and hassle free as compared to procuring a forex card. Other might have different opinions, I am just sharing my experience.

Best of luck!

 

[oppurtunityreq]

Hi Friends

I received my 189 invite on 25th July 2017, currently in the process of assimilating documents. Have a question, would much appreciate your inputs:
Question 1
-------------
1. Has anyone who has received the invite in the July 12 or July 26 2017 invitation rounds (189) and have front loaded their documents, have anyone got a CO assigned to their case? Has anyone got a Direct Grant ?

The reason why I am asking is that post the notification that processing times have more than doubled (8 months) due to staff shortage and spike in applicants, I wanted to know what is the trend that Immigration authorities are following.
Question 2
-------------
after reading many posts, I gauged that the suggested cheapest way to pay the visa fee (in AUD) is forex card, but I called up my HDFC bank (have salary account) and spoke with forex card deptt. they say I need to go to local branch with passport, valid visa and/or travel itinerary, how will that work ? I do not have any valid visa and neither a travel itinerary.
Also, the exchange rate which they quoted is : Rs 52.30, which is quite high.....

I have a HDFC @All [email protected] credit card......wouldn't that be good? (to save money)

Regards
Rubenr

Strange

I too have a HDFC Salary Account. I walked in to one of their branches and gave them a copy of my Passport and got the forex card immediately.. hardly took 15 mins for the entire process.

I was expecting they would ask me to go to my home branch (which i didnt want to since it is quiet far away) but they informed me that you could get it from any of their branches if u have an active account.

Best Wishes..

 

[karanbansal91]

I received my 189 invite on 12th July and filed my visa on 15th July.
I uploaded most of the documents upfront but recently uploaded India PCC and still awaiting Singapore PCC.
To answer your questions:
CO assignment is pending for cases who filed even 2-3 months back, so I think it will be a long wait. They have already updated the visa processing times to 8-11 months so better to file as soon as you can and keep uploading documents.
Regarding visa fee payment, forex card is not that easy to procure and there are charges involved in that. The total fee with surcharge comes to 3705.97 AUD. I paid using my Citibank credit card (thankfully I had enough limit) and I have been charged around 6000 Rs extra as per the conversion rate on 15th July.
Atleast it was easier and hassle free as compared to procuring a forex card. Other might have different opinions, I am just sharing my experience.

Best of luck!

At what rate your money is converted?? Actually right know AUD is around 51.3 at xe.com, while hdfc bank is telling 52.6, so along with other charges like conversion fees(3.5%) and GST, they are making money from conversion rate by adding 1.5 dollar extra to actual rate.

 

[NB]

At what rate your money is converted?? Actually right know AUD is around 51.3 at xe.com, while hdfc bank is telling 52.6, so along with other charges like conversion fees(3.5%) and GST, they are making money from conversion rate by adding 1.5 dollar extra to actual rate.

HDFC Bank have a tendency to give better rates to preferred clients

The final rates you are charged may not be the same for someone else

In my opinion anything upto 3% total expenses including conversion fees over the XE.com rate is a good rate unless you have a preferred client relationship in which case you can get away with just 2%


Cheers

 

[karanbansal91]

HDFC Bank have a tendency to give better rates to preferred clients

The final rates you are charged may not be the same for someone else

In my opinion anything upto 3% total expenses including conversion fees over the XE.com rate is a good rate unless you have a preferred client relationship in which case you can get away with just 2%


Cheers

3.5% is fixed charge + 18% GST on 3.5% charge. How will they exempt these charges for a pro customer. I dnt think, HDFC will dissolve these charges for pro customers.

 

[anindita07]

At what rate your money is converted?? Actually right know AUD is around 51.3 at xe.com, while hdfc bank is telling 52.6, so along with other charges like conversion fees(3.5%) and GST, they are making money from conversion rate by adding 1.5 dollar extra to actual rate.

This is how Citibank charges, it will mostly be the same for other credit cards:

"For international transactions effected in US Dollars, 3.5% on the INR equivalent of the US Dollars, at the conversion rates published by the card networks.

For international transactions effected in non-US Dollar currency, the transaction would be first converted into US Dollars, at the conversion rates published by the
card networks. On the converted US Dollars amount, 3.5% would be levied on the INR equivalent of the US Dollars, at the conversion rates published by the card
networks.
Foreign currency transactions will be billed in Indian Rupees, using exchange rates, published by Card networks, on the date of settlement of transaction and
not on the date of the transaction. The billed amount will include the Indian Rupees equivalent transaction amount, mark-up levied by Citibank and applicable
Goods and Services Tax (GST). "

3.5% + GST seems to be the norm. You are right, card/bank conversion rates are normally higher than normal exchange rates.

 

[PANZIND]

Hi Friends



I received my 189 invite on 25th July 2017, currently in the process of assimilating documents. Have a question, would much appreciate your inputs:

Question 1

-------------

1. Has anyone who has received the invite in the July 12 or July 26 2017 invitation rounds (189) and have front loaded their documents, have anyone got a CO assigned to their case? Has anyone got a Direct Grant ?



The reason why I am asking is that post the notification that processing times have more than doubled (8 months) due to staff shortage and spike in applicants, I wanted to know what is the trend that Immigration authorities are following.

Question 2

-------------

after reading many posts, I gauged that the suggested cheapest way to pay the visa fee (in AUD) is forex card, but I called up my HDFC bank (have salary account) and spoke with forex card deptt. they say I need to go to local branch with passport, valid visa and/or travel itinerary, how will that work ? I do not have any valid visa and neither a travel itinerary.

Also, the exchange rate which they quoted is : Rs 52.30, which is quite high.....



I have a HDFC @All [email protected] credit card......wouldn't that be good? (to save money)



Regards

Rubenr

To answer Question No. 1, I received invite in 12th Jul round. Lodged the application with all the documents including medical, Form 80, 1221, etc.
Currently my application status is 'Received'. Grants are trickling at suppressed rate since May17.

I am not sure by what time some one will start on my application.


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[vikaschandra]

To answer Question No. 1, I received invite in 12th Jul round. Lodged the application with all the documents including medical, Form 80, 1221, etc.
Currently my application status is 'Received'. Grants are trickling at suppressed rate since May17.

I am not sure by what time some one will start on my application.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

patience is the key mate

 

[Guest]

use your credit card as you would pay forex charges anyway.
the cost would be more as banks charge very high rate.
using credit card is better option. all the best mate

At what rate your money is converted?? Actually right know AUD is around 51.3 at xe.com, while hdfc bank is telling 52.6, so along with other charges like conversion fees(3.5%) and GST, they are making money from conversion rate by adding 1.5 dollar extra to actual rate.

 

[bulop]

July 2017ers will nail it. We are the best.

 

[Strikeforce]

Any progress people.. on allocation or grants?


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