Just got definitive approval of my QMAS application today. For other applicants, here's how my application went:
- Mid May - submitted application - 115 points claimed
- End May - received acknowledgement of receipt of application from IMMD and ref number
- June - received request for further docs (declaration because I'm already based in HK, plus request for more background on my current employer) to be submitted by 2 August
- July - submitted the additional docs and called to make sure that they were received. Told that I would go into the August selection and would be informed of the outcome by end Sept at the latest
- End Sept - no word from IMMD. No results published online
- Oct - ditto
- Around end Oct / early Nov - found out via this forum that results were on line, checked and found that my app no was listed as one of those approved in principle
- Early Nov - called and emailed IMMD to ask what was happening with my app.
- Mid Nov - finally received the approval in principal letter from IMMD. Now able to apply for the local police record check (letter is needed to take to HK police). This letter also listed all the original docs to take to IMMD for the document check.
- End Nov - applied for police record check. Told it would be sent direct to IMMD and I would not be informed of the outcome
- End Nov - called IMMD to ask how I would know when they got the police record check. They said they would call me.
- last week (mid dec) called IMMD to see if they had received the police record check. They had, but hadn't called me. Arranged interview for 21 Dec.
- 21 Dec (today). Presented my docs to IMMD. They took them away "to study". Then told me the visa was approved. I was in IMMD for just under an hour.
So for me the process took about 7 months start to finish. It would have been quicker if they had sent out the approval in principal at end Sept in line with the initial indication they gave. Seems the timetable they had set themselves slipped for some reason.
Interestingly they did not ask for the originals of the financial docs I had presented, though I think this was just an oversight on their part. I was not asked at any point for further evidence of finances - with my initial papers I sent evidence of around $300K to support myself and husband.
If you can get someone on the phone, they are quite helpful but most of the time the number they give rings out - no voicemail. Just keep trying every 30 mins or so and eventually someone picks up.