I’ll have FILLED OUT my application... (?)

...by the time the secretary COMES (?)

You know best:) 👍

I'd think arrive and come are interchangeable.

If the secretary were flying in from Tokyo to take up your application, then yes)) Or if you got there before she started her workday and the janitor let you into the office and you helped yourself to an application and started filling it out in the hopes of having it done before she ARRIVED at work, then yes!))

All of these are possible of course, but I'd go with a more realistic one. :)🙏

Uly, btw, I was wondering whether "I've had my application filled out" is generally correct and is applicable there too?

Absolutely. If the emphasis is on having it completed before her arrival, then yes.

More correctly, I will have had my application filled out by the time the secretary comes back.

I’ve had my application filled out sounds like you gave it to somebody else to fill out for you.

I WILL have had my application filled out by the time the secretary comes back.

Νο contraction?

I’ve had my application filled out sounds like you gave it to somebody else to fill out for you.

Yes, I see. Does this apply to the future?

You can certainly contract it. However, saying something like this expresses a sort of resolve, like “I WILL do this in time!” and thus sounds more natural to me not contracted.

>Does this apply to the future?
— To an extent, yes. It would be less ambiguous to say “I will have filled out...” - ALSO, it sounds more natural if you invert the elements “Before the secretary returns, I will have filled out my application.”

👍 Why not add it?