Pommie

thanks Paulhand... much appreciated

Hi everyone my Son and his girlfriend (both 18) have maintained a long distance relationship since we emigrated from the UK to Oz (Perth) a couple of years back. We have PR and can apply for citizenship later this year. His girlfriend is wanting to come and live with us in Australia. A student visa seems out of reach due to the international fee’s. The easiest way appears to be via a 417 visa (working holiday) before applying for a de facto relationship PR. My question is whether you can go from a 417 straight to de facto / partner visa?? I’m not sure if there are any conditions which prohibit this ? any advice would be appreciated. cheers

Thanks AJ. I understand what you are saying. I am sure, some time ago I saw on this forum people saying that you can use the one year (or just under 1 year) rule to begin the process after three years in Australia, rather than waiting the full four years. I understand this seem's to go against the spirit of the citizenship rules, but wondered if this is total wrong or whether there is some basis to it ? Pommie

Hi All We moved to Australia in January 2017 with full PR (189 visa). The new citizenship legislation requires 4 years post PR permanent residency, however it does say you can have a maximum of 1 year outside of Australia. So, looking for advice as to whether I am able to apply essentially 3 years after landing in Australia, using the time in the UK before we arrived as being one year out of the country. In other words, getting citizenship after 3 years in country.... Any thoughts or advice ?? Thanks Pommie

Form 80 is painful, but I would urge you to do everything you can to list all overseas travel. I travelled extensively overseas for work and my list was many pages - I had to go through the company travel agent as well as my own passports and memory !! The DIBP will actually be able to see what travel is registered against your passport.... so my logic is that by at least attempting to complete the form thoroughly, then so long as you have not hit red flag countries, then that willl be fine. But if you only list 5 overseas trips and they can see you've done 20, then you may well get more questions or delays from them....

Hi Has anyone had experience of using Charter Square in New Zealand when looking at moving their UK pension ?? For Brits emigrating to Australia, there appears a (legitimate) way of moving your UK Pension to New Zealand (held as an expat pension in either GBP or AUD). Your transfer from the UK to the fund held in NZ is tax free (subject to GBP 1 million cap) and once you are over 55 and wish to retire you can draw down your pension in Australia. You can draw down 30% tax free in cash into a Australian bank account and draw the balance tax free as a pension paid into your Australian bank account. This is in part due to the Double Taxation agreement between Australia and NZ. It appears to be a tax efficient way to transfer money and you can hold the pension in sterling until the exchange rate recovers and then convert to AUD. I would like to know if anyone else has had any dealings with Charter Square ?? Thanks

Hi all.... were 13 weeks from landing in Perth... thinking of using Doree Bonner - anyone had any experience of using them ??

Hi All Finally hit the 20 week countdown yesterday (OMG)!!! Could anyone let me know how much it cost them to ship a 20ft or a 40ft container from UK to Perth please ?? I am hoping a 20ft will be big enough, however we are a large family and if it was cost effective we could always buy more furniture in the UK and ship it across.... Many thanks

Hi All I wonder if one of PIO's tax experts could offer some advice. I live in Oz on a 457 for 5 years with my family (2009-2015). We left just before our visa expired and intended to permanently leave Australia. After we were struggling to settle in the UK, we applied and received a 189 PR visa, which we will use to permanently move to Oz in the future (we are still in the UK for now). Now, up to this point I believe it is fairly clear that we are no longer tax residents of Australia. However, I may have an opportunity to work overseas in the middle east and if i did so, my wife and children would likely return to Australia and set up home, (essentially a few years before me). I would work in the middle east and they would travel out to see me on School hols. I guess I would get some opportunity to pass through Australia with work (the company has some projects in Oz) but infrequently. I would also have a property still in the UK with a mortgage on it an my middle eastern contract would reference the UK as my home base. What I am wondering is whether I would be deemed an Australian resident for tax purposes ?? Any one able to offer any help ? Thanks

Comparing the FTSE 250 to a period when the world thought China was about to fall over, isn;t proving much. The stock market will rally because of QE stimulus, but this won't do anything to offer confidence in companies to invest in the UK and hence drive jobs. The chancellors move to talk about a tax rate of 15% (by 2020 I think) was a good move, but it will still be a rocky ride. UK Construction contracted in June and this largely excluded the impact of post brexit. Let's hope we avoid recession, but its a real risk....

You must have been living on the moon....!! This is exactly and repeatedly what was warned..... So enjoy the protest vote.....

What's so ironic is the number of people who voted for Brexit and are now panicking over what unfolding.... despite the fact, this is exactly we were all told would happen !! Its going to be a bumpy ride !!

You will get a lot less Dollars for your GBP...!!!

Back in February Boris was supporting staying in the EU and was saying how difficult it would be if we were trying to leave...!! Then, when he works out that rather than falling in line behind Cameron and being side by side with Osborne, he realises his best chance of grabbing the limelight is to lead Team Brexit..!! If he really believed in Brexit, then I could respect that.... but this is all about 'what can I get out of this' and I can;t help feel that if he screws things up for the people of Britain, then what a shame..... Just my view - I respect other will have their own...

We live in an ever globalised world, from trade, investment and just about everything else. Pulling up the draw bridge with a leave vote is not the same as it would have been 41 years ago... I think its in Britain's interests to be part of a major free trade block... I accept not everyone agree's... anyway - soon we will all have to live with the outcome regardless... its just about time up to vote...