The Brand New PIO Parents Visa thread

**vava** · 01-11-2011, 01:52 AM

"Could it be that the mail is affected by the Qantas situation? "

Hi Linday, I`m not sure when the Qantas situation began. I posted the certificates on 12th October. The guy at Royal Mail said that immigration staff had been striking too.
Will take your advice and send the next lot via courier. Am I correct in thinking that if using a courier, is the address different? I could swear I read that somewhere.
We`re cutting it fine now for getting the visa in time for our 7th December trip. Poor daughter is going to be disappointed if I dont get the double luggage allowance on Singapore Airlines! Will save me giving Next and M&S the rest of my hard earned dosh though!!
Cheers! Val x

**charlie5** · 01-11-2011, 02:56 AM

Originally Posted by Linday

I know you can send things by international Signed For now to Australia, but a couple of years ago the Post Office in the UK wouldn't do it. When I asked why they said that the Australian Post was very unreliable and they couldn't guarantee arrival!

Having been here for 6 months I can confirm that the post here is not always the most efficient. We have always sent stuff by courier, a little more expensive, but well worth it I think to avoid the hassle. And it usually arrives within 2-4 days. Could it be that the mail is affected by the Qantas situation?

I thought the UK post service was awful until I moved to Australia. Absolutely shocking - it took one letter 6 weeks to travel 100km.

Charlie

**brummiebabies** · 01-11-2011, 07:11 AM

Originally Posted by vava

"Could it be that the mail is affected by the Qantas situation? "

Hi Linday, I`m not sure when the Qantas situation began. I posted the certificates on 12th October. The guy at Royal Mail said that immigration staff had been striking too.
Will take your advice and send the next lot via courier. Am I correct in thinking that if using a courier, is the address different? I could swear I read that somewhere.
We`re cutting it fine now for getting the visa in time for our 7th December trip. Poor daughter is going to be disappointed if I dont get the double luggage allowance on Singapore Airlines! Will save me giving Next and M&S the rest of my hard earned dosh though!!
Cheers! Val x

Hi Val. If the correspondence details are the same as for lodging the initial visa application then anything by courier goes to The Parent Visa Centre, Wellington Central, 836 Wellington Street, West Perth, WA 6005 Australia whereas its the 'Locked Bag 7' address for mailed post. Here's the link from the Immigration website:

http://www.immi.gov.au/migrants/fami...to-apply.htm#h

We haven't had to submit anything since the actual application but I would assume it would go to the same place. Maybe someone else can confirm this.
Angie

**Linday** · 01-11-2011, 08:57 AM

Originally Posted by brummiebabies

Hi Val. If the correspondence details are the same as for lodging the initial visa application then anything by courier goes to The Parent Visa Centre, Wellington Central, 836 Wellington Street, West Perth, WA 6005 Australia whereas its the 'Locked Bag 7' address for mailed post. Here's the link from the Immigration website:

http://www.immi.gov.au/migrants/fami...to-apply.htm#h

We haven't had to submit anything since the actual application but I would assume it would go to the same place. Maybe someone else can confirm this.
Angie

Yes, this is the address we have always used for documents sent by courier.

**vava** · 01-11-2011, 09:46 AM

Phew! Panic over! Just logged on and email is sitting there saying "police certificates have just arrived". Then another one asking for the 2nd VAC so we are thankfully back on track. Will request the big cheque from ANZ this morning and we`re done!
Thank you all for your support and replies!
regards, Val x

**valandmatt** · 01-11-2011, 01:07 PM

Hi everyone, have been reading recent posts and have to say congratulations to those of you have recently got your visa grant! We still have a way to go yet and the hardest part at the moment is the waiting - I am sooo impatient! I want to get going! Having spent last winter in Oz I am definitely not looking forward to the cold winter months here in the UK. I miss our kids and grandkids so much and this weekend my son was taken very ill with a virus which attacked his heart (he's 34 - no age) and it just brings home to you how far away Oz is, I just wanted to jump on the first flight to see him - it doen't matter how old they are, they're stil your children! Anyway, he's out of the woods, and hopefully recuperating with lots of bed rest.

What I wanted to tell you and ask advice is: my Oh and I have just paid a visit to a financial advisor this morning with regard to pensions etc, he's not 65 yet but its just around the corner and the FA told us about something called QROPS whereby your private pension can be transferred to Oz so that its paid in AUD as opposed to having it paid into a UK bank and then transferred into AUD which of course the amount will fluctuate according to the exchange rate. Has anyone heard of this and if so, have you done it?

My second question is, the FA asked if we had made Wills, we have many moons ago and should probably be updated, but there was doubt if Wills in the UK would be recognized in Oz - does anyone have any information regarding this point, or where we could find out?

I hope I haven't been too long-winded, and anyway would love to hear from anyone whose acknowledgement date is around June 2011 for a chat, we planning on settling near Brisbane. Thanks so much and love the site, its just so informative and encouraging reading all your stories and whereabouts you are in the process. Val x

**liverpoolloo** · 01-11-2011, 02:05 PM

Originally Posted by valandmatt

Hi everyone, have been reading recent posts and have to say congratulations to those of you have recently got your visa grant! We still have a way to go yet and the hardest part at the moment is the waiting - I am sooo impatient! I want to get going! Having spent last winter in Oz I am definitely not looking forward to the cold winter months here in the UK. I miss our kids and grandkids so much and this weekend my son was taken very ill with a virus which attacked his heart (he's 34 - no age) and it just brings home to you how far away Oz is, I just wanted to jump on the first flight to see him - it doen't matter how old they are, they're stil your children! Anyway, he's out of the woods, and hopefully recuperating with lots of bed rest.

What I wanted to tell you and ask advice is: my Oh and I have just paid a visit to a financial advisor this morning with regard to pensions etc, he's not 65 yet but its just around the corner and the FA told us about something called QROPS whereby your private pension can be transferred to Oz so that its paid in AUD as opposed to having it paid into a UK bank and then transferred into AUD which of course the amount will fluctuate according to the exchange rate. Has anyone heard of this and if so, have you done it?

My second question is, the FA asked if we had made Wills, we have many moons ago and should probably be updated, but there was doubt if Wills in the UK would be recognized in Oz - does anyone have any information regarding this point, or where we could find out?

I hope I haven't been too long-winded, and anyway would love to hear from anyone whose acknowledgement date is around June 2011 for a chat, we planning on settling near Brisbane. Thanks so much and love the site, its just so informative and encouraging reading all your stories and whereabouts you are in the process. Val x

Hi, my acknowledgement date was 28th June 2011 i keep an eye on the tracker daily cheering on all those before me getting a CO not only am i really pleased for them but it also means one step closer for me, like you i am so impatient to get going. I am going to Perth as i have a son over there.
I am so glad to hear your son is on the mend what a nightmare for you and i totally agree Australia is so far away when you have a crisis, you can now breath a big sigh of relief. Was your acknowledgement in June also? Be interesting to hear any answers regarding your pension, hope it goes in your favour. Ann

**PhoebeW** · 01-11-2011, 02:54 PM

Originally Posted by vava

Phew! Panic over! Just logged on and email is sitting there saying "police certificates have just arrived". Then another one asking for the 2nd VAC so we are thankfully back on track. Will request the big cheque from ANZ this morning and we`re done!
Thank you all for your support and replies!
regards, Val x

Congratulations

Phoebe

**valandmatt** · 01-11-2011, 04:22 PM

Hi Ann, its lovely to "talk" to someone rather than "cyberspace" wondering if anyone will bother to read your post! As we have been visiting Oz for the last 10 years on holiday to visit our son, we did stop off in Perth en route to Sydney once and thought it was beautiful, we stayed in the city a couple of nights then hired a car and drove down to Margaret which was fabulous, and stayed in Fremantle for another couple of nights.

Our son lives near Cronulla (Sydney) for 10 years and our daughter lives near Brisbane, her family emmigrated nearly 3 years ago and love it. We have 5 grandchildren, so its a "no-brainer" for us to follow them if we want to see them all growing up.

So, what are your plans? Do you have a house to sell and when, is the question. My head says wait until the spring time, my heart says do it now in case there's a hold-up - it would be awful if the visa is granted but the house is not sold! But then if it should sell straight away????....well I expect you've gone through these thoughts - timing is everything isn't it? We have some shipping companies coming to give us quotes over the next few days just to get some idea of costs etc, or whether we will have to take less then we first thought. I know its a bit early on, but I just have to do something! Val

**liverpoolloo** · 01-11-2011, 05:35 PM

Originally Posted by valandmatt

Hi Ann, its lovely to "talk" to someone rather than "cyberspace" wondering if anyone will bother to read your post! As we have been visiting Oz for the last 10 years on holiday to visit our son, we did stop off in Perth en route to Sydney once and thought it was beautiful, we stayed in the city a couple of nights then hired a car and drove down to Margaret which was fabulous, and stayed in Fremantle for another couple of nights.

Our son lives near Cronulla (Sydney) for 10 years and our daughter lives near Brisbane, her family emmigrated nearly 3 years ago and love it. We have 5 grandchildren, so its a "no-brainer" for us to follow them if we want to see them all growing up.

So, what are your plans? Do you have a house to sell and when, is the question. My head says wait until the spring time, my heart says do it now in case there's a hold-up - it would be awful if the visa is granted but the house is not sold! But then if it should sell straight away????....well I expect you've gone through these thoughts - timing is everything isn't it? We have some shipping companies coming to give us quotes over the next few days just to get some idea of costs etc, or whether we will have to take less then we first thought. I know its a bit early on, but I just have to do something! Val

Hello Val, so lovely to hear from you and all your news, I have only been to Perth so can't comment on any other state unfortunately, but i guess hopefully if i can afford it i shall be taking holidays all over Australia to have a gander round.

I have been writing to a lady on here who is also doing this alone have to say it's great to share our worries and experiences as we have no partners to lean on for a bit of support when anything crops up. I find myself waking in the early hours worrying not about the actual move to oz and if i am doing the right thing but if i will cope financially, but i guess theres only one way to find out hey, and if i don't go i just know i shall regret it for the rest of my life. Anyway i have also come to the conclusion that i can't really afford to stay in this country either, i work in aged care which i love but the pay is not very good and to add insult to injury we have been told we are going to lose our enhancements next April which will have a big effect on our wages, and what whith the cost of living, petrol, household bills etc..... i think i stand a better chance in Perth, even if i am poor at least i will have the sunshine.

I am decorating my house at the moment which is a slow process as every room needs doing, just got hall and stairs and kitchen to do now, i shall have it valued and if i get what i hope for i shall have a go at selling but all the houses around my estate at the moment are just not moving so i think i shall end up renting, i would have loved to have bought a property in oz but i guess i shall have to rent, no big deal you just have to do what you have to do.

I have a daughter who is staying here with her hubby, they came to perth and loved it but he has a big family and doesn't want to leave them so it's going to be a big wrench but i just hope they can get out to see me every year. My son got married in Busselton in March, the wedding was outside and i have to say it was just lovely, the weather just makes all the difference doesn't it.

I am bringing my 2 dogs with me as it wasn't an option to leave them here, Australia are insisting animals be vaccinated against the rabies in January 2012 so i have had to have that done which cost a fortune, they had the blood test today so hope that comes back ok. I won't be bringing any large furniture items over with me as my stuff is old and tired now, so will just be bringing quite a few boxes,

I am hoping for a CO around May/ June time if it's still taking roughly 11mths, can't wait for the all systems go, so many mixed emotions with nerves and excitement. Drop a line or PM me anytime, i would love to hear how things are progressing for you.

Ann