The Brand New PIO Parents Visa thread

Happy Christmas all!

 

An exhausting few weeks for us, with the added pressure of a plummeting sterling. My hopes are for a return to currency sanity in 2010.

 

Well done Les for nudging your way to a CO. Now you have the added fun of shelling out for the second VAC to look forward to. Oh sorry, that sounds a bit unseasonal. :wink:

 

Anyway, signing off now for a few days - enjoy the festivities.

 

Cheers

 

Steve

The pressure is telling as next year will be 2011. :swoon:

Enjoy your Christmas rest. :wubclub:

Steve and Aileen would like to wish everyone on this site A Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year, hopefully for us, and several others, it will be life changing year, after the normal 15 month wait we have our Case Officer, with medicals done, Police Check done, daughter has appointment with Centre Link on 6th Jan, so all is going well towards getting our Visa early in 2011, and then making the big move to Busselton, south of Perth, hopefully in early May as long as we sell house.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL:smile::smile:

It's a Girl:jiggy:

Wanda and Les Avalook are pleased to announce a new addition to our family.

 

After the normal 15 ½ month gestation period we have a new arrival that we have decided to call COody Avalook.

 

COody just popped into our world in what was a painless arrival and I am pleased to say Wanda is doing very well even though we were both becoming restless towards the end.

 

She is a welcome addition to our two sons Willy in Oz and Diddy in the UK.

 

Wanda is surrounded by bottles but we are making sure COody does not touch them.

 

COody Avalook is living up to her name right from their first day.

 

Looks like a few sleepless nights for a while.

 

Must dash as COody is after something else and she seems to want everything ‘now’. :chatterbox:

CONGRATULATIONS :notworthy:

I'm sure COody will settle down soon and the pressure will be off :wink:

Then you can enjoy :cool:

Phoebe

CONGRATULATIONS :notworthy:

 

I'm sure COody will settle down soon and the pressure will be off :wink:

 

Then you can enjoy :cool:

 

Phoebe

Thanks Phoebe, at the moment its Coody Avalook at this, Coody Avalook at that, just no peace, still while she is sleeping the rest of us are off to Midnight Mass. :wubclub:

Merry Christmas to one and all. :yes:

Can anyone recommend a migration agent? I need an established one that wont disappear overnight and has offices both here in OZ and in the UK - Gold Coast and Surrey/London/Sussex would be ideal. It's for my Mum who wants to emigrate here, we have checked all the criteria and she passes on them all but doesn't have the CPV money so it would have to be Subclass 103!!!!

Are there any ways that the visa can be sped up - applying on shore etc.... I have sent an email to the parent visa immi link but had no reply on processing times - anyone know what they are??

Other than a student visa how can my mum come and live here until the 103 gets granted. I was told that it is not possible to get a bridging visa - is that true??

Any help would be greatly appreciated :smile:

Can anyone recommend a migration agent? I need an established one that wont disappear overnight and has offices both here in OZ and in the UK - Gold Coast and Surrey/London/Sussex would be ideal. It's for my Mum who wants to emigrate here, we have checked all the criteria and she passes on them all but doesn't have the CPV money so it would have to be Subclass 103!!!!

 

Are there any ways that the visa can be sped up - applying on shore etc.... I have sent an email to the parent visa immi link but had no reply on processing times - anyone know what they are??

 

Other than a student visa how can my mum come and live here until the 103 gets granted. I was told that it is not possible to get a bridging visa - is that true??

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated :smile:

Hi there and welcome. I will try and answer a couple of your questions and no doubt someone else will have some answers as well.

The 103 visa can take up to 10 yrs and more to be granted as there is such a long waiting list and so few places, so it is not a very attractive prospect waiting all those years! Is there a possibility of her/you affording a CPV 143 or 173, the 173 being a temporary CPV which allows a longer period to save up the final payment for the 143.

We used an agent who went bust, but luckily after he had lodged the application, so no monies were lost. From our own experience and from reading what others say on the forums, if I had to do it again I wouldn't use an agent as its all so easily done on the net! But thats not to say that would be best for you, try Go Matilda - Your Gateway to Australia - Visa, Tax and Financial Planning for Australia, have a look there.

Hopefully someone else will add some more info for you.

All the best

Matt

I would have said GoMatilda too!

Can anyone recommend a migration agent? I need an established one that wont disappear overnight and has offices both here in OZ and in the UK - Gold Coast and Surrey/London/Sussex would be ideal. It's for my Mum who wants to emigrate here, we have checked all the criteria and she passes on them all but doesn't have the CPV money so it would have to be Subclass 103!!!!

 

Are there any ways that the visa can be sped up - applying on shore etc.... I have sent an email to the parent visa immi link but had no reply on processing times - anyone know what they are??

 

Other than a student visa how can my mum come and live here until the 103 gets granted. I was told that it is not possible to get a bridging visa - is that true??

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated :smile:

G'Day

It is possible to make an onshore application but (1) your Mum has to be old enough to qualify for an Aged Parent Visa and (2) the visa that she uses to enter Australia when she makes application – probably a Tourist visa – must not have a "no further stay" restriction in the small print. Also, if she manages to overcome this last hurdle – probably more by luck than judgement – she must not enter Australia "with the intention of applying for a further visa" -- ie, it has to be an idea that occurs to her while there!

Then if she does get the application for an onshore Aged Parents Visa in, she will automatically get a bridging visa until the substantive visa is considered in maybe 15+ years' time. However, you need to check whether she will be eligible for Medicare. And also, bear in mind that if she should eventually be rejected she would have to return to the UK – very traumatic, I would guess, after all that time.

(No one really knows the timescale for non-contributory parents applying now, as criteria can change and pollies can change their minds, but people are now getting the final results now who applied 15–20 years ago! Contributory applicants take about 18–24 months. Have a look at "sandch"'s timeline for the progress on Contributory applications. it's at http://www.gainwave.co.uk)

I would suggest that, before you consult a migration agent, you have a good look through the Parent Migration booklet published by the Dept of Immigration at http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/booklets/1129.pdf. Once you have looked at that and the various forms that have to be submitted, you'll be in a better position to decide whether it's worth paying several thousand dollars for an agent's services, or go the DIY route.

Good luck, Mike

G'Day

 

It is possible to make an onshore application but (1) your Mum has to be old enough to qualify for an Aged Parent Visa and (2) the visa that she uses to enter Australia when she makes application – probably a Tourist visa – must not have a "no further stay" restriction in the small print. Also, if she manages to overcome this last hurdle – probably more by luck than judgement – she must not enter Australia "with the intention of applying for a further visa" -- ie, it has to be an idea that occurs to her while there!

 

Then if she does get the application for an onshore Aged Parents Visa in, she will automatically get a bridging visa until the substantive visa is considered in maybe 15+ years' time. However, you need to check whether she will be eligible for Medicare. And also, bear in mind that if she should eventually be rejected she would have to return to the UK – very traumatic, I would guess, after all that time.

 

(No one really knows the timescale for non-contributory parents applying now, as criteria can change and pollies can change their minds, but people are now getting the final results now who applied 15–20 years ago! Contributory applicants take about 18–24 months. Have a look at "sandch"'s timeline for the progress on Contributory applications. it's at www.gainwave.co.uk)

 

I would suggest that, before you consult a migration agent, you have a good look through the Parent Migration booklet published by the Dept of Immigration at http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/booklets/1129.pdf. Once you have looked at that and the various forms that have to be submitted, you'll be in a better position to decide whether it's worth paying several thousand dollars for an agent's services, or go the DIY route.

 

Good luck, Mike

I'm with Mike on this one regarding the agent.

I didn't have a clue where to start but the forms are very straight forward, We went the DIY route with very little trouble saving ourselves precious money that was needed elsewhere. :swoon:

Good Luck :biggrin:

Phoebe

Can anyone recommend a migration agent? I need an established one that wont disappear overnight and has offices both here in OZ and in the UK - Gold Coast and Surrey/London/Sussex would be ideal. It's for my Mum who wants to emigrate here, we have checked all the criteria and she passes on them all but doesn't have the CPV money so it would have to be Subclass 103!!!!

 

Are there any ways that the visa can be sped up - applying on shore etc.... I have sent an email to the parent visa immi link but had no reply on processing times - anyone know what they are??

 

Other than a student visa how can my mum come and live here until the 103 gets granted. I was told that it is not possible to get a bridging visa - is that true??

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated :smile:

Aged Parent (Residence) Visa (Subclass 804)

As others have said, a bridging visa is only possible if an application is made in Australia for what is called an onshore visa.

Have a look at the subclass 804 Aged Parent visa (which is an onshore visa), and feel able to telephone me or my migration agent colleague Sarah White through our Brisbane office tomorrow (Weds) or on Thursday:

Go Matilda - Your Gateway to Australia - Contact and Feedback

Best regards.

Thanks everyone. My mum is not eligible for the Aged Parent Visa and we don't have the money for the CPV which is why we are trying to see what options we have. Going to read the links and post again soon :biggrin:

The exchange rate is rapidly heading towards a below 1.5 figure, help!!

Matt

The exchange rate is rapidly heading towards a below 1.5 figure, help!!

 

Matt

This is not good at all. One small transaction we did yesterday was at 1.49ish. The pundits speak of a correction but it involves factors (a deflating of the Chinese property bubble for example) which are themselves uncertain. And we do need UK interest rates to start coming back to normality, a move which may not happen until the impact of the VAT rise has been assessed. We have to grin and bear it for now, but it is painful.

Cheers

Steve

Hi everyone,

There you all are - thank goodness for that! The exchange rate is awful but we have our visas peeps just think of Audie and eat bread and jam and live in a caravan

if you have to. Seriously it will get better and a HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!

Hi everyone,

 

There you all are - thank goodness for that! The exchange rate is awful but we have our visas peeps just think of Audie and eat bread and jam and live in a caravan

if you have to. Seriously it will get better and a HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!

I was so happy to find familiar friends forgot to ask the question. How do you get Senior Card and does that give you discount towards medication?

I was so happy to find familiar friends forgot to ask the question. How do you get Senior Card and does that give you discount towards medication?

Depending on which State you settle in, you have to apply, (online, or an application form) to the State Government.

If you Google, Google Australia and then look up Senior Card, it will take you to where you want to be.

We applied for our Seniors Cards (for Queensland) a month ago, using our daughter's address and they have been delivered, ready for when we arrive next month. The ones I applied for have the seniors card one side & the Go Card (for bus travel) on the other. I am not sure if you get discount on medication, I don't think you do. Maybe someone else can answer that?

Try one of these:-

http://www.communityservices.qld.gov.au/seniorscard/

http://www.seniorscard.nsw.gov.au/

http://www.dpcd.vic.gov.au/seniors/seniorscard/

http://www.communities.wa.gov.au/serviceareas/seniorscard/Pages/default.aspx

http://www.sa.gov.au/subject/seniors/Concessions%20and%20finances/Seniors%20Card

http://www.actseniorscard.org.au/

Cheers

Matt

Hi everyone,

 

There you all are - thank goodness for that! The exchange rate is awful but we have our visas peeps just think of Audie and eat bread and jam and live in a caravan

if you have to. Seriously it will get better and a HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!

.................I was feeling quite sad and depressed and your note helped me no end! - yes, please think of me - but I am not down to bread and jam yet! but vegemite yes!

we have not made any decisions

we have two options

1. to appeal to the Migration review board - cost approx $2000, more medicals and doubtless large migration agent or lawyer fees - it will take well over a year and absolutely no guarantee at the end of that period.

2. I can cancel the present application completely. Go to Oz for Easter and the birth oif second grandbebe and stay on a visitor's visa until September (we already have a house sit on the gold coast for three months which is great, on the water) and whilst there check on lawyers and migration agents near Brissie and completely reassess. Cost of this - lawyer or agent fees, another application fee, more medical fees and police records etc. and no guarantee.

After all the legislation has not changed and actually one of my concerns is that we should never have been able to apply and go through all this. The legislation is clear. No disabled people may be granted permanent resident status, and during this process I have met or spoken with many people who have had experience with this situation and a great deal of money, patience and stamina is required. I am getting short of all three.

I am now 69 and have been in the process for over two years. I am very healthy and fit, play a lot of tennis etc. BUT it is all getting me down.

Last week I went to our local retirement home. Catherine is going to work there with the activity director. I have also spoken to the management about the possibility of Catherine living there should I die before the immigration people make up their minds.........(hopefully not, but we have no relatives here, or anywhere else for that matter) and Catherine would be able to live and work there. Not ideal- but the best so far. Heather would make sure that she, Cat, would visit yearly to oz and there are friends.

BUT we want to be in Oz. the cost is a huge factor and reading many posts on the subject, is becoming an even bigger factor.. I wonder if some people are finding it too hard to do. Our ages are a factor and actually I have been very depressed over the holidays and for some strange reason your post dear BandC mentioning me has got me up and moving finally................something I have been trying to do all week so a big THANK YOU!

we are on the site often and are so very happy that so many of you are getting a CO - we are so lucky with ours - she has been so caring........we wish everyone a speedy immigration experience and thank you so much for thinking of us and your thoughts. we will continue to visit the site regularly.

Let us hope that everyone has a happy and prosperous new year

audie and catherine

Hi Audie, great to hear from you again, but not so great to read your post! We really do feel for you, as you do have a greater need than most of us to get to Oz. We can take care of ourselves ok, but quite obviously your daughter Catherine needs long term security which I think is your aim here?

I don't know if in Canada your can do as we can in the UK and approach your local member of parliament for help, even on emigration matters. My wife some years back wrote to our local MP on matters regarding the CPV and we got a reply from the Chief Migration Officer at the UK OZ High Commission, London, enclosed with the MPs reply.

My thoughts would be to keep fighting until all avenues are exhausted, they cannot be completely inhumane!

Good luck & let us know when you are back on the GC , we would love to meet up with you, we can always put another prawn on the barbie and a couple of beers in the chiller.

The exchange rate is worrying us at the moment, but I will be looking for a job as soon we arrive (actually applying now for some), and will have to work for some time yet (at least until I am 102!).

All the best

Matt

I am not sure if you get discount on medication, I don't think you do. Maybe someone else can answer that?

 

Cheers

 

Matt

G'Day

No – I THINK that for medication discounts you need the Commonwealth (ie Federal Govt) Seniors Medical Card, and I THINK you have to wait 2 years for that. I don't know the details – you'd better Google it.

Best, Mike

G'Day

 

No – I THINK that for medication discounts you need the Commonwealth (ie Federal Govt) Seniors Medical Card, and I THINK you have to wait 2 years for that. I don't know the details – you'd better Google it.

 

Best, Mike

As well as 2 years resident you must be of 'pension age'.

Commonwealth Seniors Health Card

or

Commonwealth Seniors Health Card

G'Day

Members may be interested in this discussion in yesterday's Australian:–

Buoyant Aussie dollar bobs on volatile waters | The Australian

Mike

G'Day

 

Members may be interested in this discussion in yesterday's Australian:–

Buoyant Aussie dollar bobs on volatile waters | The Australian

 

Mike

I don't know how I missed that in my copy of "The Tiptree Times" :biglaugh:

Matt

G'Day

 

Members may be interested in this discussion in yesterday's Australian:–

Buoyant Aussie dollar bobs on volatile waters | The Australian

 

Mike

Even though they are talking Aus $ to USA $ if you read their reasons for the current level of exchange one could easily conclude that there is very little to change the £ to Aus $ from around $1.50, give or take 10%.

$1.50 is the rate we now need to base our expectations of life in Oz on, as there seems very little chance of a return to $2 to £, for that matter there also seems very little chance of the UK base rate rising by more than 0.05% through 2011 so we are :Randy-git: which ever option we chose.

P.S. From today you can leave £85,000 per banking group with full UK protection, the only thing you won't protect is the value of the £. :no:

P.P.S. Happy New Year which ever end of the Globe you are. :wubclub:

And Happy New Year from here in Melbourne, where it is already hangover day, ie Jan 1. Yesterday was warmish, 41.1 max with a wind resembling a jet engine exhaust. Fortunately these things never last long and we'll be back to a more civilised 27 today.

Enjoy the celebrations over in the west!

Bets wishes

Steve

And Happy New Year from here in Melbourne, where it is already hangover day, ie Jan 1. Yesterday was warmish, 41.1 max with a wind resembling a jet engine exhaust. Fortunately these things never last long and we'll be back to a more civilised 27 today.

 

Enjoy the celebrations over in the west!

 

Bets wishes

 

Steve

And A Happy New Year to you too, many thanks for all your comments on this site and others. Also thanks for the wonderful Tracker, it has been a real help and encouragment to us. Hope to be in Busselton, south of Perth, WA in early May. Steve and Aileen (framboy)