Herbster

Yes, I suspected that - I certainly wouldn't suggest any one arrive here toting All Their Worldlies in the expectation of being welcomed with open arms! Sorry for being so flippant - all these Visa applications are a pretty long-drawn out affair...

I suppose I hoped perhaps there was a "simpler" pathway for retired parents (if they met the stipulations), beyond having a super swag bag of dosh.

Emigrating is a life changer, and once one's over 70, those sorts of changes are going to become less possible, attractive or desirable - it's just the actual reality of one's Mum & Dad being 'on their own' in their dotage suddenly becomes concerning, even worrying... And I guess it's natural to want to share & support...

Thanks for offering thoughts or advice - it could be, that aged/retired parents who have given all due consideration to such a move, would sell-up, make appropriate arrangements, then come over on a visitor's Visa, and apply when here? (Providing the provision hasn't been axed by Government edict?) The Politics of relocating aren't especially in the mix here, as my In-Laws have moved dozens of times throughout their married life, so don't have the traditional network of friends or family & although living in town are actually pretty isolated, although their current location suits them to the degree that they can walk to the Dr's when necessary. However, I'd never dismiss the 'comfort' of knowing what kind of medical support is available as being a deciding factor in such a move, any more than, do they honestly want to blow a wadge of their financial security on what could be another expensive (!!) move... I shall tell them what I have learned & let them decide - it's not like moving to France or Spain, I think there'd be no-going-back... but on the other hand, as they become older, slower, less able with no family or friend network, not being a Spring Chicken myself any longer, these are things that occur to me nowadays...! I'm grateful for any other suggestions, insights - enjoy your day!

We've been PRs in Tas nearly 9-years and my partner's 70-plus year-old parent's are with us on vacation here 'till Feb '17 and loving it. Their only other child is a NZ PR currently applying for citizenship; she's had her interview and would never return to UK (her younger brother is currently going thru' that process here in Aus.)

As the Visas keep changing I am unsure if it feasible or possible for my in-laws to migrate to Australia? They are not rich - nor are we, but we are settled and happy and I could imagine my in-laws enjoying it here too and we are their only close family.

I'm sure there must be members who have gone through this process? I do understand the one visa has a 30-year waiting list - but how would that be any use to them?! What is the current/are the current possibilities - in a nutshell?!! Who can share the lessons? Perhaps there is a way, or is it just a hopeless pipe dream that would cost an arm & a leg: - anyway, if you KNOW could you let us know - Thank you :confused:

Herbster - now in the beautiful NW of Tassie :cool:

Ooh forgot to mention Super, if you were on a temporary visa you can get it back otherwise I'm afraid it's there until you retire.

Oh... OK :confused:So it's not transferable??? But please tell me it's SAFE?

When I stopped working the little Super I'd acquired was quickly eaten up in admin charges, I couldn't believe it! I can imagine people who have invested years (but well, less than say 1/2 their working life) into a Super fund being pretty miffed off if all that ENFORCED SAVING was actually lost because the Super fund still has to manage your investment... I mean, can that be right?? Please tell me, that workers who are forced to save for their dotage will not loose it all, should something happen to stop their contributions - like relocation? I must admit I thought it a scam, as I would have much prefered to have banked it, or put it against the mortgage, rather than have GIVEN it to a Super Fund, never to be seen again... :cry:

I'm not sure if there are state differences but in WA there are no taxes to pay when selling a house (assuming it is your home), although the real estate agent fees are steep compared to the UK - around 3% in Perth plus advertising costs etc.

 

T... One of the things we did (& I'm not sure if it is on there) is stay in Australia after our container was shipped, we had to rent furnished accommodation but I was then able to work which paid for it, had we moved straight back we'd have been in temporary accommodation here but without work.

 

If anything else comes to mind I'll come back and add it.

This is very helpful, thank you - I suddenly had a horrible thought that perhaps as one is selling & not re-buying in Australia that could be considered taxable income & taxed (like a Capital Gain, I s'pose...) Would you say - either 'cos you know or have since learnt, when would be the optimum time (financially) to leave (all things considered -we don't have to worry about kids in school & probably won't be shipping the 'house' back as we did here.)

Another major concern, bit off topic, I suppose (being I'm not so bright these days so have to plan my time well in advance to achieve much ) is trying to tie in the logistics of the dogs - when you've got a house to sell? (See there is a tenuous link!) Being positive it could go within a few months, if presented well & priced attractively, but if our perfect Buyer is not around it could take 2-YEARS to sell. How, besides hiring a clairvoyant do you know when the best time will be for them to get their rabies shots, etc.?? I guess when we get an offer we can't refuse - but is that enough TIME?!! I looked into JetPets a while ago & they seem reliable & am thinking I'd buy their crates ahead of time so pooches were used to them and they are NOT cheap - another hidden cost?

I shall check out your previous thread, Lady Raincorn - and when you returned to the UK, were there lots of obnoxious (Officious Immigration) forms to fill in, or just the usual associated with a move? Course it's always a hassle starting up utility accounts more or less from scratch, I don't know how far their records go back...I suppose I'm wondering if it was easier to move back than the original move out here???

You may be able to tell I'm still vacillating between thinking we have a great mortgage here, we'll never get another like this & the longer we stick with it the more we save off interest so the quicker we build up equity & the more $$ we'll have to buy in UK - as opposed to; we're not getting younger, happier or more content staying here, families getting older & not so good health, etc., - the job situation could get rocky although I s'pose it would be worth considering taking anything should the Proper Job go, until the house was sold & move gets under way... Pondering:- is it better to get the house market ready & move as soon as able, or to hang on in here, (as we've only had mortgage 6-yrs, which doesn't seem like much considering) so we can have a better house deposit???... Just not sure how much more hanging around we can take?!!

How long were you here & how do you feel now? Hope you are well settled - Scotland, is of course gorgeous, but quite an extreme for WA, I'd guess? Thanks for the pragmatic advice, it all helps

We know about the $$$ airfares, removalists, pet relocation - but what about the HIDDEN LIABILITIES - TAXES? You sell your home - will there be anything left for you? You pay in to Super? Is any of it yours! I'm sure it's all there on the official sites, but I'd like to hear it from the folks who've been there, done that & survived (or who learnt the hard way) :frown: Just wonder how long you have to work before the move becomes affordable & viable? Thank you :notworthy:

Hi All

 

Just a brief one.

We are heading back to Devon ... and wanted to send over some essential items in 2 large suitcases to arrive near to our return time.

 

Has anyone any ideas on who would be a good to do this for us and possible costs involved.?

 

Many Thanks

Hi there, hope to be back in Devon before too long ourselves - so am beginning to look at logistics; I came across this recommendation from another Member in Mid June '14, & wonder if you have tried these guys? Seems like a good concept for sending stuff back ahead of the Container or for just shipping back a box, bag or luggage... http://www.sevenseasworldwide.com/shipping/excess-baggage ... Perhaps you can post how you go, who you use & results? Good luck

Well thanks for that - I don't know why people get so carried away - who knew sunshine could cause such offense! I'm sure there must be so many members who've been back & forth and have lots of valuable advice to share

Cheers for that Aunt Agatha - I shall investigate Movecube from Sevenseas - should they have them here in Tas AND:cool: if you have kids I can imagine it's quite a different ball game as you wouldn't want to leave behind their special treasures unless it was utterly unavoidable... And I'm glad you have some nice pieces to take back, as leaving that kind of thing behind often turns out to be a big regret Safe travels - are you leaving soon?

Coffee is an interesting one: but could it survive 3-months on a heaving hulk suffering from all extremes of temperatures...? I was nervous sending photos back in the Container or even Snail Mail on account of the temperature extremes so I'm not sure how good the coffee would be by the time it reached UK after that? And I reckon I'd have much better choices in a UK supermarket than my little local Woolies which doesn't even carry a full range of Harris'... Just don't tell me all the stores only stock their OWN brands now?!!

We came very close to losing our home last year to a so-called BUSH FIRE (we probably would have if my OH hadn't fought it) - deliberately started by a friendly, neighborly sort of chap... No prosecution, or probably chance there of, which is what really irks us - you'd just love him (it was a HIM) to come back and repair our kilometer of wrecked fences, (half of it up near-vertical slopes) or see our elderly neighbors who lost decades of hard work, their garden, sheds, 17-acres of native bush, their car, all their windows and even their internal blinds... Sure it wasn't all bad, surviving something like that makes you a deal stronger and it got rid of a lot of rubbish over a rather large area - although sadly not acres of dumped cars, tires & trucks that loiter amid the hills & valleys - kept choppers busy for well over a month and hundreds of fire-fighters in a job, but we are still not completely recovered & it has cost our area a huge amount... & no the Insurance doesn't cover it all. We've finally got a quote on one of the most difficult stretches of fence at $33/meter, we didn't make a claim, but our neighbour only received around $7/meter, even allowing that is 1/2 share, neither of us want to fork out over $1500 for something that wasn't our faults & has cost us so much in so many ways... For the poor folk in Dunalley, and on the Mainland who loose everything - I don't know how they can not be angry at the thoughtless idiots who started those fires, and at a system that has little will or ability to prevent it...

Thank you - and no mention of the rain Much appreciated! Yes, I can see if you have a home to go to taking stuff back is pretty much the same as bringing it out here - you need at least the basics to keep yourself going for those first few months if not years when money is even more unpredictable than at present... But when you don't have firm plans/destination and the cost of keeping aging belongings in storage until we find a house, job, etc., can quickly become prohibitive, it probably would be better to invest that cost in to buying new appliances (ours were good Euro, but not worth returning now) & managing as best we can. I do think it's a valid point for people who may have bought a lot of larger sized Aussie pieces that they may have a problem squeezing them into an average British semi, & certainly taking back tatty junk & clutter is not to be recommended! It's early days yet, we have to put our house in order but it takes me longer to sort things than it used to, so if we want to be home by Christmas '15, I need to start getting organised now! And there are uncertainties, so we feel we need to be ready should we have to jump sooner... All the best with your move 3FatCats - love your robin - you must be feeling quite excited? I was even thinking self-packing this time, as I am SO fussy, & if it's not such a palaver at the other end, I could certainly do a lot myself...

We have very similar in Tas, quite often 4-seasons in one day (although this past summer was LONG & our creek is still NOT running) - but I'm sorry I mentioned the weather, it has been pretty extreme ALL over the globe the past 12-months, but weather is weather there's not much to be done about it - but what I wanted to KNOW from those in the KNOW IS; was there anything they could NOT take back to Blighty; anything they regretted NOT taking back with them (weather excepted!!) and ANYTHING FROM HERE THAT THEY MISS & WISH THEY HAD TAKEN! Plus, any tips on how to prepare the dogs?

One small thing I may be inclined to stock up on would be budget art supplies for the kids as Shiploads & Reject Shop currently have very good selection... And please, don't degenerate this into a ***-for-tat talking shop - PIO used to be above all that... However, if you've never been to Tas and are not in the higher tax brackets, shopping here really is a trick...

PS: StevenLozza - what's central heating?!!!!! Now ENOUGH ABOUT THE WEATHER!!!!!!!!!!!

Moving over here (Tasmania) was quite an ordeal: deciding what to keep, pack & ship, over what to leave, discard or give away - and meeting the Quarantine restrictions was tough with all the deep-cleaning and ensuring no woodworm!! Needless to say there were a few regrets & I don't want to miss out again!

My OH thinks we'll get away with sharing a container, trying to sell as much as poss with the house - we had a 20' from UK 6+ yrs ago, I think it's too early to tell, but what I'd like to know from you who have returned to UK after a few years in Australia, IS whether there is anything you are NOT permitted to ship back, what you wished you HAD shipped back and NOW, what you wouldn't bother bringing (because you can get it cheaper in Tesco or IKEA - which we don't have in Tas!). We have 2 dogs which will be our FIRST PRIORITY, along with personal items like books, music, photos, etc.,... but probably NOT chainsaws, brush cutters & sod busters... :wub:

What say you???:wink:

Hope you have a smooth move & Tas is all you hoped & more -well if it doesn't suit - OZ is a Big Country! If there's anything else you're curious about just holler! All the best:)

We live in a rural/bush area of South Tas in the Derwent Valley, & the first items we purchased for our then 15-yr old Bush Home was a complete set of fly screens & screen doors! My partner came home one warm day around New Year's to find me trying to cook dinner in 34+ degree heat the place swarming with flies - it was honestly like something out of the Amityville Horror... March we had the screens all in & fitted & our home has the typical huge glass slidy windows, one patio slidy door & 2 other doors & I think it came in well under 2-grand... To be fair compared to other places I've lived, UK (North - far SW), Great Lakes area of USA, areas I've stayed in like Scotland, Canada & Spain flying bugs are not a major annoyance as they are there - although this year European wasp populations seem to have exploded - don't know why - & I know a Copperhead resides just outside my bedroom window - so although many suburban homes are not fitted with fly screens, it's probably cos folk don't bother to open their windows & live on re-circulated air! We like fresh air & appreciate wild things have a right to a life too, so to keep them out, & us relatively safe from biting, flying bugs, as well as creeping, deadly snakes investing in flyscreens was well-worth it for us... And I honestly don't understand why they are not common additions, esp for rural homes in England Good Luck & PS: Don't believe the stats that say it never gets hot in Tas, we've had loads of 100F+ days since we've been here...