Sooty

We spoke to our case officer by Phone/email we arranged to leave for New Zealand on the Monday and return on the Friday once she knew our arrival time in NewZealand she issued our visa. When we re-entered Australia the customs officers took us to one side for a few minutes and then it was all systems go I hope this helps it was a lovely feeling for it to be all sorted. Good luck.

The Mornington Peninsula 1 hour south of Melbourne is lovely, not the Temperatures of Noosa but not the humidity either. But don't let on as it's rather special ?. Lots of lovely winery's & restaurants plus miles of uncrowned beaches, except for the 6 weeks or so over Christmas.

When we brought our car to Melbourne 9 years ago, we had to have owned the car for 1 year. So buying just before leaving won't work, unless the rules have changed. We were very pleased we brought our car over, we had enough things to sort out when first arriving without having to decide on a new car, some models are different. So it was a good move for us. ?

I took my nearly new HP printer 8 years ago they make the same model here but the print cartridges are not compatible.. you might like to check it out HP said sometimes a new code would work, but it would not. A new printer is under $100 so not worth the bother.

We brought bedding with us. It's more expensive here and we wanted to get new when we had our permanent house so we could match it in with the decor. Even when we got our house it took us a while to find the right bedding/Manchester which is what they call it here. Sent from my iPhone using PomsinOz

My GP gives me up to 6 repeats on a prescription. I'm in Victoria. Before I was permanent my prescription costs could be anything from $6 for antibiotics to $58 for migraine tablets, my medical insurance covered anything over $32. Now I'm permanent the costs are less but not much less because I can't claim anything back on insurance now. But there is a yearly cap I think it is $600.

Hi geoffandgill. We shipped my Jeep inside our container and really wish we had shipped my husbands jag as well we came in 2008 PSS helped us and it was very straight forward we sold the jag in the U.K. for £5k and would have got $60k here ?

We packed a lot ourselves but found that the removers had to repackage everything for custom purposes they mark the shipping note with anything that the customs should look at, so it's better to let them do it all. Sent from my iPhone using PomsinOz

Shipping furniture In 2008 we used PSS and they were excellent. We shipped a month before we left and it took about 12 weeks altogether. We shipped my car as well. All worked very well. Most rentals are not furnished but we had holiday accommodation for the first 6 weeks then a pertly furnished house. Good luck everyone I hope the parent visas come good soon. Sent using Poms in Oz mobile app

MEDICAL INSURANCE Beware of the cost of medical insurance, temporary visas are classed as tourist visas for medical insurance. The cost can be as high as $17k per couple per year. Whereas a permanent resident with access to Medicare pays about $6k per couple.

You will have to advise your case officer that you are onshore, and she/he will advise you. We went Monday to Friday as they won't issue a visa on Sunday not sure about Saturday. This was in 2014, I'm so sorry your CPV's are taking so long now.

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We sold up and moved to the Mornington Peninsula Victoria nearly 9 years ago it was very hard leaving 2 sons and my elderly mother and our only granddaughter. But our daughters and husbands were heading here and we felt that it would be a far better life for them. We were right in the last 6 years we have had 6 new grandchildren here and 1 more in the UK. We have never regretted our decision, it is hard being so split but we usually go back each year. We got our CPV 4 years ago and are now citizens. We have a lovely lifestyle so different from what it would have been had we been still in the UK, our little grandchildren keep us very busy.

Hi our CPV visa took 16 months to go through, granted October 2013. We've lived on the Mornington Peninsula for nearly 6 years and never looked back, we miss friends and relatives but not the UK weather or traffic, good luck with your visa, the non contributary visa has now been closed so only the expensive route for parents available now. [quote=juliew1499;1936541758 after some last minute wobbles finally sent off the docs to PVC in Perth. Having great fun watching DHL processing our document parcel. Has now left Heathrow.......From what I can gather it's now a long waiting game. :arghh: Any other parents recently applied? We will be going to Mornington Peninsular so would be good to know of other parents in the area.

Hi genie 1 We were already here in Oz and pre loaded our American Express Card and earned enough Singapore Airlines points for 1 return ticket to the UK which worked very well for us but if you are off shore you might be able to do the same with a credit card, there was no surcharge. I think we had about 28 days to pay. Good luck Sooty

There are lots of display home sites here in Victoria, it depends where you live really but if you can find a display home style you like the prices are pretty good for what you get and very big compared to UK houses you can also customise them. Google Metricon homes or Henley Homes for an idea lots of choice just depends what you want really. We have not gone that route but built a one off to our own design, on our own block a very hard and complicated route not cheaper but we have got exactly what we want. good luck Sooty

Hi Phalarope83 We have been here in Oz for 5 years now and are just at the end of a house build in Mount Martha on the Mornington Peninsular in Victoria, the property market has not done much at all in this time. Citizenship can be applied for after being in Oz for 4 years one of which as a permanent resident. It just means that you will not have to renew your residents return visa every 5 years which means your CPV it is about $150 not a lot I know, but citizenship gives us an Aussie passport ie dual citizenship so even if we leave the country for say 5 years we can always just come back it keeps our options open if you like and makes us completely safe. Saying that we have made friends who came here as $10 poms 40 years ago and they have not bothered with citizenship even though the husband was leaving the country on business and his visa would run out before he returned so it caused him to miss his flight while he sorted it out. So once a citizen you can forget about it. Both of our daughters and husbands have now got citizenship and of course their children born here are automatically citizens they will also be able to get UK passports if they want to do gap years in the UK etc when they grow up, citizenship here is just a few multiple choice questions then a quick service. I will really feel that I belong here then, although we personally would never go back to the UK to live. We return each year to visit family and friends that is the hard part but could not contemplate living there again, if you try to be friendly with neighbours etc I'm sure you will soon make friends. We have found everyone very friendly. We are not sunworshipers but who would want the UK weather at the moment, we now know where the phrase "sunny disposition" comes from we find in general that people are happier here. Good luck. Sooty

xxxxxxx

We applied onshore for an offshore CPV in May 2012 it was granted in October 2013 5 years to the day of our first setting foot in Australia. A very painless experience except the money of course but were glad to be legally here now. Will go for citizenship next year. Good luck everyone. Sooty

Hi Dreamy Fish Although our children are grown up we now have some pre school grandchildren here. We live 20 mins south of Frankston in Mount Martha we've been here 5 years and were really struck with how the children seemed to stay younger for longer than in the UK.. There are so many more opportunities for an outdoor life here the surf club swimming soccer and lots more, the children in our road ride their skate boards down the hill and often 20 or more congregate for the afternoon just to have fun on our hill, they are much politer and more friendly than in the UK and the older teenagers seem to have more respect for their elders, it's a different world, not perfect but better. Keep away from Frankston but the towns south of Frankston are lovely and the beaches to die for, just watched a lovely firework display for Australia Day, the Aussies are really proud of their country which is so refreshing. good luck Diane We are currently in the process of applying to Victoria on a 190. I say we, my husband is the main applicant and myself and our three kiddies are coming along for the most exciting ride ever! I've never been to Australia, we are hoping to visit but circumstances change all the time so I am relying quite a lot on reading posts on this forum to get a feel for things. My parents used to live in Sydney for 6 years so they are really behind us doing this as they think it is a fabulous opportunity and a great place to raise kids. I can't imagine the rest of my life never seeing the other side of the world.... Sooo, we have been looking at the burbs of Melbourne and I am very taken by Frankston South. Having a look at the school websites and they have such positive outlooks, it is just how I imagine it to be. What I was wondering though was what the lifestyle is like genuinely for children. I have three, a son of 8 and two girls who are 3 and 1. Where we are at the moment, a market town in Oxfordshire, we are really happy but my god it is expensive and full of gym yummy mummies motoring about in their petite Range Rovers!!!! People are quite judgmental and there is a lot of comparing of things like salaries, cars, holidays etc etc. I am quite laid back, I like my kids to have freedom and be independent within reason. I have no problem with my son scaling the tree at the bottom of the garden and dropping into the trampoline below, but for other people, it is a big no no. Likewise he is more than capable of walking into school from the school gate and getting himself to class, but again, I am hugely judged by others who absolutely will not leave their child's side and even after they've filed in, will make sure the coat is on the peg by peering through the window! How safe is Victoria for children? It feels like all the time in the news there are abductions here in the UK. Is it a generally safe area, are kids allowed to play and explore? I get the feeling Australia is big on the outdoors and sports. Here people rely massively of electronic ways of keeping their children entertained, gaming stations etc. What is that generally like in Aus? Maybe I am naive but I don't tend to imagine children there plugged into the latest GTO game. And lastly in my rambling post, consumerism, here the children must have the latest passing fad. Moshis have just passed by and now it is Match Attax and Skylanders. We don't tend to watch live TV which I am grateful for because of the constant bombardment of childrens ads. Which then piles on the pressure because you don't want your kid pick on because they don't have the latest "must have" item. What is Australia like for children from that point of view? Any responses would be very appreciated! It is going to be hard to get to visit so I am heavily reliant on opinions of others who are living it!! Chrissie x

We did it 3 years ago and have never looked back, we did it for our grown up children but we only have half of them here and now a new Grandson, life is much more relaxed the weather is lovely even down here in Melbourne 25-30 at the moment. Children are allowed to be children with a lovely outdoor life style, things are different and it will take you a while to sort it all out but it is worth it. You will always miss friends and family but they will want to visit so that will help. The Aussies are very friendly and possessions are not so important here. You only have one life get on and do it, but you must give it a fair go of 5 years to really test the water, I cannot understand when people want to go back after only a few weeks, so don't be a ping pong Pom.

Hi Debs Just go for it. We left Wokingham !! 3 years ago and now live on the Mornington Peninsular 1 hour south of Melbourne, best thing we did, we are oldies 60 have two daughters & husbands here and 2 sons & wives in the UK plus 2 granddaughters I also left my 89 year old Mother, it is hard but was the best thing for our daughters and us but not for those that we have left behind and Christmas only brings it home to us, but we would not go back the future here is far better. I think we will always hurt about those we have left behind, luckily we go back once a year but it is a long while for my Mother to wait, I phone alot and we use skype for our granddaughters, but nothing would take us back. You only have one life and you can always go back, but make sure you give it long enough. We have been lucky and made some really good friends, but you will have to work at it. We now have a little grandson here and he had a good future ahead of him. Good luck with your decision. Sooty