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My understanding is that you have to leave Australia on your Aus passport if you have one so he would need to get that one. Someone else may be along with better advice. We got our Aus passports within a couple of weeks.

I am so sorry you're going through this. Have you told him how you feel? The way you have said it here clearly shows how much he means to you. Does he know this move is not because you have you stopped loving him but because it's something you need to do for yourself? Whatever the future brings, wishing you peace xx

I think you're right that your counselling session allowed you the space to bring up some stuff you've been holding in. It's positive that you're giving yourself somewhere you can talk about how you feel, and hopefully it will help you find some further clarity. I hope your trip home in July will be what you need. I remember feeling like you, pretty much from the start I knew Oz wasn't for me long term, it can feel so isolating, vent away here if you need too.

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you, I've not been on the site for a few days. We got quotes from King & Wilson, Grace, OSS & Kent. We are still waiting for the quotes from the last two. There is a thread about Grace and how good they are, I am sure they are good, but we were really put off by the guy that came to do the quote. He didn't seem to know what he was talking about, when we asked him questions he didn't have the answers. So not sure we would go with them but then we haven't had all the figures back. Good luck.

It sounds like you have had some good advice already. Just wanted to add my support. So sorry to hear you've been so unhappy. It can be so difficult to love someone but know in your heart that you desire different things. I really hope you both find a way to communicate and some happiness in the future. Thinking of you.

We have just had 4 different companies in to quote. We've had 2 of the quotes back for a full container and one was a little over $6000 so I think a shared container should be less. We are moving back from Melbourne, don't know if it varies from different states.

It has come at last, I admit I had a bit of a wobble about whether we were doing the right thing, but it didn't last long. I think I just panicked because my son was talking about having no friends n the UK. I know he'll be fine, he's a very confident little boy and staying here just because he has friends here is not a reason to stay!! Just getting organised now. Feel a huge sense of relief.

Flights booked, we leave here 5th June, a few days in KL visiting a friend and arrive home on June 8th. Just over 7 weeks, very excited!

Thank you for your kind words Aunt Agatha. I hope you don't have to wait too long xx

We applied for the test on Nov 14th, had the test on Dec 17th and now ceremony is on 10th April. I think it depends where you are as some places have longer to wait. I am in Melbourne. Hope that helps.

Really??!! I had no idea about fast tracked passports, do you just pay a bit extra for them? Do I need to ask for this at the post office? Sorry for all the questions!! I need to work out a plan for work as I work with vulnerable people so a sudden departure can be a bit traumatic, but we have time. I am so much more excited today than I was yesterday!

Thanks Quoll. It has been hard enough witnessing Dad's decline on Skype, so I imagine I will find it quite confronting when I see him. It's early stages but he is easily confused. I want to help care for him but we won't be living with him, I have a young son and we were planning a different area for school, but at least I will be a lot closer.

We finally got the date for the Citizenship ceremony - 10th April! Now we can plan and organise our move back. I am so excited but really scared too. I know we're doing the right thing, especially as in the last couple of weeks I heard that my Dad has now been officially diagnosed with Alzheimer's, I know I need to go back. How long does it take to get Aussie passports? So much to do now!

We did our test in Dec (also in Melbourne), we were advised of the test 2 weeks before we did it. However, we are still waiting for a ceremony. I have called my local council who were able to give me the ceremony dates but said immigration are the one's who inform you when you will have the ceremony. Called immigration and they were unable to tell us when we might have the ceremony, simply saying it can be anywhere from 3-6 months from the test.

(((((Hugs))))) So sorry to hear you are having such a difficult time. I have no words of wisdom but understand where you're coming from. I don't feel like me over here, and although I feel more used to living here it's not where I want to be. I also went through a phase of being at home with a young child while DH was at work and getting adult conversation. It's hard, and I think for me it made me realise that although I was a wife and a mother I needed to reclaim me back too. I realised that as much as I loved my husband I wasn't willing to sacrifice my own emotional wellbeing for his happiness. It's taken some work to come to a compromise but we are going to go back. We are waiting for the citizenship ceremony and then we will go. He still isn't convinced it's the right choice but it's not like he will be totally unhappy in the UK. I had reached a point where I would have ended our relationship, not because I wanted too but because I knew I couldn't live like that anymore. I hope it won't come to that stage for you. Counselling sounds like a good idea, it'll be good for you to have the space to express what you're feeling to someone impartial. Thinking of you and hope things improve xx

Sorry it's taken me so long to reply. Unfortunately I'm not near you, I live in the Western suburbs but happy to meet up half way. Or let me know if you want a night out, there is a group of ex-pat ladies I go out to dinner with occasionally, you'd be more than welcome to join us x

Big hugs to you Alice, so sorry to hear of your loss, terribly shocking when it is so sudden and someone so young. It sounds to me like you have an idea of what is the right thing for you and your family at this time, if that means going home then do what you need to do. You don't need to answer to anyone else, it doesn't matter if other people think you've "given up" too soon. They are not the one's walking in your shoes. If you feel Aus might be the right place but not the right time, then maybe you can come back one day. There is no rule to say that wherever you move to has to be forever. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is trust in ourselves and our feelings because the decisions seem so huge, would it help just to focus on what is most important to you now and where you need/want to be and go from there? I really hope you can find a solution that works for you. Where are you in Melbourne? I am also in Melbourne, so if you need a friendly ear drop me a line.

So sorry to hear you are having such a difficult time at the moment. Sounds like you have some plans in place but it's still hard being far away and feeling helpless. We're all here if you need to vent. Thinking of you x

You will be eligible for Citizenship from Sept this year. We started the process in Nov when we had been here 4 years. Sorry to hear you are tied up because if the immigration rules. Hope you get some positive news soon. Not excited yet, think I will be once I have ceremony date and book my flight! Hopefully time will fly by x

Where will you be heading back too? Really hope it works out for you. Let's hope this is the year for us both xx

3FatCats - Yes, I know 6 months will of course fly by and I need to just accept that it will be here soon enough. I guess I'm just getting impatient and also I have a "big" birthday in May so really wanted to be around my family. I like your bucket list idea, we will definitely do what we can but finances are an issue as we are saving to go home. How long have you been here? When are you planning to go home? Sarahelle - Your post made me LOL!! Yes, it does feel like I am coming to the end of my prison sentence!! Yes, packing is a big part of it, we are already organising and I am selling off some of my son's baby things as I sadly can't have any more kids. I had held on to it all hoping, but now that we're moving home it's getting a bit easier for me to let it all go. How long have you been here? When will you be able to get citizenship?

Thanks for your replies. Lady Rainicorn - I did actually call my local council first and they said they could give me the dates of ceremonies (which they did) but then said I would need to contact immigration about where I was on the list as they only organise the ceremonies but not who will be invited to attend. We did our test back in Dec and got a letter not long after saying that we had been approved. I did have a sob story ready but the guy I spoke to was having none of it and said that I would need to provide written evidence to back up my case if I wanted an earlier ceremony. He said if I needed to go back urgently I would just have to use my UK passport and then pay for a RRV when I got back. Very frustrating! I think detailed plans are a good idea but I have no idea where to start, we didn't think we could get shipping etc sorted until we had a date to leave. Yes, I was aware we would also have to organise passports, really hoping that goes smoothly. Trying to be positive. Very Stormy - I would have gone a long time ago. Getting citizenship was my compromise with DH, I have no desire to come back & he's always known that, but he wants it just in case we have issues with jobs etc in the UK. I have talked to to him about going back by myself if I get the job, and perhaps coming back for a ceremony if need be, it would also give me time to set up over there, but he's not keen on that idea and I don't like the idea of leaving my son here. So looks like I have to wait. Thanks for listening. Can't wait to post that we have a date!

I've done over 4 years here. We've done the citizenship test and waiting for the ceremony. I called Immigration today to get an idea of the time scale as I was really hoping that we would be home by May at the latest. They said it could take anywhere from 3-6 months. I know this will probably sound ridiculous but the thought of still being here until June/July is really depressing me. I've told myself that it will go quickly, it's nearly over etc, but I guess it's that feeling of being in limbo and still not knowing when where my life is going in the next few months. I feel like I can't plan, flights, shipping etc as we don't know when we're going. I've also applied for a job in London that is perfect for me but there is no way they would hold the position open for me for that long. Thanks for letting me rant, any tips on how to get through the next few months would be great.

We had our test and interview on Dec 17th, got the letter to say we have been approved and need to wait for a ceremony. Still haven't heard from them when that will be, hope I don't have to wait until June!

Firstly, I am so sorry for the loss of your twins, I can't imagine how difficult that must have been and then to have your daughter prematurely. It is so good to hear that she is doing well. You have been through so much and I often think that grief has a funny way of putting things in life in perspective. It sounds like you know where you want to be and what would make you happy. It's great that you have talked to your husband about how you feel and that you have a time line in place. I have been here 4 years and knew from very early on that Australia wasn't for me. I have stayed this long because DH wanted to get citizenship, it doesn't mean anything to me. Now we are just waiting for the ceremony and we'll be off. It got easier as time went on, but it was only once we had finally agreed on a time line that things improved for me. I wish you well, and please know that there is always someone here to listen. Feel free to drop me a line anytime x