annalong

My husband and I are permanent resident visa holders and we both have Republic of Ireland pensions as we lived there for 14years. I was told that Australia has a reciprical agreement with R.O.I so we applied for Australian pension conssesion cards. We have been turned down which I find infuriating given the fact that it cost us so much for our visas just to come and live here. We only have very modest savings left now less than $8000 and are also renting a house, so don't really have any assets. Could you tell me how much money we are allowed combined, to have coming over from Ireland and the UK as I am very confused. Yours sincerely

Ann.

Thanks for the info everybody. We were told that even though we are both British Citizens and have of course British Passports, because we had been living in the Republic of Ireland for the last 14 years we could not have cards. I don't see what difference it makes where we have been living, we have paid for our visa's and are British. Maybe we should have just got a boat into the country as illegal immigrants, we would probably have got everything for free with no arguement.

It doesn't seem fair to me.:wacko:

. We went with our 173 and were given temporary one year cards which will update later,we have used Medicare successfully on several occasions unfortunatley and not had a problem.

 

Cheers mike.s

Just a note for people who are coming over on a 2yr cpv visa. We have been here for 2 months now and have been told by Centre Link and our CO that unless we have the permanent visa we are not eligable for Medicare or the Senior Card even though we fully intend applying for permanent residency.

When you think of the amount of money the 173 visa costs it seems a bit mean not to let people have Medicare cards especially when we first applied the immi.gov web site stated we would get one. They must have changed the rules somewhere along the line, so be warned. Living the dream anyway and just got a house in Avoca Beach NSW right down the road from our Daughter and family, and a new grandson 4 weeks ago FANTASTIC :-)

Thanks for that info Linday we will def ring that No, and be sure to get the name of the person we speak to.

Ann and Roy.

Hi JohnandErien, We have just moved to Avoca Beach on the 26th June on a 173 Temp CPV, we will be applying for the 143 as soon as poss. We went to Medicare to ask about a Medicare Card and we were told that we couldn't have one until we had our permanent visas. The reason they gave us was that even though we are British Citizens, we have been living in the Republic of Ireland so we didn't qualify. I suppose that means we can't have a Senior Card also, I can't understand this as we were told by our rellie's here that we would be able to get both.

Any suggestions for us please as we are finding it a bit hard to get any information from the authorities here. We are aged 67 and 68 and although in good health it can be a bit worrying to think of what it would cost us if we fell ill in the future without the Medicare Card.

Thanks Ann & Roy.

Only 4 days before our removal men arrive and the house contract still not signed!!! so getting a bit concerned as we are heading off to Sydney on the 24thJune.

Thank you Phyllis for the very encouraging post. My Husband and I are 68 & 67, and we will be arriving in NSW on the 26th June on 173 visas.

Like you we will have to manage to buy somewhere that is within our means, but whatever we end up with we will be happy to be with our family. And we have a new Grandchild to look forward to in August which makes it even more special. Ann.

Hi all got our completion date for the house sale 15th June. Heading for Avoca Beach NSW on 24th June :-)

Can't quite believe it after waiting so long but we have just SOLD OUR HOUSE Flight now booked to Sydney for the 24th of June.

SO EXCITED> :-)

Good luck to you with both Meds and house sale, will be rooting for you.

Ann & Roy.

Hi all, we have our medicals tomorrow and the first two viewings on our house on Saturday..............wish us luck with both!

 

Val x

Congratulations how wonderful I love Freemantle and have been a few times its such a fab place to live.

We have decided to move over for good in July, even if the house isn't sold, we will just rent it out until it does. Got fed up of waiting around for a sale and we want to be there for the birth of our new Grandchild. We have someone coming to view the house this Friday so we are hoping that it will be sold so fingers crossed.

Best wishes to you

Ann and Roy :-)

Ohh well we know we are in the home straight :arghh: Packers are here to put our home into a container. :wacko: On boat 28th April land Freemantle 1st June.

Hi Power91 We had instructions from our CO to send off our passports to the AU Embassy in London to have our 173 visas put in, we got them back withing 10 days.

hi all

just one simple question for CPV

 

when your visa is granted do you need visa label on your passport for CPV 173

or is it all electronic??

Hi Pete and Marg so glad for you that you have sold the house and hope that the dotted line is signed for you in time.

We are still waiting for a buyer for ours, having already dropped the price by 100,000 euros and only had 1 viewing so far this year.

Feeling desperate now as our daughter is expecting our third grandchild in August, we so want to be there then. Got to validate our 173 visas by December this year too, and don't really want the hassle of travelling back to wait for a buyer, never mind the extra expense.

Ann and Roy

Still believing in the dream after 3 long years. :=)

Hi read on here a week or two ago that 173 visa when granted is electronically put on to passports at immigration when entering Aus.

We have had an email from our CO via our Agent that we have to send our passports to the Aus Embassy in London. Is this because we live in Rep of Ireland? or has it changed since a few weeks ago?

Ann and Roy.

Hi Folks

I am still not sure whether it is good news or not but we have just accepted an offer on our house. Severely depressed price but that is the way of the market. Just hope I can get employment at 61 so we can get a loan to make up the difference. After being mortgage free for so long it is a bit frightning but look out Perth we will be landing for good now on 25 april. Just hope it is all we hope for.:wacko:

Well done on the sale of your house so pleased for you. It gives me hope that we can sell ours soon and be booking our flights. Ann x

Hi Ann and Roy, congratulations on getting your Visa, so encouraging for the rest of us! I hope you'll keep us updated from time to time on how you settle down in Oz. Where are going? How soon?

Best of luck

Val x

Thanks Val, we are going to NSW Central Coast , got to sell the house yet, but hoping to be there for July at the latest in time for the birth of our new grandchild in August. Ann x

HI EVERYBODY WE HAVE JUST BEEN GRANTED OUR 173 VISAS. NOTE TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN ALLOCATED A CASE OFFICER AND ARE USING AN AGENT.--Once you have sent off all you checks, give your CO a ring. We sent ours off on the 9th Jan and then sent two emails over the last 3 weeks to our agent for any info and didn't hear a thing from them. Our daughter phoned our CO on Monday and was told that we had been granted our visas on Jan 16th, he was still waiting for the payments that should have been made within 28 days of notification. She explained to him that we had not heard a thing about it, fortunately he was very understanding and gave us another date for payment March 20th.

Finally got an email from the agent apologizing for the mix up this morning, seem that according to her ( THE OFFICE MANAGER) that all the info had been sent to the email address of the girl who was assigned to us, but she was on maternity leave.

You would think that with todays technology it would have been an easy matter to inform our CO of the new girls (OFFICE MANAGER) email address.

Good job our daughter phoned up or goodness knows what would have happened.

Still alls well that ends well, payment was sent off this morning by IFEX and should be there by Monday at the latest.

Keep the dream everybody it can be frustrating at times but worth it in the end.

Ann and Roy :-)

Thought I'd better tell you the site!

It's http://www.chireckles.com/cpv/tracker.phpJ&E

Hi Carol, your daughter will have to be a permanent resident for 2 years before she can sponser you. And you will have to pass the Parent visa application test also. A good way for you to find out more about this is on www.immi.gov.au. Best of luck Ann.

Hi im a newbe, my daughter and her husband have talked about emagrating to oz when she finishes her studies next year, she will be a mental health nurse,

they are 23 and 25, no children. my daughter wants me to go with them, im 53, we have looked at nursing jobs for her and it seems she needs at least 2 years experiance, also i read that i cant go and live in oz until she is a resident, that would be 2 years later, is there anyway i could move with them if they diside to go, thanks carol.

Hi Mike & Sue great news that you have you 143, enjoy the heatwave in Perth.

Regards from Ann and Roy.

Hi Ijwalvin, We applied for a 173CPV offshore and it took 14mths, during which we scrimped and saved to have enough money for our visas which should arrive any day now. The 173 visa is for a temporary stay of 2 years which has to be validated in the first 12 months of recieving it by entering Australia. Once in Australia we will apply for a 143 Permanent Visa before the 173 runs out. The DIAC issue a bridging visa until that is granted.

It is a lot of money to find for the first visa, but its best to have it in case the house isn't sold in time for when its granted, but its does mean that you split the cost of both visas, and it gives you a bit more time to sell you house or save up. Your Parents are still young enough to be able to find work, so that would help with the money angle if they go for the 173 2 year visa, and they may be able to rent out their house back home while they are living in OZ.

It would also give them time to find out if they really want to move.

Hope this helps

Ann :-)

Hi Betty, thanks for the info, we had never heard about house sitting. I will certainly look into it and the other things you mentioned.

Best Wishes.

Ann and Roy.

Hi Ann and Roy

im sorry you havnt been able to sell your home, we were really lucky in selling ours straight away and I know you want to be with your daughter and family, have you thought of house sitting, quite a few people do this, I've also seen quite a few jobs advertised where you do maintenance in exchange for accommodation. They are usually advertised on seek au or gumtree, might be worth a look.

Best Wishes Betty

Hi Bettyboohwoo, Thanks for a brilliant post on here, so glad you are loving living the dream. We are just waiting for our visa having got a CO in Jan and had the meds and police checks done and sent off. We haven't sold our house yet as the property market in Ireland is petty bad at the moment. Our only child (daughter) lives with her husband and 2 girls in Avoca Beach NSW and she is expecting another baby in August :-) we are thrilled of course and really want to be over there ASOP. We have looked at rentals in case we can't get the price we need for our house to enable us to buy, but rentals in Avoca and surounding areas are still pretty expensive. We are the same age as you and your Husband 67 me and 68 Hubby, we have looked at the houses in retirement estates but they do not let you rent which would be ideal for us, and we can't afford to buy them as they are expensive too and you have to pay a yearly fee on top. But we are convinced that it will all work out for us, and seeing your post really gave us a lift, so thanks once again.

Best wishes to you and your family.

Ann and Roy. :-)

Does anyone have information on shipping removal companies in Ireland? Not Pickford as I have not had very good reports about them.

Hi Ariomart I don't think we should bother about our ages Roy and. I are will be 68 & 67 this year when we get over to Australia, and I know a friend of mine who went when she was 70 that was 4 yrs ago. She did voluntry work a couple of hours now and then in Brisbane Aquarium, she met lots of friends and went on lots of trips, and got married this year to an Australian man, so age doesn't count at all :-). Our daughter and family have just come back from a holiday in Melbourne and they said it was a great place. They did a house swap (they are in Avoca Beach) and it was very sucessful, a cheap way to get around the country.

Regards

Ann

Hi Summerdaisy(Frances), the meds turned out fine for both of us. They were done at the Mater private hospital in Dublin and cost 275 euro per person.

Extremely efficient and very friendly people and they send all the results electronically to the DIAC so its also very quick, no messing about with snail mail.

PHOBE- So sorry that you have had such a rough time lately, sometimes it gets you down I know, but keep thinking positively and Roy and I hope this new start to the new year will bring all good things for you all.

Ann and Roy App 173 acc; Oct 2010-CO Dec 2011-Meds & Police Jan 2012. :-)