Nemesis

They've always done it, I have friends who had to do it about ten years back owing to a sudden family death, and I'm in a facebook group where people have done it this year - in their case they didn't realise being citizen meant they should get a passport, similar to the poster above.

I am hoping my experience was unusual, that's the reason I won't name the company, suffice to say it was quite clear us peasants aren't really worth the large companies spending time on us! I'd never give anyone advice on what to do with their own super (or money in general), cos everyone's situation is unique; I can only outline what I did and the fact I managed it without having to pay for help in the end. Suited me, as I had reasons for having to come back on a short timeline, and while in the long run it might well have made more financial sense to stay in Australia longer, mentally, emotionally and even physically I think departing when I did was the best route, and so I had to do the best I could with the money at the time.

It can be done, but it takes time, turning up with British passport, citizenship certificate and plenty of time can achieve it, as the check in staff then check with Aus Immigration as to your status. But it takes up everyone's time and makes you very unpopular not just at check in, but t all transit stops and when coming through Immigration to enter Australia.

The Australian government can't possibly add anything to a British passport chip - that's down to the British government to do, its their property. The Aus government doesn't even need to tell the British government when you become a citizen, its outside their remit. The onus has to be on the new citizen to look up their responsibilities - such as things like enrolling to vote, as well as getting a passport.

I'm confused by that too, why would she have to stay an extra year? She'd get the PR 801 straight away and it they got on with it and applied quick t may well come through by the end of this year. Seems crazy to be trying to do the year on 3 month tourist visas. Trying to leave and re-enter every three months when the rest of the family are Ozzies is almost begging for a refusal as there's a good chance they won't believe she's a genuine tourist.

I moved back last March, the money moved the month before, while I was still working in Oz, renting there etc. Didn't have to do a UK return as I had only been back two weeks, so had no UK income or anything, I was just unemployed. Even though I'm working a bit now I'm still below the tax threshold. I just did the usual ATO return in July, but in my departure date and told them I wouldn't be doing another one - ever! That was a good feeling

I tried to do that, but the respected (??) company I spoke to basically lost all interest when they discovered I had under $500k. So I spent some hours on the internet, talked with an advisor at my UK bank & just withdrew the lot into savings, then transferred it all to a UK bank account as "savings" before I left Australia. I didn't have any property or assets in the UK before I arrived so my tax residency was very clear. I was even still doing my normal job in Oz when the money was moved.

It means what it says, its been received.

Finding an employer for a 482 can take some considerable time and you cannot apply for the 482 until they have sorted out the sponsorship side of it. That can take considerably more than 3 months. And if this is the same person who wants to apply for a Protection Visa, and get working rights on a Bridging Visa to that, then that person seriously needs professional advice from a MARA agent.

No problem, hope your move goes as smoothly as mine did! All mu communication with Chess was by email and I did get the feeling that no question was too stupid! They were always helpful.

I moved from Brisbane to the the UK a year ago and used Chess. They were excellent, no complaints at all. Efficient, polite, good communications, lovely helpful people who came to do the actual packing up. Thoroughly recommend them. They used Britannia in the UK to do the delivery, and they were equally good. I did most pf the actual packing into boxes myself, but they wrapped furniture items for me and everything was fine, all unwrapped this end and no damage to anything. I had shipping nightmares on the way out, so was well prepared for trouble, but I was very pleasantly surprised!

There have been cases (some n here) where Oz/UK dual citizens living in the UK have let their Oz passport expire, and they assume they can travel to Australia by getting a tourist visa. They can't. They need to renew their Oz passport. Canada and the US are the same, and there's a strong chance that the UK will be the same, when they introduce the ETA system over the next year or so,

Actually its 10 years after expiry, handwritten or not. If your UK passport expired 10 years ago, the process is the same as applying for a completely new one.

Have to admit my reasoning is not wholly based on cost, but on the hassle involved getting hold of family birth certs etc to do a whole new application from scratch, if for instance one of the kids decides they'd like to come home and work for a while etc If - though I feel its probably when - the rules change and you need a UK passport to enter if you are a citizen, the renewal fees will have been worth it. Plus the fact processing times will go through the roof!!!

Personally yes, definitely.

Handy to have for the future though. Much easier to keep it current than to have to apply from scratch if she wants to use it in years to come. Plus, even though you can apply in June, she can't get an Aus passport until after the ceremony, and that could be many months away.

definitely a move in the right direction.

In 2021, a friend of mine consulted a very reputable agent about a domestic violence issue. In the home country it was probably the equivalent of a long-spent caution, in the UK it would've been laughed out of court. Friend only wanted a 3 month tourist visa. The agent estimated a fee of a couple of thousand dollars, at least, and potentially a 2 year wait, with very little guarantee of success, followed by an appeal taking 2-3 years, still with no guarantee. And I gather timings are now even longer. Friend went to Thailand instead

Doubt it. Though it might sound harsh, at present all he has is a pregnant girlfriend.

If he is bridging to the 820/801 then he gets full working rights as soon as the bridging visa kicks in. If he bridges to the 835 he gets no working rights. He can apply, but there is no guarantee the rights will be granted. If he wants PR go the Spouse route, NOT the 835.

Not what you'll want to hear, but almost certainly be referred to VACCU, especially as it is related to domestic violence, which is a huge red flag with Oz immigration, whatever the details of the offence. And no, no way of speeding it up, they are desperately slow, and there are reports of people waiting many months or even years.

The car-jacking thing has been getting bigger in SEQ for the last 4-5 years, and becoming increasingly violent. Stealing cars from homes, breaking in to steal keys for cars parked in driveways (remember the British lady fatally stabbed in her home on the Sunshine Coast?), people are often assaulted during car thefts in car parks, though rarely reported as much as the fatal case this week. Police I worked with each day said its a huge issue among teens - both SEQ born & bred, and those who have moved there from elsewhere. Many of my colleagues drove home with car doors firmly locked, an a constant alertness when stopped at lights - and we were based in north Brisbane, not one of the "worst" areas. It goes alongside the other big issues with teenage/young drivers of having access to cars that are too powerful, driving under the influence of drugs/drink, and being egged on by their passengers. By the time I left work last year, it was incredibly rare that we got through the night without seeing firefighters somewhere in the State dispetched to at least one car full of teens wrapped around a powerpole /tree, or rolled off the road, usually with at least one fatality or serious injury. Sadly it got to the point where those jobs became routine and almost ceased to shock. Many youngsters, especially in the more remote areas, learn to drive on properties as soon as they can reach the pedals. A friend of mine used to tell me how they would all pile into an old car and drive it the 5km to the property gate each morning to get the school bus. Leave the car there, pick it up later. He was a tall kid and started driving his siblings when he was 8. They just graduate from this to driving bigger & more powerful vehicles on the road, and often think they are invincible, as "they've been driving all their lives". Big cultural issue really. However, definitely something to be kept in context, like all crime issues.

TBH, thats not going to yield much either. Brisbane rental agent have prospective renters queuing up down the street to take places at present and don't need to put any work into helping them (not that they usually do even under calmer circumstances). They just want people to say that they are interested in a specific property and show they meet the requirements, job done. There will be the odd one out there prepared to put in some effort to help you but they will be very hard to find. The onus is totally on you to manage your search these days, they have an easy life.

Far from an expert, but when I opened my TTR (while in Oz) I instantly withdrew the maximum allowed for the year (to fund my move) and didn't have any requirement to salary sacrifice anything back into it. 2 months later I officially retired and could access the rest of my Super. Had no intention to return to work at the time, but I did do so when my "circumstances changed" a couple of months after that. I was advised its about "intent". As long as you don't intend to return to full-time work at the time you take the money, thats fine

Although you may have to retire from work in order to access your Super, if circumstances change you can always start work again at a later date.