Nemesis

George has an excellent reputation, I've known him for many years both as an agent and on a personal level, and wouldn't hesitate to recommend him.

Oh yes, its a long process and a moveable feast! Could be an option for some to consider though.

Just to say that if you can stick it out in Oz until you can access your Super, withdraw the lot and turn it into savings, then move it to the UK before you move back. Doesn't need to be long before you move - mine only got here 2 weeks before I did, but wasn't taxed because it was moved from a Savings account not a Super one. I'd advise proper financial advice - I'm merely retelling what I did

Can I have a drag of what yer smoking?

For many benefits its 2 or even 4 years now. Welfare assistance isn't quite as supportive as in the UK, even if you are really on your uppers. Much greater expectation of family supporting you, and if you have no family there, then the see that as your problem.

MLS= Medicare Levy Surcharge. Marisa mentions this additional tax in her excellent post earlier in the thread. I'm not going to try and explain it myself as like most Aussie medical things, its a complex nightmare

Best way with immigration forms is to read the question and just answer what they ask for. So if it asks for "history of employment for which you are claiming points" then you write only that. If it asks for "employment history for the last 10 years" then thats what they want.

Doesn't make any difference, as long as you can show you're either married, or de facto partners, thats what matters.

Unless things have changed in recent years, and @PaulHand could advise on that, then the older child is still a dependent of your partner, in which case I think he would be required to have a medical etc anyway, even with shared custody.

I've seen several people reporting getting passport and documents back within 3 weeks. Much faster than it used to be. I think they generally use express post or courier services.

I guess its just not something many people outside of the relevant units would know about - and most of the weeding once done 15-20 years ago now as the records were all going onto PNC, even pre-dating DBS checking, as the police did all the Access to Children checks in those days as well

Spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in the local pub, where I was made to feel very welcome and fed with roast potatoes, pigs n blankets and tons of mince pies! Its been super-windy, wet, grey, dull but its been my first UK Christmas in 20 years and it just felt right. Soooo much more "right" than nasty hot humid days and steamy thundery downpours. Give me the British version any day!!

I'm aware of "no live trace". However this is a slightly different issue. No saying it definitely applies, but its possible. There are still some very old records on file which should have been "weeded" under Data Protection - the rules would include a caution as described above. They come to light every so often, due to checks like this, and IF they were retained in error and should have been weeded under DP when back record conversion was being done years ago, then they can be put up for deletion now and would be totally deleted from record. Many people who had single offences, of a minor kind, or single cautions, had their records weeded and deleted under this policy. I wouldn't imagine there are many left now, but I certainly wouldn't rule it out. I worked for PNC back in the day and was involved in the back-record-conversion, and weeding/destruction of many thousands of records.

The caution might be still on file as it missed being weeded for some reason. It won't be anything to do with the other things you mention as those details wouldn't be held on the same part f the database as cautions/convictions. When you get the SAR back, if the caution is on there, and you believe this is not correct, contact the Data Protection unit at your local police headquarters. If it has missed being weeded for some reason, then they can put in a request for it to be removed now.

Not in your area maybe, but as with every part of the NHS it varies. Resident in my block of flats needed an ambulance Boxing Day, turned up in minutes, as it seems has been the case for others around here. Family have needed ambulances often this year and live out in rural Wales - sometimes a wait due to the remoteness but they turn up. Braces will be even more XXXy in Australia if you don't have cover than in the UK, btw

Yes, you're covered by your Queensland cover, same as if you are resident in a State where you need to pay for cover, that paid cover is country-wide.

When you say "Residency visas" do you mean temporary residency or permanent residency? Can make a big difference medically!

There's no point in going to a doctor until you need to. And you might well find that by the time you need a doctor, you have your medicare card. If you have to pay because you have to visit a doctor before you have your card, then you pay, get the receipt, and claim it back from Medicare later.

If you don't need a doctor at the moment, don't worry about it. If you need to see a doctor, explain the situation, pay the bill, get the receipt and claim it back later from Medicare. Unless you are lucky enough to get someone who bulk-bills you at point of use, then you'll have to pay and claim the medicare part of it back later anyway.

I did it by train once, should've been 4 changes and 7 hours but the Welsh railways lived up to their reputation and after we crossed the border things fell apart; 3 extra changes and because my assistance booking was only for the advertised changes, I had to beg other passengers to help me over the bridge, up steps etc with luggage. Ended up 11 hours, and more knackered than the coach trip!! Plus then a 35 quid taxi fare from the town out to the farm!!

I regularly go up to see my mum in deepest Wales. Has to be National Express coach and it takes 14 hours. I'd rather do the flight to Oz anytime! At least you can walk around, have a drink and a meal etc!!

Be interesting to see how Australia reacts when the UK scraps the "liquids rule" next year....

Well he said he wasn't going anywhere till I either paid or got off, so I figured paying was better than annoying rather a lot of people who all wanted the bus to move!!

Pay the bill then claim it back from Medicare later (assuming your doctor is covered by Medicare)?

The details of when you need to supply a police check are all here - https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-support/meeting-our-requirements/character/character-requirements-for-australian-citizenship