rammygirl

It does vary a bit by state but this is a useful guide to start you off. 
https://www.canstar.com.au/home-loans/strata-title/

You can go on holiday but any processing of the application will stop. It should resume when you return though. 
It used to say about travel and recommended not leaving between the test and approval as you must be in Australia for these. 
Not sure on the timelines at the moment though. Once you have attended the ceremony you are a citizen and will need an Australian passport to travel. So allow time for that. 

The income would be but I don’t think the remaining pension is.  It isn’t like super you cannot access it and once you draw it the remaining doesn’t have a value as such. I assume you mean a final salary pension. Might be different for SIPP or other types of pension where the remainder is still available to you on demand.

If you need to know then give them a call from the link above. 

1 hour ago, GeoffL said:

FWIW, I already have access to the required 'proof of residence' in the form of a bank account, together with a letter from the main utility accounts holder to say I am part of his household. The sticking point was always that VICRoads require something that I wouldn't have access to: i.e. my actual UK licence as (when I wrote the OP) that would be at DVLA, who won't provide a letter because they now provide that via a one-time share code [and it's not DVLA's fault that VICRoads remain in the dark ages]. Thankfully, I've now managed to renew my licence and so can drive on that while in Aus.

I can see how that might apply in NSW, but not in VIC or the UK. In VIC, your compulsory insurance is included with rego and every insurance policy I've seen says the driver must hold, or be entitled to hold, a valid licence. In any case, I would be entitled to hold a valid licence, and could prove that entitlement. In UK, I could drive for up to a year under Section 88 of the Road Traffic Act (which provides that licence holders can continue to drive while their licence is being renewed). That said, it's moot for me since DVLA actually turned round my application fairly quickly.

Check that third party. Not the same as in UK. REGO covers third party injury to other people and civic property only.  So if you are responsible for an accident and another car is damaged REGO does not cover it. Nor any personal injury to you or your passengers. 

That isn’t quite right. It is only required  for citizenship if you have lived overseas since gaining your PR

. The Australian police check is done for you as part of the process.  After all you already had a police check to get your visa so no need to do another one for that timeframe. 
 

We did not need to do a UK check even though we had spent some time back in the UK on holiday before applying.  Our eldest son did as he went back to UK for over a year after validating before settling in Australia.

The thought also occurred that if you managed to get one and we’re not actually entitled to it you would invalidate any insurance in the case if an accident. 

Many are franchised too so they vary even within the brand. Be aware that the quote will be based on specific perimeters as well as location. A longer driveway, poor access or more floors will all cost more. 

You must have completed the full four years before you apply.  If you try too early the application will not let you proceed.

Some people who came and validated their visa and returned home before moving permanently can count the absence as the one year allowed outside Australia so may be able to apply after three years.

No idea how long is is taking these days. Ours took about 9 months from application to ceremony but that was a few years ago now.

You are not actually citizens until you attend a ceremony, after which you will need an Australian passport to re enter Australia as you no longer have a visa.

We brought an Audi TT over. Yes it can be expensive but you can find garages that specialise in German cars everywhere. We “sold” it to my son a couple of years back and it took a while to find someone in Canberra who understood the whole folding roof thing, we knew exactly what it was (the part) so just rand around till we hit on a guy who “got” it.  Son said it was a backstreet place and was a bit nervous….until he saw the cars in the yard. All expensive Mercs and Audi plus a few Italian performance cars and not old bangers either. Must have been a few million dollars worth.

One thing to remember is DO NOT use the standard unleaded petrol here it is very poor you need at least 95 (standard in UK) and the more expensive oil too. 
 

Our old lady will be sold again soon as not really practical (even as a second car) with a new baby and teenager.  Should still get a good price for her as in great condition and low mileage even at 16 years old.

For insurance you may find issues, we classed ours as a second hobby car (it wasn’t a lie) and insured through Shannon’s at a good rate.

1 hour ago, Blue Manna said:

Are the photos on Australian and British passports the same size now?

When I did mine it was really easy just took a picture on my mobile waist up, they sort the size.  You just upload a digital picture. 

3 hours ago, Marisawright said:

Are you never planning to visit the UK again?  As a British citizen you are required to enter the UK on a British passport.   

There have been a few discussions about this on the forums.  If you arrive on your Australian passport, they can't deny you entry, but you may be delayed.  

Is that a new thing? We entered on our Aus passports as visitors no issues. 

Yes there are one or two advantages. It was much easier for us to get a visa for India last year than our Uk mates who we met there.

It is

On 13/05/2023 at 10:08, InnerVoice said:

Thanks for the clarification. If you don't mind me asking how long did you live in the UK for, and do you think it was a good decision? In hindsight do you think you'd have been better off selling your Australian property, investing the money, and then buying a new home on your return? I assume you were renting while you living in the UK, so your Australian home remained your primary residence throughout?

cheaper than the Australian one and easy to renew online. If you let it lapse too long you can’t just renew it and it is a more expensive and difficult process.

This sounds like the medical you have to do for the visa, is it part of an employer sponsored visa application?  If so you must have it done at a migration panel approved clinic.

And I bet insurance companies do too.  You might find yourself uninsured, which apart from not getting cover is also an offence in the UK.

We have a zoom meeting with our UK adviser soon. I will ask specifically about this, we are not planning to drawdown yet but having decided not to transfer the pension to Oz because of tax and costs I don’t want to be forced to take it out and lose most to tax either!  The pot has grown substantially since we moved here in 2014. 
 

Do we know why there is suddenly a problem with non residents?  My local gov pension doesn’t seem to be an issue.

50 minutes ago, InnerVoice said:

@Philip I also have a UK SIPP in which funds are traded. Coincidentally, the UK company who manages my pension moved their clients over to A J Bell's platform a couple of years ago to save costs, but were unable to move mine across because I'm no longer a UK resident. Before you emigrate I would definitely check with whoever manages your SIPP (A J Bell if you deal with them directly), what will be the situation once you move to Australia.

As previously mentioned, you will not be required to provide any information for your Australian tax return because your SIPP is not yet in drawdown. However, any lump sum or income stream you take from a pension is likely to be taxable and should be declared.

You may wish to familiarize yourself with the 'five year rule'. For the five tax years after the tax year in which they leave the UK, individuals with no relevant UK earnings can pay up to £3,600 gross into a personal pension scheme and receive tax relief. You actually only need to pay in £2,880 in any given tax year and the £720 tax relief is credited to your SIPP automatically. I found it usually took a few weeks. You may also wish to consider whether it's worth transferring your SIPP to an Australian QROPS fund once you reach 55 (professional advice needed).

https://adviser.royallondon.com/technical-central/pensions/contributions-and-tax-relief/contributions-to-registered-schemes-for-overseas-individuals/

Please bear in mind that all of the above is general advice from a well-meaning amateur, and you should get (and be willing to pay for) professional advice before making any significant financial decisions.

Mm. husbands SIPP was moved to AJ Bell by our UK advisor about then. No problem with us being non resident. 

Well we took tax advice and our accountant (dual Uk/Oz) knows about the SIPP.  They do not require any information for either tax return as the SIPP is not in drawdown nor getting any new contributions. 
My local Gov pension, however is in payment and the income is fully taxed in Aus (not in the UK) at my marginal rate.  

They will, however be unable to advise on any UK tax implications. 

I think Alan means that the SIPP isn’t compatible with a non resident. We have a UK SIPP not yet accessed but do not need to declare anything to ATO  regarding any growth. Not all SIPPS allow non resident holders. 
You might consider transferring them to Australia if you are sure you are staying here. There are pros and cons to this and you will need to pay for advice. 

If you have room bring them. Make sure the washer drum is secured. Many kitchens do have a space for a fridge so it may not fit exactly but a second fridge in the garage is always a good thing. Make sure there is NO water in any of them. It takes weeks to ship and the containers can get hot. You will end up with mould.  

15 hours ago, InnerVoice said:

We can grow all sorts but unfortunately a lot of it gets eaten by the local inhabitants. We manage to grow a few papayas and bananas, as they're a fair distance of the ground are are more resilient to being munched. We've become very adept at foraging over the years, and know where stuff is growing in public places - mangoes, coconuts, tamarind, jackfruit etc. My wife is highly adept at scaling various trees, usually by standing on me first to gain a 2 metre advantage!

We forage too but in the Adelaide Hills it is for quince and wild plums!  We also check out the share stalls or boxes at the bottom of people’s drives where they put extra produce for people to take.

recently we have had rhubarb, Jerusalem artichokes, and lots of citrus (our trees are yet to produce any excess,).

12 hours ago, InnerVoice said:

 

I lived on Scotland Island for a year which is in the Northern Beaches, so technically part of Sydney. There were mozzies in the millions, cockroaches, spiders, and bull ants the size of your thumb. People are always worried by the snakes and the spiders, but I can assure you if you've ever sit down on a bull ant you will never ever sit down again without looking first!

Too right! Been bitten/stung here through gloves I am more careful now.

I did have an incident with fire ants in Florida a few years back.  Sitting on a bank admiring the view on a cycle ride.  Yes ants in my shorts.  I have never stripped off in public before but no option to remove the buggers.  Fortunately a lovely lady from a house nearby saw me and husband and realised what had happened.  Ice and painkillers helped me get home on that bike but I was crying with pain.  

Do be aware that asbestos was used here until quite late in the seventies. It can be a very expensive issue if you want to extend or alter a house later.

Trees are lovely to see, not close to house though, gums are notorious for dropping limbs!

Get a proper survey, not a requirement in most states or from lenders but……she may not “be right”

Check the bushfire and flood ratings insurance can be almost impossible for some places

Check the internet connection and mobile signal it can vary……a lot!

13 hours ago, InnerVoice said:

As Toots said, most of the buildings here are done on the cheap and have little to no insulation. That's fine if you live in the warmer regions of Australia as it's easier to keep the property cool during summer, and winter requires minimal heating.

The problem is that if you heavily insulate your home so it's warmer during winter, then in summer it'll turn into a sweatbox. Consider how hot UK houses become during that 3 days of real summer you have each year. You'll be either cranking up the air-con or sitting under a fan in your underwear, which is never a good look. In Cairns we have air-con everywhere - it'd be rude not to - but down south they they tend to have one or two units for the whole property, or none at all. Again, it comes down to cost. Electricity has never been cheap in Australia so most people have a resistance to installing air-con.

If I have one piece of advice then avoid buying one of these uber-cool cube homes with ridiculously high ceilings, that are all the rage. Unless you live in the tropics you'll be heating it for at least 6 months of the year at great expense.

Not exactly true. Good insulation can keep heat out of your home in summer, that and good shading can allow sun in in winter and keep it out in summer. Our sons rental is two storey and upstairs is very hot in summer as the sun simply boils it as pitiful insulation.

English houses have more carpet traditionally and little overhang on roof.  If it gets hot it stays hot, so closing curtains and letting in cool air at night is important. 

11 hours ago, Raplin45 said:

I was having a look at this as also curious, looks like it's a no no if you technically have no valid UK address/use someone else's address as your own incorrectly. Some guidance here - 

Can You Renew Your UK Driving Licence as an Expat?– Keith Michaels Insurance

I guess you don't have to hand the existing one in per se, but to be valid your address and residential status has to be accurate, so if you move away from the UK and convert to a license in your new 'home country', it becomes null and void. That's my interpretation anyway.

Correct. You can, however hire a car in the UK with a foreign licence. Local car hire is usually  cheaper than anything you collect from the airport. Depending where you are one of the e hire companies may be available (where you hire on line and open the car with an app). We hired one for a fraction of the price of anything else we could find a couple of years back.  Lovely new car, no issues at all.