lucylou1

Thanks Nemesis, I have looked at the website already, but trying to wrap my head around the rules and regulations. Seems a bit OTT if we just want to get married and leave again. We don't want to live in the UK

Thanks for your reply Marisa. I'm Australian and he's British with Australia citizenship but we want to get married in the UK. If I stay less than 6 months do I need a visa, can we just go an get married? The website is all over the place and I'm really not sure what I need to do. We just want to go, spend say 3 months there, get married and come back to Australia, almost like a destination wedding We want to get married in the UK and have a blessing back here in OZ, we have more friends and his family in the UK. It's so overwhelming and really taking the excitement away from a happy time.

Hi all, My British partner and I (Australia) are looking to get married in the UK, is there a similar Forum for Australians in the UK or is there a thread I could refer to please? Thanks so much, Lucylou

Still looking.

Hi all, I am in Australia and I am looking for an old Bar Billiards table, which is very different to a billiards table, if anyone has one that they are willing to sell please let me know. Cheers Lucylou :-)

Sorry to bring up an old thread but doe anyone know if you have to sit the test/interview in your local council or can you do it anywhere and further on can you do the citizenship ceremony anywhere or does it have t be in your local council area/shire? Thanks in advance

Just wanted to post for the information of others. We submitted British Passport application with Australia Post - Thursday 10 October and received back today - 23 October. So took 10 working days!! We submitted the application for C1 fully completed with the old/about to expire British passport with two passort photos one signed on the back as per instructions. They didn't want copies of utility bills or birth certificate. Paid the fee and then yesterday 22 october received the old passport back and then the new one today. We were advised the application goes to Wellington in New zealand and the passport would be sent to us from the UK - which is what happend, the delivery today is post makred from the UK. So less than 2 weeks in total.

I can help you out with travel insurance. I am a travel consultant and the travel insurance company I use will insure a non-resident. Send me an email with your travel dates, ages and travel destination and Ill send you back a quote with the policy PDS. My contact details are: aliciac@travelmanagers.com.au or phone 0479 010 150 Warm Regards Alicia Clark - Personal Travel Manager http://my.travelmanager.com.au/AliciaClark Travel Agents License: 2TA5758

For anyone travelling back to the UK in 2014 the Early Bird airfare deals have now been released!! Now is the time to start booking to save $$$ After 23 years of experience as a travel consultant I know the airfares for travel in 2014 WILL NOT get any cheaper than the earlybird deals. http://my.travelmanager.com.au/AliciaClark [TABLE] [TR] [TD]Travel Agents License: 2TA5758 Cheers Alicia Clark aka Lucy Lou[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE]

Hi all, My partners daughter is (fingers crossed) coming over for a holiday in a few months time. She will be travelling with her Dad (my partner) who has permanent residency here in OZ. Question is which visa does she need for a stay of 4 weeks? Can we get her an ETA - she's 7. Thanks guys any advice welcomed

That sounds like a great plan misssmileyselina. Other than Sophia who else do you know that we can invite? Ill send you a pm with my email address and we can try to get this organised. We are off back to the UK for 2 weeks early April, so looking forward to it!!

Hi Helen. Boambee School is also good, its a smaller school. I have alos been recommended William Bayldon, its not in a great location BUT I was told to look for a school with the best teachers and this school was recommended to me by a teacher and not one who worked at the school. Sawtell has a scout group but I dont know how active they are. Ive lived in Sawtell area/Coffs for my whole life and I love it. The whole area is beautiful, lovely beaches and some reasonable shopping and good access to major cities through flights. Let me know if you have any other questions Cheers Lucy

Hi EmsWeb....Ive just seen your post, havent been on here for a while. I assume you've been to visit Coffs by now but Ive lived in and around Coffs Harbour my whole life so if there is anything you want to know let me know. Cheers Lucylou

Black Country Lad and I would love to meet up sometime. I guess you're probably in the area by now. Hope the move went well. Send us a message and hopefully we can arrange a meet-up Cheers Alicia and Karl

My partner and I live in Urunga, although I have lived in Toormina/Sawtell before. The work situation is average...depending on your profession or what type of job your looking for. Have a look at seek.com.au for the jobs. I usually get an email from them daily with between 5-15 jobs a day. Great place to live although not sure about the weather lately.....more rain than anything else. That is a drawback, when it is rainig I dont think there is that mcuh to do, other than going shopping but how often do you want to do that. Housig prices are reasonable, depending on your check-list and requirements. et me know if youve got any questions about the area Cheers Lucylou1

Hi HelenS, My Partner and I live in Urunga just south of Coffs - about 20 minutes. Would love to meet up for a drink when you get down here. Drop me a line. In the meantime let me know if you have any questions etc about the ares of if you need any help with anything Cheers Alicia

Hiya missmileyselina and Sophia, My partner and I live in Urunga, not far from either of you. Im Aussie and he's the Pom. We would definitely like to meet some friends and have a drink if either of you are up for it or maybe we could do a group meeting? Let me know....Cheers Alicia

"Cut out the middleman and book with an airline"....I would be interested to know what you do or did for a job/profession? If we all thought/did this then there wouldnt be many people still employed!!! Cut out the middleman and purchase your groceries directly from the manufacturer or anything for that matter...need a new TV then do girectly to Samsung and "Cut out the middleman"!!!!

Why not use a reputable travel agent?? Why book through faceless companies that don't even have a phone contact?? I know the age old arguments...but travel agents a dearer, well yes, maybe some but not all. Give us a go and you might be pleasantly surprised. I use the example of cutting your own hair...yeah sure you can do it and for some it maybe ok (if you have a number 3 all over) but if you want a professional job then get a professional to do it for you. In the majority of cases the agent will source the cheapest fare for you based on your requirements and come back to you with a few different options. Mich easier and more time efficent than doing it yourself and if your agent knows their stuff they can save you $$$. I am a mobile travel agent who works from home (in OZ) so if you need any help with fights then PM me. I can book flights for any and everyone and it doesnt matter where you're flying to/from. I can book flights from the UK to OZ and back again or v.v.

You wont have a problem leaving the country/flying. When booking your tickets you do not need to specifiy which nationality you are just if you have the right to enter your destination country with/without a visa. Your passport situation can change at anytime prior to flying.

Hi Carol Not sure about the "benefits" of the PMV, although from our experience you can access Medicare, with a yellow medicare card (not the green one that australians get), this will not give the full benefits until you are a permanent resident. Im not sure exactly what the yellow medicare card gives you (my partner has one but hasn't used it yet) but Im sure it will tell you on the medicare site. I would not let the medicare side of things influence your decision to live in oz, as its not that much of an advantage. The big question is the schooling as I have read it can be expensive if you are not entitled to use the public system, but I have not had any experience in this area as my kids are both australian. Although depends if your kids are australian or english or both. The best thing would be to check with the n.s.w department of education, they would be able to clarify for you. You will not be entitled to an nsw drivers licence till you're an australian resident or you have to have been here for an unbroken period of 6 months and then the licence is only valid for 12 months and renewal requires the 6 month requirement. Hope this helps...pls pm if i can help you with anything else

Was a nightmare because of the amount of paperwork and evidence that is required. We applied onshore and the uncertainity of it all was very stressful, the length of time they take to issue it. I was constantly worried what if they don't believe us, what if they dont issue the visa before the medicals and police certificate expire, what if.......omg the what if's kept me awake at night. Collating all the stuff together and what order to present it in, paper clips or staples or none at all, folder or no folder.....it was endless. In the end it all worked out and my stressing and organising was worth it and I now have the love of my life with me and he can stay here. so I am now one very, very happy lady!!!! Here hoping things work out just as well for you both. What school did your partner go to. I grew up in the Boambee area so might know him from school!! How weird would that be.... My partner was born in the Black Country - Dudley, but more recently from mid Wales, which is absolutely gorgeous. Would love to meet you both (unless I already know your partner) at some stage when you get back here. Cheers Lucy

Dont envy you carol123. We have been throught the visa process for my British partner and it's a nightmare. But there is light at the end of the tunnell. Hope to catch-up with you when your back in Oz, we are just down the road a bit from Boambee and know the area really well. Is your partner/hubby from the local area?

My partner (he's British) and I (an Ozzie) live in the Coffs area - about 15 minutes out of town. Would love to meet up sometime. Send me a pm and we will see what we can organise. He'd love to have someone to reminise with.

I wouldn't be too worried...it's been pouring with rain here in OZ for hwat seems like forever. Used to be you could pretty much guarantee that it would be sunny on the weekend, with the odd raining one but now it more like reserved, just assume it will rain and if you get some sun....well bonus!!!