fluxsta

Hi all,

Wondering if anyone could offer their experience of the transit hotels at Singapore airport? i am trying to book it on their website as the rooms are offered on a 6 hourly basis (13 hour layover we have) and it won't let me select the times we need, only an overnight stay? Anyone stayed there in transit or anything you could offer us about how you booked with them as their website doesn't appear to be very functional?

:chatterbox:

Thanks guys!

Unfortunately its a little difficult to book too far in advance when I can't be sure when i will arrive due to house sales being so unpredictable here in the UK.

Where we are staying, (see my post above), they will allow one change to booking for nofee after initial $140 booking fee has been paid. If it needs to be changed AGAIN they will charge $25. At least it gives of peace of mind that you have secured somewhere and will have a roof over your head? We may have to change our booking if the visa doesn't come through in time.....

Cheers siamsusie!!

x

Dear all,

Sorry for the whoop whoop with joy, but WHOOP WHOOP! I am working the fourth night shift in a row and the rot is starting to set in, but I had to share our excitement about knowing that our 457 visa has finally been submitted. Who knows, we may well be on track for the 10th August flights that we have booked!

I have ceased trying to read people's timelines of how long the 457 took to process as every case is different and it takes however long it takes. Mentally it means that we are starting to focus on getting things together. We are not the kind of people to hang around waiting so it at least means that we can start narrowing down stuff for removals and tying up loose ends.

Removals coming on 1st August!!! Feel excited writing this and pleased to have a place to share my happiness........thank you all for your input so far

:chatterbox::biggrin::cute::wink:

awesome, just found this......not in Oz yet but may have them done into baby grows for my little twins!

:biggrin::laugh:

Have found the site very helpful and made some great contacts along the way whom are very helpful and we look forward to meeting them. Like most forums occasional handbag swingers. The internet is a place where anonymity allows people to be more self-righteous and conduct sometimes pointless arguments. I try to stay neutral and not figure that I know best, and if I am sure of something then I say, if not then I will say that I don't know.

True there is a lot of anti-UK sentiment on here, but even though we aren't moved to Oz yet we are under no illusion that the grass is greener, just different and hopefully our experiences will help others.

My little rant of any type of forum is the lazy poster, (me included sometimes) who posts a broad question without first seeing if their answer can be found. e.g. how do I move to oz, help!! ;-)

I do remember however that this whole process of moving to a new land is scary and if you are new to forums then of course you would post without searching.

Don't care for cliques, if i want an answer on here, it comes and also further support and help. look forward to meeting some of you real soon.......

Thank you. As far as I know my employer is lodging the nomination and sponsorship bit of the visa then will give me the nomination application ID number to then lodge the final part. How long did your medical results take?

Hi, we had medicals in Maidenhead and they phoned us in 5 working days with results, gave us tracking number for postage. depending on which state you will be working in it has to go to a specific office. We will be in Queensland so our medicals went to Sydney CBD office. More info on DIAC site. With bridging visa, I don't think this is possible, but I cannot be sure. I am led to believe that bridging visas are only if you are in the country and awaiting a new one to be processed. But I presume that if you were to travel to Oz on a tourist visa, await confirmation of it, leave and go to Fiji or somewhere then the 457 would be activated once you entered OZ. Again, I have no clue, but we thought that if we had the money this sounded like a good idea.

All I know is that we have ticked the boxes, and are sitting and waiting for diac to do their thing. Patience is a great thing. My employer is submitting their bit and we are waiting to hear when to submit our forms. It takes how long it takes........

There may be conflicting info on here, but that is why i consult the DIAC website and hear all about the visa process from the horses mouth.....and no one else. General experiences are very helpful but the overall guiding force for us is if its not on the diac website then I don't believe it, they are the experts.

Can anyone tell me how long the 457 visa takes to be processed at the Perth office?

 

What do the medicals entail?

 

Any other info would be great,

Thank you xx

Search the forums, it takes how long it takes unfortunately. At the mercy of DIAC. Medicals depends on profession etc. E.G. I am a nurse so needed bloods and chest x ray.

if you take the time ot search this forum then you will find a wealth of info.

good luck

Hi! I have just moved to Canberra having been offered a job and sponsorship for the 457 visa. All my documents were sent in nearly 3 weeks ago and the visa still hasnt been processed. I'm a bit anxious about it as I need to start getting paid again soon! Can anyone advise of similar delayed 457 visa experiences?

Thanks

:hug:

Plenty threads on here mate. Just search for '457 processing' or similar and you will find what you are looking ofr

;-)

Depends on visa? We just got Iman, and as DIAC need proof the start date is 1/07/2011 but I e-mailed them and said to amend payment as we won't be in country until August. Problem is that DIAC need proof. Again, we are on 457 so it depends on visa maybe, but they will jsut financially amend the policy i presume. i am awaiting their reply at present

Fantastic news! We are still waiting for employer to do their bit, but hopefully lodge this week. Fingers crossed, removals on 1st August, flight booked for 10th August!!

;-)

anything you want when you get there send by voovit.com , they are quite cheap for air freight. that is our plan anyway, 3 kids and 457 visa! great thread and some sound advice

Hi all,

We would need a place (ideally a furnished house) .

 

.:smile:

we are family of 5 and 'furnished rentals' very few and far between, or fully booked already for august/september was what my research unearthed.

We are booked into Scarborough Holiday Village that came recommended. Cheaper, and we have 3 kids so as long as we have roof over our heads and a base then we will house hunt asap. Looks very nice, and in the location that we wish to look for property.

Look forward to being able to pass our first experiences come August!! i know our reccie in February that i felt that it looked familiar but almost new, and a great feeling that it already felt like 'home'......come on visa!!

;-)

Hi Fluxsta,

 

No answers from me I am afraid lol but maybe drop a PM to Itcouldbeworse (kev) he would guide you correctly I am sure.

 

Good luck

 

Susie x

Thanks Susie,

Already touched base with Kev and he has been very helpful

Cheers

Nigel

Glad it was ok for you. Agree on the age! Wriggling around and all. We had reccie in Feb in Adelaide. 11 month old twins and 4 year old, 3 flights LHR-Singapore-Perth-Adelaide. 4 year old good as gold, twins were....ermmm difficult. We fly August and they are mobile, walking and self willed. My wife has suggested that I sit with 4 year old and she has twins as my stress levels had an effect on the twins! ha ha!! Taking one in car seat and one on lap. This time though, have learnt to do a stop over. LHR-Singapore.....13 hour layover in transit hotel then to Brisbane. Shouldn't be too bad and we try to organise ourselves as you did. We did have incidence of quarantine coming on at Perth in February as the twins had the runs. Other passengers weren't happy then as they couldn't get off plane til we had been seen!!

cheers

Hi forum,

I see that many people discuss places like Maters and other hospitals. Does anyone have any experience of working at Pine Rivers in Brisbane? I have yet to find anyone who has worked there?

Many thanks

Congrats!! Signed my contract back in April, but my hospital wished to re-interview me for some reason. Waiting to hear this week and then 457 can go off once employer gets TRN number. Hope it goes of this week as flights are booked for August!! Congrats on securing job

I have just had an email from the ACRO advising that they received our application on the 06/06 but will only be processing them from today within the processed guidelines ( 10 working days ) I am pulling my hair out as CO has asked for everything to be back by the 27/06 :0) I am praying they will send it in the next few days so that we can get out visa in the next few weeks.

 

Thanks Bowow

 

Don't panic, sounds like all will be well and it will be done. I identify with 'hair pulling out', as we are ready to roll, but still awaiting employer to re-interview me!! Contract is already signed, shipping and flights booked! It transpires that they want to re-interview me. I suppose the first taste of how things are done in Oz. On a positive note, medicals sent today to Sydney.

Police certificate will be fine. they even e-mailed me to let me know it had been posted.

Good luck

roos rentals.

Judi who runs it is friendly, faultless and we had a fantastic time, great property

good luck

Cheers peeps,

What confuses me is how they can go from loads of panel docs to just 1?

Surely this creates a massive backlog and slows the process down?

Unless I'm missing something obvious?

Anyone wishing to clarify the situation?

Cheers,

Steve.

Who knows why? the most improtant thing is surely that they don't diminish staff at any of the processing places in Oz!!? there is no backlog in the UK as it is sent straight to a processing centre in Oz, so the only pain in the backside is how far you have to travel to get to one and if it inconveniences anyone..

Cheers

Exactly where we are at. we are gradually limiting some stuff, but effectively taking everything. Have just e-bayed this big old sideboard we had and one ikea bookcase can go. Months ago my wife and I drew up a list (well, excel spreadsheet, anal I know!) and went on Aussie sites and went through item after item to see exactly what it would of cost us to replace like for like against the cost of 900 cubic feet groupage at around £3500. The result was about $30,000!!! So, hence decision to ship everything. Still looking at all my furntiture with slight contempt though and wondering if it should be slung out?

One issue with flat packing some furniture is that each bit needs to be apcked for shipping anyway and this increases volume. So, have opted for leaving some bits of furniture together and packing out with soft items. Removals are cool with that.

So glad we decided on taking it all as we have 3 kids and don't want the hassle or expense of replacing. Besides, we have only just started paying off our DFS sofa!!

They also stated that their turnaround time is 10 days but they aimed ot get it done in 7 working days and sent to Sydney (where ours are being processed)

There is Maidenhead, so you may have to venture to London. We had ours in Maidenhead last week, 5 of us and it was seamless and very professional. All of us in an out in under 2 hours, and 2 of us had chest x ray as well. Immigration link in case you haven't got it? >

http://www.immi.gov.au/contacts/overseas/u/united-kingdom/panel-doctors.htm