Freesia
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Everything posted by Freesia
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Have you actually ever visited yet? if not why not come on holiday & see what she thinks - however much I'd read & seen on TV etc I still could not have imagined what it's really like- the space & light is pretty amazing. I've only been in NSW so far & gather the differenr states have very different features , but given that you're time- limited if you did decide to make the move , it has to be worth the trip. At least you'll have had a great holiday together if it still doesn't appeal to her. Some people find change difficult.
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Reflections on migration and becoming a Ping Pong Pom
Freesia replied to Aussie Hopeful's topic in Aussie Chat
Yes I get that about reminiscing & sentimentality - totally agree that we find our stability within ourselves . I've never been one for sentimentality & gave up relying on anyone else for mine a long time ago & am stronger for it. However I only moved to Sydney just over a year ago & already have to make 'that trip' that everyone finds so difficult. And I already find myself knowing that I won't be able to stay with any of my family even in these circumstances ( never did before so why would I now - I'd feel like an interloper - They just think I'm stubborn !) so it's going to be a very strange visit back for my first one. hence mixed feelings about going back at all really; I'm tired of flying so hadn't any intention of returning any time soon, and I know everyone back home lets you go & gets on with their own life . We keep in touch & no doubt at all we'll have some nice times together after the necessaries are done ( can't even bring myself to say the words!) but I know I'm going to be in a hotel room & so it won't feel like a homecoming at all . So I hope I feel like your partner Slean & can't wait to come back - maybe after this I moght decide never again , it's far too emotional! -
I did exactly this & the time they have already waited does count. Yes they have to withdraw the 103 but that's all on the new forms & a very simple procedure. I did not use an agent.
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They do employ AIN's in MH in Sydney & in private hospitals too .
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On a positive note Jodi , I know someone who did almost exactly the same thing as you're proposing & went from strength to strength . PM you.
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I think it's a bit unusual to be asked to get health insurance tbh since there's a Reciprocal Health Agreement with the UK - I wasn't asked to get it but maybe there are particular circumstances here. I think BUPA might be worth a try .
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yes- I contacted them to ask was it absolutely necessary to leave for 3 days ( I had to leave my teenager behind so was concerned to get it right) They were absolutely adamant- & then as I stood up to get off the plane there it was in my inbox - visa granted ! Could have just come straight back - although I'd have missed a great trip! They have no mercy
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Mine took about 4 months from completing Meds & AoS- just a rough guide; at least you can get a move on now, good luck!
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oh sorry misunderstood - we used a Bank Draft I seem to remember
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It's Commbank that take the AoS payment - they have to set up an rntirely new account for it. I had to attend with my daughter - I transferred the funds to her account & they took it from hers , all at the same time.
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That's a long wait yes. Not nice at all. but when I received requests to complete Police Checks / Medicals/ AoS it was for a date 5 months hence, whereas you seem to have provided them straight away and now your Police checks are out of time. Very frustrating, but I wonder if the agent should have suggested you do them a bit later so this problem wouldn't have arisen? and how Centrelink takes so long after the payment's been made for the AoS seems to be a problem; they had mine for months too before I heard it had been cleared to Immigration.
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The application is acknowledged as a valid one quite early in the process. If it were not it would not proceed to Case Officer stage.Once a Case Officer ( or the dept) get in touch with you they notify you of when they want you to proceed with medicals, Aos etc, and as long as these are proved they will will be ready to grant your visa. They have already checked all the other stuff you've sent them by then.The term VAC means Visa Application charge & it is made in two stages; the initial VAC for processing your actual application, and the 2nd VAC , the huge visa cost which is requested after Meds/ AoS are completed.They would not request the 2nd VAC if they were not going to grant the visa.
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Have to say I think that's a pretty reasonable cost to remove threequarters of a family across - administration costs in any country where we want the relevant staff to earn a decent living are bound to be more than rock- bottom prices.
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Well that was a confusing title for your post I think- you asked which family members could be included on a 189 - & then listed all your family members- which seems to indicate you hoped you could get them all on . I can see how that might take people by surprise ! if as you say your parents have their own skill sets & are young enough, they can look at coming independently without the need for the expensive Parent Visa. As could your siblings. Different story for the grandparent but possible further down the line if your parents can sponsor.
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i had an active claim in the UK (it wasn't being paid though & the CSA washed their hands if it & all the back payments as soon as we left- just so you're prepared!) in order to claim Family Assistance there has to be an attempt to enforce the claim from Australia- so I had to sign a Power of Attorney to the Aus CSA & they took on the claim- still waiting to hear anything at all a full year on . I did tell them it was a lost cause . But they said they have ways & means- & will even suspend a passport if necessary to gain compliance. I'm not holding my breath - but I am disappointed that the systems just don't seem to work if the non- compliant father is determined enough.
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Your son will need to have had his PR for a year before you can apply- then add on the 18-24 months (approx) processing time. Once granted, the visa will be valid for 5 years . (You can spend up to a year of the waiting time onshore on a 600 though) Don't know Melbourne at all (too cold for me!) but it looks as though lots of others here do
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457 to Parent Visa (804) to Parent Visa (143)
Freesia replied to Ravenswood's topic in Repealed and Closed Visas
As you're on an 804 in Australia it might make more sense to swap to 864- the waiting time I think is shorter & they will count the time you have already waited. They deal with you as a 'switcher' , & if you email them with all the details from your existing paperwork they will send you instructions on the next move to make, Medicals, AoS etc. -
There has been a recent development in the criteria needed to prove an ongoing & exclusive relationship. If I were you I would speak to wrussell who is the Agent on here with the current knowledge on this. He posted about it last week following a court case which set a new precedent I believe.
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How much did it cost you to migrate to Australia.
Freesia replied to amibovered's topic in Visa Chat
I did that notoriously expensive parent visa route- dread to think of the total cost! But 60k visa plus all the accompanying checks & son's Citizenship costs ... 5 annual flights & stays to get him used to the idea ( & visit his sister ) until the time was right to apply... shipping 4k .etc etc But I always knew I'd be paying my way in so all good -
Rather than get terribly frustrated with it all & wasting valuable time, I think you really should use a registered Migration agent to clarify your situation & hopefully be able to move forward .
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It's a lot longer than 14months - anywhere between 18-24 unfortunately. The time is stretching out as more people have applied. There is a dedicated Parent thread at the top of the forum where you can follow the progress of others waiting.
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You have a lovely positive attitude Petina, and so did I until the later stages when negotiating with them over a few particular issues got a bit frustrating (such as suddenly being expected to leave the country for a set number of days, which turned out to be totally unnecessary in the end as they granted the visa the minute I went through the exit gates at the airport - pretty standard apparently but they obviously weren't about to tell me that - I could have come straight back! The wait after the 2nd VAC was less than 2 weeks (but still that money should be earning interest for us not them), but the AoS was made a full 4 months before grant That's the sort of administrative delay I don't understand. I'm sure you'll get yours soon , well of course you will & the long wait will have been worth it. I don't think many people realise how stressful the wait for Parent Visas is because you hear so little for so long ;
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I sent an email myself recently regarding the lack of an official notification in the post of the grant of a 143- somehow after coughing up 60k it eels a bit slapdash & actually a bit disrespectful to only send an email. do you think they cared? no.... but the worst aspect of the process is the delay of the grant once they've taken the huge 2nd VAC- mine was long enough to annoy me, but I'm pretty stunned that Petina's has been nearly 2 months & still waiting.. that is disgraceful- I wonder why it's happening?
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haha 28 & he feels he has 'no other option'? he can do pretty easily in a few short years what presumably you ( & many others ) have done, & retrain in a skillset that will get him Permanent Residence much more quickly than the stretch he's currently looking at! either that or you're all going to have to be very patient - many people have to jump through hoops over quite a few years waiting for PR even when they're already in the country - the days are long gone since it was easy to move to Australia. so don't take it personally- he's lucky this route is still open at all.
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Stinga - along with many others you've fallen victim to the cliquey nature of PIO.There's a little group who all follow each other to shoot you down because they think they're the visa police ;)The fact is that there are some visas which as you know, you can apply for onshore.And in order to do that , you have to get yourself onshore. With a visit visa .I did it myself. Shoot me down everyone.At no point did I lie either about my intentions, though no doubt you'll all be totally convinced that that's the only way we can do these things.Stinga- imagine how many more people would actively use this forum if they felt welcome. And the same old few die-hards weren't calling them liars at the first opportunity. It's sad eh but they love scaring decent people away.I have some lovely chats with people by PM - it's the safest way to go if you're not comfortable with having your head bitten off on a regular basis.