Freesia

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.

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!

Hi guys,

 

I already lodged a non contributory visa application subclass 103 for my parents and application date was in October 2013.

 

However, currently my parents wish to switch to subclass 143 contributory parent visa.

 

My agent advised that I would have to do a fresh new application and waiting time will start from the beginning (2-2.5 years from now if I do a new application now). This means the waiting time since October 2013 till now will not be taken into consideration if we change from 103 to 143 visa

 

However, my friend's father was exactly in same situation and my friend told me his father was in shorter waiting period when switching from 103 to 143 visa application

 

1. Could you please advise if it is possible to switch to subclass 143 (withdraw 103 application) and the waiting time while applying for 103 visa still counts?

 

2. If I decide to switch to 143 visa, do I have to submit personal info/passports/forms all over again or just need to fill in Form 47PA?

 

Thank you and I look forward to your reply

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.

They do employ AIN's in MH in Sydney & in private hospitals too .

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.

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 .

Is there an exact length of time you have to go offshore for in order to get the new visa activated?

 

I have read it's 3 days but does it HAVE to be 3 days? 3 full days? 3 working days?

 

Anyone any experience of going out of Australia for less time than this?

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

Mine took about 4 months from completing Meds & AoS- just a rough guide; at least you can get a move on now, good luck!

oh sorry misunderstood - we used a Bank Draft I seem to remember

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.

On checking dates our application arrived in Perth on 27 August 2013, our form 80 was lodged in Jan 2014 and the 1st part of the VAC $3090 was paid. We were asked for police reports early July 2014 and lodged them in 22 July ((£45 each and 10 processing time by Police). Medicals were requested October 2014 (£300 each plus 3 hour drive each way to Edinburgh). Assurance of Support bond paid $14000 also requested and paid October. Just been speaking to our agent who confirmed that there are a few people in our position and these delays are very unusual. They have emailed our case officer but have received no reply as yet. They are going to send some more emails as our Police checks have now run out these were requested by Perth at that time and Perth have not been able to process within the time limit on the Police checks - not a very satisfactory situation!

 

Bob

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.

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.

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.

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.

Hi all,

We currently have a active CSA claim on-going within the UK. Will this stop when we move to Australia?

 

Cheers MT

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.

Hi first post on PIO, been reading posts in anticipation of our application for Cont Parent Visa. We note the price has gone up a further 5% this year.... They don't make it easy do they ! My OH and I plan to join our only child in Melbourne, who has just received his PR. We aim to retire in Dec 16. From previous threads the time frames for visa approval Is up to 12 months .. How long is the granted visa active? We're optimistic that medicals and background checks will be straightforward. Any other parents out there that can offer advice and tips would be great  on how they coped with the move!! as the thought of this process is daunting. We have already chewed over the various visa options and the only viable one appears to be CPV subclass 143 for our situation. Any affordable suggested areas to retire in Melbourne surrounding areas (up to 1 hour from South Yarra) ?? We're going on a recci later this year to look at areas to consider...good transport links to CBD and strong community for newbies to integrate.

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

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.

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 .

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.

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 ;

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?

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.

Thanks so much Freesia, did you have to provide lots of documents? and were you granted a year?

 

best wishes

maisie

actually can't remember what they asked me for that time sorry Maisiedaisy- but it wouldn't have been much- I just remember uploading a couple of docs - passport again maybe? But I had been in Aus for 3 months when I applied for the 600 so they gave me the remaining 9 months.

I only needed 6 months of that before I got my 143 - & then believe me I wiped all the waiting times & agonising over what might happen to prevent it from my brain- oh the relief that it was all over- I'm sure you'll feel the same !