kevkim
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Hi Blueray, we got all our requests from DIAC via email but via our agent who forwarded them to us. good luck with the process. Kim
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Hi Deejee, I've been living here since September and our situation is slightly different as we both work. However, I find that by shopping around, things are not quite so expensive as we first expected them to be. This includes food as well as medication. I take tablets for microvascular angina every day and took my script to quite a few chemists. I now buy a months supply for $15 despite being quoted up to $30 for exactly the same capsules. I have to see the Dr every 6 months and the out of pocket cost for this is approx $35 a visit under Medicare. that gives me approx 15 minutes with him and is much more relaxed than the appointments I had in UK which were in and out with a full to overflowing surgery. Blood tests and X-rays have been free too. If I can help with any other questions, feel free to ask. Yes, this can be an expensive, lengthy old process but I don't regret a single penny so far. Seeing the grandchildren and our daughter regularly and feeling the sun on my back is priceless! Kim
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Hi Tab, This is a difficult one but here is a brief rundown of some of our costs. We've been here 3 months now so the spending is steadying somewhat. Here goes... Rent for a 2 bed unit next to Lake Macquarie - $351 per week :err: Electric $74 per month Petrol $65 to fill up the car - lasts approx 1 week Weekly shop - around $150 - $200 depending on the week Car insurance $492 per year including breakdown cover Phone and internet bill $80 per month Mobile phone $39 per month on contract Household insurance $40 per month Medical prescriptions $40 per month Gap on doctors visit - $35 per visit No private health insurance as yet. We both have found jobs which pay better than expected but sadly they are only temporary at the moment. If you have anything specific you want to know the cost of, I can try to find out for you. Hope this helps. Kim
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Dear Phoebe, Life throws some dreadful curved balls! Dig deep, best of luck for the test results and remember we are all thinking of you both. Kim and Kevin
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A quick update, 7 weeks in and I've got a job! We've been applying for work from about 2 weeks in. It's a slow and laid back process and it seems to take ages to hear anything after the closing date for applications. But I am delighted to be starting work on Monday. OH is still looking and applying but we are confident he'll get something soon. We had our grandsons for the day yesterday and it was wonderful. They are loving seeing us regularly and my daughter and SIL really enjoy having us around to help out. It is so worth the wait! Our container has arrived in Sydney, exactly 2 months after leaving York. AQIS is looming and then hopefully we should have delivery in 2+ weeks. More on that later. Kim
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Hi, We had something very similar with centrelink which I posted about a few months back. All very frustrating when you have the finishing line in sight! Keep the faith Moira et al - it's worth it! Kim
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Fantastic news Val, many congratulations! Kim
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Welcome Val and Matt. So glad you're here safe and sound. Enjoy! We're babysitting tonight and loving it. So worth the wait!
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Wishing you a safe journey Val and Matt. I have to agree with John and Eirian, it is wonderful to be here. Three weeks down the line and we are still grinning too! Kim
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Hi Gina, we arrived here last week and have already bought a car. To be honest, it was a painless process, My OH aactually found it while ideally browsing Gumtree.com.au in Singapore airport. We sent an emai.l to the seller and bought it within 2 days of landing. It's a Holden Station Wagon, 8 years old and we got it for 7000 dollars. We are ddelighted with it. Don't worry too much about whether to bring a car or not. Cars for sale are parked up all over with for sale signs in them. If you LOVE your car consider bringing it. If not,don't bother with the extra container expense. Loving being the way, any questions, just ask iif we can help, we will. Kim
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A quick update - we've now been here almost one week and what a week it has been! We've done so much in such a short space of time. My mother was here visiting our daughter when we arrived and we have just waved her off to the airport. That has meant we have had to factor in her sightseeing too! Our grandsons have been unwell since before we came and the youngest has bronchiolitis. We've been helping out with the night shifts and coupled with the jet lag, we are not sure if we are on our heads or heels. But isn't that why we all want to be here - to be with the grandchildren come what may?! So far we have signed a 12 month lease on a 2 bed unit in Eleebana overlooking Lake Macquarie and we are fully in there from tonight. We have bought a previously loved red (easy to see in the car park!!!) Holden Commodore station wagon which doubles as a removal truck! We've registered the car, got our NSW driving licenses, registered for Medicare, been to a garage sale, found a great number of deals on Gumtree including a barbecue and temp washing machine and basically found our feet. It is amazing what you can do in under a week. Do some research on cars and rentals in your area before you get here - it means you can hit the ground running as we did. Oh and the iPad with the maps app has made a fantastic SatNav. (I scarily sound as if I know what I am talking about there!!!) Can't stop to chat too long, I'm stalking a fridge on Ebay! BBest wishes all - it is well worth the sleepless nights, sweat and tears - oh and the money too! Kim Can't stayon here chatting
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Fantastic news Angie, really pleased for you. We're currently in London ready to fly on Sunday. It's really happening! Kim x
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We have booked John Mason's too Kim so good to read your positive comment. Angie Top tip Angie, They drink their own weight in tea! We bought a £5 kettle from Tesco and kept out some odd mugs which we dropped off at the charity shop last night. The kettle is going into the case to keep us going when we first arrive as it is very light. The 2 guys we had worked solidly from 7am until 6pm on day 1 and didn't even stop for lunch. They were gone by 3pm on day 2. It was a very close squeak with the container, we couldn't have got even another small chest of drawers in. They packed it expertly! Good luck!
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Fantastic news Val, really pleased for you both. Our container was picked up today, John Mason's did a fantastic job. It's certainly happening for us all now! Have a great birthday and celebrate in style. Kim
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Hi Moira, When my daughter moved house and when we personally changed our address, our agent asked us to fill in form '1022 Notification in Change of Circumstances'. He then forwarded this on our behalf. I think you might have to do the same. Here is the link http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/pdf/1022.pdf Good luck! Kim
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We've little choice with the timeline John and Eirian, Kevin retires from the army in exactly 12 days! To say we've been up against it is an understatement. So it was either book the shippers or start searching for temp accommodation, although we had practically decided we were going to squat here until the visa came through! And now at last it has all come together. I have my last married quarter to scrub clean and then I'm heading for the airport with a big grin on my face! Kim
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Good morning all, Just wanted to share the great news that our visa has been granted this morning, YIPPPEEEEEE!!!! At last the wait is over! Shippers are in on 23rd August and flights booked for 2nd September. Just waiting for the relief to kick in and the tension to disappear. This is not a journey for the half hearted. Good luck everyone, may your cups runneth over soon! Kim and Kevin
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Hi, We live in York and opened a NAB account yesterday/today with absolutely no problems at all. We have the name of the person we need to see when we arrive and call into our local branch. She'll have our cards waiting there for us. Great service so far! :smile: Kim
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Hi Nutmeg, I hope you don't mind me butting in. My daughter paid our AOS on 4th July and we received our 2nd VAC request on 17th July. Most of that time was the delay in CL sending the receipt to DIAC. DIAC contacted them and they still took another week after that. As I've said before, perhaps a bit of smoozing in the CL office might help! Our visa grant is imminent, payment has been made (sent to our agent via Moneycorp 17/7, agent paid by CC Thursday 26/7) and we are awaiting the ping of the email. Fingers etc crossed for news in the next day or 2. Hope this helps. Kim
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Hi Val, Can you call them? Once our daughter got that letter saying that all had been completed etc, we got the 2nd VAC request within days. The letter also stated that they were sending off proof to the visa centre that all was approved. Did the letter your daughter receive say that? Fingers crossed that well hear more this week. Don't step on the cracks in the pavement Val!!!! Kim
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Hi Angie, there seems no consistency with this AOS process. Our daughter got the receipt in her hand from the bank and dashed to the CL office with it at the time the account was set up. CL then took 8+ working days to send DIAC a copy of this proof of the process being completed. Nothing good in this world comes easily apparently. It is going to be so good when we all get to Australia and look back and wonder what all this stress was about! Keep us all posted and good luck. Kim
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As I said Angie, it's a bit of a walk in the dark! Still, it is progress and we take what we can get. So have you had the email from DIAC telling you to get the medicals/checks/AOS? What is the paperwork your son is waiting for? We didn't have anything other than what came with the email. I'm sure your Centrelink experience will go much more smoothly than ours, it'll be plain sailing. Here's hoping! Kim
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Hi Gokichan Good to hear from you. Home for me historically is Newcastle, UK and we are heading by sheer coincidence to Newcastle NSW. Both are great places but one has the distinct advantage of having my beautiful daughter, son-in-law and gorgeous grandsons. Oh, and it is a tad warmer too! The AOS just appeared to be such a drawn out process at the end of a long haul. My daughter called in to the office with every piece of documentation needed, was 'processed' and given a telephone interview date for 2 weeks hence to allow for the info to reach the right desk. The interview date arrived and she was told she needed to go back into the office as the person who she saw originally had not completed the process properly. So 2 weeks + down and no progress. Once the revisit was completed, we were told we'd have a letter within a few days. It transpired, after enquiries, that this should not have been said. They have 28 days to process the AOS and they took their 28 days from the seond visit which I think was unfair. So I suppose the inefficiency was the worst thing coupled with the fact that it takes days to get through by phone for any info. I'm not sure how you can get ahead on this one other than to have the funds ready, your AOS bod primed, and in a place to get the counter cheques etc which are required (or were in our case). I would check if you can front load this or not once you are near to your expected end date. Opening hours of Centrelink clash with normal working hours too - which was an issue in our case. My poor daughter had to do Olympic sprints between CL, her bank and The Commonwealth Bank in a few precious hours grabbed from a cancelled training. Don't underestimate the queues in all 3 places! Hope this helps a little. Kim
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Stay strong Ann. It's enough to drive us all collectively to drink! I'd have your son stationed outside of the CL office - ready to dash through the doors with tax info in hand. If he could then sweet talk them into sending off the info then and there - so much the better. I have seen posts on here where people have literally completed the AOS process within days. I suppose it is very much dependent on the office used and which side of the bed the counter clerk has got out of that morning! Kim
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Moira, From what I can gather, the system has changed somewhat. I am by no means an expert on this but it seems that now, prior to getting a CO an 'admin bod' sends the email stating you need to get medicals etc sorted and will have a CO within 4 months. With this email are attachments with the HAP ID etc. We managed to get an appt (£260 ish each) in Manchester (Bridgewater) within days of getting this email and they could not have been more helpful as I booked the appointments. We saw Dr Smith and he was extremely efficient in uploading our results etc. The police checks were roughly 3 weeks in processing including a bank holiday or two. The worst thing by far was the AOS and this is what I would suggest you get ahead on if you can. Have everything in place for this. Centrelink were not quick with the processing to say the least. My understanding is that once the visa centre has everything on their desk including the receipt from CL, the CO then picks up your file and requests the 2nd VAC. This is what seems to have happened in our case but it has been a bit of a walk in the dark. Hopefully the payment will clear soon and we can fully relax. :SLEEP: Kim