CXW

If you're still looking, Alasya in Brunswick is an old school classic: http://alasya.com.au/cuisine-menu.html

It's the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485). See https://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Stud/Post for details.

I work in Burwood and used to live in Box Hill. Jan-Feb is peak season for rentals in Melbourne as a whole, but competition shouldn't be too fierce in the areas that you're looking at, especially if you can demonstrate that you're solid tenants (and therefore potentially preferable to students). There's good advice in previous replies about getting all your supporting documentation together in advance. I included a cover letter outlining my circumstances, a copy of my visa grant letter and a reference from my previous UK landlord with my applications. No idea if it made a difference, but I got offered all three places that I applied for. If you've got specific queries about Burwood (or Deakin, if that's the uni in question), feel free to PM me.

Many thanks for the responses - that's reassuring.

Thanks. I've already got copies of my full birth certificate via the details you mention, but they are still certified copies, not originals. The issue is whether certified copies are acceptable as documentation for a citizenship application? Common sense would suggest they are, but bureaucracy and common sense are sometimes very uncommon bedfellows, so I'm hoping someone who has applied for citizenship can reassure me or tell me how they dealt with this issue.

I'm eligible to apply for Australian citizenship next week, so am in the process of pulling all the necessary documentation together. I've hit a (hopefully) minor glitch in that I do not have my original birth certificate or deed poll certificate, only certified copies of them. Has anyone had the same/a similar situation and what was the outcome? Thanks, Cai

First off, my sympathies and condolences. This is the sort of situation that I suspect all of us dread, so kudos that you're proactively seeking to explore how to proceed. If you're looking for a compromise from your OH, then you're going to have to make an opening "offer" and let him know what you want and need. Perhaps I'm being overly optimistic, but I'm inclined to interpret shutting down as either not realising that he's not responding in the way that you need, and/or not knowing how to. I know from experience how incredibly frustrating this can be, especially when it feels like you're communicating loud and clear, but unless you take the initiative I don't see how things can move. If I'm thinking about it from your OH's perspective, then I'd be feeling pretty scared and helpless at the moment, which may be another reason for the shutting down. Showing that you want a compromise that involves staying in the relationship (assuming this is the case) may help ease any sense of insecurity and open up a bit of space for discussion (and yes, this is incredibly speculative given I've never met either of you!). Good luck!

http://www.acro.police.uk/police_certificates.aspx

With vansta dark blue cover and two cushions. Firm mattress. Bought 14 months ago, used regularly for 4 months, not used more than once or twice since. One minor mark on cover and one velcro fastening on mattress broken but present. Full details at http://www.ikea.com/au/en/catalog/products/S89874475/#/S79874485 $799 new, looking for $400 ono. Collection only (Box Hill). Will need to be partially dismantled to get downstairs.

Brand new, unworn. Very light but good quality fabric, great for summer. Full description at http://www.marksandspencer.com/active-waistband-cotton-rich-easy-to-iron-tapered-leg-flat-front-chinos/p/p22270016 Ordered from UK for the bargain price of £12.99 each, only problem is they're coming up a fair bit closer fitting than most M&S chinos (probably due to be being flat front). Not worth returning due to postal costs to UK. $15 each or $30 the pair + P&P or collection (Box Hill/Burwood).

Given the cost of a cool one out ($12 for a pint is not uncommon), you may find drinking in more attractive - especially with the range of beers that Purvis' Surrey Hills branch (a 5 min drive from Box Hill) stocks.

Box Hill is 22-34 mins to the CBD via train or car (there's also the 109 tram, but it takes a bit longer) and should be easily within your price range - I currently pay $371/week for a 2-bed townhouse that's a 7 min walk from Box Hill Centro (shops and transport links). I'd expect Surrey Hills or Camberwell to be a bit more expensive, but you're firmly in zone one for the trains, which is a plus if you're going into the CBD but means paying for zones 1 & 2 if you're heading out Ringwood/Lilydale way. I've found Box Hill a very easy place to live with excellent transport links, but I certainly wouldn't want to be any further out, especially if you're looking to socialise regularly as the trek home at the end of the night can feel a bit much. It's also worth noting that there's a fair number of dry suburbs in the east of Melbourne, including Box Hill, so there's no local pubs/bars, although many restaurants do now have liquor licences. Happy to answer any questions about Box Hill or nearby if you have them.

Very happy to have made the move, but at present I'm doubting that I want to stay long term. Work-wise it's been fantastic overall and I've got great opportunities to develop new skills and good prospects for reasonably rapid promotion, which is exactly what I was hoping for. I'm less keen on Australian mainstream culture and politics, and that's what will probably be a driving factor in looking for a move back to Europe (not necessarily the UK) in a few years, although it all depends on what happens in the meantime - after all, European countries aren't free from many of the things that I'm less keen on about Australia. At the end of the day I've had mixed feelings about all the countries I've lived in, but if you told me I had to live in Australia for the rest of my life, I wouldn't be too upset as the downs are no worse than anywhere else and there's hell of a lot to recommend it if you go in with a positive attitude (and find a house with air con and decent heating!).

The Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk), the Independent (http://www.independent.co.uk) and the BBC website from time to time. It's only partly to keep up with specifically UK news, especially as anything important tends to pop up on Facebook pretty quickly. I teach international politics, so need to keep up, but the Australian media is very poor at reporting world news in any depth, so it's a question of reading more widely. I avoid the Daily Mail and the red tops, although if I'm having a pang of nostalgia for the UK they're an excellent antidote!

If you're worried, then it might settle your mind to get your GP to write a letter confirming his case history (date of op and that it's been unproblematic, plus prognosis) and then take it with you. I included this for a long-term medical condition with my application (ENS121), as well as providing a copy to the doctor who did my medical (at Spire in Little Aston) and asking him to specifically note the situation on his report, which he did. I also knew that I wouldn't be eligible for Medicare prescriptions for this condition, and noted that on my application.

Given that it's not a long-term or chronic condition, I highly doubt it. Referrals are generally for cases when there are concerns about how much the visa holder's medical care is likely to cost the state or that could pose a public health risk.

You can apparently get the visitor pack myki at the Skybus terminal at Tullamarine: http://ptv.vic.gov.au/fares-tickets/myki/myki-visitor-pack/ Skybus doesn't take myki, though.

I would have had my partner move out at the same time as me, rather than 7 months later, and I would have gone for the 3-bed house rather than the 2-bed one so that I could have a dedicated work-space at home (didn't know how much I'd work from home rather than on campus). In terms of shipping stuff, I would have shipped slightly less (i.e. been more ruthless throwing stuff out), but in the great scheme of things it would have only reduced the amount by a box or two, so no biggie.

Check out Bingle - I went with them on the recommendation of my partner's cousin (who had made a claim and didn't have any problems) and their quote was almost $200 cheaper than anyone else.

Don't forget Box Hill/Box Hill South - great transport links and prices are reasonable on rentals.

Not sure how it'll fair with a slightly more complicated series of visas, but it might be worth taking a look at the Citizenship Wizard: http://www.citizenship.gov.au/citizenshipwizard/

Any chance of doing a short trip to validate your visas before the end of January? It'd give you a chance to have a look around and would mean that you wouldn't have to start from scratch again later on.

I had a similar experience of groupage taking a lot longer than estimated with one of the big companies that has a pretty positive reputation. When I was getting estimates and quotations, I was explicit that I wanted my stuff to arrive early February at the latest, so worked back to a pick up date of December 9. Great pack up, really smooth. Then didn't hear anything from the company until January 20, informing me that my consignment had been loaded. It was eventually delivered on March 19. On the plus side I knew to expect AQIS charges, so the extra $400 or so wasn't a shock, and my partner's cousin was able to lend me basic household stuff, but was not impressed with the lack of communication.

Good luck! Hope you find somewhere decent. Worst case scenario is that you end up taking somewhere you're not so keen about for a 6-month lease and then get yourselves sorted with something better in the meantime. It's a hassle, but sometimes it's unavoidable and better than being without a roof over your head or paying through the nose for temporary accommodation.

Sometimes it is, but sometimes it's also to make sure information is up to date and current. It's worth asking if a previous edition is OK to use.