mattster155

That's promising news as my son isn't even due to start year 10 till January 2015 he's only just turned 14 and I'm really hoping to get him back to the UK by end of March and that's at the very latest. He would have missed 7 months of year 10 work (but that includes Xmas and half terms) but as there is less coursework I'm hoping that it won't be too difficult to catch up, of course I'm going to check with the school he will return to. If he needs extra tuition then we can help with that too. He cannot wait to return to the UK education system so is prepared to work hard.

Unfortunately our family live an hour away from where he would be going to school so sadly that's not an option. He wanted to stay on till year 12 in Oz so would be looking at doing A Levels in the UK then possibly University. Year 10 in the UK would have just started and if we could get him in early on in 2014 I think with some extra tutoring and catching up he'd be ok. I hear they have changed the way GCSE's are sat in the UK with less modules and coursework to one final exam. I think I will touch base with the UK school and get their opinion on it. I do not want to damage his education due to our decisions however I do not want to feel trapped in Australia because of this. If we stayed until he finished year 12 then my daughter would be startling year 9 and I feel for her it wouldn't be ideal to move her back to the UK as she has settled well into the Australian Education System and would find it difficult to adjust.

This is an interesting post for us as we are in a similar position. We are thinking about returning to the UK possibly at the end of the year or the middle of next year. My son is 14 and will be going into year 10 in January in Australia. This is not an ideal time to move him but life doesn't always work out the way you want it to. I'm thinking of emailing the secondary school to ask questions about the best time to return and what they can do. My husband wants to wait until he gets a work bonus which is in April which will help us with the costs of going back. My son would return to the UK tomorrow if he could and do whatever it takes to get himself back into secondary school for his G.C.S.E's. The question I suppose is do we wait until he finishes year 10 in Australia or move him sooner. He is a clever Boy who has excelled in School here although I do feel that the education in Queensland is behind the UK.

Hey guys, I think somebody has already asked for this before but I don't think it was ever answered, but does anybody have a useful checklist of what needs to be done to get yourself to Oz, with timelines, once you have been granted your visa? I know I have tons of stuff to do but I could do with a checklist to make sure I don't miss anything......

Thanks in advance!!

We have a grant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It came through on 31st May (much quicker than we had been expecting) and we have to validate by May 9th. We will be leaving home in February via Thailand for a family holiday and wedding. There is so much to do and I have no idea where to start.

 

EKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK WE HAVE A VISA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Many congratulations perfectmax!!! Best wishes for your new life down under!!!!!!

Guys I never expected it after going away on Holiday but I just got MY VISA! Excited now!!!!!!!!! It's been a roller coaster but am finally there!

Huge congratulations florentinustay!!! Wow they are working at lightning speed now, from application to grant in less than 2 months - that's amazing!

Good luck in your new life down under!

GREAT NEWS EVERYONE - OUR VISA HAS BEEN GRANTED!!!!! :biglaugh:

 

I've been away for a few days so I've not been able to update, but our visa was granted on Monday. My husband and I are so so so so so so happy.

 

We've only just told his parents, but I'm very nervous about telling mine. They know that we are waiting but it has all happened quite fast. I can't say anything at work yet so I'm so grateful I have you guys on PIO.

 

We now need to sort out jobs, rent out the house, and get quotes for moving our stuff. We're hoping to be in Melbourne later on this year, but it just depends on how quickly we can secure jobs.

 

Just like PatrickW, I would like to say a big big thank you to everyone on this thread for the advice and support over the months. You've kept me sane!!

 

Thanks again everyone

 

Jit

Congratulations Jit7!!!! Good luck in your new life down under!!!

Hi all

 

My medicals were all marked as 'met' and 'finalised' on Saturday this past weekend. After doing the 6-8 online checks a day, I decided to give DIAC a gentle prompting, so I phoned the contact centre from home this morning. Not too bad a wait - the phonecall was only 9 minutes in total: just politely asking if there were any outstanding requirements from my side, if I needed to send anything final, how long it might take to get the visa finalised etc.

 

I was told by the operator, after looking up my details, that all was showing as met on their side, and my case looked decision-ready; so he made a note on the file for my case officer that all was in order.

 

When I got in to work, I checked my status routinely (ho hum) expecting nothing major, only to see "APPLICANT APPROVED" for the three of us!

 

We are so thrilled here! I've not stopped grinning like a Cheshire cat since I saw the online status - and the email was just behind, with all of the official documentation. Go Team 4!

 

We're not going to do a LSD visit, we'll just do the move over to Perth in around September-ish this year - depending on the house and car sales.

 

I'd like to express my sincere appreciation to the people who have administered this thread; you've done a great job - and the spreadsheet has been an invaluable resource (on a related note, please turn me PURPLE, baby!), and also to the people who have contributed to the thread; the personal glitches and questions and problems and snags in your own visa applications that you have shared, have asked the questions I've had; and your kind, sensible and supportive answers have provided me with the answers to my own issues.

 

Thanks again to everyone - you're a great crowd of people!

 

Hope to see you down under!

 

Cheers,

 

PatrickW

 

P.S. Can anyone explain the meaning of the following from my 'entitlement details' page: Enter before date: 13/04/2013 (normal, no problem); Must not arrive after: 06/05/2012 - seems a touch impossible to me...

Great news PatrickW and congratulations!!!

 

Omg we've got our visa!!

 

Can't believe it, so happy:laugh:

Congratulations midwife2005!! :jiggy:

Best wishes for your new life down under!!!

Well mates, looks like it's my turn to liven up this thread :wink:

 

I just received my grant.

 

Just wanted to thank you guys for all of your support,and I wish for those of you who are waiting a speedy grant! Also, this board is an amazing source of wealth - thank you so much again!!

 

 

By the way, my medicals were finalised on 28 May, and a day later today, I received my grant. :biggrin::biggrin:

Congrats Sol2Oz!!! Great news, and best of luck for the future!! :wink:

WooHoo! :goofy::laugh::biglaugh:! VISA APPROVED!!!!!!!!!

Please turn me purple Flo and update me as per my timeline signature!!!

Im so pleased that I got sent the link to this thread back in January! What a fantastic support network we have here! All the best to thread members past, present and future!!!! I need to go and celebrate now!!!!!!

Huge congratulations Poeribbo!!! Best of luck for your new life down under!!:ssign19:

Hi Sol2oz

Have you got everything sorted now? As in pcc and meds and any other requests. We've got our medicals tomorrow but the results will be loaded electronically.

 

Hope you get grant soon

Good luck with your medicals. Don't forget to wear your lucky pants!! :laugh:

Thanks Sol2oz! Ours were uploaded electronically on the same day we had the medicals by the doctor (in UK). He said he would collate the evidence and start to upload it that afternoon. They were shown on the online status as 'received' 24 hours later. although i think they seem upload different parts of the medicals as they get the results - the HIV tests werent shown as received until a week later - i just assume thats because the results of the blood test dont come back instantly. I dont know if the doctor actually physically sends the paper forms to sydney? :confused:.

 

They show as 'further medical results finalised' on the front page and different dates below saying ' further medical results received, and 'HIV test results received' on the dates they must have been uploaded by the doctor (?). The kids were finalised first but i guess thats because they were waiting on the results of the HIV test. As soon as that was in they were 'finalised'.

On the "document check list" page everything is still showing as required! lol! so im not paying too much attention to this now as I know they have got everything! I think those are just boxes they tick off when they grant your visa??

So in other words, im not too sure what they do when they are not uploaded, I try not to guess with the DIAC their working practices are a complete mystery to me! lol! At least you know they are in the correct place?! Im sure you will hear something shortly. Hope i didnt waffle on too much there .........................................:laugh:

Hey Poeribbo don't worry about the documents still showing as required. Ours still show as required now even though our visa has been granted lol!!

all our medicals are now finalised!! :em4500:

Great news. We got our grant within 2 days of our medicals being finalised. Good luck!!!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! hopefully we are not too far behind you! All the best! :biglaugh:

Thanks Poeribbo. I'm sure you will be next. Have DIAC got everything they need from you, and you're in the waiting room??

Congratulations, Mattster!

 

Fantastic news! Take the rest of the day off!

Lol if only I could! I gotta go to work (boo!). Still, it's gonna be a great weekend!! Then, after the celebrations, the hard work really begins....

THANK

GOD

IT'S

FRIDAY

Oh, and not forgetting........

TURN ME PURPLE!!!!!!

Woke up to a visa grant email from my CO.

WOOOOOHOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :jiggy::jiggy::jiggy::jiggy:

hi, I got a direct grant this afternoon at 1pm (GMT+0800, 6am London Time). Pls make me purple! Since I am a February applicant, it is much faster that I had expected. It is fantastic! I wish everyone who is in the waiting room will get a quick grant.

 

Name: fatwu

Destination: Sydney, NSW

Date of Visa application: 05/02/2012

Nationality: China

High / Low Risk: HR

Trade / Profession: ICT Professional

Visa Type: 175

Onshore / Offshore: Offshore

Priority Processing Group (Category): Category 4

Date Medicals submitted: 02/05/2012

Date Police check submitted: 03/04/2012

Date CO assigned: 16/05/2012

Date of employment verification (If applicable): None

Date visa granted: 16/05/2012

Congratulations fatwu!!

Woohoo! Medicals now showing as finalised for all four of us. Now officially in the final waiting room......:unsure:

Just checked online and me, my wife's and my daughter's medicals now show as finalised. Only my son's still say "received" which is a bit odd but I'm sure it's just timing as nothing came up on his medical. All documents still show as required even though they were all uploaded at the time of application, so I guess I just have a CO who doesn't update them? So as far as I'm concerned DIAC have everything they need and I'm just waiting, waiting, waiting...... and checking, checking, checking, and checking some more lol...

175 application lodged 18.11.12

Medicals 10.5.12

Visa granted TODAY!!!!!!!! Phew!!

Many congratulations Dreamers!! Wow that was quick - less than six months between application and visa grant!!

Hey SHandGH, if you're doing updates, can you update my dates for PCC and meds - as per timeline below.

Many thanks,

Matt

Whooooooo Hooooooo!!! After 4 years WE HAVE OUR VISA'S!!!!!!!!!!!! Medicals lost on Friday, found and finalized on Saturday and now VISA today!!! Praise God!!

Congratulations Heine77!!! Good luck with your new life!!

At LAST!!!!!!

Woke up this morning to a VISA GRANT!!!! Cannot describe this feeling!!

Am convinced this week will be a momentous one for those still in the waiting room! Now we've to start planning our journey from here.

Couldn't wait to share this awesome news!!

Sincere thanks to everyone for all of your support and wisdom! I hope I can be as helpful to others..... Champagne in the fridge - how am I going to keep it together at work today?!!!

A great start to the week! Good luck to everyone still waiting! xxxx

Many congratulations keepherlit!! Great start to the week!!!

This waiting room malarkey is a right pain... Been checking my online status 5-6 times a day, even at weekends lol. Come on DIAC where is my visa grant?!?!?!