lhigman

Ah sorry, we've moved to Peakhurst, a suburb in the south of Sydney We haven't really been out to too many pubs but when we have we've had our little legs with us and haven't ever had anything mentioned to us so I guess it's also fine, that's been during the day though, I'm guessing evening would be a different story! I always thought DF stood for dear fiance...I could be wrong though, darling fiance will do too he he!

Hi Everyone, We've been here in Sydney for going on 3 months and I thought I'd write a little piece about my experience of what life has really been like here. A v quick brief, I'm the pom, my df is the Aussie and our 2 year old son has dual nationality. I arrived on a spouse visa. So for our move here I think we have been more fortunate than most people, my df's family organised a house for us and not only decorated it but also furnished it as well so from the second we touched down we had a place to call home which was just truly amazing. The area we've moved into is very nice and there is a park and a doctors surgery on the same road. Lets get to the nitty gritty, I've found that food is more expensive here but if you plan and become a savvy shopper then it can be reasonable (Aldi is a must but Woolworths own range is fairly reasonable too). Everyone has warned me about how expensive electricity is here, and being a bit of energy freak that I am, I've been turning off everything that we don't use, for example the tv at night, off at the plug etc, our first bill has come through and it's $218 for two months which is way cheaper than we were anticipating it to be so again if you're careful it needn't cost the earth. Our internet/phone bill is $66 per month, this is with Optus which again I don't think is extortionate. Our rent and water is also more than affordable but we rent from our neighbour who is a long term friend of the family so again I think we've been extremely fortunate. My df has found work as an Assistant in Nursing, within two weeks of us arriving back and within a ten minute walk from our house and he's enjoying it which is just great, I think it really helps to be doing a job you love. As for me I'm a stay at home Mum and as we are careful with our money/savings, we are in a position for me to be able to do this. I do plan to go back to work when he's a little older (school age unless our circumstances change). Our social life is somewhat hit and miss, with a small child, we tend not to go out in the evenings too much but there is a DVD rental store nearby so we can watch all the latest movies. We haven't bought a car yet but we have a bus stop right outside our house and the nearest train station is a 15 min walk away. Our boxes arrived two weeks after we did, we only shipped two boxes using seven seas worldwide but I found them to be very efficient and easy to use. All in all, I adore it here, I've found the people to be ever so friendly, it's wonderful for our son to be able to play outside. I can't really think of any negatives to mention, maybe in time they will seep in but right now, I don't have any regrets or second thoughts. Hopefully, this post will help anyone who is thinking about making the move.

Yes we've had it booked since march lol we fly on the 27th sept after a quick rendezvous in Paris first, can't believe it's all actually happening!

Don't quote me on this but I read somewhere the other day (on a govt site) that the 309 visa allowed you to claim for family payments etc as your'e a partner of an Australian and not there specifically for work purposes etc...

So happy that my visa has finally arrived. However, the BIG question is, who has to buy the beers? DaveS DID get his visa before me but he also flew before me, so technically that's blatant cheating right? :wink:

I've just got my visa whoooo hoooo!!!!!

Congrats! I've also got sv and still bloody waiting grrr

Yes my partner and my son have Australian passports...I read this on another thread too, which is why I started questioning it... "I came out to Melbourne Mid July on a tourist visa in lieu of my PR being granted. I was also told this would be fine by my lovely (ahem!)CO SV. It was fine, I had no hassle at the airport, the only grief we got was that I stood in the Non Australian line at passport control in Melbourne while my son and husband went to the Australian line. When they got to the front my husband was told to get me and they told us we must always stay together when passing through immigration."

I'm not sure why I thought about it to be honest....I just assumed we'd all stay together as a family?

Due to fly on the 27th, still no visa, got bored of waiting so decided to think of other things....is it true that when we get to Oz we all go through as Australians or do I have to go through as an International traveller?

Still waiting but have been told now that there isn't any need to book a tourist visa, just got to remind co a week before we go if we haven't got it by then...#boredofwaiting

Lol getting there! I'm trying to stay cool about it all, I mean we're going to be going either way, if I have to go offshore then so be it, I'm not going to be working anyway, I'm a stay at home Mum so it's no big deal, it would just be really nice to not have to think about it! Haven't heard from DaveS lately but I'm pretty sure if he had his by now then he'd be letting me know that the drinks were on him! I may just apply for a tourist visa just to cover all bases.

Thanks MTM

DaveS and I are still both waiting for THAT email!!! I've been told that if I don't have it by the 24/09 then to "remind" my co...but we fly on the 27/09!!! That will be far too late to organise a tourist visa if I need one...grrr why not just grant it already!

I was told by seven seas who we used to put them in the name of the Australian person as its so much easier and no waiting times