nicolac34

If she has updated the SLC with her new Australian address they will post you out a form to complete in which you declare your income and provide proof (contract and 3 months payslips). Send this back and they'll write back letting you know what your payment schedule is. It is significantly higher than she would pay if in the UK, but you can negotiate this down - just write back to them (snail mail unfortunately unless you use fax) and say you can't afford the higher repayment and offer to pay something else.

I did this when they wanted me to fork over £364 a month - I negotiated it down to £200.

To make payments I used an Australian credit card that doesn't charge foreign transaction fees (mine was Bankwest Zero transaction one but there are others). Each month I'd log onto the SLC website and make the required payment.

The SLC will chase you if you don't pay. They've become much more switched on to people going abroad and defaulting. 

If you can I'd pay it off as soon as you can, the exchange rate fluctuating was crap for us. If we'd paid it off when we first arrived it would have cost us $3k less than it ended up doing.

Thankfully we've both paid off our loans now and have no reason to constantly check the exchange rate!

You can't apply onshore for this visa unless you have a visa already which allows that, so they would presumably be on a tourist visa and if that has 'no further stay' in it, then no, they couldn't live here whilst waiting for it.

You can apply for this visa outside Australia. If you are in Australia, you can apply only if your temporary visa lets you apply for another visa while you are in Australia. You must be outside Australia when the visa is granted.

Do you realise the 103 visa has an exceptionally long wait time? The immigration website suggests 30 years....

My parents came over on a 173 and then got the 143, they did this so they could split the costs.

$200k and you spend it all without kids? You must have a big mortgage!

So easy to do in Perth - we were the same before we had our son, $200k combined income, no savings to speak of but comfortable and wouldn't consider ourselves as having a lot of money (and no, not a huge mortgage... but then what is huge? Everyone's definitions vary) Now we earn a bit less because I'm part-time and we have daycare to fork out for but we still manage. I find if you earn it, you spend it. Well we do anyway!

1) Childcare! - As we have 2 children who are young, I have done lots of research and i've seen that childcare is around $90AUD a day for 1 child. I have two children so that will be $180 per day - Is any other young families in the same situation? And how do you manage the costs? I know we can get a rebate, but its not much to help.

You'll be doing well if you can find $90 a day, my centre is $120 a day (in the suburbs, 25km south of the City). You do get the rebate, which is $7,500 per child per financial year, which does help, but yes it's expensive.

2) Although we are both qualified with lots of experience, i'm concerned around job availability, is anyone or has anyone stuggled to find work?

Perth is in the doldrums at the moment, we are both in work thankfully, and don't know anyone out of work - but that's not to say that there aren't plenty of people struggling. Best keep an eye on Seek and email a few recruiters to get an idea of whether you'll find something easily or not.

3) What areas of perth do you live in and how long does your commute take you?

We live down near Cockburn central - suburbia really. It's 24km from the City, 5km from the beach and 5km to our nearest station. We both drive to work which is a right PIA so we are moving closer to the City. So many areas to choose from, it really depends on budget and whether you need access to public transport (wouldn't recommend driving to a station to park and catch the train, never enough spaces).

4) Have any females had luck in securing a 4 day working week? or do you know any companies that are flexible with family life?

Plenty of companies say they are flexible... finding one that is in reality can be hard. I work 4 days a week, but only because I was full time first and this is what I wanted when I came back from maternity leave. And my so called family friendly employer is pushing very hard for me to go back full-time. My husband however has lots of flexibility, and although he officially works full time, he's the one that takes sick days or does appointments for our little boy.

Big question is - do you have family support over here? Can be super hard without it.

Just thought I'd pop back and update as it's always nice to hear when people get their visas!

My parents 173>143 was granted yesterday, so 2.5 years since their original application

Timeline was:

24th June 2014 - 143 Application Submitted

August 2014 - PCC and AOS requested

September 2014 - AOS Completed

2nd Feb 2015 - 2nd VAC Requested

7th Feb 2015 - 2nd VAC Paid

10th Feb 2015 - 143 GRANTED!

They are pretty chuffed to be PR now, especially as their contracts go through on some land they've purchased in the next couple of weeks - means they'll get their $10k FHBG instead of having to wait. Think they are a bit shell shocked at the outlay, but still love it every day they are here. And they are super happy as they are here in time to welcome their first grandchild - having my parents 5 minutes away when I have our first in August is going to be Awesome!!

Good luck everyone! :smile:

Hi you're dead right, should be 2014

Must have had a senior momemt

Thanks Barry, assumed it was a typo! That means they shouldn't be too long then hopefully!

When you say 'lodged the AOS' I assume you mean their sponsor submitted the paperwork to Centrelink ? It is generally down to the time each individual Centrelink office takes to process it and this varies depending on where the sponsor is. In our case it took 10 weeks in SE Queensland. Maybe get the sponsor to check with Centrelink to see what's going on?

We've submitted the bond money ($14k) at Commonwealth and they send the confirmation to Centrelink and immigration I assume? Sorry I thought that once the money was paid over that was it done and dusted! Do we need to follow up with Centrelink again?

Hi According to Perth immi auto reply email today,they are assessing 173 to 143 applications lodged on 24 June 2013

So perhaps they applied later than you can recall

Cheers

June 2013? So they are taking 18 months to process the 173 to 143 visas now? I think they were under the impression it was 8 months or something...

Yes you're right, the did apply a bit later (just checked my emails), end of June 2014 their application went in and the AOS and police checks were requested in August 2014 and completed in September 2014.

Hi everyone,

Wondered if anyone had got a 173 to 143 recently? Parents lodged their 143 back in April time I think, lodged the AOS back in October last year and haven't heard anything since. I thought once they'd requested the AOS and got that it would go through pretty quickly then - but has been very quiet!

Hi all you helpful folk.

 

I'm looking to apply for a 143 visa, however I'm a little confused regarding the rule around being settled for 2 years. Is this from the date my son's permanent residency was granted which was recently, or from when he first moved to Oz which was 3 years ago.

It is open to interpretation I think. Your son needs to prove 'settled'.

My parents applied for their 173 when my brother had been here 2.5 years, the first 6 months on a WHV the next year on a 457 and the year before on PR. He showed that he'd bought a house, permanent job, had a dog, members of clubs and societies - everything you can think of to show that he wasn't going anywhere. They were granted their visa a couple of months ago.

Hi All,

Just a couple of quick questions for those that might be in the know...

How long is it taking from 173 to go to 143 at the moment?

If you're on a 173 can you still get a mortgage and qualify for all the first home owner benefits or do you need to wait until you're on the 143?

Thanks!

Some very happy news to report! Mum and Dad had their 173 Visa granted yesterday!!! :biggrin: Can't believe it has FINALLY happened!

Timeline for all those still waiting:

Visa Lodged 16/08/2012

Visa Acknowledged 09/09/2012

Case Officer 19/02/2014

Medicals 27/02/2014

Request for payment & travel plans 20/03/2014

Flew out to Fiji 25/03/2014

VISA GRANTED 26/03/2014

​So from lodgement to visa grant in 19 months - phew!

Parents have had their request for payment yesterday! The CO has requested payment and travel plans as they have to be out of the country for 4 working days - so looking at flights now!

Just wondering..........How old are the parents wanting the 143/173 visas?

thanks

Tab x

My Dad is 58 on Monday and Mum is 56.

Medicals booked for Thursday, earliest they could get in! They're now flying out to Fiji at the weekend and are debating how long to stay.... how long is a piece of string!

Some more good news!

My parents look like they got their case officer yesterday! Typically the ONE day they didn't check their emails, only knew to thanks to Go Matilda sending mum a text message this evening.

So medicals, form 80 and passport pages to send over. They're currently between Adelaide and Melbourne so are going to hop foot it to Melbourne to hopefully get their medicals done early next week.

Their tourist visa expires next Sunday so are hoping against hope they will be able to fly out and stay out until the visa is granted now.

What are peoples experiences of timing from the case officer getting all the information back to visa grant?

Hmmm ... not sure to be honest. It is a looser commitment than that which exists between visa applicant and Assurer, but I would encourage attempts at a reconciliation before irrevocable decisions about withdrawing the sponsorship are made!

 

Best regards.

That would be the ideal solution! However I think it's quite unlikely at the moment.... I don't think he'd do anything to go out of his way to damage the process but if contacted specifically for something... he might.

Safe to say that I will be the sponsor/assurer if we get to the point of the 143!

Alan, this might be more of a question for you...

If there is a breakdown in the relationship between the sponsor and the parents before the visa is granted - I assume the sponsor could withdraw their sponsorship of said parents and visa would be denied? Is there any reason the sponsor would be contacted prior to visa grant for the 173?

Where are they living presently?

 

Are they tax resident in the UK, or in Australia?

 

If they are tax resident in Australia they can - and I believe should - obtain a TFN, as they have Australian source income that is properly taxable in Australia. This would probably be via a paper based application for the TFN:

http://www.ato.gov.au/Individuals/Tax-file-number/Applying-for-a-TFN/Individuals-%28Australian-residents-for-tax-purposes%29/

 

Best regards.

Currently 'living' in a caravan touring Australia, they don't have a residence in England any more.

Thanks for that, I'll forward the link to them.

The first woman they spoke to flummoxed them saying without a TFN they'd take 40% tax on the interest, after querying this with a second more senior person they are not liable for any tax on the interest.

If they have an Australian residential address they should provide a TFN or tax at 46.5% will be withheld.

 

The interest is then taxable in Australia and should be declared on an Aus tax return each year.

 

If they have a UK residential address tax on the interest should be withheld by the Aus bank at 10%.

 

The interest should also be declared on a UK tax return each year (Foreign supplement required), with the 10% tax already paid claimed as a foreign tax credit.

 

Best regards.

Well they aren't being charged any tax at the source at the moment. Hopefully their 173 will be through before June 30 and they can have a TFN and do a regular tax return at that point to sort it out. They were advised they couldn't get a TFN whilst on a tourist visa.

Does anyone who is as yet non resident have a savings account in Australia?

 

Now the exchange rate is so much better I would really like to move some cash to our non resident bank account in Sydney, against (eventual) visa payments. This is unlikely to be for some years because we have commitments in the UK at the mo, but I would really like to feel we had the money 'on one side' and could forget about it for now.

 

Problem is our e-saver account pays only 1 percent interest, which is okay for holiday money but not okay for larger sums. Any suggestions?

My parents have shifted all their money over to Oz already whilst waiting for their 173. They opened a westpac account in the UK (savings and current) and moved the money through a forex company. Once they got here (on their tourist visa) they went into the branch and negotiated the interest rate - as bankwest we're offering a better one. Westpac matched it and said to come back in when it expired in 3 months time to 'see what they can do' as otherwise my Dad will be moving it out to a better rate. The first woman they spoke to flummoxed them saying without a TFN they'd take 40% tax on the interest, after querying this with a second more senior person they are not liable for any tax on the interest.

Hope that helps.

:cool::cool:Hi Everyone.

 

Finally our wish come true.Today we got email from case officer.He ask us for AOS,Medical and PCC. Our acknowledgement date was 13/08/2012. Good luck to everyone else.

Fantastic news Boss!! My parents are 3 weeks behind you.... so given we've got Christmas in the way fingers crossed they hear something by the end of January!!

Happened to us in Dubai. What was more annoying was that hubby went to the shop to buy water for the plane and took a large bottle to the check out - assistant told him he wouldn't be able to take a large bottle on board so should buy two smaller ones. Purchased and walked about 5 meters to the gate and we weren't allowed through with them. Wasn't impressed!

Seems like we are around the same time, my parents 173 was lodged on 16 August 2012 and acknowledged on 6 September 2012, no word since.

Just be careful if it's a one way trip and read the small print. Many companies stipulate that it must be a return trip. We used the Post Office when we came over - they do one way trip insurance, but we had to ring them, we couldn't do it online. You can select how long you want to be insured for.

Ok thanks, didn't realise that. Although they are going back in November next year for my grandma's 80th birthday, so could be classed as a sort of return!