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Happyviolet

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  1. Happyviolet
    I insured with Petsecure when we arrived last year and I would not recommend them, although they seemed good on paper. Having now needed to submit claims I am finding their customer services telephone response times very poor. I write this as I've been on hold for the last 33 minutes and counting, and calls I've made to them in the past month have been similar. We first submitted a claim posted on 26 January, with the first acknowledgment from them dated 26 February. They did not respond to emails I sent during that time, and did not call back to follow up when they said they would. My Aussie vet has said that her impression is that pet insurance companies seem to offer a less good service here than in the UK. I'm considering changing companies - does anyone have any good experiences to share?
  2. Happyviolet
    Would you be able to share the tips for encouraging lorikeets? I see lots around but they rarely stop here. We had a pair of (I think) king parrots a couple of weeks ago, and we get sulphur crested cockatoos regularly. There are also a pair of crested doves which are quite sweet, and a pair of galahs stopped for a snack the other day. Love them all :-)
  3. Happyviolet
    Hi littlekitty, I'm currently in Aus on an e676 which I applied for here (in Aus), when it became apparent that the 309/100 wasn't going to be granted before my evisitor expired (I already had this from a trip last Christmas - didn't expect to be back here so soon!!). I checked with my CO and spoke to someone in immigration here first, but all was straightforward, applied online and granted in less than 24 hrs. No problems coming in on evisitor originally, I didn't get asked a single question!!
  4. Happyviolet
    I agree with Galahad about the house hunting. We found lots of places didn't mention pets in the advert, including the one we're in. When we looked round we didn't mention the dogs until we'd had a look round, spoken to the agent, and convinced him we were excellent potential tenants! It turned out there had been dogs here before. We are in suburbia, but not that close to the city, and in an older area where the blocks tend to be a bit bigger.
  5. Happyviolet
    Hi, We moved to Sydney this year with our 2 lakeland terriers so can't help with Canberra specifically. We found a rental that was happy to have them with no problem, I think you just need a bit of luck! Lots of people here do rent with dogs. Exercising has been a bit more difficult, I hadn't really realised how many areas around where we are are national forest, and therefore "no dog" zones, or are "on lead only". One of ours is rather antisocial, and both have dreadful recall, so dog parks and off lead areas aren't really great for us anyway. Most of the ones I've seen aren't huge in any case. I would look online for dog clubs in the area you're looking at, for example there is a NSW beagle club that does social walks, and the places they go are on their website which has given us some ideas. Ours are doing fine with little off lead time away from home, although they are obviously smaller than yours! Lots of people here seem to manage, so it seems likely yours would cope. We couldn't have left ours behind, although the financial cost is definitely high. As an aside, have you got the rabies vaccinations underway? We moved unexpectedly at short notice and this caught us out! Best wishes
  6. Happyviolet
    I just had a short paragraph, only about 3 sentences. Said we'd supported each other through some difficult times at work in particular. That we are both committed to supporting each other now and in the future. And that we'd been lucky to have enjoyed generally good health. It is all a bit cringy, but writing the statement brought back some good memories, many of which didn't make the final draught ;-)
  7. Happyviolet
    We're with Shannon's too, also after a recommendation from Iron Chef. Not needed to use so far but they've always been very friendly and helpful on the phone.
  8. Happyviolet
    We brought our tent and all our other camping stuff. Cleaned as well as I could - large tent in the house, not easy! - then spritzed with diluted dettol. No problems getting through customs. Agree that it seems a bit hit and miss what gets checked. I actually brought our dog leads and things in hand luggage as I needed them up to the end anyway. Same treatment with cleaning. I declared them and customs started asking if they could have a look, but as I began unlocking all my excess baggage (at 6am) they just asked me to confirm I didn't have any dog food items and waved me through :-) My wellies got packed for shipping by accident, fairly clean but not disinfected and no problems. Bikes were fairly new and clean and no problems there either. Good luck :-)
  9. Happyviolet
    Hi Snifter, I applied onshore for 309/100 in June and am hoping for a grant next month :-) Re your questions: I'm pretty sure I sent my passport and a full birth certificate. I applied for the full birth certificate online, was fairly cheap and arrived quickly. 309 v 100: Some case officers seem to say well in advance, mine didn't but I rang at about 4 month mark and have been told 100. Married 7 years, no kids. Onshore v offshore: My migration agent and case officer have both said I have to be offshore (I'm currently onshore on a tourist visa). I agree with what you say about the wording, and as George said, think that perhaps it applies only if you are granted a 100 a couple of years after the 309. It sounds like you have plenty of evidence already. I submitted similar, but no photos and only 2 stat decs - mother in law and Aussie friend who'd lived in UK. I only sent copies of my current and most recent passport too. You'll heave a huge sigh of relief when you finally drop it in the letterbox!
  10. Happyviolet
    Hi, All very variable! I've been here since August, and actually feel quite settled, although perhaps not quite at home. I'd moved around in the UK a little in the couple of years before coming here which I think has helped! A friend has been in NZ for 5 years, and having just returned from hols in UK, felt she was going home this time! Car: Bought second hand in 1 week. Rental: Found a place the weekend we arrived. Had keys within 2 weeks. (We were on a bit of a mission with both these!) Job: Husband had one to come to. Some colleagues of my husband took about 6 weeks to find a rental, they were probably fussier than us and perhaps had a wider search area to begin with, but we also got lucky! We'd narrowed down areas online and had a pretty good idea what we were after, and what areas we felt we could compromise on. Some other colleagues have just arrived and found a place to live in about 3-4 weeks, got the kids into school in 2-3, once they had an address. They had also researched areas, particularly in regard to potential schools. It is possible to do things quickly, although it's hard work and can be stressful. And the jet lag doesn't help. Satnav is invaluable to me too. But it's all worth it IMO. Good luck :-)
  11. Happyviolet
    Managed to speak to my new case officer last night (RN, replacement for MC). Contact number was on MCs answering machine message. She was really patient and helpful. Not able to give me definite grant date but hoping for about 6 months after my application date in early June. She said I can apply for a tourist visa (I think 676) and stay onshore (my evisitor expires at the end of November!). They will notify me by email when it's ready to be granted and I can make arrangements to leave. It wouldn't matter if I was onshore on that date, the 309/100 visa would be activated when I left and I'd then come back in on it. And she told me it would be a 100 - hooray :-) Ems4321: Re granting 100 vs 309 I believe they look at length of relationship, but not sure if other factors are also taken into account. We've been married 7 years. Re working on WHV while waiting for 309/100 to be processed, I'm not sure.
  12. Happyviolet
    Hi, Wondered if anyone could help answer this question? I'm currently in Aus on an evisitor waiting for my 309/100 (applied offshore in June) to be processed. Done through agency (via husband's work) but not finding them very helpful or proactive - just declined to give me my new COs contact details :-( When the visa is ready to be granted how much notice will I be given? I obviously need to get offshore but don't want to book flights if the date is then going to change. How have others managed this? Also just to confirm that if a 100 is granted that I still have to be offshore? On the immigration website http://www.immi.gov.au/migrants/partners/partner/309-100/how-to-apply.htm it says "You must be outside Australia when: · you apply for this visa · your Partner (temporary) visa (subclass 309) is granted. You may be either in or outside Australia when your Partner (permanent) visa (subclass 100) is granted." - is this just if the 100 is granted a couple of years after your 309? Thanks, Fiona
  13. Happyviolet
    I am in a similar situation, but it looks as if the job I was hopeful of will still be available when my visa is (hopefully!) granted. With hindsight, I might have looked more into other possible options, although the partner visa gives me the most flexibility going forwards. Other visa classes I think would have been granted more quickly, and therefore in terms of money, although the upfront cost would have been higher, I would have been able to work and earn more quickly. If your job is specialised, is there a chance that you and your skills are valuable enough for them to wait for you? Would they sponsor you? It will depend on which parts of the equation are most important to you and your husband, eg being in the same country, finances, route to residency etc. Fiona
  14. Happyviolet
    Hi Katy, I think I have the same CO (MC) as you. How did you find out she was leaving? I submitted through an agent in June and she hasn't told me anything about this. Thanks, Fiona
  15. Happyviolet
    I did have a return (promised my parents we'd be in UK this Xmas!) but I don't think the guy at immigration would have been able to tell, and he didn't ask! I'm just back from a week in new Zealand and had exactly the same experience coming through immigration on my return to Aus - barely looked at my passport or landing card, and no questions!
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