MacGyver

As Marissa said, if you want an adventure/new experience New Zealand might be an option (I say might because I know very little about their system). From a quick google, the age limit for a New Zealand Permanent Visa is 55 or under. Also SEN appears to be on their skilled list. It's obviously not your first choice, but it could be a different option. I think (think!) at the moment that New Zealand Citizens can live and work in Australia indefinitely without a visa, so longer-term (once you gain NZ citizenship) it might be an option. Its a long road to get to that point so you would have to actually be interested in living in New Zealand for a few years to consider it.

1 hour ago, Marisawright said:

Any good agent will give you a free initial consultation, where you'll get useful advice.  Then they'll give you a quote, you can decide how much help you want from them and pay accordingly. Silly not to take advantage of that.

Agreed re the free initial consultation and I think on this forum we should point people to agents that offer this (seemingly not all do). Thats why I will continue to recommend Raul and WRussel

Great thread, I don't have anything to add but hope others have photos to share

7 hours ago, Samsamsam said:

Morning all, thanks for chipping in with your feedback. I really didn't fancy 'popping over' for an onshore application anyway, and given covid-19 it's not really an option right now either. But understanding the various alternatives is always something I like to have in my back pocket (and I hope others find the discussion helpful). 

What's a migration agent cost for a consultation to determine the best route? I'm confident completing the forms and doing the spiel about our partnership/gathering evidence (went through a very exhuastive process 3 times to get my UK spouse visa), so not looking for this part... 

 

 

When we used an agent in the past, the initial consultation to determine visa strategy was free. This included a review of our situation followed by their professional assessment as to the best course of action. From that point, fees for ongoing support were provided and you had the option of taking the free advice and going it alone, or paying for their services in full or in part depending on circumstances and level of support needed.

In all honesty, it wasn't cheap but it wasnt as much as we expected either. I can't remember how much off the top of my head and every application is different, but we felt it was money very well spent given the ever changing visa rules and the consequences if we didn't get it right first time. I figured we wouldn't regret paying the money, but we might regret not paying it.

It won't do any harm to make initial contact with an agent. What is there to lose in having a free chat.

9 hours ago, Samsamsam said:

Thanks Paul,

Yup just dug into the immi.gov website on the 600 visa and it clearly specifies a 12 month grant is possible and like with the right justification. 145AUD isn't too bad either. 

Starting to wonder if the onshore visa route is what we really should be doing to enable my husband to start working ASAP with a bridging visa. Forgetting the current covid-19 situation for a second:

1. How long does it take to get a bridging visa typically (website doesn't have any guidelines)? 

2. If you 'popped over' to Aus to apply onshore, could you then go back to the UK and continue living your life, then come back when either the bridging visa is granted or the partner visa is granted? Expensive I know. But we aren't actually moving to Aus until mid-2021, so waiting until we move to apply onshore would be a big delay. But if the bridging visa approval is fast, it might be the right thing to do?

Thanks.

My understanding is that bridging visas are for people onshore, to allow them to stay onshore (i.e. it bridges from one visa to another to remain legal in Autralia, in your situation a 600 visa to a partner visa). To leave the country while on a Bridging Visa A, you have to apply for a Bridging Visa B which I have always understood to be for short-term overseas travel. Given Onshore partner visas have fairly long processing times, leaving on a short-term BVB to live in the UK relatively long-term while waiting, seems unlikely. Putting bridging visas to one side, I am unsure if you can "pop over" and apply onshore before leaving again while the "onshore" partner visa is processing. 

Having said all that, I'm not a migration agent and would recommend contacting Paul (above) for a discussion. Its a lot of money to spend and you want to get it right first time, so a free initial consultation could be invaluable. We decided to pay for the services of an agent when we did our partner visa and again, given the amounts of money involved, felt it was a small price to pay for peace of mind.

3 hours ago, FOL said:

All that staff you talk about rather has work than no work. So be mindful of them and let people fly. On top of that, there are stories or economy class only having 1 person sitting there in the entire section!

The numbers can be bumped up much more while still plenty of room for social distancing and safe handling imho.

The restrictions aren't linked to social distancing on flights, it is due to limitations on the number of passengers allowed to enter different states in Australia each week (set by the Aus government). Those number limitations were due to concerns that the quarantine facilities were struggling to cope with larger numbers of people arriving, which could lead to breaches/reduced safety. I'm sure the airlines would fly full planes if the Aus government allowed it.

1 hour ago, rammygirl said:

News today is that Business Class passengers are being bumped in favour of first class.  Even people with long standing Bus class bookings. Ridiculous but I guess understandable provided they give refunds.

A family are now stranded in UK after selling home as flights were cancelled at last minute and their cats are already en route!  Who has tens of thousands of dollars to fly a family first class in these times.  Time this was sorted. 

I had also read that most flights were already fully booked until at least November given the limitations on numbers (not including those people being bumped off flights and having to rebook). It sounds like the OP has some personal matters to attend to in the UK which is unfortunate, but in their shoes (with a pregnant partner due in December) I'd be extremely cautious about leaving Australia for any reason unless willing to accept difficulty in returning for several months. They might just make it back for December but it sounds very risky.

Lots of information here:

and here:

https://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/29-pets/

The passes exist to protect the people of WA. You should apply for a pass and follow the correct procedure. WA has been very strict on its borders and you wouldn't want to turn up at the airport and be sent straight back again.

2 hours ago, Lavers said:

Been offered another job today but I'm going to stick with the 1st one...but 2/2 is not bad haha

You have a great outlook and positive attitude and sound like you'd do well anywhere. The UKs loss is Australia's gain, best of luck to you.

With regards the quarantine costs, I believe that it is billed to you after you leave and payment plans can be set up if experiencing financial difficulty. I think that was in Qld so would be worth investigating other states rules around this. It doesn't help with your other issues but at the very least might remove one of the concerns you mentioned (high up front costs).

Unfortunately having a young child in quarantine goes with the territory these days. My brother had to quarantine in New Zealand recently with two kids under 5 and although tricky, found it easier than they expected.

Pets are still being shipped but with significant reductions in flights available. If they have to wait a bit beyond your own flights, you could leave them with a friend until a flight can be secured. Many companies offer pickup and drop off services to get them to the airport etc.

Good luck with whatever you decide and hope your mum is ok.

1 hour ago, Island said:

What a. nightmare - so who can we fly with to avoid this happening??

 

At the moment, it looks like it is not possible to fly from Australia to UK via any airport/country on the exempt list (other than maybe Hong Kong if any airline still flies that route??):

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-travel-corridors#countries-and-territories-with-no-self-isolation-requirement-on-arrival-in-england

2 hours ago, ozuk said:

As I told immigration family don't keep in touch. Have only seen them once since last Xmas. They live 3 miles away but they don't call.  Won't even respond to emails. They don't want me going to see them as they're paranoid about coronavirus. They were supposed to help me with the visa but I got no help and had to figure it all out which wasnt easy. They've been here 15 years so they know Australia better than I do. 

The reason I came here was because I wasn't sure I could stay in Spain due to Brexit. I wanted to go there as rent is very cheap and I could afford it, plus I like Spain. I need a warm climate, the UK was too depressing with the cold, wet weather for most of the year. So I came to Australia.

I'm really sorry for your situation and hope you figure something out that makes you happy.

While you're in Australia, have you thought about meet up groups with others that might be in a similar situation/have been in your situation in the past? I know covid makes things trickier but search for meet up groups like "X year old social Meetup" or "over 50s/60s UK in WA Meetup" etc. Like many that migrate, maybe a solid group of friends can become the family support we all need.

You may feel a bit uneasy with these Meetup things but there may be a lot of good people also feeling weird about doing the same thing in the same place.

That wouldn't solve your current dilemma but might offer the chance to have a good chat about it with someone over a pint/coffee/walk.

In response to the original question, in the current climate I would only fly to/from australia on a business class ticket. I say this as someone who has never flown business class in my life. But the number of flight cancellations (seemingly in economy with business class passengers being prioritised) would make me find the extra cash if at all possible, to try and avoid flight cancellations in Singapore/Doha/Dubai etc, given the significantly reduced numbers allowed to enter Australia at present.

The first thing I would do is have a free chat with one of the agents on here to discuss whether you might have success in applying to have the no work condition removed from your bridging visa. If they feel you have a chance, a small investment in their fees to lodge that application would be money well spent. Even a small part time job might cover your living costs and protect your hard earned savings.

Apart from that the biggest question is what family support do you have in Australia? I only ask because it sounds like you moved to Australia specifically to be near them, not necessarily through a desire to live in Australia. It sounds harsh, but if family aren't stepping up to be supportive, I'd be considering whether its worth the financial pain to be near them.

I haven't used Dorree Bonner so can't comment on them specifically. Just wanted to pass on the advice I was given when looking at shipping - book insurance through a seperate company as they will more aggressivley pursue any damages etc from the shipper/be more likely to pay out on any insurance claims. We used Letton Percival for insurance following a recommendation on here many years ago. We found them competitive and they have/had a reputation for paying out without too many dramas, when it became necessary.

3 hours ago, Aussiebird said:

So many different comments, now Emirates are wanting covid test done before flying, as if it's not hard to get to WA as things are, they make it even more difficult!! Give us all a break and give us some good news, this move is costing more and more by the month, on top of the cost of the Partner Visa!!

Jon the Hat, when do you intend to make the move, are you flying to WA this year?

It sounds like a horrible situation for you and I cant imagine how stressful it must be. But I also fully agree with the testing by Emirates and the border restrictions in Australia and WA given we are in the midst of the worst Global pandemic in a century.

Watch out for some of the reviews on homely. Apparently real estate agents have been known to add glowing reviews to try and offload properties

Open a transferwise borderless account. You can open a UK account and an Australian account with them and get the card delivered to your UK address. The card works as a visa debit card for both accounts, whichever country you are in. You can transfer money into the local UK account and switch it immediately to your local Australian account. Might be a temporary option until you get to Australia to sort out new cards.

On 07/07/2020 at 19:06, Heading4Tassie said:

Thanks for the advice Nemesis the fur baby is the reason we keep moving the dates tbh. If it was just us we would bite the bullet and just take what comes as the borders open and close but with the dog it is a totally different story and whole set of things to factor in.

I know of someone that flew their dog London to Melbourne and arrived on Friday last week (to commence it's 10 days quarantine in the pet facility). 

Seemingly Qatar (possibly others) are flying empty passenger planes but full of cargo to keep the business ticking over. Since pets travel in the cargo hold, they are currently still able to travel (albeit with less flight options). Might be worth exploring.

I know from personal experience there are companies that can collect pets from the Melbourne facility and transport them to an interstate flight, if you were to be located outside Victoria.

37 minutes ago, Lavers said:

I'm starting to sway this way, my head says ho straight to SA but my heart says have a week of freedom......decisions decisions.

I have only seen parts of SA, but the countryside is beautiful and I'm a huge fan of the Barossa valley (maybe not the best for kids though!). I'd be tempted to get across that border and have a holiday around SA given what's going on in Victoria at the moment. Plan a long weekend in Melbourne later in the year to scratch that itch.

13 hours ago, Jon the Hat said:

In that case I would spend some time in Melbourne as you planned!

I would probably lean the other way and just go straight to SA to play it safe. This covid world is a fast changing and unpredictable place. I'd be worried that as cases increase in Melbourne, it could get harder or impossible to get into SA for a while. Of course it could go the other way but why take the risk in the current climate. Melbourne will always be nearby for visits in future.

7 hours ago, Faryal Jaffery said:

... Fortunately,  I've received an email to proceed for my PR stage via my agent but after our experience,  my husband and I wish to continue the process ourselves yet we are clueless from where to start! ...

For this reason alone, it may be wise to reconsider using an agent. It is a small investement for peace of mind and a life in Australia together

3 hours ago, Wanderer Returns said:

What's happened in VIC could've happened in any other state - it's just unfortunate. Although economically wouldn't it just make more sense to lockdown the whole of Melbourne as that's where all the cases are, rather than isolate the whole state from the rest of Australia?

Yes you're right, vitcoria is vast and Melbourne is but one part of it. If it was possible to lockdown the Melbourne Metro area only then it would definitely be fairer to the regional areas. It just seems it might be easier (not necessarily better or fairer) to draw a line at the state border to enforce, rather than specific suburbs within Vic

9 hours ago, Wanderer Returns said:

I don't understand why NSW hasn't also closed their border with VIC too? The spread to NSW is now inevitable as there are sure to be some who will ignore government warnings and travel from infected areas in Melbourne, if they choose. QLD will also be vulnerable as there is nothing to stop people flying from VIC to NSW, hiring a car, and then driving into QLD after the 10 July.

Agreed, I think it may be shortsighted of NSW to keep the border open but time will tell. I feel for Victoria, but if NSW closed the border to Victoria, all other states could potentially reopen to each other without restriction within a month. I don't know how the numbers stack up, but surely that would benefit the Australian economy? Harsh on Victoria but perhaps necessary.