fiftyfifty

Hello everyone! Myself and partner plan to move back to Australia in the next 6 months or so and bring our two cats. They have just turned 13, I don't think they will appreciate the journey or the quarantine but I hope that I am right in thinking it is better for them to live out their later years with us. For context; I'm an Australian & British citizen who met my husband (British but now with PR) at uni in UK and as we didn't plan to move from the UK at that point got our cats a couple years later. After a few years we did go to live/work in Melbourne and Adelaide and as things were very up in the air with work/accommodation we left them behind with his parents, considering bringing them later. I also assumed they would forget about us and move on. After two years we had to come back to the UK for family reasons and the cats were ridiculously happy to see us and live with us again. Knowing that I feel terrible to not bring them despite the stress (for them) and expense. At least quarantine is much shorter than when we previously considered it. For anyone who has experience or opinion on this I would love to hear it. Thank you!

Just for an update on people applying for the 309 visa from London, my OH submitted his in March and they have said current waiting times are long, more towards the 6months end of the scale Goodluck to everyone who've submitted, I have my fingers crossed things will speed up! We are backpacking in SE asia until it comes though so hoping it won't be toooo long.... nx

I know exactly how you feel, going though the same very mixed feelings right now! We are leaving on Sunday, and it's actually really scary. I think the best thing to remember is that you have to do it for you. After all in life you regret what you don't do, not what you do. Better to look back in 20years and the worst that could have happened is that you tried it and didn't like it (and at least still had a great experience) than to think you never gave it a go and regretted that. You'll probably look back and wondered why you were so worried at the time! Sorry if that doesn't make a lot of sense, but I think you will be fine! Best of luck with the move nx

I know- I should get more excited! On one hand we are impatient to get to Aus and get on with work and life but want to take the now or never opportunity to travel... plus OH's partner visa still hasn't come through and it's going to be cheaper in Asia whilst renters take on our place in London. That's our excuse anyway!

Totally understand I am feeling exactly the same! We are leaving on the 12th, eeek! Thought I would feel excited but more anxious actually. Shipping company is coming on Thursday and I am SUCH a disorganised person... trying to sort though everything meanwhile the estate agents are showing potential renters around, not giving the best impression! We won't be in Aus for a couple of months though, backpacking in Thailand, Cambodia etc, but already worried about finding work and all that, when I should just be enjoying this chance to see the world a bit. Good luck with it all, I bet we'll all look back on it and wonder why we were so stressed! Nx

Just saw all your lovely welcomes and good lucks! Thanks everyone, sorry I didn't respond sooner, I'm new to all this forum stuff and didn't realised I had responses!

Thankyou fish.01, that's exactly what I was trying to get at / ask (though in a much less well explained way - financial matters not my strong point!)

Wow that's interesting, but slightly scary for those of us planning to come out this year. An Aussie relative was warning us about this too, but he also likes to complain about the cost of things generally! I wonder what the scores would be if compared to London and Pounds, for people coming from here? How useful is it comparing from Dollars, because haven't they become weaker against the Pound? x

Currently live in: London Moving to: Undecided ... the debate goes on! Visa Type: Australian and a Partner Visa Family: I'm the Aussie (who has never lived there!) and OH is on the Partner Visa Age bracket: 26 and 28 When hoping to move: Hope to arrive in October after a bit of backpacking Visa status: Lodged Been to Oz before? Yes I've been lots of times to visit family, and we both went for 3 months in '07

Hi all, Just joined the forum, after spending WAY too much time looking around and reading loads of the posts! My boyfriend and I are moving out to Australia from London in a couple of months (we hope... as you'll all know there's more than a bit of paperwork to wade through!). We're planning to do some sneaky backpacking in south east Asia on the way out. I grew up in the UK, so no accent as yet but I'm dual citizenship, so we are waiting for him to get his Partner Visa so we can get out there that way. We're both massively looking forward to it, pretty much all my family live all around Australia and I always said I wanted to go and have a taste of life out there, so this is it! We have said give it 2 years and review what to do then, come back or settle there. We're renting our house out here for now. We don't know what city we are headed for (I know crazy!) it depends on where OH gets work first! He is a construction project manager and I'm a graphic designer/illustrator, so we have no idea where we'll be in a year from now. Right, that was a bit of an essay! Don't have any particular questions to ask ATM, but sure to think of some Hope everyone's having a great weekend...