OzNic22

CONGRATULATIONS!!! we got ours on the same day ? lodged on 11/02 and also had SV as our case officer!

I used Pickfords, part container load. They collected my stuff on 16th May it arrived in Brisbane on 2nd August and is being delivered on 22nd August to my place in Cairns - exactly 14wks. I've been living like a gypsy and it's not fun....really looking forward to Thursday when all my stuff is here. £1000 seems good, I paid £3400 including insurance for 16 cubic metres.

Hi Amanda & Tulip, I think that we are just going to have to disagree on this although I just want to point out that I don't think it's getting lucky and I'm not saying that everyone's application with kids will go through quicker than someone without. When I applied the last time (within Australia) it took 11 days from the day that they received our application to the date that it received final approval however I have friends who had applied without children (not at the same time as me) whose applications took 3 or 4 months and I put the difference in processing time down to having a child together being strong evidence of a genuine relationship. Couples that have no children however have been in long term relationships owning joint assets is also strong evidence but couples that have only been together for a year or two will probably be looked into more and therefore take longer to approve. Tulip that's great news that you meet all requirements and I believe that depending on your case officers work load you won't have long to wait after your medical results and police checks come through for approval. I wish you all the best of luck! Nicky

Congratulations on getting your approval - the timing sounds perfect for you! I have decided to go on ahead with our children while my partner waits for his visa to be approved (he has been working away for the past 18mths so we rarely see him anyway) so that we can start getting settled - I have booked our flights for the 21st May! I think having children does help speed things up as the last time we applied (Defacto Spouse visa) the case officer phoned me a couple of days after she received the application as I had forgotten to include 1 page and she said that it is obvious that we are a genuine relationship and she would approve the application as soon as I emailed her the other page - we had only been living together at that stage for 11 months but because we had our daughter we could apply earlier than the 12mth requirement. Obviously they are not going to pick up our application ahead of the ones in front but apart from the character checks & medicals the most important thing that they are looking for is proof that you are in fact a genuine relationship, when our application gets to the top of the pile they can see all the T's are crossed & I's are dotted and that we have two children together they won't need to go looking through to see if there is any evidence to doubt our relationship.

Hi guys, we submitted our application in early Feb and have to wait until atleast 8th May to get medicals done (for partner, I'm the Aussie). We have already done this visa process from within Australia however withdrew the application just before they granted the permanent residencey (big regret, don't ask) that visa request took 11 days in total for them to grant the temporary - can't believe how much longer it is from over here. We had a daughter together then which I think helped it go through quicky and now we have 2 daughters and another 8 years together so I am hoping that it doesn't take the estimated 8-9 months! Has anyone else who has kids together applied and received a faster approval? ​Nic

Hi Guys, I'm getting quotes now for groupage: Co. Down - Cairns - very last minute as I am leaving in less than 5 weeks (spare of the moment decision). I got quotes last June for a PCL and was quoted for 16 cubic meters, we have since decided not to take a few things such as lounge suite and they are now estimating we need 13 cubic meters but the prices have gone up so the quotes are coming in higher than what I got in June for more volume. I have been speaking to pickfords this week and told them what I was quoted and that I refused to pay that and they have come in £500 cheaper than the cheaper one before that. So far they seem really helpful - I have a guy coming out on Monday afternoon to do a survey and give me a formal quote, I'm going to be a busy girl between now and then going through everything trying to figure out what I can do without taking (not easy with kids)!

Hi everyone, my apologies if this topic has already been discussed but after a quick flick I couldn't see anything that I could work off. I am a Qld'er returning home next March and bringing my two children (Apr 2005 & Nov 2008). My eldest was born in Australia & I know that if we had not moved over here should would currently in be Grade 2. As they start kids at school early in NI she is actually just about finished Primary 3 and next March will be 3 months off finishing Primary 4. I am concerned that when we move over next year if they put her straight into Grade 3 she might be bored as I imagine an additional 1 1/2 would have her further on. I would prefer to keep her with her age group as don't want her feeling like the odd one out but really am concerned that as her attention span is already short she will just end up loosing interest and eventually getting behind. Has anyone else moved from NI or can anyone give me any details on how their children's year level was dealt with? Thanks in advance!

Typical of the banks to tempt you to bite off more than you can chew. We probably won't be ready to buy until at least 12mths after we get to Aus....this moving country thing is not cheap and this will be our 2nd time around!!!! Congratulations on buying your house last year!!

Thanks Peach!

Thanks everyone! Peach & GeorgeD does that still apply if the main income earner is the temporary resident?

Sorry for not giving you up to date info Tamsin. Thank you everyone else for correcting me - it has all obviously changed as the last thing that we wanted to do was withdraw the application however were told that if we were not in the country when they made the decision it would be rejected and to avoid that we would either of had to change our plans to leave (that wasn't an option) or withdraw so that is what we did. Really wish now that we could of had it granted as we have to go through the whole application again. Going to request the permanent residency straight away though.

Hi - we have just decided to move back home to Cairns, my partner and I have been together for over 8 years and have 2 kids. At the beginning of our relationship we applied for his visa and were granted the temporary visa but then decided to return to N. Ireland shortly after the permanent residency was due to be granted however due to delays with the police check they had not made their decision before we left the country so we had to withdraw the application. We are now about to do the process again but I want him to skip the temporary residence and go straight onto the permanent residency as this is our final move and don't want to wait 2years before getting a home loan to buy. Can anyone tell me how straight forward it is to get the permanent residency and if there is anything special that we need to do? Thanks in advance. Nicky

Hi Tamsin, unfortunately if you are not in the country when they make the decision your visa will be rejected. This happened to us - we decided to return to N. Ireland and planned to do so after my partner's permanent residency had been granted this was due in the August 2007 so we booked our flights for November but as there was such a delay in the Australian Police Check (4mths) they had not made their decision by the time November came so we had to write withdrawing our application and are now back to square 1. My advice is just say in Oz unless you are planning on making the move permanent. Nicky

Hi Tamsin, unfortunately if you are not in the country when they make the decision your visa will be rejected. This happened to us - we decided to return to N. Ireland and planned to do so after my partner's permanent residency had been granted this was due in the August so we booked our flights for November but as there was such a delay in the Australian Police Check (4mths) they had not made their decision by the time November came so we had to write withdrawing our application and are now back to square 1. My advice is just say in Oz unless you are planning on making the move permanent. Nicky