Kates

Hi Rachel, Reading your post made me feel like a normal person, so thanks for writing it. I have been in Perth for 3 months now and I am having a crap time managing my feelings too. It totally struck a cord with me when you wrote about looking about your surroundings and thinking "Wow I live here" I feel the same all the time, but I am just so sad to leave my mates back home. I just can't seem to gel with Aussies in the same way I do people in Manchester where we're from. I've had depression in the past, and I don't think I'm depressed; nor do I think you are depressed for what its worth, I just think its really hard trying to re-establish all your social networks and supports. I'm 35 and i do think age has something to do with it. I feel really pissed off with myself for leaving my mates back home, I had invested 20+ years with some of them and I feel like I have been really stupid and thrown it all away. I really didn't want to come to Oz and just hang about with other Pommies or eve use this forum but its starting to get to that stage. I find Aussies are a bit cold, and like you say, they do 5 mins of small talk and thats it...they just leave you cold; usually just as I'm about to suggest going for a brew or arranging a playdate for the kids! Anyway I was just writing to let you know you're not alone. and also so I can rant on as well!! thanks for listening! Write back if you feel the urge, I know we are no where near each other geographically but I could do with an 'online' pommy chat here and there. Kate

Thanks Rich, will do, hadn't know about them before. Cheers

I am being made redundant so we have to move asap so we don't waste our money in the UK, we will be better off using the cash to settle in oz and find work there. Thanks for your help though we will reconsider our options.

Thanks Rupert. We were advised by agent that off shore visa would take 7-8 mmonths, which is too long a time for us to wait. What do you mean by a 'partner visa ' pls? My partner is the primary visa holder and I am classed as his partner with a secondary 176 visa. Appreciate your thoughts thanks again

Hi all, am new to poms in oz so pls forgive any ignorant comments! My partner and I have active visas for Oz, sponsored by Western Australia -my partner is town planner. Visas are subclass 176. In July 2012 we had a new addition ;-] our daughter. We are now in position to make our move so have been lookinG into how we get our little girl a visa. Agent want to charge us best part of £1000 so we are looking at DIY approach. Have done some research and still a bit confused, am I right thinking we need a child visitor visa - subclass 445 and then, once on Oz soil applying for an onshore subclass 802?? Or do we need a subclass101 first? the offshore visa not a good option for us as we need to leave Uk within 6 months to make our money last. does anyone have knowledge or experience they would be kind enough to share? Many thanks in advance. Kate