Debbs72

Hi Stacey, been on here for a while been watching your thread. Moved from Sydney 2 weeks ago hurray lol to Cairns because I love it and my husband is working here. Have to say omg the temperature and humidity is something I've never experienced in my life and I've been travelling up and down here for a year. I'm walking my dog at 7am and come home looking well...drowned large rat comes to mind. Living in Sydney I would do my hair etc...etc...forget it natural,soggy locks are the look don't even bother with moisturiser it will slide of your face ha ha...but all in cairns is bloody gorgeous and you won't regret your visit, love port Douglas quiet but lovely place. Hope you enjoy it if you want to meet for a glass of wine when your in cairns pm me Debbs

Hi, my son is in BVA and has been told by the bank he can't have credit for anything unless he has a permanent visa. He was looking at mortgages and they said he wasn't even able to have a credit card. Debbs

Hi, my son is on the 835 Last Remaing visa onshore. Basically if you are already here and in a job then you can apply and stay on a Bridging Visa A. If you are not working then you are able to stay but you won't have any working rights. My son as he was only 20 when he applied was on a working holiday visa and he had to get the restrictions lifted by the minister so he had unrestricted working rights. The wait as all other memebers have said is enormous now 50 years. For us this is the only way for him to stay. Only a bit of information for you but hope it helps Debbs

Yes it's definitely closing end of March we heard also. Such a shame as only being across the road I've been several times and the keepers are great with the animals they were saying that some of the animals will be sent to Kuranda. We went there few months back they would really need to up their game as it was not very nice at all. Very sad

Hi James, only just come across your post must have missed it back in September. My son was in the exact same positions as you. We have bit the bullet and gone for the 835 remaining relative onshore visa. I've commented on several other threads so if you look on my activity there's lots of people giving good information. The wait yes is 56 years, but our son is here and able to stay until it is granted, he was on a WHV now on a bridging visa A he also wrote to the minister asking for unrestricted working rights and that was granted within 2 weeks. We have been through the whole process in the the last year so if there's anything else I can maybe help with just ask. Good luck. debbs

Hi, I'm in Cairns right now. Weathers gorgeous hitting around 27-33 every day I have been here in the humid wet season you do get Mosquitos but so does every where else in Australia. Not seen any snakes but have seen a crocodile on the side of a road but it was near a creek and there was no one walking there. We are moving here from Sydney in January and can't wait. I feel very safe here we are In the Trinity beach area and its stunning. I could not think of a better place to bring up children and only wish ours were younger when we came over. Cairns to me is paradise but that's just my view. Hope this bit of positivity helps. Debbs

Hi, from what I've read and seen they are only up to processing I think it was either January or July 2010.

Hi Stacey, you will,be fine we opened ours onLine from the UK then just went in wih ID and collected cards very easy they are a good bank. Debbs

Hi, I don't think you are entitled to child care unless you are a permanent resident and I've not heard of tax benefit here in Australia only the UK but I may be wrong. As for Medicare my son is on the BVA visa he is entitled to Medi Care being from the UK but it does not cover things like blood tests and scans unless you are PR so I would take out medical insurance if it's just a general visit to the doctor your covered but anything more serious you will be billed. Also dentists are not covered at all they are all private practices and not cheap well,at least her in NSW they are. Hope this bit of info helps. Debbs

Hi we flew with Cathay pacific they were great but my son flew with Singapore and said they were fantastic couldn't do enough for everybody he came on a holiday and then we booked him to come back in WHV and booked Emirates he said never again as the he had to ask for a drink after 3 hours on the plane there were so many passengers and not enough staff he said in the end he had 3 drinks in 14 hours and wasn't impressed I have heard of other people fling with them that are very happy but he would never do it again and swears by Singapore.

Hi Paul, I would complete it we did and it saved us a lot of time. We know of people being delayed because they hadn't completed it and end up being put back in the pile for processing while it's done. Better to be safe than sorry we put in as much info as possible Immi tend look favourably on that rather than having to keep asking you for details. Debbs

Hi, I've been travelling up to cairns from sydney for the last 8 months as my husband is working there. I can only tell you that we love it and love it so much we are moving to cairns in January. We are on the northern beaches end Trinity Beach and it's beautiful it might not be for everybody as it is quiet that end. The reasons for us moving well hardly any traffic compared to sydney a much more relaxed lifestyle ( my opinion only). We literally think there is so much to do and we never have enough time to fit it all in. i am also from the UK been in oz 2 years the summers in sydney are hot but nothing compared to cairns. You will definitely feel the humidity it's something you can't explain until you get off that plane and wow. Don't let it put you off, it's just something you have to try and get used to. The wet season is exactly what it says wet wet wet...but it's so hot your dry again before you know it. i can't tell you anything about schools but there seems to be loads all over. As for the Mosquitos yes they are a problem but if you are careful and spray the kids and yourself with bushman you will be fine they love me but since using that I've had no problems. The wildlife LOL yes there are certainly crocodiles I spotted one in the sea just off where we are but it's rare they come on the beaches and as many on the site have said there's been no attacks for a long time as long as your sensible take note of the signs they're not there as some people think for show you will be fine. Not seen any snakes and hope I don't in the future. I would certainly come and experience it. I can't wait to move so it can't be that bad. debbs

Hi guys, I'd like just to add something positive. My son 21 years old applied for his 835 onshore and now has a que date. Yes the wait says 56 years but he is here with us and that's all that matters. He was granted unrestricted working rights a couple of weeks ago and has landed his dream job in the super yacht industry. He does have some experience with marine engineering so that helped. I know a lot of employers won't look at you on a BVA but they were more than happy to accept it which is fantastic. So for us Australia has been nothing but fantastic to us and we are so grateful to be here and now all able to move on and enjoy our life in Australia. Wanted to just share something positive about australian immigration as we have found them nothing but helpful.

Hi, if I can help with a little bit of advice. When you apply for your police checks also apply for a subject access. My son had a minor fight when he was 15 and it showed up on his police check saying no live trace. Immi then require you to explain it sometimes. The subject access takes about 40 days to come through sometimes sooner but it gives them all your details and shows you are no longer a threat since that last conviction. It saves a lot of time and only costs £10 I'd apply for that straight away same website you get your police check from. As soon as my sons Immi officer had that they were happy as it shows full proof of nothing else pending. Immi call it a step down report. Hope this helps. Debbs

Hi my son was was origionally on a working holiday visa and then went on to the same BVA WA as yourself after apply for 835 Remaining relative visa, but he held the same working conditions as his WHV. He had to apply for unrestricted working conditions.mthankgod he was granted them today.

Thats totally right Maggiemay, I didn't see the other post about living with his dad.

Hi just been something similar ourselves. We moved in 2013 and our son then 19 was working and didn't want to come at that time and we couldn't get him on our visa as he wasn't a dependant. Anyway he came on a working holiday 417 been here over a year now but we applied for an 835 remaining relative visa which we could sponsor him on but he has to be your last remaining relative ie he has no step parents or siblings in the UK. The visa has its conditions and my son has just been accepted and given his que date but it can take up to 56 years to be granted. The only good thing is as we applied on shore he is now on a Bridging Visa which at the moment carries the same working conditions as his WHV 6 months with one employer at a time, but means he can live the rest of his life with us in Australia lawfully. This was our only option as he also didn't have anything on the skilled list. The 835 visa comes with restrictions like I said which you can apply to have lifted but how successful that will be we don't know yet. Also he will not be able to get an apprenticship or traineeship as he has to be a resident or citizen. Hope this helps it's no the ideal solution but if he wants to come and live with you may be an option. Debbs

My son has just got his que date so will be interesting to see the new numbers, let's hope there's some good news.

Thanks Ali, he recieved his que date yesterday to. Another big relief

Hi, we have just gone through the same thing with our son myself my husband and youngest son all came on a 186 or 187 not to sure now and are now citizens my oldest son was 19 but in full time employment he was not allowed on our visa. We had to prove that he was completely reliant on us and was only studying which we could not do. The cut off age for dependant is 25 years old. You may have a chance as he's not on a part or full time work contract but they want full evidence of being your dependant and how you support them. We looked in to everything possible but there was nothing we could do to bring our son on our visa. We dont have any other family members close to us in UK so he had to stay for a while. He is now living with us here in Australia he came in a working holiday visa as we are now citizens we were able to sponsor him on a remaining relative visa but he has to be your last remaining relative in UK no other siblings are step parents can be there for him to be sponsored. And the wait for the visa grant is showing 56 years at the moment but they have put my son on a Bridging Visa until it is granted so he can stay here lawfully but it comes with a lot of restrictions but the only way our family can be together. I hope some of this helps it's very daunting leaving a child behind and heart breaking but we are now happy and all together. I hope things work out for you. Debbs

Hi if you look up transferring RN to RAN poms in oz there's a huge amount of info in there we did the once 20 months ago it's very helpful. The link is in my page if you can't find it. Hope that helps Debbs

Hi can't say for yourself 100% but I made an enquiry for my son who is on a BVA to the apprentice NSW people and was told under no circumstances could he do an Apprenticship unless he was a Permanent Resident or Citizen. Worth giving them a bell they will give you the answer you need. Debbs

My sons has done full 6 months here in Sydney on WHV he was still taxed the 32% from day one, so hopefully he can claim some back as only worked 6 out of 12 months. Tax office had said that's the way it works with some employers.

Hi my son is on a WHV at the moment he is due to go in to a Bridging Visa in 2 weeks time his Bridging visa States he is only allowed to work under the same conditions as his WHV 6 months at one job. You can apply for unrestricted working rights but have to prove financial hardship and can only do this once your bridging visa is in force. Hope that helps Debbs

Hi, regarding your medicals I wouldn't worry. Ours showed no update at all even when our visa was granted. It normally takes about 10 days but don't panic if it doesn't show as they will let you know if there is any problems. Debbs