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Seizethedance

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Everything posted by Seizethedance

  1. Seizethedance
    Thanks Quoll for the detailed reply, lot's to think about. Hubby has British citizenship, and I think he'd be ok returning to the UK if I really wanted to (jobs permitting), it has been more me pushing this move than him. We're initially basing ourselves 20 minutes away from his parents and we hope it's a nice town with a bit more about it than some other country towns (we're heading for Beechworth). I guess we're actually lucky that he left there as a sprightly 17 year old and that was long ago now (!) so other than parents and brother he doesn't know anyone there and to be honest a lot about Australia in general will feel quite new to him I think, he's been in the UK 12 years now. I suppose it's important to work on making Australia home in the early years. For us, there isn't really anywhere in the UK that feels like 'home' anyway - we love where we live now but only been here 5 years and before that all over the place. I hope we can both make Australia home together and I know how lucky we are to have this option! As Bobj rightly points out, there is much that is fabulous about life
  2. Seizethedance
    Those who feel settled and never want to return to UK - what makes the difference and what advice to a newbie? We're making the move in August to regional Vic where my hubby is from and plan to settle there for good. We will be near his family and so for us this will of course make it so much easier to settle and for him it's going home. Our kids are young (4 and 1) and so they will grow up Aussie. But I read a lot on here about longing for home, and I worry about never feeling truly settled. Would love to hear from those who feel Australia is their forever home - what advice would you have?
  3. Seizethedance
    Welcome We applied online and don't remember anything like that, it was all very straightforward and I was contacted within a couple of days by my CO. Have you not been appointed a CO yet? It's probably fine, perhaps others can reassure you or you could always drop them an email asking for an update?
  4. Seizethedance
    We applied at the end of july - into the 10-14 month wait but I'm hoping that it wont suddenly jump up and we might get it at around 9 months still. Or is that wishful thinking?
  5. Seizethedance
    Interesting to read people's responses - I'm planning on training as a teacher in Australia next year. All the UK teachers or ex-teachers I know HATE it but all my in-laws are teachers in Oz and seem to mostly enjoy it. I'm hoping that means it's a better job in Oz!
  6. Seizethedance
    I've visited once with my mother in-law 8 years ago - she took me to the bakery and I could not have imagined we'd be moving there in years to come! We chose it partly because there is a little montessori primary school which we love the look of for our two little kiddies, and it is such a beautiful area. I'm hoping all the tourists at least mean it's a nice place! Do you have family there? When are you moving?
  7. Seizethedance
    Elzawelza we're moving to Beechworth, 20 mins away from Wang! I'm also going on a 100 visa, hubby is from that region so it's going home for him. Do you know the area well?
  8. Seizethedance
    We just submitted passport applications last week in London and were told we will receive them in the post in 2 weeks.
  9. Seizethedance
    Yes I've got KP and emailed a question a while ago (about whether I needed another document) and they replied within the hour.
  10. Seizethedance
    Actually there's a residency requirement for the parenting payment - you have to be resident for 104 weeks. It's all very complicated.
  11. Seizethedance
    I meant $75 per week for rent, not $125. You may also get the parenting payment if you're at home caring for your baby, with a maximum of $465.50 per fortnight http://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/services/centrelink/parenting-payment
  12. Seizethedance
    This is the website you need https://www.centrelink.gov.au/RateEstimatorsWeb/publicUserCombinedStart.do Clink on the estimate family assistance payment and it takes you though. Our estimate (family assistance part a plus b) based on only earning a small amount of rental income plus another benefit which is counted as income (Austudy) would be about $230 per week. On top of that we get $125 rent assistance. Hopefully we wont need to get the maximum, or at least not for long, but knowing that safety net is there makes it possible for us to move. Also we're going to be very near hubby's parents so that will be a big help.
  13. Seizethedance
    This is the website you need https://www.centrelink.gov.au/RateEstimatorsWeb/publicUserCombinedStart.do Clink on the estimate family assistance payment and it takes you though. Our estimate (family assistance part a plus b) based on only earning a small amount of rental income plus another benefit which is counted as income (Austudy) would be about $230 per week. On top of that we get $125 rent assistance. Hopefully we wont need to get the maximum, or at least not for long, but knowing that safety net is there makes it possible for us to move. Also we're going to be very near hubby's parents so that will be a big help.
  14. Seizethedance
    Do you mean $800 after tax per week or is that his wage? Will you be eligible for government benefits (depends on visa I think)? We're not there yet but will be moving this year with 2 kids - they're Aussie citizens so we get full benefits if we're on a low wage to begin with (probably will be). It makes a huge difference. We will get family tax benefit part A and B, then there is rent assistance and others you may be entitled to. Have a google on centre link and family tax benefit - there are various calculators you can use and I rang them to be sure I would be entitled to one I was unsure about. With these benefits on top I'd say $800 is probably fine in the short term. If you're not entitled to these then $800 is not a lot to live on (based on the research I've done).
  15. Seizethedance
    Do people with kids think it's better to have a stop over for a night or just get the flight over with in one go? Ours will be 4 and 22 months and we were planning on straight there but I notice a couple of people here planning on stop overs.
  16. Seizethedance
    We're moving to rural vic in august, near my aussie hubby's family and a really beautiful area. We have 2 kids, a nearly 4 year old who will start school there and a one year old. Can't wait!!
  17. Seizethedance
    We're moving next year to a small town in vic down the road from my in laws. We thought about lots of other places all over Australia but this made far more sense. Practically it'll be easier and great for our kids but also oh is much happier about the move now. It never occurred to me that I might feel a bit left out! If anything I think it will help us integrate more since he can call himself a local. Of course, we haven't done it yet so who knows how it'll all turn out.
  18. Seizethedance
    A friend did mine, not a solicitor but someone from the list of professions in the application booklet (for a spouse visa)
  19. Seizethedance
    I've been the one wanting to move while my Aussie hubby is reluctant and worried about practicalities. We've finally worked out a plan that we're both happy with though, which involves me retraining to (hopefully) get better financial security than we have here. Now he's looking forward to it.
  20. Seizethedance
    I emailed the CO and they said that in my case they did not need a second declaration - glad I checked though!
  21. Seizethedance
    Crikey thank goodness for this forum! I will email my CO I guess and let them know I'll send another one. I presume they do let us know if we need more docs at some point, right?
  22. Seizethedance
    Hmm yes that's what I thought, but the CO letter was a little different: Please provide at least 3-4 documents per year, Documents that are often provided to substantiate a person’s claim that they are in a genuine relationship include, but are not limited to:  Joint financial or legal documents (mortgage, bank account, utility bills, wills)  Individual financial or legal documents showing the same address  Statutory declarations or statements from third party declarants – no more than 2 I provided lot's of financial stuff that I hope covers each quarter. Does everyone provide 2 declarations? We've been married 4 years and have 2 kids. But I do really need to get straight onto the permanent one so want to get it right!
  23. Seizethedance
    I've only submitted one statement - from a non-Aussie friend and got it witnessed by another friend (not solicitor but with a job equivalent to one of those on the list). This was a few weeks ago and I haven't heard anything. I'm now wondering whether we should have done 2? We weren't actually advised that we had to provide any, it was on the list of options of evidence with a note saying not more than two (this was in the letter sent from the CO). It's all very confusing!
  24. Seizethedance
    Same here - it's taken me 2 years to persuade my Aussie hubby to move there!
  25. Seizethedance
    I applied a couple of weeks ago and got a letter a few days later assigning CO and saying 10-14 months wait. They told me not to get medical or police checks until after January 28th to ensure plenty of time to enter Australia after they grant the visa.
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