vickyplum

I weight A LOT MORE than recommended. I lost about 10kg between August and when I had my medical (December) which helped lower my blood pressure quite a bit but BMI is still no way even at waving distance of acceptable/normal. But medicals weren't questioned or referred (I have no other issues which I guess might have helped).

I don't know personally but have seen a few people advising that if you are concerned / or it might be useful, get one anyway.

Very brave - and Reece must be a trooper to have coped with invasive cancer therapies for 6 yrs.

Really inappropriate!

as far as I'm aware, you need to account for everything in each box - so make a list of what you put into which box. this is for customs declaration. but i haven't moved to Australia yet so hopefully someone with the experience of moving will come along soon!

Tailoring your CV is looking at the job you want to apply for, and then rewording your CV or putting more emphasis on certain things, so that it reflects the job that the employer is looking to fill. ie, I am a Personal Assistant, and my role also contains things like SAP purchasing, document control stuff, events organising. So if I applied for a job as an event co-ordinator/manager, I would talk less about SAP and document control and go into more detail about the events I've organised (planning process, number of attendees, location, activities etc). But if I was applying for a SAP job, I would only mention the event side of my role, very briefly. This is not a Australia-specific thing - most serious job hunters in the UK will do the same. ps- sorry, didn't mean to repeat what readstogo said - didn't read through properly!

I thought you started off by saying this man was your friend, but guess I misinterpreted that part...!!

maybe don't be so precise with your "requirements"... chat to people, see what they're like. Often having nothing in common / or being very different, is what brings people together. I'm sure there will be plenty of new people to meet when you start studying, and most will be the same age as you, if they are also studying. I always find it hard to meet new people but just talking to people about anything/everything, always seems to break the ice

basic first steps - check the Dept of Immigration & Border Protection website. They have a visa tool thing which you complete with various bits of information and it will tell you which visa/s are possibilities for you. http://www.immi.gov.au/Visit/Pages/Visit.aspx

I could be wrong but I think the type of accommodation is more to do with your living arrangements/extended family, rather than do you have enough room for you and your wife. A lot of the questions on the 47sp that your wife will fill in, are centred around your extended family, their personal circumstances etc (such as Q73 about what countries have been visited in past 10 years, who she travelled with and visited). In your supporting statement, why don't you write about your aspirations of getting somewhere to live together, how that might work, how nice it will be etc? Maybe explain a bit about your current living arrangement as well. The bullet points in the guidance document will steer you in the right direction.

No I am not in a rush, but I am not good at waiting! Just wanted to hear something from them, after all the times I said I wouldn't contact them because there's no point. I'm carrying on with life as usual, even moving house (we rent) - but it's at the back of my mind every time I think about the summer holidays or Xmas etc... nevermind, not really much longer to wait now!

I applied for the same visa in August 2013 and I was told to expect to wait 8-9 months from the date I lodged the application. I was under the impression that at the start of the year, processing times are shorter but don't take my word for this!

I got the fidgets today and emailed my CO, under the guise of "is there anything outstanding you need to process my application?" - knowing they will contact me if that's the case. The responded and confirmed they have everything they need and that processing time is still 8-9 months (April-May). They also reminded not to do anything that cannot be undone - such as resigning from job or selling house. So I continue to wait quietly and obsessively check poms in oz whenever I get bored

do you have post sent to this address? if you have bank statements, etc sent to you at that address and your partner has the same, that will prove you've been living at the same address. Also agree with CoolBreeze - ask her parents to write a statutory declaration, setting out the living arrangements and how long you've been there.

I don't think London/Sydney can be compared. I think London's beauty is in it's buildings and history, whereas Sydney has a more lovely "natural" surrounding - ie, the harbour, the sunshine, the light (plus some amazing man-made stuff like the Harbour Bridge, Opera House, some of the older buildings). London makes me feel happy with it's old buildings and quirkiness, whereas Sydney does the same with the water-side setting, blue skies and more of an open feeling when walking around. From what I understand, I can agree they are similar in housing costs - ie, bloody expensive! Both are great but very different in my opinion (sat here in London today feeling very chilly!).

Not sure I could carry that much! ;-)

Yes it's more or less the same as the visa I've applied for (but without the marriage part!). I got through mine fine - I don't have any medical issues but am not exactly a model of fitness either! If you look at other threads, there are lots of discussion about existing/on-going medical conditions but if you're healthy/no issues then it shouldn't be any problem for you.

Hi - I had the 309/100 medical late last year. The things that were covered are: pee in a bottle for blood sugar test my height measured my weight measure my eyes tested (reading the small letters) my eyes, mouth and ears looked into my BP taken my blood taken my chest and back listened to reflexes tested chest x-ray done (this is to check for TB I believe).

I took a very cursory glance and it didn't seem too outrageous. But I'm my opinion will change when I have to buy the stuff myself.

I was looking at Australian Ikea online recently. Prices seem pretty good but presumably the same flat pack / vital screw missing nightmare that we all love to hate in the UK...

that's what I figure as well - good attitude!

I am planning to move from UK to Australia (Sydney area), before the end of 2014, because my partner is Australian. He's lived in London for 12 years and wants to go back home now - to be closer to aging parents, three siblings, nieces, nephews etc. He really loves being in the UK but we are both prepared to give it a go. I am not insanely excited about it but am of the opinion that is it an opportunity I wouldn't be able to take if it were not for the OH. I've never lived outside the UK and I would be very happy to spend a few years there at least, and see where it takes us. So no pressing reasons really, just taking a chance and and an interest in things unknown!

I applied for the 309/100 defacto partner visa and did the paperwork myself. It was filling in forms, writing stuff about our lives/relationships and gathering together various pieces of evidence and getting some of them witnessed by a solicitor. All pretty easy in my mind (if not time consuming) but it helped that I am well organised and do that sort of thing for a living!

yes, it's a bit too soon to hear anything from them, but I imagine they have taken the payment already

Thanks - let me have a think... Bedtime in the UK