oldun

Thanks - it was quite a long wait. We initially applied on 30 August 2013, however that was when the unexpected extra price hike was introduced so a lot of people put in for it around that time. The date from the immi website was stuck on 29 August 2013 for about 6 weeks which was pretty mind bending. We started working on the Medicals and Police Checks about 3 weeks into when the date was on 29 August as we knew it had to change eventually. If you want to check on the exact dates put "CPV tracker" into google and look under "Visas granted" (you don't have to be a member) - my one is cholder. It is so worth it in the end - good luck with yours. Cheers

Hi guys, I have also just been granted the 143. I did the same as you, even used the same bank. I then transferred the amount to my son's account and arranged for a banker' cheque to be sent - saved over $1000 in credit card charges. I waited until asked for the dosh (mainly as they need the reference number). Everything went very smoothly. Good luck with it. cheers

Good afternoon all, This may be repeated as I had nearly finished it, pressed something and it disappeared! Anyway, we have just had the request for the 2nd VAC (yaaay!). We transferred the dosh some time ago into an Australian account in anticipation, hoping to save on credit card charges. Having checked there does not now seem anyway of easily transferring it as no account was supplied, and the instructions seem to be either geared towards credit card payment or by cheque. Any advice will be gratefully received. I will now hopefully press the right button so that this is posted correctly. cheers

Hi Freesia, Many thanks for getting back to me; I didn't explain it very well, the AOS is pretty well sorted it is the Second VAC that I (hopefully) will be looking to pay shortly. Cheers.

Morning all, Hopefully we are soon to be asked for our second VAC. We have the funds already in a bank account in Australia. Having recently transferred the assurance of support, we had to contact the bank and get special authority to transfer the $14,000 to our son's account and was told the maximum allowed to be transferred in one transaction is $15,000, or with extra special permission, $20,000. Does anyone know if DIPB use BPAY or any other system whereby the transfer can be done by one transaction rather than five? Many thanks.

I think I would check with the agents on this one. Our application was accepted on 30 Aug 2013. Our Agents said not to do anything until Meds and Police Checks were requested from the Case Officer. We actually started the ball rolling when the immi date was stuck forever on 29 Aug 2013 - Meds on 29 June 15 and police checks a week later. We received notification about a week ago and are in the process of sorting out assurance of support now (dosh is in place, just need to transfer it). I would confirm with the agents if they had actually received a request from DIPB for Police checks and that it was more to do with the agent jumping the gun. We were informed from the very start that it could take 18 months at least before it all started happening. I am not sure I would inform DIPB of 'their incompetence' until I knew for sure it was them (not sure I would anyway, as you need these guys on your side). Good luck with it anyway.

Great review as i will be looking soon. Even more impressed that your kitchen staff didn't mind being wrapped in paper and sent on the ship. QUOTE=DaL1;1936784495]Hi All, Just to be clear: I am not an employee of any shipment company and this review is not linked or paid by shipment company (please bear in mind that many reviews on forums are). Why I am writing this: I spent a lot of time choosing relocation company, reading many forums with contradicting information. I was really disappointed with paid/false reviews. Thanks to the forum moderators for picking some of these and marking them. I have chosen Anglo Pacific. I got my visa in March and started looking for relocation company from Reading UK to Melbourne AUS. Size: 1/3 container with many delicate items: guitars, art, kitchen things, expensive road/mtb bikes and furniture. Insurance: I went with private insurance not the APs. I had six companies doing an estimate (end of Feb 2015) and chosen one based on various things: my intuition after talking with companies' reps, reviews and cost (not the cheapest and not the most expensive). All of the companies overestimated how much things I had. I was consistent showing them what I had - this was done over two days. Important: representatives give lots of advice on how to clean things and what you can take. I really appreciated this help. Customs did not question anything in the shipping and did not charge additionally for cleaning (besides standard AQIS cost for the check). Pre packing: very good communication by email, phone. Answered all my questions and also tried to arranged parking permits (Reading council is very difficult with this). Pick up day was scheduled without problem. Packing (20th April): Arrived on time and despite difficulty with parking (one way street, full of cars). They didn't make a problem with it possibly because not large shipment. Packed very fast and most important they packed it really well. Guitars, my road bike and kitchen staff were packed is paper, wrap, boxes that would survive a hurricane. Each box had a label and details on what is in the box, number etc. You get the copy of the shipment and it is useful to check on delivery. Road bike had special wooden crate. Arrived without any (new) scratches. Post packing: AP checked the size of shipping again in their warehouse. They called me to say that I had less things than estimated and refunded some cost. Why this is important: one company said that they will not change the initial estimate if the size is smaller (they will if I have more things). Waiting: AP provides ship details that you can track here: http://www.marinetraffic.com/ and I also could track container here: http://www.track-trace.com/container. Why I like it? Because I am impatient. Helped a bit. Delivery (21 July 2015) : Company in Aus emailed the details and approx. delivery date. This slipped by 2 days but no problem. Customs took two weeks. I had a call to confirm delivery day and they also said they will call again with delivery time. Delivery time was in one hour slot. Again very fast service and very nice guys. Unpacked what I wanted (furniture and bikes) and took the rubbish away. Took the furniture upstairs. I kept some boxes for next move. I have just unpacked other boxes. I asked for the floor protection as I have timber floors. This was not needed at the end as they were really careful. Most important: nothing is broken, lost, damaged, mouldy. Everything is fine. All boxes arrived. If you are lost in all the reviews on forums just get appointments with few companies and compare them. Thanks for other people who reviewed and shared their experience. This was very useful when I was deciding and planning the relocation.

Our acceptance date was 30 Aug 13, so the last few weeks have been a little frustrating - makes watching paint dry seem like an extreme sport! I guess, however, they are doing what they can and the back log is probably caused by people like me who wanted to get in before the price-hike deadline - feel sorry for the people on 31 Aug 13! Whilst it is a bit hit and miss when it is turned on the immi email does explain the situation. I also went with our agent's advice, which was there was no rush to get the medicals and police checks done, wait until closer to the time (we had our medicals last Monday, police checks submitted last Friday). It is something that, in my opinion, is worth waiting for (mind you, watch this space we were to be refused!!). Just my unsolicited thoughts during a boring moment at work.

Yaay, great news. Hopefully we shouldn't be too far behind!

Hi Petina, Could you let me know when you get your CO - our date was 31 August 2013. Yesterday I actual got a reply form the "immi" email and it is 23 August still. cheers

Hi Perthpops, Judging by what I have seen on the CPV tracker so far I think it takes between a month - 2 months for the visa to be issued once we have a CO. We haven't done the medicals and policed checks yet, waiting for the CO to be assigned so you may be a bit quicker. cheers

Our application was lodged on 31 August 2013 (last day before the extra visa fee hike up for that particular year). No problem at all with the wait (calm, cool and collected).....until now as it seems so close and I am like a cat on a hot tin roof - and that is only for the CO to be assigned. I think the last update from the 'mercurial' immi website was 23 August 2013, on 15 May. There is no particular point to this post, just mentioning in case it makes me feel better; hasn't worked so far.

Can I ask who you moved with? cheers Chris

Hi Dave, We had to submit a Form 80 for both us. Lucky us, they had recently added an extra 2 pages! I used anything I could find for the dates, passport stamps, diving logs vaccination dates - basically anything i could find. Some were also estimates but I did put in full dates including day; I think our agent did say we would probably get away with Month and Year but then my hidden OCD kicked in; I think I secretly liked the challenge, although after 18 pages my will to live was seeping out of me. Good luck with it. cheers Chris

Great argument.