AlanSteel

Light the blue touch paper! Received an email from migration agents.............

I am 60 and my husband is 62 and we were just wondering if anyone had any advice about the best way to apply for a visa. We are just unsure what to do as my husband will probably be nearly 65 when our Contributory visa is granted anyway and so wondered if we ought to go for the aged parents visa. We would also welcome advice on whether to use an agent in the UK or in Oz I know there would be problems with the time difference but our son who is already out there would be willing to make any phone calls on our behalf. Many thanks

Hi Chittaway, I don't have any answers but @Alan Collett would be worth contacting as he has done a good job for us. He is a migration agent MARA registered in UK and Oz I believe. Good luck with the process

Will they contact you direct Alan or your migration agent? I'm guessing you won't be too far from your phone tomorrow.

No idea to be honest, but I have contacted Immi direct as I haven't had a reply from my migration agent since I sent an email Monday, so hopefully they will contact me. As you say though, phone glued to me now! If we get asked for 2nd payment and can pay before Tuesday then we can fly out and return in time for me to start my new job on 2nd August

We are currently assessing applications lodged up to and including 1 June 2014. Please note that due to a very high number of 173 and 143 applications received in June 2014, the assessment date is expected to change at a much slower pace than usual. We appreciate your patience and your understanding.

we haven't heard anything yet though!

Alan, have you tried emailing Immi to explain the situation? You're so close to the finish line, surely they'd understand.

Yes, and a polite reply saying that they follow a strict date order, and to be fair to all, they have to follow this, although a lot longer put. Lol and to be honest, I guess that's the best way, otherwise if people que jumped, others wouldn't get any closer. As frustrating as that is.

Edit - not sure why this came up twice, sorry! Or maybe I thought it should be repeated ...

 

Immi update today "We are currently assessing applications lodged up to and including 29 May 2014." @AlanSteel - SO close for you now!!! June soon too :-)

 

Amanda

Thanks for the update, alas I have just had to send an update to the company who want me to start on 2nd August, saying it's doubtful our visa will be in place by then. To make matters worse, my migration agent hasn't replied to my email sent earlier this week! I hope the employer can wait.

Well 6 weeks in, and after the hectic first month, things have settled down.

My job is being held until 2nd August, but after seeing todays update from Immi, might have to go back and see if they will extend this further. Karen isn't having a great deal of success finding work, but then again, we were told that until we get a definite visa, she wont get too many wanting to interview her. On the plus side to that, the garden looks good!

Fishing tackle purchased, but not yet been out, and camping kit slowly building up, ready for the warmer weather!

The mighty Perth Demons, are unbeaten since we arrived, so we are becoming a the 'lucky omen' fans there at the moment. Love watching the WAFL, not sure why more Brits don't get involved watching it to be honest!

Anyway we are off south this weekend, hopefully spotting some Whales down in Augusta on Sunday. If your in Joondalup area, give us a call, maybe a coffee sometime?

It's going to take as long as it takes! If applications are higher than normal then waiting times will be affected. Yep it would be nice to have our case looked at earlier as suggested by the time scales given when we applied but if the numbers are as high as 40% over normal them just sit back chill and wait. I was hoping after last week's update to have had a case officer this week, but still nothing. It is what it is and I'm sure they are working hard to catch up.

Popped into the local chemist today feeling stressed about my blood pressure, they checked it three times and said nothing to worry about!

So we have been here 11 days and starting to feel like we are finding our way around. We have noticed a few strange things

1 it appears that you need to do a bit of chit chat before asking anyone a question in a store or bank, they seem offended if you go straight in and ask "where do I find......"

2 cashiers at the bank like to talk to you about nothing even when there is a long queue behind you

3 what's the deal with meat that is corned or pickled?

4 estate agents in Oz don't seem that interested in finding you a home, coming from an agency background I find this appalling

Still we are embracing the changes and getting on with life the Ozzie way all be it with a twist of UK in it!

Well the exchange rate appears to have bottomed out and has risen since it was announced that Mrs May becomes PM from Wednesday. Let's hope it continues, hopefully now that the Uk isn't running around like a headless chicken the government might yo something yo get us out of this mess caused by the referendum.

Hi Julie, good to see your out here, now chill and relax, that will sort out the blood pressure. I had mine taken 3 times when we did our medicals.

Cant say we are having similar experiences, most here seem to offer help wether it's needed or not lol.

Absolutely agree with your comments about estate agents, and they don't get any better even when your in a rental!

Sat here just waiting for someone to say we are being processed, Gotta be close very soon.

Dear PVC (if you are reading)

Please stop reading and look at our application...... lol

Packed hubby off to first day at work today wearing proper clothes - he did have small printed luminous palm trees on his black socks as small token of 'oz style'. @AlanSteel be aware of the likelihood of protracted background checks here re work as hoping not long before you march through that door now Kim

Cheers Kim, and good luck to hubby on day one! Still not getting too excited about the door opening to be honest, seeing as we had hoped to have this done in Jan/Feb. But as each day passes, we like to think it is getting closer.

We are currently assessing applications lodged up to and including 27 May 2014.

We can almost feel the door opening, just 3 days away from us, well the lodgment date is at least :-)

Hi All, just wondered how many of us are in Perth ? either n the waiting room or been here a few months and would like a big meet up if there is a lot of us ? and are we north or south of the river ?

Sounds a great idea, count myself and Karen in please. If you need a hand organising, just give us a shout!

As I said in another context, I meet the balance of family test, I am in Australia on my own. There is no way I could go to live with my son and his young family in the UK and get on the NHS for any amount of money. So who is talking about discrimination? And by the way, my father was a pilot in RAF Bomber Command and my great grandfather emigrated from Herefordshire in 1869.

 

My advice to any Parent on this thread who is thinking of moving to Australia to rejoin family, do not tarry. The budgetary situation in Australia will only get worse. Every old Brit who comes here not only costs the taxpayer a lot of money via Medicare, (where costs are growing rapidly partly because of an ageing population)but the Australian taxpayer has to top up all those frozen pensions after the first ten years are up. Cash cows? Don't think so.

Hi Roberta, not sure if I've missed the rest of your thread, but I'm not positive in thinking that out of an estimated 24 million people in Oz, the amount of annual 'old Brits' as you label us out of an annual Immi quota of around 8000 per annum allocated, which incidentally is not just for Brits, but the total numbers per annum, is either costing the Australian taxpayer as much as other areas of immigration, or doing much in the way of adding to the ageing population. As a percentage this visa contributes around 0.03 of the growth in population.

Like I said, my reply may be taking your comments out of context as I couldn't see anything else other than your piece on this thread.

Now arrived in the Australian section of the waiting room with the bonus of being able to see lots of our daughter and son in law.

still no news from IMMI we passed 2 years on 23 June! Let's hope that now we are into the new visa year starting 1 July that they get their act together.

Julie

WooHoo! Welcome to the Oz section of the waiting room! Hope your journey went well!

Hi All,

 

My mother in law is looking to come out to live with us and we think for her situation the Subclass 804 would suite. I am wondering if anyone could answer/confirm the following:

 

1 - Did those who have applied for a 804 get a return ticket when they flew to Australia?

 

2 - Experience on how stringent the medicals are?

 

3 - My understanding is that she is still waiting for the hospital she attends in the UK to make up their mind if they going to insert a pacemaker. Would you advise she have that done before she comes out?

 

4 - I also understand that the first medical is 12 months after the 804 is lodged is that about right on people's experience?

 

5 - What is the time to grant? I have read anything from 5 to 8 years but what is the experience of those who have been granted recently? I know it does vary on spaces that are made available each year by the government.

 

6 - Probably one of the most important questions and that is what are the experiences like for those that have applied for the 804 - good and bad. Especially, with regards to the medicals.

 

Apologies for all the questions.

 

Cheers,

 

Misplaced

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Hi I didn't answer sooner, as I have no answers to offer and was hoping someone else might be able to help you. All I can suggest is contact a MARA registered agent, I have used @Alan Collett from Go Matilda, and have been happy with his advise to date. Good luck.

I hope we can see some movements on the date tomorrow

Don't go holding your breath! :wink:

Congratulations on your new job Alan, well done.

You have been an inspiration with your positivity, I hope I can be the same.

Thanks @Bev50Bradley! I cant take all the credit, I have the will of a good woman driving us on!!! :smile:

Hi all,

 

I'm sure this has been asked before but I can't find the answer. I believe there is a minimum income requirement for the assurer of support can anyone tell me the figure.

 

Thanks

 

Joe

Hi @geordie joe, there is a minimum income level and unfortunately I also cant remember it doh!

congratulations to you and your family Kim, well done! Also to Alan on the job. You are now all officially living the dream ...

Cheers @Fisher1, not 100% living the dream, job is subject to visa, visa seems to be taking for ever!

Congratulations Alan! You sure do make it all look easy :-)

Amanda

Thanks Amanda, not easy knowing that the visa has still to be granted. This could all turn into a long expensive 12 months holiday!

You're getting on with things, embracing all the changes with a positive attitude, plus landing a new job and making new friends - I take my cap off to you - it all bodes well for your new life. Congratulations.

Thanks @Catlady2014!

Not only did I get offered a position today, but to cap the day off myself and Karen met @odies for coffee! We really enjoyed meeting you both, and hope to meet up again soon!

I got the job!!!!!! Please give us our visa!!!

Congrats! !