johnboy100

Thanks everyone for the information. I think a chat with a specialist migration agent might be the way to go. I should have added that my wife and I are both 63 years old so a few more years until the aged parent visa possibilities kick in (if they are still around by then), and too old to have any realistic chance of getting an employment visa. We are visiting Australia next week for Xmas and NY so will chat through with our son and family too, to get his perspective.

My wife and I are considering applying for a 173 visa to join our only son, who is now an Australian citizen, and family in Australia. I know the waiting lists are long and costly but we are prepared to give it a go. So, my question is this: After applying for and hopefully receiving a 173 visa, which I believe lasts for 2 years, we then apply during this 2 year period for a 143 visa to live in Australia permanently, what happens after the 173 visa runs out and before a 143 visa is granted (or probably even looked at given the current waiting times)? Do we have to leave Australia or is there some sort of bridging visa until the 143 is decided upon? Thanks.

Thanks for the reply. ( I think it was in response to my question but I may have posted in the wrong place!)

Hi all, I am thinking of starting the long, long process of applying for a 143 CPV with the full knowledge that it might be in excess of 6 years by the time I reach the top of the queue! For planning purposes, I was wondering how long do you get from when the CPV is granted to actually take up residence in Australia(as this will mean me selling my house in the UK when the time comes). From looking at some of the previous posts, it looks like about 12-14 months from when the immigration department starts asking for things - is this about right?

Thanks Very Stormy, just looked at it for the first time and you are spot on.

Hi, Does anyone know of any static caravan sites anywhere between Sydney & Newcastle that have caravans for sale and that would allow my wife and I to stay in Australia for extended periods to see our grand-daughter grow up? A link to their www would be most appreciated.

Thanks Quoll for the insight. Does the tourist visa allow up to 6 months then? I understood it was valid for 1 year but only 3 months in one stint.

Hi there everyone, My wife and I have only one son and he emigrated to Australia 5 years ago on a Partner Visa and is now married (and has now been granted Permanent Residency) to an Australian and they have a young daughter. We looked at emigrating there a couple of years ago but at our age (both 56), the only option appeared to be the Contributory Parent Visa at huge cost (even higher now due to the fall in the £) so we didn't go for it in the end. Although I am a well qualified engineer, I don't think there are any work-related visas that would be available to me. We are both retired and own our UK property and although have a good pension in UK terms, it is not enough to sustain buying a property over in Australia (plus I believe non-residents can only buy off-plan new builds which limits the areas available) without downsizing possibly to a small flat here. My question is fairly general but I wondered if anyone can suggest the best, most cost-effective way of spending more time in Australia in order that we can see our grand-daughter grow up - maybe long-term renting or purchasing a static-sited caravan (if they have those in Aus), house swaps or an extended stay visitor visa (if it exists). Our son and daughter-in-law live in Sydney but only have a small apartment so staying with them is not feasible plus who would want their parents/in-laws staying long-term with them? Hence, hotels cost a lot in the long run! Open for any suggestions - thanks

Hello everyone, I have just joined and of course have an immediate question. My wife and I are considering moving to Australia on a Parent Visa (sub class 143) - the one that costs heaps of money! We have only one son who is married to an Australian and is a Permanent Resident in Sydney so he can act as sponsor. I know I need to fill in Form 47PA and he needs to fill in Form 40 but my question is do I ned to also fill in Form 47A as our son, although over 18, isn't a dependent in terms of the definition in the 47PA form. Grateful for some free advice.