Catlady2014
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Everything posted by Catlady2014
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You are quite wrong, I did not buy a house. And all money spent on goods and services feeds back into the economy, it does not disappear into the ether never to be seen again.
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I have friends on parent visas who are still working well into their 70s and therefore paying tax. There are others like myself who do voluntary work; and although the voluntary workers are not paying tax, they are providing free labour. And of course many others are also providing free childcare for grandchildren, enabling the grandchildren's parents to work longer, earn more and consequently pay more tax. With regard to Medicare, there are very many Aussies in the UK who receive NHS treatment that they may not have paid into, so there must also be some element of 'swings and roundabouts'. Since arriving in Australia, I've bought a new car and hired builders and tradies to build my extension onto the family home, bought new furniture and appliances, totalling around $230,000, as well as all the usual and ongoing things like food and clothing, rego and insurance, holidays, utilities and entertainment, conservatively estimated at $10,000 per annum. So, apart from the $55,000 odd in visa fees etc, am I not also contributing to the economy in other ways? I just know that I've spent a heck of a lot of money in Australia, but I don't know where that fits into the financial calculations of my net cost to the country. Assuming that I continue with my current voluntary work for, say another 10 years, I calculate (using a nominal figure of $30 per hour for my labour) that I will have contributed another $409,500. The trouble with calculating these things is that there are far too many variables.
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There are plenty of bulk billing practices in my area. Have you tried searching for bulk billing practices using healthengine.com.au? I'm not sure that a link to it will be allowed on the forum, so I'll send it to you by pm.
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I go to a bulk billing practice, so I pay nothing at all. I do have to pay for prescriptions, but that's the only difference from the UK where I got free prescriptions. I do pay for dental and glasses, but I always had to pay for those in the UK anyway, so again no difference. Ambulances are free in Queensland, but I believe you have to pay for those in other states. I decided against private health insurance - I never had it in the UK and so I don't miss it. I use a fantastic medical practice where you can choose which doctor to see according to their particular fields of interest/speciality and book appointments on line - never have to wait - a d blood tests and xrays are done at the same place. It's really impressive, way ahead of anything I ever experienced in an NHS practice.
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Congratulations!
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At the time of my payment request, the only options for payment were either bank cheque or credit card. That was just over a year ago. Maybe things have changed, maybe you can use other methods now (I don't know) but when you get the request for payment you MUST follow the payment instructions on the payment request.
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Congratulations on getting this far - nearly there now!
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Signatures appear directly below members' posts, but you will only see the signatures if you are signed into the forum at the time when you are reading the posts.
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I really don't believe it will make any difference at all whether you include "the" or leave it out; so long as Department of Home Affairs is there, that should be fine. I got my visa granted very very quickly after the cheque was sent off, despite a Bank Holiday intervening.
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Yes, bank cheque and registered post is the way to go. You should get your visa grant very quickly - see my timeline below.
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Yes, it looks like she is confusing the two. However, the initial entry/validation date is not within 12 months from date of "issue" (grant), it is within 12 months from Police/medicals. But in any case, the relevant dates to be complied with are clearly stated on the individual visa grant.
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Fingers crossed for you.
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@Mrs Depp, I don't know if you can get the initial entry/validation date extended. I think you'll have to contact Perth. Or can you take a quick trip into Aus to validate and then back home again to sort whatever it is that needs to be sorted?
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Maybe they've changed the rules since last September? My 143 visa grant was dated 28 September 2017 and quoted : "initial arrival must be made by 1 February 2018". @Alan Collett, do you know if the rules have changed?
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No, you can't. You have to enter and validate your visa within 12 months of the medical/Police clearance. The visa grant stipulates the exact latest date to enter/validate.
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No, you need an Australian Medicare card - See AMP's previous post for how to get one under reciprocal arrangements if you are on a visitor visa, or to get one if you have permanent residency.
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I totally agree, Angela. I've found the service superb compared to the UK. One thing I would add is: when getting a prescription filled, you may be asked if you would like a generic medicine rather than a branded one, which will usually be cheaper. Take the generic where possible.
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At long last - very very pleased for you!
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looks like he was much the same as Dutton.
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Disgraceful behaviour by Centrelink! I am so sorry to hear this news. I hope your daughter's MP can get an explanation of why you weren't advised long ago and given an oppirtunity to get a co-assurer - surely all offices have to follow the same rules!
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POM - might be an urban legend but I have heard it said that it stood for Prisoner of her Majesty. Or something to do with pomegranates? Can't remember what that connection was supposed to be though.
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I don't think they care who it comes from. Many of us on the forum have done it this way in the past, without a problem. I only got my visa last September and it was fine. But things may have changed since then, so check your email requesting the second vac - if they only accept from a particular source, it will say so.
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I transferred the money to my daughter's bank account, she got a bank cheque drawn on her account, and sent it to PVC. I don't know if it's possible to do it the way you are thinking of.
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I stand corrected on the amount of employer NI contribution! As I said, I'm not up to speed on payroll. But I based the number of working years on my own working life (46 years) and I have friends of a similar age to me who are still working and have no intention of retiring (they must be gluttons for punishment but they apparently like working). I even have an older friend still working at age 77 and a brother in law still working at age 82. I believe they don't have to pay NI over a certain age but my point is that a 35-year working life sounds wrong to me. I don't know of anyone who has retired at the age of 50 - even allowing for maternity leave, and paternity leave wasn't available to my generation.
