LindaH27
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Always needed! Quote taken from their website after AOS was changed in 2006 and going forward ....(last updated July 2017) so still valid The potential assurer must have sustained this income over the two financial years prior to applying to become an assurer, as evidenced by their Income Tax Assessment Notice, issued by the Australian Commissioner of Taxation Im not sure whether this updated AOS will make any difference to parent visas at all!
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I can't quite see what difference there is after checking this out. Could you explain? The income requirement goes up slightly every year I think and the increase from two to three years for family visas won't affect parent visa which already has a 10 year wait period for benefits surely? @Zaki perhaps you will not hear about visa till immi are processing dates nearer to your lodgement date in May 2015. They are still only processing dates in April but quite a lot of people were asked to prepare things early so maybe as soon as your date nears it will go through quickly?
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I suppose there could be a way. It would mean yet another form but what’s another form with all the others ! When you are asked for documents there could be another form where you would list all the details of pensions/banks/building society / investment platforms/ annual tax summary etc showing exactly what you have. There would then be proof of your self sufficiency and you could also show proof of having Australian private medical insurance too if you had it. Obviously it would be a pain to complete! There is a question on the 143 visa application form which does ask how much you are bringing into Australia but it doesn’t ask for proof. Perhaps if it did that would also show self sufficiency. Unfortunately none of us - either migrants or Australian citizens - knows whether we will need extensive care in later life so some of us won’t be expensive to care for and some will but I’m willing to bet that no one will have paid enough contributions to fully fund that expensive care! That’s why in UK social care is very much on the radar. If you go into care You will pay until you have very little left - and that includes selling your house! I don’t know what happens in Australia but suspect it’s similar both there and in other countries facing the “ democratic time bomb” of rapidly aging populations. I’m actually surprised nothing much has been done yet as this trend was noticed back in the 1980s!! Anyway it’s quite ironic that those parents migrating to Australia will have paid into the UK system all their working lives but if they leave, all their contributions towards future care will lost! Yes they will have pensions but some of what they have paid was for NHS and other health services.
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Please don’t misunderstand me - I fully understand the reasons why and accept that I will pay the second visa charge and have no objection to this. I knew, as we all did from the start, that we would have to pay but we were prepared to pay this as we thought that it would be a quicker way of rejoining our family. My own daughter emigrated twelve years ago having been to university in UK and worked for a while too before emigrating. She has worked hard in Australia and after being headhunted now has a really prestigious job. Her education and training was paid for in UK which has had very little in return from her! She (and her partner) obviously now pay a lot in tax and also thereby a lot into the Medicare levy. She is also very keen to support me as I get older although I mean in family support rather than in finances as I will be supporting myself. I don’t know , however, as you say how they could take all that into account? I agree it would be very complex Obviously we all have personal reasons to want to go to Australia too. I am a widow with no family round me so being over there would have benefits for all of us. I would never ask her to come home, it’s her life and I think the opportunities for my grandchildren mean a much better lifestyle. I did mean NHS not national insurance. Yes the government are talking about a similar idea to Medicare in which people would pay an extra percent (to be determined ) in income tax (not NI) which would be ringfenced for the NHS. Providing free NHS care at point of use to 66 million people in UK is proving a very heavy burden on taxes received. One of the more common reasons cited for Brexit is that not having to pay so much into the EU means more money for NHS.(but please don’t let’s start a pro and anti brexit debate - I’m simply repeating the facts as stated by the government ! ) I do feel that every country needs to have a supported paid health system - it’s a fact that we are all living longer.
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I can’t answer for any increase in 2nd vac charge but last year I think the government arranged for all first vac charges to go up in future in line with inflation. I still can’t understand why they think it’s only migrant parents who cost that much! Surely even born and bred Aussies would have the same illnesses and conditions and therefore potentially the same costs in later life? As I said in an earlier post I was told the visa charge reflects what the average Australian citizen on an average salary would pay to Medicare over a working life and if we paid Australian tax on pension income we would also still be paying the Medicare levy. So in effect we all pay the same. Well that’s for the 143 visa charge. I don't know what the 103 visa charges are. Going off track for a moment - I also think we need to pay something extra into NHS in UK. I have no objection to this despite having already paid taxes all my working life. I always thought part of the tax paid went to NHS but obviously as in Australia it supports everybody working or not. In fact imagine if we all had our own “pot” we paid into which was transferable on emigration from UK !! Much easier!! I believe something like this happens in New Zealand - apart from the transferable bit!
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My sincere apologies Ramot. I only intended to show that visa contributions are high so as to be comparable to what an Australian taxpayer may have paid over the years. I agree with you. From reading some other threads on this and other internet forums some people do go back and forth between UK and AUS and also gain dual citizenship as well. NHS is free so far and this has resulted in people from other countries also making use of it. But UK will probably take a leaf out of Australia’s book and start charging if you haven’t contributed However yes let’s start a new thread. Any debate can carry on there. As this thread is about parent visas I had assumed on joining that usually posters would either be parents their families or immigration agents all looking for or offering help and support to other parent applicants. Other debates/questions can have a different thread - I noticed there are quite a lot here on Pomsin Oz. Although that name is a bit superfluous now as a lot of contributors are not Poms from UK just people from all over coming together to share their experiences help and support which I for one find invaluable. Thanks everybody!
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I was once told (rightly or wrongly) that the 143 visa charges were worked out as being comparable to what someone would pay over a 40 year working life towards Medicare But perhaps I was given the wrong information? Apparently Australian taxpayers pay 2% of their income towards Medicare. The average salary in 2016-2017 was $80000 so they paid $1600 annually towards Medicare. Over 40 years working that's $64000 but it won't be that much as obviously average salaries were much lower in earlier years. An accountant could probably give a definitive answer here! Given that the final cost of a 143 visa is about $48000 plus many people also give their sponsors $10000 for the AOS making a total of $58000 surely then contributory parent visa applicants will have paid almost the same towards our future care ? There will also be other immigrants other than on parent visas who haven't paid in much towards Medicare. Maybe they came on a working visa but didn't complete 40 years, maybe they were married to Australian citizens and were stay at home mums, there will be people who for whatever reason don't/can't work, there are people on low incomes who pay a reduced rate of Medicare, there will be parents who come over on the cheaper 103 visa but they will all expect future funding. Also too even in retirement if you have enough income you will pay Australian tax and the Medicare levy as well. Given that some parents have to pay so much for the visa but will perhaps live with their children, many will have funds from the sale of their UK homes to pay for private health care as many Australians already do as Medicare doesn't fund the whole of any bill and by helping out with child care they free the parents to go back to work and so indirectly contribute somewhat to the economy. This has been acknowledged by the government when they tried to introduce the 5 and 10 year visas - which haven't yet been authorised. Some people will need more spending on them than others, there are so many variables but I don't think anyone will have paid enough to fully cover any long term care they may need unless they had fantastic salaries. This is a world wide problem - funding for old age as people are living longer. There now seems to be a real possibility that in UK there will be a specific tax to go towards NHS funding. Whilst fully understanding and respecting that people have differing views on things the important thing on this forum is that we all offer help and support to each other. I for one have learnt so much and found answers to questions I didn't even know I had! The wait seems endless sometimes but each success cheers us on!
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This isn’t really a new idea. Boris Johnson mooted it a few years ago as believe it or not Australians were having problems getting UK visas!! Both governments were in favour but at the time we were deeply entrenched in EU which did not permit further free movement. It’s entirely feasible that rapid UK/Australia visas could go ahead. Australia currently does offer preferential visas - Chinese can get a 600 subclass frequent traveller visa. It’s only valid for 3 months visit at a time BUT the visa itself is valid for 10 years at a cost of $1050. Peter Dutton is currently talking about fast tracking of visas on humanitarian grounds for South African farmers too. I suppose UK is one of the founders of “modern “ Australia - obviously a long long time after the First People - so hopefully the cementing of further links will happen. Given that although we will be able to make new deals, we can’t start them till after the transitional period ending December 2020, so I expect many of us here will have already got their visas by then. I for one will however be slightly peeved after paying all that money if it ends up bring cheaper and easier to get to Oz in the future !! On another topic I wonder sometimes if visa granting sometimes seems out of sync because although lodged within the same period some visas take a lot longer to process especially if the application is from a country which Australia deems “high risk”? This could hold things up for others in the queue if they are all supposed to be processed at the same time? I still think DIBP waits till 36 months before granting most cases so far!! Australia is actually very aware of the problems with the visa delays. It’s also losing money not getting the visa charges !! This is why they are going to subcontract out most of the processing to private contractors and are presently awaiting bids. Peter Dutton says he currently doesn’t have the staff now and won’t have the staff in future ! just my tuppence worth! ?
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It does look as though they are making people wait for 36 months so hopefully you will hear 3 years after your lodgement date? So possibly late April for you?
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Thanks Kath. I’m en route back home and missing my little granddaughter already! Keeping my fingers crossed for you as I’m thinking of the 600 too before my next visit.
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Kath can you let us all how you get on with the 600 visa? Hopefully the one that doesn’t say 12 months in any 18 months!! ?
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I'm beginning to think that the problem lies with Centrelink not being able to keep up with the AOS. It almost looks like immi are up to date but can't process any further till Centrelink sorts out the AOS so maybe thats why immi are asking people to prepare docs earlier and working on those whilst waiting for Centrelink ??
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Because they are all working on the 864s which haven't moved since April 2017 I believe!
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https://amp.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/feb/26/fears-privatised-visa-system-could-see-access-to-australia-sold-to-highest-bidder Oh and apparently people prepared to pay more will get better services - hmm thought that's what we were doing now? ?
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Doing some internet searching and found this from last July. Not sure whether it found its way onto this forum or not so putting it on for now. http://www.canberratimes.com.au/national/public-service/immigration-department-moves-to-outsource-visa-system-to-avoid-cost-blowouts-20170712-gx9mo2.html
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If the processing time is going to 5 years is the 600 visa repeatedly renewable ?
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So why didn’t they fulfil their obligations of 7175 places for some of the years. Surely this needs looking at by immi? I believe centrelink is having massive problems including Australians as well as would be immigrants They have apparently subcontracted over 250 jobs out to a private firm. From my time in local government I know that doesn’t always work - people need training, have no wider experience and invariably are more expensive.
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Thank you for that. It clears up a doubt in my mind as I always thought I had to leave the country before that date. I’m leaving Oz in a week or so and some time after I get home I will apply for the 600 and see what I get. Although I may leave it till towards the end of the year as I don’t know when I’m likely to get my visa having only applied in June last year and the processing times seem to be getting longer One further question ! I’ve been making regular annual visits to Oz since December 2009 so it’s highly likely that adding all the months up would actually come to a year so I’m assuming that I would need Australian police clearance as well? Im actually more concerned about the medical - after all I will be nearly another 3 years older and no one see the future! Whats the oldest age anyone on here has been granted a visa??
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Thank you! Guess I will just have to try and see. If it says must not enter after 3 May do you have to leave by then or can you stay if entered before. I get confused just with my e- visitor! Its says 3 months at a time but must not enter after a certain date - does that mean if I enter before that date I can stay a further 3 months?
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Hi just a query about 600 visa for my future use. Have you already been over for 12 months? Only I was Under the impression that after 12 months stay you then had to be out of Australia for 6 months as you're only allowed 12 months in any 18 - or have I got it wrong??
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Hi Kath a few years ago I downsized to a smaller property. Whilst it was on the market I was due to go for my annual 3 month visit to Australia . My solicitor was very helpful and said that if it sold whilst I was away he could deal with everything via email, Fax etc and he would deduct his fees and estate agents fees from the final amount. Also I pre signed the contract but left it undated for the solicitor to add once house was sold You need someone to read all the meters - gas electric and water on the final day and hand all the keys in. But if you have a good relation with your estate agent they could do all this for you as mine would although there may be an extra charge. Obviously they are available to help in the event of any problems in your absence again at a cost. My old neighbour emailed me to say some of my fencing had come down in bad weather so I was able to email my estate agent who arranged for repairs and added cost to final bill. You would also need to take out unoccupied building insurance especially if property is empty. . Firms only seem to quote on an annual basis but most will refund any unused whole months less an admin fee. You will have to pay council tax too until it's sold - it's 50% discount for 6 months on empty properties the full rate after that if not sold. So not quite the same scenario as you but yes it's entirely possible! Just make sure the house is completely empty and don't forget to check the loft and any outside buildings. Oh and if time is of the essence don't forget the time difference - you may need to be prepared to send an email in middle of night! Good luck!
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Hi what was the unexpected processing procedure of AOS national team for Jan-March 2015 please? I know the global processing times mention large numbers of applications in May and June 2014 and that's why the waiting times have lengthened but I wasn't aware early 2015 also had problems. I also read that 864 visa will no longer be dealt with as quickly which may add to 143 processing times lengthening again. Some agents are guessing it could stretch to 4 years soon. I wonder if Australia is trying to get people to shell out for the 5 year visa instead first which includes having to take out private health insurance and no Medicare. Then they can send all the old people home at the end of it!! ?? After all as parents most of us will be older and Australia like other countries is concerned about the cost of future aged care - especially since we won't have been paying into the Medicare system.. Just a thought!
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Actually I prefer that to grannyflat!! Must mention that to my daughter once she gets home as Im over in Oz on a 3 month visit celebrating her 40th!
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Me too! In fact my daughter and family have already started looking for a bigger house with enough garden space for a granny flat and hopefully one day a pool! I can help them out with the grandkids etc and they can keep an eye on me and we will both have our own space. Couldn't do it otherwise. It will be a couple of years at least before I even get my visa hopefully but in the meantime the flat could be used for long stays and even if other family want to visit. Perhaps this could be an option for you Trudy and Andrew?
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Alan I’m sure I read somewhere that they are trying to reduce the number of visa types to just 10! Would this affect parent visas especially if they don’t allow the new 5 year parent visas?
