AMP
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Hi Suzyq, Im not sure that we are talking about the same thing here. I know Australian Unity and Allianz will do medical insurance for people in Australia on a 600 visa, but the insurance that I think Kath is querying is travel insurance, particularly for flights to and from Australia. The travel insurance on Australian Unity specifies that you must be an Australian resident to be eligible, as do most others. That therefore excludes those of us who will officially just be "visitors". Uk travel insurance invariably has the UK resident clause, which is another element which is difficult to meet for those of us who then no longer have a residential address in the UK. Even if we give a relatives address we wouldn't be able to prove that we have been resident there for at least 6 out of the previous 12 months, so it wouldn't be valid. We can make arrangements for the initial trip out to Australia but not thereafter. Also many Uk policies specify that the trip must both start and END in the UK. A few that I have found will cover a one way trip, good for those emigrating. It remains a big problem however for those of us who won't officially be resident anywhere but who will still want to /need to travel. If anyone has found a travel company who can cater for our specific needs as nomads then do please let us know! Thanks.
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Thanks for all your hints and tips along the way. Glad to know that everything is so nearly totally sorted for you - I know it's been a roller coaster ride. Hope all goes well with the pack and that you can then relax at least a bit over the next few days before your flights on Wednesday. Very, very best wishes for your new lives in Australia, and do keep posting to this forum to let us know how you are getting on - and, of course, to respond to our constant queries!
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Thanks Lolly T.
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Sorry, add on to my last post. Just to clarify, my visa is not for 5 years stay. it is a visa which is valid for 5 years and allows for a stay period of 12 months with each arrival.
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Actually, in the discussion documents for the new temporary parent visa, which is supposed to be coming in in November, it did make reference to applicants for contributory parent visas being able to get 2, 3 or 5 year visitor visas. This was particularly significant because of the current processing delays. What is the VEVO system you refer to? Anyway, I desperately hope that they haven't made an admin error. Maybe I would rather not know .....
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Well, it definitely says "must not arrive after11/8/22" and it also definitely says "stay period 12 months from date of each arrival". No mention at all of "12 months in any 18 month period". Needless to say, I'm not going to query it!! On another note altogether, congratulations nyorksgrannie on the birth of your second grandson!
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Yes!
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Hurrah, today I am very relieved! Just had my 600 visa through only 3 days after application. It is valid until 11/8/22. Only 2 conditions attached - 8101 No work and 8201 Max 3 months study. Stay period is 12 months from date of each arrival and travel facility is Multiple. It also doesn't even specify that I need to maintain private health insurance whilst in Oz. I must confess that I have been VERY anxious, particularly since some folks on here had been receiving 12 months and No further stay (Suzyq) or 12 months in 18 months (nyorksgrannie) conditions. I really don't know how Immi decide, and it appears that they are operating inconsistently, but it has worked out for me and today I feel very grateful. Looking forward to now feeling a bit more relaxed (Only a bit, since I still have all the stresses of preparing for the last bits re the sale of my house and everything else involved in my move!!)
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That now makes me scared. I really don't want to have a no further stay condition added! Do you have any idea why that was? Also can you still leave and then apply again for another 600 or not?
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Hi everyone. I've filled in my application for the 600 visitor visa today, all done and paid on line, 141.37 AUD. I'm letting you know some of the detail whilst it's still fresh in my memory. It specifically asked what family I had in Australia, where they lived and their residency /citizenship status. Also it asked if I had a parent application in hand and where my application was in the queue (I basically put the date of application). It asked whether I would want my visa duration to be longer than 12 months because of this, so I said "yes" ( though the max stay at any one point is still 12 months, I answered NO to whether I had medical insurance but then it brought up a page asking whether I anticipated needing treatment whilst in Oz for listed medical conditions. Also it wanted details of how I would fund my stay. The application was quite long and detailed, but was straightforward enough and I didn't have to send any attachments. Will let you know how I get on and how long it takes. Fingers crossed!!
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Me too - all in my "Oz move" folder for future reference. Honestly, the tips we pick up on this blog are fabulous - and all backed by amazing group support as well. It is so fabulous to know I am not alone coping with all the issues involved.
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John Mason.
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Quick post re choosing a shipping agent. I know there's a separate section for this but I tend to be addicted to having news and info from other "parent applicants" - it feels a bit like "our club"! Anyway, I had previously asked for quotes from several companies, trying to compare like with like, or so I thought, by asking them each to quote for the same specified volume of 500 cubic feet. Two agents actually came to the house to do the assessment but the resulting quotes I had were totally different in terms of their assessment of volume for the same items. One, (the one I had chosen anyway because they are the only one willing to ship on a 600 visa) came out with a substantially lower volume than the other, so consequently a much lower quote. This company specifically say that they use the "Russian doll principle" when packing, thereby making maximum use of any available empty space and consequently reducing the volume. So, the message is to beware when you do ask for quotes and make sure that the agents do an actual home visit rather than simply submitting a list of items to be shipped.
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Nearly there Nanajan! Not long for you to wait now ?
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Did you really mean to say stripping?! Agree, some things seem totally unrealistic - steam clean AND disinfect?! It's the first I've heard of this so maybe it's just your shipper being ultra fussy. They just look at shoes when you arrive on a plane, and even then they only look at ones which May have gone over farmland, such as hiking boots.
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No, you can ship personal clothing and grooming items as well, no problem there, as long as you have owned them 12 months. If you have new items I suggest you just take them in your normal luggage - then classed as "accompanied personal effects" (as opposed to "unaccompanied"! )But seriously, how can they really distinguish when it comes to clothes? Unless things are still in the original packaging of course! I thinks it's all about trying to control imports of things that people want to sell and avoid import duties.
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This (if I have managed to do it right!) is the image of the relevant page of the document
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Good news from Immi and Border Control today and this specifically applies to those of us who are planning to move over on interim 600 visas! You may recall that I myself am planning to move on a 600 visa, whilst waiting for my 143. I have a buyer for my house but have been having nightmares about shipping my belongings. All but one shipping company said they could not ship on a tourist visa. One (Masons) checked with their agent in Brisbane and said I could. Given all the negative responses from all the other agents, I was getting anxious about who was right so I contacted border control direct to clarify. The first response from them said that I could send UPEs (unaccompanied personal effects) but this would generally only be clothing and personal grooming items. I queried it again, specifically referring them to a document I had found on their site "Sending your Personal Belongings to Australia". This document stated "If you are not a permanent resident of Australia or are not arriving to take up permanent residency, you can still import some types of goods as your UPEs. Page 2 of this same document specifically listed furniture, household goods, garden tools, bikes and a whole range of other items as UPEs which don't require permanent residency in order to import. This is the response I had back from Border Control this morning: "Non-permanent residents can still import goods into Australia as UPE, they will be however, limited to the goods that are listed on that fact sheet. The goods must have been owned and used for 12+ months". Hurrah!!! Gosh, this whole thing of moving really is a roller coaster ride.
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But (and do please tell me if I have got this wrong!), my understanding is that once you are officially Australian resident and start to receive the UK state pension then the pension is totally frozen at that amount with absolutely zero increases. I see GAFUKs point about whether there may be a way to live part time in the UK each year in order to then still get increases paid.
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Yes, it's quite a worrying time, but glad to know that you have finally had your refund. The agent who took the trouble was John Mason, and I would give them 10/10 for communication! Good luck with the rest of your move.
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I think you are being too generous re them having a bad day. The customer service experience you had was pretty dire and doesn't give anyone a good impression of efficiency. As you know, I have been trying to sort out shipping on a 600 visa. Two agents just didn't reply to my query, One agent said they definitely couldn't ship if I was not going on a residency visa and said I would have to put my stuff in storage. Another said I could ship but would have to pay customs duties, though they couldn't give me any indication of how much or how it is worked out. Another said they could ship in my daughter's name but she would have to do all the paperwork and say everything was hers. The final one, which is now my favourite (!) actually checked with their agent in Brisbane who said that since I was going on a 12 month visa it should be fine. This latter agent also said that I wouldn't have any duty to pay as I have lived in the UK and owned everything for at least 12 months prior to shipping. Apart from that, the actual value of all my items (not replacement value) would be very low as, having owned it, it is all second hand. If sent to auction, for example, it would raise very little. Mixed messages or what!?! Amazing also that only one agent took the time to check it out.
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I'm sure there are grounds for being more optimistic. The last test email showed that they are now processing applications lodged up to 13 Oct 2014, so that is only 6 months from your acknowledgement date. I work on the basis that an optimist can be just as wrong as a pessimist - but at least he is happy!!
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I'm currently struggling with the shipping element, given that I will be going out on a 600 visa and wanted also to take furniture to put in my apartment which will be at my daughter's property. Immi info sheet "sending your personal belongings to Australia" does say that you can still import some types of goods and specifically says that permanent residency requirements don't apply to furniture and a range of other personal or household items, even including lawn mowers, bikes, vacuum cleaners and books! I'm getting very mixed info and advice back from shippers. Is there anyone out there who has already successfully moved their items whilst still being on a 600 visa? Help/advice gratefully anticipated please.
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Unfortunately it isn't a source of income, rather expense. The study which informed the introduction of the new temporary parent visa (which is being implemented in November) advised that on average parent visa holders cost Australia much more than they recoup from visa charges. We are considered to be a liability, particularly since we are mostly in the "older" demographic bracket. Very unlikely that they will therefore increase the quota.
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Hi SusieRoo, yes I had a reply to my test email to Immi today, saying that for 143s and 173s they are currently assessing up to 13th October 2014. Sorry, I didn't look at other data but can copy and paste the full reply if others would like this. I'm ignoring your chart - sorry, just too depressing.
