Lavers

On 20/04/2024 at 00:20, Rob Frain said:

We'll be staying with friends for a while until we get a rental. We're renting in the UK now so its been difficult to save up with two young kids!

All good if staying with friends, just wondering how long you’d be without furniture in Aus 

On 13/04/2024 at 22:38, Rob Frain said:

We have changed our Movecube date to 2nd August - and then leave the UK 19th August. Airbeds for two weeks(!) We have put a deposit down however I can see us changing providers just to something a bit bigger. Quotes inbound shortly. Im assuming we'llbe a shared container.

What accommodation are you getting when you arrive in Aus? 

8 hours ago, paulhand said:

Yep … and you should confirm that it’s all done by checking VEVO. Take the old passport if in any doubt. 

Brilliant cheers mate 

Hey everyone

Just a quick question if anyone can help.

I’ve just got a new passport for my daughter and I’ve updated the passport number on my immi account. 
 

Just checking is that all I need to do so that we can leave the country and re-enter without any issues?

On 08/04/2024 at 19:05, Rob Frain said:

We have temporarily delayed the Movecube. We have so much stuff. Some people say bring everything you can some people say bring hardly anything and sell it. Selling is a struggle and Facebook marketplace/ Vinted/ eBay is a nightmare! 

If your furniture is decent then it’s worth bringing, if it’s tired and ready to be replaced then don’t.

Have a look on Harvey Norman so you can get an idea of how much things are.

7 minutes ago, TheBs said:

It’s difficult to tell. 
If you know Autism you can tell. 
I have professional friends who know Autism say they can tell, but his teachers questioned me on it and were suprised he is. 
Strangers to him such as his football coach or friends parents are suprised when I tell them, but his swim coach who has experience with SEN said she knew 

I wouldn’t want to lie in case it scuppers everything and it’s on his medical records anyway x

Definitely don’t lie it’s really not worth it, and speaking to agent will help.

Just can’t remember what we filled in regarding my girls. Just remember the medicals on the day being basic, eye test, little chat and testing there response when being tapped with the hammer on there joints.

10 hours ago, TheBs said:

Perfect thanks so much. 
we are back at the very beginning of our journey due to unforeseen circumstances everything has been on hold for 2 years. 
 

He has a 1:1 in the classroom just to prompt him, he does a majority of the work himself and they only put that in this term (he’s 10) so he’s managed without until now 

we’ll definitely take it into consideration when looking for an agent though, thank you 

The medicals we did are not strict at all, if anything very basic.

Could it be possible that you don’t mention anything at all or would a Dr be able to tell just talking to him?

14 hours ago, Nemesis said:

There have been cases (some n here) where Oz/UK dual citizens living in the UK have let their Oz passport expire, and they assume they can travel to Australia by getting a tourist visa. They can't. They need to renew their Oz passport.

Canada and the US are the same, and there's a strong chance that the UK will be the same, when they introduce the ETA system over the next year or so, 

Can you not travel on your Uk passport even though your an Aus citizen?

6 hours ago, Ken said:

Still a lot cheaper not to renew for those of us who don't visit the UK.

You can still travel on your Aus passport though can’t you?

Thanks everyone for the replies, I think for the rest of us we have another 3 or 4 yrs so plenty of time to decide. 
Just unfortunate that my middle daughters need renewing now and that we couldn’t wait 18months until hopefully we have citizenship.

40 minutes ago, Nemesis said:

Handy to have for the future though. Much easier to keep it current than to have to apply from scratch if she wants to use it in years to come.

Plus, even though you can apply in June, she can't get an Aus passport until after the ceremony, and that could be many months away.

 

Do you recommend renewing our UK passports for all of us when the time arrives.

Thank you both I will get this sorted now.

Shame regarding my middle daughter as she needs to renew her Uk passport for a trip in May, but then we can apply for citizenship in June so seems like a waste but never mind.

8 minutes ago, BendigoBoy said:

Sorry, dude. Don't mean to sound like a dick. Context, please. Youngest under 16, aye?

That’s ok, yeah she’s 2 born here whilst us being PR 

Hi all it’s been a while.

Just looking at getting a passport for my youngest but need proof of citizenship, I’ve checked online and I’m assuming it’s the one on my attached photo for $265.

Does that seem correct.

Cheers 

Just now, Rob Frain said:

Visa was finally granted overnight. Let the fun begin. Omg crying this morning. 

Congratulations, shit gets real now.

I got mine New Year’s Eve so perfect way to end/start a new year.

16 minutes ago, Rob Frain said:

So two hours after sending them the document they requesting (birth certificate with parents names on)I’m still here almost 4 weeks later. Is there anything we can do?!? 

Unfortunately you’ve just gotta wait, frustrating I know.

When you looking at coming out and we’re too?

7 minutes ago, Rob Frain said:

Thats put me at ease now. I read somewhere they can just decline straight away. I was also worried id go to the back of the queue!

I heard that also, like I say though maybe it does but it didn’t with me.

I worried at every stage of submitting then the longer i didn’t hear anything the more I doubted myself haha.

Think it was only things I submitted for police reports that were wrong.

I just kept an eye on the immitracker 

9 minutes ago, Rob Frain said:

Would it be an instant decline or would it simply be - scan this in better etc etc?

Hi mate

I never used an agent and got a couple of things wrong, they just came back to me and asked to change it or upload something else.

They seemed to get straight back to me also and not put me at the back of the queue.

That may not happen with everyone but it did with me.

4 minutes ago, Rob Frain said:

Will I be safe if I book 24th July? 

I’d Just get them booked sooner rather than later, and stop worrying about your weight you’ll be fine.

1 hour ago, Rob Frain said:

We finally managed to do it this evening. This was the last document. We've just paid the £4500 for the 189 and instantly got back requests for medicals. This is the one im worried about due to my weight. I was 19st 9 at my largest, though I've got down to 17st 5 in the last few weeks. Should I book the medicals ASAP or leave it for a bit longer to lose a bit more weight? Im 5ft 11.... Though i consider myself to bit fit. I've been running 5k a day for the last few days! 

Hi mate

Im no Dr but I’m sure that if your weight isn’t causing any issues at present then it shouldn’t be an issue.

If your worried and you think you could lose another 1/2 stone over the next few weeks then maybe that’s worth doing for peace of mind

47 minutes ago, Rob Frain said:

We got the police checks done in February but left the medicals. We’ll just wait until we get the HAP numbers. I’ve been on a massive diet and been doing 5k a day since the invite! Anyone know exactly what they test for? I also have a 6 and a 2 year old so hopefully it’s not too bad for them? 

Nothing to worry about whatsoever, the medicals are very very basic unless you have a known medical condition.

Wee sample and bloods, but if I remember correctly your kids will not need to do blood tests.

Eye test which was just a quick read the first few lines.

Your kids will sit on the bed whilst the Dr puts a hammer to their joints and tests movements etc.

My kids where 4 & 9 at the time, the test for your 2 yr old would be very short I’d imagine as they wont be willing to sit still for too long.

They weigh you and do your height, so unless you’re really overweight I wouldn’t worry about it. Just they may look at diabetes if they thought your weight could be an issue.

Sorry forgot to add that you will do a chest x ray as well. My daughter said she didn’t I couldn’t remember haha.

12 minutes ago, Rob Frain said:

Thanks. 150 photos taken and not one approved of our little boy! He’s a pain. Also I hear some people get their medical done before applying? Is this correct? We thought you had to wait for a HAP number for the medical? 

Correct, you need you HAP number and I’m sure your medical and police check is only valid for 12 months.

So you could do them early but run the risk of them expiring.

7 hours ago, Cheery Thistle said:

Thanks. We’ll celebrate if and when we have the actual visa in our hands lol. 
 

I’ll have to be ambitious with jobs but in all honesty, I’d rather not teach. I have zero ambition to be a headteacher (or principal). I will do what I have to do though. I’ve been out of the classroom for 5 years now and a comeback is less than appealing! However, as we say here what’s for you won’t go by you. 
 

When I left my first job to retrain as a teacher everybody thought I was mad - why are you doing that? Then when I left teaching to grow our family business - are you mad, why are you doing that? Then when I decided to retrain and get a job in digital learning - are you mad, why are you doing that? I’m sure we’ll get plenty of ‘are you mad, why are you doing that?’ about Australia. However, our mortgage has always been paid and we’ve not gone hungry yet so I’ll bet on myself. I don’t mean that in an arrogant way, more in a I have proved more than once that I can do it way. If I had listened to everyone else about what I couldn’t do, I would literally never have done anything! 

Nothing arrogant about that whatsoever, you do what you need to do.

As Ausvisitor said come with realistic expectations and you’ll be fine.

I was a Manager at an engineering company before coming out to Aus and had no interest in being one out here. Far too many hours and lost family time for my liking.

Came to Aus went back on the tools for a few years then start of this year I went on a 3 day week to share looking after my newborn with my wife.

Our money covers the mortgage and can have a holiday overseas every year if we wish and that will do for us.

Time to relax for once haha.

All the best with your application 

10 hours ago, Ausvisitor said:

For anyone starting now it's 35 years.

For those who had paid in and not opted out of SERPS there was a levelling calculation done as the extra SERPS allowance you would have gotten got added back in as extra contributions.

I ended up needing 25 years of contributions and I'd already done 22 when the change came in, so it's totally possible lavers might only need 30 years

 

It was showing 30yrs when I left so hopefully it stays that way.

On 13/04/2023 at 13:50, Johnny Kash said:

I got approved for Class 2 contributions after working on a casual (contract) basis up until around 2 weeks before we headed out here 

I got another qualifying year for working up until early August of that year which I was quite surprised at given my relatively low earnings in the UK and only part way through the tax year.

Im not sure what criteria HMRC use to determine the applications but as others have said, definitely worth applying as theyre great value if you do qualify.    Im just leaving mine ticking over until I hit the 35 years although theres always the threat the UK govt will change things again!

Do you need to get 35 yrs? I only need 30.

I got a yrs credit even though we came out here in the June, was pleasantly surprised.