Lavers

Just had the mother in law come and see us, the OP will be happy if her family don't come

As welljock and Amber have said its your life and your decision. We moved out (Me,Wife, 2 girls) in June 2020 and so far so good. We have all settled well and the kids have done amazing settling in at school, and we have also just had another baby girl. My wife's parents didn't really approve, it didn't help that it was my daughter who mentioned we were going to her grandad. He said that he would never visit (tried the blackmail) so my wife's response was "well you will never see them again then". I can understand people being upset it's a massive thing to lose you all, but you have to do what you think is right for your family and I'm sure when the dust settles that you family will be more up for the idea of visiting you all in Aus. If not then that's on them. Better to try then regret it in your later days.

Hiya I did it without using an agent, Me,Wife and 2 kids at the time. It's upto you I suppose which way you do it, if your case is pretty straight forward then you shouldn't have any issues. What I did do first though was pay an agent to look over my case, I think $100 at the time just to confirm what I believed I already knew. Again it's upto you but I didn't find the process hard judt time consuming, but I managed to do alot at work.

Hiya mate we did the stat dec for my wife's assault caution. Everything was approved and I would imagine that yours will go through fine, but I'm no expert. Seeing as they were sometime ago, and I think if you have been in prison and sentenced for longer than 12 months that is the sticking point.

It made a massive difference, police presence where I lived was very little to begin with. What they have done now though is patrol around the motorway links at Manchester trying to spot the gangs there. Still not making a massive difference though my mates van got stolen the otherday from outside his house at 18:30.

Sorry I meant where I lived although being in the UK for 38yrs and with friends and family all over the UK it does have a crime issue but obviously not everywhere is the same. Police funding has become an issue and created these issues, they closed the police stations where I lived so it took 10 - 15 mins for police to get to the area if crime was committed. It was abit of an affluent area where I lived but the trouble is being close to Manchester and easily accesible, it was the gangs from there coming in to commit the crimes. Not calling the UK its a good place to live but my experience since being here it just seems to be lower crime in general around this area compared to my area in the UK.

We've found it really good and everyone we have met so far have been brilliant and can't seem to do enough for us. Not really noticed the drug side of things but then that won't be much different from where we lived in the UK. Crime is definitely lower where we are here compared to the UK, break ins and cars stolen of drives was an everyday occurrence.

I think with the UK being alot smaller you don't really see massive changes in how people act, apart from the rich areas of course. As people said before we came, Australia is 20 yrs behind the rest of the world and Adelaide is 30 haha. With a young family though Adelaide is perfect, kids may get a little bored when they get older though.

Hi Snoozy Were abouts is it you live only I find it funny regarding the superficial thing as we have found it the complete opposite since moving to Adelaide from the UK. Although I know Adelaide is more relaxed it was refreshing to see young kids driving around in bangers and casual clothes, compared to the UK where the 17 yr olds want the latest Mercedes once passing there test, and only designer clothes to wear

Hi Jen You will be absolutely fine and it's perfectly normal how you feel. We moved over June 2020 (me,wife and 2 daughters 10 & 5 at the time) closer it got to moving the more I kept second guessing our decision but the drive that made us do it was the fear of not doing it (if that makes sense). At the time with covid and everyone in lockdowns it would have been easy for us to stay in the UK and blame covid for not doing it. Fast forward nearly 2 years and we haven't looked back, my girls love it here and we also have a new addition who is 2 weeks old 3 girls for me but plenty of room to go and hide on my own for a while.

It is strange as we got our visa back within the hour. Hopefully you hear something soon.

There was talk of boarders being open by Easter, so maybe no need of an exemption

Can be tricky moving around schools for some kids, I attended the same amount as your daughter and was always good being the new boy in school

We all call it addeeedas, heard a few say it the other way but not many. It's like we use Nike and not Nikey

Food bill will be around $200 a week, everything else doesn't look bad. You will be entitled to family tax part b when you arrive then after 12 months family tax part a. Childcare is heavily subsidised here probably knock 4/5ths off your bill.

You can't buy alcohol in the supermarkets in Sout Aus either.

Couldn't agree more, well done

Thankyou I had a few friends who emigrated but they are all in different states to me, so we just thought if they can do it then so can we. We had decent jobs in the UK and all the other stuff but it's not all about that is it. Nice outdoor lifestyle which we all love and my girls just love it here and don't want to go back. Also just waiting on our 1st (and last) Aussie baby which should be here any day now.

So you got my 2nd exemption back and it came back as duplicate request, another exemption not needed.

No problem you've gotta do what you've gotta do, I just find it funny You've got to live your life and you've definitely done the right thing.

ruthless

Yeah I noticed that, just reapplied just in case.

You need to apply for an exemption at least two weeks, but not more than two months, before your planned travel. That is the official line on the exemption, I got one for my mother in law mid Nov with a travel of date of 10th Jan, she is now flying 31st Jan so I applied for a new exemption last week just in case.

They don't show on your record as in what he has done, but it does say something (can't remember what now)that tells immigration that he has done something. My wife had a caution in 2010 for a fight with her sister and we never had any problems, just be honest. As Paul says the one in 2018 isn't that long ago so best to get some proper advice of Paul

Hi Ben Regarding your child, they don't leave school here until they around 17 so they don't do college like they do in the UK (or so I believe) Not quite sure how it would work with them finishing GCSEs then coming here.