Dee in Oz

On 20/07/2018 at 10:31, Amber Snowball said:

Hi, they aren’t taking phone calls anymore apparently. Email the same address you sent the TOR to and put live animals as the subject line. I got a reply within the hour. Good luck.

Well, we’ve been home for 3 weeks now...

Never received a reply concerning my ToR application until I sent a letter signed by my father (I hand wrote it as no printer here..) saying I was staying with him, plus a rates notice. It took them a week to approve the application after that.

Funnily enough, I wasn’t charged VAT on the cats... presumably they thought they were worthless at 11 years old

4 minutes ago, LKC said:

You will be able to claim it back. It just might be worth making sure you have documentation for the cats to hand, for example their adoption certificates from the pound if they were rescue cats, just to show what you paid for them.  We brought our cats back and had no trouble because we had our TOR reference, but you might need to prove what you paid for them before customs will release them (or that you didn't pay for them, I guess).  It also might be worth finding out if you pay duty on just the cats, or whether you have to pay on the shipping costs too.

It’s such a mine field and a real money earner, obviously.

We rescued the cats over 11 years ago. I’ve estimated their value at £50 each on the import paperwork. Not sure who else would want them though

15 minutes ago, LKC said:

We just provided my mother-in-laws address and sent a covering email to say that we'd be looking for a rental once we arrived, copies of our passports to prove citizenship, but we also provided a copy of my OH's work contract because he'd managed to find work before we left.  However, you don't have this.  Could you email them back and ask what other information you need?  Also reiterate that you are moving back to your father's address temporarily whilst you look for a rental/work.  I would imagine there are lots of people who go back in the same circumstances, so there must be a way round it.

Worst case scenario, you might have to pay import duty on your cats, but you would be able to claim it back once you find a job/rental and can prove your intention to resettle.  If you are shipping belongings you should be able to sort the TOR out whilst your things are still at sea.

Thank you. 

I think you are right about the cats and paying VAT. I’ll be buying a property once we find something suitable but I have given them my father’s address as somewhere we will be living once we arrive. I’ll get him to sign something and find a utility bill to prove he lives there too.

Our possessions were picked up last week so there’s plenty of time to sort the ToR out before they arrive....

11 minutes ago, suesmalls said:

I'm sure there will be lots of response from others on the forum very soon.  

If you have British passport don't you have right of entry regardless. I would be inclined to call them today to get talking.  Perhaps it was an oversight on their end. 

Also if you're living with family - are they renting or perhaps get copy of council rates and use this as support of where you're going to be living.  Living with family is strong case as family will be supporting you. Can you get that asap? And if they're renting get copy of rental slip.  But council tax receipt is evidence of family residence - be it rental or owned. 

But I would place emphasis on your British passport status.  This means you have full rights (I don't know why you wouldn't). 

Good luck.  

Sue 

Xxx

 

 

 

 

Thanks for your reply, Sue. I have been unable to contact them by phone, I got recorded message with an alternative number to call but couldn’t get through at all.

I wrote a covering letter stating when I had left and my reasons for returning to the UK. I have replied to the email stating that I thought I had the right to return to live there. My son also has a British passport, so he has that right too. 

I will have to get proof of my father’s address once we arrive, he will get himself in a state if I ask him to sort it by himself. I’ll just have to claim the VAT back for the cats...

Thanks again xx

I need urgent help, please...

 I applied for ToR, attaching a covering letter, application form, British passport page, list of items I am importing and a utility bill from 4 years ago, to prove my address here in Australia.

 I will be staying with my father and looking for work once we arrive. I have received an email today stating this:

————————-

Dear Sir/Madam

The decision on your application for Transfer of Residence relief has been deferred as you have not provided (proof of UK residency/intention). We will review your application once this has been received.

The enclosures list on the front of the application form explains what to supply with your claim.

————————- 

Any suggestions as to what else I can submit would be gratefully received. I don’t have a rental agreement or any proof of where we will be living, other than the address. We fly out next week, with our cats, so I’m getting desperate....

I’ve been trying to call them but can’t get through.

Thanks 

18 minutes ago, wattsy1982 said:

Hope you aren't looking to leave in the next 1-1 1/2 years if you are only now looking into citizenship.....!

We applied last August and Ill be surprised if we are done by this xmas! 

Ouch! That’s not good.  

3 hours ago, Marisawright said:

Be careful.  I'm not sure which form we're talking about, but some forms require the signatory to be someone who's known you for at least 2 years. Obviously a JP isn't that!

Your doctor or dentist are good options, both count as "professionals".

I think, originally, it was for a British co-signer for my son’s British passport. We know plenty of professionals. Just not British... 

12 hours ago, welljock said:

I don't know what a parcel lady is but it's not just anyone who can countersign, they have to hold a particular position or be member of certain professional bodies. 

7 hours ago, bristolman said:

I'm assuming the lady that delivers parcels ?

You assume correctly ? 

not sure I know anyone who will qualify ?

But I am going to stay positive - for the first time in what seems a very long time. 

1 minute ago, Marisawright said:

This is not the time to stand on principle!  If you're entitled to Australian citizenship, you're entitled to it, so get it.  

If you don't, the risk is that you'll get to a point where you've got a sick child, or a new grandchlid, in Australia and your help is needed - but if you're not a citizen, you'll be limited to short-term visitor visas. 

I’m happy to let my principles slide! I’m just looking into the process now. 

14 hours ago, Marisawright said:

Get your citizenship before you go.   The resident return visa is good only for a few years, and if you don't return to settle, you won't be able to renew it again.  What if you want to visit them in ten years' time? 

Thanks it looks like this would be best all round, even though it goes against everything I believe in ?

Will we need to leave on Australian passports? 

11 hours ago, VERYSTORMY said:

Be aware you will need the permission of the childs father to remove him from the country.

There won’t be any problems with that.

7 minutes ago, Tricky said:

We have just applied for a UK passport for our Oz born toddler. 

Depending whether you were born after 1983 or not you may well need to submit your parents birth certs, we had to supply my wife's mothers original birth certificate in the application, so just be aware of that. 

Also, they prefer a British passport holder as a counter signatory if you know one. If not they accept others, however the form says they have a preference. 

Other than that it's pretty straight forward. At least when you have it you can easily prove citizenship once back in the UK for registering for everything. 

Also, before you leave, do you have a certificate of citizenship for your child for Oz or passport? We have both, just in case we decide we ever want to come back. 

We’re okay for the British counter signatory, our parcel lady will do it! 

I am not an Australian citizen and will be renewing my British passport soon. I still have my old nhs card and remember my NI number, so hoping these help me. I’ve also kept my UK bank account open and have credit cards too.... I am thinking that I should get the returning resident visa, my older children are not coming home with us and I want to be able to visit them without the hassle of applying for a visitor’s visa.

My son has an Australian passport, although it will not be valid by the time we leave.

1 hour ago, bristolman said:

Our 2 entered on their Australian passports, they were given a 6 month stamp because the nice lady at the airport said they have to have something in the passport. It was probably 3 years before we got their UK passports because they needed them for a school trip. It didn't cause any problems at all but if you prefer just get them before you leave. 

Thanks for the advice. Since my (now) husband won’t be coming with us I think that it will be easier to go for the UK passport. 

31 minutes ago, Quoll said:

Wisest to get his U.K. pp otherwise his Aus passport will be stamped 6 months only and theoretically he could be required to leave at that point. There’s things like NHS and any benefits as well - if he has his passport, no one is going to be in any doubt of his citizenship. It’s an easy process to apply for his passport and it’s cheaper than the Aussie one. Personally I don’t think it’s worth the hassle of trying to economise.

Thank you very much, I was going round in circles trying to find out!

After 11 very long years living in Melbourne I have decided, for various reasons, that I am going to return to the UK. 

I realise that my son, born in Oz, is British by descent, but am wondering whether he needs to enter the UK on a British passport or if he can use his Australian one.  

Any advice gratefully received at this very stressful time.

 Thanks