dogsill

Just wanted to give an update - we got our visa in 4 days! My husband flies out tomorrow am and I leave next weekend with the kids. It almost happened way too fast and the shippers were booked and I secured a large move cube and now am panicking I have too much stuff. Anyway, his company had priority processing - so, all the stress about my past conviction was wasted energy and tears

Hi very stormy, thank you for reply. His HR dept in Sydney usually has a 5 day turnaround on secondment visas, so that’s where that info is from. Everything else is straight forward hopefully this will be too. Unless he can go and I go later? 

Hi there, we’re set to come over on my husbands 482 visa from nyc to Sydney. Unfortunately, I have an arrest from 20 years ago, domestic violence, violation of restraining order. My boyfriend at the time was bipolar and things were messy,violent and controlling. I ended up the night in jail, some community service and 2 year probation. Since then my record has been clean including my NYC police check report. Of course my husband is getting nervous. We’ve explained the circumstances to his employer and are attaching a letter etc with the visa application. I searched the character standings for spousal visa and the crimes are more for 12 month + arrests, child smuggling, drug, terror crimes etc I’m hoping this embarrassing charge doesn’t cause an alarm and slow down the process. We’re hoping to fly out next month. We’ve already put in notice on our apt, I need to book movers and tickets. He’s set to start work Dec 10th！ 

has anyone had experience with their background check not being clean. We were hoping we’d have a 5 day turn around on the visa.  Thanks 

43 minutes ago, Nemesis said:

Any place can be on a 6 month lease. Doesn't have to be new or a renovation property. I lived in a place for years that had 6 month leases each time, landlord wanted the option to review the rent every few months. 

ooh, good to know thanks! I saw a few places and wasn't sure. is there a rental law that the landlord can raise the rent a certain amount per lease term?

Thanks Marisa, and if a listing is for a 6 month lease - I imagine that's a recently bought place they're trying to let out while they get their construction permits to flip it or remodel etc.

for Melbourne - how's elwood/brighton? Also interested in Camberwell - but not sure we want to send daughter to an all girls school. 

4 minutes ago, Marisawright said:

Thornbury/Northcote are nice quiet suburbs and you'll get a decent apartment for that price.   You might also want to consider Williamstown or Yarraville, both about the same distance as Thornbury but on the other side of the city.   Check out Homely.com.au for reviews of suburbs. 

Double Bay is a famously snobbish suburb of Sydney.   Pictures are deceptive (all the realtors use fish-eye lenses to make the places look bigger).  There's a lot of lovely old apartment blocks in Double Bay and Rose Bay, but the rooms are very small.   I lived there at one time - even with just me and my husband, it was pretty cramped!

Besides, I think you'd be much happier somewhere like Randwick, Centennial Park, or Waverley.  They are still an easy commute to the city but they also have good schools, and they are handy for the beaches.   

My personal favourite place in Sydney for a family is Oatley.  It has a lovely village feel with small shops, restaurants, cafés and a pub.  It's 40 minutes by train to the city centre (or 20 minutes by car outside of rush hour if you're going out in the evening).  The only snag is that the local primary schools have such a good reputation, you might have trouble getting a place for your child.   Because it's well outside the city, I think you'd find it easier to get used to driving - though the train and bus link are so good, you probably wouldn't need to use it much.

Thank you Marisa! yes, any suburbs to look into is so helpful. I was only looking at Double bay area thinking I'd be closer to Point Piper where I have a client. But that's not guaranteed work. Husband also mentioned the snobbishness. We're coming from Westchester NY after living in Brooklyn for 15 years and this place is full of snobs. My daughter has struggled to find like minded friends. She's a pretty hip/old soul kid into guitar and wants to skim board, skate board. Plays tennis - doesn't listen to current pop music etc. Williamstown I did look at, as it reminded me of our old neighborhood Red Hook in Brooklyn. This is so difficult gaging Sydney from my laptop.. Crunch time is here and Husband needs to decide and we have to be out of our current place July 1st. I also have a mad obsession with rock pools and love to lap swim. So that's a bonus. 

32 minutes ago, Toots said:

There are very few 2 bedroom apartments for rent in Double Bay for $750 per week.  There is this one for  $765.  All the other are more expensive.

https://www.domain.com.au/5-528-new-south-head-road-double-bay-nsw-2028-12098968

yes thanks - been looking daily at domain.. - our budget is flexible but looking at the rose bay secondary catchment area 

Thank you to above. Our rental budget is $750 wk as we'd be living off one salary most likely. 

Getting a 2 br is fine, looking at Thornbury/Northcote for Melbourne and Double Bay area for Sydney

Daughter is in 7th grade now in US .. This is a 3 year plan but in 2-3 years he'll be partner and there's a Perth option

once they expand that office etc.. The first year will be tight we know. Re beaches - not knocking Melbourne just want ocean 

not Bay. If we're inner city in Sydney, we don't need a car per se? Uber and transit are fine and hire a car for road trips? I've always 

driven as I'm american so not sure I want to get a car etc. but we also have a 5 year old.

Anybody would like to weigh in on my pro/con list?

Coming over from NY on husband's secondment. He works in risk/banking. I work as a private chef.

We have 2 kids and would have to pay 11k year in school fees on the 457 for NSW

Planning on downsizing tremendously so Ok with a small apt. Are the Sydney beaches/lifestyle/weather worth the school fees or should we 

just plan on Melbourne and save ourselves 11K year. I'm sure I could easily make those school fees up by freelancing myself - My daughter is worried about 

not nice beaches in Melbourne and overcrowded beaches in Sydney. Perth is unfortunately not an option right now. Husband would probably have more growth and interest in Sydney...

He's Scottish and I'm from California if that makes a difference - he also currently has over an hour train commute now and would like an easier commute.. thanks!