FirstWorldProblems

I can only share my own experience.
 

I’m absolutely positive I didn’t submit all my travel.  I pieced together what I could from old passport stamps but I didn’t have access to any travel booking info for past employers.  I did about 6 work trips a year. No way I remembered then all and definitely not the right dates.
 

I did the best I could and no questions were asked. Visa was approved. 

4 minutes ago, pob said:

Why not try Bangkok?

Take the family to Thai boxing one evening, it's great fun!

The next night book a nice restaurant and go to a fancy bar.

I like to wander the markets during the day.

great idea - son and I both used to do Thai Boxing.  I stopped not long after receiving a TKO from a 20-something in the first round.....put me in my place!

I also can't comment on the legal position, and it is sensible for you to look into that rather than have a nasty surprise.

I can share my experience.  Over the last 20 years my wife has travelled from the UK at least 3 times without me and never been asked a question about it.   She would have been travelling on an Australian passport and the kids on UK passports.  She had a return ticket each time.

ONE time we did get asked was on the way home in Sydney. We were both present and the youngest (then 11) was super upset at the emotional goodbyes with the family at the security gate and crying her eyes out.  They gently but insistently questioned her about whether we were both her parents etc.  Quickly dealt with.

Thanks everyone. Really appreciate the insights. 
 

Based on these and on flight availability/affordability, I’m honing in on Singapore on the way out and Hong Kong on the way back. Couple nights each. 
 

Still hard to get my head around just how much flights cost these days.  The change is staggering.
 

  >£3k pp economy if you want to go 1 stop and <24hr door to door.  Non refundable. That used to be £1,100
 

2 stop and >30hrs is £2k refundable or £3k premium economy. 

7 hours ago, ramot said:

Ive spent a lot of time in both Dubai and Singapore.

The temperature  in Dubai will be lovely in December/January,  google the best attractions, but 

Ive spent a lot of time in both Dubai and Singapore, and suggest you google the best attractions there, as i am a bit out of date 

Singapores public transport is excellent, Dubai relies mainly on taxis.

Hotels are mainly very very good in both places, and both airports have airside hotel rooms, but are ok for a quick sleep/stopover, but aren’t like a real hotel

The weather will be lovely in Dubai, in December/January, great for swimming and there is indoor skiing/snowboarding  in one of the enormous malls, or going out on a desert safari, are definite attractions, and Emirates sometimes offer 1 nights free accommodation. 

The weather will be hot and humid in Singapore, but there is so much to do there, again best google the best activities, night safari at the zoo, adventure water park, bird paradise, Singapore flyer,.

Kuala Lumpur, from only a few visits would be my least choice,, ok zoo, again use google 

All places great to visit, and very different to each other, enjoy whichever you choose.

Thank you. I will do some research today. 

8 hours ago, InnerVoice said:

Too old to do economy?? I thought you ran marathons and stuff?!

Based on personal experience I'd say that Singapore was the best stopover, and if you haven't done it before then there's loads to see and do. You could easily spend a couple of days there, or may be a day on the way there and one on the way back. KL is pretty average to be honest, and I've never found any cheap flights via Bangkok which I imagine is down to it being a very popular destination. It is a great place to spend a couple of days though.

The cheapest flights seem to be via China these days, so Shanghai or Peking could also make pretty good stopovers (although I haven't been myself).

Ok fine. Not too old to do economy. Just too grumpy to be so uncomfortable.   I was actually supposed to be trail racing today at the Long Mynd.  It’s lashing down over there so I’m staying in bed instead!

I am definitely keen to visit China.  Wife not so much and the  economy class reviews for those airlines aren’t great.  Air China has business at £21,250 for the 5 of us…….it was <£11,00  when we booked for April 2020 (cancelled due to Covid)

I’ll look into Bangkok- thanks, 

8 hours ago, Toots said:

I suppose it depends who you fly with.  A lot of people have a stopover in Dubai.  Personally, I don't like the place but Kuala Lumpur, Singapore (my favourite) and Bangkok are interesting.

Cool. I’ll check out the flight options thank you.  We really like Singapore. It’s the only place we’ve ever stopped over and we’ve done it 4 or 5 times. Always happy to go back but it is nice to try somewhere different.   Quick hotel search there last night was over £1k for 2 nights (2 rooms).  Expensive world these days……

Mulling over flying from the UK to visit the family in Sydney for 3 weeks over Christmas and New Year (and to activate my visa).  Business Class is eye wateringly expensive and I'm too old to do economy.  Not much premium economy availability and having done it before a few time, it doesn't feel like great value.

So we are now pondering going economy, but spending 48 hours each way enjoying a stopover somewhere.   Any recommendations?   5 of us, youngest kid will be 16.

My error - I’ve watched one too many episodes of Border Security and got the wrong impression…..

Given how important getting this right is, I would urge you to spend a few hundred pounds and get professional advice.  There are a few highly regarded agents here. I personally found Paul Hand to be very helpful. 
 

You wouldn’t want to get this wrong and do something that could have consequences for you 189 (like getting caught looking for work on a tourist visa). 

Sorry, I don’t know. Mine went thru without any further interaction 

16 minutes ago, Rob Frain said:

Glad to hear...... I've got everything crossed - and now kid of wish that I did go through an agent but everything seems correct on the form and I wouldn't say im a stupid guy! 

How long has it been?

If there was anything wrong with your application you’d hear about it. It’s just a waiting game for your application to hit the top of the pile

Pretty sure everyone does that. Some of us more than once a day!   Entirely normal 

If you read the stat Dec form it states right at the top of the first page:

Note: If the visa applicant is outside Australia and is unable to have an Australian citizen or Australian permanent resident complete this form, any person who knows the applicant and their partner or fiancé(e) may also complete this form.

Any recommendations on best cars to bring from UK @Iron Chef?

I'll be buying new or nearly new early next year and will own for two years before our planned move back to Australia.   I don't have anything particular in mind.  Maybe another Velar or a Range Rover Sport.  Perhaps embrace my mid-life crisis and get a Jag F-type.  I'm weirdly drawn to the new VW ID Buzz long wheel base too.

I would typically sell once 3 years old, 4 at the most, so would welcome your advice on anything that would get a good re-sale price.  Thanks 

26 minutes ago, Quoll said:

Unfortunately, Barclays will do it for you! 

Could you register your address as being at a U.K. friend or family members home?  Would that prevent closure?

@Quoll is correct. GCSE’s run two years. Starting September when the child is aged 14/15 and concluding with final exams dropping in late June/early July when the child is 15/16. 
 

The school year is based on the child’s age as of 31 August.   
 

A-levels are the common next step. Also 2 years. 
 

The Australian system does not align to this at all, so moving with minimal disruption for education should take place before GCSE starts or after A-levels conclude. 
 

We are in that situation ourselves (though moving the other direction). 
 

I’ll share our personal experience (but of course this might just be us, not you)…..

Son is now 18 and in the middle of his A-Level exams.  Youngest daughter is in 1st year of GCSE’s.    Plan is to move when she finishes A-level in 2026
 

2015-2021 Son (independent to any influence from us), always insisted he was going to uni in Australia and living with his nan. 
2022 Son says he wants to consider UK and Aus Uni’s.  But then only actually applies to U.K. ones. 
2023 Son says “I think I’ll stay in the U.K. after uni. Just for a couple years to get some work experience.” 
1 week later Daughter says “I’m going to Uni in the U.K. “

You might have been able to hear my wife yelling “no you will not” all the way from the other side of the world   

No idea how it will play out for us, but if I was you I’d make the move before your kids get into that phase of education, because as young adults they might have strong independent will and might refuse. 
 

21st will be fine - the 28 days I was given started from receipt of the chaser letter, and you haven't had one of those yet so you've time.

Yes, back in February this year when I submitted by 309 application I received an automated and instant instruction to get my medical done.

Because there are so few accredited centres and being a tight-arse, I wanted to wait until I was in London for work to get it done so I didn't have to pay the train fare out of my own pocket 

24 days later they sent me a chaser message saying I had 28 days to provide the information requested. It stated that if I didn’t they could decide the application based on the info they had, so I cracked on with it bloody quickly. 

Yes mine (309 visa so could be different) was instant and clearly automated.  I sat in it for a while as I wasn’t in a hurry.
 

24 days later they sent me a chaser message saying I had 28 days to provide the information requested. It stated that if I didn’t they could decide the application based on the info they had, so I cracked on with it. 

9 minutes ago, Squirlies said:

Wowzers that was quick. What visa was that for 

that was for a 309.   I had everything done, submitted and uploaded.  Medical was the last thing I did.   I'd assumed there would be a few months of processing, but looks like I was an easy case for them.

What I think you can reasonably assume is that the medical assessment will be back with the immigration case officer inside of a week.   This was in March so fairly recent.

for me it was 6 days between my medical appointment and by visa being approved

That’s awesome.  Congratulations and good luck for the rest of the process. Keep us informed!

Hi Dilby,

I can relate to much of your circumstances and am happy to share our experience if that might be of help to you.

Me (a Brit), Wife (Aussie) here in the UK since 2002.  Live 45 mins away from my family who were never equipped to be any help.  Wife comes from large and very close family.  Was tough for her to be away from them, especially once the kids came along from 2004.  That actually was a turning point for her.  Kids are a great way to make connections with people going through the same experience as you.  At kiddie club, at the playground, then at school.  Actually our closest friends were from the ante-natal parent classes.   We were able to build a bit of a support network from that friendship group and that was really great.   

I think it might have been harder if she had to work during the the pre-school period but we were fortunate that she didn't and they could work school hours only afterwards.  That made a big difference too.   It's a lot of pressure being a working parent with a kid in nursery when you get called one a fortnight because the kid is sick.

Wife's mum is a wonderful lady and has always visited us annually for a 9-10 weeks over the summer.  Of all her grandchildren (too many to count on both hands), she is closest to mine.  They built such a bond when she was here 24x7 for weeks at a time.  It's still there today.  the 18 year old calls her every Sunday to chat (nothing to do with us, he just does it on his own).  The other grandchildren visiting for a few hours on the weekend (even every weekend) is nothing near the same impact.

Over the years we've faced the question "Stay or Go" a number of times.  We've agonised over the fork in the road and played out the positives and negatives of moving at different stages of our lives.   I would tell you from that experience that you have plenty of time to make that decision.  Really, any time up until secondary school that move is going to be easy for your daughter to adapt.  After that, then you are locked in place for a few years.

They are both great countries to live in.  As you know better than me, they are just different.  Different pro's and different con's.

We are heading back to Sydney in 2026 when the youngest finishes A-levels.   The biggest concern in our minds is if, after waiting all these years for the right time, will we like it once we get there?  We are used to life in a town now and Sydney 2026 has changed a lot from Sydney 2022 when we last lived there.  You might face this same dilemma.

"living in limbo" is no fun.  It can be draining on your mental health.  If an unqualified stranger can offer an opinion on that......make a plan.   If (for example) you decide "we're heading back before she starts high school", then you are no longer in limbo.   You're here until 2034 and then you are emigrating.  It will remove that feeling of unease that comes from indecision.    Your plan can always be changed as circumstances change.

4 hours ago, Ausvisitor said:

What on earth could be fairer than treating people the same? Surely that is absolute definition of fairness

 

Equally someone with half a brain should be able to separate a taxation system from a misguided sense of entitlement (your statement about assault), the fact you conflate the two, well I'll leave you to consider what that might mean !

Perhaps people with both halves of their brain can comprehend the difference between equality and equity???