Rachel Verdonkschot

10 hours ago, Quoll said:

Assuming he is a British citizen it would be relatively easy to get him into supported care which would cope with the one level house etc and the sale of his Aus house would go to fund what care he needs.  It may not be what he wants, but if what he wants is not possible then this is the next best option.  Alternatively, check out supported accommodation in Australia, it might provide you with more sense of security, knowing that he is being monitored and supported.

Hi Quoll my father is a Dutch citizen however has been a permanent resident in Australia since 1980 and considers it his home. The upheaval of selling everything he owns and is familiar with wouldn't be an option for him unfortunately which is why he would like to remain in Australia in his own home for as long as possible. It may be that he will have to consider supported accommodation in the future if the carer visa isn't an option for us.

7 hours ago, Parley said:

The whole thing doesn't make much sense. He is presumably receiving care now.

If the new visa is going to take 7 years and therefore the "plan" won't work, presumably he will still receive care during the 7 year or however long the waiting period is. Which will really only show the visa is not needed at all.

If at 83 he needs ongoing care i think you need to be looking a live-in aged-care homes for him.

Hi Parley thanks for your response. At the moment my father has a cleaner come in once a fortnight and a gardener every 8 weeks. Unfortunately he can't communicate verbally or by written word and gets easily confused but has managed to live independently and would like to be in a position to continue to do so with our support and is why we are exploring the option of a carer visa however it is becoming apparent that this may not be a possibility.

6 hours ago, wrussell said:

It is not unusual to receive a first-instance refusal for a carer visa, resulting in a few more years wait for a review application to be decided. If the sponsor dies waiting, the visa will be refused. 

Thank you for this information and this is obviously a concern for us.

10 hours ago, Marisawright said:

Not true. The waiting time to obtain a parent visa is currently at least 12 years, and that is for the Contributory visa (with a fee of tens of thousands of dollars).  The waiting time for a non-contributory parent visa is at least 30 years.   

There is a legal loophole.  If you are both prepared to give up work completely for the next 7 years, then you have the option of coming to Australia on a tourist visa, then applying for a Carer Visa while you are here.   You will then get a bridging visa which will allow you to remain in Australia while your application is considered (yes, even though that is going to be several years).  

It means you'll be living in limbo, not allowed to work nor receive any benefits and with limited access to Medicare.  If you wish to buy a property, you'll have to apply for permission and pay a hefty "foreign buyer" penalty. If you want to leave Australia for any reason, even for a holiday, you must apply to the government for permission (leave without the right paperwork and you won't be allowed to return). Not something to be undertaken lightly.  An agent will be able to give you further information.

56 minutes ago, Marisawright said:

57 minutes ago, Marisawright said:

Gosh, that's weird.  You get a visa to come to Australia to care for a sick relative, and then you get to stay whether or not said relative is still around.  

Hi Marisa, that was my understanding that if a carer visa is granted it is a permanent visa that would allow you to live and work in Australia. Thanks for clarifying the situation with parent visas. I wasn't aware that the waiting time was so long. Is this due to the sheer numbers of applicants?

I have just retired from nearly 30 years service with the Police here and my husband is self-employed so we wouldn't be looking at working or buying a property as my father's house is big enough for us to live there with him and be on immediate hand to offer support/care. It is of concern that neither of us would be entitled to Medicare given the length of the processing times and as you say it is not something to be undertaken lightly which is why we are trying to make an informed choice about whether it is a viable option for us.

48 minutes ago, Tulip1 said:

You say he indicated that’s what he would like.  What about you, is that what you want.  Can you afford to not work while caring for him.  I get he may want you there but it’s a very big ask to expect someone to uproot and move, especially when there’s various different care options available to him in Australia.  Also I believe there’s a long wait for such a visa, I’m not sure how long. 

Hi Tulip1. Thanks for your response. Yes, my husband and I would be very willing to do this and would not have to worry about finances if we were able to take up this option. Trying to make sense of the possible visa options for us is an absolute minefield and it seems so unfair that parents of Australian citizens/residents can obtain visas to be with their children/grandchildren but a child cannot obtain a visa to be with their parent. The apparent processing time is 7 years which undoubtedly wouldn't be an option for us.....

2 minutes ago, paulhand said:

“we estimate that Carer visa applications that meet the criteria to be queued are likely to take approximately 7 years to be released for final processing.” is the current spin from the Department. 

Oh Crikey!! That is a long processing time and it is good to know this information which I wasn't aware of and more than likely makes it an impossible option for us given that my father is 83 and not in the best of health. 

Hi Toots. Thanks for your response. Unfortunately returning to the UK wouldn't be an option for him due to the familiarity of his surroundings and his house being on one level. We considered this option after he had his stroke in 2015 (whilst travelling in Spain) and he wanted to return to Australia following his recuperation in the UK.

Thank you very much for your response Marisa. From what I have read I knew that it would be extremely difficult, but maybe possible. I will take a look at your recommendations for migration agents.

Hi. Does anyone have any experience of applying for the carer's visa? My 83 year old father is an Australian resident and lives alone. He has no other family members in Australia and following a stroke in 2015 he can't communicate verbally or by written word. My husband and I visit with him every year and we have just returned from a recent visit with him during which he has indicated that he would like us to move to Australia to look after him on a permanent basis due to numerous health issues. I am aware that he would need a BUPA medical assessment as part of the application process but I am unsure how I would facilitate this from the UK and that we would have to prove that he has no access to care currently Does anyone have any experience in relation to this aspect and what we would have to prove to satisfy the visa requirements? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.