Search the Community

Hi 16 years ago i was going through a rough time and made a lame attempt at taking my own life. Pathetic really but i ended up spending a night in hospital and i'm presuming this is on my medical records. Anyway that was a very little glitch and am now fine and have been for many years. Will this stop me getting a visa if i fit the rest of the requirements? I dont want to fork out the money if im going to be refused for it. Many thanks D

Police in Australia say they have thwarted a mass suicide attack on a military base by carrying out a series of raids. Australia Federal Police's Tony Negus spoke after the raids More than 400 officers were involved in Operation Neath and 19 properties were raided in Melbourne. Four people were arrested, all Australian citizens ranging in age from 22 to 26 and several others are being questioned, Australia Federal Police Acting Commissioner Tony Negus said. The suspects were allegedly planning an attack involving automatic weapons on Holsworthy Barracks on Sydney's western outskirts, more

Hello and good luck to everybody going through the process, whatever stage you are at. This is not meant to be a downbeat post, nor to put doubts in anyones head (I know, you probably all have enough of your own!). I just have to get this down if you know what I mean. We have a good standard of living here in the UK. Two kids of 11 and 7. For the last 2 wks I have been researching madly-job prospects, pay, living costs, property, schools etc etc. Although I cant get Oz outta my head I think it may be financial suicide for us. My OH is a joiner and extremely well paid by Oz standards (and no reason for it not to continue here in the UK). However his skills are in demand and would probably get a job, but at the age of 44 does not relish going to the bottom of the heap again for a huge paycut. I am a paediatric physiotherapist (actually I manage the dept) so again am very well paid. The problem with me is I would have to face some of the toughest exams ever to work as a physio in Oz and as I have been specialised in a very narrow area of physio for many years, this would mean probable retraining or at the very least hitting the textbooks for the next 6 months! I am 41 and this does not appeal. I would also have to freeze my rather good NHS superannuation scheme. I am happy to work at any job in Oz but am wobbling at the thought of effectively throwing my hard won career away even though problems in the NHS are well-documented elsewhere! We have only £30k left to pay on mortgage so if we sold up would poss have £160 equity after solicitor and other selling fees but very little savings (probably due to that good standard of living!). This means that some of that equity and selling of other assets eg. ISA, other policies, cars etc would have to be used to fund the emigration and set-up costs in Oz which I feel is enormously expensive to live a poorer standard of life (money-wise) away from family and friends. I see there are a lot of posts on here about the QUALITY of living being so much better in Oz regardless of finances and I appreciate this is fine and possibly would be for us if we were willing to take the plunge. Maybe this is last-minute panic for us as OH is 45 in November so this is really our last-chance saloon to get an application in under a 136 visa. So many what-ifs and potential for regrets further along the line when we are looking back in 10 yrs time from under a grey English sky! But also a big risk at our ages (financially) and we find it difficult to envision how we would retire with such a huge dent in the piggybank. I know we are only in our 40's but hey! Perhaps if we'd done this 10 years ago there would be more time to catch up (but wouldn't have considered it then.) Is anyone else going through this agony and/or could offer any nuggets of wisdom? My mind changes from one day to the next and I can't seem to settle with a decision and move on. OH seems to have decided it isn't viable but I am still feeling that pull of an adventure before it is too late!!