ancient brits Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 Hi all CPVrs Just an update for you all AOS PAID After a real mess around by centerlink in Canberra (4 appointments and 2 offices later) the aos has finally been paid 22nd Dec, and my son and DIL have had phone confirmation from immi that all is OK. Just got to wait to be asked to part with the big payment ouch!!!!!! and then we will go offshore probably to NZ for the actual grant. Meanwhile we are still exploring the East coast and are currently in Mudgeeraba with future Parents in Law, where we spent Xmas and New Year. I will keep you all updated on visa progress Wishing all CPVrs a very Happy New year Rita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest PatnPete Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 Hello Rita Glad to hear you have edged a bit nearer the last lap. Your mention of problems at Canberra put me on edge, our AOS is due for an interview there next Tuesday, 6th Jan. Regards PatnPete (CPV143, Case Officer 3rd Dec) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest proud2beaussie Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 I don't believe how much I miss proper English cheeses Get yourself along to the Victoria Market,Top of Elizabeth Street in the city,on a Friday or saturday (other days too,ask a neighbour when its open) and you will find a stunning selection of cheeses and meats and vegetables that will blow your mind ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanky Lad Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 Its not much fun being Tail End Charlie on the tracker but more new applicants will come along soon and it is AMAZING how time flies. Sorry Gill, time drags on and on and on...and minor problems become international incidents. You wake up each day and wonder if its Ground Hog day..cos the VISA always seems just as far away as ever. Then you read a post knickersinatwist has just lost the house buyer. Meanwhile your house buyer appears to be reading the forum posts and is demanding another drop in the price or else ( remember my buyer and the kettle) After months an dmonths you suddenly see that grumpyashell have been asked to re-submit medicals..... then you worry that its a new ploy by Perth to slow the flow....will you get a call for more medicals...is the poice check still in date...is the....? what if.... ? The problems and questions seem never ending.... Then suddenly.... theres a rush of issues and the process that in effect started ( for us ) the day the kidz landed in Oz at least 4 years ago...is suddenly over. The Visa is issued and in the passport. And what does it matter if you had to drop £40000 or more on the asking price and you have just got back from the local dump where 3/4 of your treasures built up over 40 years have ended up. You are about to start your new life!!!! Of course youve been to Oz before, you know all about the driving here......dont worry, forget everything you ever learned in teh Uk about being a good driver, pass in any lane, just indicate and before the first flash as dimmed..turn in front of the car coming up. Dont worry, he's expecting it and does not even blast th ehorn in dismay. Oh yes, in the UK the speed limit is advisory, here, do one KPH less than the limit an you are public enemy No1. You will travel at the maximum allowed or else. BUT looney speeding is seldom seen, coz you never know where the camera cars are or if that Sporty Mazda with tinted windows and flashy wheels is really an Ozzie Plod just tempting you to take him on. Its all coming together here, hoping to be in our NEW build house before February and Pleased the builder knocked $10000 of a week before we enquired - and more than happy with our $24000 First time buyer, new build, refund from the Government AND NO Stamp duty. And yes, the bacon really is crap! BUT the shrimps and seafood are BRILLIANT! BUT I would sooner be here with all its little surprises than anywhere else in the world, the wait was well and truly tedious and frought, but you know when I look back now.....its AMAZING how time flies! Happy New Year to Gill and all the CPV's past and present. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest amygirl Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Wow, that has cheered me up a tad, thanks , as I am in the process of getting estate agents round for a valuation etc and to be honest, it is all a bit depressing. Not only are house values dropping at a rate of £100 per day but also the exchange rate is doing a dive also with the British Pound just about to drop off the scale completely. From what you have said it is all still very doable ,so I think I need to get my house on the market pretty sharpish and get out to the sun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewatt Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 The reality of our situation is that we have waited many years to get to this point. We try not to get too excited about anything to do with the immigration process as we know it's still a long way off. We had our first grandchild born in February last year and are now expecting our second one in June next year. Our target is to be there in Oz before they are at school, but our real wish is for sometime in 2010. I'll have a look at your list that Gill has mentioned, but you are welcome to add us to it. Eric. Hi Eric, I am just back from Aus having gone out to acitvate our CPV Visa and it has been great catching up with all the PIO news I can sympathise with you on the wait we seemed to be waiting for ever from the decision to apply to filling in all the forms to actually getting our Visa last Sept and after all that we still have to wait as the Housing Market seemed to have slowed right down and we can't get our house sold. Like yourselves our first grandson was born out there and i felt we missed out on a lot and would love to be there for the next our Daughter keeps saying she is putting off until we are over but at the moment I just can't see a light at the end of the tunnel and wonder if its all been for nothing but reading everyone's news and thoughts it really does cheer me up and as they say patience is a virtue that hopefully it wil lall come right in the end. Good Luck with everything hope its not much longer for you Evelyn x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewatt Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Hi LL, Glad you are settling well and getting used to Ausie ways often think about you at least you are there, We have just come back from activating our Visa but still no lucjk with the house a real pain in the rear end but i keep hearing your words" leave it on the market and ride it out" which is what we are doing and hopefully i wil lbe on hear shouting from the roof tops that we are on our way, We loved the Gold Coast but instead of comparing with the UK it was Manly we missed and compaired it with, Hope all goes well with your new house and your move Happy Driving Evelyn xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ancient brits Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Final Payment Requested Today, we have recieved the request for our final payment to be made so it is off to the bank to sort out the payment, ouch!!!!! We are also going out today to book our Auckland shuffle!!!!! for the granting of our visa, and buy a big bottle of bubbly.:jiggy::jiggy: I can't believe it even though we have been waiting for what seems forever. What a great New Year present. Rita and Tony x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gollywobbler Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 Hi Rita & Tony This is excellent news! There can't be any other visa that makes people delighted to hand over so much money but it was amazing how relieved & delighted we were when we reached the same point with Mum's CPV application! Cheers Gill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandch Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 Great post by lankylad to cheer us all up. We'll get through it; the property market will start moving again, and Australia will still be there, glowing in the sunset. Happy New Year fellow CPV hopefuls. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanky Lad Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 Hi LL,Glad you are settling well and getting used to Ausie ways often think about you at least you are there, We have just come back from activating our Visa but still no lucjk with the house a real pain in the rear end but i keep hearing your words" leave it on the market and ride it out" which is what we are doing and hopefully i wil lbe on hear shouting from the roof tops that we are on our way, We loved the Gold Coast but instead of comparing with the UK it was Manly we missed and compaired it with, Hope all goes well with your new house and your move Happy Driving Evelyn xx Hi Evelyn, Nice to hear from you and apologies for the delay in a reply...sound like an email dunnit! In hindsight, we were really lucky. Although we "lost" on the asking price we did have a buyer who actually wanted the house and had done for a while and could not afford it. He did just as I would have done and made a lower than asking price offer. We also sold them ( a young couple li8ving with a bully of a father and no furniture o f their own) everything we were not shipping..... and nobody wanted to buy it - house clearance dealers left muttering! But it got us an extra £5000! I am building a websites andt he whole story will be on it...so watch for the link when it goes online!!! We are doing OK and would be better if the exchange rates were not so dire- If I wouold have had more sence I woul dhave transferred the lot at 2.35 and at one point 2.40. Today at 2.06 it mean sthe new merc and boat have to be replaced with a Holden Astra and a Kyak (sic) Actually we were in Manly last weekend doing a bit of shopping in Coles! We are in Seaforth just know but we have put an holding deposit on a new build up near The Entrance. Waiting for the process to kick in. Lucky that th eslum here is a bit better for us, building knocked off $10000 a week before we found the place online and there is a $24000 refund for new build first time buyers off the government and NO STAMP duty! Again by the time the website is done we should be in and living the life! In the Uk we had a detached 4 bed place valued at £350K The new place is bigger, better and a lot bl--dy cheaper to buy! Hope to find some web design/photpgraphy work and save up for a decent boat. Got a fishing rod for Crimbo off the Kidz... just need a boat now! I hear bad things from the Uk about house prices etc,. I dont know how long it will take to get better and I fear a lot of wannbee an aussie looking for jobsponsors are going to be let down. Unemployment is up here..and they will cut immigration "to protect Australian jobs". Lock up the house and come over on a 12 month visa...by the time you get back the house may have a buyer...... Best wishes, keep in touch you have my email Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mors Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Just to let you know that we have applied for our CPV visa and I know now it will be a long wait, but at least we have started the process. Still not sold the house, but thinking of renting out and giving it a go. Our son and his wife head out on 31st January, so that will be both our children on the other side of the world, but hope it's not too long until we join them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Polegate Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 Hi Gill (Gollywobbler) Could you help us with regard to what medical assistance we would be entitled to as a permanent resident, over 65 years, in Brisbane on a CPV? We understand we would get back 80% of the cost for GP fees and prescription charges. Thanks David & Jackie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gollywobbler Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 Hi Gill (Gollywobbler) Could you help us with regard to what medical assistance we would be entitled to as a permanent resident, over 65 years, in Brisbane on a CPV? We understand we would get back 80% of the cost for GP fees and prescription charges. Thanks David & Jackie Hi David & Jackie Once you have had PR for 2 years you may be eligible to apply for Commonwealth Seniors Health Cards: Commonwealth Seniors Health Card We are in the process of obtaining this Card for Mum now that she has completed her 2 year qualifying period. It is means-tested but the threshold is quite high so most CPV holders probably do qualify for it if they are retired. Armed with the Card the cost of prescription-filling for Mum will drop from $31.30 per drug per scrip to $5 per drug per scrip, which will be a major saving because Mum has lots of routine ailments associated with her great age and she has pills for them all. The GP Mum goes to "builk bills" for children and the Aged anyway so Mum does not pay anything to see him. However bulk billing is at the discretion of the doctor and not all of them are prepared to do it so you would need to shop around for one who does. It says: in some instances, additional health, household, transport, education and recreation concessions which may be offered by State or Territory and local governments and private providers. Note: these providers offer these concessions at their own discretion, and the availability of these concessions may vary from state to state Mum is in WA. Once we have her Card we plan to ask the WA Health/Aged people whether we can claim any additional assistance from them. Mum lives with my sister & family so she can't get anything else from the Card - utility bills etc because she doesn't pay those herself. You might find that element more valuable than the drugs & doctors' end of it. My sister went ti see Centrelink about organising this Card for Mum and she took Mum with her. Seeing Mum in her wheelchair the staff asked Elaine whether she is claiming Carers Allowance for looking after Mum? No, why? They said Elaine is entitled to claim Carers Allowance, which is not recoverable from the CPV Bond so Elaine has made a claim for that as well though she says it is only about $50 a fortnight (but that might be because Elaine works part-time, which might reduce her entitlement to Carers Allowance.) Seniors Card has nothing to do with DIAC, Centrelink or the Bond. It is a discount card which is useful in shops, cinemas, restaurants and on public transport, plus museums etc. You can claim that straightaway on arrival: Welcome to Seniors Card The actual perks vary from State to State but long-resident Aussies all reckon that it is worth getting free Seniors Cards. Best wishes Gill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Polegate Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 Hi Gill Thank you so much. That info has been very helpful. Best wishes, David & Jackie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest PatnPete Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 Hello CPVrs Our LETTER arrived this morning 23.1.2009 CPV143 VISA GRANTED. For the record - Lodged 27 Sept 07; Ack. 8 Oct 07; Meds etc 26 Apl 08; Case O. 3 Dec 08; AOS paid 6 Jan 09; 2nd VAC req. 13 Jan 09; Paid 19 Jan 09; Visa granted 23 Jan 09. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gollywobbler Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 Hi PatnPete CONGRATULATIONS!!! :twitcy::jiggy: Enjoy your celebrations tonight! Cheers Gill xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Polegate Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 Congratulations it must have seemed a long wait! Now you can enjoy some celebrating. Where are you emigrating to? Best wishes Jackie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest amygirl Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 :biggrin:Hi PatnPete , Hey Congratulations, well done and enjoy your new life down under. Whereabouts are you heading for ????? Gill (amygirl ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lizg Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 Many congratulations - Good to see they are still giving out CPV's - Been a while since someone got one!! Liz x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest PatnPete Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 Many thanks for your Congratulations. Initially making a trip to Canberra to validate and meet our first granddaughter, who is currently 3 days overdue! Then head towards the coast and check it out around Moruya, before returning to sell our house. Our regards to All PatnPete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest amygirl Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 Hi Lz, Hang in there, mine took 17 months from start (application acknowledged in Perth ) to receipt of visa . I made use of the time to start the clearing out process , loft---garage ----etc. It is surprising how much time it takes. Good luck with it all . Gill (amygirl ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bush Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 hi folks been reading the news yes it does give hope to people like who are still at the begining stage yes it can happen bush Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandch Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 Yes, there is still life in the CPV thread. Well done to Pat & Pete. We're edging ever closer to the new visa year too. Reminder: see the current CPV status for a sample of applicants on CPV key dates tracker. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Polegate Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 Can anyone please point us in the right direction as to which booklet tells us what the 31,550 AUD (each) payment covers? Thanks David & Jackie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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