Guest OldiesRUs Posted May 12, 2008 Share Posted May 12, 2008 Congratulations Smiley Grandma!!!! Not in the least bit jealous - yeah right. Jean:wubclub: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Marilyn Posted May 12, 2008 Share Posted May 12, 2008 Just checked my emails and have been asked for 2nd payment for 173 visa with an initial entry date no later than 5 January 2009. Aiming to go August or September. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bernice Posted May 12, 2008 Share Posted May 12, 2008 Fantastic News Smiley Grandma. Bernice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Marilyn Posted May 12, 2008 Share Posted May 12, 2008 Can anyone tell me where to find the overseas mission list on immigration website please? Apparently I need to advise the POPC which one I'll use. It may be that I'm too excited to think straight but I can't find it. Marilynj Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gollywobbler Posted May 12, 2008 Share Posted May 12, 2008 Hi there - new to this ... have a problem that I would like advice on ...We applied for our Contributory Parent Visa on 22 June 07, have been assigned a CO today 12 May 08, applied for Medical - being done on Thursday 15 May 08, police checks have been applied for today 12 May 08 (from Oz as we are here on 12mth visitor visa), and we have a AoS sourced, we are about to send them their letter so Centrelink can do their side of things. The problem is that ... Our daughter and son in law are now having marital difficulties and son in law has refused to sign his part of the sponsor form stating he is happy for her to sponsor us, she has applied for citizenship and is expecting it in about 8wks time, she is a permanent resident and their daughter is an Australian citizen (aged 4), but hasnt got it yet, does anyone know if it will stop our Visa if he doesnt sign his part of the form if we let Immigration know why? Anyone help??? Hello Sue Your son in law has already given his consent to your daugher acting as your sponsor. He has signed Q59 on Form 40 to this effect, and Form 40 was submitted to the POPC at the same time as your visa application. Form 40 is here: http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/pdf/40.pdf Legally, your son in law can withdraw this consent at any time prior to the grant of your visa. Equally, I doubt that the absence of forimal consent from him could scupper the visa. I suspect that it would be possible to serve formal Notice on him informing him that your daughter will be making the sponsorship commitment with ot withut his consent. It would be unjust to enable an in-law to discate what happens to you, especially in a situation where feelings may be running high because of the marital difficulties which you describe.. It is also very possible that he has agreed to provide the Assurance of Support for your application, either on his own or jointly with your daughter. He is not required to consent to somebody else giving an Assurance of Support that he is not involved with. However. if he is one of the Assurers then he will be required to complete and sign Form SU594, which is here, and to prove his identity, residential status and income to Centrelink: http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/filestores/su594_0711/$file/su594_0711en_p.pdf Your son in law cannot be compelled to provide an Assurance of Support but if he does so, he cannot withdraw from it once given and the Assurer's obligations will bind him personally for 10 years if he does provide an AoS. The POPC will give you AMPLE time in which to try to sort this out. If the couple separate then S-i-L's consent to your daughter providing the Sponsorship will not be required because in this scenario it would be none of his business. However, he cannot be compelled to provide an AoS and it could be that your daughter would not be able to meet the income thresholds for it by herself. Please see here: Go Matilda - Your Gateway to Australia - News If this is the problem and the sticking point, there is a guy called David Shue. He provides Assurances of Support on a commercial basis, via his company I think. He does so in return for a one-off, up-front fee. His fee for joining in with Assuring a Contributory Parent couple is high but then he or a company controlled by him would be providing a ten-year commitment which is open ended in terms of potetntial cost to themselves. There are said to be several businessment like Mr Shue who are willing to provide Assurances of Support on a commercial basis, but he is the only one I know of. I've seen e-mails between Mr Shue and another couple last year and there is no doubt that he is willing to Assure Contributory Parents. I've no reason to doubt Mr Shue's integrity. That said, many people find that in a situation like yours friends of your daughter's might be willing & able to join in with her in Assuring you. Up to 3 individuals can club together to provide the AoS and as long as their combined income meets the threshold, Centrelink will be satisfied. The Assurers do not need to be related to the visa applicants or to each other. I would always suggest trying to find Assurers from within family and friends if possible rather than using a commercial Assurer, but it may reassure you to know that the commercial possibility exists if you find that you need it. Letting Son in Law know that the visa can go ahead without his involvement might also also go some way towards allaying his own fears I suspect. However, I would suggest that you explain the situation to your CO and ask for a minimum of 6 months in which to try to sort it out. Having plenty of time is a great way to take emotional pressure off people which might help the parties to feel less pressured by the whole thing. Would your daughter want to remain in Australia without him or would she want to return to the UK? If a split would cause your daughter to have second throghts about Oz then it might cause you to have second thoughts too. Best wishes Gill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest smileygrandma's son in Oz Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 We are really a smiley family today:jiggy:Just arrived in from shopping to great news Daughter inlaw informed us we have to pay our 2nd vac received the pre visa advice letter:smile: Visa will be issued after 1st July. We have to activate the visa by 31st January 2009 so it is all hands to the pumps now to celebrate Congratulation Smiley grandma,from you family in Oz, looks like we have to get your room ready, yipppeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee:jiggy: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JoanneHattersley Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 Congratulation Smiley grandma' date='from you family in Oz, looks like we have to get your room ready, yipppeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee:jiggy:[/quote'] Well done to you all! Looks like my family and yours will be out round about the same time! I cant wait and I bet u cant either! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gollywobbler Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 Can anyone tell me where to find the overseas mission list on immigration website please? Apparently I need to advise the POPC which one I'll use. It may be that I'm too excited to think straight but I can't find it. Marilynj Hi Marilyn Well done! It is great to hear that they have asked for your money. (That sounds strange, but you know what I mean!) If you are in the UK then the "overseas mission" is the Australian High Commission in London. Please see here: Visas and migration - Australian High Commission Do use Special Delivery to send your passport and enclose a self-addressed Special Delivery "silver pouch" for the return. Make sure that you keep a note of the tracking number on the silver pouch because it will enable you to track the return delivery via the Royal Mail website. My local post office tried to tell me, "Oh you don't need the tracking number because the sender will track the return." That is cobblers! Australia House make it quite clear that they will NOT track the return delivery! That said, though, when we sent Mum's passport off for her CP visa label, I posted it on a Monday. Friday morning I settled down to the Roayl Mail website to see whether the package was on its way back. Before I could do anything more the doorbell rang. It was the postman, returning Mum's passport. They got the passport on Tuesday and must have posted it back on Thursday. Best wishes Gill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gollywobbler Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 We are really a smiley family today:jiggy:Just arrived in from shopping to great news Daughter inlaw informed us we have to pay our 2nd vac received the pre visa advice letter:smile: Visa will be issued after 1st July. We have to activate the visa by 31st January 2009 so it is all hands to the pumps now to celebrate Helloooo Smiley Grandma Congratulations! It is completely weird to say "Congrats" to someone who has been asked to cough up a huge wedge of money, but still! Does the Initial Entry Date that has been sugested include an extension of time? If that has not been offered but you would like longer before you need to validate your visa, now is the time to request an extension. Best wishes Gill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest smileygrandma's son in Oz Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 Hi gollywobbler, Im smiley grandma's family in oz, on the email we got it says. and I quote ...........The initial entry date cannot be extended. which to be honest we want them here sooner not later, please don't give them ideas we miss them too much lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gollywobbler Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 Congratulations Smiley Grandma!!!! Not in the least bit jealous - yeah right. Jean:wubclub: Hi Jean With so many people suddenly being asked for their 2nd Instalments, I'm beginning to think that the COs may have been instructed to get all the requests for 2nd Instalments sent out and then start processing the next batch of applications whilst they wait for the money to arrive. I assume they do whatever sort of final checking they need to do before they ask for the 2nd Instalment, which I guess probbaly takes a bit of time. But no worries because the AoS is the next stage for you and there is quite a bit to do in connection with that if you want to save time with the AoS element of the process. It sounds like you have already completed the dreaded Form 80, but it is below if you just want to check: http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/pdf/80.pdf My guess, too, is that they probably received a higher than usual number of applications during June 2007, with people rushing to beat last year's fees-increase. Best wishes Gill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gollywobbler Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 Hi I would like to thank everyone on this site for all the information posted on here , although I have been reading this is my first post. The time scale for my visa is as follows Lodged 15 June 2007 CO 16th April 2008 Medicals 22 April sent courier Police check (£35) sent for certificate Sat 26 April received Thursday 1 May sent to Agent to forward. Assurance of support (centre Link) sorted Thursday 1 may by son in Au. Tuesday 6th May - Centre link requiring confirmation bond is in sponsor's Au bank by 16th May. Now we wait fingers crossed. Hope this helps Jean and those that are still waiting for CO they do excist but over worked. Your turn next. Best wishes all Bea Hello Bea Welcome to Poms in Oz. I know it is completely demented to be pleased when people are asked to part with large chunks of money, but..... GOOD NEWS!!!! It is a strange world and I didn't make the strange CPV Rules! I'm really pleased that you have been asked to get your Assurance of Support into place. Yours is the first post I've seen where they have requested the AOS. It suggests to me that the POPC are planning to go all out to get as many visas as they are allowed to grant in 2008/9 settled and granted as early as they possibly can. I'm with them on this! Firstly it is what all the applicants want. Secondly, by now the Manager of the POPC knows what the 2008/9 quota of CPVs will be even though he is not allowed to say anything yet. If he thinks that the increase (if any) is insufficient, he can make a powerful statement by being sen to run out of visas even earlier than he did last year. The Minister can't criticise the POPC for ultra-efficiency, so I'm behind them all the way on this one! Best wishes Gill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest june coates Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 We are really a smiley family today:jiggy: Just arrived in from shopping to great news Daughter inlaw informed us we have to pay our 2nd vac received the pre visa advice letter:smile: Visa will be issued after 1st July. We have to activate the visa by 31st January 2009 so it is all hands to the pumps now to celebrate congratulations,smiley grandma.am i right in thinking that you didnt lodge your application untill june 07?i lodged mine in april 07and as yet,havnt been asked for 2nd installment.hope its because my co is either on holiday or sick.i will wait a few days then give her a ring.you will be so excited at present.will you come before jan?or have you a house to sell.good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gollywobbler Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 Hi June The good news is that they have definitely already earmarked a visa for you, so you are guaranteed to get one when the 2008/9 "batch" of visas is released on 1st July 2008. As you say, your CO could be on leave or off sick. I supect though that another possiblity is that your CO can see that there is no particular urgency (from his/her point of view) about you. In your CO's shoes, I'd be thinking as follows: "This very sensible lady Mrs Coates is already in Oz and planning to do the Bali Shuffle when the time comes. Even more usefully, she is in Perth so she or one of her children could get the money to me very quickly and Mrs Coates will obviously validate her CPV very quickly once I can grant it, so she is not under any great pressure with regard to the validity of her meds etc (and anyway I can always give her an extension of time in which to vanish to Bali or Singapore for a few days.) Meanwhile Mrs Coates is here on a tourist visa which does not expire until November. She's not one of the Parents anxiously sitting in a hotel offshore having sold up elsewhere but having not come to Oz to finish their waiting out here. Mrs Coates' application can be left to look after itself for a while longer whilst I try to sort out some of the Parents who are anxiously waiting offshore. Also, since Mrs Coates is already here and getting on with her new life, there is no sense in my disturbing her until I have to do so in order to ensure that the timing does not go wrong with her tourist visa." Which might not be what you want to hear but it is the way that I would be thinking unless you were to contact me to tell me that you want me to think something else. We found with Mum's CO that she was bending over backwards to try to take the process at the pace which she guessed might suit us best. I had the impression that she hadn't really grasped that Elaine, I and Mum were ready, willing & able to turn cartwheels to get the CPV wrapped up and the process completed without any avoidable delay. Right from the start we had been willing to bring Mum out of Oz much earlier than her tourist visa required if doing so would suit the POPC (though we had not throught to say this to the POPC.) We didn't feel that we had to somehow "get our money's worth" out of Mum's tourist visa. That was sacrificial as far as we were concerned and could be ditched the minute that Mum's CPV would be ready instead. No doubt you feel exactly the same. However Elaine did have to reassure the CO that Mum was competely relaxed about the whole thing and ready to do whatever the CO, Elaine & I between us asked her to do, and to do it at very short notice if need be. It was very much a case of the CO guessing that we would want her to set a pace that was calm, quiet, unflustered and unhurried in view of Mum's great age, but Elaine and I insisting, "Leave Mum to us, please. She'll be fine. She's a real old trouper and she'll do whatever will help. She might be frail physically but mentally she's as strong as an ox and that will carry her through. Let's just get this thing DONE, please!" Also in fairness to the COs, I'll bet that they DO get grumbles from families who say, "Parents are here on a 12 month tourist visa with ages to run still left on it. We don't want to give you a large chunk of money until we absolutely have to. Please just reserve their CPVs and then leave us alone until the tourist visa is about to expire." 'We want to have our cake and eat it,' in effect! But I'll bet that PLENTY of it goes on. The poor COs are left trying to read the family's mind unless the family indicate what they want, I strongly suspect. I think it is entirely possible that your CO suspects that you might grumble if s/he tries to insist that you leave Oz before your tourist visa expires. I recall too that Molly Flanders and her hubby sold up in Scotland and went to Oz in about Sept/Oct 2007 on a 12 month tourist visa. The CO contacted their Agent at the beginning of December to say that the CP visas were ready and the CO just needed the couple to go offshore for a bit. Molly checked the price of flights to and hotels in Auckland, which revealed that they were going to hit the most expensive time of year for both if they went to Auckland before the third week in January. All this was explained to the CO and it was agreed that Molly & OH would book flights for the last week in January, once the prices started to come down. I don't know whether Perthites break up the Perth "winter" by escaping to Bali in Jly/Aug/Sept? The dry season in Bali begins in November, so Nov-March is normally the peak time for tourists from Europe but I don't know about tourism from Oz, You might want to have a look at flight & hotel prices and work out the optimal time to go to Bali or Singapore before you contact your CO? Also, have a word with Singapore Airlines. They sometimes do 3 & 5 night "special offers" (hotel included) from Perth at times of the year when they can get a massive discount on the price of the hotel rooms - which is during the wet season from mid-March to October. You might get a keen deal if you are able to arrange to leave Oz pretty promptly on or soon after 1st July. I suspect that if you are able to suggest a departure date which is convenient for you, your CO will probably do everything possible to fit in with that for you. The POPC does provide absolutely top-quality, gold plated service, we found. Best wishes Gill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest june coates Posted May 14, 2008 Share Posted May 14, 2008 thanks for all that usefull information gill.i get the point of it but dont know if i would be better off financially by having my visa sooner rather than later,as i am missing out on all the concessions given to seniors over here.they get help with rent,utilities etc.i wonder if that would be better than the small amount of interest on the visa payment money,i would earn,sitting in a bank account.i will be looking at the flights etc to bali and seeing if singapore airlines have any of the specials that you mention.i dont fancy going to bali in the rainy season but it all depends on cost and family taking hols(there are a few of us going)i will speak to my daughter and we will probably ring co next week some time to find out what her intensions are.i will keep you posted.thanks again gill.you have been my gardian angel throughout the process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest smiley grandma Posted May 14, 2008 Share Posted May 14, 2008 congratulations,smiley grandma.am i right in thinking that you didnt lodge your application untill june 07?i lodged mine in april 07and as yet,havnt been asked for 2nd installment.hope its because my co is either on holiday or sick.i will wait a few days then give her a ring.you will be so excited at present.will you come before jan?or have you a house to sell.good luck thats right we lodged June 2007. we front loaded our meds and penals and our son and his wife in oz have acted as our agent . We do have a house to sell but will still go to oz before the Jan deadline. There is no way we will let the visa go. hope your co will soon be in touch. I guess they too get sick or need a holiday, and that is why patience is a virtue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SEFFnSARAH Posted May 14, 2008 Share Posted May 14, 2008 Hi Smiley Grandma, So pleased to hear your news. As Gill says, its strange to congratulate someone when they are being asked for such large amounts of money but it means things are moving. Mum didn't apply until end Feb 08 so it was really disappointing to discover this site and finally read about the delays - she waited for us to get things together as we thought ours would take longer - bad move. Still, at least we are getting updates from you guys and hopefully time will move quickly. She is thinking of going on a tourist visa as and when (hopefully) ours is granted and then waiting. With any luck they will realise the demand and increase the number of CPV visas issued. Still, glad to hear your news and hopefully you will be with your family soon. Sarah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gollywobbler Posted May 16, 2008 Share Posted May 16, 2008 Hi Smiley Grandma, So pleased to hear your news. As Gill says, its strange to congratulate someone when they are being asked for such large amounts of money but it means things are moving. Mum didn't apply until end Feb 08 so it was really disappointing to discover this site and finally read about the delays - she waited for us to get things together as we thought ours would take longer - bad move. Still, at least we are getting updates from you guys and hopefully time will move quickly. She is thinking of going on a tourist visa as and when (hopefully) ours is granted and then waiting. With any luck they will realise the demand and increase the number of CPV visas issued. Still, glad to hear your news and hopefully you will be with your family soon. Sarah Hi Sarah I don't know whether you have noticed the various threads about it this week, but the quota of CP visas will be increased by 3,000 on 1st July 2008, taking the total to 6,500 Contributory Parent (including Contributory Aged Parent) visas per year. Based on figures produced by DIAC a few months ago, I'd say that your Mum should get her CP visa probably quite soon after 1st July 2009. How long do you reckon it is likely to be until your own visa is granted? Best wishes Gill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SEFFnSARAH Posted May 17, 2008 Share Posted May 17, 2008 Hi Gill, Thanks for that. Thats great news. If we go it will hopefully mean that mum will only have to get one 12 month visitors visa. So there are positives that keep us going, even if it is only a small glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel! Sarah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathntone Posted May 19, 2008 Share Posted May 19, 2008 Hello everyone I've been keeping a constant eye on this post, it's good to know there are loads of other folks out there going through the same thing. Our application was acknowledged on November 13th 2007 and I wonder if anyone has any idea about whether we will make it into the 2008/09 allocation or 2009/10. I know the number of visas has been increased but don't know what that will mean to us. I see that June 2007 applications are being processed now but I suspect that they are getting a step on to clear the backlog of those parents who were on hold once the visas ran out. Best wishes Cathy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gollywobbler Posted May 19, 2008 Share Posted May 19, 2008 HI Cathy Welcome to Poms in Oz. If you are better at maths than I am, then with the aid of Excel and the DIAC 2006/2007 Annual Report, you can make a reasonable guesstimate about whether or not visas will be available for you prior to 1st July 2009. The DIAC Annual Report for 2006/7 was published in mid-December 2007 and reports the position as at their Year End, which was 30th June 2007. Please click on the link below and scroll down to the narrative section headed Parent Visas. 1.1.2 Family entry (permanent) - Output 1.1- Annual Report 2006-07 According to the report, up to 30th June 2007 the demand for CPVs was averaging about 525 new applicants per month (ie 525 actual people, in 325 applications per month.) When the fuss began in Jan/Feb 2008, somebody whose Parents are waiting queried this figure of 525 with the POPC. She told me that they told her that they reckoned that 525 new applicants per month was still about right as at the end of January 2008. It is all very rough & ready because it is not reasonable to ask them to dig out and confirm the exact details - doing that would not help with speeding up CPV processing, after all. Gill's Kitchen Sink "maths" reckons that anybody who applied prior to the end of November 2007 ought to be in with a reasonable chance of a visa prior to 30th June 2009 (I think.) I won't even try to describe how I get this conclusion! It is much safer to do the maths for yourselves using a combination of DIAC's figures and your own common-sense. I do not - myself - believe that demand for this visa has reached a plateau and has levelled off at 525 new applicants per month, so I think that when the 2007/8 Report is published in December 2008 it will maybe show an average level of demand of around 600 new applicants per month or possibly even a bit higher than that for the 2007/8 Program Year. Therefore I reckon that applications received in November 2007 are probably "on the cusp." Nov 2007 applicants could just about squeak in with visas before 30 June 2009 but if not then the Nov 2007 applicants should be in the first wave of grants when 6,500 more visas become available on 1st July 2009. But please don't take my word for it because I really cannot do maths. After the first couple of lines it just becomes a meaningless jumble of numbers to me and I become completely confused. The DIAC information is imperfect because it is a bit out of date so any conclusions necessarily depend on what assumptions you make. That said, it is the only official information that there is for the moment. Best wishes Gill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathntone Posted May 19, 2008 Share Posted May 19, 2008 Thank you Gill for a comprehensive reply as always. I will take your advice and plough through the figures but maths was never my strong point! We had already resigned ourselves to July next year, had even thought at one point it would possibly be 2010, in which case we would probably consider a tourist visa. Given the recent increase though 2009 looks more likely, whether we have to wait until July remains to be seen. Thanks again Cathy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanky Lad Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 We are really a smiley family today:jiggy: Hi, Not sure if it was actually you who mentioned this..... In OZ, validated and PR - I thought I saw mention of senior citizens qualifying or can apply for assistance or reduced housing costs. I know about the bus pass -just wondered about the housing stuff ( every little saved helps!) If it was not you...sorry...and if anybody can shine a light ...TIA. L. L. CPV - Sitrep: Medicals sent to Sydney via Dr Millions 12/03/08 ( manchester) DHL currier.... he said process time is 12 weeks. Heard nothing since. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gollywobbler Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 Hello Lanky Lad ! think you may be referring to the Comonwealth Seniors Health Card. This can be claimed after 2 years' residence in Oz as a PR and it seems to offer concessions in addition to that of a reduced cost for getting prescriptions filled. It is means-tested plus you have to be of Age Pension age, though. Please see the link below: Concession and Health Care Cards The Benefits provided by the SCHC are definitely not recoverable from the Bond. The only Benefits that can be clawed back from the Bond are listed below: Assurance of Support We have been looking into the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card for my Mum. She cannot apply for it yet because she has not yet had PR in Oz for 2 complete years. Because Mum is very elderly (87) she takes a variety of pills for a variety of routine ailments all of which are simply down to her great age. Once Mum is eligible for this card, if her income proves to be within the threshold then the price of her prescriptions will be $5 per drug instead of $31.30 per drug. The PBS Safety Net is not the answer to this because that only runs from 1st January to 31st December each year. The threshold is about $1,200 per year. By the time Mum has spent $1,200 of her own money on scripts, it is about October/November each year. Elaine (my sister in Oz) reckons it is not worth the hassle of trying to claim the PBS Safety Net just for a couple of months. The pharmacist has told Elaine that the PBS Safety Net is not designed to deal with chronic ailments where there will be a long-term need for the drugs. He says the solution for Mum would be the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card because that will reduce the price of Mum's drugs to $5 per drug year-round. All of Mum's income arises in the UK and is paid to her in sterling, so - like a lot of other British CPV holders - she is currently feeling the squeeze because of the exchange rate. For a much younger Parents like yourselves (and Mike & Connie - the original discussion that you noted about this was between Mike & I on one of the other threads) the price of prescriptions is probably irrelevant but stuff like rent & phone bills may be very relevant. Apparently it is tax-efficient for the child in Oz to buy a second home and to rent it out to his/her Parents long term. It shows that the child is making sensible and prudent provision for his/her retirement apparently and there is some sort of tax-incentive to do this. I don't know the details but Elaine's tax-accountant says that this is what a lot of CPV holders' children do and it is somehow beneficial for child, plus convenient for his/her Parents to be the long-term tenants. I've no idea how it works but you might want to investigate this within your own family. I know 3 or 4 British CPV holders ahose families have opted to do this. Alan Collett would be the man to ask about this because he understands all the possible financial smart moves for CPV holders and their children. I've given up on the idea of tax-efficient arrangements for my mother. She is very old now and her thinking is dominated by sentiment. Her house in the UK has immense sentimental value to her and she can't bear the idea of selling the family memories which it holds for her. She doesn't need a home of her own in Oz because the whole point of her CPV is that she wants to live with Elaine & family and to be fully-involved with her only two grandchildren. Everything about our own arrangements is completely hopeless tax-wise, no doubt, but if it keeps Mum happy then that is fine. Her happiness is more important to me than worrying about whether the tax man will get a windfall on her death. The raising of the UK IHT threshold to £600K will keep Mum's house out of the Chancellor's clutches. If he gets a CGT windfall instead then so be it, I guess! If by the "bus pass" you mean the Seniors Card, I was talking with an Australian lady about this in the Poms in Oz Chat room the other day. This lady lives in Sydney and was a Ten Pound Pom back in the Sixties. She said that the age lthreshold for this card in NSW is 50, whereas it is 60 in WA. Apparently she herself does not qualify for the card because she works more than 20 hours a week. However she has friends who have them and she says they really are very well worth obtaining. Welcome to Seniors Card I heard about the Seniors Card from a CPV holder in South Australia. He reckons that they offer excellent perks in SA and said that they got theirs very promptly after they moved to Oz during 3007. For Mum it is not worth the hassle of public transport because she is wheelchair deendent and so she cannot travel on public transport on her own, plus my sister was able to get a disabled badge for her car as soon as Mum moved to Oz. It might be well worth it for things like discounts at the hairdresser, however, plus a whole range of other shops, restaurants etc seem to offer discounts to the holders of Seniors Cards, I notice. The lady in Chat also said to check for individual State concessions because she says they do exist but she is not sure of the details apart from that they depend on the State concerned. So far I have not managed to discover any more about this. It is probably a matter of contacting the relevant State Government and gradually chipping away at it them till one finds out how to contact the relevant person within the State Government. There might be concessions at City Council level as well but again, I don't know. I've a hunch that some of the local concessions might only be available in more rural areas or something along these lines, but this is a complete guess, nothing more. If by "bus pass" you do not mean the Seniors Card, have you come across some other concessions, my friend? If so, please reveal all because "every little helps", as you so rightly say! Cheers Gill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest june coates Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 hi to all,its good news for me.just had an email asking for 2nd payment for visa.must be paid by 18th june and visa will be allocated after 1st.july.i have untill 11th jan 09 to validate,which means it is 1yr after meds.as i had police checks done in oct 07.i am now looking for specials to bali.yipee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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