1000 questions.

[s713]

Well, not quite 1000 but, anyone who can respond to any of these I can think of so far, thanks in advance!

 

1 What happens to my PR if I don’t get citizenship? I’m entitled to apply for citizenship, been here 11 years, just never done it. Is RRV an option?

2 How much did anyone pay for a 20-foot container to the UK?

3 How much did anyone pay for a large ‘movecube’ to the UK?

4 How much did anyone pay to take 2 pooches, 1 small, 1 medium?

5 What’s the process for taking dogs? Is it still shots and passports? Do they have to be quarantined at the UK end?

6 What has happened to my claim for UK state pension if I have been away (and not paid tax) for 11 years?

7 When I’m 60 and want to cash and send across my Aus Super, will I get murdered for taxes?

8 How many months of pay slips/what type of deposit do you need to buy in the UK these days?

 

 

[VERYSTORMY]

Can't answer them all, but here is what I can:

 

3. If you go on the seven seas site it will do an instant quote for you

4. We paid about $3000 for a chihuahua. We might have got slightly cheaper if we had more time

5. Pretty mush, though there is a load of paperwork that has be done I believe now which also imposes time restrictions. We used Dogtainers who were excellent. But correct, no quarantine. 

6. It will depend on NI contributions 

8. You will have no credit history in the UK, so will need to build that back up which could take several months

[Tulip1]

You can actually get on the housing ladder now with a 5% deposit. Getting a mortgage will of course depend on what you earn and for how long (your age)

[Amber Snowball]

1. Yes you can get RRV. If you meet the pre requisites should get 5 years. My mums took a day or 2 to get onshore.

2. I think a 20 ft is around $8000

3. My large cube is about $2000 including the port fees at UK end.

4. I’m moving a cat with Dogtainers. From Melbourne $3400. He’s a big cat!

7. Probably!

8. Halifax have said I can have a mortgage if I have a job offer as soon as I land. I’m testing that theory in the next couple of weeks.

[Amber Snowball]

Just found my email from 2016 and a 20 ft container Melbourne to London was 8-10k. Bit of a wide range.....

[s713]

Thanks guys.

Anyone who took cats/dogs, what was it like getting a pet-friendly rental in the UK?

[Guest]

Re the RRV, ensure you understand the ins and outs of it and how it all works. 

https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/trav/visa-1/155-

If you plan on selling up in Aus and living in the UK for the next 20 years say, it is not something you could perhaps just keep on applying for and renewing every 5 years. It may eventually become a year RRV and then perhaps they won't issue anymore. 

After all this time in Aus, its a shame you didn't apply for citizenship. I guess you are planning a move back in a timeframe that won't allow you time to apply and wait for the ceremony etc. 

 

 

[VERYSTORMY]

4 hours ago, s713 said:

Thanks guys.

Anyone who took cats/dogs, what was it like getting a pet-friendly rental in the UK?

It wasn't an issue as all, and we were looking in some of the poshest / most in demand areas such as the villages around Ascot and in Windsor. We settled in Windsor. You will be asked to pay an extra bond (about £200) but that is all

[Life on easy street]

6.You can make voluntary class 3 National Insurance payments to make up for some of the missing years of contributions for years working outside the U.K.

State pension age in the U.K has changed recently depending on date of birth.

 

[LKC]

Our 20ft container from Sydney to Edinburgh (Grangemouth) was about $8000.  We had to pay a little bit more on top of this because we had narrow access to our UK rental house, so they had to offload the container into a smaller truck. 

We took four cats back and didn't have any trouble at all in finding a cat friendly rental, so I would assume you'd be okay with a dog.  We offered an extra bit of deposit, but the letting agents said it wasn't necessary.  We did pay for the carpets to be cleaned when we left, but again the agents had said it wasn't necessary (we were renting someone's home whilst they were living overseas so I felt we should, since it was their home).

[EvieV]

I've been getting some quotes as we're in the same boat; moving back early next year after 19 years away so will be following your post intently.

 

1. I started my citizenship application last October. I have just been approved and am waiting for my citizenship ceremony - likely August. Add passport processing time onto that and it'll have taken 11-12 months from start to finish.

2. The average quote has come in at around $8,500 door-to-door (Central Coast NSW to Devon).

4. Our 27kg Labrador is costing between $4700 and $5300, depending on whether we drop her off and pick her up ourselves.

7. As I understand it, if you don't become a citizen then you can cash in your super when you leave.

 

 

[VERYSTORMY]

3 hours ago, EvieV said:

 

7. As I understand it, if you don't become a citizen then you can cash in your super when you leave

 

No you can't. Only people leaving who have only been temp residents such as 457 holders can 

[Marisawright]

3 hours ago, EvieV said:

1. I started my citizenship application last October. I have just been approved and am waiting for my citizenship ceremony - likely August. Add passport processing time onto that and it'll have taken 11-12 months from start to finish.

....

7. As I understand it, if you don't become a citizen then you can cash in your super when you leave.

Just bear in  mind that all you need to do it get your citizenship certificate.  You don't need to bother getting a passport unless/until you plan on returning to Australia. 

If you have PR, you can't cash in your super. Only people on temp visas can do that.  It's not necessarily a bad thing, because your current super balance will go on earning interest and growing, then you can cash it in or take a pension at retirement age, when you'll appreciate it!   Just remember to write to them, tell them you've left the country, and instruct them to cancel ALL insurances (they're not valid if you're overseas anyway).  That will save you a packet on fees.  

Edited June 13, 2018 by Marisawright

[Marisawright]

On 11/06/2018 at 14:31, s713 said:

1 What happens to my PR if I don’t get citizenship? I’m entitled to apply for citizenship, been here 11 years, just never done it. Is RRV an option?

7 When I’m 60 and want to cash and send across my Aus Super, will I get murdered for taxes?

1.  If you don't have citizenship, then you must apply for a RRV before you go.  That will give you the right to return to Australia for a period of 5 years.  When that RRV expires, if you haven't lived in Australia during those 5 years, you may have trouble getting another one, unless you can demonstrate strong ties to Australia.   Who knows, you might be lucky and score a second one, but I'd be pessimistic about getting any further renewals after that.  It's only meant as a way to handle temporary absences.   

2.  Probably best to ask a qualified accountant who understands taxes at both ends.  I'd expect it to be tax-free in Australia, but I'm sure the Inland Revenue will want a bite out of it if you take it as a cash lump sum.  Even if you're living overseas, you will still have the option of leaving it in Australia and converting it to a pension, but that means you'll be at the mercy of exchange rates with every payment.   It may be possible to reduce or avoid tax by transferring it to a UK pension, it would be worth looking into.

Edited June 13, 2018 by Marisawright

[Martinbjulieb]

On 13/06/2018 at 07:02, Marisawright said:

Just bear in  mind that all you need to do it get your citizenship certificate.  You don't need to bother getting a passport unless/until you plan on returning to Australia. 

If you have PR, you can't cash in your super. Only people on temp visas can do that.  It's not necessarily a bad thing, because your current super balance will go on earning interest and growing, then you can cash it in or take a pension at retirement age, when you'll appreciate it!   Just remember to write to them, tell them you've left the country, and instruct them to cancel ALL insurances (they're not valid if you're overseas anyway).  That will save you a packet on fees.  

Just to say our insurances through our Super are valid overseas as long as the premiums are paid via an Australian bank/Super fund so it is worth checking with individual companies.

[s713]

Do I have to tell the UK that "I'm back"? How does that work and do I have to justify my time away?

Thanks everyone, really appreciate it.

[Marisawright]

7 hours ago, Martinbjulieb said:

Just to say our insurances through our Super are valid overseas as long as the premiums are paid via an Australian bank/Super fund so it is worth checking with individual companies.

I was told they are valid overseas during temporary absences BUT not if you are no longer legally resident in Australia.  So I'd suggest triple-checking that.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, s713 said:

Do I have to tell the UK that "I'm back"? How does that work and do I have to justify my time away?

Thanks everyone, really appreciate it.

If you are planning on claiming certain benefits, then you'll need to prove habitual residency. 

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/coming-from-abroad-and-claiming-benefits-the-habitual-residence-test/the-habitual-residence-test-an-introduction/what-is-the-habitual-residence-test-EWSNI/

Get back on the electoral roll, register with a GP and dentist, dig out your N.I number and go from there. 

 

[Martinbjulieb]

5 hours ago, Marisawright said:

I was told they are valid overseas during temporary absences BUT not if you are no longer legally resident in Australia.  So I'd suggest triple-checking that.

Thanks. I have and I also have it in writing and our broker has confirmed it for us with them too. Extra cautious

[VERYSTORMY]

6 hours ago, s713 said:

Do I have to tell the UK that "I'm back"? How does that work and do I have to justify my time away?

Thanks everyone, really appreciate it.

Nope. Not formally, but as soon as you are back, register on the electoral role as you will need to rebuild your credit score. 

[s713]

Thanks everyone.

Bit that's stressing me now is the thought of having to coordinate the timing of everything; putting the house up for sale, booking flights, booking pooches flights, handing notice in at work, exchanging on the house, where to live until flights etc.

Can anyone lend their experience of what they did please. Thanks!

Edited July 23, 2018 by s713

[VERYSTORMY]

If you don't need the money from the house sale, then you can complete the sale from the UK, which is what we did - it will just mean a trip to Australia House in London when it does complete to have documents stamped. 

[Amber Snowball]

8 hours ago, s713 said:

Thanks everyone.

Bit that's stressing me now is the thought of having to coordinate the timing of everything; putting the house up for sale, booking flights, booking pooches flights, handing notice in at work, exchanging on the house, where to live until flights etc.

Can anyone lend their experience of what they did please. Thanks!

As you know I’m just back. I did ths;

1) Put house up for sale about 4 months before I wanted to leave. Melbourne has a reasonably lively housing market but allowed for the slightly slower market on the outskirts where I was.

1a) also get rabies jabs done. No bloods needed but jabs must be a minimum of 21 days before flying and maximum of a year. No quarantine in uk with the rabies paperwork. Heathrow customs was mental when we arrived. They had 64 animals arrive in the first hour of flights landing........6-7 hours clearance.

Manchester would be quicker for customs but they have to go via Dubai so take longer to get there as they have to stopover there for hours. Depends on the animal if that is better or worse.

2) Once offer agreed on house, I asked for a longish settlement as it sold in the first week......3 and a bit months from memory.

3) started applying for jobs, advising when I would be available.

3a) sorry just remembered, do the TOR form, especially with pets to ship. Use the lowest resolution scans and if you don’t get an immediate response by email saying they have received it, chances are your attachments were too big.

4) once settlement was confirmed(this was a pain with my sale but that is unusual in an Aus house sale I think) I got a quote for a container, rejected it, booked a movecube. 

5) found a pet friendly holiday let in Aus for 2 weeks so I could finalise the house, pack and ship everything etc without being in the house.

6) found a pet friendly holiday rental in UK. Outside of Preston. If you want the details let me know. I’m moving to another holiday let in Cheshire in Friday and that’s with a cat, so short term lets are not proving to be an issue.

7) work I gave 2 months of notice with the agreement that I could leave at the drop of a hat if my sale finally got the green light, again stupid house sale. I left when I had 4 weeks to go as to be honest only me doing it, a son, a cat and a parent all needing different things sorted ou, I needed the time. Hopefully your situation is a little more straightforward!

8 ) sold the cars last minute taking a hit in price to my local nissan dealer, just for ease. Booked a rental car for the last few days in Aus and dropped at the airport. Booked a rental in UK and returned it early as bought the first car I tried as it was perfect!

9) advised banks/super/ ato / AEC etc as I go. Almost done now, but will have to run back through them once I get a permanent address.

That’s sort of it. I hinged everything on roughly when I wanted to go, Mid june, then adjusted around the house sale, which might slow you down or speed you up depending on the market where you are. I left late June so it sort of worked.

PM me if you need any nitty gritty detail! 

 

[s713]

Brilliant, thanks for taking the time to do that @Amber Snowball I really appreciate it.

[Home and Happy]

On ‎15‎/‎06‎/‎2018 at 00:36, s713 said:

Do I have to tell the UK that "I'm back"? How does that work and do I have to justify my time away?

Thanks everyone, really appreciate it.

I don't think the UK even noticed that we had been gone.   I had even kept a couple hundred quid in my old account and it was still there when we came back.