UK house sale about to exchange but will corona stop us getting to aus ?

[scubacam]

So our house is due to exchange any day and then we are on 28 days to consolation.

I’m so so scared that we won’t be able to fly by the time it’s all done. 2 kids and 3 animals.

NZ closing borders , surely aus is next

[Quoll]

Quite possibly. That's why on Thursday we decided to fly out tomorrow. We have find before completion on my dad's house.

[scubacam]

Quite possibly. That's why on Thursday we decided to fly out tomorrow. We have find before completion on my dad's house.

Just not possible for us . We have to get our animals to the vets for their final stuff, work notices to see out

[rammygirl]

Who knows.  Be prepared for screening and possible quarantine anywhere, including staying in the UK!

[ali]

Anyone arriving in Australia will have to self isolate for 2 weeks - not ideal for a new arrival in the country when there's so much to do in those first few weeks (not least finding longer term accommodation).

[Quoll]

36 minutes ago, ali said:

Anyone arriving in Australia will have to self isolate for 2 weeks - not ideal for a new arrival in the country when there's so much to do in those first few weeks (not least finding longer term accommodation).

Absolutely! I wouldn't be moving if that were the case. Fortunately for us we have a home there and my son, who lives in our block, is  a Prepper of the first order - so much so that I laugh at him and my DH because they've been doing it for years but I've never been more grateful to them both than I am now.  Even so, there are some things I won't be able to sort out - like changing my phone plan but I may be able to do that on line. I'd say that a 2 week isolation for a total new arrival with zero infrastructure for them would be impossible.

[AliQ]

3 hours ago, Quoll said:

Absolutely! I wouldn't be moving if that were the case. Fortunately for us we have a home there and my son, who lives in our block, is  a Prepper of the first order - so much so that I laugh at him and my DH because they've been doing it for years but I've never been more grateful to them both than I am now.  Even so, there are some things I won't be able to sort out - like changing my phone plan but I may be able to do that on line. I'd say that a 2 week isolation for a total new arrival with zero infrastructure for them would be impossible.

Hi Quoll, happy travels back to Aus.

We're supposed to be returning first week of May but will now cancel and sit it out for a while longer here in the UK. As you say, I doubt our hotel / apartment will allow us to self isolate so trying to re establish ourselves would be extremely difficult. Luckily we can keep our rental here, otherwise we'd be homeless.

Really feel sorry for those booked to emigrate right now, I know how much planning and organisation that involves.

[scubacam]

Hi Quoll, happy travels back to Aus.
We're supposed to be returning first week of May but will now cancel and sit it out for a while longer here in the UK. As you say, I doubt our hotel / apartment will allow us to self isolate so trying to re establish ourselves would be extremely difficult. Luckily we can keep our rental here, otherwise we'd be homeless.
Really feel sorry for those booked to emigrate right now, I know how much planning and organisation that involves.

Why wouldn’t they let you self-isolate ?
I’d rather just get there and deal with the two weeks. Just gotta hope to actually get out

[AliQ]

31 minutes ago, scubacam said:

 

 

Why wouldn’t they let you self-isolate ?
I’d rather just get there and deal with the two weeks. Just gotta hope to actually get out

 

 

I think they would want to minimise the risk to their business and other guests staying there (having said, I have not asked the hotel) And, arranging food deliveries for two weeks to a hotel room / apartment may be problematic. Australia is already experiencing  significant problems with online shopping orders & deliveries in some areas.

[Marisawright]

13 hours ago, scubacam said:

Why wouldn’t they let you self-isolate ?
I’d rather just get there and deal with the two weeks. Just gotta hope to actually get out

 

 

I don't think Quoll meant that hotels wouldn't accept you.  She meant that you'd be unable to do anything for your first two weeks, at a time when you'd normally want to hit the ground running.

I doubt you'd be in a hotel anyway, you would book an AirBnB or holiday let.  They might charge you extra to do a deep clean when you vacate but that's all. After all, if they don't take overseas guests, they'll lose too much business.

You would have to plan to order all your food and supplies online and given the number of other people who'd be doing the same thing, I'm sure the system would be under strain - but I don't think it would be impossible.  

[AliQ]

9 hours ago, Marisawright said:

I don't think Quoll meant that hotels wouldn't accept you.  She meant that you'd be unable to do anything for your first two weeks, at a time when you'd normally want to hit the ground running.

I doubt you'd be in a hotel anyway, you would book an AirBnB or holiday let.  They might charge you extra to do a deep clean when you vacate but that's all. After all, if they don't take overseas guests, they'll lose too much business.

You would have to plan to order all your food and supplies online and given the number of other people who'd be doing the same thing, I'm sure the system would be under strain - but I don't think it would be impossible.  

This is a real worry for anyone trying to emigrate right now. We have flights booked to return to Aus but will now delay. If we give up our UK rental, pack & ship our furniture etc, then Australia decides to close it's borders, then we will have no where to live. Staying with relatives here is not an option, and staying in an AirB&B could end up being very costly if the situation drags on and on.

And if we did actually get to Australia, I think it has the potential to get very messy and disruptive, and costly !! We're staying put for a while despite our eagerness to get back to Aus.

[scubacam]

This is a real worry for anyone trying to emigrate right now. We have flights booked to return to Aus but will now delay. If we give up our UK rental, pack & ship our furniture etc, then Australia decides to close it's borders, then we will have no where to live. Staying with relatives here is not an option, and staying in an AirB&B could end up being very costly if the situation drags on and on.
And if we did actually get to Australia, I think it has the potential to get very messy and disruptive, and costly !! We're staying put for a while despite our eagerness to get back to Aus.

I’m also replying to another message on top of yours
What type of visa have you got ?
Even if it closes borders, I think they have to let residents in which is what we are.
Our friends in Spain are still being allowed into food shops which I would imagine would continue all over the world because there’s a lot of elderly and disabled that dont access the internet .
We’re in a tricky position because of our house. I’m expecting a recession after this and the value of our house could take a huge downturn and effect our life when we do get there. Plus I’m on maternity leave so I’d be forced back into work if we stay and my daughter into nursery when she’s very little. I agree it’s messy and costly but for us , that’s staying here too. I almost wish we had a rental to just hang on to. We can’t really stay with family due to our animals as well , they don’t like animals of any kind.
For us the cost of staying put, is worse than going.

[AliQ]

27 minutes ago, scubacam said:

 

I’m also replying to another message on top of yours
What type of visa have you got ?
Even if it closes borders, I think they have to let residents in which is what we are.
Our friends in Spain are still being allowed into food shops which I would imagine would continue all over the world because there’s a lot of elderly and disabled that dont access the internet .
We’re in a tricky position because of our house. I’m expecting a recession after this and the value of our house could take a huge downturn and effect our life when we do get there. Plus I’m on maternity leave so I’d be forced back into work if we stay and my daughter into nursery when she’s very little. I agree it’s messy and costly but for us , that’s staying here too. I almost wish we had a rental to just hang on to. We can’t really stay with family due to our animals as well , they don’t like animals of any kind.
For us the cost of staying put, is worse than going.

 

Hi scubacam, we're dual citizens, lived in WA for 28 years prior to coming to the UK to spend time with families.

Whilst we have the right to enter at any time, it is home for us as well as the UK, we no longer have a house there, we sold two years ago to travel and we want to settle in QLD for a change. So, we don't have family / friends in that state to bunk down with, and really don't want to spend two weeks locked up in a hotel room / apartment etc, we're concerned that those costs may escalate +++. We've already spent a lot travelling back & forth. 

As you know, a lot of work goes into emigrating so I really feel for you at the moment. We would still go if it was'nt for that 14 day lock down. We had not booked our accommodation before that directive, so if we tried to book somewhere now, I'm worried that no one would accept us under those conditions.

[Mcguinnessp1968]

I’m also replying to another message on top of yours
What type of visa have you got ?
Even if it closes borders, I think they have to let residents in which is what we are.
Our friends in Spain are still being allowed into food shops which I would imagine would continue all over the world because there’s a lot of elderly and disabled that dont access the internet .
We’re in a tricky position because of our house. I’m expecting a recession after this and the value of our house could take a huge downturn and effect our life when we do get there. Plus I’m on maternity leave so I’d be forced back into work if we stay and my daughter into nursery when she’s very little. I agree it’s messy and costly but for us , that’s staying here too. I almost wish we had a rental to just hang on to. We can’t really stay with family due to our animals as well , they don’t like animals of any kind.
For us the cost of staying put, is worse than going.

I’d say you are probably better out here than in the UK tbh although you will have to self isolate for two weeks at least

I’d also say however it’s definitely possible that they will close the border to all arrivals from Europe at some point in the near future

[AliQ]

2 minutes ago, Mcguinnessp1968 said:

 

I’d say you are probably better out here than in the UK tbh although you will have to self isolate for two weeks at least

I’d also say however it’s definitely possible that they will close the border to all arrivals from Europe at some point in the near future

 

You are probably right. It's all so very very messy right now. Too many variables to worry about so I think for us we're best staying put then returning once the 14 day isolation has been lifted. 

 

[LobsterMobster]

12 hours ago, Marisawright said:

You would have to plan to order all your food and supplies online and given the number of other people who'd be doing the same thing, I'm sure the system would be under strain - but I don't think it would be impossible.  

Woolies have stopped home delivery in Victoria...

[Marisawright]

39 minutes ago, LobsterMobster said:

Woolies have stopped home delivery in Victoria...

Not completely.  If you are in quarantine or self-isolation there is a number on the website to call and they will deliver to you.

 

[Jon the Hat]

I would think more of a concern is finding a job when the economy is likeley heading for a recession.  We want to go this year, but I am not about to quit a highly paid job and jump into a recession in WA.  We are holding off putting the house back on the market for now, but I would certainly complete and move into rented if it hadn't fallen through.

[scubacam]

I would think more of a concern is finding a job when the economy is likeley heading for a recession.  We want to go this year, but I am not about to quit a highly paid job and jump into a recession in WA.  We are holding off putting the house back on the market for now, but I would certainly complete and move into rented if it hadn't fallen through.

Problem is no one knows what the economy is going to do and how long do u put your life on hold for?
We’ve been talking about this move for 14 years and now we were days away from buying flights. Kids ages are perfect but if we stay we have to put our son into a school here and the deadline has passed, I’ll need to return to work, and how long is the piece of String to get my house back on the market. If our buyers aren’t spooked we’ll continue as planned , quantas have said the following (post below) which is all we can go by. Our air bnb have said they’ll still have us if there’s availability. So. I think we just need to get there at this stage

[AliQ]

1 hour ago, scubacam said:

Our air bnb have said they’ll still have us if there’s availability. So. I think we just need to get there at this stage


I agree. Good luck and safe travels.

[Heading4Tassie]

Good luck scubacam with your relocation, I really hope it all works out for you all.

We are also in similar position about to exchange on our house in 3 weeks time (2nd time lucky we hope) I was planning to visit Oz just to validate my PR 100 visa with a week stay on the 3rd April (2nd time for booking flights too) but concerned now not about self isolation required for 2 weeks but being able to get back to the UK as we are not ready to move permanently for another few months (maybe longer now with this pandemic) and flights are likely to be being cut down a lot fairly soon.

Does anyone know if PR visas enter by first dates are possibly being extended at all due to all of the uncertainty and restrictions in place to allow more time for the initial validitaion? Tried to see if I can find anything online but coming up empty. Would be great if it could be postponed by a few months and hopefully we will be in a better place then and I can avoid sitting in a hotel room on my own for 2 weeks

[Marisawright]

6 hours ago, scubacam said:

Our air bnb have said they’ll still have us if there’s availability. So. I think we just need to get there at this stage
 

 

That's what I thought.  Life is pretty crazy at the moment regardless of which country you're in.  Fingers crossed for you and good luck.

[Marisawright]

2 hours ago, Heading4Tassie said:

Does anyone know if PR visas enter by first dates are possibly being extended at all

I very much doubt it.  Government departments move slowly. This crisis is too new for them to have thought of things like that.  

[Quoll]

I think it is going to be high on impossible. Qantas are cutting 90% of their international capacity. Mind you, QF2 this morning was very well patronised.

[Jon the Hat]

20 hours ago, scubacam said:

 

Problem is no one knows what the economy is going to do and how long do u put your life on hold for?
We’ve been talking about this move for 14 years and now we were days away from buying flights. Kids ages are perfect but if we stay we have to put our son into a school here and the deadline has passed, I’ll need to return to work, and how long is the piece of String to get my house back on the market. If our buyers aren’t spooked we’ll continue as planned , quantas have said the following (post below) which is all we can go by. Our air bnb have said they’ll still have us if there’s availability. So. I think we just need to get there at this stage

 

If your sale goes through I would go ahead as well - if flights are not available do you have a plan B for accomodation here?  Might your work keep you on?