Moving to the UK in Weeks – Questions!!!

[AliQ]

20 minutes ago, Senfield said:

Yes I recently completed the TOR, fairly straight forward. I sent my documents in three emails. Documents sent were inventory list & approximate cost, rates notice & ID. They requested evidence of where I would be staying on arrival. Daughter provided a letter & proof of her address. Processed in a couple of weeks. 

Im also interested in who will provide travel insurance, same issue ‘one way only’

 

Hi Senfield, as suggested in my earlier post in this thread, try Insureandgo, but don't use their online service, phone them and discuss the issue.

I got travel insurance from them (UK office) for our one way back to Australia during covid. The cover will be very limited, but all we needed was medical cover for any issues during the journey really, so stress that point when you call them. They will not give you cover for any cancellations / change in plans etc due to covid, but that was fine with us.

They do have an Australian office too.

[Senfield]

56 minutes ago, AliQ said:

Hi Senfield, as suggested in my earlier post in this thread, try Insureandgo, but don't use their online service, phone them and discuss the issue.

I got travel insurance from them (UK office) for our one way back to Australia during covid. The cover will be very limited, but all we needed was medical cover for any issues during the journey really, so stress that point when you call them. They will not give you cover for any cancellations / change in plans etc due to covid, but that was fine with us.

They do have an Australian office too.

Thank you will give them a call. 

[marmitegirl]

13 hours ago, Amber Snowball said:

I think the issue here is that the OP cannot get insurance currently. She isn’t choosing whether to get it or not, she cannot find any company offering it.

@marmitegirl it might be you have to get on the phone and see if any will do a bespoke one way package for you.

Exactly...basically provider says Due to the latest advisory from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) banning travel to all destinations, we are not currently offering travel insurance to new customers.

[AliQ]

1 hour ago, marmitegirl said:

Exactly...basically provider says Due to the latest advisory from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) banning travel to all destinations, we are not currently offering travel insurance to new customers.

Yes I know, that was the rule when we were in the UK as well.

BUT, when I explained our circumstances ( emigrating) they DID sell us a policy, limited yes, but it did cover our immediate needs. That is why I suggested calling them and having a conversation. You may be lucky, may be not, but at least it's worth a try ?

Edited November 5, 2020 by AliQ

[Marisawright]

1 hour ago, marmitegirl said:

Exactly...basically provider says Due to the latest advisory from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) banning travel to all destinations, we are not currently offering travel insurance to new customers.

@marmitegirl, all the travel insurance websites say the same thing.  However, it's not unusual (as AliQ found in the other direction) for insurance companies to do special deals.  

When you think about it, insurance companies are losing big money if they don't sell insurance policies.  So it's in their interests to offer limited cover - at a price, of course.  Here's a website where you can search for a travel insurance broker - they will know if anyone is willing to do a deal:

http://www.needabroker.com.au/html/

[jgt]

hey did your move go ok i am intersted in going back.do you have any advice please..my mother is ill but i still got refused exit from Aus....cheers

[Marisawright]

54 minutes ago, jgt said:

hey did your move go ok i am intersted in going back.do you have any advice please..my mother is ill but i still got refused exit from Aus....cheers

@jgt, I'm willing to bet that you didn't apply correctly. It is confusing.  You are allowed to apply again so don't delay, give it another try. 

They don't care if you leave, what they're worried about is the risk when you come back.  So if you're leaving permanently, they're very unlikely to refuse you.  But you've got to convince them you're leaving for good.  If you applied under compassionate reasons, they would assume you're going to return eventually so that's why you got turned down.

Apply under "travelling outside Australia for a compelling reason for three months or longer".   Your compelling reason is that you're leaving Australia for good. You need to attach a Statutory Declaration, stating that you are moving back to the UK permanently.  You need to attach evidence that you're definitely going - for instance, evidence that you've booked a Movecube to transport your belongings, or that you've put your house on the market.  

You can download the Stat Dec form here:

https://www.ag.gov.au/legal-system/publications/commonwealth-statutory-declaration-form

and you need to get it witnessed by a Justice of the Peace (ring your local library or town hall and they can tell yo uwhere to find one, the service is free.

Then apply for the exemption and attach the Stat Dec and your evidence.  

 

Edited January 18, 2021 by Marisawright

[marmitegirl]

On 18/01/2021 at 00:22, jgt said:

hey did your move go ok i am intersted in going back.do you have any advice please..my mother is ill but i still got refused exit from Aus....cheers

Hi, move went ok in the end! Lots of stress but we've been back nearly 2 months and apart from the lockdown and kids not being in school it's been just as I'd expected/hoped.  Yes, the UK has changed people have moved on etc but I was prepared for this and wasn't expecting it to be perfect. 

Lockdown is what it is, nothing we can do about it and has put a bit of a dampener on things but we're just getting on with it as best we can. Obviously when we moved we had half expected further lockdowns so were mentally prepared. Getting used to the cold and wet weather was a bit of a shocker and it being so cold has meant being stuck inside is not really much of a problem when you don't want to go out in the cold/wet/dark. Moving countries, houses etc during a pandemic isn't easy and I hadn't expected things to take so much longer than they usually do and  our goods being shipped are stuck in Hong Kong and not going anywhere in a hurry.

I couldn't get travel insurance in the end - I tried so many providers and they are just not selling it while travel is banned. 

Good luck with the move, keep trying for the exemption. I had to provide LOTS of evidence: dec type statement, job contract, house rental agreement, flight tickets, kids offered a place in school, deposit paid for shipping of goods. I got the exemption about 6 hours after I applied so processing was very speedy back in October.

[Paul1Perth]

On 18/01/2021 at 08:22, jgt said:

hey did your move go ok i am intersted in going back.do you have any advice please..my mother is ill but i still got refused exit from Aus....cheers

Heard this morning that one of my wifes workmates Mum died from Covid. She was only admitted to hospital last week, in her 70's and was supposed to be coming out here on holiday in Feb. 

We have another friend who's Dad died last year and he couldn't get permission to go back.

Tough times mate, good luck.

[Roy67]

Hi all,

My wife and I are returning to the UK in a few weeks. Is there anyone else in the group who is also leaving Oz to return to the UK around March/April/May time 2021.

Everything organised, but my biggest concern is that restrictions keep changing and we might not be able to get into the UK. 

Does anyone have any views on that.

[marmitegirl]

8 hours ago, Roy67 said:

Hi all,

My wife and I are returning to the UK in a few weeks. Is there anyone else in the group who is also leaving Oz to return to the UK around March/April/May time 2021.

Everything organised, but my biggest concern is that restrictions keep changing and we might not be able to get into the UK. 

Does anyone have any views on that.

Hi Roy

In my opinion, as long as you are Brit Citizens I think you'll be fine to get back in the country at the boarder - as long as:

1. You provide a negative covid test (I believe they are now being strict and checking all arrivals now, although you'll by given a £500 fine if you don't provide it)

2. Flights are going ahead as scheduled ( I saw that Emirates cancelled flights to/from Oz but these have been re-instated - not sure what that was about?!?)

3.  Self -isolate for 10 days on arrival as travel corridors have been suspended. I believe you can do this at home or home a family members home. 

There are rumours of starting oz-style hotel quarantine for all arrivals but I can't see this being enforced for a few weeks at least as it would take a huge amount of organisation. Although they closed the schools overnight so not much notice for anyone in that case. So I'd say just be prepared for the possibility of having to hotel quarantine (for only 10 days though if you test negative).

I don't think they'll ever ban all flights or stop citizens from entering. Even Oz hasn't done that and their level of general restrictions were much harsher than here.

Sorry if I've got any facts wrong, it's hard to keep up with the rules as they keep changing and media reports are not always as accurate as they should be so add to the confusion. Don't get me wrong the situation in the UK is not good, Oz is much "safer". However, the perception of the UK situation in Oz is perhaps not entirely realistic. You get the impression that everyone has covid and we are all in constant fear and dropping like flies. In my experience, it's just not like that at all (although I'm living in a semi-rural area). Life is still going on and we are coping (admitted some areas are better than others), there is light at the end of the tunnel but I have no doubt covid is here to stay and we just have to be prepared to live with these constantly changing restrictions in the UK just like in Oz.

Fingers crossed for you, I know how stressful it is. I was checking airline, covid stats and government websites daily in the weeks before we left and was worried about being stranded en route.

Fingers crossed that the covid situation improves in Oz, the UK and globally!

[Roy67]

Hi Marmite girl, thank you for your views, it’s comforting to hear your thoughts.

I know some will think we’re mad for travelling at the time we are but we have our reasons. 

April 13th is our departure date, we’ll keep you all posted.

All the best

Roy 

[marmitegirl]

Yes, we had the same...everyone thought we were mad but I'm still glad to be "home." 

I realise the situation will take time to improve. Rumours are the restrictions will be lifted by Easter so it should be better by the time you arrive.....but I've quickly learnt to take the media reports and government advice with a pinch of salt. U turns a plenty, "leaks" to the press etc. things change so quickly you can't plan or predict much anymore.

[Roy67]

Thank you