The Brand New PIO Parents Visa thread

[Ray and Geri]

3 hours ago, Peter2 said:

Hi Ray, I'm in Sydney, and this is an application for my parents. I'm still waiting to receive the AoS acceptance letter, which is nearly 2 months from lodgement of bank guarantee and over 6 months for the application. Hope we all will hear good news soon, and congratulation to those who have got their visas.

OK I see now...you've just got "visa granted" ready so you can just add the date..... good luck to your parents then, if they are anything like us after waiting 3 years they are just taking it as it comes... we have been trying to second guess immigration for over a year now to no avail ......... This time next year it will all be like a bad dream.

[gafuk]

On 05/07/2018 at 20:47, SusieRoo said:

Nice of you to pop back gafuk. How's it going? Any tip, or words of wisdom for the first weeks down under?

Its hard mentally sometimes, " have I done the right thing " This week it's 80 degress in uk and pouring down in Perth !

Apart from that, we decided to have a few weeks off to recover from the stresses of the weeks/months leading up to our migration. Those weeks were a blur and nothing to do with the alcohol. With our house sale, disposal of stuff we were not taking, leaving party to arrange, sorting the stuff we were sending in the container, trying to visit friends and relatives and just not having time to do everything. Even up until 2 am the night before we flew sorting our baggage weights and even then the taxi came to pick us up at 8 am and were not ready and were 10 minutes late. In honesty that would be no surprise for me but my wife is mega organised and she struggled. So yes I would say plan a long way in advance and perhaps don't book the first available flight like we did. Try and get your friends and relatives set up with email, skype, watsapp etc so you can keep in touch.

You are leaving a lot behind that you will miss a little when you get here.

But it's been 4 weeks and we are living in Perth with our Daughter. Our son has been over from Melbourne so the stress was all worth it as they are the reason we came. We have eventually bought a car ( they are twice the price by the way) and just had offer accepted on a block of land that we are going to build on. We are not retiring and now we've had a few weeks off to complete the paperwork we are starting to look for jobs. Yet to see how Australia views the 60 + as far as being job candidates. One thing we have done is get our seniors cards as soon as we could. They are great !  free travel , discounts in many cafe's and restaurants etc , even money of driving license and rates plus lots of other perks, just for being old !! . First time I've been happy about it.   Read up on it and get one asap .

The Perth sky is nearly always big and blue, the sea is turquoise and the sand... sandy coloured. But we have left behind everything we know and are used to. We are starting fresh and at our age we wonder whether we will get to the comfy stage we had in the UK. But I can hug my daughter every day,  talk to my son who is now in the same half of the world as me, if any of us have a problem we can all be together within a few hours and that makes it all worth while.

The waiting room can be frustrating and the journey is emotional even when you eventually get here but it is well worth the wait. Good luck to everyone and keep looking to your future with your kids. This forum will be a great help , thanks.

[Ray and Geri]

5 hours ago, gafuk said:

Its hard mentally sometimes, " have I done the right thing " This week it's 80 degress in uk and pouring down in Perth !

Apart from that, we decided to have a few weeks off to recover from the stresses of the weeks/months leading up to our migration. Those weeks were a blur and nothing to do with the alcohol. With our house sale, disposal of stuff we were not taking, leaving party to arrange, sorting the stuff we were sending in the container, trying to visit friends and relatives and just not having time to do everything. Even up until 2 am the night before we flew sorting our baggage weights and even then the taxi came to pick us up at 8 am and were not ready and were 10 minutes late. In honesty that would be no surprise for me but my wife is mega organised and she struggled. So yes I would say plan a long way in advance and perhaps don't book the first available flight like we did. Try and get your friends and relatives set up with email, skype, watsapp etc so you can keep in touch.

You are leaving a lot behind that you will miss a little when you get here.

But it's been 4 weeks and we are living in Perth with our Daughter. Our son has been over from Melbourne so the stress was all worth it as they are the reason we came. We have eventually bought a car ( they are twice the price by the way) and just had offer accepted on a block of land that we are going to build on. We are not retiring and now we've had a few weeks off to complete the paperwork we are starting to look for jobs. Yet to see how Australia views the 60 + as far as being job candidates. One thing we have done is get our seniors cards as soon as we could. They are great !  free travel , discounts in many cafe's and restaurants etc , even money of driving license and rates plus lots of other perks, just for being old !! . First time I've been happy about it.   Read up on it and get one asap .

The Perth sky is nearly always big and blue, the sea is turquoise and the sand... sandy coloured. But we have left behind everything we know and are used to. We are starting fresh and at our age we wonder whether we will get to the comfy stage we had in the UK. But I can hug my daughter every day,  talk to my son who is now in the same half of the world as me, if any of us have a problem we can all be together within a few hours and that makes it all worth while.

The waiting room can be frustrating and the journey is emotional even when you eventually get here but it is well worth the wait. Good luck to everyone and keep looking to your future with your kids. This forum will be a great help , thanks.

Great post gafuk... just what we all need, proper down to earth words from someone who's done it..... I'm sure we all think we know what to expect but in reality a few surprises for us all in store, especially on the emotional side maybe. Good luck on the job hunting, as you are in Perth perhaps you could get a job with the immigration dept, they seem to be in need of some help....... Take care mate, maybe meet up for a cold one when we get our visa and you are over visiting your son.

Ray. 

[suelear]

6 hours ago, gafuk said:

Its hard mentally sometimes, " have I done the right thing " This week it's 80 degress in uk and pouring down in Perth !

Apart from that, we decided to have a few weeks off to recover from the stresses of the weeks/months leading up to our migration. Those weeks were a blur and nothing to do with the alcohol. With our house sale, disposal of stuff we were not taking, leaving party to arrange, sorting the stuff we were sending in the container, trying to visit friends and relatives and just not having time to do everything. Even up until 2 am the night before we flew sorting our baggage weights and even then the taxi came to pick us up at 8 am and were not ready and were 10 minutes late. In honesty that would be no surprise for me but my wife is mega organised and she struggled. So yes I would say plan a long way in advance and perhaps don't book the first available flight like we did. Try and get your friends and relatives set up with email, skype, watsapp etc so you can keep in touch.

You are leaving a lot behind that you will miss a little when you get here.

But it's been 4 weeks and we are living in Perth with our Daughter. Our son has been over from Melbourne so the stress was all worth it as they are the reason we came. We have eventually bought a car ( they are twice the price by the way) and just had offer accepted on a block of land that we are going to build on. We are not retiring and now we've had a few weeks off to complete the paperwork we are starting to look for jobs. Yet to see how Australia views the 60 + as far as being job candidates. One thing we have done is get our seniors cards as soon as we could. They are great !  free travel , discounts in many cafe's and restaurants etc , even money of driving license and rates plus lots of other perks, just for being old !! . First time I've been happy about it.   Read up on it and get one asap .

The Perth sky is nearly always big and blue, the sea is turquoise and the sand... sandy coloured. But we have left behind everything we know and are used to. We are starting fresh and at our age we wonder whether we will get to the comfy stage we had in the UK. But I can hug my daughter every day,  talk to my son who is now in the same half of the world as me, if any of us have a problem we can all be together within a few hours and that makes it all worth while.

The waiting room can be frustrating and the journey is emotional even when you eventually get here but it is well worth the wait. Good luck to everyone and keep looking to your future with your kids. This forum will be a great help , thanks.

What a great post, thanks for taking the time to write this gafuk. It's good to hear an honest and realistic account of your first few weeks, which I'm sure others who've already made the move can relate to. Good tip about the seniors card, I shall certainly look into that. Like you I am moving to be near my children - daughters in Sydney and Kiama, and I have 2 small grandsons. The wait is painful, especially as I'm doing this move on my own but I'm determined I will get there. Posts like this keep me, and I'm sure many others, going. Good luck in your new life, you deserve it.

[Merryweather]

I agree, fantastic post, Gafuk!

I have been waiting anxiously for our visas for the last 3 years - rarely out of my mind(!). Thought I'd be ecstatic when visas finally arrived (which they did on Tuesday) but I am suddenly swamped and conscious all the things Gafuk has mentioned. There seems to be a mountain of 'stuff' to sort out before leaving in mid August.  Perhaps I'm just conditioned to living in a state of 'stress' and something in my nature wants to perpetuate it? 

1st World problems? Get a grip?

But, as Gafuk said - will be fantastic to see my daughters regularly and NORMALLY: go for lunch, watch TV, chew the cud, (argue!!)  - instead of forced Skype conversations when one or the other of us is tired.

Another positive thought: leaving near the end of a British summer to the beginning of an Australian spring/summer . . . can't be bad!

 

[Fisher1]

On ‎05‎/‎07‎/‎2018 at 06:48, SusieRoo said:

No need to apologise… but thank you.

Most parents here are transferring life savings to Australia, so I’m sure you understand that the detail is so important. I do like to use Transferwise and I’m happy the share my experiences, and I’m also very interested to hear how other companies compare with rates and fees.

I don’t think there is a definitive best, you just have to go with the company which works for you.

Also the exchange rate is not bad at the moment at $1.79. Now I’m not qualified in any way to give advice, BUT I think it could go above $1.82 again next week. This is due to the Brexit ‘White Paper’ which is going to be published soon. And any Brexit announcement with tangible detail does appear to help the pound.

Interesting discussion. I began using XE in 2012, moved on to Westpac's service with a GB pound account and transferred cash from that to my Westpac dollar account and most recently have used TransferWise.  I found that the money I actually received in dollars at the end did not show any huge differences between the three - what they spent on the swings they made up for on the roundabouts.  Moneycorp is the company I plan to try next, but thus far I have had a slightly better result with TransferWise. The easiest way to compare is to join two or three companies and aske for an exchange price from all three - then go with whoever is going to give you the most dollars. 

[SusieRoo]

11 hours ago, gafuk said:

Its hard mentally sometimes, " have I done the right thing " This week it's 80 degress in uk and pouring down in Perth !

Apart from that, we decided to have a few weeks off to recover from the stresses of the weeks/months leading up to our migration. Those weeks were a blur and nothing to do with the alcohol. With our house sale, disposal of stuff we were not taking, leaving party to arrange, sorting the stuff we were sending in the container, trying to visit friends and relatives and just not having time to do everything. Even up until 2 am the night before we flew sorting our baggage weights and even then the taxi came to pick us up at 8 am and were not ready and were 10 minutes late. In honesty that would be no surprise for me but my wife is mega organised and she struggled. So yes I would say plan a long way in advance and perhaps don't book the first available flight like we did. Try and get your friends and relatives set up with email, skype, watsapp etc so you can keep in touch.

You are leaving a lot behind that you will miss a little when you get here.

But it's been 4 weeks and we are living in Perth with our Daughter. Our son has been over from Melbourne so the stress was all worth it as they are the reason we came. We have eventually bought a car ( they are twice the price by the way) and just had offer accepted on a block of land that we are going to build on. We are not retiring and now we've had a few weeks off to complete the paperwork we are starting to look for jobs. Yet to see how Australia views the 60 + as far as being job candidates. One thing we have done is get our seniors cards as soon as we could. They are great !  free travel , discounts in many cafe's and restaurants etc , even money of driving license and rates plus lots of other perks, just for being old !! . First time I've been happy about it.   Read up on it and get one asap .

The Perth sky is nearly always big and blue, the sea is turquoise and the sand... sandy coloured. But we have left behind everything we know and are used to. We are starting fresh and at our age we wonder whether we will get to the comfy stage we had in the UK. But I can hug my daughter every day,  talk to my son who is now in the same half of the world as me, if any of us have a problem we can all be together within a few hours and that makes it all worth while.

The waiting room can be frustrating and the journey is emotional even when you eventually get here but it is well worth the wait. Good luck to everyone and keep looking to your future with your kids. This forum will be a great help , thanks.

Gem of a post gafuk, although it does send a shiver down my spine without dampening the enthusiasm too much. A bit like an ice cube down your back at a party.

[HarrisL16]

A huge congratulations to all those who have received their visas since 1st July, hope the momentum keeps going for those in the waiting room

Also like to say great post @gafuk honest thoughts, and huge encouragement to everyone waiting for that move to Australia.

As for us house is on the market and in process of getting shipping quotes, so another bit of a stressful time but exciting too Still learning from this forum . Good luck everyone

[Sheena]

Hi all!

Just discovered this awesome forum.  Thanks for the generous sharing of information, and congratulations to all who have their visas granted at the turn of July 2018!

I just lodged my visa 143 in Feb 2018, so, i've to brace myself for the long wait.

I'm not sure if I'm interpreting the following correctly....There is a condition that for visa 143 offshore applicants like myself, we have to be out of the country at the point of grant of visa.  I'm curious to know the rationale for this?  And would the applicants be given an estimated timeframe to leave Australia, in anticipation of the visa grant?  Reason being that I might be in Australia on a tourist visa around the time of visa grant.

Thank you for advice!

 

[David Leask]

Hi all!
Just discovered this awesome forum.  Thanks for the generous sharing of information, and congratulations to all who have their visas granted at the turn of July 2018!
I just lodged my visa 143 in Feb 2018, so, i've to brace myself for the long wait.
I'm not sure if I'm interpreting the following correctly....There is a condition that for visa 143 offshore applicants like myself, we have to be out of the country at the point of grant of visa.  I'm curious to know the rationale for this?  And would the applicants be given an estimated timeframe to leave Australia, in anticipation of the visa grant?  Reason being that I might be in Australia on a tourist visa around the time of visa grant.
Thank you for advice!
 

Hi Sheena,
Yes, you have to be offshore (out of the country) when the 143 visa is granted. It’s the act of entering the country that triggers the visa. I think it really screws the system up if you stay onshore when it’s granted.
The visa won’t be granted until you pay the second vac. By that time you will have a Case Officer and you should be able to liaise with him/her regarding the actual timing of the visa grant. I believe it’s typically a few days after the payment is received by the PVC.
I hope this helps [emoji4]
David

[Sheena]

1 hour ago, David Leask said:

 

Hi Sheena,
Yes, you have to be offshore (out of the country) when the 143 visa is granted. It’s the act of entering the country that triggers the visa. I think it really screws the system up if you stay onshore when it’s granted.
The visa won’t be granted until you pay the second vac. By that time you will have a Case Officer and you should be able to liaise with him/her regarding the actual timing of the visa grant. I believe it’s typically a few days after the payment is received by the PVC.
I hope this helps
David

 

Thanks, David! Yes, useful information :) 

[Fisher1]

1 hour ago, David Leask said:

 

Hi Sheena,
Yes, you have to be offshore (out of the country) when the 143 visa is granted. It’s the act of entering the country that triggers the visa. I think it really screws the system up if you stay onshore when it’s granted.
The visa won’t be granted until you pay the second vac. By that time you will have a Case Officer and you should be able to liaise with him/her regarding the actual timing of the visa grant. I believe it’s typically a few days after the payment is received by the PVC.
I hope this helps
David

 

Hi Sheena      The proposed issue of our visa two years ago coincided with a long planned trip out here on holiday. We were able to liase with a case officer and had an unscheduled visit to N.Z. for a few days - they issued the visa while we were there, and we were able to validate it when we returned.  You know you have to validate your visa by using it to enter the country within the first year after issue?  We were not able to make the move straight away, so validating on return from NZ saved us having to make a special (and expensive) trip back to AUS.

[Fisher1]

On ‎07‎/‎07‎/‎2018 at 10:58, gafuk said:

Its hard mentally sometimes, " have I done the right thing " This week it's 80 degress in uk and pouring down in Perth !

Apart from that, we decided to have a few weeks off to recover from the stresses of the weeks/months leading up to our migration. Those weeks were a blur and nothing to do with the alcohol. With our house sale, disposal of stuff we were not taking, leaving party to arrange, sorting the stuff we were sending in the container, trying to visit friends and relatives and just not having time to do everything. Even up until 2 am the night before we flew sorting our baggage weights and even then the taxi came to pick us up at 8 am and were not ready and were 10 minutes late. In honesty that would be no surprise for me but my wife is mega organised and she struggled. So yes I would say plan a long way in advance and perhaps don't book the first available flight like we did. Try and get your friends and relatives set up with email, skype, watsapp etc so you can keep in touch.

You are leaving a lot behind that you will miss a little when you get here.

But it's been 4 weeks and we are living in Perth with our Daughter. Our son has been over from Melbourne so the stress was all worth it as they are the reason we came. We have eventually bought a car ( they are twice the price by the way) and just had offer accepted on a block of land that we are going to build on. We are not retiring and now we've had a few weeks off to complete the paperwork we are starting to look for jobs. Yet to see how Australia views the 60 + as far as being job candidates. One thing we have done is get our seniors cards as soon as we could. They are great !  free travel , discounts in many cafe's and restaurants etc , even money of driving license and rates plus lots of other perks, just for being old !! . First time I've been happy about it.   Read up on it and get one asap .

The Perth sky is nearly always big and blue, the sea is turquoise and the sand... sandy coloured. But we have left behind everything we know and are used to. We are starting fresh and at our age we wonder whether we will get to the comfy stage we had in the UK. But I can hug my daughter every day,  talk to my son who is now in the same half of the world as me, if any of us have a problem we can all be together within a few hours and that makes it all worth while.

The waiting room can be frustrating and the journey is emotional even when you eventually get here but it is well worth the wait. Good luck to everyone and keep looking to your future with your kids. This forum will be a great help , thanks.

Hi Gafuk,   I laughed when I read this - I'm super organised too and I struggled. We were still shredding old paperwork the day we had planned to leave our house - had arranged to stay the night with neighbours and leave the following morning … nightmare day, we should have given ourselves a few days in a hotel to finish off the last bits and pieces calmly.

[Sheena]

2 minutes ago, Fisher1 said:

Hi Sheena      The proposed issue of our visa two years ago coincided with a long planned trip out here on holiday. We were able to liase with a case officer and had an unscheduled visit to N.Z. for a few days - they issued the visa while we were there, and we were able to validate it when we returned.  You know you have to validate your visa by using it to enter the country within the first year after issue?  We were not able to make the move straight away, so validating on return from NZ saved us having to make a special (and expensive) trip back to AUS.

Wow, Fisher1, that is good to know! Thanks for sharing

[ant111]

Hi all, Got the visa Friday 6/7/18. A couple of hours after leaving Australia for Thailand.

They gave us 7 days to book during school holidays and send them the itinerary. So no pressure there. Stressful to the end.!

Best wishes to all and perhaps never more appropriate is the phrase. " Keep calm and carry on" pommmmmmm.....

[Sheena]

5 minutes ago, ant111 said:

Hi all, Got the visa Friday 6/7/18. A couple of hours after leaving Australia for Thailand.

They gave us 7 days to book during school holidays and send them the itinerary. So no pressure there. Stressful to the end.!

Best wishes to all and perhaps never more appropriate is the phrase. " Keep calm and carry on" pommmmmmm.....

Wow, congratulations! 

[Merryweather]

2 hours ago, ant111 said:

Hi all, Got the visa Friday 6/7/18. A couple of hours after leaving Australia for Thailand.

They gave us 7 days to book during school holidays and send them the itinerary. So no pressure there. Stressful to the end.!

Best wishes to all and perhaps never more appropriate is the phrase. " Keep calm and carry on" pommmmmmm.....

Congratulations! And - indeed more stress! 

But I really do think we are very, very lucky people

[Merryweather]

2 hours ago, ant111 said:

Hi all, Got the visa Friday 6/7/18. A couple of hours after leaving Australia for Thailand.

They gave us 7 days to book during school holidays and send them the itinerary. So no pressure there. Stressful to the end.!

Best wishes to all and perhaps never more appropriate is the phrase. " Keep calm and carry on" pommmmmmm.....

Congratulations! And - indeed more stress! 

But I really do think we are very, very lucky people

[ant111]

2 hours ago, Merryweather said:

Congratulations! And - indeed more stress! 

But I really do think we are very, very lucky people

Thanks Merryweather. Yes we are fortunate especially considering the latest timelines etc.

Congratulations to you too. 

[ant111]

4 hours ago, Sheena said:

Wow, congratulations! 

Thank you! Sheena.

[Rosiejaq]

12 hours ago, ant111 said:

Hi all, Got the visa Friday 6/7/18. A couple of hours after leaving Australia for Thailand.

They gave us 7 days to book during school holidays and send them the itinerary. So no pressure there. Stressful to the end.!

Best wishes to all and perhaps never more appropriate is the phrase. " Keep calm and carry on" pommmmmmm.....

Congrats!  Enjoy life ...we’re all carrying on waiting...and waiting...and waiting!

[Kathss56]

Anyone out on a 600 who has had the  private medical insurance condition attached which has to meet the full medicare costs

unsure as to whether or not I need to get a temporary medicare card for  the 12months or just use private health ins if I have to go to a GP etc. ??

thanks

[ant111]

30 minutes ago, Kathss56 said:

Anyone out on a 600 who has had the  private medical insurance condition attached which has to meet the full medicare costs

unsure as to whether or not I need to get a temporary medicare card for  the 12months or just use private health ins if I have to go to a GP etc. ??

thanks

Our BUPA standard visitor cover used to cover GP visits.

[superman2016]

Hi Roomie,

Does DIBP stop processing 143 applicants whom lodged after 01/07/2015? It looks like there is no 07/2015 applicant has received an email from DIBP asking for provide policy check, med and etc in the last few weeks.

The processing time for 143/173 is stretching further and further every single month. 

Kev

[Kathss56]

@superman2016 that’s because officially they are only processing up to May 15 so if you are after that date and have heard from immi for further info etc then you are lucky !