JohnandEirian Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 Oops, sorry!Here's the link "http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/transport-shipping/112260-shipping-cost-top-8-companies-hope-helps.html" Good luck. John & Eirian We arranged insurance through Letton Percival and saved a fortune! Also, their insurance covers everything - mildew, elictrical damage, etc. John & Eirian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
valandmatt Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 Hi allIts great to hear of people moving over. I have had an offer on my flat, from my neighbour, but I have not decided whether I will rent for a year or sell before I go, but it certainly makes it easier for me, although we havent talked a price yet. Can people recommend some removers. I think I will start getting quotes in. Although it seems a long time before I move over, I am planning end November I dont want a rush at the end and because I sent in a paper application I cant get my medicals done until I get a case officer because I need a number that only she can give me. Hoping everything goes smoothly for everyone Best wishes Moira Hi Moira, we thought this was the case also until I phoned the medical centre and told them we were paper application and had not yet got a CO. They were quite happy to go ahead with the File Reference number on our acknowledgement letter. We had our medicals done in April at The Bridge Clinic in Maidenhead. They were very efficient and put us at ease - cost £200 each - so I should think so too!!! Like John and Eirian we also wanted to know if there were any problems likely to put a stop to our plans! Hope this helps. Val x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikenSueNW3 Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 Hi allCan people recommend some removers. I think I will start getting quotes in. Moira G'Day again Moira After studying the thread on removals here, we got quotes from PSS, John Mason, Crown and (to make up a foursome) Pickfords. Crown were impressive but pricey – they mainly do corporate moves, I think. Pickfords very slow to respond (and we had only 2 and a bit weeks to moving-out day!). Between JM and PSS, can't remember much difference, but PSS seems to have had a long-term partner company in Sydney; so we have gone with them. We've taken their insurance, too – with a negotiated discount down to 2.3% – as we have quite a lot of fragile items, and we thought they might be amenable if they were packing and insuring; we'll see! Best of luck, Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ariomart Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 Thank you all for your help about removal firms, I didnt realise I would need insurance as well. I did try telling the Medical Centre that I had entered a paper application but the receptionist was adamant that I needed the number for them to send it on by email. Unfortunately the 2 medical centres nearest me are run by the same people but I think I will try again saying others have had theirs done. Good luck to you all Moira Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicolac34 Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 (edited) Hi All! I’m now in the final stages of putting my parents 143 application together. I went up to my brothers yesterday and picked up the information I think I need, I guess I’m just after a bit of reassurance that I’ve got enough to prove that he is ‘settled’. He arrived in Australia on 28 November 2009 on a working holiday visa, was granted a 457 visa on 5 August 2010 and his permanent visa on 2 March 2011. What I’ve got so far are payslips dated Feb 2010, bank statements from July 2010, bills from his rental from September 2010, his car regos from when he bought one in February 2010 and in May 2011, car insurance policy from August 2011, health insurance from August 2010, mortgage statement (bought his house in May 2011), vet bills from 2011 for their dog, his tax income statements from August 2010 and August 2011, recent payslips, recent credit card statement. It’s this ‘2 year’ thing that I’m worried about. Should I wait to lodge until August which is when he got his 457? Is that better than when he was on his WHV? I don't know how important it is that I have to show he is settled from 2 years ago from now - so June 2010, when if this isn't going to be looked at for another 12 months he will have owned his house for 2 years by then. Just want to make sure that I don't mess up my parents application for the sake of waiting a couple of months. I was also wondering whether it was worth writing a sort of timeline/explanation to go along with all the documents I’ve got? As on the sponsorship form it doesn’t ask for addresses in Australia or anywhere you can explain why you believe you were settled from a certain point. Any advice on offer would be appreciated! Edited June 12, 2012 by nicolac34 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie5 Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 We were in a similar postion but our agent advisd that it was not worth the risk for a 2 month delay. Charlie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicolac34 Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 I've also managed to get a tenancy agreement out of them for their rental before they purchased, started on the 12th of August 2010. Probably should wait until this date to submit to be on the safe side then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linday Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 I've also managed to get a tenancy agreement out of them for their rental before they purchased, started on the 12th of August 2010. Probably should wait until this date to submit to be on the safe side then? I would say better to be safe than sorry. The general rule is that the sponsor needs to be 'settled' at the time of application rather than when the visa is processed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 Thank you all for your help about removal firms, I didnt realise I would need insurance as well. I did try telling the Medical Centre that I had entered a paper application but the receptionist was adamant that I needed the number for them to send it on by email. Unfortunately the 2 medical centres nearest me are run by the same people but I think I will try again saying others have had theirs done. Good luck to you all Moira Hi Moira and everyone else On shipping your household effects be aware that on arrival you will have to pay for customs clearance which for us has amounted to $528 which was an unwelcome addition to the shipping costs. PS we used John Mason and had sole use of a 20 ft container regards peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nimbus Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 143 application lodged 24th May 2012 acknowledged today stating they are now processing applications lodged by 4th April 2011. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhoebeW Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 I've also managed to get a tenancy agreement out of them for their rental before they purchased, started on the 12th of August 2010. Probably should wait until this date to submit to be on the safe side then? Hi My daughter waited until they had PR for 2 years then proved they were settled rental, jobs etc. Obviously it's up to you but personally I wouldn't chance it for the sake of a couple of months :biggrin: Hope it all goes well Phoebe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Collett Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 2 years lawful residence by a permanent visaholder or Aus citizen (with periods of temporary residence counting towards the 2 years) gives certainty as to the sponsor being "settled." Where "compelling circumstances" can be demonstrated (I am quoting from a recent DIAC email exchange on this subject) it is possible for a visa to be reasonably applied for before the sponsor has resided in Australia for 2 years; what is a "compelling circumstance" is considered by the PVC on a case by case basis. Those wanting to apply within the 2 year period should (in my view) discuss their situation with a migration agent who is experienced in this area. Best regards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicolac34 Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 2 years lawful residence by a permanent visaholder or Aus citizen (with periods of temporary residence counting towards the 2 years) gives certainty as to the sponsor being "settled." Where "compelling circumstances" can be demonstrated (I am quoting from a recent DIAC email exchange on this subject) it is possible for a visa to be reasonably applied for before the sponsor has resided in Australia for 2 years; what is a "compelling circumstance" is considered by the PVC on a case by case basis. Those wanting to apply within the 2 year period should (in my view) discuss their situation with a migration agent who is experienced in this area. Best regards. Thanks for that Alan, so the fact he has been living in Australia consistently for 2 years 7 months now (1 year 4 months of that on PR) should mean we can prove he is settled. Do we need to include a letter or anything explaining all the documents or is it enough to assume DIAC will be able to work it all out?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Collett Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Having had a few run ins with DIAC on the settled sponsor issue I'm anxious not to give too much categoric/application specific advice on the subject on an open forum ... I don't want you (or others) complaining if DIAC changes policy in this regard! Best regards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisher1 Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 Okay, we are, thanks to the info on this site, planning to apply for a non contributory parent visa, with the intention of swapping to a CPV as soon as we can see the future a bit more clearly (elderly mother can't be left). Before we begin this process, I have a medical question. My husband has a condition which necessitates a regular colonoscopy examination. (currently every two years). He had a tendency to produce polyps and the exam is to identify and remove (during the exam) any that may later become cancerous. He has never had bowel cancer, just suffers from an elevated risk. Can any one advise whether this sounds the sort of thing that may cause him to fail his medical for a parent visa? I stress he has never had bowel cancer, just this regular preventative check. Many thanks for any replies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikenSueNW3 Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 (edited) Okay, we are, thanks to the info on this site, planning to apply for a non contributory parent visa, with the intention of swapping to a CPV as soon as we can see the future a bit more clearly (elderly mother can't be left). Before we begin this process, I have a medical question. My husband has a condition which necessitates a regular colonoscopy examination. (currently every two years). He had a tendency to produce polyps and the exam is to identify and remove (during the exam) any that may later become cancerous. He has never had bowel cancer, just suffers from an elevated risk. Can any one advise whether this sounds the sort of thing that may cause him to fail his medical for a parent visa? I stress he has never had bowel cancer, just this regular preventative check. Many thanks for any replies. G'Day Kath I have sent you a Private Message on this. If your husband has a full (and positive) medical history and prognosis from your medics, you should be fine with the medical exams. Mike Edited June 16, 2012 by MikenSueNW3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidandGill Posted June 16, 2012 Share Posted June 16, 2012 Well, Thursday was our one year anniversary, when at 5.30am on 14th June we validated our Visas and became Permanent Residents of Australia. And, what a year it has been. Within 24 hours of arriving, our granddaughter was admitted to hospital to have her lungs drained after they became full following a nasty cold. We were left literally holding the baby, our then 5 months old grandson, for a couple of days. Luckily, since then although there have been other hospital visits, they have been mostly for routine checks or fun (more of that later!) The year has absolutely flown past and we are finding it very hard to believe we have been here that long already. We found a house in the area of Torquay which we particularly liked, and were able to finalise our purchase 3 days before our container was due to be delivered. Our son-in-law managed to secure a Ford Focus from the Ford Ex-staff lease scheme for us at an excellent price which we actually part exchanged only two months later, for a Ford Territory. We joined our local Bowls Club playing Twilight on Wednesday nights, but have found that we enjoy it so much we are currently playing Winter season Indoor Bowls at Torquay and Social Bowls at Barwon Heads Bowling Club on their synthetic green. Very different to the grass at Torquay but we need the practice! Some big highlights during the year – First, our granddaughter Scarlett was asked to be the Poster Child for the 2011 Good Friday Appeal, and in June she presented a cheque for $15,000,000+ to the Royal Children’s Hospital. Then, in October she was invited to present the Cardiac Wing to the Queen, when she opened the brand new RCH in Melbourne. The Queen spent some time with our Daughter, Son-in-Law and Scarlett and talked to them about Scarlett’s heart transplant. She was really lovely, realising from their accents they were from England, she asked them where they originated from and how long they had been in Australia, as well as asking about their experience of the hospital. Finally, our Daughter and her partner got married on Easter Sunday, with our grandchildren as bridesmaid and pageboy. On a more mundane note, I know from reading this forum that money is a constant worry for many people making the move. We have been a bit obsessive about keeping spreadsheets since we both retired early in 2006, and we have simply continued this practice just changing our record year to match the Australian Tax Year (July-June). We both have pensions paid direct into our UK bank account and we have both Australian and UK based accounts with HiFx. We transferred all our money to Australia during the period July-October 2011 when the exchange rate averaged only $1.50. This meant our major purchases, house, car etc., had to be based on that average rate. One thing I did do, however, was I kept our UK credit card with the Post Office (they do not charge a foreign exchange fee on transactions abroad) and we relied heavily on this during the first few months. In fact, although we have now taken out an Australian Credit Card, we still use the PO card for everyday purchases which I pay off each month via the internet from our UK bank. This means we are not relying on moving money every month to meet ordinary household expenses and the money we already transferred remains in the Bank here earning a better rate of interest. Our surplus funds have been invested in a Super which also provides us with a modest Australian income, this covers bills like electricity, gas, water, telephone etc. We basically try to charge as much as possible onto the UK credit card and pay it off in full each month and we are now starting to see a regular pattern of “slightly more coming in, than going out”. This means our UK pensions are more or less covering our ordinary monthly expenses. For the first few months these were much higher than normal because we were buying lots of new stuff for our house but recently our expenditure is more normal and generally we are not seeing a great difference between our annual costs in the UK – v – Australia. It has to be said that some stuff here is more expensive – eg: anything that is usually bought in a chemist - cosmetics/branded toiletries/make-up are silly money and I still baulk sometimes at the cost of some items BUT, I have discovered there is nothing that cannot be bought via Ebay, including favourite makeup from the UK! Clothes are, I think, generally dearer here and often not such good quality, but lucky for us we live in a surf town, so everything is very, very casual here. Other things are cheaper, petrol/diesel are cheaper than the UK, car tax/insurance is roughly the same. Some food stuffs can be expensive, especially some of the familiar English things like Heinz salad cream, and Marmite. (I can’t stand the stuff, but David is dedicated and Scarlett likes both Marmite and Vegemite!) We generally shop at Aldi which is extremely good value and only buy certain branded items from our local Safeway once or twice a month and try to ensure that we need at least $30 worth to get our fuel discount of 4c a litre. David has a monthly prescription for statins which costs around $17/$18 a month but as of next year when he will get his Commonwealth Health Card that will drop to around $6 a month. I paid a lot of money for 6 months worth of contact lenses, from a local optometrist which, frankly, was way too expensive and used up my whole year’s allowance on our private health insurance. I will buy online in future. Otherwise, we are not finding cost differences too difficult to manage. We by no means spend frivolously but neither do we have to watch every penny. Lastly, wine and beer is cheap! Always good! Needless to say the lifestyle here is very different but we are enjoying it a lot – much more outdoors focused and of course, being near to our daughter and grandchildren just makes every day wonderful. That is not to say it was not stressful moving here – I AM NEVER EMIGRATING AGAIN! But it was so worth it in the end, and a year down the track we are settled and happy. We regularly have Skype video calls with friends in the UK and keep in contact via email. So for those of you who are “in progress” you will be stressed, you will worry, you will wonder if you are doing the right thing for all sorts of reasons, but once you get here you will love it and love being with your families. Keep believing!:laugh: Gill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stellathedog Posted June 16, 2012 Share Posted June 16, 2012 Hi Gill What a lovely post! I remember reading about your granddaughters problems and her bravery spurred me on when my granddaughter was having mri and ct scans. The fact the time has flown just shows how full your lives are out there!! Congratulations on your 'anniversary' and many thanks for posting!! Cheers Pam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie5 Posted June 16, 2012 Share Posted June 16, 2012 Hi Super post. What I cannot understand is the reference to the Commonwealth Health card - I thought that there was a 10 year wait on these priviledges? Charlie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
valandmatt Posted June 16, 2012 Share Posted June 16, 2012 Hello Gill, really positive vibe from reading your post, and I am sure I shall read it several times more to remind myself as to why I am putting myself through this torment of applying for a visa and parting with a helluva lot of money in the process of moving to the other side of the world! What an amazing year you have had, and what a brave and gorgeous little grandaughter you have with a beautiful name too! Thank you so much for taking the time to write it. Regarding the financial side of day to day living your system seems to be working very well for you and would like to ask you further questions - nothing too deep, just to make sure I understand one or two things, like the Super fund. I thought this was equivalent to our private pension schemes here and that you had to have money invested for a good few years before you got any payout? And I shall certainly start a Post Office account/credit card - very useful bit of info. Thanks once again, has really made me feel more positive - as I wake up each morning, switch on the computer to see if today is the day I have a Case Officer!!!! Val x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stellathedog Posted June 16, 2012 Share Posted June 16, 2012 And I shall certainly start a Post Office account/credit card - very useful bit of info. Thanks once again, has really made me feel more positive - as I wake up each morning, switch on the computer to see if today is the day I have a Case Officer!!!! Val x Hi Val Obviously Gill knows about the Post Office card and its merits. Don't know if it's worth you looking into the Halifax Clarity card. It has been great for me every time I have travelled as the exchange rate is good and the charges are minimal, certainly the best on the market. Sorry I'm not very good with the actual wording, but its something to do with the 'loading' or lack of it that makes it so good. I know the feeling about checking the computer every morning, although I check to see whose journey is progressing!! Cheers Pam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhoebeW Posted June 16, 2012 Share Posted June 16, 2012 Hi Gill Great post thankyou for all that info and I too will be looking into the Post Office Credit Card thanks for that :wink: So glad you are happy living the dream :cool: not to mention being close to your lovely family now :wub: Phoebe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Cathwotherspoon Posted June 16, 2012 Share Posted June 16, 2012 Hi all, What a lovely post from Gill. Did as Val suggested and checked bank and the first application charge has been taken......whooppee. Still not had acknowledgement but maybe in the next couple of weeks. Hopefully then I can add my name to the tracker. I know it is at least a year away yet but every day I think of being with my family and just how wonderful it will be, which is a thought everyone has I am sure. Cath Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vava Posted June 16, 2012 Share Posted June 16, 2012 Hi Gill, Glad its all working out nicely for you all a year on. Thank you for the heads up re Post Office credit card. I have just completed my online application and its in the post! Hope your granddaughter continues to make good progress. Its lovely to hear success stories from those who were already in the system when we first applied for our CPV. Val (vava) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liverpoolloo Posted June 16, 2012 Share Posted June 16, 2012 Okay, we are, thanks to the info on this site, planning to apply for a non contributory parent visa, with the intention of swapping to a CPV as soon as we can see the future a bit more clearly (elderly mother can't be left). Before we begin this process, I have a medical question. My husband has a condition which necessitates a regular colonoscopy examination. (currently every two years). He had a tendency to produce polyps and the exam is to identify and remove (during the exam) any that may later become cancerous. He has never had bowel cancer, just suffers from an elevated risk. Can any one advise whether this sounds the sort of thing that may cause him to fail his medical for a parent visa? I stress he has never had bowel cancer, just this regular preventative check. Many thanks for any replies. I had a lump in my right breast which was discovered Jan of this year, i had all the mamograms , ultra sound scan followed by a biopsy which came back as benign showing no cancerous cells present, the consultand decided to remove the lump as it was quite large and the biopsy from that was also benign, i had my medical in May for the visa and took a letter the consultant kindly wrote explaining the procedure and the results, the doctor at the medical Hospital in Manchester was happy with the letter provided had a quick look at the scar and said it would be fine, i have not heard back from Sydney were the medical info goes so i am hoping no further investigation will be required, i suggest you take as much info as you can to the medical from your GP or consultant explaining the problem. I am sure ll will be fine as no cancerouse polyps have been found. Hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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