Husband in Military...Can't apply yet.

[livethedream]

We went to the Live Down Under Expo in London yesterday and got chatting to some migration agents/companies. Anyway having researched plenty, i was pleased to find out i had indeed identified the right visa for us...176.. going out on my occupation. And we were hoping to hear that we would be able to start the process. However, on further discussion we were advised that if we applied for a 176 now we were likely to be turned down as my other half still has 3 years left to serve in the Royal Marines. Apparently, unless he only has 3-4 months left to serve they will knock the application back because he could go AWOL if granted a visa and Australia would be seen to harbouring him!! I am very disappointed as we were hoping to apply now and possibly have a visa by this time next year and then we could validate it and start making plans. However looks like we will have to wait now until mid 2013! :arghh:

 

Any other military families come up against this?

[Guest guest40944]

Don't know about your exact visa classification so my experience may be different from your case.

 

I'm still serving in the British Army until December and I was granted a spouse (subclass 100) visa in August (only took 2 months and that was from a High Risk Country)

 

When I applied I ticked YES to the question "Have you ever served in the Armed Forces.......................blah, blah, blah?" and then in the box for Additional Information I put my exact discharge date, day I enlisted and a summary of all the major courses I'd done.

 

It does ask you to send a copy of your Service Records with your application but I was on an E Posting and, with JPA, getting hold of any paperwork from Glasgow is a nightmare. The Royals might be more squared away being smaller, especially if your husband is serving back in Commando or Lympstone. Anyway I didn't send anything and I wasn't asked for any further info - what I wrote on the Application Form must have been enough.

 

Hope this helps. Additionally I've been told that if you're still in and going to Australia for any reason take a printed copy of your Leave Pass off JPA signed by your boss so you can prove you're not AWOL. Never been asked for it myself but I was grilled quite hard by immigration in December 2004 when I used my POTL after Iraq to go meet my (then) fiancée's family on arrival in Adelaide.

[Quoll]

 

Hope this helps. Additionally I've been told that if you're still in and going to Australia for any reason take a printed copy of your Leave Pass off JPA signed by your boss so you can prove you're not AWOL. Never been asked for it myself but I was grilled quite hard by immigration in December 2004 when I used my POTL after Iraq to go meet my (then) fiancée's family on arrival in Adelaide.

 

That's interesting do you think someone with an Aus passport but serving in the British Army would also need to have their leave pass available just in case? I cant think that the powers would even know that they were in the military.

[Guest waowen]

We went to the Live Down Under Expo in London yesterday and got chatting to some migration agents/companies. Anyway having researched plenty, i was pleased to find out i had indeed identified the right visa for us...176.. going out on my occupation. And we were hoping to hear that we would be able to start the process. However, on further discussion we were advised that if we applied for a 176 now we were likely to be turned down as my other half still has 3 years left to serve in the Royal Marines. Apparently, unless he only has 3-4 months left to serve they will knock the application back because he could go AWOL if granted a visa and Australia would be seen to harbouring him!! I am very disappointed as we were hoping to apply now and possibly have a visa by this time next year and then we could validate it and start making plans. However looks like we will have to wait now until mid 2013! :arghh:

 

Any other military families come up against this?

 

Hi! my hubby is due to leave army after his 22yrs in March 2012, we had our 176 visa granted in Jan '10 with no problems of him still being in the army, it was never, ever an issue. We did our reccie over Easter in Aus and plan to move out there Jan 2012 for the start of the new school year. We never went through an agent just did it ourselves as it is not rocket science and there are so many websites like these and Government websites that you can get all the information you need. I know of other army families who have had their visa's granted with time left to serve and again no problems, so just goes to show don't believe everything that agents tell you as they may not know all the facts. Why should a military guy go AWOL when you can sign off at any time, even when you get your visa you have five years before you have to take up residence there. Hope this is of some help to you, any more information that you need just drop me a line and go and apply for your visa, good luck too!!!

 

Elaine

[livethedream]

Hi! my hubby is due to leave army after his 22yrs in March 2012, we had our 176 visa granted in Jan '10 with no problems of him still being in the army, it was never, ever an issue. We did our reccie over Easter in Aus and plan to move out there Jan 2012 for the start of the new school year. We never went through an agent just did it ourselves as it is not rocket science and there are so many websites like these and Government websites that you can get all the information you need. I know of other army families who have had their visa's granted with time left to serve and again no problems, so just goes to show don't believe everything that agents tell you as they may not know all the facts. Why should a military guy go AWOL when you can sign off at any time, even when you get your visa you have five years before you have to take up residence there. Hope this is of some help to you, any more information that you need just drop me a line and go and apply for your visa, good luck too!!!

 

Elaine

 

Hi Elaine thank you for your post....Interesting!!. I am once again getting excited at the prospect that we may be able to apply sooner rather than later!! :biggrin: I think we will do a little more research and try our luck. We were considering doing everything ourselves to...i have had a look at the paperwork...and like you said, if we have any difficulties there are plenty of places where we can seek out a solution.

When the guy said we wouldn't stand a chance i was a bit miffed! :confused:For one, migration agents are putting on a lecture tomorrow at my o/h place of work on how to migrate to Oz and NZ. Why would they do that if they weren't going to get any business out of it! :mad:Unfortunately my o/h can't attend, but i have the contact details and will speak to them this week.

But i think we will just go ahead and apply and see where it takes us. Where will you be settling? What do you intend to do for employment? Hope you don't mind me asking.

I will keep in touch if that's okay with you. It is useful to get information from someone who has gone through the process and come through it in similar circumstances to our own.

Thanks again Elaine

Suzanne:wink:

[livethedream]

Don't know about your exact visa classification so my experience may be different from your case.

 

I'm still serving in the British Army until December and I was granted a spouse (subclass 100) visa in August (only took 2 months and that was from a High Risk Country)

 

When I applied I ticked YES to the question "Have you ever served in the Armed Forces.......................blah, blah, blah?" and then in the box for Additional Information I put my exact discharge date, day I enlisted and a summary of all the major courses I'd done.

 

It does ask you to send a copy of your Service Records with your application but I was on an E Posting and, with JPA, getting hold of any paperwork from Glasgow is a nightmare. The Royals might be more squared away being smaller, especially if your husband is serving back in Commando or Lympstone. Anyway I didn't send anything and I wasn't asked for any further info - what I wrote on the Application Form must have been enough.

 

Hope this helps. Additionally I've been told that if you're still in and going to Australia for any reason take a printed copy of your Leave Pass off JPA signed by your boss so you can prove you're not AWOL. Never been asked for it myself but I was grilled quite hard by immigration in December 2004 when I used my POTL after Iraq to go meet my (then) fiancée's family on arrival in Adelaide.

 

Hi Gareth

Thanks for you response. I think we will do some more digging on the issue as it seems others in the same circumstances as our own have been successful in gaining a visa way before they are due to leave the MOD. I don't get the impression that the Royals are any more squared away with their admin than the army!!! :SLEEP: And thanks for the info on the leave pass...handy to know that as we are planning a trip down under in the next year.

 

Good luck with the move and life in civvy street.:cool:

 

Suzanne

[ErmintrudeMcMoo]

When we applied hubby was still in the Navy - we were warned by the immigration agent that it might be a problem (think they have to cover their own backs with this). We looked at timelines for people getting their visa`s, worked out when to apply - we got his trade recognition first and about 10 or so months before he was due to come out we started the visa process. We got a letter from his CO and that seemed to satisfy DIAC, the visa was issued about 2 or 3 months before he left the Navy. He was able to get out the Navy 1 month early because he had a job offer, he left the Navy mid May 07 and we arrived here mid June 07.

[Guest guest25493]

That's interesting do you think someone with an Aus passport but serving in the British Army would also need to have their leave pass available just in case? I cant think that the powers would even know that they were in the military.

 

 

http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/jobs-careers/52665-transferring-r-n-r-n-royal-navy-royal-australian-navy.html

[Guest waowen]

Hi Elaine thank you for your post....Interesting!!. I am once again getting excited at the prospect that we may be able to apply sooner rather than later!! :biggrin: I think we will do a little more research and try our luck. We were considering doing everything ourselves to...i have had a look at the paperwork...and like you said, if we have any difficulties there are plenty of places where we can seek out a solution.

When the guy said we wouldn't stand a chance i was a bit miffed! :confused:For one, migration agents are putting on a lecture tomorrow at my o/h place of work on how to migrate to Oz and NZ. Why would they do that if they weren't going to get any business out of it! :mad:Unfortunately my o/h can't attend, but i have the contact details and will speak to them this week.

But i think we will just go ahead and apply and see where it takes us. Where will you be settling? What do you intend to do for employment? Hope you don't mind me asking.

I will keep in touch if that's okay with you. It is useful to get information from someone who has gone through the process and come through it in similar circumstances to our own.

Thanks again Elaine

Suzanne:wink:

 

Hi! Suzanne,

 

We are intending to move to Brisbane and at the moment are looking at schools, houses etc to get a good idea of the area we want to move to. I will be working as a nurse and there are many hospitals dotted around the area so that should not be too much of a problem once I get myself registered with the Aus Nursing Board. My hubby (Bill) is a Licensed Aircraft Engineer so he will hopefully be going into that line of work again, also with his mechanical engineering experience the oil and gas industry is an area he can look at too. Anyway, do keep in touch, and good luck if you are going to apply. Who will apply for your visa you or hubby?? I suppose it all depends on the jobs in demand list, it does change quite frequently. Best of luck!!!

 

Regards

 

Elaine

[livethedream]

Hi! Suzanne,

 

We are intending to move to Brisbane and at the moment are looking at schools, houses etc to get a good idea of the area we want to move to. I will be working as a nurse and there are many hospitals dotted around the area so that should not be too much of a problem once I get myself registered with the Aus Nursing Board. My hubby (Bill) is a Licensed Aircraft Engineer so he will hopefully be going into that line of work again, also with his mechanical engineering experience the oil and gas industry is an area he can look at too. Anyway, do keep in touch, and good luck if you are going to apply. Who will apply for your visa you or hubby?? I suppose it all depends on the jobs in demand list, it does change quite frequently. Best of luck!!!

 

Regards

 

Elaine

 

Hi Elaine,

We did manage to speak to another migration agent who advised us so long as we had a letter from the OC stating they have no objection to my other half gaining residency there wouldn't be a problem. So will start the ball rolling soon.

I am a social worker so will be applying under my occupation. Hopefully looking at WA if they will have us. Just need to get my certificates certified sorted and have my skills assessed by the Australian Association of Social workers. It is all a costly affair. Looking at around £650 just for that part of it. Then i will apply for sponsorship. Just waiting on the SMP for WA.

 

My hubby was a mechanical engineer (apprentiship) prior to joining up 20 yrs ago! Keep us updated...it will be inspiring to know how you are getting on.

 

Suzanne:biggrin:

[Guest waowen]

Hi Elaine,

We did manage to speak to another migration agent who advised us so long as we had a letter from the OC stating they have no objection to my other half gaining residency there wouldn't be a problem. So will start the ball rolling soon.

I am a social worker so will be applying under my occupation. Hopefully looking at WA if they will have us. Just need to get my certificates certified sorted and have my skills assessed by the Australian Association of Social workers. It is all a costly affair. Looking at around £650 just for that part of it. Then i will apply for sponsorship. Just waiting on the SMP for WA.

 

My hubby was a mechanical engineer (apprentiship) prior to joining up 20 yrs ago! Keep us updated...it will be inspiring to know how you are getting on.

 

Suzanne:biggrin:

 

 

Hi! Suzanne,

 

All good news then and an exciting time for you both, hope all goes well, you should'nt have a problem with your occupation. Good luck and if you ever need any pointers just get in touch.

 

Bye for now

 

Elaine, Bill:biggrin: