Marisawright

We booked a holiday place in Bournemouth for four weeks. We thought that would be plenty of time but when we started looking at rentals, we found most of them were real dives, nothing like the photos (often the photos were of the property when first rented, and they hadn't been looked after). We found a decent place after three weeks but it was new on the agent's books and they hadn't done the paperwork (I was never clear what that involved), so we had to book an extra week on the holiday place because they took two weeks to give us the keys. That said, rentals in Bournemouth are very hard to come by because it's a holiday destination plus there's a university. In an area where there's less demand it would be better I'm sure.

If you open an account with Moneycorp, it has an account code exactly the same as a bank. So you could give your employer your Moneycorp account number instead of your British account number and it would be fine. Maybe talk to Moneycorp to see what they recommend.

I agree. If you don't ask the night before then they're strict about the 10am checkout - but if you ask, they'll often let you stay a bit longer. If not, they'll usually let you store your bags somewhere so you can go out and do some sightseeing and pick them up later.

The point with ING is that for day-to-day banking, you don't need to do any transfers at all. Your money sits in your ING account in Australian dollars. You just go to any ATM anywhere in the UK or Europe and get money out, exactly like you would here. If you want to buy something in a shop, you just present your card, same as you do here. There is an international transaction fee every time, but ING refunds it to you. We never had to receive a SMS for any of the transaction when we were on holidays. We were away six weeks so we made a lot of transactions. The maximum we spent in one transaction was $400. If you're transacting online, so you're not physically presenting your card, it could be a different story. But I think most banks have some kind of two-stage verification for that situation. I'd be surprised if NAB doesn't have something. For that reason, I suggest you keep your crappy Optus phone as you don't want to get caught out. I had terrible trouble with the Commonwealth Bank because l let me Australian phone go when we moved to the UK back in 2015. While I was there, the Commonwealth introduced that SMS thing and suddenly I couldn't get at my money! Luckily I was able to reactivate the number on a pay-as-you-go for about $5. I never used it to make calls but it could receive the SMS's and that's all I needed. By the way, if you are doing transfers from your Australian bank to an overseas bank, you SHOULD be using a third party, it's the most cost-effective way - and that applies to all Australian banks. If you do a direct transfer from NAB or anyone else, you'll pay through the nose. ING has an agreement with one of the third-party providers so that's easiest, but you could also use Moneycorp or Transferwise. Travelcards are a trap, the exchange rates are very unfavourable and there are extra fees on top - plus some places (like car hire firms) won't accept them.

We didn't submit any proof of relationship except our marriage certificate. Don't forget your passport photos, proof that you meet the financial requirements, and that extra form!

It sounds like your husband is deeply unhappy and homesick and he doesn't know how to deal with it, so he's lashing out. The only way to save your marriage is to talk to each other, and it sounds like that's impossible now. You need someone who can get you together and help you both communicate, which means you need a marriage counsellor. It's your only solution. If your husband won't come to see the counsellor, go on your own. The counsellor can help you sort out your feelings so it's still very valuable.

I think that if it's a parent visa, then they do get a Medicare card. However she won't get a health card which means she won't pay pensioner prices for prescriptions. I was also making the point that it's common for specialists to charge a lot more than the Medicare fee, so even if you have a Medicare card, there are often fees to pay.

You can arrange larger transfers any time you like, just ask the bank. Personally I would just change bank accounts altogether - close your NAB account and put everything in ING, then just use your ING card in the UK until you get your British account sorted. There's no ATM fees to pay on an ING card in foreign ATM's, and their exchange rates are good. Then you won't need to bother mucking about with global accounts and changing currencies at all, until you're ready to transfer your main savings over to your UK account.

There are permanent parent visas but they all have very long waiting times. Even the most expensive, fastest one still has a waiting time of about 6 years, and she would have to pass a medical to get it. Given her age and income, it doesn't sound like there's any point in her applying for a parent visa while she's still in the UK. I think the only option left is for her to come to Australia on a tourist visa, and once she's here, she can apply for an 804 visa. The 804 visa has a waiting time of 30 years, so she will never get it - but the thing is, she will get a bridging visa, which will allow her to stay in Australia while she waits. Once upon a time, people would advise against that strategy because it has major disadvantages, but I'm seeing people do it more and more frequently now, since the other options take so long. I wouldn't consider it myself but everyone has to make their own decision. The huge problem with the bridging visa is that she will not be a legal resident of Australia, even though she's living here. She'll be treated as a "visitor". The implications of that are: She won't get a Seniors Health Card which means she'll pay normal prices for prescriptions - which she'll currently be getting free in the UK. That could be a substantial ongoing cost. She'll still get her British pension but it will be frozen at whatever rate it is when she leaves the UK. She won't ever get any increases while she's living in Australia, and she can't get the Australian pension. If she is getting any extra allowances or benefits, they may stop too. She can stay in Australia as long as she likes, but if she leaves the country, she won't be allowed to re-enter. If she wants to go back to the UK for a visit, she'll have to apply for permission (a BVB) before she goes. They're usually granted but it is an extra hassle and of course, there's a fee every time. If she wants to buy a home for herself, she will need to apply for special permission from FIRB (and pay a few thousand dollars fee). Then she'll have to pay about three times the usual stamp duty on the purchase. She'll get Medicare because she's British, but as you know, health care in Australia isn't always completely free, specialists especially. Most older people have more health issues and your mother has had cancer, so she may find herself facing substantial medical costs as she gets older. She won't have the option to hop back to the UK for treatment because when she ceases to be a resident of the UK, she will lose the right to access the NHS. To get access to the NHS she would have to resettle in the UK and prove her residency. If you put her loss of income and benefits together, plus the extra costs she'll face, and it'll cheaper for her to make an annual visit than live on the bridging visa. But of course, there will come a point where she's not up to the journey and then there's a difficult decision to make. The other benefit of her staying in the UK, which mustn't be under-estimated, is that she gets to stay in her own home with all her own treasures, close to her friends and everything she knows.

It would be worth having a consultation with a migration agent. If they're reputable, they'll give you an initial consultation free of charge. If you mean an employer-sponsored visa, that is just a temporary visa for 2 or 4 years, then you have to go home again - which doesn't sound like what you want. I doubt that any school would be willing to sponsor you as there are enough primary teachers in Australia already.

Welcome to the forums. Unfortunately, you can't do the training in the UK and will have to do a TAFE course when you arrive. You may also have to work as a trades assistant for a while (a bit like an apprenticeship), which obviously means lower wages. Because of that, there is no way you'll be able to get jobs before you arrive. I think you are right to worry because worrying makes you cautious, and you're more likely to do your research thoroughly before making your decision. Migrating is an expensive exercise. You can easily spend 30k on moving and getting set up - and then it's the same again if you have to go home. Twenty years ago, that was worthwhile because wages were high and house prices low, so you could expect to earn back that money and then some. People left a crummy terrace in England and ended up in a detached house on a quarter-acre block by the sea in Oz. That's much harder to achieve now. If you want to migrate, then do it because you think life in Australia will suit you better than life in the UK, not because you'll be financially better off. As for the kids - it can be a better lifestyle when they're young, but it depends where you live. However once they get to further education, they'll have a lot less choice in Australia - and once they're in the workforce, their career opportunities will be much more limited (because it's a much smaller market). Check out realestate.com.au for house prices. In the major cities, ordinary folk often live in suburbs an hour or two from the nearest beach, and it's become common for young people to live with their parents until they're thirty, because they can't afford the deposit on a home. There are still affordable cities but it's often because they are less desirable or because work is hard to find, so you need to research thoroughly. And if you choose a small town, I do think you'd meet prejudice as a woman in a trade. I know I've painted a negative picture but I'm doing that deliberately. If you can take all that on board and you're still keen to come, then you'll do well when you arrive, because you'll be ready for what gets thrown at you. Good luck.

I can tell by your posts that English is not your first language so maybe you are not quite as fluent as you think

I don't think an agent is necessary for a UK spouse visa. It's totally different to the Australian one. You apply online and the application form is a pain in the neck, but it's complicated rather than difficult, if you know what I mean. It's just a case of plodding through it and providing all the facts. You don't need to supply all the proofs of relationship like the Australian one. You submit it, then you print it all off, fill out the financial requirements form (which they forget to mention on the online portal), and make an appointment for your partner to have a face-to-face interview. Then she takes all the documents and copies of bank statements/proof of employment with her (you don't get interviewed at all). https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/826340/Appendix-FM-1-7-Financial-Requirement-ext_1.pdf

Is there a typo in there somewhere? If you get back before Brexit happens, then her Maltese citizenship will allow her into the country. If you delay till after Brexit, then she'll need a spouse visa. Approval is quick (we got ours in three weeks), but the application form is complex, and there's an extra paper form you have to complete which a lot of people miss (and get refused as a result!). If you're not aware already, check out the financial requirements to make sure you can meet them.

(((((Hugs))))) to you, it will all work out in the end. Yes, I think it is possible to know too much! Tip - keep a notebook by the bed and when you wake up in a tizz, write down all the things you're thinking about so you can check them out in the morning Your brain can then stop worrying about forgetting it all, and you're more likely to get some sleep. And do use a paper notebook, not your phone, as the blue light will make you feel more wakeful. No need to use Moneywise or Moneycorp to transfer to your HSBC global account. HSBC has reasonable rates already and anyway, it's not an overseas account - it's just an Australian account that lets you hold funds in other currencies. Remember to give the required notice (usually two or four weeks) to your real estate agent even if you've warned them already.

Best of luck with the move. I trust your fiance has British citizenship - if not, have you researched getting a partner visa for her? I trust you've got your Australian citizenship. If not, don't even consider moving until you get it. With an Australian-born partner and child, you never know what the future may bring and you don't want to be locked out of should you wish to live in Oz for a while in the future. Family visas (partner or parent) are becoming increasingly difficult to get and some governments don't even offer them any more. There's every reason to think Australia will follow that trend.

Probably because the state they want to live in wouldn’t sponsor them. Happens a lot, that’s why they’ve made the 491 tougher. The states got fed up of sponsoring people who buggered off as soon as they’d done their time

That's not true for every occupation. Many migrants get a permanent job straight away. One of the big obstacles is the standard of English. Australians are not used to dealing with accents, so even if you have fluent English, a strong foreign accent will count against you - employers will worry customers won't understand you.

I never understood how the English could call a private school "public". However, apparently it came from the fact that anyone could attend if they could afford the fees (as opposed to schools run by churches, who would only accept children of their own religion, or local schools who would only accept children from their local area). Why they still call it that beats me, though.

In that case there's no point looking for jobs yet. It is possible you will not be invited, and even if you are invited, you may not be granted the visa. So things are too uncertain right now and employers will not be willing to offer you a job on that basis. Best to wait.

That's what I always understood but apparently it's not always the case.

Often people on bridging visas face discrimination from employers, so it's great to hear that he's got a job.

Like Collie says, negotiate. Another thing to consider: if they're just paying you an allowance, could you rethink the container idea? Perhaps ship a large Movecube instead, and leave the big furniture behind? For instance, if you don't ship the beds and bedlinen, then you can buy new beds as soon as you find a home in Australia and at least you'll have somewhere to sleep. Beds are a different size in Australia anyway, so if you do bring your beds and end up getting PR, you'll be in for a lifetime of sheets that don't quite fit! You'll probably want to buy an outdoor table and chairs anyway, so buy that and use it as your dining table for the short term. And it's surprising how well you can manage in the kitchen with just a few cheap pans and a cheap dinner set from Aldi. In other words, treat it like camping.

No, sorry. This is what we're talking about - the ATO and Immigration have different definitions. The ATO clearly states on their website: If you are a former temporary resident who accumulated superannuation (super) while working in Australia you can claim your super from your super fund if all of the following are met: you entered Australia on a temporary visa listed under the Migration Act 1958(excluding subclasses 405 and 410) your visa is no longer in effect you have departed Australia What that means is, you must have accumulated the super while you were working as a temporary resident. That doesn't apply to you so you can't get that portion of your super back. if you come to Australia on a temp visa and pay super, then you'd be able to claim that portion back (but you would lose almost half of it in tax). Your best bet is to check that your super fund is a good one (if necessary, move your super balance to an industry fund like Hostplus or Australian Super); Tell them your UK address and instruct them to cancel all insurances (they won't be valid while you're overseas anyway); Leave the money in super to accumulate until you retire. It will be a handy little extra nest-egg by then. You'll need to check the tax implications when you retire as no doubt they'll have changed. You may be best to convert it to a small monthly pension because the British taxman will take a big chunk of the money if you take a lump sum. But let's face it, you are going to need money in your old age so enforced saving is not a bad thing.