Marisawright

When you say you've "been together" for a year, do you mean "in a fully committed relationship equivalent to marriage"? Because that's what de facto is. You can't count any period of time when you were just dating. You don't have to have lived together for the whole 12 months - but if you didn't, you must have a very strong reason why you couldn't (e.g. working in different cities). This article is the most useful one I've found. There's more information in the links at the end: https://halftheclothes.com/travel-tips/australian-partner-visa-application-tips/

Me too. I've also seen posts where people have been able to bring their older children with them. Looking at the posts, I think a lot depends on what kind of visa it is, and how long ago the application was submitted. The rules did change recently, but some visas have longer waiting times, and perhaps applications submitted before the change are judged on the old rules? Also of the success stories I've seen, most seem to be transitioning from a 457 to PR, or a temp visa - and they may have different rules.

Of course they don't expect the kids to live in Warwickshire, but chances are they will get jobs in London, so wherever they settle, it won't be far away. The difference between Sydney and London is that in Sydney, there are no "home counties". The outer edges of Sydney are mostly charmless dormitory suburbs, with no sense of community, populated by bogans (chavs). There are small pockets which are exceptions, but of course the prices are higher. My niece tried moving out to Liverpool when she and her partner wanted to start a family, but she didn't stay long. Boring, stifling hot, faceless, with none of the beauty that makes Sydney so attractive to visitors. She's a Sydneysider born and bred and she couldn't stand it. I moved to Melbourne for the same reason. I know Sydney well, having lived there 30 years. I can no longer afford to live in a suburb that I could tolerate. If I'm forced to live far from the city, then there's no sense being in Sydney at all - I might as well live in Slough. So I've come to Melbourne, where (though still a bit pricey), I can afford the kind of lifestyle I used to have in Sydney.

I don't think it's "quite rightly" at all, frankly. Surely seeing family once a fortnight is preferable to seeing them once a year? In fact, if you were in Newcastle, you could realistically visit once a week. I drove to our Newcastle office once a week for a long time, it's not an onerous drive (and there's also the train). And I'm sure the lure of Newcastle's great beach would tempt her nieces to visit. However, I do understand that homesickness is not logical, especially when it has been festering for a long time.

I think you're misunderstanding Ramot's comment, I think she was responding to Jon the Hat rather than to you. You are spot-on in your observations. We often compare Sydney to London, trying to explain to migrants that Sydney prices are astronomical compared to the rest of Australia, just like London prices are to the rest of the UK - but as you point out, there the comparison ends.

I think you are right. I lived in Sydney for over 30 years and there's a lot to love about the place, but nowadays I warn people not to move there. Many of my Sydney friends have children still in their 30's, living at home because they can't afford a place of their own. My niece is in her 40's and still renting. Looking at those children, I think Sydney has had a bad effect on them. Given the high cost of housing, you might expect them to live frugal lives, saving up madly for their own place. But my niece tells me that she and her friends feel it's so out of reach, there's no point in even trying. Besides, to get ahead in a Sydney workplace, you have to look the part, so you need to buy designer suits and have $300 haircuts. And what's the point of living if you don't enjoy it? She and her partner will never afford a house, so why not spend their salaries on three or four holidays a year? Of course, some would say there's nothing to stop the children moving to Melbourne or Perth when they grow up, but I imagine your wife wouldn't want to set up a future where the kids will be forced to move away from home. What do you do for a living? Could you consider settling in Newcastle or Canberra, where housing is much more affordable and frequent weekends in Sydney would be practical? I'm sure your wife has memories of Newcastle as a working-class dump, but it's become quite a vibrant place in recent years. And personally, I think Canberra gets an unjustifiably bad press. I used to work on projects there a lot when I lived in Sydney, and I really liked it.

If it's ready to pick up that means it's approved, I think.

Yes, there is a huge difference but it's not really anything you should be surprised about. You don't think twice about the fact that London or New York housing is far more expensive than the rest of the country, for instance - it's just what happens when a city is the major business centre for a country. Someone has done a spreadsheet of expenses, I believe, but to be honest, I wouldn't stress about it. You can tie yourself in knots trying to budget for every last cost, but there are so many variables, you're unlikely to get it right anyway. When we went to England, I noticed that some things were more expensive and some things were cheaper - but when I looked at what I'd spent over the year, it was about the same as my annual budget in Australia. It's swings and roundabouts. You'll still have to pay for gas, electric, council tax (called rates here), insurance, phone and internet etc. The huge variable is the cost of renting or buying a house.

Yes, it's legal. My only reservation would be that you're not likely to meet many people if you're working full-time from home.

It depends where you're planning to settle. For instance, housing in Melbourne is about one-third cheaper than Sydney. Houses in Hobart are half the price of Sydney;. And so on. So it really comes down to checking out the websites for the area you're interested in. Queensland, on the whole, is on the lower side. Just bear in mind, when looking at real estate websites, that real estate agents use professional photographers with fish eye lenses, then they photoshop the images - so they can make old scruffy houses look immaculate! If you have friends in Queensland then think seriously about moving to be close to them.

I wouldn't worry about cost of living. Based on my experience when I was living in the UK two years ago, the cost of living is much the same in both countries, with only one exception - housing (either renting or buying). So when comparing costs, focus on the cost of housing compared to what you're used to, and that will give you a good idea of affordability. Domain.com.au and realestate.com.au are the best sources. Like I said, I find all of Queensland too hot for me in the summer, but everyone has a different reaction to the heat. If you're a diver then Queensland makes a lot of sense.

A couple of questions. It's actually your husband who has to apply for the visa, not you, so I'm assuming that's just a slip of the tongue. When my husband applied, he had to attend the consulate for a biometric interview, print off all the papers and submit them at the interview, as well as submitting the form online. They didn't even consider his application until he'd done all that. So the question is, are you sure the visa has been considered and he's been turned down, or could it be that the system is just telling you the application is incomplete?

I'm confused. I'm assuming you want to settle back in the UK with your husband? If so, then the spouse visa is the correct visa. There isn't a different offshore one. The reason I'm sure is that my husband applied in the same circumstances, while I was still living in Australia. I'd think it more likely you got refused because you didn''t complete the Finance appendix which also includes details of where you'll be living, etc. Without that appendix, they have almost none of the information they need to make a judgment. It is true that the wording on the visa is confusing, because it talks about your spouse "joining you" in the UK - but don't let that confuse you. The spouse visa is the one you want. Another possibility - if he holds an EU passport then you do need a different visa.

So, have you had a letter warning you they're going to close the account or what was the situation?

Reading between the lines, does this mean your other half is intent on moving to Sydney, because that's what he knows and likes? I do hope you can prevail upon him to change his mind. I'm sure you would enjoy yourselves on two wages in Sydney, but that's not the point, is it? If you're thinking of starting a family, at some point you're going to have to do without one wage (at least for a while). And you're going to need an extra bedroom, and you're going to have to start thinking about school catchment areas (and suburbs with good schools are always more expensive). So when you're pricing the Sydney lifestyle, don't just think about what you could manage now - think about your future needs too. Most Sydney mothers can't afford to be a stay-at-home mum, even for a few years - whereas in a smaller city, you could. I've mentioned this a few times on the forums: I used to work with two men who'd been transferred to Sydney when our Newcastle office closed down. They refused to move their families to Sydney because they felt Newcastle was a much better place to bring up a young family. It meant they faced a two-hour commute, each way, but they still wouldn't relocate. That has always stuck with me.

So true. You can always add an extra layer if you're cold - but when it's hot, there's only so much clothing you can decently remove (and the older you get, the less you can take off without frightening the horses...)

Do you mean this one: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/contributory-parent-temporary-173#Eligibility Note the conditions: if you get a 651 refused at some point, then you won't be eligible to apply for the 173 (and I'd expect that condition to apply to any new visas coming out, too).

My concern is that all the companies are there to make money off you. They won't make money if you don't migrate, so of course they're going to exaggerate your chances of success. They want to generate excitement so you'll sign up for their services at an inflated price. If you are serious about migrating, then it's much more sensible to avoid all the hype, pay for a good MARA registered agent to handle your application - and for all your other questions, ask here!

So, despite all the advice including from expert agents, you're applying for the partner visa instead of a RRV? OK.

If you keep doing it, you'll eventually get taken to one side and grilled about your intentions, because it's going to look as though you're trying to use short-term visas to achieve a long-term stay. If they decide that's the case then you will be refused entry.

I would use one of the agents who post on these forums, e.g. Westly Russell at Pinoyau.com or Raul Senise at Ozmigration.com To me, the fact that they're so generous with free advice is a good sign! The whole process can be done online so it doesn't matter if they're not near you. I agree that the cost of housing doesn't matter if your wages keep up, but that's the huge problem in Sydney and Melbourne right now - they haven't! There has been a lot of media coverage about it recently. Like I said, it's like London: a nurse in London gets paid the same as she would in Exeter, but her rent is double. As the house prices rise, people are being forced to move further and further west - many Sydneysiders now live two hours from the city centre and just as far to the nearest beach! As a health professional and a tradie, you are lucky. Most office workers have no choice but to aim for the capital cities because there's not enough work elsewhere. Whereas you could go to any town where there's a hospital. That opens up your search. In your shoes, I'd be looking at: 1. The Sunshine Coast in Queensland. Most of Queensland is far too hot for me, but the Sunshine Coast seems to have some kind of microclimate, with more sea breezes, so it's more comfortable. Less than two hours drive to Brisbane for when you want to fly somewhere international. 2. If you want the amenities of a big city, Newcastle in NSW. It's a large city in its own right, with a fabulous beach right on the city centre, and it's only two hours' drive (or train) from Sydney. It's also less than an hour to the Hunter Valley wineries and the dolphin watching/oyster farms of Port Stephens. 3. If you've been in the forces, you may find it easier to make friends in a town where there's a concentration of defence force personnel. Jervis Bay has a naval base. The main town is Nowra, (do your research as it has some rough areas), but the whole Jervis Bay area is absolutely gorgeous, with pure white sands and some good hiking trails. 4. A left field idea, because it's not most migrants' idea of Australia, but Canberra might suit you. As the nation's capital, its population is dominated by civil servants and defence personnel, so you'd be amongst like-minded people. Many Canberrans spend their weekends at Bateman's Bay (a lovely area of unspoilt coastline) or in the Snowy Mountains (great hiking), both of which are about two hours' drive.

Be prepared for a long road. One of you will have to retrain in a skill that's on the list, which will take two or three years (longer if you do it part-time). Then he/she will have to work in that job for two or three years to get experience (the qualification alone isn't enough). Then you will have to apply for the visa and wait for it to be processed - another year or so. And throughout all that time, there's always the chance that the occupation will be taken off the list, or the age cut-off will be lowered, or the points threshold will be increased - and after all that work, you won't qualify for a visa at all. Don't think it's just a "slim" chance and the odds are in your favour - Australia isn't desperate for migrants like it used to be, so they're reducing the occupation list all the time. Who'd have thought, for instance, that they're talking about removing nurses or accountants from the list? That's why we say - if you're going to try it, choose an occupation you'll be happy working at in the UK, because otherwise you could find you've wasted a lot of money for nothing. Also, it would be worth sitting down and working out what it will all cost you. Work out what it'll cost you to retrain - not just the cost of the course but the loss of income because one of you is at school. Then add at least 30,000 for the migration process itself - I know that sounds like a lot, but you've got to cover agent fees, visa fees, air fares, temp accommodation, shipping, setting up home, car, living expenses while you look for work, and more. Once you've worked out that figure, ask yourself - could I get a better quality of life, faster, if I used that same money to move to a better part of the UK?

Oh dear. It sounds as though you've got yourself in a mess. While it's true the bridging visa wasn't in effect when you left, it did come into effect when the first tourist visa expired - and then you were offshore without a BVB, which you're not allowed to do. I think you've lost the 804 and will have to start all over again, but check with an expert.

No, you don't have to be in the UK to apply. The name of the visa and the description are confusing because it talks about family "joining you" in the UK, as if you were already there - but it's fine if you're not.

Do you have a visa or do you know if you’re eligible to get one?