Marisawright

So, your meds are subsidised by the government, to the tune of about $120 per prescription - that subsidy would be a cost to the taxpayer which would add up to a significant amount over a lifetime, so they would certainly take it into account.

Do you mean that they're not on the PBS (Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme) at all, so you pay full price? The hurdle for people with a kidney transplant isn't just the cost of drugs, it's the likelihood of needing another transplant in the future.

It's not a great time to find work, because it's the beginning of our summer holidays. What kind of work do you do?

WRussell is a highly regarded migration agent and he's offering you a free consultation. I recommend you take it.

You need to tell Immigration if your circumstances change, so you must notify them. Explain that you have been unable to find a job and need to move temporarily to another state. It's unlikely they will object but it's best to have their response in writing.

I know, that’s not what I said.

I'd say, only keep stuff you know you will need. It's not worth keeping stuff "just in case" - so unless you're determined to have baby number 2 in the near future, the cot should go. I'd suggest shipping the drum kit and model car collection with your other stuff, assuming he's not ready to get rid of it. You could leave it in a self-storage place in Australia, but then it will cost you a lot more to ship separately later. Cheaper to ship everything together - then get a self-storage unit in the UK when you get there, if necessary. I suggest you do a "trial shop" on the Argos/IKEA/the range websites now, so you can compare what it will actually cost you. You may be surprised.

I'm not really surprised. To be successful, an AirBnB needs to be in a place where visitors and holidaymakers want to stay. Langwarrin isn't on the beach and it's a long way from the CBD, so the host has probably realised he's not getting enough bookings to make it worth his while. Eltham is nice.

The grants are for permanent residents only, so no.

Just to clarify your terminology, which may help you when you are discussing this elsewhere ONCE YOU HAVE PR, YOU NEVER EVER LOSE IT. You can't talk about "extending PR" because it already lasts until you die (unless you get citizenship). When you first get your visa, you get travel rights (the right to travel in and out of Australia) for five years. If you don't take citizenship during that time, then you need to renew your travel rights. That's called a RRV. You don't "switch" to a RRV. It's an add-on to your PR visa. How this applies to your situation: Your 801 visa does not "expire" in 2020 because it's a PR visa and that never expires. What expires are your travel rights. Same for your husband - his RRV will expire but his PR visa continues. However, if you are overseas without valid travel rights, your PR becomes worthless because you won't be allowed back into the country. So your problem is not how to extend PR, that's impossible - it's how to get your travel rights renewed. to get a RRV, you normally need to have been living in Australia for two years out of the previous five years. If you don't have that, then you need to demonstrate "very strong ties" to Australia. If you delay moving back to the very last minute, then you fail the residency test, and it will be difficult to pretend you have very strong ties to Australia if you've only just arrived back after a long absence. However, consider this: if you move back before April next year, your husband will get his two years' residency, so his RRV will be assured. You will fall short, BUT by the time your travel rights expire, you will own a home where you've been living for some time, jobs, children established in schools, etc., so you'll be in a much better position to argue that you have "very strong ties" to Australia.

There is one big risk with keeping quiet - if you're found out, it will be a black mark against you and may prevent you getting any other kind of visa. However, I'm pretty sure it is the employer's responsibility to notify immigration. Given that the bankruptcy has only just occurred, you could be justified in saying you are unclear and waiting for clarity bout your situation - have you actually been issued with a notice of termination? If your 457 is cancelled, you have only 60 days to leave the country - however, my understanding is that it's not cancelled until Immigration cancels it. Even if you're not legally employed by your sponsor any more, your 457 is still valid. I think you need to contact an agent urgently. You're in a precarious situation and you need to know exactly what your options are. These forums are useful but we are only amateurs. Investing in a consultation with an agent like @wrussell or @Raul Senise would be well worthwhile, since it could make a difference between staying in Australia or going home.

Your biggest problem is that a 309 visa requires you to have been in a relationship which is the equivalent of marriage for at least 12 months. Dating does not count. Since I assume that culturally, it was impossible to have that kind of relationship prior to the actual marriage, then you are indeed at the start of a long journey. Your 12 months started on your wedding day and not before. You cannot apply for the 309 until you have completed the 12 months. During that time, you need to gather evidence that your relationship is genuine. Just being married is not enough. You need to show shared finances, shared activities, shared decisions, and regular communication. I know it's difficult to get leave, but you should aim to be together as often as possible during that time. You are right to want to engage an agent, because it is going to be difficult to prove a genuine relationship if you have never lived together, so you need an expert to advise how best to approach it. @Raul Senise a reputable agent who frequents these forums.

You don't "register" with a doctor in Australia. You simply visit the doctor of your choice. If you don't like him, you go to a different one next time.

Great choice. Just check the tram and train routes as parts of Northcote can be a bit out-of-the-way, but it's a nice suburb.

I think he means getting married. It would have been easier to bring her on a Prospective Marriage visa but too late now.

Bear in mind that being a citizen is not the same thing as being a resident. Most tax rules, both in Australia and in the UK, are based on whether you're a resident in that tax year, not whether you are a citizen. If you are not resident, then you are taxed like a foreigner for most things, though there are a few perks for citizens in the UK. I assume you'll be coming to Australia under the rules which allow New Zealanders to live and work in Australia, so you're lucky, you will be classed as a temporary resident: https://www.beyondaccountancy.com.au/something-every-kiwi-in-australia-needs-to-know/

I was on my phone when I replied earlier. To amplify - a partner visa is more expensive but provided your relationship is genuine and you've been together long enough, it is more predictable. If you apply for a 189, you need to have all the qualifications and experience necessary, AND you need to have enough points. The 189 is competitive: they don't process applications in the order they arrive, they cherry-pick the ones with the highest points first. And of course, new applications are coming in all the time. You get situations like the accountants' queue, where there is such a constant flow of applicants with 70 or 75 points, no one with lower points ever gets invited. The partner visa is a lot of work but you've got to do most of it anyway, even if you have an agent: https://www.theaussieflashpacker.com/2016/01/how-our-australian-partner-visa-was-granted-in-six-months.html

If your relationship is genuine and meets all the criteria, go for the partner visa. I wouldn’t hire an immigration lawyer, expensive beast. Hire a migration agent if you need help

It may have changed since we did it, but we had to print off the whole application and take it with us (when I say we, I really mean my husband who is the applicant - i didn't need to be there, I just came along for moral support! Also recent passport photographs (I can't recall if he needed two or three), passport, bank statements. As well as that, we had to bring the separate form (I think it was called Appendix 2) where you have to fill in your address in the UK, financial evidence, etc. I think that might be part of the online application now? We nearly missed it because it wasn't mentioned in the online application and we only found out about it by accident.

If you've got an address in the UK then you can sign up from Australia I think. https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote We found it incredibly frustrating having no credit rating - it's almost like you don't exist. We had to pay a full six months' rent in advance, and the banks would give us only the most basic account - no interest, no overdraft. Some banks wouldn't give us an account at all. Barclays gave us a credit card with a 200 pound limit (whoopy-doo). The worst of it is, your credit rating takes a very long time to rebuild itself: if you don't take out any loans, it won't budge. You have to pro-actively do things to build it up. This is a good site to read up on: https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/loans/credit-rating-credit-score/#improve It does depend how long you've been away. Have you checked to see if yours is completely gone?

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/636618/Appendix_FM_1_7_Financial_Requirement_Final.pdf See table on page 48

Even easier. Find a good agent (ask for references). They will tell you how long it's likely to take to find a tenant in your area, and you can plan from there.

If you meet the requirements for a spouse visa, then the process is quick. We allowed three/four months to get ours and it came through in two months. For your stuff - advertise on Gumtree, take some care with photos and descriptions, and ask a realistic price. You can also put postcards on supermarket notice boards and advertise on Facebook. If your prices are fair and the stuff is in good condition, you'll empty the house in less than a month. Be prepared to get peanuts for everything, though Do consider shipping rather than selling stuff, unless your "stuff" is about to fall apart. I know shipping sounds expensive, but replacing it all is far more so - not to mention the hours and hours of shopping needed to replace everything. As for the house - it depends where you are and what price you're seeking. You can put the house up for auction, then you have a fixed 6 or 8 week campaign and the house is sold at auction at the end of that time. The only catch is that you might not be happy with the price achieved - but if it doesn't sell at auction, it's unlikely you'll do much better trying to sell at a fixed price.

I just saw this post. I know it's old but I believe you're still in the process of applying? What it means is, if you're trying to put together the financial requirement, you can use a combination of any of those things. However, if you've got four different savings accounts, each with a few thousand in them, you can't count them towards the total. Only a bank account with more than 16,000 can be included.

I had the same experience. I mentioned the coffee in the UK and everyone pitched in about it, and now there’s a perception here that I “made a big fuss about coffee”. I didn’t, I just switched to tea in cafes. Cafe Nero isn’t too bad