Quoll

Weird, I would have thought you were exactly that, a tourist - unless you have some other history which might preclude a visa, like an overstay or abuse of a previous tourist visa by working or something or a criminal history - who knows what goes through Immigration's mind?!. I guess your best bet would be to talk to a MARA agent and see if they have any magical solutions. It may be that Immigration fear you will decide to stay and be with your daughter and wouldnt leave at the end of your holiday. Mind you, they seem to be letting a whole load of other folk in for a "holiday" who openly state they have no intention of leaving and who then apply for some onshore visa. Another alternative, of course, is for your daughter to visit you - she could fly as an unaccompanied minor if her mother would let her go. Good luck, hope you can sort it out. A girl needs a daddy

Sorry to hear that your husband still got rejected. I didn’t know that they would still do this to the spouse of Aus citizens but suspected as much. My son’s wife has CIDP which ball park estimates would put at at least $250k pa with IVIG infusions. Not that she wants to move to Australia but things may change. My guess that she would be rejected therefore.

It offers free schooling to those permanent and temporary residents. Tourists dont get free schooling and on a bridging visa she would have the same conditions as her visa of entry - those on tourist visas usually get 12 weeks but according to this from the application form, those conditions are extended if the student is on a bridging visa. As the processing time for carers visa now extends into years, there will be a period on a bridging visa I would have thought. I think they are charged international fees. Temporary students on Bridging Visa enrolments are automatically extended and invoiced beyond the initial enrolment end date outlined above, as the vast majority of students study beyond the initial enrolment period. Please advise IED at international.school.support@education.vic.gov.au towards the end of the enrolment period if the student is not extending their stay in school.

Last remaining relative visas are taking up to 50 years to process according to the website so I wouldn’t be holding my breath for that one. Sadly, what you want and what you may be able to achieve are two entirely different things. Lots of people have no family where they are, you get used to it.

You’re married so your Australian relative isn’t your last remaining relative. Rather than leaving highly detailed personal information on a public forum you’d be better talking to one of the registered MARA agents who advise on here and get professional advice about your options. You’re getting to the end of the age range so you’d better get your skates on. You might want to ask a moderator to edit out a lot of that detail though - this is a public forum of random people.

I hear you about the crying. Yesterday I was on the train from London up to Peterborough and I looked out of the window at the countryside of Hertfordshire/Cambridgeshire flashing by and I nearly cried tbh - it was just the familiarity and beauty of being in the right place! I always cry when I leave Heathrow - quite disconcerting for neighbouring passengers sometimes.

Good luck! If it works you win, and if it doesn’t, you cut your losses. I will say that being there for my elderly parents was the best move I ever made. Australia isn’t going anywhere if you decide that you don’t belong in U.K. any more. I’m just back for a holiday and I’ve already encountered some really lovely people - I miss that in Australia.

Number 1 son was 6 months when we moved. Grew up and educated in Australia. Went on holiday for a year to U.K. in 2002 - hasn’t returned yet and won’t ever return to live. Is finding UK offers far more opportunities. Moving a girl at 14 could be fraught. Putting a girl into the year 9 lions den with all the Queen bees and wannabes could be very difficult for them. Girls do seem to become reasonable human beings by the end of year 12 though for the most part but year 9 is particularly tricky.

The website says it’s taking around 7 years for carer visa approval so one would assume that she and her dependent would be on a bridging visa with the same conditions as the visa they arrived on in which case education would not be free. However if the carer visa is approved then education would cost the same as it costs any other Australian child. Proving that someone needs a carer and there are no other services available is going to be a difficult task.

Apply in Aus - my DH has just done his - he didn't realise it was out of date until recently. It's been very straightforward and his new PP is on its way to him. It cost a bit more than renewing in UK but it makes life much easier if you do it in Australia and have it in hand when you return.

Not everyone gets that and not everyone wants to stay in one place in the suburbs if they do go on holiday. If you're not used to it like we are, that flight is a killer especially for the elderly and for a young family it can be a nightmare. I still don't see why anyone should be expected to fly over just to make someone else feel better or less guilty about the ramifications of their life decisions.

Why would you expect someone to give up their whole holiday and, at great expense, fly to the other side of the world? It’s financially beyond many, physically beyond many and temporally beyond many. I don’t see why anyone would be expected to fly half way round the world unless they really want to. You could get half a dozen at home or European holidays for the price of one Aussie trip.

When we arrived it was in the days of aerogrammes and £1 a minute phone calls so it was very much a case of out of sight, out of mind. I've pretty much continued that - maybe an email every 6 months nowadays but that hasn't changed the fact that when we meet it's like there hasn't been years since we last chatted, we just slot tight back into the same chat. I occasionally text exchange with my son but we can go weeks/months with nothing and I do try and ft call my grandson every Sunday but 9 times out of 10 he is busy doing something important like playing on his Switch or watching cartoons. I don't expect to live in anyone's pocket. I email if I have something to say, facetime if it's important and get on with my life as they get on with theirs. Doesn't stop the love or friendship though - I certainly don't expect their lives to revolve around me when I visit, just because I've made the effort to be there. The fact that they are all very welcoming is certainly a bonus but just shows how strong friendships can be - if they weren't welcoming or accommodating, no skin off my nose.

No siblings but I've always found that people bend over backwards to try and get together. I'm planning a visit in a couple of weeks and I've been invited to stay by most of my friends. Those I can't get to are willing to come and see me or meet half way. I tend to go and visit them because I want to get about the country and see /do as much as I can.

If you're not including bonds, insurances, vehicles and out of work living expenses that'll be OK if you're living with family in the short term. However all depending on where you go, you might need more than a month to find accommodation. Schools are going to cost you little in comparison, just uniforms, stationery, "voluntary" contributions but if you decide to go private then that's obviously going to be a while lot more.