Go Back  British Expats > Living & Moving Abroad > Australia
Reload this Page >

2 months to go......Advice Please!

2 months to go......Advice Please!

Old Aug 25th 2016, 1:03 pm
  #1  
Just Joined
Thread Starter
 
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 13
Ange_P is an unknown quantity at this point
Default 2 months to go......Advice Please!

Okay...so we are taking the leap in two months time and heading to Melbourne.

I have got a checklist as long as my arm!! But wanted to ask to check a couple of less obvious things;

- Can I open a Aus bank account before I arrive? Any advice on this would be much appreciated!

- I have read that we will need to arrange Health cover for arrival - Again any advice would be much appreciated!

- I believe we need to apply for International Driving Permits - is this correct?

- We will be renewing our passports next week - do we need to inform immigration?

Any advice you can offer will be super as I am sure you can imagine there is a lot to think about and check off the list over the coming weeks......

Thanks in advance....
Ange_P is offline  
Old Aug 25th 2016, 1:26 pm
  #2  
Lost in BE Cyberspace
 
Bermudashorts's Avatar
 
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: UK
Posts: 14,284
Bermudashorts has a reputation beyond reputeBermudashorts has a reputation beyond reputeBermudashorts has a reputation beyond reputeBermudashorts has a reputation beyond reputeBermudashorts has a reputation beyond reputeBermudashorts has a reputation beyond reputeBermudashorts has a reputation beyond reputeBermudashorts has a reputation beyond reputeBermudashorts has a reputation beyond reputeBermudashorts has a reputation beyond reputeBermudashorts has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: 2 months to go......Advice Please!

It would be helpful to know what kind of visa you are going on as it will impact things like healthcare and even driving licence requirements. But to your questions:

- yes you can open a bank account before you get there, just contact one of them. We opened up with NAB before we moved, I am sure there was no particular advantage to doing so however and we could have done it just as easily once we arrived.

- nobody will force you to do anything about healthcare, unless you have a specific visa that requires it but in that case, I would expect you to organise it before you get the visa. As I say though you would need to say what visa you are on.

- no I do not believe you need a international driving permit. You may have to transfer to an Australian licence or you may be fine on the UK one - depends on visa and state law.

- if your visa is connected to the old passport then yes you would need to inform immigration or expect trouble boarding the plane!
Bermudashorts is offline  
Old Aug 25th 2016, 1:29 pm
  #3  
Just Joined
Thread Starter
 
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 13
Ange_P is an unknown quantity at this point
Default Re: 2 months to go......Advice Please!

Visa type - perm residency.

Thanks for your response
Ange_P is offline  
Old Aug 25th 2016, 2:48 pm
  #4  
Lost in BE Cyberspace
 
Bermudashorts's Avatar
 
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: UK
Posts: 14,284
Bermudashorts has a reputation beyond reputeBermudashorts has a reputation beyond reputeBermudashorts has a reputation beyond reputeBermudashorts has a reputation beyond reputeBermudashorts has a reputation beyond reputeBermudashorts has a reputation beyond reputeBermudashorts has a reputation beyond reputeBermudashorts has a reputation beyond reputeBermudashorts has a reputation beyond reputeBermudashorts has a reputation beyond reputeBermudashorts has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: 2 months to go......Advice Please!

Originally Posted by Ange_P
Visa type - perm residency.

Thanks for your response
Ok well circling back round. Nobody is going to force you to do anything about healthcare, that is all down to you. And you will probably need to swap your UK driving licence for an Australian one within a given time frame, I believe it was three months for us but we were in a different state.
Bermudashorts is offline  
Old Aug 25th 2016, 9:14 pm
  #5  
Just Joined
Thread Starter
 
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 13
Ange_P is an unknown quantity at this point
Default Re: 2 months to go......Advice Please!

Originally Posted by Bermudashorts
Ok well circling back round. Nobody is going to force you to do anything about healthcare, that is all down to you. And you will probably need to swap your UK driving licence for an Australian one within a given time frame, I believe it was three months for us but we were in a different state.
Thank you!
Ange_P is offline  
Old Aug 26th 2016, 5:31 am
  #6  
BE Forum Addict
 
verystormy's Avatar
 
Joined: Nov 2007
Location: Scotland
Posts: 3,337
verystormy has a reputation beyond reputeverystormy has a reputation beyond reputeverystormy has a reputation beyond reputeverystormy has a reputation beyond reputeverystormy has a reputation beyond reputeverystormy has a reputation beyond reputeverystormy has a reputation beyond reputeverystormy has a reputation beyond reputeverystormy has a reputation beyond reputeverystormy has a reputation beyond reputeverystormy has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: 2 months to go......Advice Please!

Yes, you can open a bank account now and activate it on arrival.

Private health is up to you if you are arriving on a pr visa. Only temporary residents such as 457 holders need private before traveling. Once you arrive you can register with Medicare which is the Australian public health system.

You will need to change your license to an Australian one. There are license centres in all major cities and it's a fairly simple process. Just pop in when you get there. It is worth doing asap as an Australian photo ID is needed for many things.

You must inform immigration of the new passports as visas are tied to passports. There will be a form to complete.

Originally Posted by Ange_P
Okay...so we are taking the leap in two months time and heading to Melbourne.

I have got a checklist as long as my arm!! But wanted to ask to check a couple of less obvious things;

- Can I open a Aus bank account before I arrive? Any advice on this would be much appreciated!

- I have read that we will need to arrange Health cover for arrival - Again any advice would be much appreciated!

- I believe we need to apply for International Driving Permits - is this correct?

- We will be renewing our passports next week - do we need to inform immigration?

Any advice you can offer will be super as I am sure you can imagine there is a lot to think about and check off the list over the coming weeks......

Thanks in advance....
verystormy is offline  
Old Aug 26th 2016, 7:12 am
  #7  
BE Forum Addict
 
Joined: May 2007
Location: England
Posts: 4,206
brits1 has a reputation beyond reputebrits1 has a reputation beyond reputebrits1 has a reputation beyond reputebrits1 has a reputation beyond reputebrits1 has a reputation beyond reputebrits1 has a reputation beyond reputebrits1 has a reputation beyond reputebrits1 has a reputation beyond reputebrits1 has a reputation beyond reputebrits1 has a reputation beyond reputebrits1 has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: 2 months to go......Advice Please!

Originally Posted by Ange_P
Okay...so we are taking the leap in two months time and heading to Melbourne.

I have got a checklist as long as my arm!! But wanted to ask to check a couple of less obvious things;

- Can I open a Aus bank account before I arrive? Any advice on this would be much appreciated!

- I have read that we will need to arrange Health cover for arrival - Again any advice would be much appreciated!

- I believe we need to apply for International Driving Permits - is this correct?

- We will be renewing our passports next week - do we need to inform immigration?

Any advice you can offer will be super as I am sure you can imagine there is a lot to think about and check off the list over the coming weeks......

Thanks in advance....
Hi,


You can open a bank account from the UK, we used the Commonwealth Bank and upon our arrival in Perth we headed to the main branch in the City and picked up our bank cards and cheque books, after we had settled we looked at other banks with better options ie cheaper fee's and moved accounts. We took our driving written test about 4 weeks after our arrival, it helped as an I.D form and also we studied the road rules etc as they are slightly different from the UK, you pay for the written test and you can re-take it if you do not pass the first time. Health insurance is your choice, you can choose (if not offered by your employer) to private health care (not sure if it is the same in all States) but when we lived in WA you just choose your Doctors and go with them but many of our friends used other doctors if they could not get an appointment with their favourite Doctors you (at that time anyway) did not have to use the same doctors practice. We took out Ambulance cover (thank heavens we did not need it while we lived in WA) but we knew others who did and were charged a small fortune. If you have to renew your UK passport you will need to have your Australian Visa in your new passport not sure how you do that so check that asap. Good luck, try not to worry to much and enjoy the experience.
brits1 is offline  
Old Aug 26th 2016, 7:33 am
  #8  
Home and Happy
 
Pollyana's Avatar
 
Joined: Dec 2002
Location: Keep true friends and puppets close, trust no-one else...
Posts: 93,787
Pollyana has a reputation beyond reputePollyana has a reputation beyond reputePollyana has a reputation beyond reputePollyana has a reputation beyond reputePollyana has a reputation beyond reputePollyana has a reputation beyond reputePollyana has a reputation beyond reputePollyana has a reputation beyond reputePollyana has a reputation beyond reputePollyana has a reputation beyond reputePollyana has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: 2 months to go......Advice Please!

Originally Posted by brits1
Hi,


You can open a bank account from the UK, we used the Commonwealth Bank and upon our arrival in Perth we headed to the main branch in the City and picked up our bank cards and cheque books, after we had settled we looked at other banks with better options ie cheaper fee's and moved accounts. We took our driving written test about 4 weeks after our arrival, it helped as an I.D form and also we studied the road rules etc as they are slightly different from the UK, you pay for the written test and you can re-take it if you do not pass the first time. Health insurance is your choice, you can choose (if not offered by your employer) to private health care (not sure if it is the same in all States) but when we lived in WA you just choose your Doctors and go with them but many of our friends used other doctors if they could not get an appointment with their favourite Doctors you (at that time anyway) did not have to use the same doctors practice. We took out Ambulance cover (thank heavens we did not need it while we lived in WA) but we knew others who did and were charged a small fortune. If you have to renew your UK passport you will need to have your Australian Visa in your new passport not sure how you do that so check that asap. Good luck, try not to worry to much and enjoy the experience.
Not every State requires a test now, most you can just swap the licence over.

OP, you will need to get Ambulance cover even if you don't get private healthcare. Qld is the only State at present where you don't need to do that, its included in our electric bills here!

If you got your visa via an Immiaccount, you can upload Form 929 with details of your new passport. Then check on VEVO that its been actioned. Carry the old one with you just in case! As its all electronic now you don't ned to worry about getting anything physical into your passport.
Pollyana is offline  
Old Aug 26th 2016, 7:44 am
  #9  
Just Joined
Thread Starter
 
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 13
Ange_P is an unknown quantity at this point
Default Re: 2 months to go......Advice Please!

Originally Posted by verystormy
Yes, you can open a bank account now and activate it on arrival.

Private health is up to you if you are arriving on a pr visa. Only temporary residents such as 457 holders need private before traveling. Once you arrive you can register with Medicare which is the Australian public health system.

You will need to change your license to an Australian one. There are license centres in all major cities and it's a fairly simple process. Just pop in when you get there. It is worth doing asap as an Australian photo ID is needed for many things.

You must inform immigration of the new passports as visas are tied to passports. There will be a form to complete.
Much appreciated, thank you!
Ange_P is offline  
Old Aug 26th 2016, 9:52 am
  #10  
Victorian Evangelist
 
Buzzy--Bee's Avatar
 
Joined: Sep 2005
Location: Melbourne, by the beach, living the dream.
Posts: 7,704
Buzzy--Bee has a reputation beyond reputeBuzzy--Bee has a reputation beyond reputeBuzzy--Bee has a reputation beyond reputeBuzzy--Bee has a reputation beyond reputeBuzzy--Bee has a reputation beyond reputeBuzzy--Bee has a reputation beyond reputeBuzzy--Bee has a reputation beyond reputeBuzzy--Bee has a reputation beyond reputeBuzzy--Bee has a reputation beyond reputeBuzzy--Bee has a reputation beyond reputeBuzzy--Bee has a reputation beyond repute
Smile Re: 2 months to go......Advice Please!

Originally Posted by Ange_P
Okay...so we are taking the leap in two months time and heading to Melbourne.
Quite aside from any other advice - you have chosen the most incredible city to live in which even after 9 years+ still continues to be the most amazing place for us to have settled.
Buzzy--Bee is offline  
Old Aug 27th 2016, 8:47 am
  #11  
BE Enthusiast
 
Joined: Mar 2016
Location: SW Ontario
Posts: 474
evets has a reputation beyond reputeevets has a reputation beyond reputeevets has a reputation beyond reputeevets has a reputation beyond reputeevets has a reputation beyond reputeevets has a reputation beyond reputeevets has a reputation beyond reputeevets has a reputation beyond reputeevets has a reputation beyond reputeevets has a reputation beyond reputeevets has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: 2 months to go......Advice Please!

For Melbourne, you just apply for a driving license and turn up to collect it. If you wear glasses they give you a short eye sight test ie read the paper on the wall behind me. It is a bit mickey mouse. In Queensland there is no requirement for an eyesight test. Shocking! Good thing is they will recognise your UK driving experience and no claims bonus.

Checked out a few of your other posts, since you are 30, while not mandatory, you will probably need to get private health care otherwise you will be taxed extra for not having it. Weigh up the costs of having it verses not. The longer you leave it, the premiums do go up. Some companies offer it as part of the package, others do not. Private healthcare in Australia can be expensive especially when you want a half decent package. Look at a company called Frank, if you are unsure. The reviews are pretty good and works a little different from standard healthcare packages.

You may want to top up with Ambulance cover if you decide, as private healthcare usually only covers 1 call out per year. This all depends on your circumstances.

I agree with Buzzy Bee, great city but be prepared for the cost of living shock and the high house/rental prices(not sure what part of the UK you are coming from).
evets is offline  
Old Aug 27th 2016, 11:56 am
  #12  
Lost in BE Cyberspace
 
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,375
jad n rich has a reputation beyond reputejad n rich has a reputation beyond reputejad n rich has a reputation beyond reputejad n rich has a reputation beyond reputejad n rich has a reputation beyond reputejad n rich has a reputation beyond reputejad n rich has a reputation beyond reputejad n rich has a reputation beyond reputejad n rich has a reputation beyond reputejad n rich has a reputation beyond reputejad n rich has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: 2 months to go......Advice Please!

Drive right on the speed limits!! Do not go over, son was 63 or 65 in a 60 zone, first arrived in melbourne, that in qld would be OK,,,,, Yep, $3000 fine!!! it was one of my company vehicles so fines are higher, got fine reduced by nominating driver but wow was a shock for a tiny over.

If buying a house, ignore guide price, add 100,000, 200,000+ to what they want. Supposed to be illegal but that will make no difference at all. Agents will also tell you absolutely anything, also watch out for owners corps and 2 lot subdivison rules, very common, but not always declared! again illegal, but they dont give a shiz.... Photos of rentals and for sales, have usually had more filters applied than a Kardashian Selfie.

If using the trains system, watch the train changes, mostly you have to go into the city and back out, no cross lines like in say London. Pain in ass off peak pm where you might have a 30 minute wait to change line. Got caught out a few times early on.

Watch your wallet, bag, purse, anywhere, the lightfingered are extremely prevalent.

Arrange a miki card when you arrive and keep it topped up, trains are regularly inspected.

Lock your car doors when driving if they dont auto lock, had door tried at traffic light on way home one evening, scary.

Electricity gas companies do good discounts, shop around, we got 28% off the leccy and 16 on the gas.

The 7/11 does a hot strong coffee for a buck, dont pay $7 for a luke warm half empty cup, by some leather apron clad hipster busiest coffee shops in melb always the 7/11.

Learn how the winds work its a melbourne thing, how the same thing take 10c off in winter and turn a unimaginable blowtorch of on in summer. Bring winter gear, and get used to the sound of a 747 on your roof, knowing its just Mr Wind again. Scares the hell out of you at first, or the first time you realize the wind can actually blow you along/over ( probably ignore that if your a 16 stone boxer or something ).

Do the free stuff round the city, seek out some of the old buildings, ( state library is a good one ) join a protest, always plenty, dont become homeless, if more of us ignore coffee shops they might go away, do eat at ethnic restaurants in random suburbs, shop markets, not the snobby ones, if its a suburb you would not go to at night, then it will probably have great food markets and restaurants.

Be prepared to be extremely competitive, jobs and accommodation can be particularly oversubscribed, Melbourne has a constant flow of new arrivals.

Oh and Dont overstay your parking time, never seen so many clamped vehicles

18 months now in Melb, and wish we had known all of the above, even the random bits.

Last edited by jad n rich; Aug 27th 2016 at 11:59 am.
jad n rich is offline  
Old Aug 27th 2016, 1:29 pm
  #13  
Victorian Evangelist
 
Buzzy--Bee's Avatar
 
Joined: Sep 2005
Location: Melbourne, by the beach, living the dream.
Posts: 7,704
Buzzy--Bee has a reputation beyond reputeBuzzy--Bee has a reputation beyond reputeBuzzy--Bee has a reputation beyond reputeBuzzy--Bee has a reputation beyond reputeBuzzy--Bee has a reputation beyond reputeBuzzy--Bee has a reputation beyond reputeBuzzy--Bee has a reputation beyond reputeBuzzy--Bee has a reputation beyond reputeBuzzy--Bee has a reputation beyond reputeBuzzy--Bee has a reputation beyond reputeBuzzy--Bee has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: 2 months to go......Advice Please!

Originally Posted by jad n rich
Drive right on the speed limits!! Do not go over, son was 63 or 65 in a 60 zone, first arrived in melbourne, that in qld would be OK,,,,, Yep, $3000 fine!!! i
I suspect there may be an extra "0" in there
Buzzy--Bee is offline  
Old Aug 27th 2016, 11:27 pm
  #14  
Lost in BE Cyberspace
 
ozzieeagle's Avatar
 
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 15,526
ozzieeagle has a reputation beyond reputeozzieeagle has a reputation beyond reputeozzieeagle has a reputation beyond reputeozzieeagle has a reputation beyond reputeozzieeagle has a reputation beyond reputeozzieeagle has a reputation beyond reputeozzieeagle has a reputation beyond reputeozzieeagle has a reputation beyond reputeozzieeagle has a reputation beyond reputeozzieeagle has a reputation beyond reputeozzieeagle has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: 2 months to go......Advice Please!

Only advice I have is to rent for quite a while before delving in to buy.... Melbourne is a diverse place and just when you've settled on thinking you've found the right place to buy another place with different attributes may well take your fancy.


I think that could well be the most common mistake people make...... Buying too soon, especially in Melbourne as there are so many varied locations here. From Treescape to Beach front.... from Trendy to Grungy, Victorian to Modern.... From Urban Chic to very Cosmopolitan.... and places where you get a mixture of each. Then there are places you could buy for investment financial reasons ... places where you could triple your money in 12 years etc etc, ignoring the surrounds initially whilst the rest of Melbourne catches up with your clever move.....(Like Sunshine and Fawkner both have just done) So buying a place to settle is far more detailed here than most places. Plus it doesn't help that it is a very expensive process buying and selling I mean.... lots of taxes and agent costs..... so what you pay in rent will easily outstrip any costs in getting it wrong.

Where you want to buy depends on your own particular likes and dislikes and no one can really know that but yourselves.


It took me over 30 years to work out that Belgrave was a place I could live..... thats the kind of thing you dont get to realise until you've really been around Melbourne. The shopping strip there has the Urban touch that I love.... despite it being in the hills.... unlike all the other Wooded hill places around. I'd still rule it out though, couldn't stand the bush fire worry of summer.

Last edited by ozzieeagle; Aug 27th 2016 at 11:43 pm.
ozzieeagle is offline  
Old Aug 28th 2016, 1:48 am
  #15  
BE Forum Addict
 
Japonica's Avatar
 
Joined: Aug 2008
Location: Canada->WA->Melbourne
Posts: 1,612
Japonica has a reputation beyond reputeJaponica has a reputation beyond reputeJaponica has a reputation beyond reputeJaponica has a reputation beyond reputeJaponica has a reputation beyond reputeJaponica has a reputation beyond reputeJaponica has a reputation beyond reputeJaponica has a reputation beyond reputeJaponica has a reputation beyond reputeJaponica has a reputation beyond reputeJaponica has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: 2 months to go......Advice Please!

Originally Posted by evets
Checked out a few of your other posts, since you are 30, while not mandatory, you will probably need to get private health care otherwise you will be taxed extra for not having it.
And if the rules are still the same as when we arrived, permanent migrants have one year from the time they registered for Medicare to get the private insurance. Note however that the one year from the time you registered is actually the date you entered the country and not the day you showed up at the Medicare office to enrol, even though it says on the website that your base day will be:

The first anniversary of the day you registered for full Medicare benefits.
Yes, some of us learned the hard way that you can't argue against ambiguity in bureaucracy. We took them at their word that is was one year from the day we showed up in the Medicare office (as it seems to state), not the actual one year anniversary of the day our flight landed (which is what they contended it was). That was a week's difference for us. Thus, we have to pay the loading for taking "the day you registered" to mean that.
Japonica is offline  

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.