Les Avalook

Well September is not turning out to be the month to exchange.

With another over night fall sandch could reuse this headline as we hit the years low.

10 March 2010 - No let up in sterling decline / dollar strength
The rate continues to deteriorate, or plummet for want of a better expression. The pound is deeply out of favour at the moment, we just hope that it helps the economy to grow.

sandch

Sad but true - I'll just change the date....

Nov onwards will be interesting, but I'm not holding my breath.

K and M

Now come on Steve, we must have some optimism think positively!!

the £ will strenghthen against the £Aud,.

Our migration to Australia is another new exciting adventure And lets face it Life would be a little boring without them.

sandch

There I go again, reverting to type. Thanks for the reminder.

I admit that despite all the obvious challenges of relocating, we are excited about the upcoming move.

I really hope we'll be able to earn some of these valuable dollars too.

K and M

Am I right in thinking that you are off in the next few weeks????

sandch

Yeeessss!

Probably the second week of November; we just have to find someone to take on our dog, who is 14, undemanding, but definitely not up to another international relocation!

TtiGeR

Visa GRANTED. They're coming to Sydney in early December. PVC is really efficient.

Subclass: 143
Agent: No
Date Applied: 26/05/2009
Date Acknowledged: 29/05/2009
CO (Further documents request): 30/08/2010
AoS (Finalised): 1/09/2010
Medicals: 1/09/2010
Documents (80, NPC, etc.): 6/09/2010
Medicals Finalised: 15/09/2010
2nd VAC Request: 15/09/2010
2nd VAC Payment: 21/09/2010
Visa Grant: 21/09/2010

K and M

Good luck with the move. Have you sold or are you renting out the property??

We have the house on the market with a few viewings but no bites as yet. I guess we will probably be getting a little twitchy as we nearer the CO time, but have made the decision to drop the price if it has not sold by March/April. On our six year secondment stint in SA we rented out the house as we knew we were always coming back but this time it is going to be a total break from the UK.

We collected a German Shepherd on our SA trip, the necessary house protection and deterent required in the northern suburbs of Johanesburg and needless to say he came back with us but he has just passed on but he was 16. So the only pet the wife is taking to OZ is me.

Les Avalook

Down (under) boy?

sandch

We downsized in 2007 (great timing or what!) and still have a daughter here, so for the first 6 months or so we'll just leave it, then review it next year. Perversely it would be uneconomical to rent out as we'd need to replace our existing mortgage with a commercial one. It's a sign of the strange times we're in.

Just make sure she doesn't accidentally put you into quarantine.

Cheers

Steve

sandch

Well done guys. Efficient or in desperate need of dosh, we'll never know.

Great news.

Best wishes

Steve

K and M

Congratulations, That is the hardest part completed!!

DaveandLinda

I understand that the 143 and the 173 are offshore visas, so am assuming that if you are in Australia visiting you need to leave the country at the time of the visa grant and the re-enter?

Does anyone know if this applies to the coversion from 173 to 143 as well? I think that maybe as you can apply either in or outside of Australia that you can stay in Australia when the visa is granted?

Can anyone clarify this please? Maybe jmm100uk knows he answer to this if he is around?

sandch

Yes you do have to be offshore for the 143 to be granted; not sure about the 173-143; it doesn't seem logical to have this condition attached however.

MikenSueNW3

G'day

I know the answer to the first one, as I had a message from the PVC last year on this very topic: You will at that time be in contact with your CO, and s/he will advise you when you need to leave the country, and for how long. The official said that this often happens, and people often go to, say, Singapore for a week or two, get their visa issued and then re-enter Australia to validate it.

I THINK the 173>143 can be done wholly in Oz, but I'm not sure – I'd like to know, as we are on the same route.

Best, Mike

PS: You are advised to tell the PVC in advance of all visits to Oz during the waiting period, in case this sort of thing crops up – and you need to give them your contact address in Oz, too.