Houdini

Can anyone help please?

Planning on applying for PR in early 2003, but may not have enough cash to up and leave (as we're planning on keeping our house here and renting it out) before the time limit is up. What I wanted to know is what the 5 year visa is all about? Does it mean that once we have been accepted for PR, we must at least go to Oz, say on a holiday(which will be more affordable), and then we can finally move before 5 years is up? Did anyone understand that?

The reason I enquire is that we're eager to move in the next two years, but would like to raise more money before we do so, but we're afraid that if we don't apply soon, the points will go up. Anyone got some inside info. on whether the points will go up considerably in the next few years?

Cheers

mashiraz

You have upto 1 year from medicals/police checks to validate the visa (by visiting the country, however briefly). After that you have to be in Australia for 2 out of the 5 years to retain PR status and if you leave beyond 5 years you have to apply for a resident return visa. If you are in Australia for 2 years you can get citizenship which leaves you free to come and go as you please.

The ideas is that to maintain PR status you at least make some committment to spending time there, otherwise leave the spaces for those others of us who are desperate to start a new life out there.

Hope this clarifies.
Mash

Houdini

Cheers Mash,

This does indeed clarify - I too am desperate for a new life, but sadly, two car services/MOTs have recently dented the bank balance a bit, so this is my reason for asking.

ptlabs

No, you do not need to be in Australia to retain/maintain the PR status. The initial migrant visa is valid for 5 years, regardless where you choose to reside during that period of time.

However, if you choose to enter Australia on the last day before the 5th year is up, you risk:
1) not being able to travel out of Australia and return as a PR using an expired migrant visa.
2) not being able to apply for and obtain an RRV, which will preserve your PR status as you leave and re-enter Australia after your migrant visa expires.

There is nothing stopping you from waiting until the 5th year is almost up before making the permanent move, so long as your visa is validated, as pointed out, with a short trip. The inconvenience and impracticability of doing so, however, is clear.

Peter

micky

[QUOTE][SIZE=1]Originally posted by ptlabs:


From a previous post;

Passports to be validated by 9/4/03. (2 adults,4 kids).
(but flight prices would be for 4 adults + 2 kids)

WHAT IF......me & hubby just go & validate just our visas and then, say in 3-4 years time, we all decide to go for it, would/could we:

1. Move to Oz and reapply for the kids for PR when there.
2. Reapply here for the kids before we emigrate.

As I already said, its just 'what if' at the moment.
Just thinking outloud!!
Shona xx

ptlabs

There's nothing stopping you from throwing away your kids' visas by not bringing them along for their validation. However, I would think a short trip to Australia (with a stopover at Singapore perhaps) would be much less traumatic an experience than having to re-apply for their visas later on (which you may do so, so long as they remain as your dependents when you apply for them, and continue to be such until the visa is granted).

After all, you will have till the expiry of your migrant visas to decide if you all really want to pack up and go there or to stay bahind.

Peter

pommie bastard

[QUOTE][SIZE=1]Originally posted by micky:
We did same thing ,also looked at more than one city this will help you to make your mind up , and stop you rushing the selling of your house , maybe save a few bob up also .
If you ship out things they will take 3 months to arrive at least , most rentals here have no furnishings so take than into account . Best of Luck