Kitten24

Hi, we are currently living in the UK and would like to move to Australia but will be doing so blind, never having been there before.

I would therefore like advice please from any fellow South Africans that have moved to Australia on comparisons between the two countries. (SA and Aus)

Many thanks
Tracy

depaiva

Hi Tracy,

Have a look at http://www.saaustralia.org/ - it is a website set up specifically for South Africans going to Australia and you may have more luck getting the info you want on there.

Good luck,
Paula

Kitten24

Thanks Paula

Kitten24

I had a look and our circumstances are different to those on that site.

We live in the UK, I am a permanent resident and my husband and children are all British.

Seems this is the right place to ask for advice then.

JAJ

Have you thought about becoming a naturalised British citizen before you leave the UK? Otherwise you will lose your resident status once you move.

As part of this process you should think about whether you want to keep your South African citizenship or not.

Kitten24

I've thought about it as I do qualify, but it's going to cost about £700 which I would rather put towards a move to Australia. Is it something you would suggest doing?

I could always apply for Australian citizenship after a few years.

Kitten24

I would keep my South African citizenship, as you may be a dual citizen.

Billabong

You wouldn't be on your own in Brisbane as there are tons of South Africans out here. When we did our Citizenship the largest number were English followed closely by SA's.

JAJ

Your Australian citizenship won't help you get back to the United Kingdom should you ever wish to do so. What happens if your children as adults decide to live in Britain and you decide you'd like to join them?

It's not a good idea to have different nationality rights to your spouse/children.

Naturalisation would have been cheaper if you had applied before April. This should illustrate what happens when you pass up opportunities - they close down or become more expensive.

If you want to keep your South African citizenship you need to get permission from the South African authorities first. This will also be the case should you later on wish to take out Australian citizenship.

If you don't care about keeping South African citizenship then it's not a problem, it will automatically be lost as soon as you become British (without permission).

mr mover

The state with the highest number of "saffies" is WA............mm

melpieters

Hiya

I'm a saffa who's living in Oz by way of 7 years in England. What exactly would you like to know?

It's very similar to SA in many ways: insular, patriotic, friendly, sporty, sunny and a bit of a backwater... Differences have to do with culture (of course), safety, and being so very very far away from everything.

jce

Thats not correct

I was born in SA to British parents and have dual citizenship. Becoming a UK citizen does not mean that you will lose your SA citizenship.

I am now in Oz and intend to take Australian citizenship soon and i can have that as well as my SA and UK citizenships, together with the passports.

If you intend to have another passport (it is possible to have citizenship without having a passport) other than your SA passport then you need the permission of the SA authorities to hold that other passport - it costs a fee and is just a letter - this is primarily about travel to and from SA to ensure that you as a SA citizen are registered when you enter SA

My advice - the more passports you have the better - you never know

jce

is that cause its the first landfall after the long swim

In terms of environment, lifestyle and weather Oz is very similar to SA. Culturally Oz is a mix of US and UK more than white SA is.

Big difference is crime and the fear of crime which is almost non existant here in Oz

jimmylondon

Aussies in a severe drought.

cabaj

Hi

We've been in Aus after having spent 13 years in the UK. Also arrived blind! Easy to settle here due to lifestyle similarities with SA although culturally it's quite different. I think it's easier to transition coming direct from SA than from the UK, although it will depend how long you've been in the UK and how much you've bedded down there.

I am UK/SA citizen and my OH was naturalised in the UK - highly recommended, definitely worth the 700 pounds!

Any ideas on where you plan to settle in Aus?