Originally Posted by rightruccus

Next part of the process was the TRA..... As you'll probably read on this site a lot of people (self included) find this the hardest part of the whole process.
I got my paperwork in and it sat on the dining room table for weeks.. I just couldn't get the right motivation to sit down and write....... and write........ and write...... :curse: but after spending weeks going over and over in my head how to write down my skills in laymans terms to prove my capability, i got there in the end.

Originally Posted by karlakoala

I thought id start a new thread for anyone in our boat.

We (me-karla, hubby-nick, son-connor(11)) are literally right at the beginning of our journey.

This morning received a call from our chosen agents following their initial assessment of our eligibility, they confirmed that we should be fine & have no problems obtaining a visa. So the ball is now rolling after years of talk and saving up.

We will be applying for a skilled independent visa 136 and hope to settle near the Perth area (possibly wheatbelt region, Northam).

I would appreciate posts from ppl who are also right at the beginning of their application process so we can all help and support each other through it and also from ppl at other stages of their visa application who may be able to offer advice.

At last I begin my journey down the yellow brick road, cant wait to reach the land of Oz!!!

Originally Posted by glorianic

Hi Karla

We are just starting our dream and we are at the stage of sending off all the forms and certificates just waiting for one more certificate to arrive and then we can send off all the form, it quite scary really, just h oping I hav e filled in all the forms correctly.

Originally Posted by karlakoala

Had reply email from our agent today, he says not to worry about the adoption issue as the first stage is OH's TRA which will take 3-4 months and we wont be needing Connor's passport and adoption certificates till after that.
My mind is now at ease, I just keep getting ahead of myself but I really cant help it!!!

Hearing from everyone on their experiences with the TRA makes me realise that I really do need to concentrate on this for now and take it all one step at a time rather than trying to do 2-3 steps at once. , but thats just the way I've always been. Impatience is my middle name

Still waiting for our agent's contract to arrive in the mail before we can really get going, damn those royal mail strikes!!! who knows when it will arrive Also still heard nothing from C&G regarding lost certs
Anyone had any experience with City & Guilds archive services? Im wondering what our chances are of actually getting replacement certificates from them. But then thats just my impatience showing again, only 10 days since we requested the search and they said approx 14 days for a response. I really truly just cant help it.

Originally Posted by rightruccus

Hi Karla

Can the agent provide examples of what the authorities are looking for to help you get started?

Originally Posted by sarab40

Hi!
My OH had to get a replacement certificate....no problems...knew the year he took it and the course etc..cant remember how long it took to come back though..

Then a few weeks later...hety presto...we found the oringinal\!!! Typical!
Good luck with the process...it took us a while, but we got there in the end..used an agent and had to go back a couple of times to previous employers to get the "wording" right for what immigration were looking for..

Plough on, it will be worth it to get it right!

Originally Posted by rightruccus

Hi karla
There's a lot do in the whole process for sure. We went with a recommended agent because we wanted to make sure we weren't wasting our time and money on a dream which couldn't be fulfilled. Don't get me wrong, you can still fall at a hurdle, but the chances of that happening lessen with a good agent advisin you of pitfalls and the like. Don't be afraid to ask them questions. That's what you pay them for!

My advice to you just now is concentrate on your TRA for the moment, there will be plenty time to worry about the Visa application,meds,house selling, goods to take etc etc.

The way it happened for us was to go to the agent initially, see if we were eligible, then draw up contract between ourselves and agent once we found out we were.
From then, we had a choice of paying for everything up front or pay in stages (we paid in stages).

Next part of the process was the TRA..... As you'll probably read on this site a lot of people (self included) find this the hardest part of the whole process.
I got my paperwork in and it sat on the dining room table for weeks.. I just couldn't get the right motivation to sit down and write....... and write........ and write...... :curse: but after spending weeks going over and over in my head how to write down my skills in laymans terms to prove my capability, i got there in the end.

Everybody's different, but i can't spend a half hour here, a half hour there writing down my skills, i've got to be undisturbed, so i can get on with it. Once i got going, it started to get easier doing it and more and more useful information popped into my head which i could use to complete the task.

Having an agent helped here, cause i started doing my TRA, then took a wobbler wondering if i was writing what they wanted to know, so sending a sample to the agent, they will tell you whether you're on the right track. In my case it was, so bulldozed ahead with that encouragement and got it done in no time!

I'm not sure if all agents are the same, but ours gave samples of what the authorities wanted to see, so that helps the process too and helps you understand what the authorities are looking for.

With that out of the way (and more fees paid), we waited for the result. A pass!

Euphoria soon passed and a bump back to earth happened, when the next lot of paperwork came in... And i mean a lot!.... This was the actual Visa application paperwork. To be fair, we were spoilt cause the agent had done all the donkey work , all we had to do was check over it, sign it, provide details where necessary and Bob's your Auntie's Uncle as they say. There were 3 different forms for the Visa application. Form 47SK, Form 80 and Form 956 (for the agent).

So now, we're at the waiting game... This is when you can sit back and sort out all the million and one things you need to do before you go. With the timescales just now, we haven't applied for meds or police checks, no point imo, until we are nearing our Visa approval.

So, to recap, start to compile the information needed for the TRA, that's what i would do at the moment. Don't worry about anything else in the meantime, there's plenty time for the rest.

And good luck!

Originally Posted by karlakoala

Hi Glorianic,

Good luck with it all!!! Let me know how it goes for you. Where are you heading?

Originally Posted by karlakoala

Also still heard nothing from C&G regarding lost certs
Anyone had any experience with City & Guilds archive services? Im wondering what our chances are of actually getting replacement certificates from them. But then thats just my impatience showing again, only 10 days since we requested the search and they said approx 14 days for a response. I really truly just cant help it.

Originally Posted by ljj

Hi we were not far from you either - High Crompton in Oldham we were in Rochdale 3 weeks ago on our first trip back to the UK!!

My hubby had lost his certificates I think he downloaded a form filled it in and a replacement was sent out to him within a couple of weeks. Good luck, keep sane it seems a long time to wait but once the ball is rolling you'll feel more at ease.

LJJ

Originally Posted by glorianic

Hi Karla

Finally got last certificate yesterday and now all the forms have been sent off, now the wait begins, we are going to Sydney to be with our daughter and grandchildren in St Ives but we know it will be next year before we finally get there.

It is lovely to speak to people in the same boat as my friends and work colleagues are sick of hearing from me talk about it.

Gloria

Originally Posted by karlakoala

I know exactly what you mean, My friends and family (quite rightly) think im obsessed. They don't want to hear about it anymore, it just reminds them that were going, even though as you said it will be over 12 months till we actually leave. I love being able to come on here and talk about it to other people who are experiencing the same things, understand what it's like and are just as excited as yourself. Good to hear your final certificate arrived and that its all on its way for you. The whole thing must be doubly exciting for you if you are heading out to join family. Best of luck to you.