Hello, I have just joined. Son, wife and 3 grandchildren already in Australia. They have obtained citizenship and love it where they are, just north of Sydney.

My son reckons that it is possible for me to join them out there. To me it seems almost impossible, but I am willing to give it a try.

I am 65 years old and diabetic. If I passed the medical, if, I would need to sell my house to provide funds for the visa payments etc. I have 2 German Shepherd dogs that I would also need to transport. Couldn't leave them behind. The whole business seems to me fraught with difficulties but my son says just take one step at a time. So today my application form has been sent off to Perth. Please wish me luck.

Any tips or advice would be much appreciated.

Welcome to this sight. We are also going Contributory Paren Visa so welcome to the club. Wishing you loads of luck with your application.

Linda and John

Hi

Welcome to BE


Only advise I have is learn to be patient as it does tend to get you down at times. I found that lots of helped

All the best with your application.

Thank you. Does anyone know the current waiting time from application to visa (if successful)?

I thought it was about 12 months, but have now heard it may be more like 18 months.

Reading all the threads it looks as if it will be longer than the 12 months. We also thought it would be under the year but hopefully the backlog will be cleared and the timings back on track. Fingers crossed.
Linda

Hello and welcome to the site hubby and I are in the process of getting the contributory visa only advice I can give is be patient our application went in 2nd November 05 and we hope to be out there before the end of the year good luck regards Janet

Hi and welcome to the site - husband Keith and I are waiting for our visa to be processed - was lodged on 10th Oct 05 -looks as though waiting times are between 12 and 18 months. Our son and his wife are also north of Sydney at Charlestown, Newcastle. We hope to settle within an hour's drive of them. We have an eleven year old collie, but my husband says it would be kinder to leave her in u.K because of the heat which she doesn't tolerate very well nowadays! My hearts aches when I think of leaving her. I know from investigations that there is a considerable cost involved in shipping pets but it can be done. Our daughter transported her little dog from Monaco to England by air earlier this year and he was fine - a bit stressed but soon perked up when they were reunited and as he had a pet passport there was no quarantine which was good. You will find this site so helpful and we are all there to support each other through the long wait!! Good Luck. Linda & Keith

We did the CP visa a couple of years ago - applied the very day it began - and it took around 9 months. Some of that was due to problems getting fingerprints done in the USA, some because our doctor's path lab lost the blood!

Straightforward as long as you remember all the time that Aussie rules are completely inflexible: it's no good arguing about the illogicality of some of them!

Good luck.

Hi

My parents are hoping to come out on this visa. Does anyone know if they have to wait until we've been here 2 years before they even start the application process or can they apply a bit before that date so it overlaps during the wait for the visa to come through? Sorry if that's confusing and thanks for any help!

Claire

I think you have to be resident for 2 years BEFORE you can sponsor them.

G

Good luck with your application.

you have to have been "legally settled" for 2 years in Aus. and a permanent resident, before you start the application process, you don't have to have been a PR for 2 years.
S

Thanks for that info!

Claire