brian.w

I know i am way ahead of myself right now but im from the uk and for years now have been thinking of moving and living in oz,i have been over for holidays and also for a year backpacking and i still have the thoughts in the head about wanting to live there.

Now i have or plan on meeting up with a girl in australia very soon and i am going over for a few months to spend sometime with her,we seem to be getting along great right now,by just calling,emails and txt etc and we both want to take this further.
I know its way ahead but if we are still feeling like we are now then we will not want to be apart,after we meet and if things go from strong to stronger and we want to stay together etc as in me moving to oz,what can i do?

I know i just cant pack my bags,sell up and say thats me i am now a citizen of oz,when over there with her,if only,but if we are together and still want to be what things can i do in advance to make this happen.
As who knows maybe she is my girlfriend now,maybe a future wife and im sure i would want to make the move over there,rather than her come over here,and wanted to know what visa i would use in future to allow me to stay in oz permanent with her.
I also have a trade but its not on the list and i probably would have trouble getting tra as already been down that route before,unless rules have changed i know that there is plenty jobs in my line of work but skilled visa is no good last time i checked.

Any advise would be great,im sure there are others on here that are in the same boat

Jockstar

Maybe more info needed? Age, kids, money etc etc?

brian.w

Age 35yrs,no kids,money does this matter im sure i would have plenty by the time i sold everything up here in the uk,if it went that far.

Wendy

If your skill isn't on the SOL list then a skilled visa is more than likely out of the question.

That just leaves the spouse/de-facto visa really. You would need 12 months in a committed relationship for that.

Jockstar

Whats your trade? Maybe look at the NZ requirements and see if your trade is on that. Just another option.

Pollyana

If you get to a point where you are sure you want to marry her, you csn come over on a Prospective Marriage (fiance) visa. Don't need the 12 months cohabiting for that.

saoghalbeag

we considered the NZ thing when we were going through all of this as it was easier/shorter time frame option for spouse/defacto visa. And once you've got residency there you can move to Australia (heck, why not, that's what all the kiwis are doing anyway!)

have you considered that future wife may want to live in Scotland? her chance of a work permit/visa in the uK might be better than yours in Oz? Give you a wee bit of time to sort stuff out to make the move to Australia (altho by that stage you may qualify for the spouse visa).

That said, it's a shorter time frame for YOU to get residency in Oz than for her to get residency in Scotland (2 years to 5 years altho i think Oz is now 3 years)

Just be sure to find out as much info now as possible as these visa issues can have a HUGE impact on relationships - leading to rushed marriages/kids or to break ups because it's just too hard...it's best to figure this stuff out now, I think. It can also have a big impact on your extended family as well...good luck!

saraliz

From memory, don't you do some sort of work in the Oil & Gas industry? (Apologies if I've got you confused with someone else - I can't be bothered searching your previous posts). If so, why not try to get sponsored by an employer on a temporary visa for a few years, and see what happens between you and the girl?

brian.w

So what do you advise then,i am planning on going over there end of year to meet up and if all goes well i will not want to be apart to long,same with her as we have clicked real well upto now,i know it may not come to anything but i have a strong feeling this could.
So i was thinking she could come to scotland and we plan our move back to australia,im sure she would be up for that,but i really dont want to be living here,i would rather be over there,I do like scotland but no my area and also just the weather and stuff,i just have it in my head and for years would like to live in oz and now with having a aussie girl in my life,makes me want to live in oz even more.

So am i right in saying i have to be with her for 12 months and prove that we are together etc,and need to be married?Or is just being together not enough,as i know if all goes well,i will be looking into this in a big way and have no idea where to start,and i might be heading back over soon after or we both be going to oz if she wants to come here for a while first.

I am just looking to know what visas i should be looking into and what is involved and what people thing are my best options,as there must be other on here thats went through the same.

As i said in another post i have a trade,but its not on the list and tra is a problem to get,i am a pipefitter.
So i have any chance in getting in then she might be it and no i am not with her for that reason,i just like her a lot.

But more info and advise on this would be cool as i am kind of lost as to where to go from here is all goes well after out meet,as i might need to plan soon after a move once we meet,but i was thinking as i have a house in the uk and stuff it would be wise for her to come here for a little while until we sorted ourselfs out,but if she did not fancy or liked it here much then i would need to look into it another way.

brian.w

That might be an idea,i will when i am over be looking into jobs that are around and maybe i can get my names in a few places and if any comes up,maybe rent my home out back home and live with her for a bit and see how it goes and if still ok,sell up and not come back home.I suppose thats another way to go about it.
So many options,dont know where to start,i suppose seeing her soon is the first step,then take each step from there.

Wendy

Best place to start is here

saoghalbeag

I'm guessing she's already been to the UK (sounds like that's where you met?) so that probably rules out a working holiday visa for her. she'd have to get a work permit. what does she do? cos I'm currently looking at going back i know they've made it harder lately to get into the UK (and residency is now 5 years and all that...altho - and this is just a rumour i've yet to have confirmed, i believe the Scottish Executive can shorten the residency if you can prove you're staying in Scotland...just another thought)

I suppose if you're ultimately looking at being in Australia, a couple years in Scotland/UK couldn't hurt, especially as you say, you have a house there. And depending on wife-to-be's (sorry, can't help laughing thinking of this poor lass innocently going about without a clue to the plans you're making for her! not taking the piss-thinks it's quite sweet! ) career, a couple years in Scotland could be really beneficial to her? Or she could study (but this is really expensive for an Ozzie in UK)

I think you could maybe try to get in touch with Australian and UK Immigration and try to suss out their requirements (I think it's actually 2 years living together for a spouse visa and you need mortgages/bank accounts and even photos and letters!) and then you may just have to wait and see what the girl has to say!

Jockstar

Do you have a welders qualification? You said you were a pipe fitter. Is there a job on the list that maybe could be twisted to be what you are? Plumber? General Mechanical Engineering Trades person? Fitter? Just a thought.