Wave the Sails

Has anyone compiled a checklist for the above?

I'm at the stage where I hope I'm organised, then, in the middle of the night there it is 'ping' and another thing I've remembered haunts me through the small hours.

As in 'Must remember to tell Child Tax Credits'

Urm what else.......

Bills
National Insurance - what happens here?
Do you leave just one Bank Account open? (We have opened an offshore one)
Did you terminate credit cards? Nothing on them but useful to have £15K limit if Oz don't offer one (only for emergencies of course )
Tie up Business with Accountant and pay Tax-man (yuck)

Oh dear, and all this coupled with 'must find hospital in which to have baby, and perhaps house in which to live would help too.'

Mrs Jones

Currently the right side of sane

mlbonner

This might help - both for just before you leave, and when you first get here



Useful links and websites:
MONEY TRANSFER - http://www.tranzfers.com/
- http://www.hifx.com/

SHIPPING - http://www.a1box.co.uk/acatalog/products.html#a15
- http://www.removalboxes.co.uk/index.php
- http://www.excessbaggage.co.uk/
- http://www.allied-pickfords.co.uk/
- http://www.pss.uk.com/movingoverseas.htm

AQIS (CUSTOMS) - http://www.affa.gov.au/index.cfm

TAX INFO - http://www.ato.com.au/

JOBS - http://www.seek.com.au/
- http://www.michaelpage.com.au/
- http://careerone.com.au/

USEFUL OZ LINKS - http://www.ourbrisbane.com.au/
- http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/
- http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/
- http://www.visitmelbourne.com/
- http://www.adelaide.sa.gov.au/
- http://www.perth.wa.gov.au/
- http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/
- http://www.nationalcapital.gov.au/

- http://www.whereis.com.au/whereis/home.jsp

- http://www.movingdownunder.co.uk/files/start.php



Some useful things to do once you have your visa! 
1) MAKE A LIST!!.
2) Cancel all contracts, telephone, utilities, mobile phone, house insurance, community charge etc. Always best to do it in writing and keep a copy.
3) Cancel standing orders, direct debits etc. for the above and make sure you cancel with the bank as well as the company. If you have yearly subscriptions to anything make sure they are cancelled as they are easy to overlook.
4) Driving licence - notify DVLC of address change, and cancel your car insurance, get letter confiming No Claims Bonus as you can use it in Australia.
5) Notify, tax office, insurance company (life insurance etc.) if you have shares notify company of change of address.
6) Send back as much junk mail with "moved and gone away return to sender" on them (cuts down on mail needing to be redirected) best to start this a few months in advance.
7) Sort out your mail redirection.
8) If you have bought a laptop to use while PC is transported, don't forget to copy across all your email addresses, contacts and favourite sites as well as copies of all documentation that you may require.
9) Arrange to ship your belongings, see shipping. for list of companies.

10) Book your flights, see travel for good deals on flights.

11) Mobile - should work in Australia but you may need to "unlock" it. Some Nokia Models can be unlocked for £3.50 BY EMAIL . See Phone Freedom or take a look at Unlocking Mobiles. Once unlocked you can buy a pay as you go SIM in Australia for about $25.
12) If you have children, get school reports, vaccination records. (medical notes if possible).
13) Decide on Australian Bank Account. If you going to open an offshore account do it before leaving UK.
14) Make a will. If you make a will in Australia it overides any UK will, its best to have a Uk one covering UK assetts and an Oz one covering Oz assetts but have reference in the Oz will referring to UK one..
15) Book your flight. Also get your accomodationarranged

Wave the Sails

BRILLIANT!!

Thanks very much indeed. Think I'm about there. Userful re the car insurance. I have the maximum no claims bonus so that will be useful.

jinxnkay

carrianne also did a brilliant list that i found really useful when i was trying to get organised.
do a search for
all the info you need part 1,2 and 3
(sorry i'm not sure how to add the link to a thread)

twiss

"If you have bought a laptop to use while PC is transported, don't forget to copy across all your email addresses, contacts and favourite sites as well as copies of all documentation that you may require."

I've got a laptop (Win 98) and a PC (XP). Is there an easy way to connect them? I've got USB sockets etc.

Very useful post, by the way, thanks!

Merlot

Cancel the milk and leave the landing light on - sorry a touch of Peter Kay coming on.

I just wanted to say mlbonner what a fabulous list.

Good luck with the move Joneses.

Merlot

DollyDaydream

Here ya go!

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...ghlight=part+1

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...ghlight=part+2

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...ghlight=part+3

D D

mlbonner

Over a network connection would be the easiest if both are plugged into the network. Or, if you have a CD-rewriter on your PC you could just find the relevant files and do it that way. Otherwise you can get an adapter that allows you to take the HD out of the laptop and plug it directly into the pc, but probably not worth buying one just for email addresses etc. Otherwise you could try a USB thumb drive (or whatever you want to call it). These probably aren't a bad idea if you didn't have a laptop either.

Cheers

chatty34

Would that be little light or big light

wholeworldwindow

Usefull....very usefull.

Craig822

Top, top list mlb. To me thats what these forums are all about - helping each other through the process, theres tons of stuff on there I hadn't even begun to think about.

Cheers

mlbonner

My sentiments exactly; exchange of info, be it for the visa, the move or general lifestyle and making a new life for yourselves

Larissa

I'd recommend stocking up on medicines, especially calpol sachets. I had some sent to me as my toddler won't take the Australian stuff, plus you don't really need the worry when you first get here. I also stocked up on the pill plus other medication.
Another tip is to weigh your luggage just to make sure you don't go over, as they are very tight about this. Ask for a "migration baggage allowance" from the airline and obtain a letter showing this incase you are questioned.
We've kept open our UK joint account, we are using it to save some money for emergency airfares etc. and we are still receiving checks for Christmas etc. in sterling, so we just add them to our UK account and give the kids the equivalent in dollars.
ATB
Larissa

mlbonner

Good point, and of course, contraception is free in the UK so stock up on that too!

I brought some vitamins and stuff with me, about 8 weeks supply in my handluggage, the rest declared in my shipping.

moneypenny20

May I say, Michelle, that you are, indeed, a very very "nice" poster Keep up the good work.