next step october thread
 

anyone fancy sharing their experiences of getting ready for the off,booking flights,sorting out things etc,,,we might be able to help each other???

ast...

p.s hey anyone can join in ,not just the octobers,,

good luck all ....

ast

Re: next step october thread
 

If i start writing it down I think i'll get more stressed.
elaine

Re: next step october thread
 

Take a look here: http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=345774 It's a list of tips and things you should be doing now you have your visa.

Re: next step october thread
 

Can I join in?:(

Re: next step october thread
 

Me too, please xx
After just getting the visa yesterday my head is full of mince and can't think straight - so this is a fab idea Ast!
By the way Dorothy, that's a great link - will have a good look at that tonight - must go to work - running late - absolutley hooked on this website!!!

Re: next step october thread
 

Hi guys congrats on the Visas recentlyobtained.
I'm booked to fly on the 14th of June to Perth where my wife has a job offer and I'm due to get started going for my A'class electricians license.

The first question I haven't really found an easy answer to is on the tax we may or may not have to pay if we take money into australia.
I think that we'll be going with appox 50000$Au which I'm going to look to tranfer to an ANZ account shortly before we fly (hopefully the rate will head up nearer 2.5$-1pound!).
Do we have to pay tax on these savings?
Thanks
Gareth

Re: next step october thread
 

No

Gina

Re: next step october thread
 

hello,

Can I get some advice please? we are moving out of our house on 25th may then visiting family in Scotland. We thought we might go to new Zealand for a month to wait for our visas to be granted (if we haven't got them by then). Does this sound do-able? We have 2 children (aged 2 and 11 years). But what if we don't get the visa - we will have to come home with our tail between our legs. I'm starting to panic as I also give up work in 2 weeks and just trying to think of a plan.

As long as I don't have to join the october 2007 thread I'll be okay!

Karen

Re: next step october thread
 

Gonna keep an eye on this thread, we are off next Tuesday & have decided to replace all our posessions in Oz rather than ship them. Other than sorting cash & a place to live, we haven't really found that many things we need to do that we can't do when we arrive, have we missed something?!:blink: Seriously though, it isn't as difficult as some may make it out to be & if we can share tips on this thread then it should stop some of those 'Sh*t, I never even thought of that!' moments.

p.s. The derby is back on again next season Aston, you wanna meet up ;)

Re: next step october thread
 

Thanks Gina
Gareth

Re: next step october thread
 

to right mate..you going to perth?

Re: next step october thread
 

Hey, don't have the visa yet but think this thread is gonna be a big help to us all.....
Pam x

Re: next step october thread
 

well heres a quick list of things ive done so far..

sent my passports off to oz house,recoded delivery and tracked them.they have arrived.

requested doctors files.

rung and requested no claims bonus..

booked flight,well reserved them,,you cant get the baggage allowance until you have the passports with the visa in..


got credit ref off the bank..

hey i got a great deal on the shippers,save 1200 quid..

got a rebate on the car insurance..


setting up a trading account

anyone know how long it takes to set up an oz bank account.ive tried a few times but do you put in your current address or your one in oz...

Re: next step october thread
 

You the man Aston!:thumbsup:

Re: next step october thread
 

Well we have booked the flights to Perth (fly out 10th June) we got an email confirming baggage allowance. Our 15 tea chests were collected yesterday, so we are sitting in the house with no music, no dvds, the sky gets switched off tomorrow ,so damn it it looks like I will actually have to have a conversation with my hubby!!We have the bank accounts and money transfers accounts set up, we`ve written to daughters school asking for her school records. I contacted Child benefit and cancelled that (it will stop the first Monday after we go - they now have an international liason dept for people moving abroad 0845 3021454) I have filled out a P85 all ready for when I get my P45 on leaving work so I can claim any tax back (always worth a try). I`ve contacted the TV license people and they`ve told me to call back in a few weeks to cancel my license/ direct debit and claim some money back. I also contacted working family tax people but they said to call 2 wks before we go to cancel!! I stopped my monthly plan with Specsavers and instead oredred a load of contacts from www.contactlenses.co.uk - works out half the price and I have 6 month supply to last me until we get sorted. Still loads of odds & ends to sort but I am making headway!!;)

Re: next step october thread
 

:) Can I join in?

This is what I've done so far;

Got Valuations on house, house goes up for sale next tuesday..lets hope it sells quick!
booked appoiment for shippers to come around and get quotes not taking everything so hoping won't need whole container!!!

Got my son a place in the same school as my nephew.

Registered with doctors in oz.

Oh and the all important thing sent passports off to aussie house for stamps they have arrived so hopefully will be back this week!

Oh and trying to pluck up the courage to tell boss I won't be back next term!!!

That's it so far..not much I can do until the house sells:unsure:

Re: next step october thread
 

hi buddy
Just walk into a bank with your passports when you get there and they will do it there and then. We used commonwealth bank when we were out there brilliant and they even let you use the main post office in perth for your current address until you settle into somwhere.
good luck

Re: next step october thread
 

Get this in writing although our ticket said we and additional allowance but we also emailed the airline and just got them to conform in writing (email) that its okay for the 40kg.
We needed it in singapore because we stopped over, when we checked in again with all our cases there was a lot of fuss because we were over but once we showed them our email all was okay.

Also remember if you have already validated your visa you may not be allowed the bigger luggage allowance so you will need to check.

Re: next step october thread
 

WOOHOO !!!!
I HAVE DONE EVERYTHING ON THIS THREAD SO FAR !!!
How organised am I???;)
Except credit reference from the bank, I went to my beloved hsbc branch last week and requested said item, and after much deliberating was told that it doesn't exist & I couldn't have one, but if any specific institutions in Oz felt like writing to them and paying £8 they would do it on an individual basis!!!
ACE, any ideas? :blink:

We're off to the Gold Coast I'm afraid Ast, meet up in Alice, then?


Sambo

Re: next step october thread
 

Oh yeah & no Oz bank account yet, time ran away with us & haven't finished sorting this one, but last time we were in Oz (2002) on working hol visa we walked into Commonwealth & opened one there & then, so plan to do the same this time... Laid back, Me? Never! ;)

Re: next step october thread
 

Looking through this thread a few things have popped into my mind.....you should get a tax rebate cos you haven't used all your allowances for this tax year, so make sure you claim......phone line rental is paid in advance so you should be able to claim this and also council tax rebate...
Also just a little tip......you know all those little nick nacks, kids toys that aren't boxed and items in the loft/garage/shed that have not been used for years and left.....well bag them up and sell them in your local paper as bags of car boot sale items (unless you want to try the boot sale yourself).....you should get something and at least your not throwing them away.:)

Pam x

Re: next step october thread
 

Sold my house, it completes on the 16th, move into outlaws for 2 weeks.:(
Shipped all my stuff yesterday, arriving Brissie late June,.
Quitting my job tomorrow, well handing in my notice
Cancelled some direct debits.
Bought new luggage, tis nice....:p Mrs picked it of course.
Got copies of medical records. etc
Got me new Australian bank account open, made my first deposit.


Still loads to do, book flights transfer money etc, but hey I have a month or so, would like to be in Brissie mid June at the latest...

Here is to everyone trying to get a million things done in a short space of time and I know something will be forgotten, but hey thats life.

Good luck all:)

Re: next step october thread
 

;) :thumbsup: ;) :thumbsup: ;)

I set up our bank account over the phone, took about 30 mins, forms are being sent to us here in the UK.......easy peasy!!!! :) C x

Re: next step october thread
 

Tip for you:

If you are going to direct mail or get it sent to a relative sign up for MPS which is the Mailing Preference Service. It stops most junk mail from being delivered in the post.

Just think how much crap you can accumilate over a few months which could be avoided. Please note that it takes about 3 mths to take effect so get and do it now.

We didn't do it last time and the amount of crap that was still delivered to the house.

www.mpsonline.org.uk

Just a thought...

Mandy

Re: next step october thread
 

Can't they charge you the £8 and give you one?:confused:

Re: next step october thread
 

Fantastic tip Mandy, just done it:thumbup:

Re: next step october thread
 

We're doing pretty well. Here's what we've done so far.......

House is sold
belongings in storage to be shipped later this month
Council tax paid up to the date we leave
mortgage cleared
"some" direct debits cancelled (inc Sky:( )
trading account opened
flights booked and extra baggage allowance confirmed
airport hotel booked for night before flight
stopover accom booked
on arrival accom booked in Melbourne for 3 weeks
Some cc's cancelled
resigned
pet shippers and quarantine booked
some luggage bought, need to get more though
bought new prescription sunnies
started planning goodbye get togethers
have bought tom tom, just need to get Aus maps

We've still for loads more to do, but we're getting there, I think:thumbsup:

Re: next step october thread
 

ive just looked on the tomtom website and you can buy one with the oz map on...199 euro

Re: next step october thread
 

Was planning on downloading it for 0 euros, if I can ever figure out which files I need:confused: :thumbup:

Re: next step october thread
 

no sorry ,thats with the tomtom

Re: next step october thread
 

Well i can say that we've done..............NOTHING since getting visas last month:( really want to get on and do stuff but dont really know what we can do until house sells? i'm sure i'll leave it all to the last minute and then run around like a headless chicken on speed:o
x

Re: next step october thread
 

Hi

We are September applicants who got their 136 visa in March. We have sold our house subject to contract. We leave for Brisbane on 13th August.:eek:

Leave work at the end of May. Then the real work begins! Farewell party booked end July and packers booked.

Janet

Re: next step october thread
 

Me too - thanx xx

Re: next step october thread
 

Just sent an email requesting the extra baggage allowance with cathay pacific not too sure what the outcome will be but figured if you don't try...........!

Applied for ANZ bank account en route in post to Victoria Au only 73p not registered wow that would have saved a fortune not registering anything over the last few months (unfortunately not a risk I would have been willing to take).
Got quotes for shipping 5 metre cube boxes approx 25kgs each for 250pounds 300with 2 surf boards.

Cancelled all but 2credit cards and current account got all the online banking requests on order.
Never used the online options over here as it was just as easy to go to a branch or phone up.

6weeks from flying today so getting a list and all the letters ready for the 1month notice for mobile/electricity/gas/specsavers/gym contracts.

Oh and ebaying all my toys!
:thumbup:

Re: next step october thread
 

hey had a busy day..

set up oz bank account
set up money transfers
cancelled all cards.
set up redirecting to oz
canceled a couple of bank accounts.
put add in paper to find a home for 1 of the cats..

hey has anyone got any tips for settling tax affaires,,tel no's

thanks ast

Re: next step october thread
 

hi Aston,

Can I ask who you sorted out your money transfers with? That is the thing that worries me the most (well apart from when is my visa going to arrive :) ). It all sounds very complicated - or am I worrying for nothing?

Karen

Re: next step october thread
 

well,to be honest ,its worrying me but i know it will be o.k..i am using ozferex,at the top of the home page,,everyone else seems to rave about them..

it was quite easy,,i registered..then rang them..they sent me a form to download,,and then faxed it back with a copy of my latest bank statement,passport and the form and no before you ask ,you dont have to have all the copies signed.

Re: next step october thread
 

my visa came back in 2 days..

Re: next step october thread
 

hey buddy when you get accepted on visa. Do you have to send your passports away to get the visas put into them? Where when how long does it take?
cheers mucker

Re: next step october thread
 

No Marcus I mean when am I going to be able to say got it......?

Karen :)