The A O S BOND Trap!
 

When you need an Australian citizen to be your A O S, please be very careful, don’t jump into an agreement, because you are so excited to be almost there applying for visas etc; Some have fallen into the, I will do it for you, but I cannot afford to put the money up front? They have paid, upfront for themselves, without knowing exactly what is involved!
The AUS. Citizen opens up an account in their name, extra to pay, to open the account.
They have to provide another account number, for the interest, paid out every 3 months, to be transferred to.
When the ‘time’ is up, Centrelink, will notify the named person on the account, the amount due, if any?
This person then can withdraw all the money in the account!
You have no control, or say, what happens next ????
Please be aware, it has happened to me, I now have a very painful, and heartbreaking situation!

Re: The A O S BOND Trap!
 

I'm very sorry to read that you've been duped, and presumably by a family member or close friend as well.

Are you going to take legal action to recover the funds? If so, one thing you'd need to be sure of is that it was permitted under the immigration rules for you to have provided the funds for your own assurance of support, instead of the person who completed the application to act as your assurer.

Re: The A O S BOND Trap!
 

Thanks! The loan was all part of a larger one! It was my fault, for not remembering history and the familiar signs! But hey, it’s too late for me, just hope it has warned others to try to be safe and sure, before they jump into the ‘pit’. I know how it feels, your dreams are coming true, there’s a lot to organise, someone who appears to be kind and helpful comes along! Our visas cost almost $100,000, before removal costs. Trying to sell the house etc; No one in the UK to help! Brain was all over the place! As they say, there’s no fool like a old fool! Keep Safe!

Re: The A O S BOND Trap!
 

Oh dear. I'm so so sorry to hear about this ... but, if I'm not being too presumptuous to ask, is it common that the visa process be so ghastly expensive!? $100,000 is an enormous, ridiculously gigantic sum of money!

Re: The A O S BOND Trap!
 

Sums paid out gradually throughout process, then got final request, which should have been £25,000 (for 2) when the exchange rate changed, making final payment £38,000. Selling our house helped fill the gap, and enabled us to move, and rent for starters! We were able to work, building finances back up again! The visa was the parents 143. Restrictions, for 10 years, include No claims from Centrelink, Government etc; Google parent visa now and you’ll find adverts quoting - Retire to Australia for $595k. That should really state ‘from’! But as I’ve said before, if it’s your dream, you will try to make it work, whatever! Regards

Re: The A O S BOND Trap!
 

Thank you for the clarification, and my commiserations again on this most unpleasant of situations. I do hope things work out amicably and that a fair and equitable solution presents itself sooner rather than later! Take care and all the very best!

Re: The A O S BOND Trap!
 

I have to chip in here. There has not been no change to the cost of the parent visa for a long time. Anyone who is eligible for the parent visa should be aware of the costs and conditions before they apply to join their children in Australia. The reason for the cost of the visa is because as soon as soon as you move to Australia you are instantly eligible for Medicare, and have never contributed any money to the Australian economy. All of us are elderly and have to be over a certain age, and the likelihood is that you will end up costing the country far more than the $43.000 cost of the visa.

The balance of your children have to live in Australia and be PR. How you arrange to pay for the cost of the visa is up to you. Apart from visa cost, you also have extra costs, eg, pay for your medical police checks. So it ends up nearer $50,000 each. The AOS $10.000 for one parent or $14,000 for a couple is supposed to be payed by the children or someone else can I think help out?

Im sorry you have had a bad experience and it’s right to point this out, but thousands of us receive the parent visa annually without your unfortunate experience.

The visa is now taking years and years more now to be granted, than previously due to the numbers applying.

I don’t think there are many other countries apart from Australia even have a parent visa, as old people aren’t welcome as we are going to cost too much. Your lucky to be able to come to Australia as an old person

My husband and I thought we were fairly fit when we got our parent visa last year, but have both unexpectedly had health problems, and that is just in the first year,

Re: The A O S BOND Trap!
 

Sorry I realised you were mainly meaning that you trusted someone to pay the final payment of the AOS $14.000 for a couple that has to be paid to cover any costs incurred during your first 10 years in Australia, for you plus extra for the visa? Sorry you have been let down.

My husband has kept a fairly accurate record for the last 13 years since we arrived in Australia of the exchange rate between the UK pound to the Australian dollar and it averages out at about $1.80. Some highs of $2.8 down to under $1.5 it’s luck of the draw what it is when you need to exchange.

Re: The A O S BOND Trap!
 

I 100% agree with the Australian visa application entry rules (although it would have been nicer if cheaper, eh!) and ‘funny’ when told we would have to take an English language test, my husband originally from Devon, would struggle! UK, say they are going to follow,
some day! They should have been following years ago! We were lucky to had been able to work, and keep well enough, not to require any extra help! It was almost 3 years from the start of applying, which seemed like years, while we were in the process. Overall I am just one of the unlucky ones, with a member of family who had other selfish ideas! BUT, the big but, ‘He who laughs last! as they say is giving me some feeling of compensation, for another member of my family. Regards

Re: The A O S BOND Trap!
 

The US and Canada both do, without the huge cost of the Oz one! No idea on other countries though.

OP, sorry to hear you've been screwed over by a family member, that's just awful.

Re: The A O S BOND Trap!
 

Thank you all for your support!
I am pro Australia through and through, although a bit bias towards W. A. You’re all so lucky, I was coerced to come back to the Uk, for a gap year or two, amongst the reasons, already discussed, with his health problems, and Covid, can’t see a light at the end of ‘my’ tunnel - yet! I wish in my dreams, that one day? You all enjoy x