Hi Guys,
Can any of you out there help me with some info ?

My wife and I would like to take early retirement and come to live in Oz where our daughter, son and grandchildren now live. Having researched numerous aspects of obtaining a visa, the 'Contributory Parent Visa' is the only one that would be appropriate (expensive, Ouch !).

I can't get an answer from officialdom 'cos they say we'd have to submit an application and then, after about a year, after we had cleared all the other hurdles , our application would go to the Commonwealth Medical Officer in Oz for a specific decision.
The problem is, my wife has a heart pacemaker. She needs a once a year check-up (5 minute exam) + a new unit about every 7 years (battery goes flat. I've tried plugging her into the mains but it didn't work !). The new pacemaker/battery requires a straight forward operation (local anesthetic), but of course there is a cost implication to the procedure.

Do any of you guys know of anyone who has either been granted, or been refused a visa in theses circumstances ? Our financial life is in total limbo until we can get a 'balance of probabilities' answer to this conundrum !

Many thanks if you've read this far. Hope someone can give us a steer.
Regards to anyone who's read this. Glynn.



If we stand a chance of getting a visa, we must save every penny between now and then. If we won't, we can start spending our kids' inheritance by taking regular trips out to visit.

I unfortunatly cant answer your question, however I just wanted to wish you both luck in getting to go and be with your family in Oz.

I am sure there will be someone that logs on here from time to time that can offer you some advice. You just might have to be a little patient.

Good luck to you both,

Hels
xxx

Hi,

Try a search on medicals or pacemakers on the Immigration site.

There's a specific website that George Lombard has cited on here that gives results on medical appeals.

You may even need specialist advice from an agent on this sort of question.

It costs, but will save you in the long ter. Try George or Alan Collette for starters.

All the best with it,

Paul.

dear glynn, hope this helps...

year ago, looked after a lady whom (on NHS) had a pacemaker, no problem, went to new zealand to live with daughter and SIL (granted it isn't australia)... needed letters from her consultant to say that no problems had occured since insert of pacemaker, unit contacted at destination to confirm referral and ongoing assessment, but i remember the last time we saw her in outpatients and how happy and excited she was at prospect of going to NZ to be with daughter! plus of course chocolates were very nice...

don't want to give you any false hopes, but i know of one patient, granted only one, whom migrated to oz having HIV, and i know that now, people often diagnosed with aforementioned will eventually, thankfully, draw pension due to multi drug therapy (honestly it's fantastic), but in comparison to having a pacemaker, i can't imagine there being a problem...

if it's the cost aspect with the au gov, then categorically state that you are willing to pay for any assessments, investigations, etc... but has your wife been to an NHS outpatients in the UK, assessment takes about five minutes flat, pacemakers, in my 11 year experience have always been v. reliable... and things are only improving.. good luck to you and your wife... we had patients whom never ailed another day post insertion, i wish you all the best!

hope this helps...

honeybob...