mikehughe5

Hello - I am sure this topic must have been discussed many times but I don't know where to start looking.

One of my two children lives in Australia and will soon be an Australian Citizen. We have discussed her sponsoring me to move out there, I am 60 years of age. It seems that I can be sponsored and pay about £2.5k for priority consideration. A few questions that I would be grateful for some help on:

How long does the process take (if I don't pay it seems it can take up to 30 years)!
If approved do you have to move to Australia immediately?
If you do move over is there any restriction upon how often and for how long you can return to the UK?

I like the idea of delaying it a bit so that I can finish working and I also would find it more attractive if I could spend significant times in the UK each year.

I know, I want to have my cake and eat it, but when you get to 60 you should start to consider quality of life!

old.sparkles

Hi and welcome to the forum

Parent visas is not something I know too much about, and I'm sure others will be along shortly, but I think you may have understated the cost of the contributory parent visa tenfold. I believe the cost with contribution is closer to $50k or around £25k

teejaydee

You may wish to look at the following threads, which are both very recent:

http://britishexpats.com/forum/immig...-visas-878133/

http://britishexpats.com/forum/immig...t-visa-877323/

mikehughe5

Thank you very much - excellent posts and providing very useful advice - £25k wouldn't be a game changer but its certainly different to £2.5k!

old.sparkles

I think the starting place is the Contributory parent visa (temporary) 173 - https://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Visa-1/173-

Followed by a permanent visa 143.

Costs are here - https://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Visa/Fees

which takes a bit of reading. Initial application charge for 173 is approx $2.5k plus contribution of approx $29k. The 143 is then $325 plus contribution of $19.5k approx. (you need to read the notes below the parent visa price list)

mikehughe5

Again, thank you. Need to immerse myself in this by the looks of it - still be worth it at £25k though (especially as the UK looks like it is about to vote for unlimited immigration from the EU).

old.sparkles

As i said, hopefully someone with more knowledge will be along as I had to read up and still not sure if you want parent or aged parent (not sure of retirement ages as still too many years to work here )

You could try contacting Alan Collett who I think has posted in the other threads - often recommended on here. There would also be TeeTMI or George Lombard who can be contacted through the site, or from info in their signatures

Alan Collett

The 173 to 143 is a two step Contributory Parent visa strategy adopted by some where the costs are spread between two visa applications.

It is though a more expensive strategy overall than going straight to a subclass 143 visa.

Best regards.

Dorothy

Ya gotta love the irony of becoming an immigrant to avoid immigrants.

old.sparkles

Thanks Alan - when I looked online, it seemed like you needed to have a 173 to apply for the 143 so I'm glad you popped by.

Many thanks

mikehughe5

Indeed Difference between controlled immigration and uncontrolled immigration though.

Any thoughts on whether I could organise the visa now and delay moving out and whether there is any restriction on returning to the UK for, say, six months in a year?

Jilliebee

You can just come to Australia every year on a tourist visa. I know of people who spend around 6 months in each country. You wouldn't be able to work here though x

mikehughe5

Maybe that's what I want. Perhaps my daughter could buy another property on my behalf as I would like to have my own place.

mikehughe5

Oh dear. Didn't mean to upset anyone. Apologies.

Jilliebee

Sounds like a plan. Our house in Darwin has a self contained room with shower/laundry which was excellent when our parents come so they had their own space so could come and go as they pleased but still just 'downstairs'. When they weren't here we used it as a rumpus/games room for the kids. Good luck x