koala_mac

Hi there
This is my first post, though I've been lurking for a little while now. My boyfriend and I are right at the very start of the process of moving out to Oz from London. I am lucky enough to have dual nationality, though I haven't lived over there since I was 4, so he will be coming out on a defacto or spouse visa - probably spouse if we get our act together. Even so, I reckon we won't be moving - if we do - for another 12 months yet.

I feel very lucky that we don't have to go through the skilled route - from reading some of the posts here it is an emotional marathon at best!

My opening question to you is: if you have one single piece of practical advice to give someone right at the start of the process, what would it be - what would you have found most useful to know about, with the benefit of hindsight? Doesn't have to be earth-shatteringly important - even snippets are useful.

I've done quite a lot of reading and research already, so am just interested to hear it from the horse's mouth (so to speak!)

Looking forward to hearing your pearls of wisdom.

Cheers

K_M

tinaj

If you have a house to sell get it on an Estate agents books really early on. It is much easier to move if you are staying with relatives or renting for a while before you go. It is so tricky trying to dove tail everything together when you can't confirm any dates.

Be prepared for the stress of it all. Selling the house is by far more stressful than waiting for the visa. It can fall through at any moment and you live in dread of this happening. Getting the visa was a breeze in comparision!!

koala_mac

Hi there - yes, I've gathered this from the collective pain I've been reading on this board. I think we will rent my place out as I quite like the idea of still having a London pad, just in case. Am planning to speak to GoMatilda or similar re. all the nightmare tax implications. (If anyone's got any tips on that aspect, post away!)

K_M

Kenand Nel

My advice would be to make a plan and try to stick to it. Be realistic with your schedules and follow the dream.

BTW
We sold our house in 5 days getting 25% over the asking price and am about to spend the next few weeks waiting for our visas to complete. I guess this may be because of the Scottish house selling system but for us selling the house was easy - getting the visa has been where we needed a great deal of patience.

Ken

janeyray

Don't sell your property if you have one in the UK. Just rent at first to see if you like it here.

My hubby came out on a spouse visa and it only took us about 3 months to get the visa (well 15 min over the counter, but 3 months preperation!!)

Tazzy

[QUOTE]Originally posted by janeyray
Don't sell your property if you have one in the UK. Just rent at first to see if you like it here.



That's okay if you've got shed loads of money lying around in the bank. But what about people like me who need the house sale to fund the emigration? Will the rent of a house cover costs?
With us I'm afraid its all or nothing.

Tazzy

koala_mac

Hi Tazzy - we may end up selling after all - I am still working on building up my spreadsheet with every cost I can think of, and it's pretty alarming. And saving like mad over the next year! It will probably depend on what the income from the flat is like - if it's taxed so much I don't make anything out of it, I may have to sell

Plus, of course, whether or not we are likely to get jobs lined up quickly....

bundy

If you're going down the de facto or spouse route, make sure all your utility bills are in joint names, start using that joint account and make sure you collect every single scrap of paper, travel documents, letters addressed to both, Chrissie cards, gift receipts, photos and official documentation you can. Get a box file, shove it under your bed, and put all these things in it as you get them. It'll make life much easier in the long run and will save you going through endless shoeboxes, filing trays, albums and so on to put together the evidence of your relationship.

And start saving hard!

koala_mac

Thanks Bundy. I think that's going to be key. We have no joint bank account, I own the flat, all bills in my name - despite the fact we have been living together for 3 and a half years and together for 4. Time to start changing things!

Do the authorities take individual bank statements, mobile phone bills etc sent to the same address over the course of a few years as evidence, do you think, even though we don't have a joint account?

K_M

bundy

They do, but having a joint bank account is pretty useful because it displays an element of trust - ie, you don't mind your other half poking about in the finances! It's no good just having the account though - there has to be evidence of you using it.

Utility bills are proving to be a nightmare for us as no one will change the darn things to joint names. Some places will have the account held in joint names, but the bills addressed to one person.

Like you, my partner and I have been together for a little over 4 years, 1 year in Oz, 3 here and most stuff is in my name. Gathering all this evidence takes forever, so the earlier you start, and the more conscious you are of doing it, the easier it will be.]

booboo1

Hi There

Im Australian and have been married for 11 years together for 16 + years.....My hubbys spouse visa took 20 days once applied for.
Having had joint bills etc since being together went down well. Joint holidays and club memberships were very useful in order to show that we were a true couple in very sense of the word.

They really like to see a committment to the relationship having some history, such as the joint accounts etc.

Good luck

BooBoo

koala_mac

thanks bundy - 5 gold stars to you. I will start the box-under-the-bed.... and possibly even a joint account (urk!)...

koala_mac

This is really starting to make me think - I go through periods of chucking out loads of old paperwork - so old holiday tickets, etc etc, all gone - gah! Having said that my filing's so bad, and there are so many piles of paper everywhere there's bound to be stuff.

Oooh ooh - car insurance, gym membership - hurrah!

janeyray

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Tazzy
Worse mistake we ever made was selling the house. It hasn't worked out here for us but we thought it would so sold the house. Like you we needed the money to move. Now we are going back to increased housing and no house.
We should have held off our plans for a year or two and saved enough money for shipping good, flights and rent bonds etc.
After all whats the rush.

WheelsOfSteel

If you can rent out your house do it. If it dosn't work out you have something to come back to and if it does a good inverstment property...