On a tight schedule - What I have learnt so far
Feb 26th 2007, 9:59 am
#1
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 8
On a tight schedule - What I have learnt so far
This is my first post to this forum, I've been reading for a while, and have got some great advice, and so I thought I would write down some of the things that I have learnt from this whole process.
I'm an Australian married to a Brit and we've applied for a spouse visa - planning to move to Melbourne at the end of March. We've done things in the wrong order admittedly - sold the house first in mid January, then booked flights for the end of March, then applied for the visa middle of Feb. My husband travels abroad for work, and so we couldn't complete his visa application sooner, as his passport and signature was needed. We wanted to try and front load his application, and got the medicals done in January, and sent off the police check request, but were told ( wrongly ) by the police at the local station that it would only take a few days.
So first thing I've learnt - Before you do anything apply for a police check. scouring forums has done nothing to restore faith in the speed of the Metropolitan Police, and we may have to get a bridging visa so that we don't have to change flights.
We were very lucky with the person who is buying our house. He is after a crash pad as he commutes for work, and so is paying us extra to leave kitchen appliances, soft furnishings, desks, table chairs etc. It has taken a huge weight off our shoulders, as we don't have to find homes/sell/ebay/give away things that we aren't bringing over.
Next thing I've learnt - start de cluttering the house 6 - 9 months before you go. Whenever I got homesick, I would pull out a drawer, or a box, and start going through it. My mentality was, 'Keep it if I'm taking it to Australia, give it away if not'. I did this 3 or 4 times over the past year, and then this weekend, it has taken me one day to go through out 2 bedroom house, and do a final de clutter. Now everything in the house is either going to oz, or staying for the new buyer. It's a huge relief to feel organized - at least with this.
Write 2 to do lists. one for the few months leading up to when you go, and one for the week before you go. I had one great big list, and got extremely stressed out by the length of it. After going through it carefully though, I realised that there were a heck of a lot of things that I just couldn't do until the last minute ( cancel phone/broadband/gas etc ) and that by putting them onto a list that won't come out until the week before we leave, the to do list that's left seems a lot more achievable.
Misc things I've learnt
The Nationwide Visa flex account is a normal current account but with a Visa debit card. They don't charge for cash withdrawals or purchases abroad - useful for the first month or so in oz while you are getting set up.
Order a supply of contact lenses. I've discovered a site called getlenses.com and have ordered a 6 month supply for £50 which has cost me half of what my optician charges.
Women - stock up on the pill. It's not free in Australia, so use and abuse the NHS!
When getting our visa application together a photocopier would have been really useful! Multiple copies of passport and birth certificates meant that we didn't have to keep running into town to get copies ( neither of us work in offices) And a ready supply of passport photo's came in useful as well. We had 8 done at once, and so had tthemall ready to go for the application, medicals and whatever will come next!
Don't send things recorded delivery!!!
one of the things that delayed out application was Royal Mail. My husband had his passport lodged with the US embassy for a work visa and they sent it back, due to arrive the day of his medical. It arrived 10 minutes after he left. So I posted it special delivery to them that day, it arrived the next day and they sent it back recorded delivery along with a certified copy for our application. It didn't turn up till the Friday, 8 days after it was sent.
My husband had had to go for his x ray with the doctors office faxing an uncertified copy of his passport over ( the Doctor he originally saw was on holiday) and a plea for understanding , he was also due to go to the US on the following Tuesday, so his office was on the phone to airlines hotels etc, trying to cancel his trip, as well as possibly cancelling advertising contracts ( he's a photographer) and looking into ssuingthe Doctors office for loss of earnings.
The week of stress, the delay to his visa and ppolicecheck all could have been avoided if it had been sent special delivery. A serious lesson learnt.
When things like that happen, and I can't cope with the stress of it all. I try and do something from my 'when I arrive in Australia' to do list. I've discovered www.petersofkensington.com.au - great for homewares and some electrical stuff - lot's of sale stuff
www.homecouture.com.au - more of the same
both have wishlist options, so I can start putting together my dream kitchen, if only in my head.
www.realestate.com.au - real estate porn
www.amazon.co.uk - there is no australian version of amazon, and so this is your last chance to stock up on books, cd's dvd's really cheaply. Before the shippers come in, build yourself an entertainment box of goodies so that when the shippers finally deliver your goods at the other end, you have a nice surprise of old Top Gear DVD's, great artbooks, Jamie Oliver cookbooks, and Kaisercheifs cd's to wallow in.
Also www.pixum.co.uk 3 pence to get a picture printed, go through the stockpile of digital photo's and get them printed off - also good for when you are in oz and want to send pictures to family and friends. Order and pay and put in mum/dad/brothers address as the delivery address and save yourself the trip to the post office.
The last thing I've learnt, is that every now and then ( more often than I thought) you just need to fill the bath, light some candles, put some music on, and realise that whether the stress is causing you to break out in pimples, or take up drinking red wine for morning tea, sometimes it's just out of your hands.
p.s. Trust me on the police check though
I'm an Australian married to a Brit and we've applied for a spouse visa - planning to move to Melbourne at the end of March. We've done things in the wrong order admittedly - sold the house first in mid January, then booked flights for the end of March, then applied for the visa middle of Feb. My husband travels abroad for work, and so we couldn't complete his visa application sooner, as his passport and signature was needed. We wanted to try and front load his application, and got the medicals done in January, and sent off the police check request, but were told ( wrongly ) by the police at the local station that it would only take a few days.
So first thing I've learnt - Before you do anything apply for a police check. scouring forums has done nothing to restore faith in the speed of the Metropolitan Police, and we may have to get a bridging visa so that we don't have to change flights.
We were very lucky with the person who is buying our house. He is after a crash pad as he commutes for work, and so is paying us extra to leave kitchen appliances, soft furnishings, desks, table chairs etc. It has taken a huge weight off our shoulders, as we don't have to find homes/sell/ebay/give away things that we aren't bringing over.
Next thing I've learnt - start de cluttering the house 6 - 9 months before you go. Whenever I got homesick, I would pull out a drawer, or a box, and start going through it. My mentality was, 'Keep it if I'm taking it to Australia, give it away if not'. I did this 3 or 4 times over the past year, and then this weekend, it has taken me one day to go through out 2 bedroom house, and do a final de clutter. Now everything in the house is either going to oz, or staying for the new buyer. It's a huge relief to feel organized - at least with this.
Write 2 to do lists. one for the few months leading up to when you go, and one for the week before you go. I had one great big list, and got extremely stressed out by the length of it. After going through it carefully though, I realised that there were a heck of a lot of things that I just couldn't do until the last minute ( cancel phone/broadband/gas etc ) and that by putting them onto a list that won't come out until the week before we leave, the to do list that's left seems a lot more achievable.
Misc things I've learnt
The Nationwide Visa flex account is a normal current account but with a Visa debit card. They don't charge for cash withdrawals or purchases abroad - useful for the first month or so in oz while you are getting set up.
Order a supply of contact lenses. I've discovered a site called getlenses.com and have ordered a 6 month supply for £50 which has cost me half of what my optician charges.
Women - stock up on the pill. It's not free in Australia, so use and abuse the NHS!
When getting our visa application together a photocopier would have been really useful! Multiple copies of passport and birth certificates meant that we didn't have to keep running into town to get copies ( neither of us work in offices) And a ready supply of passport photo's came in useful as well. We had 8 done at once, and so had tthemall ready to go for the application, medicals and whatever will come next!
Don't send things recorded delivery!!!
one of the things that delayed out application was Royal Mail. My husband had his passport lodged with the US embassy for a work visa and they sent it back, due to arrive the day of his medical. It arrived 10 minutes after he left. So I posted it special delivery to them that day, it arrived the next day and they sent it back recorded delivery along with a certified copy for our application. It didn't turn up till the Friday, 8 days after it was sent.
My husband had had to go for his x ray with the doctors office faxing an uncertified copy of his passport over ( the Doctor he originally saw was on holiday) and a plea for understanding , he was also due to go to the US on the following Tuesday, so his office was on the phone to airlines hotels etc, trying to cancel his trip, as well as possibly cancelling advertising contracts ( he's a photographer) and looking into ssuingthe Doctors office for loss of earnings.
The week of stress, the delay to his visa and ppolicecheck all could have been avoided if it had been sent special delivery. A serious lesson learnt.
When things like that happen, and I can't cope with the stress of it all. I try and do something from my 'when I arrive in Australia' to do list. I've discovered www.petersofkensington.com.au - great for homewares and some electrical stuff - lot's of sale stuff
www.homecouture.com.au - more of the same
both have wishlist options, so I can start putting together my dream kitchen, if only in my head.
www.realestate.com.au - real estate porn
www.amazon.co.uk - there is no australian version of amazon, and so this is your last chance to stock up on books, cd's dvd's really cheaply. Before the shippers come in, build yourself an entertainment box of goodies so that when the shippers finally deliver your goods at the other end, you have a nice surprise of old Top Gear DVD's, great artbooks, Jamie Oliver cookbooks, and Kaisercheifs cd's to wallow in.
Also www.pixum.co.uk 3 pence to get a picture printed, go through the stockpile of digital photo's and get them printed off - also good for when you are in oz and want to send pictures to family and friends. Order and pay and put in mum/dad/brothers address as the delivery address and save yourself the trip to the post office.
The last thing I've learnt, is that every now and then ( more often than I thought) you just need to fill the bath, light some candles, put some music on, and realise that whether the stress is causing you to break out in pimples, or take up drinking red wine for morning tea, sometimes it's just out of your hands.
p.s. Trust me on the police check though
Feb 26th 2007, 2:37 pm
#2
Victorian Evangelist
Joined: Sep 2005
Location: Melbourne, by the beach, living the dream.
Posts: 7,704
Re: On a tight schedule - What I have learnt so far
Great post. Thank you.
Buzzy
Buzzy
Feb 26th 2007, 2:44 pm
#3
Sunny Sydney
Joined: Aug 2005
Location: Sydney
Posts: 6,241
Re: On a tight schedule - What I have learnt so far
This is my first post to this forum, I've been reading for a while, and have got some great advice, and so I thought I would write down some of the things that I have learnt from this whole process.
I'm an Australian married to a Brit and we've applied for a spouse visa - planning to move to Melbourne at the end of March. We've done things in the wrong order admittedly - sold the house first in mid January, then booked flights for the end of March, then applied for the visa middle of Feb. My husband travels abroad for work, and so we couldn't complete his visa application sooner, as his passport and signature was needed. We wanted to try and front load his application, and got the medicals done in January, and sent off the police check request, but were told ( wrongly ) by the police at the local station that it would only take a few days.
So first thing I've learnt - Before you do anything apply for a police check. scouring forums has done nothing to restore faith in the speed of the Metropolitan Police, and we may have to get a bridging visa so that we don't have to change flights.
We were very lucky with the person who is buying our house. He is after a crash pad as he commutes for work, and so is paying us extra to leave kitchen appliances, soft furnishings, desks, table chairs etc. It has taken a huge weight off our shoulders, as we don't have to find homes/sell/ebay/give away things that we aren't bringing over.
Next thing I've learnt - start de cluttering the house 6 - 9 months before you go. Whenever I got homesick, I would pull out a drawer, or a box, and start going through it. My mentality was, 'Keep it if I'm taking it to Australia, give it away if not'. I did this 3 or 4 times over the past year, and then this weekend, it has taken me one day to go through out 2 bedroom house, and do a final de clutter. Now everything in the house is either going to oz, or staying for the new buyer. It's a huge relief to feel organized - at least with this.
Write 2 to do lists. one for the few months leading up to when you go, and one for the week before you go. I had one great big list, and got extremely stressed out by the length of it. After going through it carefully though, I realised that there were a heck of a lot of things that I just couldn't do until the last minute ( cancel phone/broadband/gas etc ) and that by putting them onto a list that won't come out until the week before we leave, the to do list that's left seems a lot more achievable.
Misc things I've learnt
The Nationwide Visa flex account is a normal current account but with a Visa debit card. They don't charge for cash withdrawals or purchases abroad - useful for the first month or so in oz while you are getting set up.
Order a supply of contact lenses. I've discovered a site called getlenses.com and have ordered a 6 month supply for £50 which has cost me half of what my optician charges.
Women - stock up on the pill. It's not free in Australia, so use and abuse the NHS!
When getting our visa application together a photocopier would have been really useful! Multiple copies of passport and birth certificates meant that we didn't have to keep running into town to get copies ( neither of us work in offices) And a ready supply of passport photo's came in useful as well. We had 8 done at once, and so had tthemall ready to go for the application, medicals and whatever will come next!
Don't send things recorded delivery!!!
one of the things that delayed out application was Royal Mail. My husband had his passport lodged with the US embassy for a work visa and they sent it back, due to arrive the day of his medical. It arrived 10 minutes after he left. So I posted it special delivery to them that day, it arrived the next day and they sent it back recorded delivery along with a certified copy for our application. It didn't turn up till the Friday, 8 days after it was sent.
My husband had had to go for his x ray with the doctors office faxing an uncertified copy of his passport over ( the Doctor he originally saw was on holiday) and a plea for understanding , he was also due to go to the US on the following Tuesday, so his office was on the phone to airlines hotels etc, trying to cancel his trip, as well as possibly cancelling advertising contracts ( he's a photographer) and looking into ssuingthe Doctors office for loss of earnings.
The week of stress, the delay to his visa and ppolicecheck all could have been avoided if it had been sent special delivery. A serious lesson learnt.
When things like that happen, and I can't cope with the stress of it all. I try and do something from my 'when I arrive in Australia' to do list. I've discovered www.petersofkensington.com.au - great for homewares and some electrical stuff - lot's of sale stuff
www.homecouture.com.au - more of the same
both have wishlist options, so I can start putting together my dream kitchen, if only in my head.
www.realestate.com.au - real estate porn
www.amazon.co.uk - there is no australian version of amazon, and so this is your last chance to stock up on books, cd's dvd's really cheaply. Before the shippers come in, build yourself an entertainment box of goodies so that when the shippers finally deliver your goods at the other end, you have a nice surprise of old Top Gear DVD's, great artbooks, Jamie Oliver cookbooks, and Kaisercheifs cd's to wallow in.
Also www.pixum.co.uk 3 pence to get a picture printed, go through the stockpile of digital photo's and get them printed off - also good for when you are in oz and want to send pictures to family and friends. Order and pay and put in mum/dad/brothers address as the delivery address and save yourself the trip to the post office.
The last thing I've learnt, is that every now and then ( more often than I thought) you just need to fill the bath, light some candles, put some music on, and realise that whether the stress is causing you to break out in pimples, or take up drinking red wine for morning tea, sometimes it's just out of your hands.
p.s. Trust me on the police check though
I'm an Australian married to a Brit and we've applied for a spouse visa - planning to move to Melbourne at the end of March. We've done things in the wrong order admittedly - sold the house first in mid January, then booked flights for the end of March, then applied for the visa middle of Feb. My husband travels abroad for work, and so we couldn't complete his visa application sooner, as his passport and signature was needed. We wanted to try and front load his application, and got the medicals done in January, and sent off the police check request, but were told ( wrongly ) by the police at the local station that it would only take a few days.
So first thing I've learnt - Before you do anything apply for a police check. scouring forums has done nothing to restore faith in the speed of the Metropolitan Police, and we may have to get a bridging visa so that we don't have to change flights.
We were very lucky with the person who is buying our house. He is after a crash pad as he commutes for work, and so is paying us extra to leave kitchen appliances, soft furnishings, desks, table chairs etc. It has taken a huge weight off our shoulders, as we don't have to find homes/sell/ebay/give away things that we aren't bringing over.
Next thing I've learnt - start de cluttering the house 6 - 9 months before you go. Whenever I got homesick, I would pull out a drawer, or a box, and start going through it. My mentality was, 'Keep it if I'm taking it to Australia, give it away if not'. I did this 3 or 4 times over the past year, and then this weekend, it has taken me one day to go through out 2 bedroom house, and do a final de clutter. Now everything in the house is either going to oz, or staying for the new buyer. It's a huge relief to feel organized - at least with this.
Write 2 to do lists. one for the few months leading up to when you go, and one for the week before you go. I had one great big list, and got extremely stressed out by the length of it. After going through it carefully though, I realised that there were a heck of a lot of things that I just couldn't do until the last minute ( cancel phone/broadband/gas etc ) and that by putting them onto a list that won't come out until the week before we leave, the to do list that's left seems a lot more achievable.
Misc things I've learnt
The Nationwide Visa flex account is a normal current account but with a Visa debit card. They don't charge for cash withdrawals or purchases abroad - useful for the first month or so in oz while you are getting set up.
Order a supply of contact lenses. I've discovered a site called getlenses.com and have ordered a 6 month supply for £50 which has cost me half of what my optician charges.
Women - stock up on the pill. It's not free in Australia, so use and abuse the NHS!
When getting our visa application together a photocopier would have been really useful! Multiple copies of passport and birth certificates meant that we didn't have to keep running into town to get copies ( neither of us work in offices) And a ready supply of passport photo's came in useful as well. We had 8 done at once, and so had tthemall ready to go for the application, medicals and whatever will come next!
Don't send things recorded delivery!!!
one of the things that delayed out application was Royal Mail. My husband had his passport lodged with the US embassy for a work visa and they sent it back, due to arrive the day of his medical. It arrived 10 minutes after he left. So I posted it special delivery to them that day, it arrived the next day and they sent it back recorded delivery along with a certified copy for our application. It didn't turn up till the Friday, 8 days after it was sent.
My husband had had to go for his x ray with the doctors office faxing an uncertified copy of his passport over ( the Doctor he originally saw was on holiday) and a plea for understanding , he was also due to go to the US on the following Tuesday, so his office was on the phone to airlines hotels etc, trying to cancel his trip, as well as possibly cancelling advertising contracts ( he's a photographer) and looking into ssuingthe Doctors office for loss of earnings.
The week of stress, the delay to his visa and ppolicecheck all could have been avoided if it had been sent special delivery. A serious lesson learnt.
When things like that happen, and I can't cope with the stress of it all. I try and do something from my 'when I arrive in Australia' to do list. I've discovered www.petersofkensington.com.au - great for homewares and some electrical stuff - lot's of sale stuff
www.homecouture.com.au - more of the same
both have wishlist options, so I can start putting together my dream kitchen, if only in my head.
www.realestate.com.au - real estate porn
www.amazon.co.uk - there is no australian version of amazon, and so this is your last chance to stock up on books, cd's dvd's really cheaply. Before the shippers come in, build yourself an entertainment box of goodies so that when the shippers finally deliver your goods at the other end, you have a nice surprise of old Top Gear DVD's, great artbooks, Jamie Oliver cookbooks, and Kaisercheifs cd's to wallow in.
Also www.pixum.co.uk 3 pence to get a picture printed, go through the stockpile of digital photo's and get them printed off - also good for when you are in oz and want to send pictures to family and friends. Order and pay and put in mum/dad/brothers address as the delivery address and save yourself the trip to the post office.
The last thing I've learnt, is that every now and then ( more often than I thought) you just need to fill the bath, light some candles, put some music on, and realise that whether the stress is causing you to break out in pimples, or take up drinking red wine for morning tea, sometimes it's just out of your hands.
p.s. Trust me on the police check though
Feb 26th 2007, 3:16 pm
#4
Forum Regular
Joined: Jul 2006
Location: Perth
Posts: 195
Re: On a tight schedule - What I have learnt so far
The last thing I've learnt, is that every now and then ( more often than I thought) you just need to fill the bath, light some candles, put some music on, and realise that whether the stress is causing you to break out in pimples, or take up drinking red wine for morning tea, sometimes it's just out of your hands.
p.s. Trust me on the police check though[/QUOTE]
Great post, especially the last two paragraphs.
p.s. Trust me on the police check though[/QUOTE]
Great post, especially the last two paragraphs.
Feb 27th 2007, 10:01 pm
#5
Home and Happy
Joined: Dec 2002
Location: Keep true friends and puppets close, trust no-one else...
Posts: 93,810
Re: On a tight schedule - What I have learnt so far
Ubder the Data Protection Act there is a 40 day turnaround for Police Checks in the UK, though some people are lucky and get them back quicker.
