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Uk debt relief order 189 visa application for Australia

Uk debt relief order 189 visa application for Australia

Old May 5th 2017, 3:04 pm
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Exclamation Uk debt relief order 189 visa application for Australia

Hello

Need advice on a uk debt relief order and whether it'll affect the 189 application...

We've been dragging our heels for a while and decided to go ahead with the 189 visa for Australia. There's plenty more work for my partner in Australia than the uk so makes a lot of sense. We have been there previously and my partners worked there for two years a few years back.

My only issue is if I put a debt relief order in place in the uk will this affect my partners application for the 189 visa, and for us all as a family (my partner, myself and our three young children) on the application?

Can they or will they credit check us? The debt relief order is sort of like a mini bankruptcy but not as severe as it's for only small amounts of debt. From between £300- £15,000 I believe. This will only be in my name (the debt relief order) and not my partners. So it will give me a v.bad credit rating...

He will be the lead name and the points/ skills assessment will be done through him. He has a great credit rating and history.

I could continue to pay my debts until I leave the uk but then realistically it'll be difficult to pay them once we migrate as I won't be working when we arrive. I was doing a masters in nursing and was almost qualified when I became disabled. It's nothing that will affect the health test but it meant it was too difficult for me to complete the nursing course with all the moving and handling involved. So this drastically affected our income and our Australia plan...

So I'm trying to forward plan... I'm entitled to apply for the debt relief order which will clear my debts in twelve months completely, and won't affect my partners credit. I just don't want it to jeopardise the 189 application? We want to put this in (the 189 application) within the next two/ three months. Family are going to pay for our application.

My debts are from just general over drafts and a credit card for only around £2,000 but I'm paying out all of my disability payments out on debts which I could easily afford before I became disabled. Think they total around £7,000.

Now I can still pay but I'm using disability money to pay them which I really shouldn't be as I've been told by the national debt line that I shouldn't be using that but have no other income?

The issue is once we move away I won't be getting an income at all and will be supported by my partners income, so won't be able to pay? I know a lot of people who have moved and left their masses of debt behind and ignored the warning letters and nothing has come of it but I get worried and don't want to be in that position when I have the opportunity to rectify it?? I don't want to feel guilty about leaving it behind...

My partner currently pays for all bills etc and supports us financially as a family. And I am literally just paying off debts? It'll be the same story in oz but we won't have my extra income to afford to pay the debts, hope this all makes sense? The reason we want to move is for more guaranteed work and employment and for better quality life and future for the children

Apologies for rambling!!

Hope you can help

Thank you
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Old May 5th 2017, 5:19 pm
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Default Re: Uk debt relief order 189 visa application for Austra

  • Credit rating is irrelevant to a 189 application
  • Many people take their UK debts to Aus with them and continue payments
  • If you are disabled are you sure this won't impact on the medical?
  • Migrating is hideously expensive, are you sure your family can afford it if you cannot cover a £7k debt?
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Old May 5th 2017, 10:19 pm
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Default Re: Uk debt relief order 189 visa application for Austra

Originally Posted by Pollyana
  • Credit rating is irrelevant to a 189 application
  • Many people take their UK debts to Aus with them and continue payments
  • If you are disabled are you sure this won't impact on the medical?
  • Migrating is hideously expensive, are you sure your family can afford it if you cannot cover a £7k debt?
thanks for your response

do you have to pay extra fees when paying off debts from the uk? like transfer fees? how are these arrangements set up?

I've checked with immigration and my disability wont affect the medical. its not too severe, and once the children are old enough ill be able to work again too just not with heavy lifting type work.

we can pay the debt off eventually but obviously this is my debt and my partner has already cleared his off. I was wondering what i should do though? i am entitled to apply for this debt relief order and it can be granted and clear my debts after twelve months. Meaning we can move there with a clean slate (in 12-18 months plus) and my partner will earn a better income over there and have permanent work.

you see if we stay here its a vicious circle with lack of work, we would be financially better off there even with the hike in housing costs, bills etc... at the moment I'm paying over minimum payments but it will take an eternity to clear (as I'm just paying mainly interest charges) if we stay here, so if we leave then my partner will basically have to pay for my debts as i wont have the income then until our youngest is older.

i know its sort of the easy way out to clear them but I've always had an excellent credit report and its since the disability and loss of income that sadly brought us to this situation and i was training to qualify and move out to oz the year later so we'll soon be too old sadly for the points system too. So this is our last chance really.

So its a difficult one and some may say its the easy way out but i might just apply for the debt relief order and try and start a fresh? i do know i could probably pay them off but it'll be in around four years time and the interest that will be added will just escalate it much further thats why i may just put in for it?

we have plenty of friends and family living there already who know of our situation too so we'll be fine for work, a house and money etc once we land.

thank you for your help and honesty
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Old May 5th 2017, 10:39 pm
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Default Re: Uk debt relief order 189 visa application for Australia

Sorry to hear about your medical (and financial) situation. I just hope you don't make the mistake of viewing Australia through rose-tinted glasses: mates, friends and family are all great and good but perhaps, given your particular pecuniary pickle, it's best if your husband has already secured a job prior to making the move over.

It's really not cheap to migrate. Visa costs can easily set one back £3000 or more, and that's if you went the DIY route. Flight costs, moving costs, rental bonds, rental, incidentals, school fees (although on a 189, the kids would be eligible for subsidized fees) - but to name a few - all costs £ or $ as the case may be. The other thing is, if I recall correctly, you won't be able to access disability benefits for the first 2 years of your PR via Medicare (I can't remember why, but that seem to be something that was mentioned to me for my previous visa 175), so you'd best take that into potential consideration as well!

And while the hubby's job prospects may look good in theory, what if he doesn't like the work, his workmates or his boss? Never underestimate the difficulties of a different work culture, and the potential problems that might bring. There are many stories I personally know of 189ers who couldn't find work in their qualified professions and ended up working in roles just to bring bread back to the table.

There's also the conventional (but debatable) adage of never making a move for anything less than double what you're presently making if you wish to enjoy a similar quality of life in Australia. Long gone are the days when Australia could be considered "cheap" as a place to live.

I'm sorry if I come across as a bit of a damp squib, but migration isn't something to be taken lightly - especially if you're hoping it to be a panacea of sorts for your current ills. Dreams have been dashed, marriages have been broken and bank accounts emptied because the plan hadn't been thought out in detail prior to the big leap over.

Anyway, I've waffled on enough (old men with bad prostates and nothing better to do tend to be like this, my apologies) but I'll end by wishing you good luck and all the very best in which ever decision you and your husband end up making!

Last edited by xizzles; May 5th 2017 at 10:41 pm.
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Old May 5th 2017, 11:17 pm
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Default Re: Uk debt relief order 189 visa application for Australia

Hi. You've had a couple of great responses already, but I thought I'd throw my 2c worth in as well.

I can't think of one good reason why you shouldn't apply for a debt relief order, as Polly has already said, it won't affect any future visa application for Australia. So if I were you I'd do that and get the monkey off your back!

With that worry out of the way, you'll be able to focus on researching whether or not migrating to Oz is a good idea. Lots of information available here, and anything you're not sure of just ask. Sounds as though you might have to do some saving, which obviously isn't easy for you at the moment.

I know how hard it is to suddenly lose the ability to earn an income. I had a car accident about 5 years ago, which meant that I had to give up a fantastic job that I'd studied and worked for really hard. It was horrible!

I actually emigrated after that, although that was always the plan, just not quite so soon. My husband's a Brit and we were always going to move to the UK once I'd retired, so we just moved the plan forward 10 years. Since you have young children, I know that I'm a lot older than you though and was in a good financial position to move - much harder to get to that position when you're young and have children at home.

Anyway, I'm doing a xizzles and rabbiting on here (sorry xizzles!) - to summarise, my thinking is apply for your debt relief order and start doing some serious research into a possible move to Australia. As well as finding out if your husband's skill is eligible for a 189 visa, he'll need to see if he can pass the skills test and also has enough points. Try to get as much information as you can on the availability of jobs in his field, and the best locations to look. Also have a good think about moving away from UK family and friends, obviously lots of us have done it but it's not an easy thing to do - some have managed fine, some have fallen in a heap with it.

Let us know how you get on, ask questions if you need to, and wishing you all the best.

Last edited by spouse of scouse; May 5th 2017 at 11:20 pm.
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Old May 5th 2017, 11:41 pm
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Default Re: Uk debt relief order 189 visa application for Austra

Originally Posted by Klt123
thanks for your response

do you have to pay extra fees when paying off debts from the uk? like transfer fees? how are these arrangements set up?
I move money both ways regularly.

I transfer money via the internet from my Aussie account to the Aus account of a company called International Money Transfers - Low Fees, Great Rates - Send Money Overseas
They move it to their Uk account, and then transfer it in £ to my Uk account. From there I use internet banking to distribute it wherever.

Using a company like tranzfers is much cheaper than a transfer via your bank.
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Old May 6th 2017, 5:52 am
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Default Re: Uk debt relief order 189 visa application for Australia

Some things to consider.

First finances. I am guessing you don't have a lot of savings, but this is a very expensive process. The visa fee for the main applicant is $3600, $1800 for you and $900 for each child. Then there is the skills assessment. Allow at least a thousand. Then medicals and police checks, another thousand.
But this is just the start. Next, you obviously need flights. A couple of grand. That is assuming you can make the move in under twelve months from the police or medical checks. If not, you would have to validate the visas by all making a trip to Oz, then pay again for the move. Next, shipping. A container is about £5000. Then there is things you need on arrival such as a car - a cheap banger will be about £1000 plus misc purchasers about another grand. Then accomodation on arrival for say two weeks another couple of grand. Then, long term accomodation. Allowing a minimum of bond and a months rent about £2000. Though, in some areas they may want six months rent up front. Then the big one. Living costs. You need money to live on while your husband gets a job. You need to allow at least three months. So, that is enough savings for rent, bills, food, running a car and all the other daily costs. As a minimum about £8000. And that is the absolute minimum. I generally recomend people have enough to last six months.

Now visa. You say you have a disability and have spoken to immigration. You are going to need to speak to a proffessional on this. I know it sounds odd, but never take advice from them. The people you speak to are just call centre operators. They aren't the people who will examine your application. You need to speak to an expert migration agent such as George Lombard.

Finally some comments.

You say there are a lot more jobs for your husband. Do research this carefully. You haven't mentioned which part of Australia you are considering, or what he does, but things may have changed a lot in a couple of years. For example, we have just returned to the UK after nine years in Oz because we couldn't get work.

Finally, lifestyle. I don't think many would say it is a better place for children. They have a different life, not necessarily a better one.
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Old May 6th 2017, 9:53 am
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Default Re: Uk debt relief order 189 visa application for Australia

Originally Posted by verystormy
Some things to consider.


Finally some comments.

You say there are a lot more jobs for your husband. Do research this carefully. You haven't mentioned which part of Australia you are considering, or what he does, but things may have changed a lot in a couple of years.
This, especially if the husband is a tradie and needs to re qualify or do a year or so retraining and/or log books etc on a lower income etc
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