rootsie

I have no kids, but regardless, there are many issues that we should all be concerned about and having the vote is one way of expressing our views and possibly having an influence on how these are dealt with. (That's assuming you believe the politicians you vote for actually care a damn about your views!) Making it compulsory is one such issue, one that I agree with, although I can see why others wouldn't. But if you don't exercise your right to vote you might have a problem influencing whether it should be compulsory or not! However, most of us on this thread seem to be trying to gain our citizenship, so the question of voting isn't an issue until such time as we do!

Wol

There are plenty of people applying, as you say!

Sunday afternoon Mrs Wol and I applied online, using saved applications (we did them last week) and between entering mine and putting in her credit card details and entering hers (about 4 minutes) the application numbers went up by eight!

Gremlin

Hi all.

I've read the whole of this thread and found it interesting, if not a little confusing. Looks like we'll miss the boat as far as the deadline of 26th Jan '07 is concerned (if that's when it ends up being). Hoping to get our visa (136 MODL) this side of Xmas, but not holding our breath the way things are moving - more likely to be sometime in Jan.
I know somebody sort of asked before but I need to ask again! I completely understand why people are anxious to have Citizenship as soon as they can and we feel the same way. I think it's important to really feel a part of the country as much as possible once you've made the giant step of moving there. I also think it's important to be able to vote (at least you have the right to moan when things don't go the way you like them!) but apart from the right to vote, is there any other downsides in having to wait 4 years for Citizenship, be it financially or otherwise.
Or to put it another way, do citizens enjoy any other benefits (and I don't mean social security payments!) that PR's can't?

rootsie

I'm not sure about disadvantages, I can't immediately put my finger on any obvious ones, although I'm sure some will be able to. My main consideration is the likelihood of the inconvenience of having to renew my PR visa as it's likely that the 5 years will have expired before I have the necessary 4 years required for citizenship. Maybe renewal of the PR visa is easy, I've never tried? But you can bet your bottom dollar it will cost.....

esperanza

I'm sure this has been covered, but just so I'm completely clear: assuming this new legislation is passed at the end of January, it will apply to anyone who becomes a PR after that date?
And the date you become a PR is the date they put the visa in your passport or the date it is validated when you first go through passport control with it?

I posted our passports to the high commission today, so the visas will be physically in there by the end of the month, but we aren't going to actually get there until March/April next year.

Any help v welcome!

cyclemark

There is no such thing as 'renewing' your PR visa. If you remain in Australia once your PR visa has expired you need do nothing. If you plan you travel out of Australia once your PR visa has expired you would need to get an RRV(returning residents visa) in order to get back in.

A minor inconvenience, which some people regularly go through as they are unable to gain Australian citizenship without giving up citizenship of their original countries - I think this applies to some of the Asian countries, possibly Malaysia.

rootsie

Thank you for correcting me, a RPV was, of course, what I meant, but having not yet had to apply for one I do not yet know what the term 'minor inconvenience' means and how much it costs! Can you advise?

rootsie

In answer to your first paragraph..Yes it would seem so.
In answer to your second paragraph..that's a good question. Certainly you have to activate your PR visa within the given time and obviously, having done so, have to move to Australia before the PR visa expires. From the point of view of the proposed new legislation I don't think anyone yet knows for sure. One of the other persons posting on this thread, JAJ, seems to be sensibly advising others that we will have to wait until the actual legislation is in place, although there is a feeling by some that if you activate your PR before the proposed date in January you will be ok. I hope so because that will suit me, but I guess we'll have to wait and see.

TheHallidays

Hi All,

A very useful thread! Can anyone advise when the new legislation will be confirmed? I think I read in the thread that it was mid-October (but could be wrong!), which we are already past now and I couldn't see an update on the links....

Cheers,

Jane x

rootsie

Hi Jane,
The consensus of opinion seems to be that it will be 26th January 2007.

TheHallidays

Hi Rootsie - cheers for the reply, what I was meaning was, when will the legislation become law? From what I've read, it sounds like this is still a proposal rather than an agreed new law? Or am I misinterpreting?

I was readin it as 26th Jan 07 is the effective date, IF the legislation gets passed?

Cheers Jane x

Pollyana

Noone knows a firm date as yet.

The one thing you can be sure of is that it will be the hottest topic on this forum, so you won't miss it

TheHallidays

Cool - cheers! (well not cool but will have to do - we all just wanna know!!)

xx

JAJ

You don't have to inform anyone.

But the ok for dual citizenship only applies to British citizens. Other British nationals need to be more careful as some complex rules apply.

JAJ

An RRV is very easy if you meet the 2/5 year residence requirement. Otherwise it can be difficult or impossible.
http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/pdf/968i.pdf

Cost of an RRV is AUD120. Exactly the same as a citizenship application.