Sooty and Sweep

I have a question for all.

I understand its a difficult question to ask, but we are each in possession of a 136 PR visa each, we must enter Australia to validate before June 2008. We are in a deep debate between each other whether to validate, have a look around, then return or just go for it? We both have never been before, no house to sell in the UK, no kids, neither of us have permanent jobs, just short term agency work. So nothing to give up.

The trouble is, having a window of 5 years to enter permanently gives you so much flexibility that sometimes it makes the decision more difficult as we both have a close relative each in very poor health, and are probably thinking that if they fall off their perch'es in the next couple of years it would be better to spend the next couple of years here in the UK, then go. I know, no time is right. but family is family, and we are all on borrowed time!

Could anyone with some time, just spare a few sentences and state if they thought their validation trip/reccie was worth the hassle and the cost. If they had their time again would they advise to just go once and forget a validation trip or make the validation trip all over again?

Or, the ones who just went one way, would they had preferred it if they had gone an a validation trip first and had a good look round before commiting to an area or district?

Its just Australia is massive, you have Perth, Brisbane, Adalaide, Sydney. Then each of these have loads of districts, and we are now so undecisive. I think i know which area and which district, but Sweep is under the impression that a validation trip will settle the nerves, so going permanently will be like going on holiday to a place you have been a few times before. You know you feel comfortable with say Blackpool, because you know it inside out etc?

Thanks for any replies!

Timber Floor Au

Take what I am gonna say with the intent and sincerity I imply.

Why did you bother going for an Aussie Visa?

Centurion

You should remember that the window of 5 years is actually the period for which your visa is valid for. After then it expires. Thats OK if you are living in Australia but it then means that although you are permitted to remain after it expires, you must apply for a RRV should you wish to leave the country and return again.

Personally though, with that in mind, I certainly wouldn't have considered moving to the other side of the world to a country that I have never been to before.

Glasgowlass

I came here with no reccie first. They weren't fashionable then. In hindsight it would have been fantastic. Though everywhere looks nice when you go for a wee holiday, it's still different when you buy a one way ticket. Do the reccie I say, it'll give you a look and a general feel.

bcworld

I totally agree with this.....but this has been discussed before and a lot of people do seem to think that 'reccies' are a waste of time - the point being that a reccie is generally a lot more like a holiday than it is real life, so doesn't prepare you for what you will eventually experience.

I certainly think there is a lot of value in coming over and checking out suburbs though - something / somewhere can sound very nice on the internet when the reality can be a lot different.

quoll

If you are young, footloose and fancy free then just come - what have you got to lose? If it works then it works and if it doesnt then you can go back and not be much further behind than you already are.

The game changes when you have kids and you need to start thinking about the grandparents, your support network, schools and all that other stuff that goes with being a responsible adult.

I'd say buy a one way ticket (although you may find that undated returns are almost just as cheap, just in case!) and come and see.

Sooty and Sweep

Nice post thanks, a very good outlook on this very short life we have, thanks again!

midwife-mandy

Hi, I hope to move to Perth in March and i went on a Reccie in NOV. It really helped me understand the suburbs/lifestyle/transport system/environment etc and i now feel that i am more prepared. I am taking my two children with me so i felt that i should go there first so i am not getting off the plane without any idea of where we are moving to.

I must say if i was not taking children i would be tempted to just go without a reccie and save my money. It also sounds like you have not chosen where you want to settle in Australia and visiting all of the different areas would cost a fortune and take weeks.

What ever you choose to do good luck and enjoy your adventure

Sooty and Sweep

Thankyou, merry xmas, and thanks, i mean it thanks for the post, its a big decision, with no wage for a month, and the cost of the validation trip, probably all in all around 5 grand, but sometimes in life a price cannot be put on the sense of " I feel comfortable with what we are doing and where we are going"

But 5 grand is half of what we plan to take with us, half of everything we have in this world, hard decision i know, but again thanks for all of the responses.

Wendy

We just came without ever setting foot in Australia before. I'm glad we did, as it would have cost us about £7k for all of us to come for a visit first - that's a lot of money when you've got a new life to finance! Plus I doubt I'd have got on the plane back

However, a lot of people need to come for a visit first. I guess it's depends on how comfortable you would feel coming to live here without checking it out first. For us it didn't matter, there was no way we were going back - but not everyone is the same.

Just for info, if you did decide to come to validate and then returned later and needed a RRV - http://www.immi.gov.au/migrants/residents/155/index.htm

kaz101

I'm far too much of a control freak to come out without a reccie

We had been on holiday here before we decided to move out and in that first holiday we visited Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, drove the Great Ocean Road and saw parts of Tasmania. So when we did decide that we were going for a visa, at that stage we decided to come out for a reccie since we knew how different parts of Australia were and that we didn't want to live in a major city.

Our last visit before we actually moved out here was in January and that's when we decided on a city (town by UK standards ) and actually bought a house but with a long settlement date so that it didn't complete until June. We actually moved out to Australia in July 2007 (it was my Mums 70th in June and if I had missed that my life would not have been worth living).

Yes it did cost us more doing it that way but then when we moved out we were moving into our own house that we had chosen. And yes a holiday is different from living somewhere but we did stayed in the area for about 2 weeks so we did get to know it fairly well and we made contacts in shops so that when we returned they remembered us and gave us discounts

You need to work out what will be best for you...

Regards,
Karen

biggy

Hi

I can without ever being here before, hubby had been about 18 years ago although only on a working trip for a few weeks so didnt really see much as he was out at the mines.

Hubby had a job to come to so that made the decision of where we would settle, and we have never looked back...I have heard of many people who come here on a reccie/holiday and love it, but when they come for real they hate it!!!! Its totally different from a holiday, you need to go to work to support yourselves and the everyday hassles are still here....on holiday you just go..och it doesnt matter we can do that tomorrow etc!!!!

Not wanting to sound negative, but it has to be said.....whats to say that loved ones wont fall of their perch whilst you are here on a reccie....its still the same journey back. Its hard but dont hold yourselves back with "what ifs" else you wont get very far in life IMO, and you may live to regret it. All the best in whatever you decide

Sooty and Sweep

Wendy, thankyou for taking the time to reply, i can relate to your response, cost is a big part of emigration, and yes the cost of a validation trip would set us up in a home, thanks again, May you have a fantastic Christmas, thankyou!


Karen, again thankyou very much for taking the time to reply, when one wants to reccie and the other thinks to hell with it, lets go, well the pot starts boiling over, i did not realise how much a couple could discuss a subject yet still come to a zero conclusion. I understand family is important, more important than a dream, you seem to have made a good decision, good luck in the future, and may i wish you a Merry Christmas, thanks again!



Biggy,

Thankyou very much for a very honest reply, you are correct. Loved ones can fall from the perch at any time. I suppose you have to weigh up the risk factor, against how much you want it. But both of you have to be prepared to meet each other half way, if one is a little undecided. What ifs, are the root of lets not for a while, thank you all, for the replies, good luck, and have a bladdy great Christmas, all!

Wol

I wouldn't normally advise emigrating "blind" but in your case, with no real financial ties I would just come.

As has been said, apart from investigating areas to live, a validation trip's too much like a vacation: everything looks nice, sun's out and you don't have responsibilities. Nice, but a waste of money with regard to the official reason.

Come on a one-way ticket and (a) you've validated anyway (b) you save some cash (c) it ends the will-we-won't-we vacillation. With the money you save you can return if relatives croak.

Sooty and Sweep

Have to admit Wol, i am starting to think the advice you give is the correct advice, very honstly put by the way, thanks!

It's why i asked the question, not that i have any thought of regret in terms of gaining the visa, but i want some honesty, because at the end of the day, it is better to learn off others maybe regrets or mistakes, than make the same ones yourself. so thanks all!

If it saves me a few quid, or a bit of hassle, well my thread was well worth ten minutes in the making!