jutang

i have heard of peeps getting automatic upgrade. See what IMMI says but I think they will tell you to apply for a PMV. We are getting married @ Rainbow Bay - its near the NSW & QLD border, yeh exciting and stressful!!!! Your choice chicke, but im sticking with my PMV, feels a whole less stressful , than trying to submit extra evidence and not having it.

jutang

what about defacto - common law ?

BeccaW

yeh tricky one. I kind of booked the wedding for then because of the visa, although would prefer to do it later I guess.
I'm just still not convinced that immi will accept that we are in what is generally classed as de-factor, common law husband and wife when we have only lived together for 12 months.
I think I will look back on this forum and search to see if anyone else was ever in same situation and what visa they got.

jutang

yeh possibly thinking UK law, but you are applying for defacto as you do not intend to marry, Becca and I do, so the defacto wouldnt be for us, even if it is cheaper. Also looks like alot of evidence is needed to prove a life long commitment to each other, which wil seem hard to prove for myslef and OH, when we havent even lived together by ourselves but always with our parents as saving for wedding, Europe and to buy a house. The Interdependency can be used for straight couples, it is generally used for gay and lesbian couples , but is an option for a straight couple.

jutang

Just give immi a call, they close @ 4pm Let us know what they say.

BeccaW

Can't call from work - shouldn't even be on here but done nothing but look at this website all day!
Yeh I think you are right jutang. It may be possible for me to get the de-facto spouse visa, but I would be way too worried that I don't have enough evidence so no point. May as well go with the PMV and if they upgrade me then fine, if not then at least (hopefully!) they will give me that. It's just the extra cost 9 months down the line and all the agro of more forms etc. But I spose nicer to be form filling on the verandah in a bikini than still sitting here!!!

Ooh, Rainbow Bay sounds nice. will you be living there? what are the house prices like? all the house prices look much more expensive now than I thought they were. Very disappointing. I wanted room for a few horses at the end of my garden!

jutang

Same im in work too!! Cant help myself!! I have been told the 2nd stage visa isnt as half as bad as the PMV stage, so dont worry, PM a person called Phoenix or Pollyana, they have done it all and will be able to advise better than me if PMV or Defacto, but everyone on the forum who has got married in OZ has applied for the PMV, its the right visa for your reasons to emigrate so prob best to go with it.
We wil be living on the Gold Coast , but are geting married @ Rainbow Bay, its only 20 mins away form where OH parents live.
Its cheaper to buy a plot of land and build a house, but in OZ you also get whats called a home starter allowance, which is $20000, so that can help with a deposit, thats why I said to you about gutting Canada short, concentrate on buying your house an loads of land for horsies!!

BeccaW

$20000??!!! and they just give this to you??! do you have to pay it back?! that's amazing. yer but we will make good money on the ranch out in the middle of nowhere! OH is a cowboy you see ... we met in the outback on a station in WA! going to have a slightly more civilised life when we get back tho - somewhere near Cairns.

when do you think you'll be going then?

I see it as my right not to do any work now as I've already handed my notice in! ha ha!

jutang

Yep they just give it, OH mate has just bought a house and got it, dont think you have to pay it back. It may be different rules in different states and may not apply to NSW, NT, WA, VIC, but applies to QLD for defo!! ranch sounds fab, but be aware of the draught thing going on in northen QLD, situation wont get any better. We are going to Cairns for our honeymoon. We are off beg of July,we wil do a stint in Europe in June, so giving up work in June, until then saving like crazy!! What does your OH do in the UK ?

BeccaW

I just looked up that home loan grant and a lot of places said $7000 but didn't look too closely - but still, that is good enough for me! corr, they'd never do anything like that here, would they!
Yeh ideally I would live further south where it will be a bit cooler, but OH is insistent so going there to start with and will complain loudly if I don't like it.
OH was working in a slaughterhouse (some people hate the thought of it!) - killling pigs for meat basically. Well it wasn't like he was going to go from station life to a desk job! he had to quit after new year tho cos his UK working holiday visa only entitles 12 months working, so he is watching A LOT of TV at home right now. We're living with my parents till we take off.

Just nicked loads of paper clips from work and some big envelopes for my application! I'm off tomorrow to have my meds and then posting it Monday so need to put it all together this weekend. Not sure if I will be relieved to send it off, or even more petrified!

so are you planning on building a house or buying one? it will be so weird to finally be settled somewhere. Feel like I have been living in limbo for so many years.

jutang

Oh maybe its $7000, my OH prob wasnt listening properly to his mates!! U know what men are like!!
good luck with your application sending off!!Ring immi tomrrow as you are off and if you are stuck on anything, they wil help you loads or email me!!Good luck with meds, remember be as honest as you can, as lonbg as you are averagly healthy you wil be fine!!
we prob will build as OH is a carpenter, see wat happens , I know what you mean about limbo!!

Timbo-Em

The first home buyers grant is $7000 from the federal government. Some states offer further discounts with stamp duty and the like but that is state specific.

Now that I have been made suitably paranoid we are going to get a joint will as evidence to support that our relationship is genuine and continuing! £50 bob, can't complain about that!

pomgrrl

hi folks, hubby had decided he would like to completley retrain as a brickie, does any one know what courses he could do as a complete beginner? in SA.

Poppydreams

Bosola - I agree with Jutang. It is entirely up to you, but you can get your medicals done prior to sending in application and then 'frontload' the medicals. In our case, my OH first went to get the X-ray done. Then after, took the x-ray (which is sealed) to the panel doctor for his medical. It is my understanding and our experience, that after the examination, the doctor then prepared the report and sent it directly (by courier which you can opt to pay extra for) to the IMMI. What happens is because you put your details on the medical examination forms these are then held at Australia House until your Application arrives and they then match it up. After the doctor sent my husbands medicals, we emailed the contact centre to check they had received them. I also agree that once you have your Aussie passport, you should consider obtaining citizenship by descent for your 5 children as this will certainly be a lot less hassle and a lot less expensive than if they go on your wife's application. If they went on the application they would have to have medicals as well. Hope this helps and Good luck

HullyBullys

Hi

We are in the process of gathering the information for my wifes spouses visa and was looking into who could certify the copies.

Now if i read the information correctly, then a fully quilifies teacher is able to certify out documents.

I am reading that right or does it need doing by a solicitor?

cheers all