Hi everyone!

i'm new to here. I'm currently in Australia on a working holiday visa and am due to return to the uk in about 8 weeks. i will have been living with my boyfriend 3 days short of 12 months which is really annoying!

I'm getting really concerned as i've been told that the only way we can apply for a defacto visa is by me returning to Australia on an ETA tourist visa which means i wouldnt be able to work until the decision was made.. and i'd have to leave Australia while the visa was being granted. this all seems very dodgy to me. any advice anyone can give would be great!

Hiya Everyone

I'm Joolz (Whinging Pom) and my fiancee Nicola (dual national) both 27 years young and we are planning on emigrating Feb '08 to Queensland - probably Toowoomba up in the mountains as that's where Nic's family is at first and then down to the sunshine coast so we can be near the sea.

Haven't sent in my visa yet but its all filled out and just need to get my police checks and medicals done which should be ok as long as I don't rob banks or get the lurghey.

All this whilst planning a wedding this June (!!!)

Good luck everyone who is currently waiting!!

Hi Joolz, we'll be organising our wedding (next June) at the same time as the whole moving to Oz thing (next July/August hopefully) so hope it's not too stressful! My mate who got married last year thinks we're insane as organising her wedding took over her life, but I'm sure it doesn't have to if you don't let it (?!). I'm thinking as long as we're organised it'll be fine - and I am definitely list Queen so that's gotta help

It is a bit stressful at the moment - thankfully my better half is quite good at organizing

I think I saw from earlier posts that you are getting married in Cornwall? That's cool - I grew up in Falmouth, we were originally going to marry there but we've changed venues so many times and now we are set on Bristol.
I also learnt to Scuba dive at Maenporth (just down the road from Falmouth) back in 1995 - we keep meaning to get the Nicola qualified, although we might wait until next year - better to do it in warm clear water!!

My parents live in Falmouth! We're getting married at Pendennis Castle and then having the reception at St Michael's Hotel on the front there. Should be nice, I love it down there.

I've done some diving at Maenporth as well, I love the diving around Cornwall, especially the Manacles etc (v handy that my parents live there!).

Thething to remember about Australia House too is that they are extremely fussy about your passport photos!!!! OH had his done in an official booth in B'ham but they were inadequate by Aussie standards, had to have them done again in London at a cost of £8 before they could process his application!!!!! C x

Hi Shiels

Same thing happened to me at Australia House in Manchester (back in 2004, when it was still open). I had to go to Jessops across the road and have them re-done.

I was worried about the kids photos when I went to Edinburgh the other week because the kids didn't come with us. What I did do though, was take the page off the passport website into the local photographers and ask him to make the photos to the exact measurements, which he did. The lady at Edinburgh also told me that they are ever so slightly more lenient with children under 10. Anyway passports now in hand to luckily everything went well.

Louise

I went to a wedding in Pendennis castle a couple of years ago - it was very good they lit it all up at night too which was very nice.

Fingers crossed for good weather!

My folks live near Constantine so am always popping down there to see them. If everything goes according to plan we'll be having our last (for a while at least) UK Christmas there this year and then we'll be off!

Shiels - Did they say why the photos weren't good enough? Just wondering if i might need to take extra photos as a precaution!

Wrong size apparently, the booth ones are no good apparently!!! C x

"Four* recent passport-size photographs (45mm x 35mm) of yourself
and any other person included in this application. These should be of
the head and shoulders only, and should show the person facing the
camera and against a plain background. You should print the name
of the person on the back of each photograph."

I guess I'll make a note of that!

We followed that, but hey thats their purgative to be choosey, he got the passport so alls well that ends well......(or something like that!!!) C x

Hi Joolz,

Sounds like you have the visa stuff all sorted, and can concentrate on the wedding.

Just remember that the day is about you two and not all the family/friends and their expectations and I'm sure all will be well (I used to be in the hotel business and organised more weddings than I care to remember!!!)

Staff

Hi all, just thought i would mention get 6 passport photos done for your visa application, as you need the extra 2 for the xray and medical forms.We found out that little annoying fact as we were on the way to Bristol for the Xrays/medcials.

Hi,
I'm a Newbie, I've been looking at the BE forum for a couple of weeks now ( wish i had found it a few months ago).
I'm the Aussie but I've been living over here for the last 17 yrs!! applied for the citizenship by decent at the end of January for my three children. Their citizenship certificates arrived in the post two weeks later! I couldn't believe it.
We are going to be heading to Brisbane first.my brothers there. Will then have a good look round deciding between Bayside suburbs and the Sunshine coast.
I havent sent OH application in yet as after reading this forum have noticed that everyone is frontloading application.OH booked in for XRAY Friday!
I have a Question
I have filled out the 47SP form but am now wondering should i be filling out the Application for Grant of Australian Citizenship form instead(124) !
We have been married 8.5 years and have 3 kids age 6 , 5 & 3 My head is completely frazzled with this.OH want to be gone by August!
Any advise would be appreciated
Also I have 2 stepsons they are not coming with us and they are both over 18 I have put them on form , was this the right thing to do?
Thankyou everyone for Info that I have gained from browsing this site.I'm addicted to it now.

We sent my application for my spouse visa on the 26th of Feb, checked the bank account on the 28th and they have had their money, (suprise) does anyone know how long the current turn around time is? how long does the medical take? etc it would be good to here