Nice one Jools I agree! I only found BE coz I was blundering around looking for info on the web, feeling very scared about it all and thought 'I wonder if there are any other expats around in cyberspace I could talk to?', and lo and behold stumbled on the massive support network that is BE
Book the meds too now and released the funds to pay for it all...
Now moving in to the most tense part of the process I think!
Off to look at some photos from the last 4 years to scan and send off with the app. Hopefully this will indicate to DIAC that our relationship is genuine and ongoing! Hope all's plodding along just as nicely with everyone else on here...except a thunderstorm just ruined 2 loads of washing for me

Hi pursers,

My wife is the Aussie and she got Aus citzenship for our 2 pommie boys over here (London) - alot easier. The spousal visa is very fast once you have all the docs in. Took less than a month and we had only 6 months to validate.
Just got back from Perth to validate thats where all the family lives. I would recommend checking it out. I thoroughly enjoyed it there. Now I have to find a job and go back permanently.

Is that standard to only have 6 months to validate? I always thought it was a year.

Thanks for all the super replies everyone - was panicking a bit yesterday about the medical forms (don't ask!!) but am now feeling much better in part thanks to all of YOU
Its got me thinking about the Oz Citizenship for the tiny pumpkin though...
Intersting q about the validation - I thought it was 12 months too.
Wishing you all a hassle-free and constructive week ahead. We'll all get there in the end...with some help from each other

My wife's visa says that she has until 18 May 2008. We are validating in August.

I got my Spousal visa in April and it said I had until October to be in Australia

strange isnt it that some are 6 months and some are a year? I wonder why?

Isn't the 6 month / 12 month validation period to do with if they think your status might change, ie from your medical results / police checks, or maybe age related?

Well I'm an oldie, and I have until March 2008. Hope to be going around September though. Q

Good news peeps - got an email from Australia High Commission today saying that I've given them enough evidence for a Permanent visa!! I've got to be there by March 23rd 2008!!!

Hurrah!-well done thats great

But now I'm thoroughly confused-you've got 9 months to validate correct? and then some folks get 6 and some 12???? I always thought it was definitely 12 to validate and was planning my app around this (as I have to time in with possible 5 months quarantine wait for dogs, house sale etc)-now Im not so sure if I should apply this month after all if I am only going to have 6 or 9 months and not 12?? Can anyone enlighten me as to why it differs?

PS perhaps it's because some people have had their police check or x-ray done 3-6 months before sending visa app?-as I thought you had 12 months to validate from date on either police check/x-ray/medical-whichever is earliest??

As you've just said - it is dependent on date of police check/medical as they 'expire' after 12 months so you have to validate before that happens. But of course you have to wait until you get the ok from immi and that is why the sometimes less than 12 mths validation period. Joolz and I didn't send app off until start of June (3 months after doing police check/med)

x Joolz' new wife, Nic

woo hoo!! Big congrats!!

Cheers for that!