Margaret3

the main reason we are staying is so our teen can finish school, without another disruption to her education, this will also allow us to get citizenship.

Everyone is different and for us i think its a sensible thing to do now, i was so sure i would be fine here and now am not, now am sure i will be fine in the u.k and say am not, say i want to come back at some point (not likely though, but am playing it safe and getting citizenship). I can see my teen daughter wanting to return as some point as she has no issues with oz (although recently i can tell she is wanting to go back to scotland more and more), so i feel we should get citizenship for the kids also, as am sure when they are adults they will feel a pull towards aus, because of thier bloody stupid parents taking them there in the first place!!!

sylvesterthecat

I don't hate it here, I never said that, Australia is a great place and has some great opportunities - to me its just not home.
I'm not on pills or crying every day, I just want to go home for my own reasons and others that i'm not willing to divulge.. We've already done a year so its one more, just seems like a long time now that we've made the decision!
sometimes you have to make compromises and this is mine.

I was looking for other peoples experiences, so thank you to those who have shared... Much appreciated.

northernbird

Did you come to australia and validate your visas before 1st July 2007?

sylvesterthecat

yes. we came over in May 07 and got it validated.

northernbird

Cool, a lot of people don't realise that even though you may have received your visa it means didly until you actual validate.

johnno102

...and according to ATO it does...

http://www.ato.gov.au/super/content.....htm&page=3&H3

Not that it's necessarily a bad thing to diversify anyway...and it's because your PR/Citizenship gives you the lifelong right to retire here so it seems fair enough to me.

I'll be going back to Blighty myself soon after 2yrs in Perth, 2yrs in Sydney. Bought the T shirt Oz..see ya later!

chris mcgow

hi northernbird me and partner and 2 kids validated our visas on the 25th july 2007, do we wait 2 or 4 years for citizenship only i always thought i had 4 years to do. still in uk at moment hoping to move out early next year.

MrsB

That's interesting.....the things they'd have you believe to trap you in paradise!!!

I wouldn't mind their details - I have googled the above name and it came up with a website 4models.com.au - but on their home page they've spelt superannuation as supper annuation!!!!

northernbird

1st July was the date so you have 4 years to do.

theyoungs

Just to throw another question into the mix what if you have lived in Oz before for 7 months, went back home and then ping ponged back? I suppose what I am trying to ascertain is do you have to be in situ for 2 years (pre 2007 validated visas) OR will our previous 7 months count towards the 2 year rule?

Thanking anyone who could answer my query and it is purely just a query at this stage

Chelle

Rossi

What date did you FIRST validate your visa ?
If you Validated your visa AFTER July 1st 2007 ........4 years
How were you here for 7 months prior ? Were you on a different visa sticker in your passport ?

3 go mad in Adelaide

Personally, I am of the school of thinking that if you really know (and I mean REALLY know) that Aus is not for you then Citizenship isn't worth it. Apart from having to stay somewhere that you are not happy (and of course everyones version of this is different), you will leave the gateway open for 'ping-ponging'. Ok the option may sound good, but at some point I think you have to draw a line under it.

Of course this is only my opinion and having been through much in my Aus experience over the years (as I have outlined in other posts) I really need to put this all to bed now and get on with my life in the place I know I should be.

Citizenship is not for me - Blighty is where I want to be

JAJ

If you validated before 1 July 2007, then you need a total of 730 days in the 5 years before you apply for citizenship, including at least 365 days in the last 2 years.

The opportunty to apply under the 2 year rule closes on 30 June 2010.

Mikeyc

That’s incorrect, if you are a Citizen you can leave for however long you want and come back straight away, 5, 10, 15 or even 60 years no problems.

It’s only PR leaving that sometimes have problems getting back if they have been gone too long.

Mikey

theyoungs

Thank you for your reply.

However, by the "730 days in the 5 years before you apply for citizenship, including at least 365 days in the last 2 years" I am assuming that this period has not got to be within your 5 year visa period?

We were granted PR in January 2004 and validated and arrived in Australia on 18th April 2004. I suffered from homesickness and we all returned to the UK on 26th November 2004.

My husband wasn't too keen on returning so after 3 1/2 years back in the UK we decided to return whilst we still had the opportunity and give it another go.

As you can see by our time frame our PR visa would have been due to expire in January 2009 if we had not returned.

Therefore, am I understanding the above correctly by thinking that the above can be done within a 5 year time frame and not just the 5 year time frame of your visa OR will we NOT qualify for the 2 year ruling because we could not possibly fulfill the above criteria before the visa expiry of January 2009?

I am sorry for asking you to clarify yourself but I just want to make sure that I have understood your reply correctly.

Thanking you

Chelle