Child with a brain disorder
 

Hi Everyone,

Could anyone give me some advice on how I go about finding out if my child will be accepted on a visa 176.

My daughter has a brain disorder called Arnold Chiari Malformation and has had two lots of brain surgery. At present she is doing very well. The only medication she has is Calpol to stop the headaches whenever she gets one which isnt vey often. She also has learning difficulties in her school work but thats not really one of my worries unless this can also affect our application.

We are currently going through the immigrations process at present which is in the hands of a solicitor in London and i'm a little worried that we are spending a lot of money on the application to be turned down. I have asked our soilcitor to find out if this will affect our application but all i get told is that he is unsure if it will.

My husband and I have spent quite a lot of money already on this process and i'm now worried that our solicitor is scamming us out of money as i believe he should know the answers to my questions especially when he is registered Mara agent. I feel that he knows what they will say, but he is happy to keep taking our money untill the end when they turn us down.

I hope someone can help me before I lose anymore money as im getting stressed out about the whole thing :(

Re: Child with a brain disorder
 

It's difficult to say as only the Dr's on the migration panel can make the decision however there are some Mara registered agents who specialise in medical application. I'll move this thread to the immigration forum and see if any of the migration agents can help.

All the best for the littleone and good luck with the application mate.

Re: Child with a brain disorder
 

It is quite unusual for a solicitor to be handling an immigration application, why are you using a solicitor rather than a migration agent?

When there are medical issues it is very important to be using a migration agent that specialises in such things. I don't know that yours is scamming you per se, but perhaps he is not specialised in this field.

I was a bit concerned about your comment that you are not worried about her learning difficulties unless it affects your visa application. Do you not think you should consider what assistance she may receive as part of this wider process?

Based upon my two years of reading around, the assistance in Australia is way behind anything in the UK and there is a catch 22 in that if she passes the medical then she is unlikely to qualify for much assistance.

Re: Child with a brain disorder
 

I have the same concern as Bermuda - why are you using a solicitor? You really need the help and advice of a MARA registered agent. There are two who are brilliant at the medical issue side of things. They are Peter Bollard and George Lombard. It would be well worth your time to contact either of them (first 15 minute consult should be free) and see what they think. It would put your mind at rest.

The panel doctor will need all your child's records and they could require a second opinion. Also if granted, you could find that you have less time to validate - some meds require validation within 6 months instead of 12 months.

Good luck.

Re: Child with a brain disorder
 

Hiya

Thanks for your replies. My solicitor is an Australian solicitor who live in the UK and he is also a registered Mara agent and deals with lots of Australian migration application so i beleive. I found him on the mara agents website so thought i'd use him as being a soilcitor was an added bonus and that he would be able to help me more especially if i needed any legal advice.

I am going to contact one of the men you have suggested to see what they think it and hopefully they may be able to give me some good news.

Thanks again for your replies im very grateful :)

Re: Child with a brain disorder
 

Peter Bollard seems to be the best one to use, a friend of mine used him, and the person had HIV. Still got the visa

Re: Child with a brain disorder
 

Was this friend applying for a visa with a health waiver, spouse, etc? At least in the past, it was effectively impossible to get a non-health waiver visa with HIV.

Re: Child with a brain disorder
 

Or possibly a 457 visa?

Re: Child with a brain disorder
 

i am not sure that this concern is really a topic in this particular post - I think perhaps a little outside of scope. i am sure you are being helpful but you sound a little off which I dont think is your intention - and I know that as a parent it can be a touchy subject. I am sure the poster will be considering the wider impact on her daughter.

Since on the topic though, personally i have found the level of treatment, options and care given to my daughter to be outstanding although you have to do a lot of research to make sure that you are getting offered the best.

As here, dependent on where you live in the uk, that care varies. i think once you get a medicare card then you are entitled to anything available through the hospitals but perhaps someone else could confirm that if the OP does want to pursue that line of question.

Good luck!

Re: Child with a brain disorder
 

That may be true but as you will know there are many needs that have to be met outside of hospital/medical care. Provision made within schools in some areas of Australia is not as good as what is widely made available in the UK from what I have researched when it comes to TA's, student support, specialist provisions etc.

Re: Child with a brain disorder
 

Why not? I have seen so many people on here who blissfully believe everythng in Australia is better than in the UK and assume that healthcare and educational assistance will be the same as ... if not better to standards at home. I assume that is why OP is not worried.

From my reading around, I gather that this is not the case. And thus I think it is helpful to point it out.

I don't care if you think it is "a bit off". Perhaps you lecturing about what people may and may not include in their responses is also off topic. :frown:

Re: Child with a brain disorder
 

do you have a child with a disability? all I am saying is the post could be read to insinuate that the person wasnt considering their child just their visa status - whcih I am sure was not what was meant.

Personally I have found school support fantastic here, much better than what was available where I lived in wales. I have 2 children with disabilities, one with a brain disorder. but that is not the debate here. All I was saying is that the post could be read as quite offensive when one asks about a particular topic and then instead gets a slightly patronising post about "do you not think you should consider" - the OP has said that is not something they are worried about - they have probably got that in hand or subject to another question elsewhere. I think it was a little insensitive but then again, forums tend to be because I know I write what I think without going through a 2 hour consideration of my words......

Re: Child with a brain disorder
 

This is true. I get most things now through hospital or treatment plan or private health cover - I still managed to spend 15k last year down from 30+ but then again that is because perhaps I choose to do more than the essential. also it depends where you live in the UK. In wales where I lived the school support is not worth having - here we have had to fight off people wanting to help. They have really gone above and beyond and offer all sorts of things from riding lessons, sailing lessons, one on one teaching etc.

I am not in the Australia australia fan club either. this is just the experience i have had in that part of my life here.