FPM

Did mine in 04. I can't remember a gap between applying and getting an interview. I'm pretty sure I filled in the forms, went to DIMA in the City and just waited for my turn. Guy checked all the forms and that was it. I may have had to apply for an interview but I don't remember if I did.

I do remember my interview was in Jan and my ceremony was in April. Local ceremonies, I was told go on about a 3mth cycle, so i guessed I had just missed one.

thunderbird65

we could have applied in may 07 for c,ship, but at our age why bother, we need to get set up in uk again and really we are not going to go back again to oz once we are set up, If our kids want to return then thats up to them. What if we gained citizenship to oz then our kids went to canada or somewhere else.

Its very easy when in your comfort zone to say wish we had stayed abroad years ago

Now when in a bar if anyone says 'the uk is a sh*tole' I ask them where else in the world they have lived to make the comparison they say 'err nowhere' they simply havnt tried to improve their lot here or tried to move abroad tofind out what life can offer. Not like us who tried it elsewhere

Rascal

That is so true.
Most Brits who complain (like I did too) about Uk simply hasn't been anywhere else to live. Its only after you have lived elsewhere (and not liked it) that you appreciate the Uk with open arms. I know I will NEVER knock the Uk again, just wished I could go back.
(Yes been back since living in NZ, so had a month to check it out again)

valitus

The flaw in your argument is that you are all minorities.

Sure you have decided that your new country is not for you but out of all the ones who go wherever only a small percentage go back to the UK.

Whatever your reasons for not liking your new country or it just didnt live up to what you thought it was does not mean that the UK is the best place on the planet.

I think you ought to get things into perspective before you state your claims.

thunderbird65

and you need to check the facts about how many return to their native country. many more than you think. selective viewingfrom those who like it abroad and those who have not yet lived abroad

valitus

OK post the figures that you have then and lets see exactly how many do return permanantly.

lapsed kiwi

Yes, I'd love to see some hard "facts" - this must be one of the most-often quoted statistics but I've never seen an actual factual reference

Rascal

Valitus, are you stalking me?
Have you lived in either NZ or Australia yet?
If so, where and how long?
just curious, like you.

valitus

Yep i have read a lot of the " i am going back " threads and a lot of them sound strange.

I admit it must be devastating if you are stuck in a place that you hate and extremely unhappy but some of the reasons put forward for going back seem as if they hide an alternative truth.

I would love to see some good hard figures as we know that around 350,000 leave the UK each year so how many of those 350,000 come back?

valitus

No not NZ or Oz but i aint been back to the UK for a long time doesnt matter where i am yet, but i do understand what people go through when living in a new country where ever it is.

Rascal

Well I can only speak for myself and friends who I know have gone back to the UK from NZ or OZ, and I can 100% honestly say their reasons are very genuine. Dislike of the place, poor wages, high taxes, high cost of living, poor climate, poor housing standards and in lots of cases a much poorer lifestyle.
Not what they were expecting/promised. Job not matching its description.
The list is endless but true all the same.

Old William

So give us some hard facts - as opposed to opinion - about what makes the UK a poor place to live

valitus

OK i can accept that but from what you have stated on their reasons means only one thing......they didnt do their homework before they went!!!!!!!


Poor wages ? Well i wouldnt have said the UK was top of the league but i suppose it depends on your job, tax and cost of living.

Climate???? Well i know the UK has suddenly gone hot but it wasnt always that way.

Housing?????? Not many countries build houses the way the UK does and the UK wont be very soon either ( Un-enviromental or whatever the word is )

valitus

You put words in my mouth, i never said that the UK was a poor place to live.

But--------

Council tax.....Bad idea as over 25% of this just goes to pay Council workers etc pensions, rising every year with more council workers and living longer.
Totally unsustainable and a real problem that can only be sorted by no pensions.

High Tax rate to pay for a real bad system of goverment.

Near Future probs if/when the SNP gets in and divides the UK.

Too many people per size of country.


You should know if you live there

Rascal

Valitus, people DO do their homework as best they can, but nothing can prepare you for actually living here. Anyway, you shouldn't let it bother you so much, its obvious from your post you will end up in either Nz or OZ and live happily ever after.
Good Luck, keep doing your homework and you'll get lucky.
Yeh right!!