HarryBosch

If we get a yes all Christmases are cancelled cause I'll never get a better present.

old.sparkles

You're right - partner visa is only just over $3k with additional $1.5k for dependants - total around $4.6k or GBP2700 ish. Spouse visas from the UK take around 6 months.

Don't forget to add in costs of medicals (around 600 - 700 GBP) and police checks (I think it's the cheapest part of the process, 70 quid maybe )

bagdog

If I am accepted, the big if then we will be taking very little.
No container for me, we've worked it out and it's just not worth it. We'll be taking our suitcases and that's about. With different voltage and plugs, and potential transport damage, all my gadgets and gizmos will need replacing there.

Furniture can be replaced and at £4k - £5k for the cost of the average container, I've decided you can buy an awful lot of furniture and bits for that.
Rent furnished for the start and when we get allocated a station, rent an unfurnished and fill it as we go along.

I think getting there with $10k will be enough to see us through and be able to live comfortably until we find our feed.

old.sparkles

In terms of electrical bits - Australis is same voltages and frequencies - just different plugs (painful to wire). Best advice is get 4 way power boards and switch the plug on that then all UK devices plug into board with original plug (handy for devices with transformer plugs such as phones) There is also a lack of sockets in a lot of houses. We have mostly UK plugs still with exception of few bits.

We only made the move in April - all the TV's work fine, as does young sparks Xbox, PS3 etc, power tools, washing machine and fridge.

Cheap furniture shops would be Ikea, Amart, fantastic furniture. Small household from Kmart, bigger elec Good Guys.

If you notify airline that you are migrating, you can get double baggage allowance with an unvalidated visa and one way ticket giving 40+KG each.

gregster10217

Phew, was thinking for a minute I'd got it wrong about UK electrical stuff working in Aus. The stuff we'll be looking at taking will be our new ish sofa and dining suite, our bed, our sons bed, small kitchen appliances (leaving the big ones when renting the house), bikes, BBQ, petrol mower, bags of fishing gear, tools, etc, etc. Probably won't take the TV, it's a consideration, but will be taking my fairly expensive amp/speakers, PS3, as well as any other stuff we've accumulated over 15 1/2 years together. Some of it will be easy to leave behind and replace over there (book shelves, chests of drawers etc to which there are no emotional attachments), but I figure it would cost us a lot more than the cost of a container to replace it once there. Our son has a ton of Lego that we'd never be forgiven for leaving behind!

Maddjose

Hi all that don't know me, I'm Daz, 42. Engaged with 2 skids aged 8 years & 22 months. 10.5 years in, all front line with last 3.5 years as a spud gunner, I trained with Bagdog, different force tho, so hoping we can repeat the experience down under.

We'll be selling the house here and hoping to take 6-12 months rent with us. Looking at half a container with our electricals beds kids essentials etc. Got an ace quote and have decided its cheaper taking our clobber with us. I've got family in Oz but unfortunately for me, they're in Brisbane!!

old.sparkles

No problems with any of the TV's here

You will need to make sure bikes and lawnmower are spotless as they will probably want to inspect those. We didn't bring garden stuff but did one bike which was fine. Any tools need to be clean too. If I had of thought of it, I would have bought new mower in UK and shipped it - they are quite expensive here

Dinger Bell

We are a family of 5 and our budget for moving over is
All GBP.
Visas 4100
Medicals 1100
Flights 3700
Container 4000
Travel, hotel etc to airport 300
Hire car 500
Accom. 2000

That is just the bare essentials. It's a no return situation for us, so we are committing 110% if selected.

I don't know of many married coppers with kids who have that fund sloshing around in a savings account so it all has to come from house sale in UK. We've been for sale for 9 weeks now. Fingers crossed.

gregster10217

Thanks Sparkles. My two bikes are worth about £3k combined, so definitely don't want to be replacing them! I keep them pretty clean anyway, but will give them an extra special clean just before they get packed, IF they get packed. I'll also get the mower serviced and cleaned here just prior to packing. Only cost about £45 this year, and I guessing all fluids, not just petrol, will need to be drained? It wasn't an expensive mower by any means, just seems pointless leaving it if we have space in the container for it, and it's one less expense once we get there.

old.sparkles

The removals guys will tell you what you need to do when they quote, but you're spot on - if there's room, may as well bring it. Cheap petrol mower is around $300 I think (Bunnings will give you a price online)

Dinger Bell

For those whose partners are as organised as mine, you can always share a container and keep the costs down. We have given much thought previously to the shipping situation and as there are certain items that must be shipped such as family mementos we decided it made sense to get as much stuff shipped as would fit in the container making it more economical. We have a 4 bed house full of stuff that would make a pittance if we sold it second hand so decided we would just ship it and replace it when knackered or worn out.

old.sparkles

You're under on the visa cost - prices went up 1st Sept and are

Main applicant $3520; additional applicants >18 $1760; additional applicants<18 $880 (https://www.immi.gov.au/fees-charges...cing-table.pdf)

Total cost 2 adults, 3 children is $7920 or around 4700GBP with todays exchange rate

Cost of medicals is here - http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=758390 - but you look pretty good on that cost

Dinger Bell

Old Sparks.

I only said my partner is organised. She obviously can't do the maths!

old.sparkles

Not everyone is aware that the prices went up again in Sept after the rises in July - before July, you'd have paid $3k for all of you, or around 2grand - very steep rises

VikkiShields

Hi we are looking at taking a container over with bikes and bike carrier kids toys and scooters pushchair cot's beds etc. before we had the baby we were just going to replace things but now we taking clothes over for the next year as they are expensive. I been told to take tags and packaging off anything new as they charge you tax on it when it gets to oz. I also was told scrub everything till its spotless which is going to be hard with our bike carriers as its been to many a festival and been pushed and dragged through many muddy fields typical English weather.