mlbonner

Hi,

I've put together this list of thing that may help people at various stages of their visa process.

If anyone has anymore useful links etc please feel free to add them


Medical Information:
Medicals are extremely straight forward and nothing to worry about (and to be fair if you encounter a problem that prevents you from getting your visa, you probably have more important things to worry about anyway!)

All medicals seem to vary slightly in order and content but generally they are;
- Urine test
- Blood test for HIV (& Hep if you have tattoos/piercing)
- Weight & height (people with BMI’s up to 40 have got through so don’t worry if you’re overweight!)
- Eyes, ears, throat check
- Reactions test ie: knee jerk test
- Heart and chest listened to
- BP measured
- X-ray of chest taken

Bloods take a week for the results; if you don’t hear anything then they are normal.

All you need to take with you is two passport photos, the forms & yourself!

To get the forms you need to email the below address, stating name, postal address, type of visa applied for, how many copies of the forms you need & the age of each applicant.
[email protected]

Cost of medicals:
Again, these seem to vary but between about £140-£170 is a good average, about half the price for a child under 11.

Children’s medicals
Under 11 just the medical
11+ years medical & X-ray
15+ years full medical inc. HIV test


Police Checks:
- Apply at your local police station for a UK check. cost £10
- If you’ve been in Australia for over 12months (or close to) in total in the past ten years you’ll also need a check from there - http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/pdf/1101.pdf cost 36AUD


Where to send your application forms into:
If you’re applying to AHC the address is

Migration Branch
Australian High Commission
Strand London
WC2B 4LA




Useful links and websites:
AHC - http://www.australia.org.uk/vti/HTML/index.html
DIMIA - http://www.immi.gov.au
FORMS - http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/
FEES - http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/990i.htm
DOCTORS - http://www.australia.org.uk/vti/FORMS/DOCTORS.PDF
IARC - http://www.iarc.asn.au

AGENTS
- http://www.austimmigration.com.au/
- http://www.gomatilda.com.au/


MONEY TRANSFER
- http://www.tranzfers.com/
- http://www.hifx.com/

SHIPPING
- http://www.a1box.co.uk/acatalog/products.html#a15
- http://www.removalboxes.co.uk/index.php
- http://www.excessbaggage.co.uk/
- http://www.allied-pickfords.co.uk/
- http://www.pss.uk.com/movingoverseas.htm

AQIS (CUSTOMS) - http://www.affa.gov.au/index.cfm

TAX INFO - http://www.ato.com.au/

JOBS
- http://www.seek.com.au/
- http://www.michaelpage.com.au/
- http://careerone.com.au/

USEFUL OZ LINKS
- http://www.ourbrisbane.com.au/
- http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/
- http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/
- http://www.visitmelbourne.com/
- http://www.adelaide.sa.gov.au/
- http://www.perth.wa.gov.au/
- http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/
- http://www.nationalcapital.gov.au/

- http://www.whereis.com.au/whereis/home.jsp

- http://www.movingdownunder.co.uk/files/start.php



Some useful things to do once you have your visa!
1) MAKE A LIST!!.
2) Cancel all contracts, telephone, utilities, mobile phone, house insurance, community charge etc. Always best to do it in writing and keep a copy.
3) Cancel standing orders, direct debits etc. for the above and make sure you cancel with the bank as well as the company. If you have yearly subscriptions to anything make sure they are cancelled as they are easy to overlook.
4) Driving licence - notify DVLC of address change, and cancel your car insurance, get letter confiming No Claims Bonus as you can use it in Australia.
5) Notify, tax office, insurance company (life insurance etc.) if you have shares notify company of change of address.
6) Send back as much junk mail with "moved and gone away return to sender" on them (cuts down on mail needing to be redirected) best to start this a few months in advance.
7) Sort out your mail redirection.
8) If you have bought a laptop to use while PC is transported, don't forget to copy across all your email addresses, contacts and favourite sites as well as copies of all documentation that you may require.
9) Arrange to ship your belongings, see shipping. for list of companies.
10) Book your flights, see travel for good deals on flights.
11) Mobile - should work in Australia but you may need to "unlock" it. Some Nokia Models can be unlocked for £3.50 BY EMAIL . See Phone Freedom or take a look at Unlocking Mobiles. Once unlocked you can buy a pay as you go SIM in Australia for about $25.
12) If you have children, get school reports, vaccination records. (medical notes if possible).
13) Decide on Australian Bank Account. If you going to open an offshore account do it before leaving UK.
14) Make a will. If you make a will in Australia it overides any UK will, its best to have a Uk one covering UK assetts and an Oz one covering Oz assetts but have reference in the Oz will referring to UK one..
15) Book your flight. Also get your accomodation arranged

Springo

Hi MLBonner

Thanks for this, really useful, we are still at TRA stage so have stored this for future reference.

Many thanks

Julia

PommieLeague

Very good information there Michelle!! Thanks for all that, have copied and saved for (near) future use!

mlbonner

VERY near I'm sure - on here everyday looking for your got it post at the moment

DunRoaminTheUK

Hi Michelle.

I am slightly concerned by the above.

My wife lived in Australia for 11 months using a WHV (Working Hol) type visa but then went back on an ETA (Tourist) visa for 2 weeks. This brings her dangerously close to 12 months total in a 10 year period.

Can anyone advise me (to settle my nerves) whether staying in Australia on an ETA can be counted as "time living in Australia" and in either case, will 11 months 2 weeks (or just 11 months) require my wife to obtain an Australian police check?

We have already applied for our BN-136 and so I am concerned that my wife will need to obtain both UK and Australian police checks?

Thanks.

mlbonner

Hi there

It seems to be a bit inconsistent when you hit the 11-13month period within OZ. I broke the 52 weeks whilst on an ETA and then a year later a WHV for a year, I applied for a police check because of the backlog & then was never asked for it (have my visa now, but still no Aus PCC!!)

There are people on here who spent 11 months on a WHV in OZ and have been asked for an Aussie police check.

I think at the moment they have got the wait back down to just a couple of weeks, so if you were requested one (you wont be rejected because you didnt submit one) then you actually have 47 days to submit it anyway. If you're waiting to hear about your visa before you get your UK checks then you may want to just wait to hear about the Aussie ones I guess.

I'd hate to tell you to do one thing or another - what I would say though, is the check costs about 15 quid & I did it to give me peace of mind

LauranJ

Hi,

Just wanted to say a big thanx for this information, I am finding everything a bit daunting at the moment and everything in one place will certainly make things alot easier. I have also saved this for future reference. Just need to get the ball rolling!!!

Must've taken you ages!! But well worth it.

Laura

DunRoaminTheUK

Hi again.

Just out of curiosity, if DIMIA request Police Checks, what happens if you wait to apply until you are asked for it and it (or any check of any sort in fact) takes more than 47 days to arrive on your doormat? Does this mean that the original application is consequently rejected?

How do medicals and Police Checks fit into the time-frame? Is it prudent to try and pre-empt their request and get them done BEFORE DIMIA request them?

What worries me, is the 12-month validity rule. What if my wife applies for her Australian PC now, gets it back in 3 weeks but we end up waiting more than 12 months for assessment? Is this a potentially realistic situation?

Cheers.

mlbonner

Hi

I didnt apply for that sort of visa, so I'm not too sure on the answer I'm afraid (had a max of 4 months for a spouse visa). But, if it takes more than 47days to arrive (as it has done recently) people have emailed their case officers to explain the situation and have all been granted extra time for it.

Someone whos been granted the same visa as you may be more help than me with this hopefully

PommieLeague

Cant wait to announce it!! Ive even got the celebrities booked for the event!! Its showtime as they say....

I was in Aus on a WH visa but only for 7.5 months so i shouldnt need a Aussie police check should i?

mlbonner

Would have said you'd be completely fine, just seems to be the borderline people.

Which celebrities do you have? I went for Brad & Jennifer, but could only get French & Saunders in the end

claire edwards

I was in Australia for 11 months and was asked to provide an Australian police check. Why don't you get one organised? They are pretty straight forward and the processing times aren't that long. If you log into the Australian Federal Police website, you can down load the forms.

CCE

flowerkris

Thanks lot. Very very useful info.
Please keep it up.

I stored it for future use.

Good Luck to you and all !

Nige37

"What a star", excellent info and very helpfull to all of us waiting especially since you must be really busy getting ready for the off.

We are hoping to be in Brisbane late Oct/Nov if Visa's are through in time. Your doc will be well used in the preparation.

Good Luck hope it all goes smoothly for you.


Helen (Mrs Nige)

JayneS

defo get one done and apply asap due to wait - i was on whv for 11 months and then a holiday last year for 3 weeks and needed one.
Cheers