Originally Posted by Wendy

Just looked it up and it was the 2nd of June last year. I thought it was the school holidays before that because I left the UK on the 5th July, I didn't realise that we met so close to us moving.

I know when we met we were waiting for the house to sell, so can't really believe it went through within a month, it felt like years at the time

Originally Posted by sion

Well Hello Mrs JFW hope you remember me
we started out our journey virtually the same week back in April 2006 I still look at the spreadsheet now.
My missus got pregnant so we had to delay, I still remember your post when you got the Visa thinking It could have been me.
oh well I have a beautiful baby girl called Naomi 8 weeks old now and the visa quest is back on, medicals completed and sent just waiting for the e-mail.

our house is on the market (I hated the bloody decorating, de-cluttering and cleaning bit as well)
we are hoping to arrive in aus in October (now looking at Adelaide or melbourne)

good luck with the big move and congratulations on the Job Offer

Kind regards

Sion

Originally Posted by Mrs JFW

Its not an update thread in that I am out in Oz .... well not just yet anyway.

I just thought I would do a brief update of my past 12 months in the UK to give some hope for everyone at the beginning of the visa journey.

This time last year, I had a mountain of paper work sat on my dining room table, copies of certified documents and copies of copies, visa forms here, there and everywhere. Going to Australia seemed like a distant dream back then.

Somehow I managed to put all the bits of paper together in some kind of logical order and then spend 48 hours checking and rechecking them. The visa application was finally sent off on 27th April 2006.

I remember the excitement 2 weeks later when our visa application was acknowledged!

Then began the wait......

To keep ourselves busy during May and June, we had organised having our police checks and medicals done, and we sent these on unrequested. Everyday I tuned in to BE to see who was getting their visas and how quickly they were getting them. When we got to July I started (sadly) checking my email, just incase we got a (very early) visa grant. It became a daily ritual. As soon as I got home from my night shift, it was straight on the email and then with a disappointed sigh...take the kids to school.

On the 4th September, that ritual was interupted by the sad news of Steve Irwins tragic death. We were all glued to the TV watching the news. I took the kids to school and came back watching more TV footage. About 10.30 I reluctantly got up to check the email, expecting to see the usual barrage of spam in my inbox.....and there it was! the visa grant!
We could not bloody believe it! No case officer, just straight to grant in 4 months and 6 days to be exact!

It was then all systems go as we were booking a 4 week reccie to check out Brisbane and validate our wonderful visas.

In October we went off to Brisbane and had the best time! We really didn't want to come back, but we had a house to sell, but before that it needed some serious tarting up.

We got Christmas and New year out of the way and then started the decluttering.... and more decluttering....and painting, everything magnolia (mmm nice). And more painting and more decluttering.

Now while hubby was in the thick of all this painting and decorating, i decided that January/February would be a good time to start seeking out the job opportunites. I made an informal email enquiry to the Mater Adult Hospital in Brisbane and the next thing I know I am sat at my dining room table at 10pm with a glass of wine and many bits of paper around the place (again) being interviewed. The wine must have helped because they rang me at work about a week later and offered me a job! Things were starting to come together.

In March the house was ready to go on the market. Up went the For Sale sign and 3 weeks later we accepted an offer from 1st time buyers! infact the survey is being done today! We are hoping to complete by the end of July all being well.

So for all of you who are struggling through the mountains of paperwork of TRA's or the visa, in 12 months time, things could be very different! Good luck to you all.

I can't believe how lucky we have been. I just hope it doesn't run out!


Jackie x

Originally Posted by Issie

Oh Jackie....i am so happy for you , everything is just falling into place nicely.

I wish you all the luck int he world for you move to Ausrtalia..no one deserves it more than you