Where do we start?

[Janine and Richard]

Hi Guys

Really need your help! We have decided to make the jump and I have handed my notice in at work and booked our flights for 22nd Nov 09.

The only thing is I now know that time is ticking and it will go quickly but as I have never emigrated before I dont know where to start and in what order to start getting everthing ready to go. Please can someone give me a bit of an idea what to do next. Feel like this at the moment. Any help will be greatly appreciated regards Janine

[Dande]

Do you have you visa sorted already?

[Janine and Richard]

Hi Dande

We have had the visa's since Feb 09 and activated them Easter on a reccie. We were going to send Hubby over before Feb 10 and the rest of us follow Jun after exams but the kids have said let's go and not wait. So I have booked the flights for 22nd Nov 09 and now panicking as I know the time will go really quickly but dont know what needs doing first.

So if you can give me some ideas where to start that would be great.
Regards Janine

[nishman]

Short term accomodation for when you arrive (I see you're looking at OAA on this front), maybe car rental too?
Update CV/Resume and get references. Start contacting agencies - they will be more inclined to talk to you if you have a firm date of arrival.
Shippers ? "Important docs" and "priceless memories" could ideally go as air freight?
There's the usual change of address stuff of course (including a international re-direction from post office) when you have an address. We re-directed to mother-in-law and set up the international after we had a "permanent" address.
Start informing DSS and tax office to get any benefits (e.g. child) stopped and tax refunds back.
There's a few to think over :)

[nishman]

Short term accomodation for when you arrive (I see you're looking at OAA on this front), maybe car rental too?
Update CV/Resume and get references. Start contacting agencies - they will be more inclined to talk to you if you have a firm date of arrival.
Shippers ? "Important docs" and "priceless memories" could ideally go as air freight?
There's the usual change of address stuff of course (including a international re-direction from post office) when you have an address. We re-directed to mother-in-law and set up the international after we had a "permanent" address.
Start informing DSS and tax office to get any benefits (e.g. child) stopped and tax refunds back.
There's a few to think over :)

[Janine and Richard]

Thanks Nishman I will get onto them and get it sorted. If you have anymore ideas on what else needs doing let me know. I see you are in seaford rise, we looked at seaford area when we did our reccie and we loved it. Hopefully when we get settled with a long term rental it will be there. The beers are on us.

Thanks again Janine

[nishman]

Seaford Rise is a lovely spot, and we love it there. As you've already seen the place, you'll know most of the main things but if you have any specific questions fire 'em over :)
Good luck with all

Chris

[Lisajonesey]

Janine,
There's a magainisine over in the UK that is sold is Tesco / WHSMITH, all the usuall places - think it's called "Australia" There's usually a checklist towards the back somewhere.. we used that as our checklist, but added to it.

It was quite helpful in reminded us what we needed to do, and when - as we moved within 2.5 months, and between the goodbye parties and packing we didn't know where to start.


Get your calendar out and start planning.


As an outline..

1. Sort out accomadation. Work out if you can apply for on arrival accomadation, (and decide if you want it!) or book a tempory let or something

2. book your shipping - decide what you're taking and get some quotes

3. Have a clear out and get ready to move

4. look into opening a bank account in SA, and start thinking about how much, and when you want to transfer the funds

4. Close down bank accounts

5. Book in time on your calendar to visit any family before you fly out

6.. perhaps book a hire car for when you turn up over here

Hope this helps as a start. I did write a massive list on here, but can't find it.. I'll have a look through my old posts.

and.. p.s... CONGRATULATIONS ON THE VISA! - ENJOY YOUR LAST FEW MONTHS OVER THERE!

[caoimhe]

Start informing DSS and tax office to get any benefits (e.g. child) stopped and tax refunds back.

Make sure they listen when you tell them what date you are leaving. We have an ongoing agrument with them at the minute, they took our leaving date to be the day I rang them and not the date I gave them of our departure and now reckon we owe them about £120 as they think we left the country 3 weeks beofre we did.
Do they think I rang on the way to the airport

Good luck

[nishman]

Make sure they listen when you tell them what date you are leaving. We have an ongoing agrument with them at the minute, they took our leaving date to be the day I rang them and not the date I gave them of our departure and now reckon we owe them about £120 as they think we left the country 3 weeks beofre we did.
Do they think I rang on the way to the airport

Good luck

Ain't that the truth! When we advised them about our move, they sent us a new form saying that as we'd moved to Canada, we may still be eligible for FTB... You really have to wonder (and no, we weren't still eligle;))