Hopefully nearly there!

[Guest holliepop]

Hi!

 

So we have our medicals on Monday (eeek), we are awaiting police checks which are now being processed! The paperwork has been endless and the cost, well its not cheap is it!?!- but who can put a cost on a new life eh?! Not sure how long it will take now for our visas to be granted but hope we aren't a million miles away! Would love to be there end of Dec so can enjoy new year with my sister and niece & nephew!

 

Is anybody else at the same point as us? We have a CO so hopefully won't take too long. We have opened a Oz bank account and started transferring so next point of investigation will be shipping, hopefully. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated for a shipping company , preferably based in West Midlands.

 

Just wanted to share exactly where I am with people that understand this process as the constant 'have you got a date yet?' and the 'are you having second thoughts then?' as you are seemingly still here are pretty frustrating!

 

thanks

 

Hollie & Rich xxx:smile:

[Bal67]

We are not that close yet Hollie, but thought I'd introduce myself we are from Great Barr so not too far from you and would be interested in shipping companies too so when we are that stage I will ask who you recommend!!

 

Not long know for you guys, good luck to you both and whereabouts are guys thinking of settling in SA?

 

Bal.

[Bal67]

Sorry Hollie forgot to say we are enarly 18 months into the process now and I think people think we wont end up there as when the ask us the questions of "Have youa date yet?" when you try and explain the application process to them it goes over their heads anyway!! Very frustrating too!!

[Guest holliepop]

Hi, yeah you are only up the road then! Well my sister is based in Wynn Vale area so we will be staying with her initially, where are you hoping to settle? I will let you know about shipping, we won't have much to ship really as we have been living with parents which has helped us pay and save for this really! How are you finding the endless reams of paperwork??!x

[Guest holliepop]

People seem to think it's like organising a prolonged holiday- I wish it was! have you visited Adelaide before? xx

[Bal67]

Hi Hollie,

 

We were recommended by friends of our who are in Perth to use the same agent they used which we are doing and yes we have had to fill out loads of differrent forms and unfortunately we have not been to Adelaide before as we where originally going to WA (Perth) as we have friends there sand went on a reccie in August and fell in love with the place whilst there we decided we would go for the 489 Visa and not 190 as Scott was struggling to get all 8's in IELTS as we are over 40 now we needed extra points for PR Visa and could nt get so decided on 489 visa for WA only to find out Scott job had been taken off the list, had we have known before we would have also spent a week or so in Adelaide too!!

 

But we have friends who have been there and they love it and also its only for 2 years until we get our PR if we really cannot settle in SA we will then move to WA!!

 

I am looking at Seaford area as it seems similar to the place we were thinking of moving to in WA and also the schools seem ok there, but even if we start off there for a week or 2 and decide from their, it will depend on work and schools for us.

 

Have you been to Adelaide before, if so what did you make of it?

[Bal67]

Hollie my friend at work has 2 sisters in Adelaide 1 in Modbury and 1 in Ridgehaven which are not too far from Wynn Vale, I have met them a few times and they have also said we can stay with them or if we need any other help just to ask!!

[Guest holliepop]

I have been to adelaide a couple of times. First time was on a WHV, we travelled round OZ so were lucky enough to see a lot of places. Adelaide is great, the main city is built with parklands surrounding it- think this is what I really like most about the city- its a city but still quite green and open. Adelaide to me seemed a bit more 'liveable' than some of the other places we visited. We stayed in Perth for around 6 weeks and quite liked it but didn't like feeling isolated from the rest of Australia if that makes sense- it just seems so far away when you are there. I'm sure you will love Adelaide, it's great for families and loads of stuff do!

 

xx

[Bal67]

Hope so and thanks again for allyour information very helpful and keep us posted!!

 

Bal

x

[Scriv]

I have been to adelaide a couple of times. First time was on a WHV, we travelled round OZ so were lucky enough to see a lot of places. Adelaide is great, the main city is built with parklands surrounding it- think this is what I really like most about the city- its a city but still quite green and open. Adelaide to me seemed a bit more 'liveable' than some of the other places we visited. We stayed in Perth for around 6 weeks and quite liked it but didn't like feeling isolated from the rest of Australia if that makes sense- it just seems so far away when you are there. I'm sure you will love Adelaide, it's great for families and loads of stuff do!

 

xx

 

Hi! We are at the same stage too. Medicals booked for half term and waiting for police checks back. We hope to get to Adelaide by end of jan for start of school term (Matt is 16 Calum 12) so like you just desperate to hear of our PR so we can book our flights and sort removals. We have dogs to organise too urgh Our house sale is due to complete this month so like you we will look to exchange some capital... who did you use? BTW we are looking at Henley area.

 

Wendy

[Guest holliepop]

hey! I know it's exciting isn't it! We have transferred money across with HIFX, we opened an account with Westpac and they recommended them- the transfer was 'free' and the website was good when you were transferring- user friendly you can see what the rates are doing etc. Westpac have been great and it's good to know that we will have that part sorted for when we arrive. So we are at samepoint then, I'm hopeful that visa grant isn't too far away! Henley is a beautiful area, great beach. We hope to live in the city once we have established jobs- there is only the 2 of us so want to make the most of what the city can offer before we think about starting a family. x

[tomamylancaster]

Hi everyone, we've just had a request through for police checks & medicals! Eek!!

 

Police checks going off this week & then medicals in half term

 

We won't be moving over quite so quickly though. Will be validating next summer & then moving out permanently in 2015 hopefully

[snifter]

I'd start getting shippers booked in for quotes. They can often be booked up a few weeks ahead and so you can be sat twiddling your thumbs waiting for them or some of them. You need to think about quotes about 3 months ahead and most will require at least 2 weeks notice (if not a bit more) of when you actually plan to ship. Also gives you time to compare, haggle etc. And to think about what you really need/want to take.

[Guest holliepop]

so the waiting continues.....! We have decided to go February (visa grant pending) so this takes off the pressure and gives us chance to get shipping quotes etc. We won't have a huge amount to ship as we live at home so think we will perhaps need a move cube- this is what I have gathered from research so far. If anyone can shed any light on this it would be much appreciated!

[Bal67]

Hi Hollie,

 

Everything step you take forward seems hard works doesn't it?? Our agent has been trying to lodge our Visa this week and the system keep crashing, its becoming so disheartening as the weather is now also getting cold!!

 

We will get there eventually

[Guest holliepop]

It seems so long and frustrating! I just emailed my agent and asked her if it was a case of waiting now and she just said yes basically! I haven't heard anything about medicals and not sure where I can find info for this out as my agent didn't seem very forthcoming!

 

I know we will all get there eventually! x:biggrin:

[Bal67]

Which agents are you using and where are you at an are you expecting any problems with your medicals or police checks?

[Guest holliepop]

I dont envisage any problems with medicals- the doctor and Health care assistant advised us that everything was fine on the day. My other half is asthmatic so not sure if this will mean that he is referred or not, I also hate waiting for stuff which makes this even more painful!

[Bal67]

Try not to worry too much I know easier said than done, I too am very impatient and its killing me that our agent cannot lodge the visa!! As soon as she does I will be fine and then it will be another waiting game as this whole process is!!!

 

You will find that as soon as they get to your paperwork they will look through and grant your visa!!! Hopefully very soon, but your nearly there now!!

[Guest Phil&Miche]

hi Hollie and Rich

 

It sounds like you are going along great guns with the whole process as it can be very time consuming and very laborious. we decided that we would do all of the work ourselves and didn't go with an agent. this did save us a lot of money as we only had to pay for the paperwork but we were always aworried if we were doing things correctly! we must have done something right as we have the 190 visa and we will be leaving on the 11th November to start our new life!

 

like you we are looking at shipping companies and have found that Anglo Pacific have the best website with the clearest instructions but there are also good deals to be had with sevenseasworldwide, voovit.com and Tudor international. they love leaving telephone messages for you as i have had 15 missed calls in the last two days after looking at quotes online! ha! if you are interested, the time frame is anything from 12 - 17 weeks if you are shipping via sea to 10 - 17 days if you are sending by airfreight. expect to pay x3 times more by airfreight than by sea but from reading some forums the number of problems about damage and items going missing is far higher by sea than it is by air. there are other costs to bear in mind such as airport storage if you are not going for a door to door service and also potential customs charges if you are going for door to airport service. we have chosen Anglo Pacific because their website was the most helpful in explaining and detailing the charges. i dont mind a little extra cost for a good service - one of my many failings!

 

we will be in adelaide by december so if you want to meet up or ask anything as we are going along don't hesitate to contact us on here.

 

good luck!

 

phil and Michelle

[Guest holliepop]

Thanks for that golden nugget of shipping information it is very much appreciated! I want to start getting shipping quotes but don't want to jump the gun as we are awaiting that golden visa grant.

 

Congratulations on the impending move, you must be so excited! I am now hoping that as we completed our medicals on the 21st Oct that we will hear something from our co very soon! x

[Guest Phil&Miche]

glad to be of help! the shipping companies will even hold your goods for a set period of time until you settle in the country if you let them know when exactly you want them to ship your stuff out. a veritible mine of useless information! ha!

 

we were feeling the same as you until our visa was finally granted. it came via email at about 7.30 in the morning and Michelle shot out of bed and, in her excitement, threw her cup of tea all over me and the bed! 3rd degree burns and a visa all in one day - too much excitement for an old fart like me.

 

the medicals did seem awfully expensive for what we had done to us, plus we had to travel 150 miles to get to the only private clinic that was offering it! a necessary evil and the final step in completing all of the pre-requisites for the visa. i'm sure there wont be any problems for you.

 

we are extremely excited to be going but also scared at the same time. that's only to be expected as it is such a big change - notheless we will be throwing ourselves into making friends, finding jobs and places to live and enjoying the australian lifestyle. i can't freakin wait!!!! haha!

 

keep in touch

 

phil and Michelle

[Guest holliepop]

It's good to know that we aren't alone in how we are feeling! keep us posted with your progress! My sister lives in Adelaide so we will know someone when we get there but are keen to male our own friends! Have you visited Adelaide before?

 

 

Hollie & Rich

[Guest Phil&Miche]

I have not been to Adelaide before and Michelle has not been to Australia at all! We initially tried to get into Perth where my sister lives but they changed the accepted jobs whilst we were applying - devastated doesn't come close! We were put on to SA and everything has gone through smoothly since so it must be fate!

 

today was our last day in work so things are really gathering pace now! Eeeeeeeeeeeek!!! Beyond excited now!!!