We have a CO !!

[Angela]

I received a phone call last night from the agency & a follow up email

OMG I cannot believe it !!!

 

We have to arrange PCs asap & book meds for Jan 06 - CO wants details back by 12th Feb.

If I book the meds for 19th Jan - does this allow enough time? Can anyone advise? I believe 7 - 10 days will be plenty but I will book them the week earlier if necessary.

 

WOW I can only just type. :!:

 

I think we are both in shock, we only received sponsorship last Wednesday. I really did not think we would be requesting meds & pcs until well after Xmas.

 

A very happy Angela & Family

[Angela]

Thanks Lisa.

 

Got a price from B/Ham & its over £120 cheaper! But earliest appt is 10th Jan, day off work & kids out of school, they said the bloods are done in a different dept & must be done before the meds - for £120 sounds very messy.

 

With Nottm, I have queried having 2 blood tests (due to tatt's), B/Ham said you only need 1 - but you had 2 is that right?

 

Why are they telling us different things ! :!:

 

A medical for Australia should be the same.

 

Awaiting Nottm to reply & then hopefully we will get something booked.

 

Got the PC forms to complete tonight, photocopy the birthcertificates at work tomorrow & we have a JP living opposite us who will countersign. They will be in the post before Friday, so should get the reply well before 12th Feb

 

Take care

Angela

[Guest hayls]

Hi Angela,

CONGRATULATIONS i think you might be in oz quicker than you first

thought :lol:

Just to let you know our police checks took over five weeks and that is what held us up we had to send the letters of confirmation from the local police to our agency to confirm that they were being done then post of the certificates as soon as we got them registered post,so get them pc's sent of quick just in case they are taking a long time to process like ours did :shock:

Good luck

Hayls

[Guest BJF]

I wonder if the rules have changed, we had x-rays first then a week later we had the meds and blood test but we didn't have to have an extra blood test because of tats, myself, hubby and eldest daughter all have tats. Maybe you have the extra blood tests depending how recently you'd had the last tat done like the rules for blood donation, I think their rules are you can't donate blood if you've had a tat done in the previous six months. We had x-rays and meds done in the august, Danni had the most recent tat and she had that done in the april but that's only four months before our bloods were done and she didn't have an extra blood test done.

[Angela]

Hi Di

 

I have decided to go with the meds in Nottm - although £120 more than Birmingham, its less complex ie bloods & med in one place!

Also you have 1 blood test but in Nottm they have to run 2 tests & THAT is why you are paying twice also because the meds are sent away to be tested privately.

Ashley would have to miss 2 days of work to if we opted for Birmingham as the chest xrays & bloods are done the week before the meds, both at different places.

 

Its wierd how different docs do things differently.

 

SO PCs requested, will be sent Thursday 7th Dec & Meds now booked for 9th Jan!!!

 

Feel on a bit of a downer to as I really struggle with my weight & theres now definitely no over-eating this Xmas. I have decided that my extra eating will have to take place from 10th Jan, after the meds

 

Angela

[Guest BJF]

Morning Angela,

 

I've been racking my brains to remember how much we paid for x-rays and medicals but for the life me I can't, things were a bit different for us though, we paid for everything then RAAF reimbursed us all costs incurred, inc passports fees. Ours were all done in Norwich as that's where we lived at the time. Police checks took about 4 weeks to get back but we later found out that because we'd lived in Germany in the previous 10 years we also had to get police checks from Germany and that was a total pain in the backside, all paperwork was wrote in German, luckily our eldest speaks German and was able to translate it all and we had to pay for these checks via bank transfer in euro's.

 

Don't worry about your weight (unless you're in Giant Haystacks weight league ).

 

By the end of all the x-rays, blood tests and medical checks you'll know you're desease free, with no major health problems.

 

Just relax and make the most of the time you have left with family and friends, saying Goodbye to my family was the worst part.

[Guest dglamoore]

Hi Angela

 

Good choice on the meds - would have done the same . Worth paying the little extra to have it all sorted easier. The good news is that they don't take extra blood when you have tats just do extra test We had ours done over 10 years ago but latest rulings are anyone with tat must have extra test now.

 

We had our xrays at 9.30 then took them with us for meds at 12 so they could all get sent off together.

 

Don't worry about the weight - you will be fine :lol: Worst case scenario is you have from Jan 1st til the 10th to not eat :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

Just don't do what we did and have a big eat out at TGI's the night before meds!!! Not a good idea and am sure that added a few pounds on :shock:

 

Enjoy your xmas

Lisa

[Guest donna T]

Best of luck with the meds- don't worry about your weight - my husband came up as obese and almost at the top of the scale (he does a lot of weights) but he was fine - they didn't even raise an eyebrow - I am sure you will be fine. Enjoy your last cold Christmas - good luck

[likesshopping]

Hi Angela...

 

blimey, Im just reading through the messages, and read that you got your s onsorhi and now reading that you have a CO! When did you lodge your visa.....(sorry, question mark on keyboard doesnt work..

 

S eak soon

 

sarahx

[likesshopping]

Hi Angela

 

Sorry, just read you profile and realise that you have the date that you lodged your visa.....WOW cant beleive how quick you have a case officer!!

 

I asked our agents if they are able to put our visa online and they said that if we wish for them to do so, just say.......I then asked what the benefits were and they said that there is none.........then, our computer when down the swanney and next time we logged on, they have mailed it to them!

 

It'll be interesting to see how long it takes us to get a case officer, although, we dont plan to go until the first week of july so there is no really hurry.....its just real nice to get the visa......its like winning a medal!

 

Really glad things are going well for you......good luck with your medicals and remember - hold fire on the extra portions of the christmas pud!

 

Sarahx

[Angela]

Hi Sarah

 

Ashley is also thinking of leaving July 2007, after the boys finish school in the UK.

 

I am sorting out when the visa starts with the agency as we are likely to receive it before then (looking at everyones time-line it could be as quick as 6 weeks after the medical).

 

dglamoore said visa started when you ENTER SA, but my agency say its when you RECEIVE it :!: :?: :!: :?:

 

Just waiting for confirmation, so if anyones been issued the SIR495 & did not go immediately, did the 3 years start from when they ARRIVED in SA?

 

Oh yes I will definitely have to decline xmas pud - good job I don't like it ! Its the choccies & nuts what will be a killer :!:

 

 

Angela

[Guest BJF]

The visa's are valid from the date they're issued and you have 12 months to enter Australia from the date of issue, without getting my passport out and looking at (which I ain't gonna do right now as it's 11:16pm here, will check it tomorrow though) I can't be sure when out visa was dated but we entered Australia on November 15th 2004, I think the visa date of issue might've been september but I will check tomorrow

[Angela]

Thanks Di. Sounds like the agent is right then!

 

Will post the thread to see the response.

 

Was concerned cause if we do get visa by Apr 07 & don't plan to go until July 07, I know its still good but it 'eats' into the 3 years. Of course like everyone else we will no doubt apply for PR after 2 but even so I have a 'thing' about how long the visa is for!

 

Angela

[Guest hayls]

Hi, We are going on a 136 visa and the visa was granted 3rd of March 06 the wording on my visa is as follows

class bn resident

sub class 136

conditions mig.regs.sched.8

 

initial entry by 17 jan 07

8502 no entry before main applicant

 

granted 03 mar 06 multiple travel. must not arrive after 03 mar 11

holders permitted to remain in australia indefinitely.

 

So basically we must enter before our medicals run out which is the 17th of jan but we can then come home for example if we had not sold the house and go back when we can this is probably different for each visa but i imagine you will have to activate visa while you still have a valid medical and these only last a year.

Hope this helps someone , its bloody confusing isnt it.

Saying that maybe it would be cheaper to have medicals redone if any one was stuggling to make the deadline as we almost were, we are cutting it fine as we fly on the 1st of jan and have to make entry before the 17th jan :shock:

[Guest BJF]

Good Morning all,

 

OK, I now have my passport in my hand, we came here on a permenant entry visa which is a

 

Class: AU Resident S170 Subclass 120

 

Initial entry by 28th July 05

 

Visa granted 20th Sept 04

 

So I'm guessing we were medical cleared on 28th July which menas you have to initally enter Australia 12 months from Medical clearences NOT 12 months from when the visa is granted. We entered Australia at Brisbane Airport on November 25th 2004 which means we've been here now for just over two years so as soon as we're settled in Adealiade myself and Danni (eldest daughter) will start the ball rolling for our citizenship. Trev, Tori and Cheyenne are already Aussie Citz, Trev had to apply to be an aussie after just 90 days because of his job (Military) and our two youngest automatically got their Aussie Citz when Trev's was granted as they are under 16.

[Guest dglamoore]

Hi Angela

 

Bear in mind that the SIR 495 will be different as it it is not a permanent visa. With all visas you will have to validate within 12 months of medicals.

 

Where the permanent visas start straight away on the date of issue and then have no expiry date this is where the SIR differs.

 

With the SIR 495 the visa is valid for 3 years only and this 3 years starts the day you enter Australia. I have several friends who have migrated to oz already on this visa and have checked with them and they have agreed with me.

 

This visa has only been going a couple of years and still seems a little fuzzy round the edges :lol:

 

Lisa

[Angela]

Thanks to Hayls & Di who have different Visas to me & Lisa.

 

Lisa, I know you are right so I have told the agency to get the CO to confirm back ASAP.

 

How frustrating !! :!:

 

They better get me a reply asap as I am not a nice person when I get mad (no I don't turn green ! )

 

Angela :twisted:

[Angela]

Hi Girls

 

I am pleased to advise everyone that Lisa is 100% correct, heres the agencies reply:

 

So you must be inside Australia within that 12 months & I can also confirm that the 3 years does in fact start from your first entry into Australia as per your email from the skilled migration unit below.

I must say it caused quite a conversation amongst several agents as we are obliged to follow the regulations & this is a stated “policy” (the two can vary wildly!!)decision but I suppose that’s government departments for you!

 

For my situation I am pleased the visa is from initial entry, I won't feel like I am missing out now if the visa comes earlier than we expected we can really get sorted & prepare the children for our new life

 

Merry Xmas

Angela