Validating ViSA - Parents have and children have not.

[Guest cloudnine]

I am so lucky to have been granted a state sponsored permanent VISA to Australia. I read the details of the VISA grant notice and it clearly said "you" must visit Australia before January 10 2013. So off I went taking my husband with me for company to Australia. My two children (aged 6 & 2) stayed with Grandma back in the UK.

 

When I got home, I was researching Adelaide and came across this site and nearly fainted ! What I didn't realise was that I needed to take the Children with me as well!

 

The truth is I simply can not afford to go again and move to Australia next summer. I'd love to go back - I didn't want to leave but finding another 6k to go again just isn't possible.

 

I have contacted the Adelaide migration team who say that that unless we all go before January then the children's VISA's will be canceled.

 

If anyone has any suggestions of what to do next I would be so grateful. I'm not sure if an immigtation consultant might be able to help.

 

Thanks for taking the time to read this, I'm a bit at a loss at what to do next and heartbroken at my stupidity is not the word!!!

[minty]

Hate to be the bearer of bad news but all visa holders must validate. There really won't be any exceptions so at best it will have to be a flight in a one night stop over and a flight back. Sorry.

[snifter]

I'm sorry to say but there really isn't anything you can do that I know of. The visa has to be activated within the time frame by all who are granted it, even if they are the secondary applicants.

 

I'd consider just one parent and the children going on a cheap flight and simply activating or perhaps are you able to bring the move forward. I know it would be a hit to the finances but I'd think you could find a cheap flight for well under 6K for one adult and two children. I know when we flew last a couple of years back we got return flights for 2 adults and one child for well under £3K. And that was with a more pricey airline. Check out some of the deals for some Chinese airlines or something. And also look at the cheapest destination. You don't have to fly into Adelaide, you can land anywhere in Aus, so long as its in Aus and you clear immigration. That will activate it. So if that is Perth or Darwin or Sydney, consider those.

[minty]

The 2 year old will also travel free if you don't need a seat for them. There usually are spare ones anyway.

[Guest cloudnine]

Have looked at flights this morning again at cheapest is 3k at Oct half term. 2 year will not travel free and to be honest at 2 years of age She's too bossy to sit on anyone's knee

 

Thinking of letting their VISA's Get canceled and going on a different VISA type for them. All options are open.

[Guest cloudnine]

Thanks for replies - appreciated

[Rammygirl]

Have a look at child visas, but apply soon. It may actually work out cheaper as they can both be included on the one application.

[Guest cloudnine]

Thank you Rammygirl, will do.

[snifter]

 

Thinking of letting their VISA's Get canceled and going on a different VISA type for them. All options are open.

 

Would that mean Medicals and so on for them also? I'd look into costs as it may turn out as expensive as a return flight to Aus when you add it all up. May be a lot less, not sure how much other visa types are.

 

Have you spoken to a migration agent about this option?

[Guest cloudnine]

Hubbie spoke to a migration agent and options are this:

 

(1) Take the children before the date of first entry

(2) Breach the date of first entry and then ask immigration to consider an extension

(3) If they refuse number 2 then the only other option would be to apply for children's Visa's. He said that there would not be a problem in getting them BUT they cost about £2k and we would wait about 9 months.

 

Got a reply from Immigration saying they would consider our circumstances but we have to breach the condition first. That's a scary option !

 

The trouble Hubbie and I are having is we didn't want to leave Australia - It really was hard. So going back to leave again is really going to be extremely difficult. We really havn't got spare cash kicking around either to come again and then again to leave. Flights leaving at the Oct half term on Royal Brunei are coming in at 3K. I have to take hubby with me as my 2 year is a tiny bit stubborn

[snifter]

Hav you looked at China Southern and other airlines? And also at taking your child out of school during term time if need be rather than being tied to half term. You don't need to make a holiday of this, just a long weekend or something. And to anywhere in Aus that comes out cheapest. Honestly, if its a case of just making the flight, having a few days and coming home then just go for it whenever you can. Don't tie yourself to school hols. They don't mind kids being taken out, its just unauthorised leave is all it'll go on the record as.

 

I'd not like to wait the extra months for new visas to come through and it still costs. Cost wise I am sure you could get the price of flights down if you go at the cheapest time going between now and when they expire and so on. So there won't be much in it with the 2K visa costs if you waited to get new ones.

 

I seriously doubt that immigration will extend the visas if they lapse as you would have had plenty of time to validate and you've already entered Aus. I've not heard anyone getting this done. Its usually because of a death in the family or some such that they extend the date of entry by a month or two. They don't seem to give that much longer on the extensions.

 

I personally would bite the bullet, do some serious online shopping for cheap flights (skyscanner is one site that is good) and book tickets and head over there to validate their visas. Be done with it, sorted and not face lots of hassle and waiting later on.