Older emigrants?

[JollySwagwoman]

Hi. Do you know anyone who has been able to move from UK to Adelaide in later years? I'm 66 and according to a migration lawyer I consulted recently, the only way I could do that would be on a visitor visa.

 

As I understand it, I'd have to get a 12 month visitor visa, leave Aus and get the visa renewed each year before returning. Is this tenable? Do you know anyone who lives like this?

 

As a non-resident, it would be possible, but legally complicated, to buy a property to live in. Or perhaps I could give my nieces the money to buy it for me and set up a legal agreement that I can live there and/or let it and receive the income?

 

I want to live near my only surviving relatives, my brother's 5 children and their families, all mostly in Adelaide. My brother died recently, was an Australian citizen for 30+ years. I'm close to his children, they each came to live with or near me in London in their young adulthood, one for 8 years. I want to help look after one of my nieces who is very unwell at present. In the long term, my rellies want me to move to Adelaide and to look after me in my old age.

 

I've always wanted to emigrate but stayed in the UK to look after my parents. I've visited Aus 20+ times and love it. When younger, I worked on an aboriginal reserve as a nurse during a working holiday.

 

I've explored the various visas to no avail. I wouldn't qualify for the Retirement Investor visa, which has been suspended anyway: although I have the required capital, I don't have the required income. I'm still registered as a nurse but am too old to migrate as a Skilled Migrant. As a relative, I don't qualify for the Relative or Aged parent category, because I'm only an aunt, not the parent, sibling or child of an Aus citizen. The Distinguished Talent category wouldn't apply, because although I'm well-known in my field and have written many textbooks, I'm retired now and won't be contributing to the Australian economy in that sense. The Carer category wouldn't work, because my sick niece has plenty of family nearby to look after her.

 

Any info about the experiences of someone of my age would be appreciated.

[snifter]

Hello and welcome

 

From what you've said, other than meeting and marrying an Australian and then being eligible for a partner visa, I don't think there are any other options for a permanent move.

 

I know people say their parents would spend 6 months in Aus, 6 months in the UK and did this for quite a number of years. I am not sure long stay tourist visas would keep on being given year after year to enable you to live here for 12 months, leave for a short time and then return for another 12 months. They may question this. Also there would be the residency aspect (being absent from the UK could have implications) which I am not to sure about.

[JollySwagwoman]

Thanks for your welcome and your thoughts, Snifter. In the unlikely event of 'meet and marry' happening, it would have to be after the Aus government has sorted out its same sex marriage legislation, which seems to be unlikely in the near future.

So, if you come across any older folks who have sustained regular, longer-than-6-months tourist visa stays, over a number of years, please let me know.

[Blossom]

Thanks for your welcome and your thoughts, Snifter. In the unlikely event of 'meet and marry' happening, it would have to be after the Aus government has sorted out its same sex marriage legislation, which seems to be unlikely in the near future.

So, if you come across any older folks who have sustained regular, longer-than-6-months tourist visa stays, over a number of years, please let me know.

 

Visas are actually way ahead of Aussie marriage laws. You can get a visa for a same sex relationship if you have been living together for a year (which if you are spending long term on visitor visas is possible).

[JollySwagwoman]

Thanks, Blossum, I didn't know that.

I see from your pic and quote that u r a new mum. Congratulations and enjoy!

[Blossom]

Ha ha. Thanks. I should update that really. She's 15 months now and we have another on the way. :-)

[wrussell]

Thanks, Blossum, I didn't know that.

I see from your pic and quote that u r a new mum. Congratulations and enjoy!

 

In some circumstances a de facto same-sex couple can successfully apply for a partner visa without being married and without living together.

 

May I suggest that you consult a registered migration agent for advice about strategy?

[JollySwagwoman]

Hi Wrussell

I contacted a registered migration agent online, filled in all my details, and it was he who told me visitor visas are the only option for me.

 

I just wonder what it would be like to get a 'holiday home' in Adelaide and live in it for say, 9 months of the year, returning to see friends in the UK for 3 months, then back to Aus for another 9 months. It'd be good to hear from someone who lives like that. And, as Snifter wrote earlier in the thread, would this be questioned and hence repeat visas be refused?

[Rammygirl]

You can certainly buy property but it would be under the FIRB ( google them) rules as a foreign investor. This is currently free to apply for but will cost a few thousand dollars from July! It used to restrict you to new build or self build rather than established homes too not sure if this is still the case.

 

I very much doubt you could sustain the 9/3 regime. You can't live in Australia on a tourist visa. Even the more generous ones for parents only allow twelve months stay in every eighteen month period.

[JollySwagwoman]

Hi Rammygirl

The link you sent was very helpful: many thanks. I see that I'd have to buy a new build and would not be allowed to have a lodger or income from AirB&B from it. Not being able to use it for generating income when I need it means it's not feasible.

It all seems that I can't live in Aus and I'll have to go back to just visiting rellies for as long as I am able to physically and financially, and make long term care arrangements for my old age in the UK. C'est la vie.

[Rammygirl]

As a non resident you can rent out the house. We did just this. After all you can't live in it full time if you are not resident. Check the rules they are different for temporary residents and non residents. Visitor visas are different, you would be applying as s resident of another country.

 

As as said before you can't live in Australia on a visitor visa but you can stay for longish periods as long as you return home between times for 6 months or so