Don't meet the Balance of Family criteria for Visa

[Guest ILUVAD]

I hope someone can help us with this. We are both in our mid sixties and would dearly like to live in Australia with our youngest son and his family. We've looked at the visa's that are available and we can't find any that are for people like us!! We have 3 children, 2 live in England and 1 lives here in Adelaide. We don't meet the Balance of Family rules and are considered to old to work here, although my husband is a skilled tradesman. We are at the moment staying with our son but are due to go back to England in 2 weeks time. Is there any way of being able to stay permanently or even semi permanently in the near future. I would appreciate any help you can give us. Thanks a lot for reading this. Sonia

[Guest BAZnDAF]

Hi Sonia,

 

Have you spoken to a migration agent at all?? they may know of other visa types that are available.

 

Good luck

 

Barry

[Guest ILUVAD]

Hi Barry, Thanks for your quick reply, I knew this site would help me somehow!!. No, we haven't spoken to a migration agent yet, just thought we'd ask the knowledgeable people on this site first. Sonia

[Guest Stacey]

Hi Sonia

 

My mum is in the same boat but because of her stepchildren. I am permanent and have one brother who lives in England, however because my mum remarried 5 years ago and her husband has two children (in their forties who he doesn't even speak to) there are in effect four of us and thus the BOF test isn't satisfied.

 

I wrote to the Immigration Department to enquire and they responded bascially saying that it didn't matter the ages of the stepchildren or children, their dependency or their relationship with their parents they were included so now my mum isn't eligible to get out here!

 

I arrived at a dead end i'm sorry to say but if you find an alternative option I would be really pleased to hear about it.

 

Sorry I can't be of any more help.

 

Stacey

x

[Guest nishman]

There's the retirement visa options - from memory, they're not straight forward with a long waiting list and/or expensive?

There are a lot of parents who do a 6month/6month type split between ADL & UK on the normal tourist visa. Obviously, not a solution for everyone...

Alternatively, you could try and persuade one of your other children to come over and get the balance in your favour

Good luck

[Guest ILUVAD]

Hi Stacey, Thanks for your reply, it does seem that the Balance of Family act is very unfair. Unfortunately there are a lot of parents like us and your Mum that are in that position and unless you have pots of money for the retirement visa the only way forward is to do 6 months in Australia and 6 months in the UK. It seems the Australian Government doesn't like Grandparents very much!! Thanks for your help and good luck to your Mum as well. Sonia

[Guest ILUVAD]

Hi Nishman, Thanks for your reply. We've looked at the retirement visa options and you need a lot of money and a lot of years to wait for both. The 6 month here and 6 month there seems to be the only option. I've been working on my other children to try and get them to come here as well. We'll just have to wait and see what the future holds!! Thanks again. Sonia

[Guest Django]

Have a look at this thread. It may be of some use.

 

http://www.pomsinadelaide.com/forum/adelaide-migration-issues/4509-cheap-parent-visas-part-i.html

[Guest kangomik]

why is it "very unfair"?

 

Sorry to speak frankly, what will you bring to the country? why not come when it was a tenner? What about the family you leave behind in?

 

Join the club, yes it costs to get here and stay here.

 

Right now i got that out.

 

I know a few people who do the 6 month here and there option, not just with Aus but different countries also, they enjoy the lifestyle, they buy places in each country, afterall you wouldn't impose on your children for 6 months at a time every year would you?

[Guest k8bug79]

why is it "very unfair"?

 

Sorry to speak frankly, what will you bring to the country? why not come when it was a tenner? What about the family you leave behind in?

 

Join the club, yes it costs to get here and stay here.

 

Right now i got that out.

 

I know a few people who do the 6 month here and there option, not just with Aus but different countries also, they enjoy the lifestyle, they buy places in each country, afterall you wouldn't impose on your children for 6 months at a time every year would you?

 

I have to say I agree with you, not that I don't feel for the OP when you have a dream its very hard to hear thats its not achievable, or may not be achievable. But I feel that the balance of family is very fair, after all if every parent that had a child move to Australia could get a Parental Visa then think in reality how many parents that would be, if then every child of a parent who was in Australia and who had a sibling in Australia wanted to go........ immigration would be through the roof. This way they are saying that if the majority of your family are in the country then you are allowed to aply to join them to maintain family ties. Its shouldn't been seen as a ticket into Aus, as pp said you may have skills to offer but there would be plenty of others out there who don't and could end up being a drain on resources. Also to allow huge amounts of what could be also aging people into the country in this manner could also upset the economy (I will admit economics is not my strong point).

 

I hope you find a way to get in so you can fulfil your ambition. You say your husband is a tradesman, does the employer sponsorship have an age limit on it? I have never looked at this type of visa.

[Diane]

...... the only way forward is to do 6 months in Australia and 6 months in the UK. .....

 

If you have family in both countries, this sounds like an excellent compromise to me. Friend of my parents does this, she never has to have a winter again! She sold her place in the UK and just rents an apartment in London when she goes back (managed to slip through a loophole and has bought a house here)

 

If you have two children who still live in England, six months here with one child and six months there with the other two sounds like a much better idea than forever with just one!

[Guest katsmajic]

We're in a sticky situation at the moment re my mum, when we got our visa my bro had his visa, the muppet didnt validate, but we thought all would be ok as he moved to russia, so BOF was split, 1 in uk, 1 in russia and me here.

Then the rules changed, 2 out of 3 in oz no other splits considered.

By this time mum had sold up and arrived here on a tourist visa, ready to apply for her parent visa this year as we hit 2 years settled.

Now my brother is reapplying for a visa here, but cant move for 2yrs as hes tied to a contract (and partner/baby) in russia, hes promised his partner to give russia 2 yrs and shes promised to then try oz for 2 yrs, so nothing can happen properly for my mum for 2 and a half years really.

bummer, but we'll get there in the end...unfortunately it's going to cost my mum a small fortune, the travelling back and forth as well as the visa.