The Journey towards the land Down Under

[BriD]

I decided I may as well start a journal. For myself to look back across all of this once it is said and done...and to have some record of how I was feeling every step of the way.

This decision was something I never dreamed I would actually come to. Before we had children I was quite sure that nothing would convince me to leave my family and the country I called home for some distant shore.

However, having children changed my entire perspective on everything. I saw our country differently...I tried to picture the life my children would have, the future they may have, the education they may have. And now here we are...on our journey towards a permanent life in Australia.

I have not yet been to Australia, we are hoping to make a trip there before the end of the year. A sort of LSD trip. It does seem strange in some ways to decide to go live somewhere where you have never been before. But we did have reasons to look towards OZ as a possible alternative to South Africa:

1. Australia is also in the Southern Hemisphere, meaning seasons and weather will be more or less similar to South Africa. I think immigration is a big enough change without having to deal with a winter of snow and such as it would be over in the Northern Hemisphere

2. English is the main language

3. We have extended family there

All along since we decided on this route and started actively doing things towards immigration I have said it is for the children. And yes, it is absolutely for the children. However, there is another facet that I have come to realise...for myself and who I am inside and how this country is making me become hard and bitter...I actually need to get out of here for me too. I don't want to become this hard cold person. I want to be able to feel safe and that I can trust most people, not constantly on guard and under threat from every angle. Not constantly fighting every one to get some service out of them, and being able to rest assured the job will be done the best way possible without my constant supervision.

We have spent the last few months gathering the proof for the points we will be claiming when we submit our EOI for a Skilled Independent 189 Permanent Residency Visa. So far we have both done the IELTS test, my hubby doing very well and will be able to get the maximum points for his English proficiency. He has become a member of Engineers Australia, and in the next day or so the documents for his Skills and Work Experience assessment will be complete and we will be able to move forward and submit an EOI.

I feel nervous, but excited. This is a team decision for my husband and I. We are both on the same page and want the same things. If all goes well and we get the VISA and the opportunity to change our lives and our children's future...that will be a huge blessing. We will leave behind so much here, our families, our friends, my hubby will be leaving his families business, the place we grew up and called home our whole lives up till now...all those memories. But when you look at the bigger picture...it is worth it.

And so here my journey towards the land of Down Under begins...won't be easy...but I will try my best to make the best of everything we encounter. And always try to look forward and not back.

Onwards and upwards

[Denzil]

BriD

The journey they say is a rollercoaster and I have driven on it now for 2 years and I feel that its time for me to get off at the next station, Melbourne.

One day you will look back and know that you have made the right decision. The children are also my main reason for doing this and going through everything but in the end it's also for yourself in the end of the day.

NEVER give up and NEVER give in.

Be strong and stand tall and let no one put you down.

Good luck and looking forward to your next chapter.

[HadEnoughofJuju]

Hey BriD

Having a child really does change the way you feel about things. I don't think my wife would have done this if it wasn't for our daughter. She just doesn't have a future in South Africa the way it is and we don't see it changing anytime soon. It is a long and emotional journey but it is one that will be well worth it in the end. Don't give up no matter how tough this gets.

It's a good thing that both of you are on the same page with this decision you will need to be there for one another and there will be times when you play tag with emotions. There are days when my wife is down and I need to pick her up and there are days when it's my turn.

We came to Australia without having ever seen it and I can honestly say that I think you will like it if not love it once you are here. Things are just so different and although Australia also has it's political issues and crime, politicians are kept in check and crime is actively policed. Respect and consideration of others is a big thing here and people genuinely care about their neighbours. It's something I am glad that my child will grow up to experience.

Good luck with the process and enjoy the ride.

[BriD]

I cannot believe how excited we were to see the words "INVITED" in our SkillSelect Account. My Hubby kept saying to me at random moments in the day..."Sweetie we are invited!!". Can you imagine how excited we will be when the Visa is granted if an invitation has that effect. LOL!

I read through the PR189 information booklet again and looked through the list of documents required. We are doing this ourselves without the help of a migration agent, so trying to be as thorough as possible.

I read passports are recommended to be valid at least 2 years. I don't know why this did not sink in earlier...quite irritated at myself because of that. My daughter's passport expires November 2014...sigh...

Anyways...yesterday bright and early I was at the queue for you place with all the documents in hand for a new passport application. Lady reckons 2-3 weeks...I truly deeply hope this is so. We had ultimately wanted to apply for the VISA in the next 2 weeks. I would prefer to apply with the passports that will be used.

So holding thumbs I get her passport even sooner than I expect. At least she will look like her passport now....her previous one has a photo of her as an 8 month old. When I submit the documents, going to add a recent photo of my son just under his passport copy...he too is just a baby in his passport...but his is valid till 2016...so we good there.

So hoping that by the end of May latest we will have all our docs ready to submit.

[HadEnoughofJuju]

@BriD, you can submit and pay for the application without actually uploading anything so if you don't get the passports before the 60 days are up you can still go ahead and get the application into the system. Once you then get assigned a CO they will then ask for the outstanding documents and you can upload a copy of the receipts for the passports as proof that you have applied for them and then upload the a copy of the passport when you do get it. You will have 28 day from the day that the CO requests documents and the receipt should extend that time until you get the passports.

[BriD]

@BriD, you can submit and pay for the application without actually uploading anything so if you don't get the passports before the 60 days are up you can still go ahead and get the application into the system. Once you then get assigned a CO they will then ask for the outstanding documents and you can upload a copy of the receipts for the passports as proof that you have applied for them and then upload the a copy of the passport when you do get it. You will have 28 day from the day that the CO requests documents and the receipt should extend that time until you get the passports.

Ah,,,this is good news! I was thinking you had to have all the documents ready with the money before you submit. Thanks for clearing this one up!! Will help a lot!

[BriD]

Booked Medicals today...and nearly fell over backwards at the price. Man alive!!! R4700.00 for the 4 of us...

At the end of this...I don't know if I even want to know how much we will have spent. Shoo whee

I knew it would not be cheap...but wow...

To date:

IELTS - R2200.00 each (Hubby and I)

Skills Assessment & Work Experience & to join Engineers Australia - Around R6000.00 (Hubby)

Couriering to Date - R1200.00

PCC's - R59.00 each (Hubby and I)

New Passport for Daughter (queue for you to speed things up) - R750.00

Application for Unabridged Marriage Certificate (queue for you to speed things up - yeah right ) - R650.00

Medicals will be - R4700.00 (for the 4 of us)

Miscellaneous - Passport Pictures, Photocopies etc.... - a couple of hundred easily

And then not to mention the visa...around R30 000 odd...

And there is plenty more to come...

We better sell our farm soon...cos the credit card limit can take us only so far.

Looking at all this...makes me feel blessed and sad at the same time. Blessed that we have a way to do this, even if we using credit...we can pay off the debt when we sell our properties...and sad that looking at these figures it really makes immigration an impossibility for people with less financial flexibility.

It is for this reason that I do not really discuss this immigration process with people outside of the forum. I don't wanna be talking about how badly I want to leave to someone who would if they could...and all they can do is sit it out.

Really really blessed

Thank you Lord for this opportunity...for that is what this is.

Deeply grateful

[TQO]

Hey BriD - wonders never cease - my hubby got his new passport in 9 DAYS!! ---- true story ---- .

Good luck on this last leg!

[LizM]

Looking at all this...makes me feel blessed and sad at the same time. Blessed that we have a way to do this, even if we using credit...we can pay off the debt when we sell our properties...and sad that looking at these figures it really makes immigration an impossibility for people with less financial flexibility.

It is for this reason that I do not really discuss this immigration process with people outside of the forum. I don't wanna be talking about how badly I want to leave to someone who would if they could...and all they can do is sit it out.

Yep this is how I feel too - we can't really afford it either, but my parents are in the position to help us.

There must be many who would like to leave but can't. Wish we could bring our nanny and her son with us - she's desperate for a better future for him

[KyleV]

Hi BriD.

I got my passport in 10 days, much to my surprise. I was expecting it to take a lot longer than it did! It is most definitely possible to get the passport in 2-3 weeks, if not sooner!

Best of luck with everything!

Kyle.

[BriD]

So we submitted our application and paid for it (gulp) just over a week ago.

Since then I have been on a mission to gather as many of the documents as I can to get them certified by a proper Commisioner of Oaths that does not include the SAPS and SAPO.

So today I went to get my documents certified. All the unabridged birth certificates, our abridged marriage certificate, all hubby's work stuff...skills assessment, work record, academic transcripts, certificate of qualification, all passports (except the one I am still waiting for for my daughter) but in the meantime have submitted with her current passport. (Said in the application online the passport must be valid at least 6 months...hers only expires next year November)

Spent the morning carefully uploading each document onto SkillSelect. Now we are just missing the PCC's and the Medicals.

I have given up on ever recieving our Unabridged Marriage Certificate and have submitted our Abridged Printed Version. Hoping it will be
acceptable. If not, then I will get a statement of declaration from an attorney.

Tomorrow is our Medicals Day and our PCC's have been recieved by PTA and we are just waiting for them to be finalised.

I simply love love love having productive days that make you feel like you are moving forward.

Feel quite excitable to be quite honest!! Yippea do da day!!

[TQO]

wow BriD, things are really moving fast for you guys!

I have heard of a few people on the forum who have thrown in the towel when it comes to certain documents, and have luckily come away on a positive note, without said required paperwork, so *huge sigh of relief* for some, and not so much for others ....

Can't wait to read more about your journey --- so pleased that things are falling into place so swiftly

[Hyperion]

Hi Brid

I am glad things are moving quickly for you guys. Seems you guys are on a similar timeline (and issues) as us. We are also still waiting for the unabridged marraige certifcate applied for in Jan.

Anyways, I was just wondering which courier you used to get your PCC application docs to pretoria. It still seems to have taken around 2 weeks to arrive. What did the courier cost you.

Thanks in advance.

[BriD]

Hi Brid

I am glad things are moving quickly for you guys. Seems you guys are on a similar timeline (and issues) as us. We are also still waiting for the unabridged marraige certifcate applied for in Jan.

Anyways, I was just wondering which courier you used to get your PCC application docs to pretoria. It still seems to have taken around 2 weeks to arrive. What did the courier cost you.

Thanks in advance.

Hi

So sorry you also having issues with the unabridged marriage certificate. It is the most frustrating thing!!!

We used Postnet, who in turn used DHL to courier it. We paid about R200 for overnight delivery. We sent it on a Wednesday and the following Monday we both recieved sms's that our PCC's had been recieved and were in progress.

2 weeks for a courier sounds crazy

You have a Case Officer already! That is great! We don't have a CO yet...patiently waiting.

We did our medicals today...so that is another thing out of the way.

Good luck with your journey!!

[Hyperion]

Thanks Brid

One last thing, which address did you courier the police clearance documents to?

[BriD]

We sent it to:

The Head of the South African Criminal Record Centre
For attention: Police Clearance Certificates
Bothongo Plaza West
CRC Client Service Centre
1st Floor, Room 14
271 Schoeman Street
PRETORIA

[Werns]

Hi,

I'm just wondering why you got all the documents certified??

If you apply online, you simply scan in the originals as long as it is in colour.

If you need it for other steps in the process I understand - I needed several documents notarised to get my teacher registration.

Just thought I would say this so that someone else reading this thread won't need to go through getting everything certified.

[Hyperion]

Thanks Brid

Much appreciated.

[BriD]

Hi,

I'm just wondering why you got all the documents certified??

If you apply online, you simply scan in the originals as long as it is in colour.

If you need it for other steps in the process I understand - I needed several documents notarised to get my teacher registration.

Just thought I would say this so that someone else reading this thread won't need to go through getting everything certified.

Because we are doing this by ourselves and not with a migration agent, I wanted to be particularly thorough. I printed out the whole booklet for the Points Based Skilled Migration (Subclasses 189, 190 and 489) Visa and there are some places where they specifically ask for certified copies to be submitted. Ie with transcripts of academic records and certificate of qualification.

It also says on page 35 of this booklet " You must provide 'certified copies' of origional documents which must be attached online to your visa application."

So in the interests of being very thorough. I made sure every document has been certified by the same person, and have included the business card of the commisioner of oaths we used. (this tip about the business card was mentioned by a migration agent when we were first looking at whether we would go with an agent or solo)

I would rather go above and beyond...than be asked later to provide certified copies and lose more time on it.

I guess it may depend on the case officer allocated...

But thanks for the note though. I just prefer to be as thorough as possible.

[Werns]

I found those booklets to be very confusion in terms of what exactly should be uploaded. I read through it many times and read a lot of different forums and it seemed that the consensus was that colour scans were the best.

But, as you say, if in doubt go above and beyond and make sure that you are covered either way.

Hope things go smoothly from here on out.

[BriD]

I have just been talking to a friend of mine who immigrated to Mebourne just over 3 years ago. They have settled very nicely there...been building a house, just about to move in. Her 2 girls are doing well. But she has had a couple of bad days...feeling homesick, wondering if they made the right decision to leave. We started to discuss South Africa as it is today. She was reminded of some of their reasons they left in the first place.

I have decided that I need to write myself a letter, a long letter detailing all the reasons that culminated in this monumental decision to leave all we know and try to start a new life somewhere else. Far from family, far from friends...far from a culture and lifestyle we knew. Perhaps one day when I am feeling down and questioning the decision then I can whip out my letter to myself and remind myself of those reasons. They seem so very clear right now...like giant mountains that are right in front of my face that cannot be ignored. But perhaps as time fades the bad things, the good things you left behind are all you can remember.

Just yesterday I was discussing with a teacher friend about how IPAD's are becoming compulsory in Private Schools from as young as grade 5 level. And all of a sudden with great horror it occured to me that our little children carrying around such expensive electronic items compulsorily will become a soft target for criminals. Bad criminals who will know every child leaving that school will have that item in their bag....the thought almost nauseates me....I cannot quite explain it. it is only a matter of time

So...guess I should get started with that letter.

[BriD]

Oh such excitement!! Our LSD trip is starting to materialize!!! We finalized our dates and booked flights and paid for them yesterday ( Before the Rand could go plummeting any further!! )

So we eventually decided that we are basing our LSD trip on Mostly Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. The biggest portion of our trip will be in Melbourne. We will be staying 7 nights there. I found a great little townhouse in the Point Cook area. It includes car hire. So I am looking forward to feeling how it will be to live in the suburbs, go grocery shopping there etc. Drive around a bit. Of course we will do some tourist attractions while there, will drive to the nearest train station / bus stop and park car there and go into the CBD from there.

We will spend 4 nights in Sydney (still looking for the perfect place here), 3 nights with Family in the Blue Mountains area. 2 nights in Brisbane..

Lots to look forward to. I am zinging with excitement :ilikeit: :ilikeit:

September...come quickly!

[BriD]

I know this is not about visas or immigrating or anything....but this forum has become a retreat for me and I need to get out how I am feeling.

My brother has been suffering with terrible abdominal cramps since the Easter Weekend...that is when it really got severe. Several hospitalisation later and the doctors are calling him a Medical Dilemma. He has an underlying immune deficiency problem called Henoch Schonlein Purpura...very rare and most doctors dont even know what it is. There is no cure...and it flares up during periods of high stress.

He has always been a very highly strung person and in recent months has been battling a complicated relationship with a girl who will not let him go.

No meds he has taken seem to help and he is hardly able to eat anything without throwing it up.

I woke last night at 2am and just could not get back to sleep. I noticed my dad was on facebook. I gave him a call to see what was wrong. My brother has been readmitted to hospital, unable to keep any solids or liquids down. He is in very bad shape....losing weight fast, in terrible pain. And the doctors don't know what to do.

My dad was in tears...and told me my brother might die. I know he is voicing his deepest fears...and seeing him like that must remind him of my sister when she was declining quickly.

He could not talk for long he was too upset. But now I have spent the morning wracked with worry and absolutely petrified. My brother has been very depressed lately due to the debilitating pain and even his whatsapp profile pic is a black block. My dad fears my brother is losing the will to fight this.

I cannot describe how I am feeling right now...I think I have been praying for hours and hours now. I just cannot imagine this happening again to our family. We lost my sister in 2007 to her battle with cancer....please oh dear Lord do not let us lose my brother too....

Please pray pray pray...I know you do not know him. But he needs all the prayer in the world right now.

Thanks for listening and sorry for this being off topic

[Lyn]

I am so sorry to hear about your brother. I can only imagine what you and your family are going through. And it must be a very difficult and sad place.

You will all be in my prayers.

[Toitjie]

Hi B, Im so sorry about the terrible trauma your family is going through. I will be thinking of you, and your brother too. It must be very painful for your dad...parents should never have to lose a child, its really hearbreaking.