Parents to Oz
Snippets and Links
This page is for useful facts and guidance based on the experience of applicants. Please Contact me if you have other snippets of information that you think may be of help. Also included are some handy links.

Character checks
  • At some stage you'll be asked to complete Form 80; sometimes this is asked for when the application is acknowledged, sometimes later in the process.
  • The relevant page on the immigration site is here. It asks for details of such things as countries visited, passports previously held, and because of the need to dig through old records it can be quite time-consuming. So it makes sense to at least be prepared!
  • It is of course possible to fill in and send Form 80 without being asked (quote your file number). The risk here is that if the form ever changes you might have to resubmit.

Assurance of Support (AoS)
  • You need an Assurer for this class of visa. Your Assurer does not need to be the same person as your sponsor.
  • The Assurer supplies a bond to the Australian Government (Centrelink) in the form of a bank deposit
  • The Bond is an account opened at the Commonwealth Bank in the name of the Assurer. The Bank gives a guarantee to Centrelink. Centrelink then notifies DIAC. There is normally a charge of $150 for the guarantee which is paid at the same time as the bond ($10,000 for the first applicant etc).
  • The account must be opened with either cash or a bank draft; in the case of the latter, the payee should be the Assurer's name.
  • Interest on the account is paid to the account holder (the Assurer).

Final VAC and Visa
  • The final Visa Application Charge (VAC) needs to be paid by bank draft or credit card. It's a large amount but of course you can pre-deposit funds to your credit card account; The only unknown here is any single transaction limit on your card - check the small print.
  • If paying by draft, it is worthwhile sending it by tracked delivery direct to PVC (previously POPC) in Perth.
  • The mysterious "Royal Mail pre-paid Silver Pouch" (for UK applicants this is part of the instructions when your visa is granted). This is actually a pre-paid next day special delivery C5 envelope - just in case you feel daft asking for a Silver Pouch at the Post Office.
  • It may be possible to make payment in your local currency. The exchange rate used is that published here. Check the currency converter for information. For UK residents, payment can be made in sterling at the High Commission in London. Be aware that the rate is fixed twice each year on Jan 1 and Jul 1; movements in currency rates outside these two dates will of course affect the relative appeal of this method.

Medicare and Health
  • Medicare is available on taking up residency.
  • Top-up health insurance is available (presumably because Medicare doesn't cover everything)
  • Lifetime Health Cover is a Government initiative which encourages people to take out hospital cover at a young age, and maintain it. Premiums are loaded by 2% after the age of 31 for each year you delay. The main page for this site is here.
  • For new migrants, "you will not have to pay a Lifetime Health Cover loading if you take out private health insurance within 12 months of being registered for Medicare". This is particularly relevant for us parents who are normally, shall we say, nicely mature. For a 60-year old who takes out the insurance after the 1-year deadline for example, I calculate there would be a 58% loading on the standard premiums.

Links
A busy park in Melbourne Parkland in Melbourne
In the Dandenongs Dandenong mountain trees
Apostles, 12 The 12 Apostles
Life can be a Beach Deserted beach along the Great Ocean Road
Eureka building (skydeck), Melbourne Eureka building from below