Just Got Our Visa - Advice Please

BRIDGE27

Hi Folks,

My Fiancee and I have just received our Skilled Migrant Visa today. It is a Victorian State Sponsored Visa and we must activate the Visa by July 11 2011 ( exactly a year after our medicals).

Ok I have a few Questions....
1) We have got engaged and plan to marry in August 2011 in Portugal which leaves the activiating of the Visa tight, can we go for a week at Xmas, Easter or in July for a week to just activiate it and then return home?
2) Is it through that we have 5 years to get back into Oz once we have activated it?Explain? We can activitate the Visa, come home to Ireland for 4 years and then return to Oz with 6 months left on the Visa and apply for residency/citizenship?
3) I'm a teacher and got the Visa based on my job, will I have to stick to teaching once I get over or can I change profession? I know we have to spend the first 2 years in Victorrai and are free to move then.

We have spent a year in Oz and mainly in Melbourne so know the routine but with the wedding coming up and trying to save money for the wedding and after the wedding for our trip, we might work here in Ireland and move move over for another 2 years or so...

Anybody with Advice or in a similiar situation please help.
Cheers:)

aido79

BRIDGE27 wrote: »

Hi Folks,

My Fiancee and I have just received our Skilled Migrant Visa today. It is a Victorian State Sponsored Visa and we must activate the Visa by July 11 2011 ( exactly a year after our medicals).

Ok I have a few Questions....
1) We have got engaged and plan to marry in August 2011 in Portugal which leaves the activiating of the Visa tight, can we go for a week at Xmas, Easter or in July for a week to just activiate it and then return home?
2) Is it through that we have 5 years to get back into Oz once we have activated it?Explain? We can activitate the Visa, come home to Ireland for 4 years and then return to Oz with 6 months left on the Visa and apply for residency/citizenship?
3) I'm a teacher and got the Visa based on my job, will I have to stick to teaching once I get over or can I change profession? I know we have to spend the first 2 years in Victorrai and are free to move then.

We have spent a year in Oz and mainly in Melbourne so know the routine but with the wedding coming up and trying to save money for the wedding and after the wedding for our trip, we might work here in Ireland and move move over for another 2 years or so...

Anybody with Advice or in a similiar situation please help.
Cheers:)

Once a full PR (subclass 175) or 176 in this case) visa is granted, it is valid for five years. You must activate the visa by literally entering Australia once and stepping past customs.

You usually have about 8-9 months just to make the first entry (12 months after you do your medicals, which are done during the visa application phase), so as long as you are settled in Aus when the five years ends, you get another five - year 'Resident Return visa' in a simple and very quick application. This gives you a lot of flexibility and means you can return to your home country, or anywhere, for three years or so if you wish.

Have a look a this:

http://www.australia-migration.com/page/Skills_visa_overview/38

I got this from a quick search on google so if you can take the time I'm sure you'll be able to find out more info. Also have a look on www.britishexpats.com at the Australia forum and you should find out all you need to know.
Hope this helps.

BRIDGE27

Hey Aido79

Thanks very much for the reply. Just a quick question, once we activiate the visa before the deadline next July, we can return to Ireland, then we have five years to come back to Australia.
You mentioned once you are settled in that 5 years you get another 5 years add on with your RRV. How long would you have to be settled in Oz to be eligible for the extra 5 years add on?

I'll check out them website, thank you so much for your help

sharky86

normally 24 months to be deamed settled. so you can actiuvate your visa. get your sun tan and duty free and come back to ireland for three years..then head to oz for two years and get another 5. 2 more and you can get citizenship

danbohan

BRIDGE27 wrote: »

Hey Aido79

Thanks very much for the reply. Just a quick question, once we activiate the visa before the deadline next July, we can return to Ireland, then we have five years to come back to Australia.
You mentioned once you are settled in that 5 years you get another 5 years add on with your RRV. How long would you have to be settled in Oz to be eligible for the extra 5 years add on?

I'll check out them website, thank you so much for your help

if you want live in ireland why did you apply for an australian visa in first place ?. i thought that on a sponsored visa you must take up the postion i may be wrong .

john hanrahan

its a good idea to meet the requirments of the visa as early as you can,
things change you may not be able to for any reason later on .

and also rules change

exciting times

sharky86

john hanrahan wrote: »

its a good idea to meet the requirments of the visa as early as you can,
things change you may not be able to for any reason later on .

and also rules change

exciting times

plus some people need time to get things in order, like kids in school etc

Zambia

BRIDGE27 wrote: »

Ok I have a few Questions....
1) We have got engaged and plan to marry in August 2011 in Portugal which leaves the activiating of the Visa tight, can we go for a week at Xmas, Easter or in July for a week to just activiate it and then return home?

Yes you can start the visa on a visit to aus as stated

BRIDGE27 wrote: »

2) Is it through that we have 5 years to get back into Oz once we have activated it?Explain? We can activitate the Visa, come home to Ireland for 4 years and then return to Oz with 6 months left on the Visa and apply for residency/citizenship?

IMO this would be very risky a lot can change in this time frame. In reality most validate the visa then return to Oz in 1-2 years.

You need 4 years residency to apply for citizenship. At least 2 resident years in Oz I believe

BRIDGE27 wrote: »

3) I'm a teacher and got the Visa based on my job, will I have to stick to teaching once I get over or can I change profession? I know we have to spend the first 2 years in Victorrai and are free to move then.

I reckon that should be on your visa, I could not even hazard a guess.

BRIDGE27 wrote: »

We have spent a year in Oz and mainly in Melbourne so know the routine but with the wedding coming up and trying to save money for the wedding and after the wedding for our trip, we might work here in Ireland and move move over for another 2 years or so...

2 years seems OK but I assume your 2 years work in Victoria starts from when you arrive/work proper. The sooner you hack into it the better.

Anybody with Advice or in a similiar situation please help.
Cheers:)[/QUOTE]

hussey

Zambia232 wrote: »

You need 4 years residency to apply for citizenship. At least 2 1 resident years in Oz I believe

Nearly right ... you need 4 lawful years in Australia, and 1 as a resident

BRIDGE27

Thanks for the help folks, you have all been grreat.

Has anybody ever heard of an entry date being extended? Our Visa enrty date is 1st July 2011, but are getting hitched in Aug 2011, would immigration extend the entry date and if so by how long?

Zambia

BRIDGE27 wrote: »

Thanks for the help folks, you have all been grreat.

Has anybody ever heard of an entry date being extended? Our Visa enrty date is 1st July 2011, but are getting hitched in Aug 2011, would immigration extend the entry date and if so by how long?

I never have in fact I think it even states it cannot be extended at all.

lg123

hussey wrote: »

Nearly right ... you need 4 lawful years in Australia, and 1 as a resident

a little off topic but would 2 years here on a whv count towards this?

mandrake04

lg123 wrote: »

a little off topic but would 2 years here on a whv count towards this?

Yes