Stralians....give me a to do list

[schoolholidaymeanshotcrossmum]

So, moving to QLD in 3 and a half weeks, despite (because of?!) short notice things going well this end. But would very much like a to do list for arrival...

...things like get the equivalent of an ni number/ open bank account/ sign up to medicare. What else? Any tips on going about any of it?

Thanks in advance

[lulalullabye]

Put an 'Au' on the beginning of the word

Good luck.

[schoolholidaymeanshotcrossmum]

thanks - bad habit picked up from my Australian dh . anything else?!

[Bubbaluv]

NI number would be your tax file number I should think. Defo get that sorted or they'll tax you at the max rate.
Do you have kids?
Do you have a job lined up?
House?

[AllThreeWays]

Not entirely sure about your entitlements ie. your situation but the following

Tax file number - Australian taxation office //www.ato.gov.au
Medicare number - (government run medical benefits)//www.medicare.gov.au
Centrelink/Family assistance office - for family tax benefit //www.centrelink.gov.au
Schools - education.qld.gov.au/directory/schools/index.html

You do not have to register with a specific doctor
You will be entitled to enrol in your 'in area' local school no matter what

Good for searching real estate //www.realestate.com.au

Anything else?

[AllThreeWays]

Oh Bank accounts

Banks or Credit Unions/ building societies
Compare accounts based on needs as some charge for withdrawals, whereas others charge a monthly fee.
Good for comparisons www.infochoice.com.au/

To open account your will probably just need 100points of ID, very easy.
100 points is usually passport/ drivers license / birth certificate plus a couple of others ie. bank card/ medicare card

And that reminded me driver license www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Licensing.aspx

[kiteflying]

You don't need a tax file no. if you are a stay at home mum, as there is no national insurance element like in the UK - it is literally just for tax.
Your DH prob has one if he was an adult in Australia before moving to the UK. If not, he needs one.
Revive his Medicare card and just get your family added to that. Bank accounts are a walk in but you need proof of ID and proof of residency so you have to already have an address, and a bill for it, or a tenancy agreement. Once you have a mdeicare card, that goes towards proof of ID.
Why don't you ring Australia House?

[AllThreeWays]

You do need a tax file number if you plan to have a interesting bearing bank account or they will withhold tax.

Also helps with Family tax benefits, childcare benefit. childcare allowance. Doesn't cost anything to get one, and is easy enough to get.

[AllThreeWays]

*interest bearing

[Hevian]

You'll need a pair of flip flops for when you are dressed up to go out.

[ThumbsNoseAtSnapewitch]

It seems you pretty much do need a tax file number regardless, even if you are a SAHM and have no earnings - you have to file a "non-lodgement" form anyway.
The tax office here doesn't work like the UK one - they need to see a return of some sort from everyone (talk about giving themselves unnecessary work!) even if they are just PAYE.

Consider getting private health cover as well - you have a year from entering Australia to be covered without age-loading (this won't matter if you're under 30 but will matter more and more the older you are). If your DH is Australian, then he will probably have to pay the extra weighting if he's over 31.

I would suggest you go for a building society rather than a bank as they tend to charge less - banks are very grabby over here, even more so than the UK!

Sort out your tax situation in the UK before you go. If you have DC, write to the Child Benefits people, tell the IR that you are no longer going to be resident in the UK.

Is this a temp or permanent move?

[echt]

Snurk at Hevian.

But she's right, you know.:o

[kiteflying]

Sorry - my mistake on the TFN advice.
I realise I did have to give one for the Family Tax Benefits people.
Have never had to fill out a return though, or a non-lodgement form. Did the ATO simply not advise me properly?

On private health insurance. One company (can't remember which) is linked to Bupa, and if you can prove a history of health insurance in the UK (Bupa only probably) you can be exempt from the loading they put on.

[ThumbsNoseAtSnapewitch]

Dunno, kite. I have been told by another UK expat out here that I need to file a tax return, my Aussie friends have mentioned the non-lodgement forms and when I went to ask an accountant on an informal basis, she said yes, I should put in a non-lodgement form if I have had no earnings.

I am actually crap, I still haven't fully sorted out my UK tax situation - they do know I'm non-resident but because I still haven't done my NRL form (don't ask, I know, I know) I am still paying tax on the rent on my house. Plus I have earnings in the UK that are taxed at source . So I probably should fill in a proper tax return here, even though I have no Australian income. Which will involve an accountant because it's just too much for my brain and DH is useless at this kind of stuff - he can do his own but he'd never even heard of non-lodgement forms. again.

[schoolholidaymeanshotcrossmum]

thank you so much all, you're fab. This is all helpful stuff.

to answer the questions-
-Yep have two kids, not a sahm by trade but likely to be for a little while whilst sorting the kids out dh has a job lined up an we can live on his wages in the very short term.

-most things sorted this end with regards to tax, but am obviously anticipating a bit of dicking about!

-feels like a permanent move but I'm not burning any bridges. have travelled and lived away from the UK before but that was pre children.

• going to live with my inlaws until we can find somewhere to live but very much enjoying playing on realestate.com (especially when I'm supposed to be packing)
  

thanks again, really appreciate you taking the time to share your wisdom.

[Eralc]

I've been told I don't have to have a tax number or file a tax return either. But that might be because of the visa we're on (being as how I pretty much don't count as a proper person here!)

Definitely make sure you have your 100 points worth of ID - it's worth looking up to make sure what you have is relevant - we used it for several things when we moved over here.

[ThumbsNoseAtSnapewitch]

That might be the difference Eralc. I apparently do count as a proper person, sort of anyway. Only in as far as being DH's wife, though. .

Good point - what sort of visa are you coming out on, hotcrossmum?

[dollydoodledo]

I'm a dependant on a 457 visa and didn't lodge a tax return last year as didn't earn anything.
I don't count as a person here, classed as a visitor, my child is a fee paying international student at public school (we have been here 3 years) but I have not been in the UK for 10 years so not in the system there either. I actually find it quite unsettling not to 'belong' anywhere!

[ThumbsNoseAtSnapewitch]

I'm on a spousal visa, 309 I think. In the process of being upgraded to a permanent spousal visa, so that's probably why I do have to do something about it.

[schoolholidaymeanshotcrossmum]

Hi

I'm on a permanent spouse visa 47sp

[ThumbsNoseAtSnapewitch]

47sp is the form you fill in, not the subclass of visa that you have, isn't it?

My visa subclass as a temp spousal visa is 309 - when upgraded to permanent spousal visa it will be subclass 100. If you already have your visa in your passport it will tell you which subclass it is.

[kiteflying]

Does anyone know how long you can live outside of the the UK before you lose your right to have bank accounts at home? I have already had two credit cards cancelled because of lack of use - did not know they could do that.

[Hevian]

As long as you have a UK address you can keep your bank accounts. I think there's been a misunderstanding about the credit cards (I don't understand why they have been cancelled)

[AllThreeWays]

My parent's have maintained a Barclays account and Barclaycard for thirty years while living here. No UK address, but don't know if rules have changed.

[PadmeHum]

When you get here - you have to do the following:

1. Open a bank account before you leave the UK (if your DH doesn't already have one).
   
2. Go on-line and apply for TFN (tax file number) - if my memory is correct you can only do this after arrival (all Australians require a TFN even if you don't work).
   
3. Visit your local Centrelink - we were entitled to some benefits from day one (large family allowance and Tax Part A&B)
   
4. Get your private health insurance (there is a time limit before you become subject to age-loading - I think you get 12 months from entering the country - after that you pay additional on the premium for every year you are over 29/30).
   
5. If you are moving to Brisbane and intend to put your children into daycare/Kindergarten - get a wriggle on. All the good ones are very oversubscribed. Particularly if you intend to use the subsidised C&K type kindy's which run on a 5 day fortnight. We could not get our four year old into one of these at all when we arrived.
   
6. Again, in Brisbane, secondary school applications are done before a child starts prep. Sounds crazy, but it's truly important to get those applications in, especially if you have an older child.
   

Be informed that an esky is a coolerbox, a servo is a petrol station, a bottle'o is a grog shop (errmm.... bottle shop). An ocker accent is what your children will develop (within 3 months they'll sound like born and bred Australians). State of Origin is a footie tournament which stops the entire state (you might know this if your DH is Australian).

Good luck. We've lived in Queensland for 3 years. I absolutely adore it and would never ever leave :)

[PadmeHum]

@Hevian - that would be a pair of thongs ;)