Emigrating to Oz question - another one!

[lewislewis]

We are in the process of applying for a spouse visa for myself to move to NSW; am I right in believing that for the first 2 years we will not be able to apply for any benefits, access medicare, etc...
I read on another thread that not everybody who applies for this visa gets it... this thought never entered my mind, after all both my dp and ds are Australian citizens. Is this true?

I dont think this is true. MY BIL wife is from Glasgow, and went out there on a fiance visa. Took some time but she is there now.The reason why some people get rejected is probably due to the officals thinking they are trying it on just to get into the country.
I dont know about the benefit thing. But when I got spouse visa for England, I was able to claim anything for a year or so, it sounds possible. I wouldnt think medicare is included in this though because there is a recipricoal agreement between the UK and Australia.

It is true, you will not get any benefits (except their equiv of child benefit) for 2 years.

We are applying for a former residents visa & will not get anything either. Apparently, even after 2 years if you can't find a job, that is not good enough reason to allow you to have benefits. You need to take enough to live on for at least 2 years.

LOL no actually snortOL

Soryy I am laughing so much i put this on the wrong ausi thread

If your dp and ds are Australian it would be massively unlikely that you would be refused I would imagine. I applied for an NZ visa (DH is a kiwi) and it was approved in a week.

Yes you get nothing for the first 2 years, but your dp and ds would be able to presumably.

I was able to get benefits as I applied rather than dh - me being the aussie and he coming in on the spousal visa. As dh and I had not been married five years BUT had dd1 - dh was granted permanent residency straight away otherwise you are granted temporary residency for two years and then if all stays the same you are granted permanent residency after the two years.

I imagine that your dp can claim as I claimed the tax benefits - equivalent of old child benefit.

Best advice - when you get here - go and see Centrelink with dp and see what they say. From memory as I was sponsoring dh on a spousal visa I had to sign a declaration saying I would support him financially for a certain period of time. Luckily for us he got a job within a month of being here.

There are people who have been refused when the govt suspect it is being used as a means to get into Australia.

I went about 14 yrs ago on a temporary, 1 yr visa and was able to access Medicare immediately as there was some sort of reciprocal agreement between Aus and UK governments. I got my permanent residency visa and this didn't effect anything nor did I have any qualifying periods - though i wasn't claiming anything other than medicare/medibank cover. here is Medicare's website, there may be some info on there or at least an e-mail address to contact for clarification. HTH

you will be covered by medicare due to reciprocal agreement. I know though - dh had to get a separate medicare card to dd1 and myself and finally after a certain period we were all able to go onto the one family card. SO you may find that your dp and ds will be on the one card and you will have your own for a certain period.

Thanks for your advice.