# jus starting my journey



## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

Hello folks ,

I am a software engineer from Bangalore ,India and a newbie to this forum as well.I would like to thank this forum members for the wealth of useful and first hand information that I found useful during my visa process (175).

I am planning on moving to Aus during the month of Jan 2013 ,am right now clueless as to where to go to ,all I have is a tentative date  am overloaded with the enormity of this undertaking 

I am planning on documenting my journey as it progresses with the help of members in this forum and GOOGLE .

That's all for now.... shall keep the forum posted on how I progress.

Please feel free to say Hi .

Regards,
Sam


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## tenten (Aug 12, 2012)

Hie,

congratulations on the grant and all the best in the new year.


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## chsridevi (Dec 22, 2011)

All the Best!!


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## jeyaramesh03 (Sep 11, 2012)

samuel.rajesh said:


> Hello folks ,
> 
> I am a software engineer from Bangalore ,India and a newbie to this forum as well.I would like to thank this forum members for the wealth of useful and first hand information that I found useful during my visa process (175).
> 
> ...



Hi Sam, 
Congrats on grant 
I am from CHN moving to MEL during first week of JAN'13. 
I am also from IT. 
I am yet to start my preparation.. 
Bye


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## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

jeyaramesh03 said:


> Hi Sam,
> Congrats on grant
> I am from CHN moving to MEL during first week of JAN'13.
> I am also from IT.
> ...


Hi Jeyaramesh ,

Am from Chennai as well ,but working in Bangalore ,Can we get together/call to talk more about this .

regards,
Samuel


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## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

chsridevi said:


> All the Best!!


Thanks Chsridevi , looking forward to hearing from you all


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## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

tenten said:


> Hie,
> 
> congratulations on the grant and all the best in the new year.


Thank you Tenten


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## reachsvinoth (Jun 9, 2012)

Hi,

I am also from Chennai.. right now just applied for Visa.. but going by the current timelines, hopeful of getting Visa by this year end and expecting to travel by Jan or Feb 2013...

I am a mainframe programmer and have 6+ years of experience...

Please do let us know if we can get in touch to discuss more on the move..


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## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

reachsvinoth said:


> Hi,
> 
> I am also from Chennai.. right now just applied for Visa.. but going by the current timelines, hopeful of getting Visa by this year end and expecting to travel by Jan or Feb 2013...
> 
> ...


Hi Vinoth,

Would like to get in touch as well ,have to figure out a way in which i can send my Email ,I suppose i should complete 5 posts to do so . so do send me a pm with your personal mail id and we can take it from there.

A brief explanation on my timelines 


175 visa 

Started the process on June 2011 (acs and all )

20 July 2012 -Got letter from case officer for medicals ,docs
Aug (approx)-submitted all docs and medicals completed 
Aug -More details on relationship asked for by case office
Sep 1-Documents submitted 
Sep 14 - visa granted

Please fell free to ask any questions


Regards,
Samuel.


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## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

reachsvinoth said:


> Since you have not completed 5 posts, I am not able to PM you as well..
> 
> my gmail id is reachsvinoth at gmail dot com..


mail sent 

Sam.


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## Sabariram (Sep 6, 2011)

Hello Sam/Vinoth/Jeya ramesh

I am also planning to land Sydney in the 2nd week of Feb 2013. I am from Bangalore. Can we share our personal e-mails ids to take this further?. Thanks.

Regards
Sabari


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## Sabariram (Sep 6, 2011)

Hello Guys,

I have sent my e-mail id in a personal message. Lets keep in touch.

Regards
Sabari


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## ethan007 (Jul 21, 2012)

hi good question just start my journey


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## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

Sabariram said:


> Hello Sam/Vinoth/Jeya ramesh
> 
> I am also planning to land Sydney in the 2nd week of Feb 2013. I am from Bangalore. Can we share our personal e-mails ids to take this further?. Thanks.
> 
> ...


reply sent to Sabari ,Vinoth and Jeya ramesh do join in .


Sam


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## chsridevi (Dec 22, 2011)

Thats a quick gathering!! can I join too. I am in last stage of my 175 process and planning to move to melbourne in Feb'13


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## Shree Ganesh (Mar 14, 2012)

hey nice thread...I am planning to move in 2nd week of Jan... 
still no preparation..you can see my Tim line..Have got grant in last week !!!


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## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

chsridevi said:


> Thats a quick gathering!! can I join too. I am in last stage of my 175 process and planning to move to melbourne in Feb'13


Please do join in Chsridevi,more the merrier ,I was thinking of exchanging mail id's and numbers with other members ,and then have a discussion on where to land .Looks like you have already made your choice ,Can we know why is it that you have decided upon Melbourne .


For now I see that 2 people have decided on Sydney and Chsridevi on Melbourne.

Folks any information on why would help us all .

Sam.


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## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

Shree Ganesh said:


> hey nice thread...I am planning to move in 2nd week of Jan...
> still no preparation..you can see my Tim line..Have got grant in last week !!!


Welcome Shree Ganesh more the merrier .


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## anurag83 (Sep 7, 2012)

Hi I have got the grant however I am not sure when is the best time to move.

I know I will move to Sydney initially.. But it be great if all can share experiences


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## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

anurag83 said:


> Hi I have got the grant however I am not sure when is the best time to move.
> 
> I know I will move to Sydney initially.. But it be great if all can share experiences


The best time for job hunting as i read here in the forums would be either November or Mid Jan ,this is when most jobs are available .

The more experienced members here can shed some light on this .

Sam


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## Shree Ganesh (Mar 14, 2012)

Hi Chsridevi....
Even we are ( Me and My Wife ) are planning to move melbourne in mid of Jan.
do you find any initial accommodation ? 



chsridevi said:


> Thats a quick gathering!! can I join too. I am in last stage of my 175 process and planning to move to melbourne in Feb'13


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## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

Shree Ganesh said:


> Hi Chsridevi....
> Even we are ( Me and My Wife ) are planning to move melbourne in mid of Jan.
> do you find any initial accommodation ?


Same question here as well Chsridevi ,how does one figure out accomodation ?
Gumtree has been suggested by some members in the forum.If you have narrowed down on a locality please do let us know .

Sam


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## chsridevi (Dec 22, 2011)

samuel.rajesh said:


> Please do join in Chsridevi,more the merrier ,I was thinking of exchanging mail id's and numbers with other members ,and then have a discussion on where to land .Looks like you have already made your choice ,Can we know why is it that you have decided upon Melbourne .
> 
> 
> For now I see that 2 people have decided on Sydney and Chsridevi on Melbourne.
> ...


ok, let me tell you why my choice is Melbourne. Below is the research I have done

1. Salaries in Sydney are more than melbourne but the cost of living is also more in sydney.
2. sydney is fast paced Melbourne is bit relaxed and more lively compared to Sydney.(Melbourne is one of worlds most liveliest city)
3. In Sydney for a decent and economical home, we have to live far from the CBD's at least far than that in melbourne. So the commuting time will be more. I want to save this time for my family (I have 11 months old daughter)

Finally both Sydney and Melbourne are wonderfull and would 
sure move to sydney if I get an offer there.Getting a job is First Priority!! But without an offer, if I have to choose where to arrive in and settle, 
I would prefer Melbourne.


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## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

chsridevi said:


> ok, let me tell you why my choice is Melbourne. At first both Sydney and Melbourne are wonderfull and would sure move to sydney if I get an offer there. But without an offer, if I have to choose where to arrive in and settle, I would prefer Melbourne.
> 
> 1. Salaries in Sydney are more than melbour


Good one Chsridevi,now I have three areas to decide upon Sydney ,Melbourne ,perth.

The first two seem to have more job openings and as you mentioned Sydney is more expensive of the lot .Perth does have a few openings in my line of work .

Sam.


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## Shree Ganesh (Mar 14, 2012)

totally agree with your points...
whats the plan for your initial accommodation ?



chsridevi said:


> ok, let me tell you why my choice is Melbourne. Below is the research I have done
> 
> 1. Salaries in Sydney are more than melbourne but the cost of living is also more in sydney.
> 2. sydney is fast paced Melbourne is bit relaxed and more lively compared to Sydney.(Melbourne is one of worlds most liveliest city)
> ...


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## chsridevi (Dec 22, 2011)

samuel.rajesh said:


> Same question here as well Chsridevi ,how does one figure out accomodation ?
> Gumtree has been suggested by some members in the forum.If you have narrowed down on a locality please do let us know .
> 
> Sam


Hi Shree Ganesh and Smuel,

I still waiting for my grant. My FBI PCC is on the way and am expecting grant by this month end. So still did not book tickets or initial accomodation. But after reading many threads, I felt a service apt for intial accomodation and later shared accomodation near to a station are the best choices. I did not narrow down a locality yet because it is subject to accomodation availability at the time and once we go there we can check personally and decide up for a locality when we have to lease a house.

So what about you guys? from which place you are from. Do you going there with an offer?


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## Wander_Lust (Jul 7, 2011)

Hello Friends,

I am an IT Professional from Bangalore, planning to move in the month of Feb 2013. Not yet sure of which location. It's a great idea to form some sort of a group so that we can guide and help each other. We all have our fears about starting a new journey in an alien country I suppose.

Let's keep in touch. I was planning to collate all the member information into some sort of an excel file with email ID's, contact numbers, destination location, IT domain etc. We can circulate this sheet through our personal email ID's among the members of this group.

What do you all say? Please post your opinions.


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## chsridevi (Dec 22, 2011)

samuel.rajesh said:


> Good one Chsridevi,now I have three areas to decide upon Sydney ,Melbourne ,perth.
> 
> The first two seem to have more job openings and as you mentioned Sydney is more expensive of the lot .Perth does have a few openings in my line of work .
> 
> Sam.


Perth too is a good place to live!! But we are into IT and we dont have much opportunities there. So it never came into our list


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## reachsvinoth (Jun 9, 2012)

samuel.rajesh said:


> Good one Chsridevi,now I have three areas to decide upon Sydney ,Melbourne ,perth.
> 
> The first two seem to have more job openings and as you mentioned Sydney is more expensive of the lot .Perth does have a few openings in my line of work .
> 
> Sam.


Hi all,

Nice to see so many ppl getting together planning to migrate in the first quarter of 2013.. I could see some odd jobs for my line of work(mainframe) in Brisbane as well...

But before that, a first question to all of you on this thread.. Have you tried searching for jobs from offshore... According to me, the options are

1. Post your resume in Indian jobsites like Naukri -mentioning that u have AU PR to be considered for onsite opportunities..

2. Post resumes in Seek, Snipey etc.. from here itself to see if any consultant calls you back..

3. Get a skype number(AU) and float your resume with that number in AU portals..

Did you guys try all these options.. Any luck????

Any more ideas guys!!!????


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## chsridevi (Dec 22, 2011)

Wander_Lust said:


> Hello Friends,
> 
> I am an IT Professional from Bangalore, planning to move in the month of Feb 2013. Not yet sure of which location. It's a great idea to form some sort of a group so that we can guide and help each other. We all have our fears about starting a new journey in an alien country I suppose.
> 
> ...


Good idea!!


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## chsridevi (Dec 22, 2011)

samuel.rajesh said:


> The best time for job hunting as i read here in the forums would be either November or Mid Jan ,this is when most jobs are available .
> 
> The more experienced members here can shed some light on this .
> 
> Sam


I dont think so. The holiday season starts from November. So I dont think its the best time.


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## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

reachsvinoth said:


> Hi all,
> 
> Nice to see so many ppl getting together planning to migrate in the first quarter of 2013.. I could see some odd jobs for my line of work(mainframe) in Brisbane as well...
> 
> ...


Hi Vinoth,

My replies 

No am yet to change my cv into an aussie format
Learnt from this Forum that if you are not in Aus then getting calls is highly unlikely
option three is a new one ,get a skype no ? ,as in smart phone with skype turned on to get calls .

Sam.


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## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

chsridevi said:


> Hi Shree Ganesh and Smuel,
> 
> I still waiting for my grant. My FBI PCC is on the way and am expecting grant by this month end. So still did not book tickets or initial accomodation. But after reading many threads, I felt a service apt for intial accomodation and later shared accomodation near to a station are the best choices. I did not narrow down a locality yet because it is subject to accomodation availability at the time and once we go there we can check personally and decide up for a locality when we have to lease a house.
> 
> So what about you guys? from which place you are from. Do you going there with an offer?


hey Chsri ,Am from Bangalore ,I haven't booked tickets yet or acco.I do not have an offer in hand and will have to try my luck there .

Sam


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## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

chsridevi said:


> Good idea!!


Good idea Wander_Lust ,welcome here please go ahead with the list .


Sam


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## reachsvinoth (Jun 9, 2012)

Yes sam.. I have seen some people do it.. We need suggestions from seniors as to how to it practically..


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## renz116 (Sep 17, 2012)

reachsvinoth said:


> Yes sam.. I have seen some people do it.. We need suggestions from seniors as to how to it practically..


Good post... I hope I'll be able to join this group soon enough as I'm waiting for my medicals to be finalised.

Sent from my GT-I9100G using Expat Forum


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## Shree Ganesh (Mar 14, 2012)

chsridevi said:


> Hi Shree Ganesh and Smuel,
> 
> I still waiting for my grant. My FBI PCC is on the way and am expecting grant by this month end. So still did not book tickets or initial accomodation. But after reading many threads, I felt a service apt for intial accomodation and later shared accomodation near to a station are the best choices. I did not narrow down a locality yet because it is subject to accomodation availability at the time and once we go there we can check personally and decide up for a locality when we have to lease a house.
> 
> So what about you guys? from which place you are from. Do you going there with an offer?


hello..

I am from Pune..with 5+ SAP exp.
IT jobs (over all) in media/comm, mining, insurance sector are doing good...atleast that is what i have heard from my sources in Aus. As far as Job hunting goes....i would say its a step-by-step procedure which would start from your home country.

-start looking in job portals and check the trend in market. if you have to work on CV format, make the necessary changes. if you have worked on 2/3/4 different skills, m sure not many would be interested in all of them...so prepare 2/3 versions. once you have visa granted, start applying. That would at least give you an edge because now you are few steps closer to leaving your home country and landing in Aus.
- Needless to say, once you have visa and some advancement in your job discussion, you can always work on your arrival date to Aus.
- Worst case worse, even if you don't break the ice from your home country.... go ahead with out job in Aus. Be confident and m sure the home work you had done in past would help you. Start all over again and keep in mind what others have already said in this Forum.

Accommodation -I am still deciding the place in Melb. 

Tickets- in next 2 weeks , m booking my tickets...for mid Jan. 


At least this is what I am planning to do. Things might change in coming days.


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## PriyankaN (Oct 8, 2012)

Hi Samuel,

Even we are thinking of shifting to AUstralia on PR. I am a CA with 4+ years of experience and my husband is an M.Tech in IT with 8 years of exp. Just wanted to know what is the complete procedure for getting the PR. Also did u do it with the help of an immigration consultant or by yourself? How about job search.....the consultant I spoke to said you can apply for jobs from india when your PR is in process....is that true? How far are the companies comfortable in recruiting overseas candidates through Skype interviews etc??
As per your post it took you close to 1.5 years from application to actually get PR....my consultant told you get it within a year....??

I would really appreciate if you can answer my queries. We are very seriously thinking of going to australia....provided the opportunities justifies both of us leaving our jobs here and shifting to a new country completely.

Thanks!


PN


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## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

PriyankaN said:


> Hi Samuel,
> 
> Even we are thinking of shifting to AUstralia on PR. I am a CA with 4+ years of experience and my husband is an M.Tech in IT with 8 years of exp. Just wanted to know what is the complete procedure for getting the PR. Also did u do it with the help of an immigration consultant or by yourself? How about job search.....the consultant I spoke to said you can apply for jobs from India when your PR is in process....is that true? How far are the companies comfortable in recruiting overseas candidates through Skype interviews etc??
> As per your post it took you close to 1.5 years from application to actually get PR....my consultant told you get it within a year....??
> ...



Hi Priyanka ,


Welcome ,let me try to answer your questions 

I applied by means of a consultant company in Chennai .
As far as job search is concerned ,I have read in this forum that it almost next to impossible to secure a job from India ,most aussie firms prefer that you are here in 
Aus.As per the processing time lines once you are assigned a case officer then you might get the grant within 2 months to a couple ,In my case I had to arrange for some docs so after the case officer was assigned it took time .The rest of timelines are accurate and you can check the Aus immigration site for approx time lines.
Am not sure about Skype interviews ,one person in this thread has mentioned it .I applied under visa class 175 and one year might be possible please do double check , I had to to get ACS approval then IELTS ,then I got married so change in details,request for more docs etc in my case so my timeline might not match yours exactly.

Please do check job sites and i do understand its a journey with trepidation,am on the same boat  .Do ask if you have any ques .

Updated my timelines ,filed with DIAC Nov 2011 ,visa granted Sep 2012


Sam.


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## anurag83 (Sep 7, 2012)

Hi all

The timelines really depend in case to case basis. I applied for PR in May 12 by a consultant agent in Mumbai and I got my PR in yesterday. 

Securing a job from off shore is very unlikely unless the company your are currently working for has a branch or collaboration in Aus.

Hope this helps


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## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

Folks ,

A question on opening Bank accounts ,it looks like the account can be opened from India ,common wealth bank has a branch here or one can apply online for the same in different banks as well .

Which do you think is a better offer and what kinda of account ( with minimum fees) ? can any of the senior members answer .

Opening an account once you land in Aus should be not be a problem from what I have read over here .Any suggestions on the same.



http://www.expatforum.com/expats/au...iving-australia/10916-banking.html#post561085



A members in the same thread had mentioned about how can get a local skype number and then forward the calls to a Indian no, here is a thread that deal with the same topic .Do let me know how this works out .

http://www.expatforum.com/expats/au...-here-my-experience-so-far-25.html#post577405



Sam.


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## PriyankaN (Oct 8, 2012)

Hi Anurag,

Can you tell me the name of the agency with whom you files your PR? What was the total cost?

PN


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## anurag83 (Sep 7, 2012)

Hi Priyanka,

It's called immigration consultants. It's located in Mumbai.. Fort area. PM if you require their contact no etc. they will access your case for a fee of RS 500. If you are eligible according to them then they will take your case. Post that thy charge 40k as their fees over and above Aus visa fees plus lawyer. Not cheap by any means however they do take care of everything as promised.


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## Sabariram (Sep 6, 2011)

Hi guys,

I have booked my ticket to Sydney on 16th Feb 13. Will be reaching Syd on next day morning 17th Feb 13 9:45 AM. Malaysian Airlines from Bangalore - INR 34488 - 40 kgs baggage allowance, oneway ticket. 

You have to visit their Airline office which is opposite Bangalore Club, Richmond Circle, bangalore to get excess baggage allowance. This is for people who will travel from Bangalore.

Singapore Airlines is bit costlier and also it reaches during the night time. The ticket cost is around INR 38000 oneway.

I have chosen Sydney, because not only does it have openings for IT people but also it is close to other major cities. For my IT background (Mainframe), the openings do exist across the cities (Mel, Syd, ACT, Brisbane). I think Sydney would be my best choice to land initially.For others, this choice may vary.

Hi Sam/Vinoth,
Thanks for your personal e-mail. We will keep in touch.

Hi Chrisdevi,
You are welcome to join. good to know that you have decided on the port of entry.

Hi Wanderlust,
nice to know that you are from BLR. I am also from Bangalore. I will send you a personal message.

Regards
Sabari


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## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

Sabariram said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> I have booked my ticket to Sydney on 16th Feb 13. Will be reaching Syd on next day morning 17th Feb 13 9:45 AM. Malaysian Airlines from Bangalore - INR 34488 - 40 kgs baggage allowance, oneway ticket.
> 
> ...


Hi Sabariram ,

Thank you for the detailed mail,I am from Bangalore as well and this information about the airlines would be handy .I have finalized on Sydney as well and would probably book the tickets in 2 weeks time .

I will go to the place mentioned and claim for excess baggage .


One question on the visa endorsement ? did u go to Vfs australia in Bangalore and get the visa endorsed 


Did you book the plane tickets online or through an agent ? 

kindly let me know ,will keep you posted on my progress .

Sam
9741799300


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## Sabariram (Sep 6, 2011)

samuel.rajesh said:


> Hi Sabariram ,
> 
> Thank you for the detailed mail,I am from Bangalore as well and this information about the airlines would be handy .I have finalized on Sydney as well and would probably book the tickets in 2 weeks time .
> 
> ...


Hi Sam,

I visited the airline office yesterday. They asked my passport and visa copy to verify that I have a valid visa (PR) and am travelling for the first time. That's all they checked. Nothing else. Malaysian Airlines Bangalore office no is 080-22122991. You can block the ticket if you want but then you need to book within 5days from the date of blocking.

The e-ticket Itinerary will have the excess baggage allowance printed on it. If you book online you will not get the excess baggage allowance.

As far as visa evidencing is concerened, I visited VFS office, Central Street, Bangalore. They charged me 700 bux for my family. you need to carry your passport and visa grant notice with you. You will get your passports back within 5 working days. This was the SLA when I did my evidencing. I have read somewhere in the forum, that it has been increased to 15 days.

Sabari


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## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

Sabariram said:


> Hi Sam,
> 
> I visited the airline office yesterday. They asked my passport and visa copy to verify that I have a valid visa (PR) and am travelling for the first time. That's all they checked. Nothing else. Malaysian Airlines Bangalore office no is 080-22122991. You can block the ticket if you want but then you need to book within 5days from the date of blocking.
> 
> ...


Thanks a lot for the info Sabari ,I will follow up with Vfs next week and then get the tickets done once the visa evidencing is done.Thanks once again for the numbers of the airlines as well .

Sam


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## jeyaramesh03 (Sep 11, 2012)

*Team is picking up - Jeyaramesh from Chennai*



samuel.rajesh said:


> Thanks a lot for the info Sabari ,I will follow up with Vfs next week and then get the tickets done once the visa evidencing is done.Thanks once again for the numbers of the airlines as well .
> 
> Sam


Friends, 
Spirits are up and we are teaming up. 
I am jeyaramesh from chennai and planning to mve during Ist week of JAN 
to Melbourne. 

Tickets yet to confirm. 
For the accomadation I too searching. 
Any inputs I'll share with the team. 

We will make it. 

personal mail id : : rameshg9772 at gmaildotcom ...
sam / chris / sabarai .. / seniors . please share ur exp on accomadation 
job hunting
bye


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## kanmaj10 (Sep 29, 2012)

Shree Ganesh said:


> hello..
> 
> I am from Pune..with 5+ SAP exp.
> IT jobs (over all) in media/comm, mining, insurance sector are doing good...atleast that is what i have heard from my sources in Aus. As far as Job hunting goes....i would say its a step-by-step procedure which would start from your home country.
> ...


Hi Shree Ganesh,

I am also from Pune. I got my invite on 1st Oct and currently submitting documentation for the DIAC application. I think it will probably take end of this year to get the grant. We can plan on travelling together end of Jan. 
Are you taking your family along with you ?

Regards
Kanmaj10


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## PriyankaN (Oct 8, 2012)

Hi Anurag,

Can you tell me what was the name of your consultant? I searched on google, I got many consultants but no one with that name. You can PM me if thats possible. 

Any senior member please share the name of good immigration consultant in Mumbai. 

We are planning to file the application by the end of this year so that we get our PR by end of next year.

Thanks.

PN


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## reachsvinoth (Jun 9, 2012)

Hi Kanmaj10

I also got my invite on Oct 1.. Can you please update your timelines in your signature..
In what stage are u now.. Have u filed your application?


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## reachsvinoth (Jun 9, 2012)

Hi Kanmaj10

I also got my invite on Oct 1.. Can you please update your timelines in your signature..
In what stage are u now.. Have u filed your application?


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## anurag83 (Sep 7, 2012)

Hey Priyanka,

I am getting an error message that you are not receiving PMs anyway the name of the agent is Sagar Mehta and it's his firm. The number is 00919821238649. You can speak to him and see how I works out for you 

Let me know if you need any help

Anurag


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## Shree Ganesh (Mar 14, 2012)

Hi Kanmaj, 

Yes ,WE ( ME and MY wife ) are planing to fly in Jan ....next few days I am booking to tickets...PM you personal id...



kanmaj10 said:


> Hi Shree Ganesh,
> 
> I am also from Pune. I got my invite on 1st Oct and currently submitting documentation for the DIAC application. I think it will probably take end of this year to get the grant. We can plan on travelling together end of Jan.
> Are you taking your family along with you ?
> ...


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## kanmaj10 (Sep 29, 2012)

reachsvinoth said:


> Hi Kanmaj10
> 
> I also got my invite on Oct 1.. Can you please update your timelines in your signature..
> In what stage are u now.. Have u filed your application?



Updated my signature below. Will apply next week.


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## Smita4679 (Mar 10, 2011)

*Hi friends*

Hi All -
I also hold 175 visa and am planning to travel to Aus by jan 2013. The dates have not been finalised yet. Good to see this group where all are in similar stages. I am also a Mainframe programmer and initially plan to be in Melbourne for the job hunt.

Hope 2013 will be a successful year for us.

Regards
Smita


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## karthiksrgm (Oct 1, 2012)

Hello Sam , Hello Vinoth,

I would like to introduce myself, I am karthik from Bangalore.I am basically a Mechanical Engineer works with automotive background as Senior Design Engineer. Got the visa grant letter. I am also planning to move to MEL in Jan to Feb 2013. I have 8.5 years of Exp. Please let me know if we can discuss further about the move.

Regards
Karthik


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## Tiffanymaree (Oct 10, 2012)

samuel.rajesh said:


> Hello folks ,
> 
> I am a software engineer from Bangalore ,India and a newbie to this forum as well.I would like to thank this forum members for the wealth of useful and first hand information that I found useful during my visa process (175).
> 
> ...


Hey Sam! 
I live here in Australia, it's great! 
Let me know if you need anything!!


----------



## pandaaram (Jan 16, 2012)

Smita,

Myself mainframe programmer too. Hold a 175 visa and targeting for mid Feb to Sydney. I am planning to go there first and then bring in my spouse once I settle in.

Btw, have you booked your tickets yet? I will be doing so, mostly via Thai Airways pretty soon.

Would be nice if we could catch up sometime on travel arrangements, stay and ofcourse CV followed by job hunt !!

Regards,
Ananth



Smita4679 said:


> Hi All -
> I also hold 175 visa and am planning to travel to Aus by jan 2013. The dates have not been finalised yet. Good to see this group where all are in similar stages. I am also a Mainframe programmer and initially plan to be in Melbourne for the job hunt.
> 
> Hope 2013 will be a successful year for us.
> ...


----------



## pandaaram (Jan 16, 2012)

Looks like there are many mainframe professionals beginning their journey towards land of Oz in 2013 and I am one in the pack 

Maybe we should open a separate thread and share the followin details:

1. City of departure
2. Airline
3. Date
4. Airline cost
5. Destination city
6. Initial accommodation arrangement
7. CV template
8. List of consultants



Sabariram said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> I have booked my ticket to Sydney on 16th Feb 13. Will be reaching Syd on next day morning 17th Feb 13 9:45 AM. Malaysian Airlines from Bangalore - INR 34488 - 40 kgs baggage allowance, oneway ticket.
> 
> ...


----------



## reachsvinoth (Jun 9, 2012)

hi,

Thats a really nice idea!!!!!

Feeling a bit scary with reports being ppl not getting jobs even after 3 months of job hunt!!!


----------



## patopking (Jul 28, 2010)

Good people, visa evidencing in India is charged!!??
I am from Kenya and I got our passports evidenced at our Australian High Commission offices. It was a 6 minutes exercise and didn't pay a single cent.


Sabariram said:


> Hi Sam,
> 
> I visited the airline office yesterday. They asked my passport and visa copy to verify that I have a valid visa (PR) and am travelling for the first time. That's all they checked. Nothing else. Malaysian Airlines Bangalore office no is 080-22122991. You can block the ticket if you want but then you need to book within 5days from the date of blocking.
> 
> ...


----------



## pandaaram (Jan 16, 2012)

patopking said:


> Good people, visa evidencing in India is charged!!??
> I am from Kenya and I got our passports evidenced at our Australian High Commission offices. It was a 6 minutes exercise and didn't pay a single cent.


Pat that depends on the city from which the evidencing done.

Cities like Bangalore or Chennai doesn't have a consulate and hence seek services of VFS to have the evidencing done and they charge for the same.

Sent from my iPhone using ExpatForum


----------



## PriyankaN (Oct 8, 2012)

Anurag,

Thanks a lot. I spoke to the agent. Seemed nice. We will be meeting with him next month as currently my husband is out of country on a project. 

Guys,

Its great to see such a friendly forum of expats here where they share info regarding job, living etc....also I see many people pooling together and landing Aus which is very helpful specially if you dont have much contacts there. I will be in regular touch with all of you in my journey and I expect the same kind of assistance from all of you.
I am saying all this as we after much deliberation and thinking have finally decided to move out of india permanently. We were in USA for 2 years but we always knew we would come back! Plus we also have an infant daughter....so our worries are more. But with such friendly people around here....am sure we wont face much troubles. 

PN.


----------



## Sabariram (Sep 6, 2011)

patopking said:


> Good people, visa evidencing in India is charged!!??
> I am from Kenya and I got our passports evidenced at our Australian High Commission offices. It was a 6 minutes exercise and didn't pay a single cent.


Hi Pat

Congratualtions on your visa grant. You may be correct. Since, I used a third party agency for my visa evidencing, I needed to pay for their service and courier charges.

Sabari


----------



## Sabariram (Sep 6, 2011)

karthiksrgm said:


> Hello Sam , Hello Vinoth,
> 
> I would like to introduce myself, I am karthik from Bangalore.I am basically a Mechanical Engineer works with automotive background as Senior Design Engineer. Got the visa grant letter. I am also planning to move to MEL in Jan to Feb 2013. I have 8.5 years of Exp. Please let me know if we can discuss further about the move.
> 
> ...


Hi Karthik

Welcome aboard. We are also still finalising things one by one. May I know the reason for selecting Melbourne over other places?

Sabari


----------



## Sabariram (Sep 6, 2011)

pandaaram said:


> Looks like there are many mainframe professionals beginning their journey towards land of Oz in 2013 and I am one in the pack
> 
> Maybe we should open a separate thread and share the followin details:
> 
> ...


Hello Pandaram,

Nice initiative. I have responded to your other thread. 

Sabari


----------



## Sabariram (Sep 6, 2011)

Smita4679 said:


> Hi All -
> I also hold 175 visa and am planning to travel to Aus by jan 2013. The dates have not been finalised yet. Good to see this group where all are in similar stages. I am also a Mainframe programmer and initially plan to be in Melbourne for the job hunt.
> 
> Hope 2013 will be a successful year for us.
> ...


Hi Smitha,

Happy to hear from a Mainframer about the move. Any reasons for selecting Melbourne?

Sabari


----------



## Sabariram (Sep 6, 2011)

pandaaram said:


> Smita,
> 
> Myself mainframe programmer too. Hold a 175 visa and targeting for mid Feb to Sydney. I am planning to go there first and then bring in my spouse once I settle in.
> 
> ...


Hey Ananth,

finally got your orginal name. Pandaaram is little weird but unique to catch the attention of people.

Sabari


----------



## karthiksrgm (Oct 1, 2012)

Hello Sabari,

Thanks for the reply.As far as my domain considered there are many automotive companies in and around Melbourne and there are many suppliers who are supporting them in technical center this is the main reason and also I am thinking of Sydney because there are many openings for CAD designers in NSW too. still planning .... I read your post you are landing on Feb 17 advance congratulations. are you planning to start the job hunt from Mel or syd?. As many people said in the thread ,we all can stay in touch and help each other in our hunt.  my email id is karthiksrgm at gmail dot com 

Regards
Karthik


----------



## pandaaram (Jan 16, 2012)

Sabariram said:


> Hey Ananth,
> 
> finally got your orginal name. Pandaaram is little weird but unique to catch the attention of people.
> 
> Sabari


Ha ha  that certainly wasn't to catch attention, rather to hide the original identity 

Good to hear that you are moving from Blore.

Anyone trying it out through Indian companies? I mean thru Infy or TCS or HCL, etc?

How much do you think would b a possibility as this option will help you travel with a job on hand, also support initial travel and stay, worst case support with a job back home if things go horribly wrong in Oz.

Sent from my iPhone using ExpatForum


----------



## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

Tiffanymaree said:


> Hey Sam!
> I live here in Australia, it's great!
> Let me know if you need anything!!


Hi TiffanyMaree ,

Thanks I will ask If i need anything,Where in Aus are you from ?,Am planning on landing at Sydney sometime in Jan 2013 .


Regards,
Sam


----------



## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

karthiksrgm said:


> Hello Sam , Hello Vinoth,
> 
> I would like to introduce myself, I am karthik from Bangalore.I am basically a Mechanical Engineer works with automotive background as Senior Design Engineer. Got the visa grant letter. I am also planning to move to MEL in Jan to Feb 2013. I have 8.5 years of Exp. Please let me know if we can discuss further about the move.
> 
> ...


Welcome Karthik,Please feel free to Pm or send a mail to 

samuel dot rajesh at gmail dot com .


Sam.


----------



## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

Smita4679 said:


> Hi All -
> I also hold 175 visa and am planning to travel to Aus by jan 2013. The dates have not been finalised yet. Good to see this group where all are in similar stages. I am also a Mainframe programmer and initially plan to be in Melbourne for the job hunt.
> 
> Hope 2013 will be a successful year for us.
> ...



Hi Smitha ,

Welcome to the thread ,I am also travelling to Aus by Jan 2013,Why melbourne if I may ask ,most members seem to be heading towards Sydney.

Sam


----------



## Smita4679 (Mar 10, 2011)

Hi Sabari -



Sabariram said:


> Hi Smitha,
> 
> Happy to hear from a Mainframer about the move. Any reasons for selecting Melbourne?
> 
> Sabari


No specific reason for selecting Melbourne other than that I have a friends there. So to start with planning to be in Melbourne and then am ready to move about as the job requires.

Thanks
Smita


----------



## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

Smita4679 said:


> Hi Sabari -
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Oh cool then  .

On a other note .

Thanks guys for the overwhelming response to the thread that I have started ,I was missing for a few days due to travel and was pleasantly surprised to see more people joining in ,really nice to know that there are a quite a few folks travelling in the beginning of 2013 .We should work out more in the area's of finding accommodation etc.


VFS update :

The vfs center in Bangalore ,does not accept passports for visa evidencing (went there yesterday) ,they say that this has been done away with by the Aus high commission .Anyone else who has gone to VFS recently ? please let me know .

Sam.


----------



## karthiksrgm (Oct 1, 2012)

hi sam,

Regarding the VFS. I just spoke to call center guy he mentioned that from Oct 1 the policy is revised and we can travel to Australia with the grant letter and original passport. But we can still label the visa in the passport by paying Rs. 231 per passport in the VFS Bangalore. It is better to label it in the passport. But what they said yesterday when you visited.

Regards
Karthik


----------



## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

karthiksrgm said:


> hi sam,
> 
> Regarding the VFS. I just spoke to call center guy he mentioned that from Oct 1 the policy is revised and we can travel to Australia with the grant letter and original passport. But we can still label the visa in the passport by paying Rs. 231 per passport in the VFS Bangalore. It is better to label it in the passport. But what they said yesterday when you visited.
> 
> ...


well Karthik ,When I asked them ,they said you can still pay money but it would most probably be returned after 15 days without the visa being stamped on the passport .They asked me to call the High commission.

Sam.


----------



## karthiksrgm (Oct 1, 2012)

ah ok. I just found the information in below website. hope this helps.
How to Obtain Your Visa Label - Australian High Commission


----------



## cy71_shyam (Jun 8, 2012)

SAP Consultant here.. PLanning to move in jan-feb '13.

Now.. regarding job hunt.. Incase i dont get a job in 2 months i am planning to work in any odd jobs to support me. I am also planning to study further read MBA  

Hopefully god will be with all of us


----------



## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

karthiksrgm said:


> ah ok. I just found the information in below website. hope this helps.
> How to Obtain Your Visa Label - Australian High Commission


Yes it does ,thanks .When I asked the blokes in VFS they said it would be returned without the visa being endorsed .The web site says otherwise .Do keep me posted as to what happens when you go to vfs .


Sam.


----------



## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

Tiffanymaree said:


> Hey Sam!
> I live here in Australia, it's great!
> Let me know if you need anything!!


Hi Tiffanymaree ,

I am looking for a place to stay for a couple ,My travel dates are sometime in Mid Jan 2013 ,Could you give me some pointers on places to look at .From trawling this forum 
I have found that Parramatta and Harris Park are good ,can you let me know if there are any other places ,convenient access to public transport is needed .Thanks a lot .


Regards,
Sam
samuel dot rajesh at live dot com


----------



## karthiksrgm (Oct 1, 2012)

Hi sam,

I had been to VFS today and they said the same as you mentioned but I insisted them that I need the VISA to be stamped in passport. They finally took the passport and charged 231 per passport and it will take 15 working days. I went to VFS office in shivajinagar. by the way the place you mentioned is in sydney? I am also looking for the place in New castle area.

Regards
Karthik.


----------



## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

karthiksrgm said:


> Hi sam,
> 
> I had been to VFS today and they said the same as you mentioned but I insisted them that I need the VISA to be stamped in passport. They finally took the passport and charged 231 per passport and it will take 15 working days. I went to VFS office in shivajinagar. by the way the place you mentioned is in sydney? I am also looking for the place in New castle area.
> 
> ...


Thats nice Karthick ,When are you planning on travelling ,am looking at Jan 15-20 of next year ,I will add new castle to the list as well .What plans on accommodations ,so far i have been looking at gumtree and airbnb but its too early to do anything .send me a pm/buzz as well we can see if will do a Knowles sharing exercise 

samuel dot rajesh at live dot com 


regards,
Sam
9741799300


----------



## Sabariram (Sep 6, 2011)

samuel.rajesh said:


> Thats nice Karthick ,When are you planning on travelling ,am looking at Jan 15-20 of next year ,I will add new castle to the list as well .What plans on accommodations ,so far i have been looking at gumtree and airbnb but its too early to do anything .send me a pm/buzz as well we can see if will do a Knowles sharing exercise
> 
> samuel dot rajesh at live dot com
> 
> ...


Hello Sam/Karthick,

I was out of town for a week. So much progress on the accommodation front. It is nice to see that you have zeroed in on an area in Sydney. I will be travelling alone leaving my family back in India. 

I too checked the sites you mentioned. Some are pretty expensive. 

Sabari


----------



## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

Sabariram said:


> Hello Sam/Karthick,
> 
> I was out of town for a week. So much progress on the accommodation front. It is nice to see that you have zeroed in on an area in Sydney. I will be travelling alone leaving my family back in India.
> 
> ...


Yes Sabari ,for a single guy i suppose you can find cheaper accommodation.You can check at airbnb for intial stay for a couple of days and then zero in on a shared acco.

Regards,
Sam


----------



## karthiksrgm (Oct 1, 2012)

hi sabari,

I am also planning to travel alone and leaving back my family in india. As Sam said airbnb and gumtree will be much helpful. you are from Bangalore right..then we can just meet up each other in any week end and discuss in person so we will get more ideas..
Sam when can we meet I am available this week end not traveling to native. Sunday would be better..let me know your availability too.

Regards
Karthik


----------



## cy71_shyam (Jun 8, 2012)

I am from bangalore as well..

Interested to meet


----------



## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

karthiksrgm said:


> hi sabari,
> 
> I am also planning to travel alone and leaving back my family in india. As Sam said airbnb and gumtree will be much helpful. you are from Bangalore right..then we can just meet up each other in any week end and discuss in person so we will get more ideas..
> Sam when can we meet I am available this week end not traveling to native. Sunday would be better..let me know your availability too.
> ...


Am available on Sunday Karthick ,We can probably meet at Banaswadi or Kammanahalli on Sunday any time after 10 Am .Please give me a buzz later on .

Shyam feel free to join the club ,send us your mail and phone numbers and we can meet up on Sunday.


Sam


----------



## ramhind (Jun 4, 2012)

Hi All, This is Ram here. Originally from Tamilnadu but in Pune now. Got the grant last month. Fulfilling the 1st visit formalities with family ( wife and 2 kids) during Feb'13. Booked tickets to Perth for 4 nights. ( I hope entering Aus would suffice, no other formalities. Let me know if anything else needs to be done during the 1st visit).

I am open systems developer + BI (Unix, Oracle, Pl/SQL + Qlikview + PMP). Planning to come to Aus in June'13 alone, once I get the job planning to move the family. I am 36 years old and it is a massive move for me. Hope everything works out. I haven't decided which city I'll land in. Would look for your advice and this thread closely.

regards,
Ram


----------



## sgk123 (Feb 6, 2012)

ramhind said:


> Hi All, This is Ram here. Originally from Tamilnadu but in Pune now. Got the grant last month. Fulfilling the 1st visit formalities with family ( wife and 2 kids) during Feb'13. Booked tickets to Perth for 4 nights. ( I hope entering Aus would suffice, no other formalities. Let me know if anything else needs to be done during the 1st visit).
> 
> I am open systems developer + BI (Unix, Oracle, Pl/SQL + Qlikview + PMP). Planning to come to Aus in June'13 alone, once I get the job planning to move the family. I am 36 years old and it is a massive move for me. Hope everything works out. I haven't decided which city I'll land in. Would look for your advice and this thread closely.
> 
> ...


All the best Ram.


----------



## rajkumar_20000101 (Oct 25, 2012)

Hi,

I am new to this forum and was going to the posts below.

Congrats to all of you 

Just wanted to know is it necessary to get help of migration consultancies in this process or I can move forward with the process starting from ACS to EOI,Visa all by myself or it is better to contact an agency for the same.

I am interested in PR and just started to gather information and lookign for analyst skill as I have around 8 years experience in that field.

Please share your thoughts on the same.

Thanks a lot....

Regards,
Rajkumar


----------



## ramhind (Jun 4, 2012)

rajkumar_20000101 said:


> Hi,
> 
> I am new to this forum and was going to the posts below.
> 
> ...


Hi Raj, You can do on your own. I did everything on my own. Not sure why we need agents at any point?


----------



## rajkumar_20000101 (Oct 25, 2012)

ramhind said:


> Hi Raj, You can do on your own. I did everything on my own. Not sure why we need agents at any point?


Thanks Ram  ..


----------



## PriyankaN (Oct 8, 2012)

GoodLuck on you new journey in OZ land *Ram* 

*RajKumar*....Good luck on your visa application process. We will also be applying in November. Hope we get our grants soon. We will apply under 189 category.

*To all senior members,*
I had one question.....my husband's passport is expiring in november 2013. Is it necessary to renew the passport and then apply for PR? By the time the PR comes (maybe in 8months to 12months), it will be time for him to renew his passport. Will that affect the PR status? We want to be on the safe side....so just asking. 

Thanks!


----------



## ramhind (Jun 4, 2012)

PriyankaN said:


> GoodLuck on you new journey in OZ land *Ram*
> 
> *RajKumar*....Good luck on your visa application process. We will also be applying in November. Hope we get our grants soon. We will apply under 189 category.
> 
> ...


Hi Priyanka, If the passport changes we just need to do the procedure for circumstances change. Don't delay the application because of that. that is a minor procedure compared to starting and going through the process.


----------



## daindivin (Jan 17, 2012)

ramhind said:


> Hi Priyanka, If the passport changes we just need to do the procedure for circumstances change. Don't delay the application because of that. that is a minor procedure compared to starting and going through the process.


Hi Ram, Just a quick question to you. My PR has been granted. Now i have applied to renew my son's passport. What should I do once I receive my son's new passport? should I just email the case officer? Thanks for your inputs.


----------



## karthiksrgm (Oct 1, 2012)

Hi priyanka,

When you are filing the case your passport should have one year validity for both primary and secondary applicant else Case officer will not accept it. It is better to renew the passport now.
Regards
karthik


----------



## karthiksrgm (Oct 1, 2012)

hi daindivin,

after receiving the grant letter if you have any changes like new passport or applied for new passport, inform the case officer with the scanned copy of the new application. he will update it in the system else it will be a problem when you travel to Australia with the old information in grant. hope you know the situation better in Immigration kiosk. 

Regards
Karthik


----------



## anurag83 (Sep 7, 2012)

Hi Priyanka

If your passport expires than you have to fill in one form. No big deal. You need not delay your process for that.


----------



## daindivin (Jan 17, 2012)

karthiksrgm said:


> hi daindivin,
> 
> after receiving the grant letter if you have any changes like new passport or applied for new passport, inform the case officer with the scanned copy of the new application. he will update it in the system else it will be a problem when you travel to Australia with the old information in grant. hope you know the situation better in Immigration kiosk.
> 
> ...


Many thanks karthik.


----------



## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

Hope you are feeling better Sabari,I met Karthik yesterday and we discussed about our impending trip ,will need more brainstorming sessions later on .

Sam


----------



## ramhind (Jun 4, 2012)

samuel.rajesh said:


> Hope you are feeling better Sabari,I met Karthik yesterday and we discussed about our impending trip ,will need more brainstorming sessions later on .
> 
> Sam


Hi Sam, Anybody in this group is from Pune?


----------



## daindivin (Jan 17, 2012)

ramhind said:


> Hi Sam, Anybody in this group is from Pune?


I am from pune


----------



## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

ramhind said:


> Hi Sam, Anybody in this group is from Pune?


Hi Ram ,

Most of of us are from Bangalore ,looks like one person is from Pune.

Sam


----------



## shikharjain (Feb 21, 2012)

Hi Pandaaram

Is it mandatory to get this done?

Cheers.



pandaaram said:


> Pat that depends on the city from which the evidencing done.
> 
> Cities like Bangalore or Chennai doesn't have a consulate and hence seek services of VFS to have the evidencing done and they charge for the same.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using ExpatForum


----------



## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

No ShikarJain it is not mandatory and the Aus gov tends to discourage the same .The fee for evidencing has been increased to $70 if I am right from around Rs 250 earlier.


Sam.


----------



## msonalkar (Nov 14, 2012)

samuel.rajesh said:


> mail sent
> 
> Sam.


Hi friends,

I am moving in Feb.I am working in SAP for 7 years. Lets get in touch.


----------



## sumi.24 (Oct 4, 2012)

Hi Friends

Nice to hear that all of us are sailing in same boat, wish we will guide and support each other in the forum and keep in touch in Aussie as well. We are planning to fly in Feb 2013, just started hunting Jobs and then catch lane: and then may meet you friends in near future in Aussie... 


Can I join please


----------



## karthiksrgm (Oct 1, 2012)

Hello Msolankar and Sumi,

Congratulations for your grant... I have booked my tickets on Feb 13 to Sydney. did you guys booked tickets and zeroed any particular city for job hunt. I also started job hunting.lets catch up in aus or may be in airport  stay in touch

Regards
Karthik


----------



## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

karthiksrgm said:


> Hello Msolankar and Sumi,
> 
> Congratulations for your grant... I have booked my tickets on Feb 13 to Sydney. did you guys booked tickets and zeroed any particular city for job hunt. I also started job hunting.lets catch up in aus or may be in airport  stay in touch
> 
> ...


Hi karthick/Sumi,

As discussed earlier got it done for Jan 24 to Sydney .Now the question is about initial accommodation ? What do you guys think about it .

Regards,
Sam


----------



## msonalkar (Nov 14, 2012)

karthiksrgm said:


> Hello Msolankar and Sumi,
> 
> Congratulations for your grant... I have booked my tickets on Feb 13 to Sydney. did you guys booked tickets and zeroed any particular city for job hunt. I also started job hunting.lets catch up in aus or may be in airport  stay in touch
> 
> ...


Guys I am travelling on Feb 6. I am searching accomdation online. I am looking for separate bedroom in 2 or 3 BHK apartment.


----------



## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

msonalkar said:


> Guys I am travelling on Feb 6. I am searching accomdation online. I am looking for separate bedroom in 2 or 3 BHK apartment.


Are you planning on getting it without an inspection ,as in getting it from here ?
I am planning on booking an hotel for a few days and then do the search from there.

Sam.


----------



## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

samuel.rajesh said:


> Hi karthick/Sumi,
> 
> As discussed earlier got it done for Jan 24 to Sydney .Now the question is about initial accommodation ? What do you guys think about it .
> 
> ...


Karthick ,

Any news on the forex conversion ? ,am presently looking at a combination of forex card or TC ,along with say AUD 1500 in cash to carry.Do check out in that place in Bangalore that you had mentioned.

Sam.


----------



## sumi.24 (Oct 4, 2012)

samuel.rajesh said:


> Karthick ,
> 
> Any news on the forex conversion ? ,am presently looking at a combination of forex card or TC ,along with say AUD 1500 in cash to carry.Do check out in that place in Bangalore that you had mentioned.
> 
> Sam.


Hi sam and karthik

Nice to know that you guys initiated journey process.
We are in US, we will be travelling back to India soon and then we will fly to Aussie.
We are worried as there are high chances of risk flying to Aussie without any Job offer. So we have no plans neither on accommodation nor on flight tickets.


----------



## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

sumi.24 said:


> Hi sam and karthik
> 
> Nice to know that you guys initiated journey process.
> We are in US, we will be travelling back to India soon and then we will fly to Aussie.
> We are worried as there are high chances of risk flying to Aussie without any Job offer. So we have no plans neither on accommodation nor on flight tickets.



Hi Sumi,

Yea I do agree there is a element of risk ,as long as you finance to tide you for a couple of months and secure a job you should be good .Getting a job offer while outside is very hard .

Sam.


----------



## Sabariram (Sep 6, 2011)

Guys,

It's been quite a while since I posted anything in the forum. I have also booked my ticket to Sydney on16th Feb 2013 and will be reaching on 17th Feb 9AM. 

As far as the accommodation is concerned, I have not started looking for one. I am planning to do soon. 

Also, let's plan to meet on 22nd or 23rd Dec 2012 weekend in Bangalore. If anybody is interested, please let me know. We can decide on a place which is convenient for most people. 

I stay in Whitefield and Marathahalli would be my ideal choice. But, any other suggestions are welcome.

Regards,
Sabari


----------



## srivasu (Feb 29, 2012)

Sabariram said:


> Guys,
> 
> It's been quite a while since I posted anything in the forum. I have also booked my ticket to Sydney on16th Feb 2013 and will be reaching on 17th Feb 9AM.
> 
> ...


Hi we stay at Kundalahalli, should be quite near to you,I've pm'd you my number to stay in touch.


----------



## sumanth_k2000 (Nov 24, 2012)

srivasu said:


> Hi we stay at Kundalahalli, should be quite near to you,I've pm'd you my number to stay in touch.


Guys,

I'am also from Bangalore. If you guys are planning to meet, I too want to join. Please send me your contact number. My mail ID: sumanth dot kulkarni at gmail dot com


----------



## sairam786 (Oct 27, 2012)

I stay in marathahali ..and also will be traveling somewhere in jan end or feb to sydney.... Dates are not yet finalized, Visa is underway ....

DO let me know when u guys r meeting ...will join..

thanks 
Rahul 



Sabariram said:


> Guys,
> 
> It's been quite a while since I posted anything in the forum. I have also booked my ticket to Sydney on16th Feb 2013 and will be reaching on 17th Feb 9AM.
> 
> ...


----------



## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

Sabariram said:


> Guys,
> 
> It's been quite a while since I posted anything in the forum. I have also booked my ticket to Sydney on16th Feb 2013 and will be reaching on 17th Feb 9AM.
> 
> ...



Hi Sabari,

Am out of town on 22nd and 23 ,if possible we can shedule something for the week after that .Do let me know .

Sam.


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## chattri (May 3, 2012)

Hi everyone

Went through all the threads in this post.
I too would like to join you people...
Just got my visa granted last week...
I would be moving with my daughter to melbourne as I applied for 190 visa..
Lots of people here are moving to sydney....
Neone who's moving to melbourne??

Have you all started searching for jobs and accommodations to stay??


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## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

chattri said:


> Hi everyone
> 
> Went through all the threads in this post.
> I too would like to join you people...
> ...


Hi chattri,
Not much on the job front ,they do not call unless you are physically in OZ,accomodation for now looks like one of the hostels in Sydney and then go and find a shared acco .Hope this helps 

Sam.


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## saptakk (Jul 22, 2010)

Hello Guys, I am from Pune. Just got my grant last week. Will be travelling in Mar. 2013. Anybody travelling in March? I see lots of people only in Jan and Feb.


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## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

*bank accounts*

Got my bank accounts opened .Got one in NAB (classic ,I saver) from myself and an account in common wealth bank for my Spouse.

Next step figure out the Forex conversion ,then either opt for SWIFT transfer or a Forex card with HDFC or ICICI.

Please let me know about the Forex options if any of you have initiated the same.


Regards,
Sam.


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## chattri (May 3, 2012)

samuel.rajesh said:


> Got my bank accounts opened .Got one in NAB (classic ,I saver) from myself and an account in common wealth bank for my Spouse.
> 
> Next step figure out the Forex conversion ,then either opt for SWIFT transfer or a Forex card with HDFC or ICICI.
> 
> ...


Hi Sam

How did you get your bank account opened from here??
Is it possible to open a bank account just on the basis of visa grant notice?
One doesnt need to have a job there before opening a bank account???
What all info do the bank people ask before opening the account??

Hey one more question:
Is there a time limit for which we have to stay in Australia after our first entry??
I mean like can I make my first entry in australia before the due date given and leave within say 2-3 days or so??
Neone any idea???


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## bhagathgowda (May 19, 2011)

Hi , I am Bhagath. I am flying on March 19th to Melbourne...I stay in mahalakshmi layout.


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## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

chattri said:


> Hi Sam
> 
> How did you get your bank account opened from here??
> Is it possible to open a bank account just on the basis of visa grant notice?
> ...


Hi Chattri ,

I believe these questions have been answered already in the forum .let me summarize 

Please find the link for opening from India 

Moving to Australia - NAB

You don't need a job ,you have to validate the account once you get there and only after that can you withdraw money.The information required to open is in the above link.Choose Classic account with I saver .

With regards to the time limit i do think it is possible to land there and then leave within a couple of days ,some people in the forum have done so,Can you please search for more information.

Do let me know if you need more information .

Sam.


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## Sabariram (Sep 6, 2011)

*Meeting up @ AECS Layout CCD*

Hi All,

Can we meet on 23rd Dec 2012 in CCD, ITPL road, AECS layout at 10 AM? please let me know if you are coming.


If you guys are OK then we can meet up next week ( 30th Dec 2012 at 10 AM )also at the same place. Do let me know your preferences so that it will be easier for everyone to plan accordingly.


My number is 95350 12597

Regards,
Sabari


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## mpshyamsundar (Dec 8, 2012)

Hi Vinoth,
I'm shyam from chennai. I'm planning to move to melbourne on 2nd week of Feb. Can we meet somewhere to discuss on the move.

Shyam


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## VmX (Jun 11, 2012)

Wander_Lust said:


> Hello Friends,
> 
> I am an IT Professional from Bangalore, planning to move in the month of Feb 2013. Not yet sure of which location. It's a great idea to form some sort of a group so that we can guide and help each other. We all have our fears about starting a new journey in an alien country I suppose.
> 
> ...


Have u already done this? planning to meet up with folks in BLR moving to Oz. Had a chat with Sumanth today. Im planning to move in April.


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## VmX (Jun 11, 2012)

Sabariram said:


> Hi All,
> 
> Can we meet on 23rd Dec 2012 in CCD, ITPL road, AECS layout at 10 AM? please let me know if you are coming.
> 
> ...


Hello there,

I'd suggest you meet up at a more central location (say MG rd) if possible. I'm ok to meet on a weekend. Planning to go in April..


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## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

Updates : 

Landed in Sydney on the 25th of Jan and checked into a hotel in CBD. Went to the hotel by taxi.

Going house hunting today ,folks how is Guilford locality ?,seems like there are some cheap places to stay ,but in terms of shops and other stuff i cant seem to find much in google .

More updates as and when time permits ...cheers 

Sam.


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## kanmaj10 (Sep 29, 2012)

samuel.rajesh said:


> Updates :
> 
> Landed in Sydney on the 25th of Jan and checked into a hotel in CBD. Went to the hotel by taxi.
> 
> ...


All the best with your house-hunting Sam. Did you travel with family ?


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## msonalkar (Nov 14, 2012)

samuel.rajesh said:


> Updates :
> 
> Landed in Sydney on the 25th of Jan and checked into a hotel in CBD. Went to the hotel by taxi.
> 
> ...


Best of luck Rajesh.


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## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

kanmaj10 said:


> All the best with your house-hunting Sam. Did you travel with family ?


Yes Kanmaj with my spouse.


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## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

msonalkar said:


> Best of luck Rajesh.


Thank you msonalkar .

Update :

Found a flatshare


We flew in using Cathay pacific from Bangalore,we have an allowance of 40kgs for each person .Do not exceed the 40 kg limit per person ,the airline staff are very strict and we had to ditch a bag to make it within that limit .As for cabin luggage make sure it conforms with the size they do check that as well .

cheers 



Sam.


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## raghalan (Nov 5, 2012)

samuel.rajesh said:


> Thank you msonalkar .
> 
> Update :
> 
> ...



Congrats Sam for your grant and move :clap2::

Did you travel with your family or alone ? Whats the rent for your flat share.. 

You info and update will help many of us. Thankyou 

- Regards,
Ragu.


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## raghalan (Nov 5, 2012)

raghalan said:


> Congrats Sam for your grant and move :clap2::
> 
> Did you travel with your family or alone ? Whats the rent for your flat share..
> 
> ...


Ohh sorry, I just scrolled up and found that you have answered one of my question earlier 

Please share your house hunt and rental information please. Thanks


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## Sabariram (Sep 6, 2011)

samuel.rajesh said:


> Update :
> 
> Found a flatshare
> 
> ...


Congratulations Sam for finding a place to stay. What is the rent? Which area? Good luck for your job hunting.

Regards,
Sabari


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## santhiyaps (Jan 13, 2013)

congrats Sam.
Please keep on posting your exps...


Thanks
Santhiyaps


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## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

The locality is in Harris part and the rent is 200/week including utilities,thanks Sabari will keep you posted.



Sabariram said:


> Congratulations Sam for finding a place to stay. What is the rent? Which area? Good luck for your job hunting.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## jayprabu (Nov 2, 2012)

Congrats Sam.

All the best for your job hunting.
keep posting the updates.

how is IT job market in Sydney?


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## davisnayagam (Jan 28, 2013)

Hello All,

I'm Davis from Chennai. Please do let me know if you guys meet. I am planning to apply for subclass 189 visa. I am yet to start the process and if there is someone on the same boat, please do let me know.


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## nikhiljuneja (Jan 15, 2013)

Hi Davis, i'm Nik from Delhi, me too just started the process. Hoping to update my signatures once i have my IELTS score and ACS assessment result....


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## raghalan (Nov 5, 2012)

samuel.rajesh said:


> The locality is in Harris part and the rent is 200/week including utilities,thanks Sabari will keep you posted.


Hi Sam,

Thanks for your update, really appreciate your progress and update.

All the very best !

It will be helpful, If you can provide advise on hotel, flat exp..

1- Which Hotel did you book for your initial stay ? 
2- How did you find flat share, through gumtree / local agent there ? 
3- Are you sharing flat with Indians ?

- Regards,
Ragu.


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## Sunkar (Jan 29, 2013)

davisnayagam said:


> Hello All,
> 
> I'm Davis from Chennai. Please do let me know if you guys meet. I am planning to apply for subclass 189 visa. I am yet to start the process and if there is someone on the same boat, please do let me know.


Hi Davis , am also planning to apply for subclass 189 , and stuck in the confusing process of skill assesment at ACS and looking for some help on that.


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## Sunkar (Jan 29, 2013)

nikhiljuneja said:


> Hi Davis, i'm Nik from Delhi, me too just started the process. Hoping to update my signatures once i have my IELTS score and ACS assessment result....


Hi Nik , Sunny here from Delhi , am about to start ACS assement ( Computer Network and Systems Engineer 263111 ) process , alot of things am confused about just wanted to check with you did you go with a agent of you indipendently gone with the ACS assesment as am looking for some advise on the assesment.


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## thumbsup (Dec 16, 2012)

hello, Guys.. I have started the process and ACS results are awaited. I have one question. After the grant, is it necessary that the primary applicant has to travel first time, or the secondary applicant can go alone.

Please advise on this.


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## nikhiljuneja (Jan 15, 2013)

Got info from a friend of mine.. primary needs to travel first/along initially..


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## nikhiljuneja (Jan 15, 2013)

Hi Sunny,

Initially i thought of going through an agent, but going through this forum and a friend's advice i decided to initiate the process on my own.

I have submitted my documents for ACS as of now.. do PM me for any details you want regarding ACS...in case unable to PM do mail me your query..

Regards,
Nik


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## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

You are welcome,for the hotel booking i suggest you go to hostelworld.com and do the booking ,the advantage here is you can modify or change the dates later if needed.
I booked myself into Central private hotel,358 Elizabeth street,Sydney.Please be warned that the hotels in this price range in CBD are quite spartan.
Found the roomshare through gumtree ,staying with a Indian couple.


Sam






raghalan said:


> Hi Sam,
> 
> Thanks for your update, really appreciate your progress and update.
> 
> ...


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## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

folks in terms of bank accounts ,the opening process hardly takes 20 mins. Commonwealth bank ,westpac and ANZ atm's can be found almost everywhere.NAB bank atm's are quite few in between.
For immigrants the account fee is waived for one year in all banks ,and a plus with commonwealth bank is that you can withdraw money from Australian post or at any woolworths store.


Sam.


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## jayprabu (Nov 2, 2012)

samuel.rajesh said:


> folks in terms of bank accounts ,the opening process hardly takes 20 mins. Commonwealth bank ,westpac and ANZ atm's can be found almost everywhere.NAB bank atm's are quite few in between.
> For immigrants the account fee is waived for one year in all banks ,and a plus with commonwealth bank is that you can withdraw money from Australian post or at any woolworths store.
> 
> 
> Sam.


you opened ur bank accounts when you were in India right?
is it helpful or do we need to open one in Aus?

btw, howz the job market in Sydney?


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## samuel.rajesh (Oct 8, 2012)

jayprabu said:


> you opened ur bank accounts when you were in India right?
> is it helpful or do we need to open one in Aus?
> 
> btw, howz the job market in Sydney?



Opening an account takes all of twenty mins ,one can open it from India and then go to the mentioned bank and get the card this would be useful if you are transfering money,or one can do it in person in Aus .
Job market seems to be picking up.


Sam.


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## Sunkar (Jan 29, 2013)

nikhiljuneja said:


> Hi Sunny,
> 
> Initially i thought of going through an agent, but going through this forum and a friend's advice i decided to initiate the process on my own.
> 
> ...



Hi Nik Thanks for the reply yes indeed i need advise how to go about submitting the ACS assesment.Can you advise me the sequence of the things i need to do and a checklist of documents.


Regards
Sunny


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## chattri (May 3, 2012)

samuel.rajesh said:


> You are welcome,for the hotel booking i suggest you go to hostelworld.com and do the booking ,the advantage here is you can modify or change the dates later if needed.
> I booked myself into Central private hotel,358 Elizabeth street,Sydney.Please be warned that the hotels in this price range in CBD are quite spartan.
> Found the roomshare through gumtree ,staying with a Indian couple.
> 
> Sam


Hi everyone..
Went through the thread and found that quite a few of you have moved to melbourne..
Me and my husband are also planning to move to melbourne in sept..
Can anybody in melbourne guide us for a place to stay or where can we search for accomodation..we have a kid also with us..
Would also like to get in touch with you if possible..
Hows the job market?? I am a BA..


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## smahesh202 (Jan 27, 2013)

chattri said:


> Hi everyone..
> Went through the thread and found that quite a few of you have moved to melbourne..
> Me and my husband are also planning to move to melbourne in sept..
> Can anybody in melbourne guide us for a place to stay or where can we search for accomodation..we have a kid also with us..
> ...


Hi Chattri,

Since you are going along with kid you can book via online serviced apartment for a short term. There are also some budget hotels you can book online. Depending on your budget you can decide. For new immigrants without job it will be difficult to get a house immediately. If you show sufficient funds in your bank account (probably 10,000 AUD) to the real estate agent you can find a house within 2 weeks.

With regards,
mahesh


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## chattri (May 3, 2012)

Thanks a lot Mahesh for your info..
Do know any website from where I can get the information for service apartments or budget hotels??


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## smahesh202 (Jan 27, 2013)

chattri said:


> Thanks a lot Mahesh for your info..
> Do know any website from where I can get the information for service apartments or budget hotels??


I booked mine through Booking.com
There are other sites like airnb.com, gumtree.com where ads are directly posted by people who want to share their accommodation. Problem with gumtree is that you cannot view contact details if you accessing their website outside Australia.


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## chattri (May 3, 2012)

smahesh202 said:


> I booked mine through Booking.com
> There are other sites like airnb.com, gumtree.com where ads are directly posted by people who want to share their accommodation. Problem with gumtree is that you cannot view contact details if you accessing their website outside Australia.


Thanks for the info Mahesh...
Would go through these sites and see if I can find something good...
So you are reaching Sydney on 9th aug...
Got a job or you will start your search there??


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## smahesh202 (Jan 27, 2013)

No job in hand. Just hope and confidence.


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## chattri (May 3, 2012)

All the best..
Hope and confidence are important to keep us going ahead in life...


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