2013 DV Australian winners

[Vichel]

I've got a dog... It makes things a bit more difficult haha. But I'm bringing him with me, of course! *expensive*

Yes, expensive but of course you've got to bring him with you. He's family. We brought our old Golden Retriever when we moved to Canada. It was obviously not a pleasant experience for him but he got over it in no time and we're glad we didn't leave him behind. He's so attached to us, and vice versa.

Your dog will need the rabies shot and all his other shots up to date, as well as a vet certificate saying he's healthy. We used a pet transport company because we weren't confident doing it ourselves but I think I'd do it myself next time, if I ever had to do it again.

 

[Petamiss]

Hi Vichel

Interesting on the dog part - ill be bringing my baby (6 yr old Cavalier) with me as well

If you don't mind me asking, what company did you use, what airline and what entry port? Was it easy enough to collect him on the other end? Anything to be extra aware of? Ive got the vacc / vet part covered i think, it's just the actual transporting im worried about!

This is one of my most nerve racking parts of the whole thing!!!

Thanks!
Peta

Yes, expensive but of course you've got to bring him with you. He's family. We brought our old Golden Retriever when we moved to Canada. It was obviously not a pleasant experience for him but he got over it in no time and we're glad we didn't leave him behind. He's so attached to us, and vice versa.

Your dog will need the rabies shot and all his other shots up to date, as well as a vet certificate saying he's healthy. We used a pet transport company because we weren't confident doing it ourselves but I think I'd do it myself next time, if I ever had to do it again.

 

[Petamiss]

Also another question to all the aussies, has anyone gone through this having got married after the 1st notification?

I have my interview next week and they have all our marriage certs etc, just wondering if anyone else has been through this side of it.

 

[JESSJAME5]

Yes, expensive but of course you've got to bring him with you. He's family. We brought our old Golden Retriever when we moved to Canada. It was obviously not a pleasant experience for him but he got over it in no time and we're glad we didn't leave him behind. He's so attached to us, and vice versa.

Your dog will need the rabies shot and all his other shots up to date, as well as a vet certificate saying he's healthy. We used a pet transport company because we weren't confident doing it ourselves but I think I'd do it myself next time, if I ever had to do it again.

Yeah I have a few friends who work for a pet transport company so I was going to send him that way to take the stress off myself, but I've also been unemployed for over a year now, struggling hard to find a job here. So my entire savings will be going towards his $2+k shipping, and the visa process & my plane ticket... If I could easily figure out how to send him myself for less than $1k I'd really consider it, but not having much luck.

 

[Vichel]

Hi Vichel

Interesting on the dog part - ill be bringing my baby (6 yr old Cavalier) with me as well

If you don't mind me asking, what company did you use, what airline and what entry port? Was it easy enough to collect him on the other end? Anything to be extra aware of? Ive got the vacc / vet part covered i think, it's just the actual transporting im worried about!

This is one of my most nerve racking parts of the whole thing!!!

Thanks!
Peta

Hi Peta,

We used JetPets. We were happy with their service. They picked our dog up in Perth, and he was flown to Melbourne. He spent the day and night there, to break up the trip, before flying him to LAX. I really liked that they did that because PER-MEL-LAX is bad enough for a person, let alone a dog who doesn't know what's going on.

We chose to pick him up from LAX - not sure why, maybe thinking it would be less time for him being away from us. But I wish we'd chosen full door-to-door service. The pickup in LAX was not difficult but not easy either. A bit of a pain, driving from the United Cargo depot to the US Customs office, to get some forms stamped, and back again. Then the flight was delayed so we had to sit in a little office waiting and worrying.

It was weird seeing them bring him to us, on a forklift! Like a shipment of cargo (which he was really but it was just odd). He was in his shipping crate, huddled over, probably a bit freaked out by the whole thing. First thing he did was head out the door to the nearest tree to have a minute-long wee. Then he said hello. I'm amazed he held it that long. The pet transport company lines the bottom of the crate with a special pad that soaks up urine so your dog's not laying on a soggy mess but our dog's pad was dry. He's got a bladder like a camel.

It cost us $2,220. If you're on the east coast, it'd be a bit cheaper. I think that's everything. If you need to know anything else, feel free to ask me. All the best with that, and everything else.

 

[JESSJAME5]

It cost us $2,220. If you're on the east coast, it'd be a bit cheaper. I think that's everything. If you need to know anything else, feel free to ask me. All the best with that, and everything else.

Really!? Only $2,220? From Perth?! Did that get him to Canada as well or just JetPets to LAX? I got a quote from JetPets for $3500 for my 20kg dog! Coming from Brisbane! Overnight in Sydney then to LAX.

Dogtainers quoted me a little under $2100 from Brisbane all the way to Dallas...

 

[Darlinghurst]

Today I almost fell off my chair in a work meeting as I sneaked a quick check of my personal emails on my phone. It was the email I’d been waiting for, for three months since my consulate interview, to say my visa had been approved and issued. I hadn’t been able to get an immediate decision at the interview in early December because my medial cert was delayed. This turned into a bit of a nightmare that is now, it seems, thankfully over. In the medical exam, when asked whether I suffer from any illness (other than the ones for which I was tested during the exam and other than the ones that are automatic grounds for medical ineligibility) or take any medication, I gave an absolutely comprehensive answer. I did this because I thought that complete transparency would be the right thing to do and knowing that I had no grounds for medical ineligibility. In hindsight I don’t know why I thought things were this simple as, of course, almost any medical treatment that is practically free in Australia is going to cost a lot of money in the US, sometimes even a fortune, including, as it happens, a medication I take. (Don’t worry, I’m not dying or anything.) This triggered, after a nerve-wracking delay, a request for me to show that I could afford the treatment in the US using my own funds. In the end they agreed that even without US health insurance I have enough cash to afford my own treatment. I expect most people would not. Moral of this story: when disclosing medical issues or treatments that are not the subject of actual tests, know that medical ineligibility is not the only relevant grounds for ineligibility, and that it is possible that the disclosure may lead to ineligibility on financial grounds even in the absence of grounds for medical ineligibility.

Next stop NYC!

 

[Qewty]

You have now prompted a discussion between myself and my Canadian husband as to how expensive medications really are over in the US. So basically, answer the questions and no more?! I guess volunteering extra information is not always the best way to go!

So glad to hear you got your approval, and that your worries about that are over.

Q

 

[dafang]

Darlinghurst.

I was wondering what happend to your application. I remember you briefly mentioned you required extra information from your GP, but I didn't think you had such a big ordeal as this. What an anxious time you must have had. That is a long wait. It makes my two week wait over the TB thing seem very minor.

I heard a story recently where someone gave up more information than needed on their history of depression which resulted in them having to get extra evaluations at their own expense and cause a heap of delays. In the end their depression was deemed not to fall into the major category and they could've simply answered "no" to the question about suffering from any major mental illness.

So yes, giving up too much can be a problem

Anyway - Congratulations!

 

[Vichel]

Really!? Only $2,220? From Perth?! Did that get him to Canada as well or just JetPets to LAX? I got a quote from JetPets for $3500 for my 20kg dog! Coming from Brisbane! Overnight in Sydney then to LAX.

Wow, $3500 is a bit much! I'd have thought they'd charge less from the eastern states. Yes, we paid $2220 from Perth and that was to LAX, not Canada. It would have been $2600 to Vancouver but we spent a few months in California after leaving Oz, before heading north, so we had our dog flown to LAX. That was in November 2011, so prices shouldn't have gone up that much.

Dogtainers quoted me a little under $2100 from Brisbane all the way to Dallas...

Well, then go with the cheaper one. I would. Or you could go back to JetPets and tell them about the lower quote from Dogtainers and ask if they can do better. I always bargain. Most times it works.

 

[Vichel]

...I hadn’t been able to get an immediate decision at the interview in early December because my medial cert was delayed. This turned into a bit of a nightmare that is now, it seems, thankfully over. In the medical exam, when asked whether I suffer from any illness (other than the ones for which I was tested during the exam and other than the ones that are automatic grounds for medical ineligibility) or take any medication, I gave an absolutely comprehensive answer.

... Moral of this story: when disclosing medical issues or treatments that are not the subject of actual tests, know that medical ineligibility is not the only relevant grounds for ineligibility, and that it is possible that the disclosure may lead to ineligibility on financial grounds even in the absence of grounds for medical ineligibility.

Next stop NYC!

So sorry to hear of your ordeal, Darlinghurst! Wow, 3 months of wondering and worrying! Poor thing. So very happy that it turned out well afterall. Congratulations!

And thank you so much for writing about your experience - it'll be so helpful to others.

You have now prompted a discussion between myself and my Canadian husband as to how expensive medications really are over in the US. So basically, answer the questions and no more?! I guess volunteering extra information is not always the best way to go!

You know, I've heard that so many times from friends in the US who went through the immigration process themselves. I've also been told that by a friend of a friend, who is an immigration lawyer and gave us some pro bono advice on our situation. It's not lying or hiding anything but when you try to explain or elaborate an answer, to be more convincing or just plain honest, you can end up opening a can of worms. But you don't realise that, until you're knee-deep in it. You tell them more, they want to know more. That's something my husband and I have to remember at our interview next week. It'll be hard! Luckily I'm the main applicant as hubby tends to be a bit chatty so he'd have a harder time not yapping on and on than I would

Oh gawd, I'm so nervous!!!

 

[Petamiss]

Vichel you crack me up! I know exactly how you feel, I am the chatty one and I'm the main! ahhh! we are next week too... are you doing yours in Canada i assume? Getting very anxious for it all and trying to keep busy to keep my mind off it a bit.

Thanks for the pet info, thats really helpful Glad to hear your baby recovered well. I am also worried about mine holding his bladder the whole way, he can stress himself out a little bit poor thing.

It's not lying or hiding anything but when you try to explain or elaborate an answer, to be more convincing or just plain honest, you can end up opening a can of worms. But you don't realise that, until you're knee-deep in it. You tell them more, they want to know more. That's something my husband and I have to remember at our interview next week. It'll be hard! Luckily I'm the main applicant as hubby tends to be a bit chatty so he'd have a harder time not yapping on and on than I would

Oh gawd, I'm so nervous!!!

 

[Vichel]

Vichel you crack me up! I know exactly how you feel, I am the chatty one and I'm the main! ahhh! we are next week too... are you doing yours in Canada i assume? Getting very anxious for it all and trying to keep busy to keep my mind off it a bit.

lol! We should have a signal - a subtle kick in the side of the ankle if anyone starts jabbering during the interview

Yes, we're having to head out to Montreal from the west coast here for our interview - even more expense for this visa! Luckily we've got rellies out there to stay with, so no hotel costs.

Thanks for the pet info, thats really helpful Glad to hear your baby recovered well. I am also worried about mine holding his bladder the whole way, he can stress himself out a little bit poor thing.

I'm sure it's quite stressful for them. It's not like you can explain to them what's going on. But my theory is, that pets that are loved and come from a caring home will recover well. I know of a few people who've shipped their pets long distance and the worst case has been a few days of clinginess. Our dog seemed exactly the same as he was before, after the first day.

And if they wee during the flight, the pad they're on, is like a disposal nappy - soaks the urine away from the outer lining, although I'm sure it's not fun for them to do that in their own space. It'll be all good. Good luck!

 

[JESSJAME5]

Wow, $3500 is a bit much! I'd have thought they'd charge less from the eastern states. Yes, we paid $2220 from Perth and that was to LAX, not Canada. It would have been $2600 to Vancouver but we spent a few months in California after leaving Oz, before heading north, so we had our dog flown to LAX. That was in November 2011, so prices shouldn't have gone up that much.

Well, then go with the cheaper one. I would. Or you could go back to JetPets and tell them about the lower quote from Dogtainers and ask if they can do better. I always bargain. Most times it works.

I'm really surprised by how cheap yours was compared to what they quoted me! Haha I'd definitely consider bargaining... but I'm going to try and see if my friends can get me a discount if I'm lucky.. At least I know my dog will be in good hands with people he knows before he gets on the plane... That's a bit of a bonus I guess.

 

[bella8188]

Matthew - thanks! Would love to teach over there, just depends if I can get a teaching position or not. I'd also consider working for the Girl Scouts, or perhaps a nannying job for a bit - there's quite a few things I could do with an education degree, so I'll see how I go. And I chose MA because I have worked there for the past few years at summer camp, plus yep that's where my partner is.

Darlinghurst - wow, that must have been soooo stressful. Glad everything has now worked out okay, and that you'll be on your way soon!

 

[Petamiss]

Hahaha Totally telling hubby to kick me!

lol! We should have a signal - a subtle kick in the side of the ankle if anyone starts jabbering during the interview

 

[Petamiss]

Bit of a random one but i cant find it mentioned anywhere... Did any aussie get their photocopies of their docs signed by a JP or just straight up copies.

 

[dafang]

Just straight up copies

 

[Petamiss]

Just straight up copies

Thanks Dafang

 

[mushy11]

It was my first time entering too, we got lucky hey!

I do have a fiancee, but they live in the States - which is the reason why I am moving there. So the timing of this couldn't be better. I do have a couple things worked out - can go on my partner's health insurance, and I already have a bank account set up. But all the rest, especially finding a job, is stressing me out.

LA is gorgeous! What are you hoping to do there for work?

Yeah I think that job part will be a concern for many of us.. it'll all fall into place I'm sure

Hoping to find work in photography/graphic design but thinking about studying too.. See what happens!