After some discussion with the migration agent the old man has decided he will go back to the UK after all. The nominal reason is that the house needs some repairs and he wants to be there to organise and supervise. Personally I think there are other motives at work, mainly that he isn’t at all sure he’d be able to raise the necessary cash for the bond and doesn’t want to admit it. 🙂
To be fair the government *is* asking for a huge amount of cash as a bond. He’d need to give them AU$750,000 which they keep for the entire time he’d be here (retirement visas are issued in four year chunks) and they’d receive 2 -3% interest on the capital (not sure what happens in regards interest payments there). Regardless of any other consideration, if he *had* that sort of capital available it tie it up totally and he’d have no access to it to be able to maintain any kind of independent lifestyle. Yes he’d have his pension, but it would mean their ‘room for manoeuvre’ if they needed cash quickly for some reason.
So, to cut things short, he’s decided to leave these hallowed shores at the end of May… but is threatening to return next Christmas. The return is clearly dependent on whether the old lady can still get a visa… but as they have been applying electronically, so far we see no problems… yet.
Gonna be quiet here! 😀
The Eclectic Interweb 