uk debt moving to oz

[schitzel]

Hi Everyone! Im about to move to Australia on a temp 489 visa ,I owe around £40000 on c cards.Can anyone tell me if this will affect me applying for a permanent visa ? and also does anyone know what can happen if I do not pay the money back? cheers:|

[maroondevo52]

Hello and Welcome schitzel,

 

It's not something I know much about but have a look in this Forum there are stacks of threads regarding debt and moving to oz.

 

Regards,

 

Scott.

[unclebulgaria67]

Hi Everyone! Im about to move to Australia on a temp 489 visa ,I owe around £40000 on c cards.Can anyone tell me if this will affect me applying for a permanent visa ? and also does anyone know what can happen if I do not pay the money back? cheers:|

 

This is more a question of the visa process in OZ. From what I know from relatives who have gone through this process, is that they are mostly interested in your financial sustainability in OZ. You have to be able to show that you have fully supported yourself over a qualifying period and that you don't have any need of using state support services.

 

If I were in your shoes, I would search on the Brit Ex-pats sites and you will find many people who have gone through this process, with debts left behind in the UK. I think the Aussie authorities will only have any issues with UK debts, if they are impacting on your financial position in OZ. i.e if you were making repayments to UK creditors, it would obviously impact on your ability to fund your living costs in OZ.

[ozzyboy]

As Uncle B says, (and I assume you already know) when you move to Oz, you or your sponsor have to lodge a bond for each member of the family with the Australian Government.

 

This is held in trust for the first couple of years that you live in the country to ensure that if you claim any benefits, the government can claw it back.

 

Assuming you don't make any claims, then you'll get the whole sum returned.

 

How you came by that money is of no interest to the government - all they're concerned about is that you are able to support yourself as a migrant and you certainly don't need to tell anyone about credit card debts in the UK.

[schitzel]

Thanks to you all for your comments!