Becoming a permanent resident

[epiphany]

Thing is the criteria for FHOG says, "MUST B PR" it seems to take the government departments awhile to figure out NZer's are NOT PR.

NZers are specifically exempt from the whole PR thing when applying for the FHOG.

http://www.sro.vic.gov.au/sro/SROWeb...bates_fhog.htm says:

Note: A permanent resident includes the holder of a permanent visa under section 30(1) of the Migration Act 1958. New Zealand citizens holding a special category visa under section 32 of the Migration Act 1958 also satisfy this requirement.

http://www.revenuesa.sa.gov.au/fhog/home.html says:

A first home buyer who fulfils the criteria below:

* At least one of the applicants must be an Australian citizen or have permanent residency in Australia. New Zealand citizens permanently residing in Australia, who hold Special Category Visas, may also apply.

Note that the use of "permanently residing" does not mean a permanent resident - it means you mainly live here in Australia.

Each State's lodgement guide that I could find online specifically mentioned that NZers here with an SCV were eligible alongside PRs (as long as you meet all the other criteria, obviously). So whoever has told you you aren't eligible for the FHOG hasn't followed the guidelines (unless there is another criteria on the list that you don't fulfill).

I don't have any experience with the health care card but it sucks you haven't been able to get one. If your daughter is a Kiwi & isn't eligible for help from the Aussie government, is she eligible for some sort of help from NZ? The reason I ask is that happens with the pension - Kiwis get their pension from NZ because they don't get it from Australia.

[kiwibird27]

She can claim a disablilty pension form NZ when she is 18

Different in NSW, need to move to SA ?????

http://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/vi...000+FIRST+0+N/

http://www.osr.nsw.gov.au/benefits/f...l/eligibility/

States clearly must be citizen or permanent resident, We are not. I understand we are a PR of NSW so that entitles us to disability services. a PR for Tax purposes but NOT for immigration purposes. Different laws in different states.

[epiphany]

The eligibility requirements in NSW are the same for Kiwis as in the other States...have a look at http://www.osr.nsw.gov.au/benefits/f...s/eligibility/...further down the page it says:

Permanent residents may be eligible to receive the grant. For the purposes of the First Home Owner Grant, a permanent resident is:

*the holder of a permanent visa as defined by the Migration Act 1958 (Cwlth), section 30(1); or
*a New Zealand citizen who is the holder of a special category visa as defined by the Migration Act 1958 (Cwlth), section 32.

Permanent residents, when submitting their application, will need to provide proof they hold a permanent visa, such as a copy of their passport showing photo identification and the page of the passport showing the valid visa.

New Zealand citizens, when submitting their application, will need to provide proof they hold a special category visa. As special category visas are electronically recorded and not stamped on the passport. New Zealand applicants will also need to provide evidence that they are residing in Australia at the time of application.

Hope this helps.

Shame you daughter can't get a disability pension earlier. Could you maybe apply for a Carer Adjustment Payment...it doesn't specifically say you have to be a PR & finding out your daughter has special needs would be classed as a catastrophic event.

Can you apply for the low income HCC? Eligibility for the low-income HCC is not effected by the changes to the status of NZers with a SCV - SCV holder are still eligible to apply, as long as they meet the other requirements (see this page about halfway down the page where it lists benefits that aren't effected). The ex carer (child) HCC is for people who were previously receiving a carer's allowance (which is subject to the new changes, so SCV holders can't get it).

Carer's Australia may also be able to give you some good advice or put you in touch with services in the community that can help. There must be something out there to help others in the same situation!

[kiwibird27]

Thanks for that, the carers adjustment is for people who are eligible for the carers allowance, and we aren't due to residency requirements. Low income HCC would b great but u have to earn under $700 a week, and we just miss out.... the biggest issue is if ANYTHING happened to DH, we get NO help, I would have to return to work asap, and DD would need to move into hospital....we just have no support back up here, would of been easier to refuse us entry in the first place, many kiwi's don't realise about the changes though until something catastrophic happens!!!

[mummy79]

Hi Kiwibird,

I just thought i'd let u know that your not alone!

I moved here 5yrs ago from NZ with my 'then' partner. My son was born IN australia 4yrs ago and is severely disabled. My partner left me because he couldn't handle it. So I had to take care of him and my other older son by myself (3yrs ago). It was then that I found out that I wasn't entitiled to any help. I was so upset and angry when I found out as I didn't understand why, if my son was born here I was declined any help at all? Turns out if I arrived 2yrs earlier I would have received everything.

Long story short I worked 3 jobs to keep the $ coming in, my poor son who's health was getting worse and worse (1000 seizures a day, cerebral palsy, autism, Global developmental delay, vision impairment..the list goes on and on) was in daycare 5 days a week. I was lucky enough to meet a wonderful man who helped me emotionally get through the other side and we got married last year - which helped me financially as we went halves in all bills. What a relief that was to me. I still work 20-30 (sometimes 40) hours a week as I have to, but compaired to 2-3yrs ago, we're doing a lot better. It would help however if I was receiving a pension - would mean I wouldn't have to work and I could concentrate on my son and getting him well.

Even though my husband is a citizen we still can't get permanent residency due to my son's disabilities. I have to wait till he's ten before we receive anything as he automatically beomes a citizen on his tenth birthday.

I'm over it now. I was very upset that the governent wouldn't help and NZ didn't even bat an eyelid.
I wrote letters gallore. To everyone possible. Saw local PM's - u name it, I've done it.

If the government won't even help a kid that's born here because his parents weren't born here, then you probably have to realise things won't get better for you anytime soon. Sux I know.

I have realised it's a charater building lesson and I haven't let it get the best of me. I really hate being away from my son, sometimes I feel very guilty. But what can u do???

take care