zerosleeps

I’m not yet entirely sure what the purpose of this site is, so I’m using it as a kind of record of this journey. I’m sure it will prove to be a useful reminder of what it took to get to wherever I am in a few years.

Anyway, my passport is now back in my hands, now complete with label. I’m still not sure what the purpose of this label is, but there’s no doubt that my visa application is now well and truly done and dusted, and I can go ahead and book flights. That’s a job for tomorrow.

In other news, my beloved iMac was taken from me today by a nice man from DHL. I miss it already! I’ve also initiated a SWIFT transfer of some money from my UK building society account to my Australian bank account. That process seemed awfully low-tech considering it’s 2010, but I know nothing about that industry, and I’m sure it’s much more complicated behind the scenes than I care to know about.

Update

Tuesday 30th March 2010: iMac was signed for by one of my colleagues at USyd on Monday morning local time. Brilliant shipping service from DHL!

So I’ve had to send my passport to the Australian Immigration office in London so they can stick a label on it. I’m not entirely sure what the purpose of this label is, since everything is checked electronically anyway (and so say Australian Immigration and Citizenship themselves).

Since I now know I’m definitely going I can do things like ship boxes and transfer money to my Australian bank account. I still can’t make any travel arrangements, but baby steps eh?

Update

Friday 26th March 2010: A good summary of the visa evidencing process for British passport holders can be found here.

Woke up this morning to an email saying, amongst other things, this little gem:

I am pleased to advise that Scott Macpherson has been granted a Temporary Business Entry (Class UC) Business (Long Stay) (Subclass 457) visa. This visa allows you to travel to, enter and remain Australia and is valid until the date specified above.

I feel like the weight of Sydney Harbour Bridge has just been removed from my shoulders!

NO.

Feeling a bit blue today. The original plan was that I would have been in Sydney for about a week by now, but there’s still no sign of my visa. It looks like I’ll have to get stuck straight into work when I finally get there now which is a downer, because I was counting on having some time to explore Sydney and get settled in.

It’s all starting to feel like such a hassle now, and I’m sitting here trying to convince myself that it’s going to be worth it (again).

Yep, still here, in Scotland.

There was a minor glitch with my visa application last week, and Australian Immigration needed some additional documentation from me. That documentation had to come from a solicitor, which cost me a little bit and took some time, but I got what I needed and my case worker has what she needs now.

Back to the waiting again.