guys! i am happy to share my experience during IED (melbourne) last week π
<b>BANK ACCOUNT:</b>
sa 700 bourke st (docklands) ako pinapunta. eto ung main HQ ng NAB. even though level 8 ung nasabi sa letter, sa level 1 palang, pwede ka na magpa-process, may booth sila dun near the entrance.
passport (original) kasi titingnan din nila ung date entry stamp mo. sinasabi na dalhin mo boarding pass, pero di na nila chi-neck. attached pdf file sa welcome letter. sobrang importante to.
visa grant notification print-out. OZ address at phone number.
samahan mo narin ng light kwento about life π parang friends lang ung na-assign sa akin na staff, kwento na birthday niya at pupunta siya sydney. ung ganun LOL
<b>MOBILE NUMBER</b>
sa airport mismo meron na, optus ung akin. kasi IED lang ako, nag-inquire ako sa recommended "plan" nila for PRs na di muna magste-stay sa OZ. ung ni-refer ng staff was a sim card na kaya maging active for at least 6 months since last top-up. unlimited calls at SMS na to within OZ, tapos may kasamang data plan na 500 MB. pwede mo siya itop-up website online, or by using the app since nasa labas ka ng OZ. sulit siya kasi di monthly ung top up, pwede on the 5th or 6th month bago siya mag-expire. and at least may OZ number ka na at pwede mo gamitin for your transactions, and naka-hibernate lang siya until may tumawag or mag message sa number na yun.
<b>TAX NUMBER (TFN)</b>
online lang π ginawa ko to sa apartment kung sa ako nakatira sa melbourne, kasi di pwede pag nasa labas ka. take note, it takes 28 days after the application para malaman ung results. ginamit ko lang OZ mobile number at address for the registration.
<b>HEALTH BENEFITS (medicare)</b>
make sure na ung centrelink branch na pupuntahan mo ay nagse-serve sila ng medicare din. apparently, independent entities dati ung centrelink at medicare, at recently lang sila ni-merged. olats, kasi layo ng nilakad ko sa suburb (not complaining though, kasi sarap maglakad sa melbourne dahil malamig) tapos sabi nasa CBD daw ung nagpo-process ng medicare. ayun, napilitan akong mag tram (which is ok din naman, pero nothing beats lakad to see the sceneries narin).
sa office itself, walang queue number. may staff (auntie)na may hawak na ipad near the entrance at siya ung magentertain sayo initially. kukunin ung reason for visit at first name mo. tapos uupo ka somewhere tapos tatawagin ung name mo (kaya wag gumamit ng earphones). maikli lang ung pila, natapos ko lahat within 10 to 15mins. perhaps kaunti lang kasi migrants nung time na un. AND AND AND... ang babait nila, sobrang welcoming to newcomers.
may kelangan ka ifill-up na form. nag research ako online, so nagawa ko na siya beforehand using PDF writer so sinubmit ko lang ung form. bibigyan karin nila ng option to register yourself sa central database nila para narin naka-record lahat ng transactions mo at kahit sang doctor ka pa, pwede nila malaman medical history mo. medyo takot ung iba dito, pero sa case ko since wala naman akong tinatago, go lang.
tapos ung closing instruction like papadala nila ung card mo to your OZ address after some business dates.ni-recommend din nila to download the app, para di na kelangan ng actual physical card for some transactions. and pwede mo magamit medicare while overseas! grabe, galing ng OZ government π
ayun... ang sarap ng feeling na officially OZ PR ka na at pwede ka bumalik anytime without hassles. napa-isip na ako na mag big move tuloy very soon π
<blockquote rel="prcand">sa mga nakapag-land na... andiyan kasi ako this thursday for initial entry and balak ko tapusin mga to:
1) bank account: done, NAB classic and iSavers accounts. formalities nalang at kelangan i-meet ung bank officer.
2) mobile number: will get it either at the aiport, or downtown area. tanungin ko ung sales staff nila ano ung best option if gusto ko i-maintain ung number for at least 6 months outside OZ, esp pano pag top-up sa SG.
3) tax number: online lang to, as long as nasa OZ ka na.
<b>4) health benefits: pano pala to? π</b> may nabasa ako somemwhere, pero more of pang childcare. pano pag single lang?
</blockquote>