Moving to a new country can be stressful and overwhelming but with a concrete plan and to-do checklist, planning becomes easier and indeed fun as you will eventually find yourself progressing well. At this junction, you may have received your visa or almost at the final stage of getting your visa. There are 22 documents you need when you move to Australia: some of which you may have already prepared for your visa process.
In addition to these documents, there are several other documents that you require for in the following categories:
These 7 categories are major parts of your settlement in Australia. It is a good practice for you to have 2 or 3 photocopies of all these 22 official documents. An additional tip: Get a coloured photocopy of these documents.
Visa grant letter
The official confirmation of your visa to enter Australia is contained in this letter. When you travel to Australia, it is essential that you keep this letter safe and bring it with you because you may be required to show it at the border.
It is suggested that you carry your visa grant letter with you at all times throughout your journey to Australia in order to bring it safely there. You can keep it in a safe document holder or a folder in your carry-on luggage.
A digital copy of the letter should also be kept in case the original is stolen or lost. A scanned copy can be saved on your phone, tablet, or laptop, or you can upload it to a cloud storage service like Dropbox or Google Drive.
Keep in mind that the letter granting your visa is a valuable document, so you should take every precaution to safeguard it while traveling to Australia.
Official High School Certificate, Diploma Certificate, Degree Certificate, Postgraduation Certificate and Other Training Certificate
In addition to the earlier documents, it is recommended that you keep a record of your high school diploma. Even though it may not be required for job applications, it is always preferable to have all of your school certificates in one place.
In addition, it is essential to prepare your diploma, degree, or post-graduate transcripts and certificates. When applying for employment or further education in Australia, these documents are absolutely necessary.
It is essential to have these certificates and transcripts translated into English because they may be in a language other than English. This can be accomplished by using certified translation services in your home country, typically provided by a notary public or law firm. For future use, certified copies of the translated documents are recommended.
Bank Account and Credit Card Details
These documents are paramount especially when you apply for accomodation. When you apply for a new bank account here, it is good to bring these documents with you. A tip to note: Ensure that all the names in these bank account/credit/debit card are spelt and printed out in the same way as your visa letter. If it is not the same, it is best to change them accordingly in your home country before you move to Australia.
Driving license, Passport and Birth Certificate
Documents to prove your identity should be with you all the time. These identity documents are the primary evidence or basic requirements when you apply for jobs or convert your driving license. Old passport copies should be with you just in case it was asked for any proof. Though it is a rare occurence during job application or rental application, for immigration purposes or renewal of visa after 5 years for visa classes like 189 or 190, it is important to keep all identity documents safely.
Medical Records, Marriage Certificate, Divorce Papers and Change of name records
If there is any health check up or medical reasons, you will need to show the doctors your previous records. In addition to that, if you’re planning to take private health insurance, it is essential for you to show any medical records if you have. For marital status records, you will need them if you’ve changed your name or status.
School Work (For Children’s School)
When you’re moving with children, apart from their school records and grade sheet, you may want to collect some of their school work like art pieces or written work. Schools do not necessarily check children’s portfolio. However, you may want to share with the new school teachers about your children’s interest and this may help the educators to understand your child’s needs better.
Reference Letters from Previous Employees
Reference letters are going to be greatly beneficial in job application process. Hence, before you leave your country or quit your job, it is good to speak to your employer or boss about the reference letter. This reference letter is an indication of your strengths and it helps understand your future employers your experience. It need not just be your current boss. You can also get reference letters from previous workplace or from another subordinate or co-worker.
Health Insurance
When we plan for health insurance, you have to apply for medicare. In addition to medicare, you may consider getting a private health insurance plan. At the same time, speak to your insurance agent from your home country to understand the needs of any supplementary coverage that you need in Australia.
Different insurance companies have different requirements and policies; some insurance companies are worldwide coverage. Hence, bring a record of your health insurance to Australia and plan for a comprehensive coverage. Additionally, in some countries, insurance companies don’t cover needs like physiotherapy. However, in Australia, you can claim for such medical needs.
Landlord Reference Letter
If you are a tenant before moving to Australia, please get a reference letter from your landlord. This may increase your chance of getting a rental place in Australia. People may own houses in their home country and may not have this opportunity to get a reference letter from a landlord. Alternatively, if you’re staying in an airbnb temporarily, you can get their reference letter as well before applying for a rental property.
Job Offer Letter, Enrolment letter and Student Visa
Your job offer letter is important when you apply for a rental place. Landlords prefer someone with a stable income unless you’re a student. If you’re a student, you may need to show evidence of enough funds in your bank balance to show that you can afford the rent. As a student, you will need to show the enrolment letter and student visa letter.
In your specific job application or work registration, you may need to notarise some of these documents. Notarisation is a certificate checking process done at a notary or law firm to confirm that these documents are originals.
For instance, if you’re a teacher, you need to apply for teacher accreditation. In this accreditation process, they require you to upload notarized certificates and transcripts and identity documents. Hence, notarize educational certificates and transcripts and your identity documents , scan them and keep it in your google drive.
All these 22 documents you need when you move to Australia can be kept safely in a plastic folder along with the black/white copies and coloured copies. With a checklist, it will be easier to keep track of keeping these documents. The checklist can be purchased here.
