Permanent Residency in Australia

We got some really good news from immigration this week.  It looks like we can get a permanent residency (PR) visa whenever we are ready.  All we need to do is leave Australia for several days and the PR visa will be issued to us!  Finally!!!

First, let me explain what a PR visa is.  Permanent residency visa allows us to live, work and study in Australia.  Indefinitely!  We will have the same rights as Australians, except the right to vote.  

Second, once we have accumulated 4 years of residency, we can apply for Australian citizenship.  Our time on our student visa counts towards the 4-year citizenship requirement (up to three years).  We should be able to apply for Australian residency in July 2013.

Third, as we had applied for an offshore visa, Immigration cannot issue us a PR visa while we are in Australia.  So, after Carla finishes her last term, sometime in February/March, we plan to go on a short trip to New Zealand (closest foreign destination to Sydney).