Thanks for that! So it took just 6 months? That's what we're hoping for (we'd like to leave in January - the house is on the market, and we're selling everything, already!).

Didn't know anything about a Case Officer: do they actually come out and see you or is it over the internet, etc?

I'm guessing by what happened to you that the Police Check is only valid for 6 months: bit of a bugger, really, but it only took 2 days to process without paying the extra (we're in the same town as the office that issues the police checks, so that's OK).

We're hoping to live near Brisbane, what about you?