applying for AsA from overseas
cheryl (glasgow uk).......im from ireland and sat my tests last year and am currently on the order of merit. there is a rediculously long wait to get on AsA so in the meantime i would do NATS as it is much quicker (like 3 months from start to finish) and if you pass you dont have this nightmarish wait around and twiddle your thumbs period. you can start your australian testing online but you will eventually have to sit tests in australia at one of the centres. i had to come home for a wedding and they were very considerate to me in letting me complete my interviews over the phone!
.........with regards to residency i was granted my residency last year (through accounting) and AsA specifically informed me that i would not be allowed to sit the tests and thus waste their time and resources without proof of residency first which did and does make sense as the wait for residency is almost as long as the wait to get on an AsA college course!!