As soon as you start your research into Australia, you might notice, that applying for a visa is a necessity- unless you want to take a 48 hour round journey for fun (said no one ever). So let’s talk Visa’s!
Australia’s immigration rules are pretty strict so make sure you apply for the right visa.
Charles and I are looking to stay in Australia for up to two years, longer and forever, if we can (but that’s a completely different post!)
A few things you will need to know before you apply:
- They cost money, each visa varies in price depending on what visa you apply for, and of course, the visa cost Australian Dollars so be aware you may be slightly more for the exchange rate and conversion.
- How long do you want to stay in Australia and what do you intend on doing? If you fancy just a short holiday break the visa is different from a Working Holiday Visa.
Charles and I want to stay in Australia for the longest amount of time possible, we applied for the Working Holiday Visa, Sub 417. This visa allows us to work and travel in Australia for up to one year- great!
Second year visa
A bonus to this visa and which we will be doing (unfortunately), is you can gain an extra year travelling and working in Australia by completing 88 days of farm work, this generally includes picking and packaging jobs for farmers. The 88 days of farm work will need to be completed within the first year of your visa.
Restrictions
Before you can apply for the visa, you’ll need to be under 31 years old and have no children depending on you financially.
And once in Australia; you can only work for a maximum of six months in one place of work at any time.
Applying for the visa is very straight forward, however, there are many companies that can apply for the visa on your behalf (for a fee) if you’re particularly worried.
Although if you are applying for the visa yourself, make sure you have your passport ready and a means to pay. Each visa varies in cost, so please make sure you research into your visa price before you go ahead.
Top tip: only apply through the official Australian government website. (I’m sure there are many websites out there wanting to take your money)
The whole process should only take around 30 minutes after triple checking all your details are 100% correct, and the result is nearly instant. Charles received his ‘GRANTED’ after five minutes of applying and I waited a total of ten minutes before I received the official go-ahead.
However the website does state the visa can take up to two to four weeks before receiving the final decision, so please don’t panic if you don’t receive yours overnight.
After your visa approval- lets book your flight? See our blog post to hopefully save you some money!
