Over 3 years ago I posted about how to apply for a Tier 5 UK Youth Mobility Visa (previously called the working holiday visa) as an Australian. I’d struggled with finding the correct information so thought to share my experience with the world in the hopes it would help somebody else. The response to my posts has been nothing short of amazing since then so to all of you who’ve joined the discussing by leaving a comment and providing more information as the process has changed I can’t thank you enough.
With so many comments full of great information I’ve decided to pull the best bits out and bring them together into one easy to read Ultimate Reference Guide on the Youth Mobility Visa. If you have a question that’s not answered by the below please leave a comment and I’ll get it answered.
To get this underway lets run over the application process as a few things have changed and I want you all to understand whats required to apply for the Tier 5 UK Visa or working holiday as it was once called.
Youth Mobility Visa – Working Holiday Visa Guide
Eligibility Requirements
- Available to anyone from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Monaco, Hong Kong, Taiwan & Republic of Korea. (link)
- Must be over the age of 18 and under 31 years of age at the time of application. (link)
- Have £1,890 Pounds (Approx $3490 AUD as of 18th April 2016) in available funds at the time of applying. (link)
- You must apply for the visa outside of the UK or from a country where you have citizenship or a valid visa that allows you to live/work there (link)
Costs
- The Application cost for the Youth Mobility Visa is £230 Pounds (Approx $ 221 AUD as of 18th April 2016) (link)
- If applying from Brisbane, Canberra or Perth there will also be an application fee to pay of $105 AUD at the time of your biometric appointment
- To have your passport couriered back to you once it’s approved you can pay $24 AUD otherwise it needs to be collected from the office where you had your biometrics taken
Application Documents Required
- Complete application form online
or download and complete with a pen(offline applications are no longer accepted you must apply online) - Passport sized recent color photo (link)
- Original proof of funds document. This is recommended to be an official bank statement but a letter from your bank printed on their letterhead and stamped will also be ok. It must included your name, account number, date, balance in excess of £1890 pounds and logo from your bank. (link and link)
Completed Appendix 7 Form (link)– Seems to have been made redundant with the new online application process- Valid Passport for the duration of your visa period with a free page for the visa to be stuck on
- Completed IHS Healthcare form and paid the fee of up to £300 for 2 years in the UK. (link).
All the above needs to be original documents meaning no photocopies, eftpos receipts or falsified paperwork.
Application Process
The whole process starts with filling out the online application form. Most of this is fairly straight forward asking for details about you. As part of the application process you’ll get to pick the start date for when your visa will begin. Keeping in mind that this date must be within 3 months of when you are completing your application. So if you intend to arrive in the UK on the 1st September you’ll need to be applying for the visa no earlier than the 1st June of the same year.
Once completed you’ll be given the option to pick a time to attend your biometric appointment. This appointment is required for them to collect a copy of your finger prints which will be used when arriving in the UK on your visa. You’ll be asked to give (usually one finger) them when being processed by customs. The entire appointment takes all of about 30-45 minutes ( be there 15 minutes early) and you will need to bring with you the following documents:
- Completed and printed online application form
- bank statement and other supporting documents required for the application
- Passport photo meeting above mentioned specifications
- Appointment booking confirmation letter
- Passport
- IHS Reference Number
- A second valid form of ID like a drivers licence
Before you attend your biometric appointment you’ll need to pay the immigration healthcare surcharge (IHS). This is referenced as an IHS form. The first step is to run through this checklist to see if you need to pay a fee or not IHS healthcare checklist. If you are from Australia or New Zealand as of the 6th April 2016 you now need to pay a fee if you intend to live in the UK for longer than 6 months. The total fee is £300 to cover 2 years living in the UK.
To get your IHS reference number you need to go to this application page and click start now at the bottom. Follow the prompts and upon completion you will be emailed an IHS reference number that you should write down on your printed visa application. I’d also advise you to print off the email and take it to your biometric appointment as well due to how new this option is, it may save you some stress that way.
The biometric appointment process changed in late March 2014 and is now handled by a 3rd party visa processing company called VFS Global (except for in Adelaide which uses the old system). On attending one of their centers you’ll collect a token and wait for your turn to be called.
When called you will have your paperwork checked, pay your booking fee if applying in Brisbane, Canberra or Perth and then given a receipt which you need to keep for pickup of your passport if collecting it. At this time you can also pay to have your passport couriered back to you instead of returning to the processing office to collect it.
The second step is to have your fingerprints taken and have a digital photo of yourself taken, before they take all of your documents send if off on your behalf for processing. There is no need to provide your own envelopes for processing as the visa office is responsible for sending off and getting your passport back.
If applying in Adelaide then please follow the steps below, all others are to abide by the above.
You’ll leave the biometric appointment with a stamped application form and documentation on where to post your completed application and supporting documents off to. At last check you have 14 days from your biometric appointment to get your documents in the post to be processed.
It is advised to post your documents off in a platinum express post envelope and to included a second one for posting back to you. Take note of the tracking numbers on the envelopes for your own reference.
The above is a general overview for the entire application process. There have been major changes to the process this year (2014) with a revamped UK visa website and new processing options for applying. While I do my best to provide the most accurate information it is not always possible. If you notice a mistake or have details that can help others please leave a comment and I’ll update my records.
The Youth Mobility Visa FAQ
To make life easier I’ve also hand-picked a selection of questions and problems others have experienced and outlined them all below to save you trawling through over 500 comments.
Is the online application process confusing you?
In the last few weeks of 2013 the UKBA office rolled out a beta version of the new online application process. This has been met with quite a bit of confusion as sections of the application process have changed or aren’t being accepted correctly, which can be confusing if you’ve been researching the process online.
The problems I’m currently aware of are:
You receive an error when clicking Book Appointment – This error seems to have no solution other than to try and lodge your application again with a different email address.
UK Phone number being listed where your Australian one should be – This seems common and an obvious bug in the system, you can either leave it as is or hand write in the correct number. I imagine this will be fixed soon.
Your biometric appointment time is booked for say 2pm but it shows at 1pm on your letter – A fix seems to go back in and pick it again otherwise just turn up early so you don’t miss it.
I don’t have a UK Address or Phone Number
The new application form now ask for a UK phone number and address of you when applying. As you are yet to arrive in the UK I think this is beyond stupid to ask for but there you go. My advice is to put down the address and phone number of the place you intend to stay on arrival in the UK. This address will also form part of the where you will collect your BRP (Biometric Residence Permit) from so be careful putting down just any address.
Not sure what a question is asking?
The Youth Mobility Visa form can be confusing so be sure to read the Guidance Notes provided by the UKBA office for help in deciphering exactly what they are asking for. This document lists notes for all questions asked on the forms to help you complete them.
How many points did you score for Attributes, English, and Maintenance?
On the application form you are asked for the number of points for Attributes, English and Maintenance. The English section does not need to be completed as it does not apply to this visa type. To calculate the numbers for the other box’s use the points calculator on the UKBA website or refer to your Appendix 7 form and get the numbers from that.
Can I fast track or get priority processing of my visa?
With the new changes to the visa process you can now apply to fast track your visa application. Costs to get priority visa processing are £100 for non-settlement applications and £300 for settlement ones. I believe this visa falls under the non-settlement category but can not confirm this.
To order priority processing of your visa you need to purchase it before attending your biometric appointment. To order the service you need to do so on this page. Then take the receipt of payment along to your biometric appointment for processing.
They aim to process all non-settlement applications within 5 days and settlement applications within 10. Again I believe this visa falls under the non-settlement category but can not confirm.
This service is not available to people attending an appointment in Adelaide.
Is there a biometric appointment office near me?
Processing offices for the biometric appointment are as below. Of note that all but Adelaide are run by VFS Global.
- Melbourne
- Sydney
- Canberra
- Brisbane
- Perth
- Adelaide
The address’ for these offices can be found here. If you don’t live near one of these offices then you’ll need to make the trip by land, sea or air to have your visa processed.
Do I post my application form off before the biometric appointment?
No you do not, even though the application form seems to suggest you should. You no longer post your application at all unless applying from Adelaide. All other applications are left with the visa office after your biometric appointment.
Where do I post my completed application to?
You only post your application if applying from Adelaide, all other applications are given to the VFS Global staff. The address to send your application to is:
UK Border Agency
GPO Box 2718
Sydney NSW 2001
It will then be forwarded to the processing hub in Manilla.
How long does the visa take to process?
Given my experience and feedback from others it takes anywhere between 1 – 4 weeks (usually within 2 though) from the time you post it. The processing times do vary depending on the time of year as well so recommend you check with the UKBA website here for a detailed listing of processing times.
However it seems with the new visa processing procedure a 2-3 weeks estimate seems correct at the moment.
I’ve not received any confirmation from the processing center, I’ve received one email, I’ve received nothing from the processing center?
The visa processing center has a history of not updating you on the process of your visa. Some people have reported getting emails to say their application was received, processed and shipped back while others have received nothing at all. You need not fear, there has never been a case of someones application form getting lost that I am aware of and most find their passport arrives the day after they freak out. All I can suggest is a little patience.
I have a question about the visa process who can I call or email?
You can contact the visa authority on 1300UKVISA ( 1300 858 472) but keep in mind this is a charged call of $3.50/minute and only payable via credit card. There is also an email address at [email protected] that advises you’ll receive a response within 10 days. Full details on calling for help can be found here.
Can I cancel my visa application?
If you’ve applied for your visa early or simply don’t want to go ahead with it you can cancel under certain circumstances. Refunds only seem possible if you’ve not attended your biometrics appointment yet. To cancel your visa go to the refund request page on the UKBA website and complete the form. You then wait 14 days to find out if you were successful.
Can I apply outside of Australia?
This seems to be possible but appears to be something new as previous documentation I’d read suggested you couldn’t. By visiting this section of the UKBA website you can select different countries around the world that accept visa processing. From what I can tell it will allow you to apply for a Tier 5 UK Youth Mobility Visa wherever there is a processing center providing you have a valid working visa with at least 6 months validity on it to be in that country.
When does the visa start?
You can pick the start date for your visa yourself during your application online but keep in mind it must be within 3 months of your application date. If you intend to travel around Europe before the start of your visa then you will be applying for your visa closer to the time in which you intended to fly out of Australia or allowing it to start before you get there meaning you miss some of the 2 years it is valid for.
When should the bank statement or letter be dated?
Your bank statement needs to be dated within 30 days of applying for the visa. So if you were to apply for the visa on the 1st of June your bank statement or letter must be dated after the 1st of May. The statement or letter must also show you have the total amount of funds required to meet the application requirements for the youth mobility visa.
The application form asks for my previous passports but I’ve lost it?
If you’ve had a children’s passport or an adult one and can no longer find it just state that on the form. If you have the passports great otherwise noting its lost seems to be perfectly acceptable.
Is this the same as the working holiday visa?
The working holiday visa was renamed to the youth mobility visa. During that change they also adjusted the conditions of the visa allowing you to live and work for the full 2 years of the visa where as before you could only work for 1 year.
What does family name mean?
The application will refer to your mother/fathers family name, this is asking about their maiden name.
Do I need a UK address or itinerary to apply?
Previously you did not need an UK address but on the new application form you are required to give one. You do not however need an itinerary when applying for the youth mobility visa. You will need to give a UK address to the customs officials upon entry into the UK. It is a requirement for all people entering the UK when completing the landing card.
Do I need to buy a return ticket?
There is no need to buy a return ticket when entering the UK on the Tier 5 youth mobility visa. With this visa you are essentially considered a citizen of the UK for the duration of the visa.
Will this visa let me stay in Europe for longer than 3 months?
The visa is only valid within the UK which encompasses England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Island. When travelling to Europe and in particular the countries that form the schengen zone you are only permitted to visit them for a period of 90 days within a 180 day period.
Will this visa let me work in Europe?
You will not be able to work for any company outside of the UK on this visa.
Can I enter the UK before my visa starts?
Yes but you will be entering on a tourist visa and as such are restricted to its limitations such as not being able to work. After your visa start date you should look to leave the country and re-enter on your youth mobility visa.
What if I have a DUI or criminal conviction?
During the application process you will be asked if you have any criminal convictions, this does not included fixed fines such as speeding or parking tickets unless you were required to attend court. If you have had a drink driving conviction or similar it is advised you included all paperwork when sending off your documents.
The visa office does perform criminal record checks so failing to document your record could be a reason for denying you a visa or them deferring your application until you offer more documentation to the entry clearance officer. To save potential problems it is recommended to get a print out of your court documents/extract, police reports and other supporting evidence including proof you’ve paid any fines associated with the incidents.
You are only provided a short time to provide this information if they request it so its better to have it all before you apply to save on missing out.
What is the BRP (biometric residence permit) and how do I get it?
From the 31st of May 2015 the visa office changed the visa permit process and introduced a biometric residence permit you collect once you’ve arrived in the UK. Full details on the BRP can be viewed on the UK website here
The short(ish) version of what this means is you now must enter the UK within 30 days of your noted start date for the visa. This is instead of being issued a sticker in your passport valid for the full 2 years. Now you now get issued a 30 day vignette which allows entry to the UK under your visa for a period of 30 days to collect your BRP card. If you arrive after that initial 30 day period you need to apply for another 30 day vignette (unsure of any fees or process to do this at the current point in time).
Once your visa is granted you’ll be provided with a decision letter stating at which post office and when you can collect your biometric residence permit card from. This is likely to be the closest post office to your noted address you used on the application. Please note the UK website states that you may get a penalty or your leave can be cancelled if you don’t pick up your BRP within 10 days of your arrival in the UK.
If you have queries about your BRP card or misplace documents needed to collect it you can refer to the following site for details https://www.gov.uk/biometric-residence-permits/need-brp.
At this point in time I’m yet to speak to anybody who has obtained their visa and collected a BRP card so am unable to verify any of the details above and provide it as reference only. There has been some great discussions in the comments below so if you have been issued a visa under the new process I’d love for you to leave a comment below to help others out that are looking to apply.
UPDATE 06/07/2015
An amazing follower named Mirabai has done some digging on the BRP process and found out what you do if you are unable to claim the permit within the 30 day window and received the following details from the United Kingdom Visas and Immigrations International Enquiry Service.
If the applicant has been granted a 30 day vignette and fails to enter theUK within the 30 day validity period, they must make an application for a replacement 30 day vignette by applying for a Transfer of Conditions, not as a new application for leave to enter. Application can be completed online on Visa4UK and it costs £122 to transfer your visa.
On Visa4UK website at: https://www.visa4uk.fco.gov.uk, you need to select the Visa Type accordingly:
Reason for Visit: Other
Visa Type: Others
Visa Sub Type: Vignette TransferFurther information regarding biometric residence permit can be found on https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/biometric-residence-permits-overseas-applicant-and-sponsor-information.
So it seems if you don’t enter within that 30 day window your visa can become quite the bit more expensive. A real issue for those of you applying to get in before the age limit or those unable to travel over as planned.
Do you have a question not already answered above? Then leave a comment below and I’ll try and find the answer for you as soon as possible.
Figured I’d give an update on the process and timing to keep this page up to date.
13th May – submitted the application online and booked biometrics. Had a small issue while entering previous travel history – if you need to add more than 10 entries, you need to save the application after each entry after the first 10, otherwise the Add button will disappear. I left off visits to Commonwealth countries as it says in the explanation part and that was fine.
Received a couple of emails from [email protected] to confirm the submission.
15th May – had biometrics taken in Melbourne. It’s a weird place; not an embassy, but you have to knock to enter, have your appointment confirmation letter checked, phones and bags have to go in lockers, then you go through a maze of doors to get your application checked, documents bundled and biometrics taken. The staff there know a lot about the process and can answer questions. You can also submit any documents you feel might help, even if not specifically requested. Priority processing can be purchased there (I did not).
Received an email from [email protected] a few hours after saying the application has been submitted to post.
29th May – received email from [email protected] saying passport has been despatched and will be available for collection after 3 days.
2nd June – received email from [email protected] saying my passport was ready to be picked up. I actually got this email basically every 5 hours until I picked it up (you’ll need ID to pick it up). Remember the processing centre in Melbourne is only open from 8:30am to 3pm (I turned up a few minutes after 3pm and they were closed).
All in all, right on 3 weeks which seems to be similar to other people here. I think they’ve picked up their game in terms of notifications too.
Hi Sam, thanks for the detailed update on your visa process. Always good to get feedback from people going through the motions. Enjoy your time abroad.
When I went to pick up my passport, I told one of the staff members that I was getting multiple emails notifying me about my passport. she said that it shouldn’t’ be doing that.
But I guess it’s better than getting no emails and no notifications
PS. I had the exact timeline of events
Hi Aussie nomad I’m in the UK right now and my tier 5 visa ends April next year. I’ve read that I can only stay in Europe for 90 days out of 180. Does that still apply for after the visa ends? Say I already spent 90 days in in europe in the last 180 days of my visa. Can I still go around Europe straight after my visa finishes? Or do I need to get some other kind of visa? Thanks in advance.
Hi Brian, the Europe visa restrictions are completely separate from your UK visa so they apply at all times while you are there and when you decide to leave. If you use up all your time you’ll need to go elsewhere while the time resets.
Thank you for your reply
Hi Nomad,
I’m filling out my application and had a few questions about the passport info. I’m unsure about the place of issue and the issuing authority of my passport.
Was place of issue simply Aus, or is it more specific like Melbourne, etc?
And is the issuing authority the Australian Government, the Department of Affairs, or someone else entirely?
I just really want to make sure that I get everything rights.
Thanks
Hi Laura, place of issue will be Australia and the issuing authority will be Australia as well.
It actually says so on your Australian passport, at least it does on mine. Near the bottom of the details page, there’s a heading ‘Authority’ where it states the issuing authority. At the top of that page, there’s a bit titled ‘Code of issuing state’ which is the place of issue.
But The Aussie Nomad is right; it’s usually Australia for both unless you’re some kind of edge case.
Hi Aussie Nomad,
As so many others have said, thanks for all the information, it’s super helpful. I’m just having a few concerns here. I put down a date of July 11th in my application, but it looks like it’s going to work better for me to leave early August (some things have changed since applying). Will this be a problem? This is also outside of the 30days of the application start (which would have been the 30th of July).
I received an email saying my visa would be despatched and I should receive it within 3 days of the email – it’s almost been a week and I haven’t heard anything. As somebody mentioned above, flights are getting expensive.
I work/ed in the travel industry and I know not to book flights without the visa, but without any of this information, I’m very stressed and worried. I haven’t told a lot of the people around me when I’m leaving, but it’s getting so soon I really need to inform people.
Do you have any information? Sorry to be a pain.
Do you think it could be because I opted to have it couriered? They just send it rather than update?
The visa office is well pretty unreliable I’ve learn in all the years I’ve been running by site. With the new process that started up in March there have been some teething problems. I’ve seen a few people just show up at the visa office to collect their passport without having received notification and found their passport was just sitting there waiting to be collected. If its been a week or more since you were told it was being shipped back I’d just go and see if its there.
Hi Stephanie, you can enter the UK anytime after your visa is granted there is no requirement to be in the country by a set date. If you get there a month or two months later it won’t affect you other than you’ll have missed out on a month or two of your visa time as it starts based on whats on your stamp in your passport and not when you enter the country.
Hi steph! My passport was dispatched on May 26th and I still haven’t heard anything! I FLY OUT OF MELBOURNE ON TUESDAY!! I am major stressing and there isn’t anyone who I can contact that will give me the info I need on where my visa is! I am going into the office tomorrow so I will let you know how I go!
HELP!!!!!
Hi Nomad!
I submitted my youth mobility visa for the UK on the 6th May and on the 22nd May I got an email telling me it had reached the Manila hub and another email on the 26th May informing me that it had been processed and dispatched from the Manila hub and that in 3 days I should be able to pick it up from the Melbourne application centre! It’s now June 11 and I leave for the US on the 17th of June! I have tried emailing them at ukvi and they replied saying that the decision of my visa had been made and to wait for an email for when it is ready to be picked up.
I thought I left enough time for it to be processed as the ukvi website said 98% are processed within 15 days!
Any advice on what I should do?
Hi Hayley, i’d just show up at the office in Melbourne where you lodged your visa. I’m 99% sure you passport is just sitting there waiting to be collected. Their notification systems are notoriously bad going on previous experience and recent reports.
When filling out the previous countries visited, you can only add 10 countries. I went on a contiki tour that visited more than that. Is there a way to add more or do I just put in the ones I stayed at the longest?
Thanks!
Hi Becky, I believe somebody left a comment to say if you save your application or save that page it will create more spaces for you to edit your countries visited.
Hey Aussie Nomad,
Thanks for all this information it’s very helpful.
Just wondering if you know whether or not these visas ever run out? For Canadian working holiday visas for example, if you don’t apply right away you very likely won’t get one as they only give out a limited number, whereas for Australian ones they seem to hand them out like candy on Halloween… what’s the UK like? Are there a limited number, or if I apply later in the year (say, August or September) will I be alright?
Cheers!
Alex
Hi Alex, I’ve never once seen mention of the visa’s running out. I believe there is a cap of like 30k or something but have never heard of that being hit ever.
Hi, I was wondering if you could help. I have just applied for my visa and have my appointment in Sydeny on Wednesday. However, I have just realised that the address on my bank statement is different to the address I put down as where I live on my visa (all my personal mail goes to my parents house and I have never lived at their current address). Do you think this will cause any problems with my visa application.
Thank you!
Hi Layla, I don’t believe the address on the statement matters. As long as it has your name on it then that should be proof enough of it being yours.
Hi Nomad,
I’m trying to apply for my uk youth mobility visa. I have filled out my application, submitted it and signed the declaration, but when it comes to booking an appointment the website keeps coming up with “error your session has expired and you need to sign in again”. I’ve tried signing out and back in, still comes up.
I’ve also tried using different browsers (the correct ones as specified on the website), starting a new application with different email, emailing [email protected] several times and not getting a response and I’ve tried calling and going into the biometric appointment office but I cant see anyone without an appointment.
I’m out of ideas, can you please give me some advice?
Hi Ashleigh, sounds like you’ve tried just about every option I’d have suggested. Have you tried using a different computer in case there is something wrong with it instead?
Hi Aussie Nomad,
Amazing blog! This page has been so helpful while sorting out getting a visa. I have 2 questions:
1. When filling out the application does it ask anywhere if you are travelling with someone? Obviously we would like our applications to be processed at the same time.
2. Roughly how far out are the biometric appointments? Will we be waiting days or weeks? I can’t see anywhere that you can check or see appointments besides filling out the application.
Thanks so much,
Maddi
To add to this I’m from Perth if anyone knows how long it took to get an appointment
Hi Maddi, glad to hear the page has been useful to you. To answer your questions:
1. For the visa I belive it doesnt ask if you are travelling with someone but for the sake of not complicating things I would say no. If you send your application off at the same time as somebody else then they will all get sent off around the same time so I wouldn’t worry about one not getting it.
2. You can schedule a biometric appointment yourself when completing the application. I’m pretty sure providing they aren’t booked up you can go in as soon as the next day to lodge everything. If not then, then within a few days for sure.
Hi there,
Awesome article!
Yes, it does (now) ask if you’re traveling with someone and it’s a pretty confusing question because it asks if that person (in this case by husband) has a valid visa; “yes”, “no” or “not required”.
Neither of those answers is really right since we’re both filling out our applications now together so he doesn’t have a visa yet but I don’t want to say “no” as that doesn’t sound good either. No place to leave comments so we’re a bit stuck…
Any help would be appreciated because this question just isn’t addressed in the guide.
Cheers,
Jenny
Hi Jenny, I’d list down you aren’t travelling with anybody, it saves on complicating the application process and having to explain you are both applying for the visa etc.
I thought I’d share this for anyone that’s going through the whole visa process.
May 7th – Biometrics taken in Melbourne’s VFS Office (from here the handle everything like postage so you don’t have to post anything yourself. They told me they’d call for me to get my passport when it’s ready)
May 26th – Received an email saying passport was dispatched. A few days before this, I received an email saying it takes about 3 days to receive the passport if I’m in Australia. Like everything else, it’s a generic email which you cannot reply to.
From here I waited and waited but didn’t receive any further updates. After about a week, I got stressed out so I called them (which is a ripoff!…Isn’t it a bit rich to be charging to speak to someone given the visa cost nearly $400??) Anyway I just got told to wait and a decision was made but they couldn’t tell me. I guess it really ‘top secret’.
Anyway, I waited another week and didn’t hear anything so I thought it seriously cannot take two weeks to send a passport from Manila. Something was wrong here. I decided to call them again which they charged about $25 for the call. This was a total waste of time because all they could tell me was a decision was made but cannot tell me the answer. I was told to keep waiting.
A week later – NOTHING again so I emailed them via the link from VFS Global. I got a very standard response and they said they’ll escalate it but first give them the reference number, name and date of birth. This was strange because you had to put these details in before sending the query anyway. It was also stupid because I couldn’t respond to their email (it was sent from one of those do-not-reply email addresses). I had to send another query and gave them my details again and explain what had happened. NOTHING- no response, even after their “we’ll get back to you in 3 days” promise. This was a total waste of time. Don’t even bother calling the VFS office because you wont find the number.
After realising it was all out of my hands, I could only wait. Anyway, I read how a few Aussie Nomad readers decided to just turn up and received their passports that have just been sitting in their office. I decided to give that a crack today so I just printed off my last email from 26th May and headed to the Melbourne VFS office on Swanston street. As soon as I was greeted by the security guard that never smiles, I told him I received an email but haven’t heard anything else for 3 weeks. He sent me to the next room where I was met by a rep from VFS and I explained how I received an email on the 26th but haven’t heard anything. Her response was, “It’s probably in one of these boxes” which were behind her.
It turned out my passport was indeed just in one of the boxes behind her desk. I asked her why I didn’t receive any notifications and she asked if I checked my ‘junk’ emails. Weren’t they supposed to call in the first place??
I didn’t bother complaining because I was just happy to get my passport back. On the way out, I bumped into another woman that was in the exact same situation. No notifications on the final pickup either.
Like Aussie Nomad said, there are probably teething problems with this new process. If anyone who is reading and applying, when you receive the email saying your passport has been dispatched from Manila, I’d just wait up to a week and rock up to the VFS office because you’ll find your passport sitting on the bottom of some box. Don’t waste your money calling or your time emailing them because you won’t get anything useful.
Hi Tu, thanks so much for the detailed report on your visa process. I wish I could say it was teething problems but lack of notifications has been a problem way back when I applied for my visa on the old system. It seems to be really really really hit and miss as to what emails you get and what emails you don’t get. A call would be the right thing for them to do but that costs money where as an automated email system is cheaper.
Glad to hear you got your passport with visa in the end and good advice. If you hear nothing for a week just show up at the office and get them to dig your passport out of the box.
Hi Aussie Nomad
Please help! My housemate applied for her second year Youth Mobility visa application. She completed her farming work as required but when she filled out the application she accidentally wrote the end date 15th instead of 25th so it has been rejected as insufficient days working. Her rejection letter says that the only thing she can do is go to a tribunal and pay $1600 to dispute the decision, surely that isn’t the only way? The farmer can back her up to confirm the dates that she worked.
I’m Australian and if we make people pay that kind of money or a simple mistake I’m embarrassed to call myself so.I know you need to be vigilant when filling out the form but sometimes simple mistakes do happen, even seeing so when reading the threads above. Surely there is another way she can fix this? Please help!
Hi Carolyn, I believe you have my visa article confused with another visa I think. My post is about going to the UK on a visa as an Australian where as I believe your housemates visa relates to one coming to Australia yes?
Yes I’ve got it reversed, thanks anyway
Hi Aussie Nomad,
Firstly, thank you for sharing your knowledge and this post!
I have been advised that I have a few options with regards to working in UK upon arrival i.e. under an umbrella corporation or getting someone to manage your tax affairs. But the information available is quite vague – are you able to comment on that please?
Thanks in advance,
Sunny
Hi Sunny, when you arrive in the UK you’ll be able to work and undertake any job as if you were a citizen of the UK. I’m not sure of the specific question you are asking, if you want to provide some more details I’ll do my best to answer.
Dear Aussie Nomad
New topic, sorry. Writing on behalf of my son who’s 31. He had a UK ancestry visa five and a half years ago and worked in UK for a couple of years but then he came back to AUstralia. Been in Oz since then .
He’d like to find out how to whether he can reapply for an ancestry visa so he can work in UK. again. ( or whether that first period of the Ancestry Visa (first one )has to be used for the full five years and then only reapplied for.I know he’s not right age now ( over 31)for the other working visa.
Hard to find out this info. Your site is a Godsend. Thank you on behalf of travellers and their friends and parents..
Hi Dawn, I’m not 100% familiar with the Ancestry visa but I believe he can just apply for it again as there are no limits on the amount of times it can be applied for.
Hello! Thanks for all of the helpful info!! I am 17 years old and planning on applying for the Tier 5 Youth Mobility Visa next year. I am not 18 until the end of February (2015), but i was just wondering whether it is possible to go through the application process whilst i’m still 17 (say, in January), as long as my starting date for the visa is after I have turned 18? The reason I ask is that I would like to go on the St. Patricks Day Contiki tour in Ireland, which starts on the 15th of March, and if i have to wait until I am 18 to apply for my visa, it may not be possible to do this as there is basically only two weeks between my birthday and St. Patricks Day. I’d really appreciate it if you could answer this for me haha…Thanks in advance 🙂
Hi Frankie, you will need to be 18 to apply which means you can’t lodge your application until after you are 18 I’m afraid. And going on recent processing times it takes people around a month to get their visa. You could try the fast tracking option which I believe takes 1-2 weeks so it would be cutting it close.
Such helpful information here! never realized how stressful the move could be. I had my biometrics interview one month ago and still have heard nothing. how do i know when to pick up my passport?!
Hi Gaby, have you had any emails about the process of your visa? I’d just show up to the visa processing center you went to and see if your passport is sitting there just waiting to be collected. It seems notifications to people are slow or non-existent and people have had luck finding their passport just waiting for collection.
Hey Aussie Nomad, firstly just wanted to say a big thank you for this blog and all your helpful info. I was originally going to use an agency, as I was nervous about the whole process and wanted to make sure it was all 100%. But after reading your blog and everyones comments decided to do it myself – and it really was easy as pie! Applied online on 7th May, paid online and had the biometrics assessment booked for 2 days later. I received an email on the 26th May saying that my passport had been despatched from the UKVI Decision Making centre and after reading some user comments on your blog, I waited a few days and sent my boyfriend into the VFS Sydney Office, with a letter of authorisation for collection. Visa granted, YAY!
I did have one question though, and its more related to travel insurance. Do i need it, if Im going to live in London on the 2 year working visa? I know there is the reciprocal health care plan, which gives aussies access to medical benefits like medicare. But in the case of travelling outside of the UK.. especially if Im going to Africa or middle east, I’d like to be covered for things like theft, as well as health. Would I get something set up before I leave australia, that covers me for 2 years? Or are there travel insurers from UK that will cover foreigners for those kinda trips?
Thanks for the kind works Peta and glad I could save you a few dollars by doing it yourself and not paying an agency. In regards to travel insurance you do only need it for while you are outside the UK yes. Finding people who will cover you can be a little bit trickier. I’ve used Travel Insurance Direct before as they seem to have the friendliest policy in terms of getting cover while you are abroad.
Awesome site, has been really helpful.
My timelines so far are as follows;
-5th of June – Biometrics and passport handover
-20th of June, response back saying passport was still waiting to be processed (but the user said their systems can be delayed)
-23rd of June, processed application has been recieved by UK Visa Application Centre) but is closed now so can’t pick it up.
One question, I have not been informed of the decision, do you know if they normally inform you of a failure before you pick it up? Can’t wait until the morning!
Thanks all 🙂
Hi Adam, thanks for your timeline update. I’ve never heard of them telling you anything until you get your passport back and I only know of one person who’s been denied and that was due to their criminal convictions.
Hey Mate,
I am having trouble finding information on the rules after the tier 5 mobility visa is finished. I am currently living and working in UK, once my tier 5 visa is finished i will finish work and travel however i can not find any information on the visa i require post the tier 5 visa. i will need about 4 months to come and go from UK so i am unsure how to proceed or where to find information.
i will be based in UK at a friends house and traveling to a few destinations and finally heading home start of october 2015 , my tier 5 visa ends start of june 2015.
Any advice would be really great! Cheers mate
Hi Jarryd, once your visa expires you can re-enter the UK as a tourist and you’ll automatically be granted a tourist visa on entry. It allows you to stay in the UK for up to 6 months before you need to leave for 6 months. As you intend to come and go after your visa expires be sure to have proof you will be leaving the UK each time you enter. Customs are pretty strict on people coming back to the UK after having held a working visa to be there so you’ll want as much proof as you can for each re-entry to ensure they don’t deny you.
Hi,
My partner and I are considering this after our recent trip to UK. Trick is, he turns 31 on 24th December.
Questions are:-
1. Is he valid so long as he applies before his 31st before, even if processing can take up to 2 months, or should he apply 2 months before his 31st Birthday?
My preference is to apply some time in November, which will give us about 6 weeks processing but then a good 3 months to still sort out finances etc.
2. He is an economist / Data analyst i work in media/advertising – do you know if these are fields which are tough / easy to find work in?
Thanks in advance 🙂
Hi Hu, he needs to have the visa approved and I believe it started/be in the UK before he turns 31 for you to avoid all problems. In theory I believe you just need the visa started before he turns 31 but you should really call the visa folk to verify it as I’d hate to tell you the wrong thing.
Hi Aussie Nomad,
Thank you for your help with Visa queries. This is just to give you an update on my successful Tier 5 application, which I lodged in Sydney in late May:
Application: 30th May 2014
Biometrics: 30th May 2014
Sent forms: 30th May 2014 – Given to UK official who sent them on my behalf to Malaysia for processing
Visa/Passport Despatch Email: 13th May 2014
Visa/Passport Arrived: 16th May 2014
I hope this gives people an idea of actual processing times and helps to quash any nerves about the process; I know I had a few!
Cheers,
Ben
Hi Aussie Nomad,
Thank you for your help with Visa queries. This is just to give you an update on my successful Tier 5 application, which I lodged in Sydney in late May:
Application: 30th May 2014
Biometrics: 30th May 2014
Sent forms: 30th May 2014 – Given to UK official who sent them on my behalf to Malaysia for processing
Visa/Passport Despatch Email: 13th June 2014
Visa/Passport Arrived: 16th June 2014
I hope this gives people an idea of actual processing times and helps to quash any nerves about the process; I know I had a few!
Cheers,
Ben
With the bank statement must it be 90 consecutive days? I thought I read that somewhere but can’t find it. As I have changed banks recently I can only get a 60 day statement.
Also confused, I ordered my statement from Ubank over two weeks ago and it still hasn’t arrived, is there an issue if I print this and bring myself? It still has the letter head and I believe it looks the same as the one they post out. I’ve read it needs the banks stamp and signature? I can’t really get this as Ubank don’t have any branches. Is the online one okay, if I print or not?
If it is not okay, do they take the forms from you or sign and stamp them at the biometric interview (mine is tomorrow), or can I do the biometric interview and then send off my forms later (once I receive my statement)?
Hi Callum, you need the official statement and not one you printed yourself I’m afraid. Otherwise anybody could just print something off and say they had the money. If its not an original copy then yes it would need to be signed/stamped by somebody from the bank but obviously difficult with ubank as they are online only.
All forms need to be taken to the biometric appointment as they send the forms off for you as well so fingers crossed the statement comes tomorrow otherwise I’d see if you can re-schedule the appointment.
Hi!
I have my biometrics appointment on Friday and it’s just suddenly occurred to me that on my printed application form in the ‘given names’ section that I’ve only put my first name and not my middle name, which is on my passport. Do you think this will be an issue? If so, is there any possible way to fix this? I’ve logged into my account but unfortunately it won’t let me redo it.. starting to panic!
Any help will be greatly appreciated!
Thank you!
Hi Melissa, just fill in your name on the form and initial it where the space is for your middle name. The online form just makes it easier for you to fill out the application. But if you are worried I’d ask when you go for your appointment as they should be able to help you.
Okay that’s a relief, I just had this little stress out where I thought I’d be rejected straight away for leaving out that detail. Thanks for your help! 🙂
Hi Aussie Nomad,
Your site has been a great help and gave me the confidence to apply for my visa myself without paying for someone to do it for me !
I received an email on the 16/06/14 saying ‘your visa will be dispatched shortly and passports can usually be picked up after three days from the application centre.’
It has been 10 days since I received this email and I have not heard anything further. Do I need to make an appointment to go in to pick up my passport or can I just go in at any time ? I applied in Melbourne.
Thanks
Hi Ashy, the notification system they have setup is terrible. A lot of people only get some of the emails they send out and recently I’ve seen people not getting the last notification to come and pick up their passport. I’d just show up at the visa office where you lodged your application and see if your passport is there waiting for you. Seems thats been the case for a few people commenting recently.
Hi there.
I am hoping you can help me.
I have been to the UK before on a working holiday visa. I understand that I cannot re-enter on one of these.
Can you help me in regards to which visa I could get to get back in and work again for about 2 years?
thank you in advance.
I am a Kiwi living in Australia.
Claire.
Hi Claire, to go back and work in the UK you’ll need to be sponsored by a company looking to employ you. This will require you to find a job and sort out the visa paperwork before you return to the UK. I’ve looked at going back myself and the sponsorship route seems to be the only option but finding someone will to both employ you and sponsor you when you can’t be in the Uk to meet them seems very very difficult.
Hi There,
Regarding the DUI/Criminal Conviction.
I had drink driving conviction in 2010 and lost my licence for 3 months with a fine. Everything was paid for, I did my probation, and have not had conviction since. This was 4 years ago..
I am planning on going to the UK in September and am getting the process sorted now. I am wanting to know above anything else, if I need to put on my application that yes I did have a conviction/how many months/what for etc. Or do I not worry about it… I would rather be safe and sorry and not lie.
Thanks
Hi Danielle, you’ll need to include your conviction in your application. I’d request a police check for yourself and get copies of all your documents from the conviction ready now so you have it when you come to apply. The police check can take up to a month I believe so getting it sooner rather than later will be the best plan of attack.
Hello – great article! Look my situation is a little tricky. I applied for the UK tier 5 visa back in 2010 and got it – it expired May 2012. The issue is that I never actually entered the UK on the visa. I’m pretty sure I can prove this because I have a police report in spanish which states my passport was stolen and I was in Madrid at the time. I ahve my temporary passport still and my new passport with no UK stamps.
Can I still apply for the UK working visa? I have read the terms ect and it says you just must not have entered on the Visa.
Thanks so much
Hi Claire, you can only be granted a the youth mobility visa once. Despite you not going to the UK the visa was still issued and was valid. As a result I really doubt you’d be able to apply for it a second time. You’d be best calling the UK Embassy for an official answer but I don’t think they’d tell you anything different to myself.
Hi, Im having abit of trouble finding the answer to the following question (sorry if its been mentioned allready)
As a Australian citizen who would be using the tier 5 youth mobility visa for entry into the UK, could i apply for a “German working visa” whilst in Germany under the visitation 90 day period? Can I apply whilst in the UK? If so can I apply at any time during my tier 5 visa? If possible I’m assuming it would therfore void my Tier 5 visa?
Cheers.
Hi Shannon I’m not familiar with the working visa for Germany I’m afraid. They may require you to apply from within Australia like the UK visa but I just don’t know for sure so would be best to chase up with them directly.
Hi Chris!
THANK YOU for taking the time to offer all of this information and for your wonderful advice. Can I ask a couple more questions?
1. What does the question that asks “Have you ever voluntarily elected to depart the UK?” mean?! I’ve visited three times (~2-3 weeks each time), and have always left voluntarily/on my own terms, so ‘yes’? But then I thought about what I would say if I had never travelled to the UK, the answer would be ‘no’. So I’m guessing that this question relates to voluntary departure of people that might have overstayed visas and are at risk of deportation. Is that right?
2. Proof of funds: I have all of my savings (well above the minimum required) in an ING Direct savings account, which doesn’t provide paper statements. I’d planned to transfer this to my regular transaction account (Commonwealth Bank) before getting a statement/proof of funds but will it be an issue that this money won’t have been in that account for a certain amount of time? Should I send off my last statement from the ING savings account as well as my CBA transaction account? Or will my CBA statement be enough?
3. This question isn’t related to the application process but: Do you know whether I would be allowed to work for an Australian company while in the UK on this visa? Either freelance/contract work with an ABN or a ‘work from home’ type position, both of which I have done while here? Does that go against the rules of the visa?
Thanks heaps!
Hi Jen, thanks and I quite enjoy it. To your questions:
1. I believe this relates to offering to leave the country instead of being deported by the UK immigration.
2. For your money can you get a written statement from ING Direct if you went to a branch? If not I’m sure having a statement from your other account will be fine. I don’t believe they require you to have the money in your account for a set period of time anymore.
3. You can certainly work freelance for anybody home in Australia. The visa allows you to live and work there so as long as your Australian employer is happy for you to work remotely that is all good.
Thanks so much for your responses, Chris.
Sadly ING Direct are branch-less, I think there’s just one service centre in the country, so I’ve just transferred to my transaction account and will take that statement.
Had you travelled before applying for the visa? I spent a few months in Europe a few years ago and am struggling to remember what date I visited various countries. Filling in that section is taking forever!
Jen ,just fill in the dates you can remember or are stamped in your passport. This requirement was never there when I applied and to be honest think its pretty stupid to have on the form.
Thanks again, Chris.
Just paid my application fee and have my biometrics appointment booked for Tuesday! Aagh! Feeling sick to my stomach, scared that I’ve filled something in wrong though. Hopefully all will be fine. :/
Thanks again for your tips.
My wife and I both applied for our Tier 5 YMC visa. Below are a couple of comments/answers to questions I had that I couldn’t find a clear answer for.
1. We have a joint account so our bank statements were the same. I noted this in the last section of the application but since we have well in excess of the required funds I expected this to not be an issue which it wasn’t.
2. Some questions confused me with regards to how to list my spouse. We listed each others details but selected not travelling together on the application. Additionally we added clarifying comments that we were travelling together but my spouse was applying for their own visa separately.
That’s my main tip is use the space they give you at the end of the application to clarify anything you think may need to be clarified.
P.S. Aussie Nomad, thanks for the page. A lot of people would be a whole lot more confused with out it.
Thanks for the info Greg, always good to get feedback from people who’ve applied and what they’ve done.
Once again amazing site! If like to share my timeline which is very surprising! In Perth the biometric centre is only open tues and wed included in the $112 is that your docs and passport get sent back to your home address. They also send all docs away for you. (As they are never there for you to go in and collect passport) so that’s why they include postage both ways in the $112 fee.
-applied online June 16
-Biometric appointment and docs sent 25th June
-E-mail saying it’s shortly being dispatched 30 June
That’s hardly even 3 business days (we did not pay for ‘express’.) I’m not sure if it’s an amazing fluke because our date of arrival is 7th Aug we got worried it would be touch and go hearing back in time and a lovely miracle occurred. Or it’s a Perth thing because they are open so little they get processed faster? I doubt it because we were told 4 weeks as it’s peak time.
Anyone from Perth or anywhere had the same magic happen to them? Will keep everyone update with when it arrives in the post.
We had a great expirience (so far) applying so if you are from perth and want any info let me know 🙂
Maddi – I also had my appointment on 25 June and received the SAME email on the 30th (yesterday morning) as did my boyfriend
we are almost freaking out that there is something wrong – or perhaps it’s an email to say they have received it although it does say it’s being dispatched. very strange – i was told 4 weeks also and we fly out 28 july so i was very nervous!
haven’t received my passport back yet, will update when i do (fingers crossed)
Em
Hi
I do not have any idea where my address will be in the UK.. what do I write?
Thanks in advance
Tim
Hi Timothy, just pick the address of a hostel in London and go with that. It’s such a stupid question to ask as nobody knows where they will be staying when they get there, especially when you are applying up to 3 months out from your arrival date.
Hi Aussie Nomad,
Thanks for that quick reply!.
Ok great I will just put in a Hostel address. (should I write any notes in the comments box about I will be staying here temporarily until I find a more permanent address?)
Now my other question is that Im leaving for europe on SEP 16th and will be backpacking around europe for around 4-5 months before I settle down and enter the UK to work as a teacher in around JAN-FEB time.
Now the reason I am starting my visa process this early is because I won’t be in the country (AUS) to do so at a later stage.
I am aware that you can make your start date at the latest of 3 months in advance, so atm my latest start date is SEP 30th.
But I was wondering whether if I submit a cover letter with my application stating my situation, and that I could possibly get a later starting date on my VISA so that I am not wasting 3 -4 months of my 2 years YMS.
Hope that made sense?
Thanks
Tim
Hi Tim, no need to explain it I don’t think. They won’t ask you to verify the address or anything so as long as its a hostel they can look that up themselves.
With your plans to backpack around Europe just keep in mind you can only spend a total of 3 months in Europe within any 6 month period. So you’ll need to factor in some stops to countries outside of the schengen zone to allow you to stay for the 4-5 months you plan to.
As for getting an exception to start your visa later, you can try your luck but the rules state its 3 months so I don’t like your chances.
Hi Nomad,
Love your site! Keep up the good work!
Just a question around the ‘despatched’ email that gets sent from the Manilla hub. Have you ever heard of somebody actually being rejected after receiving this email? I ask this as I need to book a couple of flights which are on sale at the moment, and I am unsure if I could wait the 3 days that its states in the email.
Your feedback would be much appreciated.
Hi Ads, never heard any anybody being rejected after getting the email notification but to be honest I’ve not heard of anybody ever being denied outside of having a criminal record being the cause.
Hi Aussie Nomad,
Picked up my Visa today! Thank you for your response to my question. I realised a lot of my stressing was from reading horror stories from 3-5 years ago. I think with the new process, it is pretty difficult to make a mistake if you are generally focused when doing the application.
A timeline of my application:
*Monday 23rd June: Completed online application – booked biometric appointment
*Wednesday 25th June: Picked up bank statement, which was stamped on front page only, and no teller signature. Attended Biometric appointment.
*Monday 30th June: Received email stating ‘Despatched Visa’
*Wednesday 2nd July 2014: Received email telling me to come and pick up documents from application centre. Picked up documents later in the day.
It was actually a pretty easy visa in the end. I look forward to coming over to the UK in August!
Keep up the good work
This has been so helpful!! Great work =)
This page is by far the best source of information out there- I scared myself silly reading other websites and running through everything after submitting my application, until I read this page. After a very stressful two weeks, I received my passport this morning, complete with UK visa!
For those interested, my timeline was as follows:
Sunday 15 June- Submitted online application
Wednesday 18 June – Attended Biometrics appointment in Christchurch; sent away documents to PO Box in Auckland
Thursday 19 June- Online courier tracking confirmed delivery of documents to Auckland PO Box
Thursday 26 June- Received the “Your visa will be despatched shortly..” email from Manila
Monday 30 June- Online courier tracking confirmed documents dispatched from Auckland to me
Tuesday 1 July – Passport and visa arrived.
I was really impressed how quickly it arrived! Thank you Aussie Nomad, your post (and the helpful comments/replies underneath) were reassuring to me during the anxious wait!
This post is amazing! Thank you so much!!
Few questions… I applied for my visa a few days ago and scheduled my biometrics appointment for next Monday – but I have put on my application my expected date of arrival as December 10 (this isn’t within three months of today??) Will my visa be declined or will they approve my visa from a date three months from today?
Also, in the application in part 5 – points claimed it asks for “Maintainance (funds)?’ and ‘Total’ I have left this blank.. does it apply to me if I’m from Australia? What does it mean? Should I re-apply and fix this last bit if I need this part filled out?
Thank you in advance 🙂
Hi Gabby, as you have your form printed off I’d just amend the documents you have and initial the change. Setting your arrival date outside of the 3 month period has for some meant their visa date was set to the date it was approved meaning as soon as you get it back it starts. If you are unsure ask at the biometric appointment as they may be able to sight the change as well.
The points section does apply to you yes. There was last time I checked details on how to calculate that during your application. But you should be entering 50 points based on 30 points for having the required funds in your account, 10 points from being from an allowed country to apply and another 10 points for meeting the age requirements.
My daughter has been accepted to a school assistant position for 10months in England. She is only 17 years old but will be finished school so not a student exchange What type of visa is available for her – I can’t find any information about these situations of 17 year olds on non student exchange? PS This is a great website, interesting reading
Hi Debbie, thats a good question. I believe she’d need to be a sponsored worker which would require the school to be listed with UK immigration as a sponsor and then offer her a position. Your best course of action would be seeking what arrangements the school can offer for her I believe as she is to young for the youth mobility visa.
Thanks for providing us Aussies with great information!
So I’m taking the plunge and applying for a youth mobility visa however I can’t even register an account!!
I enter all my details however it won’t let me put in my DOB? Is there a trick to this or has anyone else had these problems?
Thanks
Hi Sarah, that’s very weird. I’d try another web browser or computer if you can.
Hi there,
I need some help! I turn 31 on the 29th August. I put my intended date of travel as 1st March 2015, will this be when my Visa starts (because it cant possibly start on this date since it’s after I turn 31). Not sure what I should do now. The finger print test is tomorrow..
Thanks!
Hi Ang, your visa start date can be no more than 3 months out from when you apply so March next year isn’t possible. You are meant to apply within 3 months of your departure to the UK. So the very latest you can have your intended travel date as early October. Last I read you just need the visa granted before you turn 31 so you don’t have to be in the UK then.
Hi there,
But i seem to be allowed to select March 2015 (which I did on my application). Ive already submitted the online application. Can i write on it and change the date before physically submitting it tomorrow when I do the finger printing?
Thanks for your help!
Hi Ang, they may let you select it but going on the rules from their site its a different story. I believe you can just write on the form as thats what they use for you application but if you are worried ask the people at your appointment tomorrow. As for where you go, that would have been provided to you when you booked your appointment.
Hi,
I turn 31 in August 2014 this year. If I make an application form before this date and put an intended travel date of October 2014 (within 3 months) but I do not actually travel and arrive in the UK until March 2015 will this still be fine? Appreciate that my two year limit would have already started.
Thanks
Lee
Hi Lee, as I understand the rules you need to be granted the visa before you turn 31 but you don’t need to have travelled on it before you turn 31. So you would be fine to go about the process as you’ve said being aware that yes your visa would start in October and you’d miss a few months of it by going in March.
I have a visa and intend travelling for 4 weeks before looking for employment. Is there any requirement to have a UK bank account when I land there or can I get that later.
If you cant tell me is there any contact I could find this out , thanks
Hi Ian, you can get a bank account and all other items once you get to the UK. Its easy to do and takes no time at all.
Hi Aussie Nomad,
Thanks for the response to my comment on 19th June – I should have explained what I meant :-
I went to this seminar organised by Global Career Link recently (100% UK ready) and they advised that there are basically two ways that you can work in UK and be able to claim back on tax for expenses such as meal / transport / relocation costs etc.
The two option they gave were 1) Working through them / for them as an Umbrella company where the employer pays them and you get paid from them 2) Set up an own private ltd. Company and they help with the accounting side and tax return side of things.
At first I thought, that these are the only two options available but surely these are things I shouldn’t worry about before finding a job in UK. Maybe this is how they generate the revenue stream as a company and want to rope as many candidates as possible before they even arrive. Isn’t it the same as Australia where you will need to apply for something like a TFN / ABN number?
Am I right in thinking that I do not need assistance from these companies and should be able to manage things on my own – considering I am qualified accountant, tax return should not be that hard – I suppose the consideration would be if I am still eligible to claim on expenses if not working through them.
Thank you again!
Sunny
Hi Aussie Nomad,
Regarding the proof of funds/bank statement- do they only check this at your interview therefore still having access to this money afterwards (only if needed) or does it need to stay in your account for a certain period of time?
Thanks, Chloe
Hi Chloe, you just need official proof you have those funds in your account at the time of application. What you do with the money after that is up to you. They base the decision off your official statement or letter from the bank.
Hi All
I went for my Biometrics appointment on Friday 4 July and paid for Priority as Im flying out Saturday 12th. Im a bit nervous because
1) I haven’t had any email confirming dispatch or passport being received
2) the receipt I received and signed says “Application type: Regular”
I’m worried that it has been sent to Manila instead of Canberra.
I’m thinking of going into the centre tomorrow to ask what it means.. does anyone know about the priority service and the type of emails I should have received by now?
:S
Hi Amanda, I’m afraid I don’t know much about the types of emails you get for priority service. To be sure of your application though I’d go in with your receipt because you’ll want to know to change your flight with enough time to not incur a extra fee from the airline.
Hi,
I’d like to book a flight departing 30th August, i’ve done my biometrics test and submitted all my documents on 8th July, from past experience, do you think i’ll get my passport on time (giving it 6 weeks!).
Thanks for your help 🙂
Hi Ang, I think given you’ve submitted everything already you should be fine to book a flight for then. Most applications I’ve seen take around 4 weeks give or take. The only people I’ve seen wait 6 weeks are the ones who never got notified their passport was waiting to be collected.
I have just completed my online application, payed the fee and was checking your site for documents I need to take and i stumbled across the section where you said I need to apply within 3 months. I have set my date for November 1 to enter the UK meaning three months will be August 1st, if i wait and set my appointment for past August 1 will i be ok? Or is the fact I have already submitted my application online now mean i won’t be within the 3 months?
Hi Alex, as you have already applied your date will be 3 months from when you processed your application. If you want to change it and since you haven’t set your biometric appointment yet you can cancel your application and apply in 3 months time. There’s a link up the top of the post about how to cancel it.
Hey,
Thanks so much for posting this.
I was hoping someone on here might have had a similar situation to me and can provide some guidance.
I have flights booked for August 3rd, however, I am yet to apply for my visa. I’m just going through the process now, but to get everything together, I probably won’t have gone to the biometric appointment until the end of the week.
I know it can take up to 30 days to hear back as to whether your visa is granted. If I have not heard back, can I still catch my flight and enter on a tourist visa until they get back to me as to whether it’s been issued?
Cheers,
Rachel
Hi Rachel, I think you should be fine to have your visa processed by the time of your flight but if you are worried pay for the faster processing. You’ll be unable to leave Australia while waiting on your visa as you need to send your passport away to have the visa put in it so your idea to enter on a tourist visa won’t be possible.
Hi, I have applied for and successfully received a UK tier 5 visa. I have a valid and current passport (with the visa in it) for the duration of my intended stay in the UK (August 2014-January 2015), however it expires mid next year (may). Upon leaving the UK I was hoping to travel to the United States where I will need more than 6 months valid on my passport to enter.
With this in mind, I thought it would be easier to renew my passport here (in Aus) before I leave for the UK. I am assured that the visa will still be valid in the expired passport but will there be any impact or complications on using the visa for the first time in an expired passport when entering the UK on a renewed one.
I realise I should have renewed my passport before getting the visa to make life easier, but any advice / reassurance/experience would be great!
Thanks
J
Hi Jane, you’ll need to travel with your expired passport because the visa is stamped into that one, even though you are in the system, as far as I’m aware they still want to see the stamp if possible in your passport. They may ask you why you got a new passport etc at UK customs so be prepared for questions. Getting the visa put in your new passport is overly expensive ($500-$1000) so just be sure to travel into the UK with both passports and you should be ok.
In hindsight yes getting the passport renewed first would have been a better idea but these things happen.
Hi! thank you for the quick reply. So just to clarify it will be ok to renew my passport in Australia and travel to the UK with both passports even though I haven’t yet used the Visa (i.e.; they won’t refuse entry as long as I have a valid visa in an old passport and a valid passport)
Thanks
J
Hi Aussie Nomad,
Could you please advise me with regards to my comment on July 4, 2014 at 8:03 AM (appreciate it!)… I also have another question for you.
I am turning 30 this October and thinking of applying for both UK tier 5 and Canadian International Experience visas… Spend a year in Canada and another in UK – I am hoping that it would be fine as long as I apply for both before I turn 30 but is there any condition you know that limits me from having the two of them together?
Thank you for your time!
Kind regards,
Sunny
Sorry, just to clarify I meant to type “turning 31”
Hi Sunny, you can have as many visas as you like I’d imagine as each is for a different country. You’d just need to have the visas granted before you turn 30 to avoid any age restrictions.
As to your other query I never went down the self-employed route in the UK so really don’t have any advice I can give to what would be best. I do however know the tax system over there is certainly different to what we have in Australia. In saying that I’m sure you could find out the information you need once in the UK and shouldn’t need to worry about it before you go.
Thank you!