Is Visafirst.com reliable???

bumpy101

im to be heading to Sydney on the whv in january and was wondering does anyone know if visafirst is reliable or is it just best to get your visa yourself and also sort a bank account and the tax number yourself???
thanks for any help

hussey

bumpy101 wrote: »

im to be heading to Sydney on the whv in january and was wondering does anyone know if visafirst is reliable or is it just best to get your visa yourself and also sort a bank account and the tax number yourself???
thanks for any help

They are reliable, but it is just as simple and can save yourself a bit of money doing it yourself

Visa is easy (you fill out the exact same details) online at immi.gov.au
you can open a ANZ bank account from ireland or any over here
Tax number again is free and easy

You can buy a sim card for $2 also

bumpy101

hussey wrote: »

They are reliable, but it is just as simple and can save yourself a bit of money doing it yourself

Visa is easy (you fill out the exact same details) online at immi.gov.au
you can open a ANZ bank account from ireland or any over here
Tax number again is free and easy

You can buy a sim card for $2 also

yes i have the visa half filled out on immi.gov and if the other parts are as easy il just go ahead through that route.....cheers

iamthe43

Dont bother your arse with that shower-they are just middle men. Do it yourself and save some dosh

bumpy101

iamthe43 wrote: »

Dont bother your arse with that shower-they are just middle men. Do it yourself and save some dosh

filled out the visa now just waiting on the call back in the next few days
Do any of you's know from experience or other which is the best bank to sign up to??

iamthe43

I had an account with St George when I was there, so I cant speak for the other banks but I had no problem with them. Banking in Australia is a LOT more expensive than here, so you may want to do your homework. There are various charges and bank statments can be expensive. As far as i can remember there was a $5 charge if you used a different banks ATM

hussey

iamthe43 wrote: »

I had an account with St George when I was there, so I cant speak for the other banks but I had no problem with them. Banking in Australia is a LOT more expensive than here, so you may want to do your homework. There are various charges and bank statments can be expensive. As far as i can remember there was a $5 charge if you used a different banks ATM

$ 2 charge

Diddler82

hussey wrote: »

$ 2 charge

And online banking = no paper statements. Have never seen a charge with CBA.

Have 3 accounts with them and they are grand. Missed a payment for my internet buy about 15 mins I reckon and got a $5 charge for not having the money there on time...not so bad in comparison to some Irish banks

Slunk

I'm with westpac. Set it up online from Ireland. Don't think i pay fees. Sign up for online banking too and get e statements. You can use st George atms for free too. Also set up a super account. Makes it easier to claim back when you leave if its all in the one account.

Mellor

TBH, the best bank depends where you live and work,
If there are more ANZ atms around you, then thats the best choice, ditto for westpac, common wealth, or StGeorge.

That's the biggest leak, a $2 charge for other ATMs

Feelgood

I went with Visa first and was sorry that I bothered. I told them that I
would be arriving in December but managed to get out in October and they had nothing ready for me at all. I got a Vodafone sim card off them and my WHV visa was sorted on my passport but to be honest as the lads were saying you should just do it yourself and save a few quid.

Takes 15 minutes to open a bank account, you don't really have to have a bank account open before you get here with 5k or whatever in it. I think thats just a Visafirst sales pitch...Basically if you have cash and a credit card and can show you can support yourself for a while then you are golden. Its only a very few that are even asked how much money they have with them.

I just got an email from Visafirst last week to say my Tax File Number was ready. I am here 9 weeks! I went into the post office the first week I was here, filled out the application form and had my TFN in about 5 working days.
Easy as that.

I would just apply for the Visa through the government website here,
http://www.immi.gov.au/e_visa/working-holiday.htm

Worry about Sim Card, Bank Account and TFN when you get here. Only takes a day to organise!. Visa first also use ANZ bank, not a bad thing really but if you left the bank account till you get over at least you can pick one that suits yourself.

eoghan_m

I was just looking at the options like visa first and usit and whatnot, seems quite pricy for australia and NZ through them, Really would like to sort it myself if it sounds this easy.

But what are the options for finding jobs on your own without the use of visa first and usit?
Or are they even helpful with that?

iamthe43

Well I never used them so I cant say, but my guess would be that they wouldn't give a $h1t about finding you a job, and if they did, they would more than likely charge you for the privilege.

My advice for finding work would be: Go to OZ and look there. I was offered a job less than 5 mins after I walked into the first hostel I stayed in in OZ. Bring enough cash to support yourself for a few weeks, but you should have no problem finding work

Usually when people get to Sydney, they go straight to Kings Cross in downtown Sydney, where all the other backpackers are. I went down to the suburban town of Cronulla, where there is a cosy hostel 150m from the beach, and that's where I found work. Its the most southerly suburb in Sydney, 50 mins from the opera house etc. Its the only hostel in Cronulla, so instead of having to fight for jobs in the more central hostels, you can generally choose what type of work you want to do. I ended up labouring for a company called StageCo and spent my time building stages for U2, Kylie, Robbie Williams, etc. This work was found through the hostel.

I also found it easier to integrate with the locals and met very few Irish people there - that can be done in Ireland.

eoghan_m

That's really good to hear! I also just heard off a friend that they are looking for people to work alot of menial jobs in australia at the moment, like supermarkets and whatnot. That could help big time

nellyshark

Feelgood wrote: »

Takes 15 minutes to open a bank account, you don't really have to have a bank account open before you get here with 5k or whatever in it. I think thats just a Visafirst sales pitch...Basically if you have cash and a credit card and can show you can support yourself for a while then you are golden. Its only a very few that are even asked how much money they have with them.

Whats an acceptable amount of money to have then?

I was a speech awhile back and they said the 5k thing was not true either :rolleyes:

Now, I was looking at the link for a WHV.

If you are granted this visa you can:
enter Australia within 12 months of grant
stay up to 12 months

Right, my understanding of this is that say I apply for the WHV and get granted in a week or whatever but then dont fly out till Jan 1st then I can spend 12months in Oz from Jan 1st? Or is it if its granted tomorrow then its 12mths from tomorrow?

laucolin

I would like to go to Australia too and find a permanent job over there as I cannot find a job here in Ireland in architecture. With credit crunch and crisis not many people have the money to build something in Ireland at the moment.

Anyway, I would like to know if for permanent visa (such as working visa for 4 years for example) are they as easy to obtain through the government website or in this case would it be easier to go with "visafirst" or "usit".

What about getting a job, should get a job before applying for the visa or after ? Because before, not many employer would accept to take me if they are not sure I can work there and when I'll get the visa. On the other hand, would they grant me a visa if I don't have a job waiting for me in Oz ?

thanks in advance for your help.

mandrake04

laucolin wrote: »

I would like to go to Australia too and find a permanent job over there as I cannot find a job here in Ireland in architecture. With credit crunch and crisis not many people have the money to build something in Ireland at the moment.

Anyway, I would like to know if for permanent visa (such as working visa for 4 years for example) are they as easy to obtain through the government website or in this case would it be easier to go with "visafirst" or "usit".

What about getting a job, should get a job before applying for the visa or after ? Because before, not many employer would accept to take me if they are not sure I can work there and when I'll get the visa. On the other hand, would they grant me a visa if I don't have a job waiting for me in Oz ?

thanks in advance for your help.

A work visa for 4 years is a 457 sponsored visa, this is defnitely not a permanent visa but can lead to a permanent visa if you meet all the criteria after a few years.

You would need a job with an employer who is willing to sponsor so they nominate you for sponsorship.

Are you under 31? maybe you could get a Working Holiday Visa.

If you are thinking permanent then there's a thing called Skilled Migration, this is where you lodge an EOI and depending on your occupation and how many point you have will determine if you will be invited to apply for permanent residency.

I would start reading these

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056170937

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056505082

hussey

Mod closing thread, as 2 years old
Please read the FAQ, and the sticky. When you get a grip with basic visa structure then feel free to ask questions