Visa Extension

bossdon

Looking for some advice from anyone whos been in this situation. My working holiday visa is due to expire in 3 weeks and Im want to come back on a holiday visa to do some travelling before I go home. Also looking into a Visa for New Zealand. What would be the best way to go about this?

catbear

I would imagine contacting IMMI to switch you onto a holiday visa would be the logical solution, otherwise if you're going to go to NZ before your WHV expires then you need not bother.

bossdon

Is it possible to switch to a holiday visa without leaving oz anyone know?

Batgurl

bossdon wrote: »

Is it possible to switch to a holiday visa without leaving oz anyone know?

Nope it's not.

You have to be outside the country when u apply for a holiday visa and then they will more than likely question u on your return and u will need to prove why u are back, what u plan doing while there, proof of travel plans (tour booking or similar).

They will want to know what u plan on doing in 3 months that u couldn't have fit into the last 12-24 months of your working HOLIDAY visa. U will also need to show proof of funds and a exit flight. They may also call all your former employers to make sure you do not intend returning to work for them.

mandrake04

Batgurl wrote: »

Nope it's not.

You have to be outside the country when u apply for a holiday visa and then they will more than likely question u on your return and u will need to prove why u are back, what u plan doing while there, proof of travel plans (tour booking or similar).

They will want to know what u plan on doing in 3 months that u couldn't have fit into the last 12-24 months of your working HOLIDAY visa. U will also need to show proof of funds and a exit flight. They may also call all your former employers to make sure you do not intend returning to work for them.

Batgurl is pretty much right, going to NZ and coming back on a tourist visa straight after a WHV is also called 'a visa run'

In the scenario Batgurl mentions above even if the visa is granted some people are let through but plenty are refused as well as DIAC suspect they take up where they left off working etc.

Its a 50/50 situation.

danotroy

Batgurl. Can i ask what is your experience in the matter? have your done a visa run? I want to stay on here in oz after my visa expires in november ive been here since 2011. I want to stay on for a number of reasons;

its winter in ireland
I've not done much outside of melbourne
I want to cycle from melbourne to sydney on the costal route with a mate
The canadian IEC process does not open until january.
I've got a friends wedding in February

Things that may or may not strengthen my case
I will have about $8000 saved
by the time november rolls around ill be after doing 9 months of volunteering in melbourne. (full time; i could make it seem it took up all my time so i couldn't do things i wanted to do)
I've always been paid on the books for my other job

I was thinking of flying home or going to S.E Asia for christmas and coming back in january on a tourist visa however i would rather stay here as ive got a place with super cheap rent that i would not like to give up if i leave for a month or 6 weeks.

My only experience of visa extensions was my GF's roommate who was denied an extension but still managed to get one for the period she wanted by repeated visits to IMMI.

Batgurl

danotroy wrote: »

Batgurl. Can i ask what is your experience in the matter? have your done a visa run?

I haven't but a good friend of mine just did and here is what happened.

Went to NZ and applied for tourist visa. It took longer than expected to be granted so she almost missed her return flight.

After landing in Oz, she was brought in for questioning and went through everything. A big thing which went against her was she (admittedly stupidly) didn't have a flight back to Ireland booked as she had let her return flight expire after 12 months and hadn't gotten around to going into STA to rebook a one way and just didn't realise the issue.

They made her prove she had a tour booked through Peter Pan, detailed itinerary of what she was going to do each day. They kept asking her why she hadn't done all these things when she had been there for two years already.

They rang her old bosses and former landlord to make sure she had moved out. They accessed her bank funds etc

After couple hours grilling, they eventually let her through but it easily could have gone the other way.

I was in that room before about regional work (I did it but still got brought in for questioning) and I swear they just try and break you in there. By the end of it you start thinking you HAVE done something wrong!!!!

I can't really advise on your situation but the big things would be exit flight, funds and proof of what u plan on doing. Still a risk though.

danotroy

Batgurl wrote: »

I haven't but a good friend of mine just did and here is what happened.

Went to NZ and applied for tourist visa. It took longer than expected to be granted so she almost missed her return flight.

After landing in Oz, she was brought in for questioning and went through everything. A big thing which went against her was she (admittedly stupidly) didn't have a flight back to Ireland booked as she had let her return flight expire after 12 months and hadn't gotten around to going into STA to rebook a one way and just didn't realise the issue.

They made her prove she had a tour booked through Peter Pan, detailed itinerary of what she was going to do each day. They kept asking her why she hadn't done all these things when she had been there for two years already.

They rang her old bosses and former landlord to make sure she had moved out. They accessed her bank funds etc

After couple hours grilling, they eventually let her through but it easily could have gone the other way.

I was in that room before about regional work (I did it but still got brought in for questioning) and I swear they just try and break you in there. By the end of it you start thinking you HAVE done something wrong!!!!

I can't really advise on your situation but the big things would be exit flight, funds and proof of what u plan on doing. Still a risk though.

Thanks. I understand its a risk. I think I am underestimating the ease of extending my visa. Being honest I don't plan on doing any traveling around Australia, bar the cycle, I have no interest but I do not intend to work I intend pay my rent, relax, ride and think about the next destination. I don't think I would bother going to New Zealand as it would be expensive to sit and wait. Thanks for your advice

Wild Rover

hey mate,

I was in a similar situation in 2008, my WHV had expired but I wanted to stay an extra 2 months to travel and not work. I also didnt wanted to make the trip to NZ just for a tourist visa.

I made an appointment with Immigration in Sydney, went in there with my day-to-day travel itinerary for the next 2 months printed out, flight home printed out and told them I was looking to stay an extra 60 days to travel around Australia. They granted me a visa extension with a strict No Work clause for the 60 days.

If you do make a visit to Immigration have you're homework done.

danotroy

Wild Rover wrote: »

hey mate,

I was in a similar situation in 2008, my WHV had expired but I wanted to stay an extra 2 months to travel and not work. I also didnt wanted to make the trip to NZ just for a tourist visa.

I made an appointment with Immigration in Sydney, went in there with my day-to-day travel itinerary for the next 2 months printed out, flight home printed out and told them I was looking to stay an extra 60 days to travel around Australia. They granted me a visa extension with a strict No Work clause for the 60 days.

If you do make a visit to Immigration have you're homework done.

Herein lies my problem I have no interest in leaving Melbourne. I may regret this years to come, but that i shall deal with in the future. I want to stay on and enjoy the summer in melbourne!