What do we have to do when e457 is granted?

[Carolmed]

We applied for the online 457 and everything has been processed very quickly - application acknowledged on 9 August and health requirements etc finalised on 30 August. We understand that there is nothing outstanding but have been told by our CO that the Visa cannot be issued more than 3 weeks in advance of the date we put on the application which was 1st November so we are expecting the official issue on or around 10/11 October. My question is, when the visa is actually issued, is it simply emailed to us and we print it off and carry it with us with our passports or do we have to take or send it somewhere (Australia House?) to have it validated in some way - or is it sent in the post? We have taken a chance and already booked our flights for 17 October, arriving in Australia 23 (4 nights in Bangkok) but I'm now beginning to panic in case I have jumped the gun! Can anybody put my mind at rest - or should I start changing flight dates??
Thanks for your time in reading this.
Carol

[GoodersGang]

Hi Carol

Congratulations!! bet you cant wait to get away.
I am going through the same process and am just a few weeks behind you. It is my understanding that your visa will be stamped once you land (hence you giving your passport no) but im sure someone will clarify this.
How long did you wait for any contact from a co ??
Where are you heading?

Good Luck!!!!!!!!!

Gooders

[ali]

Sorry not sure about the 457, we're here on a 136, we got an email telling us we'd been successful, we then had to send off our passports to Australia House to have the visa's put in them, this took 5 days

Ali

[EM&M]

Hi,

You just print off the visa email and take it with you. When you enter Australia they will already know that you have a visa but just take it incase you need it. Then when you get turned around you take all the passports to immigration office and they will put a sticker in your passport for you. Easy Peasy.

Good Luck


Em x

[Carolmed]

Thank you both for your replies - the Gooders saying what I hoped to hear and Ali saying what I didn't want! Perhaps somebody on a 457 will give a definitive answer - although I bet it's the same as Ali says. Thank goodness we live in Epsom so, if it comes to it, a trip to Australia House will be no problem, I'll be blowed if I'll trust the post the way it is at the moment (never sure when they are striking!) You can tell I was worrying, I posted my query at 4.30AM!
Everything happened really quickly for us - Nic is a nurse and I had picked up PIO that they were fastracked. /we have done everything on line and looking back I see that they received our app and fee on 9 august and on 14 the app was "being processed" which is when we got a CO. He asked for further info (about Nic's refs etc) which I scanned and sentvirtually by return, we had xray and med a couple of days later and everything, except the issue itself - as per my original query -now seems to be just hanging on till 3 weeks before the 1 November. We had to have a 457 because, even though both Oz and UK have age discrimination rules(!) Nic was too old at 60 for whatever those between 30 and 45 use. Still had the desired effect. Nic's got a two year contract as an ITU nurse at the Concord Hosp in Sydney. We're hoping to find a place on the northern line - Hornsby, Thornleigh, Normanhurst areas and are using a relocation company as the cost to pay her is about the same as three nights in a hotel.
I'll stop prattling now - I'm always conscious that some people type a lot but don't say much! -but feel free to contact me direct if I can help you in anyway Gooders (for goodness sake, what is your real name!? :>) What are you doing and where are you hoping to go?
Carol

[Carolmed]

Two replies saying what I needed to hear now! It sounds as though you are speaking from experience Em, so bless your little cotton socks! I have just emailed Australia House asking them the same thing because their website talks about Visa stickers etc and a 3 day turnaround - and asking, if I had jumped the gun, could we go and queue and have it done on the spot. However, from what you say, it won't be necessary and my poor husband won't loose the final three hairs on his head afterall (and nor will I have to eat humble pie and change flight dates etc!) We WILL 'll be in Sydney 23 October!

[Alan Collett]

Carol,

As a rule 457 visas need not be evidenced in passports when you travel to Australia.

Once you are in Australia though you should send your passports to the local Department of Immigration office for the visas to be evidenced.

The visa grant email should confirm this.

Good luck (from a former Epsom business owner, now living in VIC).

[Glennw]

Carol,
we came to Oz on a E457 visa, they will send you an E-mail as to the exact moment that the visa is valid, you will not be able to enter Australia until the valid date of the visa. You will need to print off the E-mails as these will need to be presented at Sydney airport with your passports. You then have a period of time to get the proper visa placed in your passport (I think it's 21 days).
The easiest way is to go in person to immigration, it's just behind central station in the city, it took us about 15 minutes to sort it out and no need to send off your passports.
Best of luck, we have been here 6 months and we have no regrets whatsoever.

Regards Glenn.