Guest tavernsts Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 Good morning everyone, looking for a little bit of advice as my wife and I plan our trip down under. We have decided to go on a 12 month "break" down under on a WHV, with Sydney looking like the destination we will be heading to. Reading up on the Gov website I have noticed they request we have 5000 AUD showing in our bank account which is sensible enough. However if we have a joint account would this then need to be 10,000 AUD for each application? Also are the funds checked at point of application or a seperate time, or on more than one occasion? The reason I ask is the wife and I were looking at having the best part of 6-7k in the bank to take with us but this total would be completed only a couple of weeks before our departure, thus leaving it late to make the application for the Visa? Would you also recommend booking flights after the Visa has been accepted? And if we are only looking at booking one way flights initially would this impact on anything? Both my wife and I have pretty good jobs / CV's and I have already been in touch with recruitment agencies out there who seem quite positive regarding job prospects but we aren't fussy and would be happy doing anything to bring a wage in to start with. Apologies if the questions asked are silly, I'm sure there was more I wanted to know so I will report back when i remember! Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VERYSTORMY Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 The WHV is normally granted incredibly quickly. I did my sons application for him last year. I submitted on the sunday afternoon and it was granted Monday morning Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephaniepomroy Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 hello. my partner had to do is whv via post as he is coming out alone and leavin me and our children in the Uk, even by post it was granted within 2 weeks, within that time i had to see solicitors ect so it happened pretty quick! its a lot faster online, but dont go to 3 party companies, use the immi.gov.au site as they only take £190 off u unlike other companies! reguading having the funds we have not been asked to see proof, weather or not they will at the immigration dept at the airport i dont no! we were advised by the immigration in london not to book flights untill its been granted! we booked his flight the same day we had an email confirming it had been granted! , its a good idea to give the aus immigration in london a call there really helpfull. its also worth lookin at flights via travel supermarket. we had a few quotes direct and they wanted £800 and we managed to get 1 for £650 by using travel supermarket, london heathrow are the cheapher flights x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy1982 Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 Tavernsts, My wife and I had a WHV back in 2010 and there was no requirement of any funds in our bank, I clearly remember this as our trip was funded by my car sale which went through a few days after we arrived in oz so we went out there with a few pounds in our pockets, thats all! Good luck with it all, WELL worth it, best 12 months ever! Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tavernsts Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 Thanks so much for the replies everyone, its really useful to hear other peoples experiences. What I would love to do is go through the application for the Visa now (despite not leaving until December) so that its all sorted but I am worried if its unsuccessful due to lack of funds it would be a waste of a few hundred quid. I gather from most of the responses on here its unlikely they will be that fussy about funds in the bank though and its a more straight forward procedure than the rules and regs on the website suggest? I was looking at booking my flights through momondo.co.uk - Air China / Eastern Air / Malaysian Air flights all come in around the £600 mark one way for the time we are looking to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tavernsts Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 Another question, how long are the Visa's valid for from the point they are approved? i.e if I had one approved this month when would be the latest I could start using it? Would it then run forward 12 months from touchdown in Oz? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PositivePixie Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 Another question, how long are the Visa's valid for from the point they are approved? i.e if I had one approved this month when would be the latest I could start using it? Would it then run forward 12 months from touchdown in Oz? Just to pick up on the funds - you don't have to have the funds when you apply for the visa, however you need them when you arrive in Oz - if they pull you over for a check (which happens to random people), and you don't have the sufficient funds then you stand a good chance of being sent back, which for a measly $5K just isn't worth it imho. And to be honest, if you don't have $5K, then you may have a bit of a hard time when you first land anyway - renting a place and deposits are quite large over here compared with the UK, so having a stash of money is not only helpful, but pretty essential for the things it sounds like you are going to be doing. If it were a joint account I would imagine you would need $10K in it, as it is $5K each - if you only have $5K in the account, it would only be $2.5K each iyswim. So you don't need it when you apply for the visa, just when you plan on touching down in Oz. It doesn't have to be funds in the bank though, it can be a combo of bank funds, credit cards etc. Basically they don't want you destitute in Oz, with no money, no way to get back to the UK, no roof over your head etc - the WHV isn't really a working visa, its intended as a holiday with a little bit of work to supplement you. If you have a return flight ticket, that helps as well Generally WHVs tend to go through in about 24 hours or so, depending on what day/time you apply, unless you are applying intending to work in a hospital or with kiddies, in which case you need to do the medical and therefore it takes a bit longer. The visa is valid for 364 days after issue for you to arrive in Oz, and then 365 (or 366 if its a leap year!) from the date of entry into Oz. Don't forget, you can only work for a company for 6 months max on a WHV. Here is the immi website pages for info about the WHV. Ditto the 'only apply direct through the immi website' - why pay money for someone to rip you off by applying on your behalf when a trained monkey could do it? http://www.immi.gov.au/visitors/working-holiday/417/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tavernsts Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 Great info, thank you very much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodymelbourne Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 me and my girlfriend are heading out in october. we booked our flights in june and recently got our visa approved. as already stated the only way you might have a hiccup is if you dont have the funds if questioned at immigration. its not worth the risk, having been to oz twice before i know what they are like when you arrive!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tavernsts Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 We will certainly have the funds in the bank when we touch down in Oz, we plan on spending 4 weeks in full on "holiday mode" before getting down to the nitty gritty of work anyway so will need the money to support us then anyway. I was more concerned about the visa application process requiring proof of funds in order to approve application which has apparently been shown to not be the case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tavernsts Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 Wow, they don't hang around at the Australian government offices! Application went in early this afternoon and confirmation e mail has just come through! Great stuff, time to get organised! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digitalis Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 You don't need $5000 at all when you get here. Jobs are everywhere and saving here is much easier than in the UK. I came here with a lot less than that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PositivePixie Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 (edited) You don't need $5000 at all when you get here. Jobs are everywhere and saving here is much easier than in the UK. I came here with a lot less than that. With the greatest of respect, you are a moron if you ignore the visa requirements. If you are caught, and they check random people, you will be sent back to the UK (I personally know someone who this happened to), with a wasted WHV. $5K is PEANUTS, so it is just completely and utterly stupid to not come with it. You haven't had a brush with John Elferink have you Digitalis? :biglaugh: However, I do completely agree there are LOADS of jobs here, basically the only reason to be out of work is because you either don't want to be in work or are precious, and its a lot easier (ie possible) to save money over here, even on min. wage. Edited August 7, 2012 by PositivePixie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 Don't know if only having one way flights might make immigration want to check you out ... may look as if you don't intend to leave the country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digitalis Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 Don't know if only having one way flights might make immigration want to check you out ... may look as if you don't intend to leave the country. lol, good point though they never checked me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritChickx Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 Hi, when i went I booked my flights before I applied for my whv, I saw no reason why it'd be rejected so wasn't worried. If yours is straight forward you don't have anything to worry about either. I didn't have the $5000 needed until I was about to go to Aus and I applied for my whv 6 months before I got there, on the form it says you may have to proof you have sufficient funds but I wasn't asked when I applied nor when I arrived in Australia. Perhaps if you were unemployed or had a criminal background they may ask or do random checks but you'd be unlucky to be asked! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicolac34 Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 I've never heard of anyone being checked for proof of funds at the airport.... we did have a return ticket booked though. When we arrived we had no where near the $5k each that is suggested, all our money was tied up in rental bonds, shares and work pay that was still due to come through. In fact think we showed up with $500 cash and our credit cards!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tavernsts Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 Part of our plan is to spend 12 months in Oz then slowly work our way home visiting different places on the way back over a couple of months. So a one way ticket is the only option. But we will certainly have sufficient funds by the time we fly out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sh3p69 Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 Hello there and enjoy your journey, i went out there for 2 years and absolutely loved it and didnt want to come back... I went out there with £3.000 in my pocket and never got checked but i was told that they do random checks, don't know if its fact or fiction as i met a lot of backpackers and when i asked them NOT one said that they got checked. But what i can say is spend your money carefully, Not like me, for months before i went there i was planning how to spend my cash like a traveler, like eating beans for dinner, camping under the moon light and trying to reserve the money, Well that didnt work, as soon as i got there it was like one massive party, i spent £2.500 in less then 2 weeks, drinking out with other backpackers every night, going out to restaurants EVERY night until one sober day i checked my money and found that i had about £500 left in the bank, so i had to get the Indian Pacific Train to Adelaida (2 days from Perth to Adelaida) to get to a place called Mildura were they have Loads of working hostels and remember that you want to travel around and not stay in one place, again i met loads of backpackers in different places like Perth, Sydney, Melbourne, Cairns, Brisbane and when talking to them, they haven't travelled, they sort of got there and got comfortable until it was time to go back... And dont come back early as you will regret it, again met LOADS of backpackers that cut there WHV short because they was getting a little home sick and thinking its going to be great when they get back home to find that its just the same old s**t, only then to remember why they did it in the first place... Or and get a YHA card or any other recognised backpackers card there only about £15 for a year and can save you a lot of money on hostel and travel... GooD LuCk And ENJOY eVerY MINUTE................... Ps, sorry for going on... Dave... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauradarlin Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 I've just got here and don't have a return ticket as I've no idea when I'll want to go home or where from so I wanted to remain flexible. I carried a print off of my UK bank balance when I travelled to prove I had sufficient funds to support myself and to buy a ticket home but no questions were asked whatsoever on entry to Oz and my visa was granted in February within 8 hours. The only place I was questioned was at Heathrow by the stroppy check-in lady who felt the need to go and check with her manager that I was ok to travel without a return ticket! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digitalis Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 (edited) The only place I was questioned was at Heathrow by the stroppy check-in lady who felt the need to go and check with her manager that I was ok to travel without a return ticket!I had the same thing done to me at Darwin airport by the Air Asia counter assistant when I was headed to Bali. She asked me if I had a return ticket (didnt ask for proof mind you) and when I replied that I hadn't as I had problems with my bank card due to a billing address in Oz. I had ample $$$ btw and figured I'd book it at the airport the other end. After all who in their right mind would want to stay Bali 1 second longer than neccesary?She was insistent and started reeling off that I'd get fined and deported and other doomsday scenarioos etc etc, que me spending an hour on a quiet public telephone in Darwin airport surronded by screaming kids booking a return ticket over the phone with some guy in India. It was very, very stressful. I got hung up once, and a conversation that would have taken 15 minutes in a quiet place took 4 x as long as we both had to keep repeating things.When I went back up to the check in desk, very stressed out, she simply nodded and let me go through! In other words, i could have just lied and saved myself a very troublesome hour. I have since found out that it is nothing to do with the respective immigration at all. It's down to the airline that flies you out as SHOULD something happen and you haven't got a return ticket, they are duty bound to fly you back. Edited August 19, 2012 by digitalis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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