CharlieLou Posted February 12, 2013 Share Posted February 12, 2013 I'm planning on going to Aus May/June for a year on a WHV & I hope to complete 3 months of regional work in this time so I can apply for my 2nd year visa. This could potentially mean being in Aus up until June 2015 but my current passport is due to expire Aug 2015. I know when applying for my 1st year WHV I need to make sure my passport doesn't expire within 6 months of my planned date of return, would this apply when applying for 2nd year? Not sure if I should renew my passport now & get it over with - but I'll need to do that before I apply for my visa! Head is spinning thinking of all the possible scenarios ha! Any advise is much appreciated! xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rupert Posted February 12, 2013 Share Posted February 12, 2013 I would renew it now, will be easier than doing it from Australia in due course. There is plenty of time to get the new passport and then get the visa before you want to go travelling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieLou Posted February 12, 2013 Author Share Posted February 12, 2013 Thanks Rupert! As much as I'd like to avoid the cost of a new passport at the moment with saving, I do think it will be less stressful than sorting it out in Aus! Plus I would be gutted if it affected me getting a 2nd year visa! xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Posted February 12, 2013 Share Posted February 12, 2013 I have heard that it is way more expensive to renew the passport here too so I would think it's worth doing. Someone told me it's around $300 to renew a British passport here, but under £100 in the UK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xeneminie Posted February 12, 2013 Share Posted February 12, 2013 I would renew it now, be safer than sorry. I know you can renew your passport here too, but I'm pretty sure its a bit more expensive. Also, to get a second year holiday visa, you may also do volunteer work in areas that need help, I'm not too sure if you also have to do agricultural work or not. Australia is amazing though, I'm in W.A and very happy. Good luck to you and enjoy your travels. PS, I'm going to have to renew my passport here, but I am be a citizen here before that happens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieLou Posted February 12, 2013 Author Share Posted February 12, 2013 Thanks for the advise everyone! I've just applied online for my renewal so just awaiting my form to sign & return! It's only £77 which is less than I thought so that's a bonus! ah that's really good to know Xeneminie! So would that be volunteering in areas that have been affected by floods for example? I will look into that, I'll pretty much do anything I am able to qualify for my 2nd year as I have a good feeling that 1 year in Aus won't be enough for me!! How long have you been in Aus now? And wow, amazing that you're becoming a citizen! That would be a dream come true for me but unless I was sponsored by an employer but I'm not on the set skilled list so not sure how likely that would be! xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xeneminie Posted February 12, 2013 Share Posted February 12, 2013 Thanks for the advise everyone! I've just applied online for my renewal so just awaiting my form to sign & return! It's only £77 which is less than I thought so that's a bonus! ah that's really good to know Xeneminie! So would that be volunteering in areas that have been affected by floods for example? I will look into that, I'll pretty much do anything I am able to qualify for my 2nd year as I have a good feeling that 1 year in Aus won't be enough for me!! How long have you been in Aus now? And wow, amazing that you're becoming a citizen! That would be a dream come true for me but unless I was sponsored by an employer but I'm not on the set skilled list so not sure how likely that would be! xx Yes, helping out in the flood effected areas qualifies you for a 2nd year visa, that is what it was when I came first, so it may have changed, but since there are flood effected areas every year unfortunately, it probably has not. One year was not enough for me either. On my first year I was going to be sponsored by the restaurant I was working at, but in the end my boyfriend ended up sponsoring me, because we knew that I wouldn't want to stay at that job for four years. I have been here for 2 and a half years, so I have a little while to go until citizenship, but its on the cards Moving here was the best decision I have ever made. Changed my life. And it wouldn't be too hard to find an employee that is willing to sponsor you, you just need to be sure that you will be able to stay at that job for the required time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieLou Posted February 12, 2013 Author Share Posted February 12, 2013 Do you think it's best for me to try sort out regional/volunteer work before I head out? I'm heading to Perth first to stay with my best friends family (she has lived in the UK for the last few years & is going home when I go over) She wants to show me around where she grew up etc & we might be going to Bali for a holiday in June & then I would be keen to start working towards getting my 88 days completed & get it out of the way so I can enjoy the rest of my time there! Lucky that you could get sponsored by your boyfriend! It's easy for me to say this now but I reckon if I were offered sponsorship by an employer, I could stick it out the required time. I'd rather be in Aus doing a job I don't particularly love than in the UK doing a job I don't love! Although hoping I don't live to regret saying that ha! xx xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digitalis Posted February 12, 2013 Share Posted February 12, 2013 It's hard to secure a job in Aus from the UK. I tried and failed though as a female and looking for a woofing type job you may well have more luck. I recommend helpx if you want to go down that route. Deffo get the 88 days out of the way early or at least a good % of it. Try and stay in a backpackers for at least a few days as I found out when I moved into a sharehouse, it's nice having the privacy but it can get very boring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieLou Posted February 12, 2013 Author Share Posted February 12, 2013 It's hard to secure a job in Aus from the UK. I tried and failed though as a female and looking for a woofing type job you may well have more luck. I recommend helpx if you want to go down that route. Deffo get the 88 days out of the way early or at least a good % of it. Try and stay in a backpackers for at least a few days as I found out when I moved into a sharehouse, it's nice having the privacy but it can get very boring. I have no shame in telling you I have just had to google 'woofing type job' haha! Yeh I really want to get it done as soon as possible because a year will be up before I know it! As much as I'm looking forward to staying with friends I know in Aus and seeing how they live & where they socialise, I'm really looking forward to staying in some of the hostels & meeting like-minded people! I've never stayed in a hostel before so that will be a new experience! xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digitalis Posted February 12, 2013 Share Posted February 12, 2013 (edited) Haha sorry! To paraphrase Alan Partridge "Woofing is a brand name, it's like when people say Tannoy when they mean public address system.". It's really common out here for people to get their regional woofing (voluntary). There are that many backpackers here that the "employers" can really name the terms and they know it. Not to put you off though, I know people who had fantastic experiences doing it. Yeah IME the first 4 months went really slow, then once 6 months hit it all went lightning fast as you are settled here by then. Hostels are most definitely an experience, obviously they vary greatly the good being well good and the bad being awful, regardless they are an excellent way to meet people and network. Edited February 12, 2013 by digitalis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xeneminie Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 Do you think it's best for me to try sort out regional/volunteer work before I head out? I'm heading to Perth first to stay with my best friends family (she has lived in the UK for the last few years & is going home when I go over) She wants to show me around where she grew up etc & we might be going to Bali for a holiday in June & then I would be keen to start working towards getting my 88 days completed & get it out of the way so I can enjoy the rest of my time there! Lucky that you could get sponsored by your boyfriend! It's easy for me to say this now but I reckon if I were offered sponsorship by an employer, I could stick it out the required time. I'd rather be in Aus doing a job I don't particularly love than in the UK doing a job I don't love! Although hoping I don't live to regret saying that ha! xx xx Bali is awesome, i first came here on a tourist visa, and then after not being able to have an extensions, immigration office advised me to go to Bali and apply for a WHV there, which I did, and it was granted within 2 days. Since coming back to W.A I haven't left once I've been lucky to have been with my boyfriend for required amount of time before we could apply the visa. So very lucky. Securing the job may be a good idea, but also may be a bit tough as there would be so many people who are already here and can start right away. But you can always ask a few people who have jobs advertised on this forum. I suppose living in Australia and working any ob is a good thing, the point is you're living in Australia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digitalis Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 (edited) Bali is a beggar infested, dirty shithole. At least Legian is. Thailand on the other hand, now were talking. Edited February 13, 2013 by digitalis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xeneminie Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 We stayed in a REALLY nice place in Bali. Was perfect, went up the volcano Nice holiday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieLou Posted February 13, 2013 Author Share Posted February 13, 2013 Digitalis - I think I might try do my research with the hostels & stick to the recommended ones and if I find myself in a less than desirable hostel, will have to resort to alcohol so I don't care about my surroundings lol! Wow, I love that you went on a tourist Visa & have been there ever since Xeneminie! On my first girls holiday I didn't want to go home so I didn't! Stayed & worked in Greece for the Summer & ended up doing another 2 seasons! Not quite as crazy as a holiday to the other side of the world & not coming home though! If I go to Bali, it will be with my friends family & they will be staying in a nice hotel/resort so I'm sure I will love it! My friend has warned me that Bali probably won't be as I imagine it to be, but none the less she has had some awesome holidays there! Some of my friends are going to be in Thailand for Christmas & New Year...I would love to meet up with them but it's all money permitting so I haven't committed to anything! xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digitalis Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 4 seasons in legian is decent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xeneminie Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 Lol, my friends back home thought I was crazy at first, but now they all slowly making a move here, my best friend comes here on the 13th of March this year, I'm counting down the days as I have not seen her in over 2 years now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieLou Posted February 13, 2013 Author Share Posted February 13, 2013 Ah not long to go now! I bet you can't wait to see her and show her why you never came back! Is she visiting on holiday or over on a WHV? xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blitz Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 (edited) Hi CharlieLou, are you still keen to arrange 88 days of work before you leave? Add me on Facebook and I can pass you on to someone that can probably sort it out. Pm me for fb address Edited March 5, 2013 by noworriesmate removed facebook link as per forum rules Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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