How long does it take to get WHV?

[WHV]

I applied for my visa on the 18th of January online at immi.gov.au, and I fly to Australia on the 2nd of February. I'm getting worried because I haven't heard anything back from them yet other than the "Application Received" email. I thought I would get it in a day or two considering I spent $440 on this service and that I'm Canadian.

 

There is also simply no customer service or way I can contact them which is laughable. Anyone had issues with it taking a long time before?

 

Thanks in advance.

[Quokka2005]

Ranges between one hour and weeks

[WHV]

Thanks for the quick reply. If I don't get it in time can I apply for an ETA visa and use that until my WHV gets approved?

[Quokka2005]

I'm really not sure but someone else on here should know. The first time I applied it was granted within the hour. But I had to cancel and apply again. The second time it took a week

[WHV]

Okay thanks. Did you have to take a medical checkup? It's saying I need a "501 Medical Examination and 502 Chest X-Ray Examination" which seems really overkill to me.

[Quokka2005]

No I didn't. I think you only have to if you have certain medical conditions or you want to work as a nurse etc. have you phoned the London office?

[WHV]

Well I have no medical conditions and I'm not going to be a nurse, etc. I haven't yet, do you know their number?

[Quokka2005]

I don't think you need one then. I definitely didn't get one. Nope but just google London Australia office and they might be able to help. They were okay with me but when I tried to cancel my visa the office over in Australia said I couldn't and that I had to let it expire. Then on my birthday I got a email saying it was cancelled so they can be a bit rubbish with advice. The reason I'm saying maybe best to contact them if you can is because I know one girl who had a day or 2 left before she had to fly and it still hasn't been approved and once she contacted them a few times they approved it

[Marisawright]

I found this:

 

"Q: Do I need a medical examination for a Working Holiday Visa?

A: All applicants are required to meet health criteria. In certain circumstances, you will be required to undergo formal health examinations.

A chest x-ray will be required if you:

 

 

• Are a resident of a country considered to be of a very high health risk in terms of tuberculosis (the United Kingdom, Canada, the Netherlands, the Republic of Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Italy, France and Belgium are NOT considered high risk);
  
• Have spent more than 3 consecutive months in the last 5 years in a country or countries considered to be of a very high health risk in terms of tuberculosis;
  
• Are likely to enter an Australian hospital or health care area (including nursing homes); or
  
• Are likely to be engaged in an Australian child care centre (including preschools or creches) as either an employee or trainee."
  

 

If none of that applies to you, then I wonder if you ticked a wrong box or answered yes when it should've been no somewhere on the application?

[WHV]

I found this:

 

"Q: Do I need a medical examination for a Working Holiday Visa?

A: All applicants are required to meet health criteria. In certain circumstances, you will be required to undergo formal health examinations.

A chest x-ray will be required if you:

 

 

• Are a resident of a country considered to be of a very high health risk in terms of tuberculosis (the United Kingdom, Canada, the Netherlands, the Republic of Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Italy, France and Belgium are NOT considered high risk);

• Have spent more than 3 consecutive months in the last 5 years in a country or countries considered to be of a very high health risk in terms of tuberculosis;

• Are likely to enter an Australian hospital or health care area (including nursing homes); or

• Are likely to be engaged in an Australian child care centre (including preschools or creches) as either an employee or trainee."

 

If none of that applies to you, then I wonder if you ticked a wrong box or answered yes when it should've been no somewhere on the application?

 

Looks like that's me, I was living in Thailand for one year so I guess that's it. I'm going to the local IOM panel physician here tomorrow so hopefully it will all workout. I'm also going to call the London office or an office in Canada (since I'm Canadian). Thanks for the help, I'll keep you updated.

[WHV]

So there's only 1 place where I can get it (in Vietnam) and it's gonna cost me $110. All of a sudden this visa is gonna cost me a total of $600 so I'm not happy, especially since I don't have TB and that I can't get it until Monday, which means I have to submit it and they have to issue my VISA in less than 24 hours which isn't going to happen.

 

So my question is, if I cancel, will I get a refund? I'm going to get the ETA visa for now since I don't want to waste my plan ticket. What do you guys think?