417 Visa now void following connecting flight to New Zealand

[dcox]

My working holiday visa was originally granted in May 2018 with the stipulation that I enter Australia by May 2019. Prior to commencing my working holiday visa I entered the country on a connecting flight to New Zealand on a transit visa (I was in the country legally for about 8 hours). On trying to enter the country this morning I was notified that my 8 hour stop over had rendered my working holiday visa void. To enable me to fly I had to enter the country on a tourist ETA visa purchased at the airport. I'm now in the country and am being advised the only way to get my working holiday visa is to leave re-apply and come back.

I'm already resigned to the fact that I'm going to have to pay for another visa but having to leave re-apply, wait for it to be approved and come back just seems ridiculous!

Does anyone have any experience of this and is there anyway to obtain my working holiday visa from within the country?

Thanks in advance to anyone who can shed some light on this.

[Nemesis]

28 minutes ago, dcox said:

My working holiday visa was originally granted in May 2018 with the stipulation that I enter Australia by May 2019. Prior to commencing my working holiday visa I entered the country on a connecting flight to New Zealand on a transit visa (I was in the country legally for about 8 hours). On trying to enter the country this morning I was notified that my 8 hour stop over had rendered my working holiday visa void. To enable me to fly I had to enter the country on a tourist ETA visa purchased at the airport. I'm now in the country and am being advised the only way to get my working holiday visa is to leave re-apply and come back.

I'm already resigned to the fact that I'm going to have to pay for another visa but having to leave re-apply, wait for it to be approved and come back just seems ridiculous!

Does anyone have any experience of this and is there anyway to obtain my working holiday visa from within the country?

Thanks in advance to anyone who can shed some light on this.

I would check with a registered agent that you are even able to get another 417, before you waste money trying for one. Generally you cannot get a second without completing the three months regional work.

Why did you even get a transit visa? Why did you not just enter Australia on your 417?

[dcox]

As I understand it, because the visa is void and was never activated I should still be able to apply for another one although its difficult to obtain a definitive answer.

The reason for the transit visa was because i didn't want to start the clock on the 12 month working holiday visa for simply passing through the country for several hours and leaving for over month.

At the time I was unaware this would void the working holiday visa previously granted.

As you say it may be best to seek the advice of an agent.

[Nemesis]

35 minutes ago, dcox said:

As I understand it, because the visa is void and was never activated I should still be able to apply for another one although its difficult to obtain a definitive answer.

The reason for the transit visa was because i didn't want to start the clock on the 12 month working holiday visa for simply passing through the country for several hours and leaving for over month.

At the time I was unaware this would void the working holiday visa previously granted.

As you say it may be best to seek the advice of an agent.

Its a shame your transit time wasn't shorter, less than 8 hours and you wouldn't have needed a transit visa at all (assuming you hold a UK passport)