12 month 676 tourist visa?

[Maz]

Hi

 

We are moving to Melbourne in 3 weeks and my parents are applying for 676 tourist visa for 12 months.

 

Can anyone tell me if they grant the visa from the date it was applied for or from the date they grant the visa?

 

I want to apply for their visa for them online before we go but they won't be going over until about a month after us so don't want to apply for it now then they will only get 10 and a half months of it before their year is up.

 

Also wondered if they decide not to grant them the 12 months but would be okay with say 9 month visa, would they decline the 12 months then we would need to reapply for the 9 months or would they automatically just issue the 9 month visa?

 

Hope that makes sense???

 

Thanks

Maz x

[Guest carolynr6280]

Hi

 

We are moving to Melbourne in 3 weeks and my parents are applying for 676 tourist visa for 12 months.

 

Can anyone tell me if they grant the visa from the date it was applied for or from the date they grant the visa?

 

I want to apply for their visa for them online before we go but they won't be going over until about a month after us so don't want to apply for it now then they will only get 10 and a half months of it before their year is up.

 

Also wondered if they decide not to grant them the 12 months but would be okay with say 9 month visa, would they decline the 12 months then we would need to reapply for the 9 months or would they automatically just issue the 9 month visa?

 

Hope that makes sense???

 

Thanks

Maz x

 

Hi Maz

 

My mum has come to Perth on a 676 (12 month visa). Was granted with no questions asked. All she needed to provide was proof that she could support herself financially for 12 months.

 

Quote from visa grant email "The Subclass 676 Tourist visa allows the visa holder to travel to and enter Australia on more than 1 occasion until 02 December 2009. The visa holder is permitted to remain in Australia, after each entry, for a period of 12 Months.

 

Her visa was granted 2nd December 2008 but she didn't enter Oz until 21st January and from the above quote my understanding is that the 12 months starts when you enter the country (someone will correct me if i am wrong).

 

Hope this is of some help to you.

 

Carolyn xx

[rache76]

My parents applied for a 676 tourist visa and asked for a 12 month stay, unfortunately we have no idea why, but they had the condition 8503 attached to it and had to sign a declaration that they would leave Australia on or before the date it ran out.

 

My parents only stayed in Aus for 8 weeks and hoped to return again after a few months, but on leaving the country they stamped the visa with "VOID NO FURTHER TRAVEL"

 

I don't know why they imposed the condition, but i thought i would warn you that it can happen.

 

Good luck

 

Rache

[Les Mighalls]

I don't know why they imposed the condition, but i thought i would warn you that it can happen.

 

It is discretionary on the part of the CO, but if the applicant is from a HR country it is almost always applied.

[rache76]

Hi Les,

 

My parents are from the UK and had never been to Australia before, it was their first visa, no criminal background etc... I guess it's just one of those things and they were unlucky, i wish we could have seen it coming though, it was a bit of a shock.

 

Rache

[Happy Lass]

When it comes to Tourist visas - even the 12 month 676 type, the 12 month countdown starts from the moment you are issued the visa. So if you apply for it on the 15th of August are given it on the 22nd and are due to fly on the 30th, your time starts on the 22nd.

 

The 12 month visa often comes with a condition attached, generally this is the 8503 'No further stay' condition, which means you cannot apply for another visa whilst you are in Australia and must leave the country to do so. Hopefully your parents won't get a condition attached to their visa grant but it's worth double-checking the fine print when it arrives to be on the safe side.

 

I'm pretty sure you would have to re-apply if they say no to 12 months - I don't think they automatically give you less but I've only ever applied to increase my stay when it comes to visitor visas so I don't know for sure!

 

Good luck

[Happy Lass]

My parents applied for a 676 tourist visa and asked for a 12 month stay, unfortunately we have no idea why, but they had the condition 8503 attached to it and had to sign a declaration that they would leave Australia on or before the date it ran out.

 

My parents only stayed in Aus for 8 weeks and hoped to return again after a few months, but on leaving the country they stamped the visa with "VOID NO FURTHER TRAVEL"

 

I don't know why they imposed the condition, but i thought i would warn you that it can happen.

 

Good luck

 

Rache

IIRC that 8503 condition invalidates your visa when you leave Australia so although the wording isn't at all friendly, it just means you need to apply for a new visa when you are ready to return. Without that condition your parents would have been able to come and go as much as they wanted [within reason] during that 12 month period.

[Maz]

Hi Carolyn

 

When you say that she had to prove she could financially support herself for the 12 months, how did she do this? Do you just provide bank statements along with the application?

 

Thanks

Maz x

[Guest Gollywobbler]

Hi Maz

 

How old are Mum & Dad, please?

 

Cheers

 

Gill

[Guest Gollywobbler]

My parents applied for a 676 tourist visa and asked for a 12 month stay, unfortunately we have no idea why, but they had the condition 8503 attached to it and had to sign a declaration that they would leave Australia on or before the date it ran out.

 

My parents only stayed in Aus for 8 weeks and hoped to return again after a few months, but on leaving the country they stamped the visa with "VOID NO FURTHER TRAVEL"

 

I don't know why they imposed the condition, but i thought i would warn you that it can happen.

 

Good luck

 

Rache

 

Hi Rache

 

How old are Mum & Dad and how long have you been living in Oz for, please? My guess is that DIAC imposed Condition 8503 to prevent an onshore application for an Aged Parent or Contributory Aged Parent visa.

 

With regard to the visa being cancelled when they left Oz, it sounds like the visa was only valid for a single entry to Oz?

 

It is not a big deal though because they can just get another tourist visa when they want to go to Oz next time.

 

Cheers

 

Gill

[Guest carolynr6280]

Hi Carolyn

 

When you say that she had to prove she could financially support herself for the 12 months, how did she do this? Do you just provide bank statements along with the application?

 

Thanks

Maz x

 

Hi Maz

 

Yes mum just emailed them a couple of months bank statements which showed how much she had and what kind of income she had coming in (pension mainly). She applied for the visa and then immigration requested proof of income as further evidence. Visa was granted within a few days of applying.

 

Carolyn

[rache76]

Hi Gill,

 

Both myself and my sister are the only of children and we are both here in Australia with out own little families on permanent visa's (skilled visa 136) I will have been here 2 years in Novemeber and my sister will have been here 2 years in September.

 

Mum and dad are 66 and 73.

 

Rache

[Guest Jolaaled]

When it comes to Tourist visas - even the 12 month 676 type, the 12 month countdown starts from the moment you are issued the visa. So if you apply for it on the 15th of August are given it on the 22nd and are due to fly on the 30th, your time starts on the 22nd.

 

 

This is really confusing and i'm wondering if there are different conditions for different applicants.

I have been granted a 12 month tourist (676) visa and DIAC have emailed me to confirm that the 12 months does not start until I actually enter Aus (which for me, is October), although the visa itself was lodged and granted in July.

Hope this helps!

[Happy Lass]

That was what I thought when I applied, however, the expiry date on my last 12 month visa was 12 months from the date of issue. I had applied for the visa approximately a month before I was due to fly out and was issued the visa two weeks later. Instead of getting 12 months I got 11 and a half which was disappointing but I'm a glass-half-full type of lass and was glad just to get a yes and so I just got on with it :smile:

 

If the dates are important and they usually are, I would check the dates on the visa that you were issued and if it differs, re-confirm your position just in case you weren't given the correct advice.

[Guest Jolaaled]

That was what I thought when I applied, however, the expiry date on my last 12 month visa was 12 months from the date of issue. I had applied for the visa approximately a month before I was due to fly out and was issued the visa two weeks later. Instead of getting 12 months I got 11 and a half which was disappointing but I'm a glass-half-full type of lass and was glad just to get a yes and so I just got on with it :smile:

 

If the dates are important and they usually are, I would check the dates on the visa that you were issued and if it differs, re-confirm your position just in case you weren't given the correct advice.

 

THanks, Happy Lass.

I think i'll print off the email from DIAC that says the 12 months doesnt' start til I enter Aus, as proof, 'just in case'! It's all just sooooo confusing!!

[Guest Beachband]

I was issued a tourist visa 676 last month and the visa company(visa first) told me that I have a year to use the visa .ie I can go in July 2010 and its only then the visa is activated, so you can have 12 months before you go to OZ.

Now I asked for a 12 month tourist visa and theya said that don't exist, it is a 6 month tourist visa 676, you can stay until 1 day before the visa expires, leave Oz for 1 day, re-enter and you have another 6 months.

I was told you cannot stay for a straight 12 months on this visa.

I checked my conditions on Immi and it says: Visa Status - In Effect, what does that mean?

It says visa expiry date 4/8/10.

 

So can anyone clear this up properly, we are talking about the same visa: subclass 676

 

Are the conditions the same(without going into the No Further Stay Part), although a proper explanation of that condition is needed there too, I don't however have that on my visa.

[Guest Jolaaled]

Don't know if this helps at all, but this is what my visa letter (12 months) says. There seem to be different conditions for both 'entry' and 'stay':

 

 

The Tourist Visa (subclass 676) allows the holder to enter Australia no

later than 12 months from the date of visa grant. The visa permits a stay

in Australia for up to 3, 6 or 12 months from the date of first entry to

Australia. To be granted a stay of longer than 3 months an applicant must

generally show that they are able to support themselves financially for the

period of stay, and meet any health requirements for entry to Australia.

 

The Tourist Visa (subclass 676) provides either multiple travel to

Australia, allowing unlimited re-entry to Australia within the visa

validity (12 months from date of visa grant), or single travel for only one

visit to Australia. Each single period of stay in Australia can only be

for a maximum period of stay granted (usually 3, 6 or 12 months).

 

It is a bit confusing!

[Happy Lass]

Beachband, the person who told you this may be confused because the 676 form is a 6 month form on which you can change the period and request 12 months or more.

 

If you have been told that you cannot stay for 12 months straight on your visa this will be because you have been issued with a 6 month visa which is valid for 12 months for visits of no longer than 6 months at a time. If you can't find any further conditions on your visa it means you don't have any so be glad that you haven't been, as Gollywobbler would put it, 'lumbered'

 

'In effect' means that you have your visa and it is valid

[Guest Beachband]

Below is a copy of what it says as regarding my visa conditions:

 

The Subclass 676 Tourist visa allows the visa holder to travel to and enter Australia on more than 1 occasion until 04 August 2010. The visa holder is permitted to remain in Australia, after each entry, for a period of 6 Months.

Please note that in some circumstances the number of occasions the visa holder is permitted to travel to and enter Australia and/or the period within which the visa holder is permitted to remain in Australia, will differ from what was requested by the visa holder in his/her Class TR visa application. The number of occasions the visa applicant is permitted to travel to and enter Australia and/or the period within which the visa holder is permitted to remain in Australia cannot be changed once the visa has been granted.

 

The only conditions that are on it are the normal tourist ones:

NO WORK - 8101

MAXIMUM 3 MONTHS STUDY - 8201

X-RAY IF INTEND TO STUDY - 8205 - although this is on it, I don't think it applys to me as I'm from Ireland

.

 

So can I now request to the Immi to increase my 6 months to 12 month, either before I go to Oz, or when I'm in Oz?

 

Can I change my visa status when I'm over there i.e a student visa or apply for sponsorship visa(if I get a company to agree?

[the raes]

Hi

 

We are moving to Melbourne in 3 weeks and my parents are applying for 676 tourist visa for 12 months.

 

Can anyone tell me if they grant the visa from the date it was applied for or from the date they grant the visa?

 

I want to apply for their visa for them online before we go but they won't be going over until about a month after us so don't want to apply for it now then they will only get 10 and a half months of it before their year is up.

 

Also wondered if they decide not to grant them the 12 months but would be okay with say 9 month visa, would they decline the 12 months then we would need to reapply for the 9 months or would they automatically just issue the 9 month visa?

 

Hope that makes sense???

 

Thanks

Maz x

how have you found melbourne planning to move soon can you give me your top 10 whats better than uk

 

thanks pauline

[Maz]

Hi Pauline

 

Unfortunately we're not there yet, going in 10 days - SOOOO wish it was tomorow!!

 

When are you planning on going and where abouts?

 

Will definately be putting a post on about what we think of everything once we're there but reckon the first thing on list will be better weather!! Live in Scotland and supposed to be summer but can't remember the last dry day we had never mind having any sunshine!!

 

Maz x

[Happy Lass]

So can I now request to the Immi to increase my 6 months to 12 month, either before I go to Oz, or when I'm in Oz?

 

You have to re-apply and change the dates from 6 months to 12. You will have to provide more information than in your initial application and are almost certainly going to be asked to provide evidence that you have enough money to fund a 12 month holiday. Unless things have changed recently and I don't think they have, you can apply for it online: just pick the 676 link and follow it through.

 

 

Can I change my visa status when I'm over there i.e a student visa or apply for sponsorship visa(if I get a company to agree?

It depends on the visa. Each visa has its own set of conditions and some visas can only be applied for offshore.

 

Should you find that you have been lumbered with the 8503 'no further stay' condition upon receiving your 12 month visitor visa you will not be able to apply for *any* visa whilst in Australia unless your circumstances are exceptional (which they probably won't be). Practically speaking, if you are offered a job 3 months after you land in Australia, you will need to travel to another country such as New Zealand and apply for the job-related visa from N.Z. I am not certain but I think that the new job visa application (whatever that would be) would invalidate your current tourist visa and you may find you have to spend some time in New Zealand whilst you wait to hear whether you can have the visa you need so you can return to Australia to begin working.

 

That's the worst case scenario and I mention it because it is well worth checking into these kinds of conditions on the visa you are interested in obtaining before you go and before you apply.

[Guest Beachband]

Thanks for that information Happy Lass.

 

So If I try to get my tourist visa extended to 12 months, they might put a 8503 No Further Stay Condition on it?

I will stick with my 6 month tourist visa, as it has Not got a No Further Stay condition on it.

 

So I will go to Oz next month on the 6 month tourist visa, before it reaches 6 months in Oz, I will go to Phuket(as an example) for a few days, then back to Oz and I have another 6 months then on my tourist visa again.

 

So you have to be outside Oz to secure a sponsorship Visa?

[Happy Lass]

So If I try to get my tourist visa extended to 12 months, they might put a 8503 No Further Stay Condition on it?

 

You might but you may not. I tend to think they only apply it to those they think likely to make an onshore application for another visa. Tourist visas are just intended to cover holidays.

 

So you have to be outside Oz to secure a sponsorship Visa?

It varies according to the visa you have, the visa you want and your personal circumstances. If you are under 30 years of age I think the simplest way to get a good experience of Australia - and possibly make it your home, would be to get a working holiday visa and that lasts a year. Else I think the answer, in general, is yes.

[Guest Beachband]

Thanks again for the advice Happy Lass.

I will stick to my 6 month tourist, I am 31( no whv).

As my visa company said to me, I could sat in Oz until 1 day before it reaches 6 months, get a flight to a neighboring county for a day or so, then re enter Oz again, and I have another 6 months.

So that would make it a year.

Would like to just stay for the year, but I don't want to risk a the chance of a No Further Stay being put on it.

I am from Ireland, I still don't understand why they would put it on it anyway, but I will play it safe with my 6 month visa which don;t have that N.F.S, which can give me a year there anyway.

 

My visa says on the Immi website - Status: In Effect?

Does this mean it is running already?

I hope not as my visa company said I have a year to spare before I go and then When I go it is activated.