The UK working visa process

[Gets!]

Man does this need an overhaul.

Finally got it all sent off on Thursday to the High Commission. Now just hoping it gets approved.

I had to go all the way to Melbourne just to get my biometrics taken. It literally took 2 minutes. They took a photo, took my fingerprints, looked at my passport and stamped my application form. Then I was on my way. No line up, or queue either. Absolute joke that they couldnt do this in Adelaide.

They also make the whole application process so unclear. They don't give you enough space to explain things in the application and don't clarify a whole lot of things.

This girl from work just got hers approved and she put on the application her intended date of travel was July 8. She then went and booked flights for June 28th, as it didnt clarify this date was actually when the visa would start. So then she had to go and change all her flights and plans etc. They also emailed her and said she didnt send her old passport away with the application, yet not once does it say to include it! Thankfully I have done it all right, just from learning from her experience.

She said she has rang them a few times, they charge like $2 a minute and are extremely rude and unhelpful. What exactly does the $462 you pay go towards? Definetely not help or service by the sounds of it.

Has anyone else had to go through the ordeal that is the working holidaymaker visa?

Also read something about needed an NI number or something so I can get paid. What's the best way about doing this upon arrival in Cardiff?

 

[FootyJunkie]

Why do they need an old expired passport? I know I've had one but can't find it for the the life of me, it expired years ago. I called them up and asked if it was important for me to have it and they said no.

 

[Gets!]

Why do they need an old expired passport? I know I've had one but can't find it for the the life of me, it expired years ago. I called them up and asked if it was important for me to have it and they said no.

Who knows. They give different information to different people all the time. It is an absolute farce.

 

[FootyJunkie]

Who knows. They give different information to different people all the time. It is an absolute farce.

The girl at your work still got it approved without the old passport sent in right?

Keep us up to date with your application. I'm planning to send mine off soon, but might call them again regarding the old passport.

 

[year of the roo]

Has the price of that Visa gone up substantially in the past couple of years or is it just me? I seem to recall only playing about $200 for it in 06. I know I'm only paying about $100 for the Irish equivalent.

Stuff England, it's a cold, miserable, boring hole anyway.

 

[Gets!]

She had to send her old passport separetely and they then matched that up with her original application, then about a week later it was approved.

Yeah it cost me $462.

I'm not actually gonna live in England Wales all the way

 

[year of the roo]

Also read something about needed an NI number or something so I can get paid. What's the best way about doing this upon arrival in Cardiff?

Yep you'll need that. It is the equivalent to our Tax File Number. You will need an address first, but when you do go to (whatever their Centrelink equivalent is, I can't recall the name right now). And Bob's your uncle.

 

[Giddy Up]

hey gets i went in and got my prints and data taken this week to. i was expecting some kind of interview and all that but it took like 2 mins. i found the lady to be really rude and not knowing much about her job. when i asked a question she told me i can find all the info on the internet.

when ya heading over gets? what sort of work you gonna do?

 

[Gets!]

Hopefully heading over on the 21st of july, getting there at like 6 am july 22.

The reason Im mainly staying in Cardiff is i have a fair few Welsh mates and it is so much cheaper than London.

Looking at just casual retail work, like at a 3 store or something. Yourself mate?

I had my appointment on tuesday at 2.15, what day was yours?

 

[mattyh]

Welcome to my world!!

My Work Permit application is still currently in Canberra at the British High Commission. $462 and my whole life later. They require to have orginals of passport, birth certificate, uni qualification and the list goes on. If they lose my stuff, my life identity is gone!!

Apparently it takes "up to 15 work days" to get the application back...today is the end of the 12th work day and still no notice...driving me insane!! Anyways, have not heard anything so hoping for the best.

Regarding old passports, I put on my application form that I could not find it. Which I cannot, so do not think it will be an issue. The wole process is one big stress though!!

 

[The Passenger]

yep the Irish process was a hell of a lot easier than the UK one.

Sorry to rub it in but it's a ____ having to travel from adelaide to melbourne just for the biometrics, which as you say take two minutes.

i was a bit stressed out because i only got my visa back 2 days before i was due to fly out.... fortuantely it all got through and i'm now settled into belfas but it was very touch and go. to be fair they said 4 weeks for the application and i sent my applicaiton off about 5 weeks before i was flying so i didn't help my self there.

 

[The Passenger]

Also read something about needed an NI number or something so I can get paid. What's the best way about doing this upon arrival in Cardiff?

you'll still get paid but you'll be paying emergency tax which is 40% i think off the top of my head if you don't have an NI number.

first thing you do is get a place to live... can be a bit tricky without a job but most people are fine as long as you can pay first months rent and a bond.

every big town will have a jobs and benefits centre where you apply for your NI number. You'll have to go in twice - once to book an interview, and then for the actual interview. it seems stupid they cant just do it on the spot but it actually works out well because they'll give you everything you need.

you can use just about any address, but i find its best to have a place first and use that address because you can use your NI number letter as proof of address for your bank account.

and i agree whilst $470 seems a bit excessive for a visa, it only take a week' work and you've paid it off.

i paid $180 for my irish visa, but given the irish visa is less popular and only one year those figures work out about right.

as ive said to others, don't get caught in the spiral of
1 - not being able to get a house cause you can't get a job
2 - cant get a job because you don't have a bank account or NI number
3 - not getting a bank account or NI number because you can't get a house for an address

eventually you will get a house

 

[Giddy Up]

Hopefully heading over on the 21st of july, getting there at like 6 am july 22.

The reason Im mainly staying in Cardiff is i have a fair few Welsh mates and it is so much cheaper than London.

Looking at just casual retail work, like at a 3 store or something. Yourself mate?

I had my appointment on tuesday at 2.15, what day was yours?

HOLY MOLY we must crossed paths. i had my appointment at 2 last tuesday LOL small world. im beginning in london, but i dont intend on staying long there. i wanna go to cardiff for a spell as well as scotland.

 

[The Passenger]

HOLY MOLY we must crossed paths. i had my appointment at 2 last tuesday LOL small world. im beginning in london, but i dont intend on staying long there. i wanna go to cardiff for a spell as well as scotland.

scotland is class. i loved edinburgh and me and my girlfriend will most likely be moving there when her current work contract in dublin expires at the end of august.

ive never been to london but you don't have to go there to know how expensive it is.

right now a good mate of mine is in london working 50 hours a week over 2 jobs and is just covering his living costs and he reckons he's hardly able to go out drinking... in fairness though he's not the best person with money ive ever come across.

 

[Gets!]

HOLY MOLY we must crossed paths. i had my appointment at 2 last tuesday LOL small world. im beginning in london, but i dont intend on staying long there. i wanna go to cardiff for a spell as well as scotland.

crazy as dude, did you bring a mate with you? When I got there there was 2 blokes in there...i had a mate with me.

Yeah Cardiff is gun nightlife dude!

And re the application process I didn't send my birth certificate and my friend who recently got her approved didnt send one either. I just sent bank statements, payslips, questionairre and a covering letter. As well as my old and new passport and of course the application itself.

 

[kimirocks]

ive never been to london but you don't have to go there to know how expensive it is.

right now a good mate of mine is in london working 50 hours a week over 2 jobs and is just covering his living costs and he reckons he's hardly able to go out drinking... in fairness though he's not the best person with money ive ever come across.

It really isn't that expensive, especially if you live outside the city centre, in say Guildford or somewhere, beautiful part of the country, and so much of anything and everything you could possibly want.

Gets! son, you could probably call ahead and book an appointment for the NI, and get them to mail the stuff to your mates house. I'm not sure what wait times are like in Cardiff, but I ended up having to wait something like 5 weeks for my appointment and had to go all the way to Tooting Bec.

 

[Gets!]

It really isn't that expensive, especially if you live outside the city centre, in say Guildford or somewhere, beautiful part of the country, and so much of anything and everything you could possibly want.

Gets! son, you could probably call ahead and book an appointment for the NI, and get them to mail the stuff to your mates house. I'm not sure what wait times are like in Cardiff, but I ended up having to wait something like 5 weeks for my appointment and had to go all the way to Tooting Bec.

Cheers for the advice mate, I already know the address I will be staying at so I will investigate it. If any of you are familiar with the area, i'm living right near 'the lake' and Roath Park, about 10 mins north of Cardiff's CBD (if you could call it that).

 

[GoOsH]

scotland is class. i loved edinburgh and me and my girlfriend will most likely be moving there when her current work contract in dublin expires at the end of august.

ive never been to london but you don't have to go there to know how expensive it is.

right now a good mate of mine is in london working 50 hours a week over 2 jobs and is just covering his living costs and he reckons he's hardly able to go out drinking... in fairness though he's not the best person with money ive ever come across.

LOL, depends on your industry, if you're a professional you'd be stupid to work anywhere else, the pay is so much higher in london for banking, IT, accounting etc. for my industry (IT) if you have good experience and skills it's probably the best paying city in the world.
If you're just working in a bar or a shop or something then smaller cities are probably a better option. I dunno what you're mate is doing but if he works 50 hrs a week to get by then he is living beyond his means or getting absolutely rorted by his employers.
I work 40 hrs a week, live in a nice place in central london and I've bought a house back in oz while still travelling heaps, so it's not all doom and gloom.

oh and if you guys think the working holiday visa is hard, wait til you go for the HSMP visa, hahahaha crazy stuff.

 

[sainter]

Don't you just hate those Aussies with UK passports?

To think I used to get really upset when I was called half English by family and friends.

One of my mates and his wife were supposed to be in London now but have been delayed due to a hold-up with her HSMP visa. I know they changed the rules recently, sounds like they a real pain to get.

I'm leaving at the end of the month and will be backpacking around Europe for 3 months (or until the money runs out ) before moving to the UK to live and work, although after 3-4 months travelling I might just end up coming home and saving up to go again next year.

 

[Giddy Up]

crazy as dude, did you bring a mate with you? When I got there there was 2 blokes in there...i had a mate with me.

Yeah Cardiff is gun nightlife dude!

And re the application process I didn't send my birth certificate and my friend who recently got her approved didnt send one either. I just sent bank statements, payslips, questionairre and a covering letter. As well as my old and new passport and of course the application itself.

yeah i did go with a mate. man thats crazy haha. cant wait to get over there. grand final day is gonna be different this year, being hammered at 7am in the morning is sure gonna be different.

 

[Gets!]

Yeah I was thinking about GF day in the morning, gonna be awesome seeing the AFC become premiers, and having the WHOLE day to celebrate it

You might have been in there when I walked in. Did you have some query or confusion on whether or not you should have said you were being sponsored by an employer or something? Cos I overheard that a little bit I think.

I was wearing like a st kilda coloured t-shirt.

 

[mattyh]

I rang the British High Commission today with the privelidge fee of $9.90 just to talk to the operator there!!

Anyways, I was asking when I may hear something. They said they from the 15th working day from when they received my application, they will email me to let me know whether the Visa has been approved or not and then send all my stuff back. Is the experience others have had?

I just don't understand why they make it so regimented!!

 

[Gets!]

Yeah that sounds right to me mattyh.

It is a joke they dont keep you better informed. I mean it's only a crucial part of your future and irreplaceable documents they are dealing with

 

[The Passenger]

yeah i did go with a mate. man thats crazy haha. cant wait to get over there. grand final day is gonna be different this year, being hammered at 7am in the morning is sure gonna be different.

anzac day 2007 for me - mate stayed at mine, woke up 7.30am, had a sausage and toast breakfast, first beer at 8.00am, asleep by 6.00pm. good times when your overseas.

 

[The Passenger]

Yeah that sounds right to me mattyh.

It is a joke they dont keep you better informed. I mean it's only a crucial part of your future and irreplaceable documents they are dealing with

thats what annoyed me is that there is so little communication.

i sent of my application, got a call nearly 4 weeks later that i'd be needing a phohe interview. was a bit like oooo shit this isn't good.

then got the phone interview. on my questionnaire they weren't happy with my travel details. i wrote i'd be using the uk as a base for working whilst travelling europe but that didn't make them happy - the phone interviewer just told me what to say (which was basing myself in the UK, working for approximately half the time i'm there with a couple of side trips into europe) and i was through...

albeit i got everything back only a few days before flying.