Oz or NZ on 1 Year WHV

map_24

Hi all,

This is my first post here, just heard about this website a few days ago.

Is there anyone here planning on going to either Oz or New Zealand in 2005. I'm 24 from Ireland, and planning to go, havent decided on Oz or Nz yet or a date, probably Sept or Oct 2005. I'm trying to find someone else that wants to go. Any ideas?

I'm thinking of applying for both an Australian and New Zealand 'Working Holiday Visa' before I leave, then I could stay 1 year in each country if I wanted, would that work or has anyone else done that? I've read that I cant apply for an Australian visa if I'm in New Zealand.

Thanks,
Paul

ChRoMe

Hey Paul

Welcome to the boards. I'm in the exact same position as yourself. All my mates are settling down getting married and buying houses so no one seems too interested in doing the whole oz&nz thing. At the moment my plan is to fly out to oz in aug/sept 2005 and stay there for a year and then prob move on to new zeland. You only get one workin holiday visa for each country so really want to organise it that I'f I go and get one I'm going to use it for the full year (or at least most of it). Anyway if you want to have a chat too see if we'd have laugh traveling private message me (or e-mail eamonn.dunne@ucd.ie)

Eamo

p.pete

Ehm, bit of advice - do New Zealand first, purely from an obtaining of Visas point of view. I've never been to either so won't argue the jobs / social / weather benefits of each, I'm sure there's plenty of others who can advise on that.

As far as I know it's a lot easier to get your New Zealand visa while you are in Ireland (although maybe you can get it now and defer it?) but getting it while you are actually in Australia could prove harder. If you go to New Zealand first it should then be reletavively straight forward to get your Australian visa in a years time when you're ready for it.

Hopefully I haven't just typed a load of nonscense - anyone more knowledgable feel free to post that I'm completely wrong...

riam

Eamo/Paul,

I'm be going to Oz sometime in 2005, maybe April, but havent booked flights yet. Have any of ye got ur visas yet?

gerire

I too am in a similar situation, heading to Oz in Mar 05. Have all the detais here in front of me the Oz visa it appears is easy to get, €120 for 1 year Visa, ready in 48 hours assu,ming you pass all the qualifying points.

A quick trip to Abbey Travel opens your eyes especially in regards to the route you are going to travel.

Have you guys looked at the flights etc yet? Im looking at th €1500 7 stop around the world flight. Has anybody done this option in the past and any tips or advise in general from previous "round the worlders" would be greatly received

Bri

What did Abbey Travel show you or suggest?

And which airline group are you thinking of getting the 7 stopper from?

gibo_ie

guys,
Oz visa is very easy to get , i used Visa Australia.. they are above the old Virgin Megastore on the quays. Cost 120 at the time and took about 4 weeks with no hassle.
Definately recommend Oz but make sure to do the west coast....

riam

Gerire,

Do you have any more details on the RTW ticket for €1500?

Thanks

Davexirl

I want to go to OZ aswell next year but have the same problem none of me mates want to go. They are all just lazy but this is something i have wanted to do for a very long time

gerire

Riam, Im heading back in over the next few days as I cant find the booklet I got the last time. Their website australiatravelcentre.ie is fairly crappy, so I will get the info and again and let you know

riam

thanks gerire

riam

I booked my flight yesterday, I'll arrive in Sydney on 3rd March 05 and plan on staying for 12 months. Anyone else going around same time PM me. I decided to get a 1-way flight, its cost €685.

mise

Heading away in March 2005 too. Heading to Thailand, Vietnam and maybe Cambodia for a month, then on to Oz till just before xmas and then hope to stay in NZ for a year...thats the plan anyways. Buying a one way ticket: Dublin - Bangkok, Bangkok - Cairns, Sydney - Auckland, costing about €950 after tax. Getting an OZ visa and 1 year travel insurance for USIT. Can't Wait!!

Enygma

Heading over to Oz in (probably) April or May depends on a few things yet. Just starting to look into it properly now really. Anyone know exactly what all the qualifying points for a Visa are?

Can't wait to go!

empirix

Lads,
I am in Oz now(3 days so far), very expensive, on a par with home, so save up the dosh, avoid surfers paradise at all costs, its like a spanish holiday resort. Pissing rain at the moment, so haven't done much. My advice to you would be to fit Asia in on your journeys. I travelled Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos in 7 weeks and plan to head back for another 2 -3 months to do more, you would need at least a month in each country, but personally i will be spending about 2 months in Thailand because i had such a ball there. Asia is dirt cheap - fit it in and don't get me started on the Thai women - heaven(and no, i didn't have to pay)!
I am off to NZ and Fiji next year, but this will be after i do asia again. Fiti it in.

gerire

Thanks for the advise empirix.

For those thinging of going around the globe ticket, USIT have a great 29k miles deal, unlimited stops for aprox €1500 + taxes and its not restricted to students either.
http://www.usit.ie/148/index.html#greatescapade << has details of other fares too

Enygma: The qualifing points for a visa only apply if you are going over to live, a 1 year Work/Holiday Visa is easily obtained through

Visa First 8783329 http://www.visafirst.com/Australia_Visa_Info.asp

mise

Hey, booked my flights for March 6th 2005, tho won't get to Oz till first week in April due to Thailand stop-off. Booked through USIT and got the Insurance + Visa deal for €360. Visa is with VisaFirst.

Was just wondering if it is difficult to to get a Tax File Number. VisaFirst get it for you for €20. Does it cost anything in Australia?

riam

I've also been thinking of getting the TFN and a bank a/c from visafirst as well. From what I've heard the TFN is free to apply when in Oz, but I think you need an Oz address to get a TFN and also to open a Bank account. I presume if I pay Visafirst the €40 (bank a/c and TFN) I dont need to have an Australian address? Anyone else have any other info? Thanks

finlma

I'm currently in Wellington, NZ on a one year WHV and this place is great. The reason we came here was because so many Irish were going to Oz. Don't get me wrong I like Irish people but its good to get away and get immersed in the culture of the country. We have loads of Kiwi friends now and its so much fun here. I'd stay forever if it was just a bit closer to home.

empirix

On second thoughts, save about 9000 euro and stay in asia for a year!
Thats my next plan!

bringitdown

Spent last year travelling the world, but spent most of it in Oz, *sob*sob* this time last year I was in Sydney. Blog here: http://www.sbradish.net/wordpress/index.php?cat=4 (read from the bottom up!)

Anyway my oft repeated advice: unless you have some sort of niche speciality / in demand career is:
1. BRING AS MUCH MONEY TO OZ AS POSSIBLE
2. IF YOU CONTINUE TO SPEND MORE THAN YOU EARN: CUT LOOSE AND HIT THE ROAD.

Unless you are lucky you will be competing with 14,000 other Irish people (not to mention the other nationalities) for the same jobs. My experience of it was you'd work for a while, then not work for a while and money would just fly out of your pockets. It is a cheaper country but not as cheap as you may expect, plus your wages will most likely be much less than here.

Notes:
Tax File Number (TFN) is free to apply for in Australia but you need a postal address. You can apply at http://www.ato.gov.au (You can use a box number and there are numerous businesses providing this facility for travellers).
Bank A/C - wait till Oz, and shop around, fee structures are much, much different to the ones over here, and it really pays to shop around.

Apart from that: try and take the road less travelled: Laos, Cambodia, West coast of Oz, etc. etc.

Silvera

I recently returned from a 9 month trip which included, Oz, NZ, The Cook Islands and L.A.

I took out travel insurance via VisasAustralia in Dublin.
The policy stated - 'you will receive a policy refund if you return home early for any reason'.

I returned home earlier than planned.
Will they give me a refund - NO !

Buyer beware !!

Knifey_Spoony

empirix wrote:

On second thoughts, save about 9000 euro and stay in asia for a year!
Thats my next plan!

I couldnt agree with you more! Asia is amazing and brilliant isnt it. Did you stop in Luang Probang in Laos last time?? This place messed up my plans. I fell in love with it and stayed longer than planned leaving me with less time in other places. I loved it though.
Did you go for a Happy Herbs pizza in Cambodia?

Fidelis

Can anybody recommend an airline which flies out to New Zealand? Or is USIT the best way to do things?

mise

Most people go straight through an agency such as USIT to get to NZ as far as I can tell. Think my Gran flew there with Malaysian airways a few years ago.

A quick question. does anyone know where to get the application formfor the NZ equivalent of the Oz working holiday visa?

bringitdown

http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/stream/work/workingholiday/default.htm

http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/stream/work/workingholiday/howdoiapply/thesteps/default.htm

mise

thanks for the speedy response, exactly what i wanted. It says you need to send a valid passport or travel documents. does that mean to send your tickets or passport?

bringitdown

No idea, but I would have a feeling it should have said: you need to have a valid passport, not you need to send us a valid passport. Confirm first tho!

You can call +64 9 914 4100 (bear in mind time diff)
or email: info@immigration.govt.nz

/edit

***
Actually the checklist says you do need to send them your passport...
Take a photocopy, and send the application by registered / insured mail....
***

edit/

mise

hey, thanks for your help. gonna photocopy and send it off tomorrow. thanks again