In my last post on Applying for a UK Youth Mobility Visa I went through what it was and how to apply for one.
After you’ve handed over the money, picked your appointment date for your biometric data to be taken and printed off everything in triplicate (hey I was taught to always be prepared, thank you Scouts) your next step is to wait till your appointment date. The appointment is just a really fancy way of saying hey we want your finger prints just in case we want to implicate you in a crime while your here. I kid honest… oh god I’m so getting strip searched on arrival.
The appointment is a breeze. They make you drive to “insert nearest capital city here” for what is a 2 minute process. That is unless you’ve worn your finger prints away like I had on my left hand pinkie finger. My appointment was in Melbourne which for the rest of you is about a 1.5 hour drive away.
Entering the consulate office you take a seat opposite the glass wall and wait to be called. Don’t try and talk to the staff behind the glass wall because your getting no love there trust me, the guy that walked in after me sure found that out.
Using the press here to talk method of PA systems your name is called and you front up to the counter and pass over the following:
- Printed visa application form (Attach your passport photo to it)
- Booking confirmation form
- Valid passport
You then get told to stick your fingers on the miniature scanner so they can scan your digits. Right hand, left hand and then the thumbs. Apparently I work too hard because as I said one of my fingers wouldn’t scan. We tried pressing on it, breathing on it and even doing the look away to be all sneaky and fool the scanner trick. Eventually they got the scans and that was it. I got back my form with a stamp on it and a half A4 size piece of paper detailing my next step.
That next step will require the following important pieces of documentation:
- Signed application form with accompanying biometric stamp of approval
- Passport sized photo (hopefully still attached to your application form)
- Current passport
- Completed self-assessment form and accompanying documents (Appendix 7 Self-Assessment Form)
The first three items are easy you have those. The fourth item as mentioned in the first post is to print off the Appendix 7 document and fill it in. They ask the obvious stuff like your name (don’t get that wrong please), age etc. The important bit is Part 4.
This section requires you to prove you have 1600 quid in the bank before you get there. The easiest way to do this is send in your latest bank statement. Just make sure its current, they require one dated within 30 days of your application. Most banks are willing to issue you a current statement but be careful there is probably going to be a fee attached to it. I suggest applying for it as soon as you apply if not sooner, banks can be a bit slow and if your pressed for time applying well.. you don’t want to know the answer to that.
Set with all my documents I purchased two express post parcels. One to send the documents down in and one for them to post it back to me, the cheap buggers won’t even foot the bill for postage back. Express post also allows you to track the parcel just in case someone looses it because after all it will contain your passport.
Then you play the waiting game. Estimated processing times can be found at this web page . Only get nervous if after 10 days you still haven’t heard anything because according to that page 98% of claims are completed in that time frame.
You will receive an email when they receive your documents and then one at the end detailing if you have been approved or not. I can tell you when I received these words in an email today I was ecstatic.
Your application has been approved and your documents will be dispatched within 2 working days.
Overall when you have the right information this process really is a breeze. The daunting task is finding out what you need. I hope that both my articles on the topic can help to serve other future applicants in Applying for the Youth Mobility Visa.
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Whooo Hooo!! Congratulations Chris!
Looking forward to crashing on your floor in the UK!
Joel´s last blog ..Realize That There Is No Plan
Thanks Joel. Awesome someone to help pay the rent
My country is bonkers, ‘youth mobility visa’ sounds like a working visa for young disabled people!!
Glad you get to come and live/work here dude. Hopefully before we leave London!
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hahaha Sean I’d never thought of it like that but your right.
I’d love to get to London before you guys leave, at this stage it’s going to be touch and go on if I will or not. Have to play it by ear over the next couple of months.
Wow that seems like a lot of work for the visa, I’m wondering if travels in Asia or South America are even remotely similar to all you have to go through just to get a visa to the UK. Hope the let you in ’sans search’ that is.
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Well this is a 2 years working visa. Most people do visa runs in asia from what I have seen. The most annoying part was driving down to get my finger prints taken but you get that I guess.
Wow, very informative!!!
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Thanks heaps Andi. Figure I’d make the process for anybody else looking to do the same thing easier. I had to research it all no point they have too.
aaah this is one tough process.. i just did it too! how long did it take in the end from the day you sent it? I need to be over there by may and am worried i wont make it if i left out a document or something.
Hey Heidi. I sent my documents off via express post. Took 5 days from receipt of getting my documents to getting approval. My express post parcel then came back to me in 2 days.
All up just under 2 weeks to get my passport back with visa in it. Hope that eases your mind a little.
thanks alot for your reply.. yeh it has i am a little relieved. turns out im not sure if my bank documents will be sufficient because one of them didnt have my full name on it but my first two initials and last name instead.. oh well the waiting game begins i guess.
thanks again!
also i sent it two days ago and havent recieved an email yet saying they recieved it? how long before you recieved an email?
I’d say you bank documents should be fine. Your passport has your full name so I wouldn’t stress too much. My Bank statement didn’t have my middle name on it at all just first and last name.
Took about 3-4 days before I got notification they had received my application. Did you send via express post? You can track the number if so. I think its a better way to send as I didn’t want my passport getting lost.
yeh sent it platinum express post and i have tracked it already and it was apparently recieved so guess i will just wait for them to open it! Thanks so much for your help i seem to have gotten more information from you than anyone i have called in the last three days. hope you enjoy the uk!
haha glad to help. It’s why I put up the blog posts. There was so many different visa websites all giving me conflicting answers.
Platinum post isn’t registered is it? I thought I remembered reading something about them not able to sign for documents is all.
no its the one that they tell you to send with so surely that part is right because its written on the official website haha. Thanks again!
That sounds like quite the procedure!
My UK visa was handled by Bunac, and therefore was significantly easier to obtain, it just cost me US$400. My girlfriend went through similar things to get her US visa though .. they advised her to make sure her fingers weren’t cut, or else she’d be denied the visa!
Matt´s last blog ..Monday Escape: Vejer de la Frontera, Spain
Hey Matt, That’s a high price for your visa. Does it provide the same 2 year travel/work conditions or is it different?
What sort of visa did your gf get for the US. I looked at getting one there but for work I was under the impression you needed a sponsor.
I think it’s great you documented this process for others! I plan on doing the same thing for my visa
Gotta help each other out!
And CONGRATS!!! Another step closer.
Hey Heather. Thanks I’m so glad to have my visa and now almost all of my gear as well.
It’s a confusing process at times to find the information. There is just so much out there, if this helps one person then it was worth the time to write it.
are there any reasons that they could refuse this visa?
Hey Julian. I’d imagine if you didn’t meet the criteria with money etc you’d get knocked back.
Otherwise I’m guessing any criminal convictions may work against you, I know Australia makes a big deal about that one if your trying to come here.
Thanks heaps for this post, it’s put my mind at ease a lot – i’m planning a trip to the UK end of May and I’m worried about the time frame!!
I have a question and it may be a bit strange but what did you put for ‘place of issue’ on the personal details form? it asks for a city and country..is this where you applied or just AUS? thanks in advance!
Hey Liana, glad my post was useful to you. I know when I was looking up everything I needed to apply for the Youth Mobility Visa I kept running around in circles.
I just checked my application and I entered Australia for place of issue and for issuing authority. I remember thinking what do I put in those fields myself.
Let me know if you need any more info as I have a copy of my application saved.
Cheers for this bud, hopefully its saved my ass. i had my biometrics done on wednesday and posted everything off (my passports etc) and didnt even realise you needed the appendix 7 self assesment form. i just printed one off and going to send it express post tomorrow hopefully its not all to late….
No problem Blair. It’s hard to find out everything you need and I spent days finding out. Even then when I sent everything off I wasn’t sure. Glad it helped.
I’m just going through the process of getting my YM visa and this helped heaps. I was so confused with the million different websites, thank god for yours! Thanks man. I’m going for my biometric assessment today. Glad to finally get the ball rolling. Your whole blog has been very interesting!, good luck with your trip.
Hey Loraine, glad I could of been some help. I know what you mean about all the paperwork etc totally confusing eh.
The guy that tried to talk to the staff just got the blank stare from them and sat down and waited.
PS what happened to the guy who tried to talk the staff who went in behind you?
Hi Aussie Nomad,
My boyfriend is Australian and is currently going through the momentous hassle of obtaining his YM Visa so he can come back to the UK with me(I’m Scottish). It was great to hear your story, we also had to make the ‘post it or bring it in, which one?’ phone call!
I just have one question, which you may be able to help with…
When they refer to the bank statement being dated ‘no more than 30 days prior to the date you submit your application’, do they consider the date of application to be the date you started it online, or the date you actually post your completed forms with biometric-stamp-thingy? Any guidance you could give us would be great! xx
Hey Amy. I went by the date I posted my forms off to the consulate.
I didn’t have much choice either as I didn’t get a current bank statement from the bank till after the biometric appointment.
My thinking is that it needs to be as current as possible because that is the closest to the date you will head to the UK.
Hope this helps.
Thanks Nomad, that’s really helpful, we’ve been a bit stressed by the whole process so your blog has been an awesome resource! Hope you are enjoying your travels xx
Hi there, I was just wondering do you know when the two years starts? Is it as soon as they grant the visa or once you enter the UK? I thought I saw this online somewhere but now can’t find it in the overload of info!
Hi Julie, the 2 years starts from when you choose. On the application form you pick the date you wish it to start and away you go.
I set my date to be 7-8 weeks after I landed in Europe as I am travelling around.
Hey there,
I came across your blog because I was search for this info. I just came back from the British embassy in Spain (I´m an Aussie who´s been studying a year in Spain) and they kept asking me “is that all the supporting documents you´re handing in?” “Are you sure? normally it´s more” and then I was lectured about how it´s better to not rush, etc… and my money won´t be given back!!! and my list of docs was exactly what you had.. so that made me feel better.. seriously, other than the app form, bank letter, passport, hand over the money… what else can we show them? did I say hand over the money again? oh and they made me pay 12 euros for the courier too…
Thanks for the blog mate and good luck in the UK! Europe is awesome!
No problem Rene, glad it was of use to you. Better to pay the courier and know its going to get there than hope for the best, especially since it has your passport in it.
Just wondering when applying for visa there is a question below
Have you been granted a UK visa in the last 10 years?
I once went to London for 4 days does this count as a visa? Many thanks for your help.
Hi Jen, I’d say that’s a standard tourist visa you get by default so would not count. The only visa I think it would be is if you had a work visa or similar before.