Visas, Passports and Flights, Oh my!

[schwee44]

Ohhai~
So.. I'm really freaking out here. I'm flying to my SO, who's international, and I'm so out of my element with this planning stuff!
Is there a certain order we have to buy things in? We're trying to get me there by August..
I also don't know what visa I should get or if I even can get them
..Really stressing out. xD This post might not make much sense, sorry.
Any advice?

Our loose plan is that we wanna get me a holiday visa for like.. under 3 months, then we can decide if I wanna move in or not. I just have no idea how to go about it o.e
I'm American and he's Australian, btw.

[snow_girl]

You don't need an acutal visa, you just go and they let you stay for 3 months. You don't have to apply for anything.

[lucybelle]

1. Get passport
2. Buy flight

The end

[Haley53]

What snow_girl said. Anything up to 90 days, coming from America, will not require a visa. As far as figuring out what visas are right for your situation, https://australia.gov.au/topics/immigration might be a helpful resource and starting point for after your first visit.

[schwee44]

*all the relief in the world* Thank you guys so much!

my friend told me I can't apply for a visa while I'm still in Australia though.. does anyone know if that's true?

[CynicalQuixotic]

*all the relief in the world* Thank you guys so much!

my friend told me I can't apply for a visa while I'm still in Australia though.. does anyone know if that's true?

It depends on the country, but most likely.

[Haley53]

*all the relief in the world* Thank you guys so much!

my friend told me I can't apply for a visa while I'm still in Australia though.. does anyone know if that's true?

Probably. As far as I know, to apply for visas to stay in the country, you have to apply while outside of the country, so if you wanted to do a work and holiday visa in Australia, you would have to apply from the U.S. after you returned home from your visit.

---------- Post added at 10:57 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:56 AM ----------

You could consider asking Zapookie. I believe her boyfriend, who lives in the US, was approved for a year-long work and holiday visa, and if I recall correctly, she's in Australia, so she might be able to answer that question for you.

[MadMolly]

You mean one to move there? You can apply and everything while in Australia but all the documents have to be sent to your home address, and you'd have to leave Australia and come back to re-enter with the visa anyway. However if you're staying for three months, it's unlikely any residential type visas would be processed that quick anyway I have to say!

[Tooki]

ACTUALLY you do need a visa to come to Australia. You need one of these:

https://www.immi.gov.au/visitors/tourist/976/

I'm pretty sure you can do it all online. But you must apply for it before you go through immigration in Australia. Otherwise you won't get let in. And Aussie immigration is VERY firm in that regard

And the Working Holiday Visa? You have to apply for it outside of Australia. But you can submit it to any overseas office.

(Pardon if I'm wrong, but you have friends in New Zealand yeah? If so, get a tourist visa for NZ and apply for the Working Holiday Visa in Auckland)

GOOD LUCK!

[Haley53]

ACTUALLY you do need a visa to come to Australia. You need one of these:

https://www.immi.gov.au/visitors/tourist/976/

I'm pretty sure you can do it all online. But you must apply for it before you go through immigration in Australia. Otherwise you won't get let in. And Aussie immigration is VERY firm in that regard

And the Working Holiday Visa? You have to apply for it outside of Australia. But you can submit it to any overseas office.

(Pardon if I'm wrong, but you have friends in New Zealand yeah? If so, get a tourist visa for NZ and apply for the Working Holiday Visa in Auckland)

GOOD LUCK!

Weird. Is the ETA, then, different for Australia? To enter the U.S., you have to fill out an ETA, but it's essentially you enter your personal information, your flight information (if on hand), and answer questions about whether or not you're a drug smuggler or a terrorist, and then you're free to go. Is it different for there?

[ChibiFelicia]

Weird. Is the ETA, then, different for Australia? To enter the U.S., you have to fill out an ETA, but it's essentially you enter your personal information, your flight information (if on hand), and answer questions about whether or not you're a drug smuggler or a terrorist, and then you're free to go. Is it different for there?

ESTA*
Mines just run out >.<

[Haley53]

ESTA*
Mines just run out >.<

Thank you, I always forget the S. D:

[Tooki]

Weird. Is the ETA, then, different for Australia? To enter the U.S., you have to fill out an ETA, but it's essentially you enter your personal information, your flight information (if on hand), and answer questions about whether or not you're a drug smuggler or a terrorist, and then you're free to go. Is it different for there?

As far as I know, they only recorded things like D.O.B and passport details. I know that they do it so they can keep track of who goes in and out. I imagine that the ETA is probably similar to to the US ETA. But we don't ask if you smuggle drugs etc. And I imagine that it isn't as nit-picky as the American ETA. They have a different system for other countries as well, like the Schengen States and the UK.

I don't even think you need flight details. It all connects to your passport details.

[schwee44]

International travel makes me want to explode -_-... Literally.

Thanks Tookie, and yeah, I do have friends there.. kinda xD We're actually on the outs right now so I'm not sure how that one will play out.
I imagine I can't get my ticket or visa until I've got my passport in my hand, eh? Dumb question, I'm sure.

[Haley53]

International travel makes me want to explode -_-... Literally.

Thanks Tookie, and yeah, I do have friends there.. kinda xD We're actually on the outs right now so I'm not sure how that one will play out.
I imagine I can't get my ticket or visa until I've got my passport in my hand, eh? Dumb question, I'm sure.

I have never needed my passport to buy airline tickets, only a card with money on it. Tehe. If you're trying to get there by August, you might want to get on that. You will need one for the ESTA. The US says you should leave 72 hours for it to be processed and applied for but it was more or less instant (literally it was approved as soon as I submitted payment). Not sure on the one for Aus.

@Tooki - Interesting. Well it doesn't literally frame questions like that, but it does ask if you've been convicted, if you have STDs, etc. It's really nit picky and ridiculous, in my opinion, especially given that it was approved as soon as I sent payment.