Raji_karmlaw
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The following is the gist of the speech given by Raji Govindaraj at the “Indo American society in November 2004, and was widely published in all the local newspapers.
THE HIGHLY MYTHICAL UK WORKING HOLDAY MAKER VISA.
I don’t know if you have heard of this quote “ Immigration is a mystery and a mastery in obfuscation and the lawyers who can figure it out are worth their weight in gold” This quote would be the most relevant to the U.K Working Holiday Maker visa. It was a total mystery even to us initially, until we figured what the visa officer really expects, to issue the visa.
About a year ago, so much hype was created about this visa, and every youngster that I met in places like Gujarat and Mumbai wanted to go to the U.K on this visa. The hype slowly settled down, as people found out that the visas were hardly issued, so much so that there is a myth today that the British High commissions do not entertain these visas. Nothing can be more further removed from the truth. Of course, there is a rejection rate of 98% at the High Commissions in India, but these visas are being issued if approached in the proper manner.
What is a Working Holiday Maker Visa?
The working holiday maker program was first introduced in Australia. The program provides opportunity for young people from overseas countries to enjoy an extended holiday in Australia and take incidental work to supplement their holiday money. The reciprocal nature of the program offers similar opportunities for young Australians to undertake working holidays overseas. Apart from the benefits of cultural, social and economic awareness, young people have a chance to expand their life’s experiences thro travel. That is the purpose of this visa.
Now lets look at the criteria for this visa.
Validity : 2 years
Eligibility :you are eligible to apply for a UK working holiday visa if you are a citizen of a commonwealth country and are aged between 17 and 30 years inclusively. India is a member of the commonwealth and so qualifies.
Other Requirements:
§ You must be single, or married to someone also eligible for a working holiday visa and plan to take a working holiday with you
§ You must not have dependant children aged five or over during your stay in the U.K
§ You must show proof of sufficient funds in your bank account.
U.K immigration does not specify how much ‘sufficient funds” are.
However, the idea is to show that you wont get into any financial trouble and rely on public funds to support you. Get a return ticket, if you only have a one way ticket, you will need to have more funds in your bank account.
Restrictions: As of feb 2005l restrictions on duration of work were instituted. U can work for a total of 12 months and u must travel for 12 months. The law permits you to apply for a work permit after 1 year of stay, if you can find a sponsor. There is total paradox here. Until you get the visa you do not even think about this aspect. Moreover, for visa purposes you have to show proof of return in the form of financial, social and emotional ties.
At face value, this criteria seems so simple and tempting. But if you apply for this visa based on the above, the answer to the question : Can I get the visa?, will be a definitive NO. So many youngsters look into any U.K website today and apply for the visa tomorrow. It is only after they are rejected that they come to us and say “ M’am, I provided all the paper work listed in the website and yet I was rejected.
There are 2 issues involved in this. One is that if it were that simple, at least 95% of our youngsters would be in the U.K by now. The second is, that the issuance of the visa is the sole discretion of the visa officer, and he must be convinced that you are not using this visa as a easy route to get to the U.K
So the question is “ How can one be successful in getting these visas” And how is KARM so successful in securing these visas for our clients?
After a careful study of the rejected visas, that came our way we’ve concluded that there is only one way to go about it.
The very name of the visa suggests that there are 2 components that anyone applying or advising should consider: the holiday component and the work component. And technically it’s the holiday component that is more important. The work is only to support your holiday.
Any person living abroad, planning to go for an extended holiday for 2 years, would naturally do an in-depth research thro the internet or books, and have the curiosity to find out the basics about that country, like the weather, places to see, modes of transport, accommodation, the job situation etc. We Indians lack this curiosity, and have the lackadaisical attitude to find out about a place only after we land in that country. Also we have some distant friend, relatives relative who has promised to at least initially take care of us. But the visa officers at the British High Commission expect u to know about the U.K in general.
A client of ours was asked “ Where is Buckingham Palace? Even a child would say it is in London and such an answer would be highly inadequate. The right answer would be its exact location ie: at the end of the mall between Belgravia, Westminister and Mayfair. The tube is James park.
And for what is the speciality of Buckingham Palace, instead of saying the queens residence, you elaborate and talk about the State Rooms, the gardens and importantly about the “change of guards”. It is ok if the visa officer says “ enough, enough” at least you have made a point that you have invested time in your study, which is very very important.
Like wise, you select at least 8 – 10 places in U.K including London, and learn abt the attractions, events, weather etc abt that particular place. U will be questioned on that and u must be focused to visit the U.K.
As this visa allows u to work in support of your holiday, research must be done in respect to part time jobs. It need not necessarily be relevant to your academic qualifications, but anything to support your stay in the U.K without recourse to public funds.
Also detailed research as to accommodation for 2 years, in the form of international youth hostel memberships, guest houses, rental apartments etc. should be done. Have a fair idea abt the various tarrifs, duration of stay allowed and accessibility.
Last but not the least, have enough finances in the form of bank statements, F.D’s property, to justify your need to take an extended holiday. Remember, logically anyone would think of a long holiday abroad only if they can genuinely afford it and have excess funds. We advice our clients to have a British pound draft in their name for a minimum of 2000 pounds at least.
In conclusion, I would say that the time frame to prepare for this visa would be at least a month. It’s a very research intensive program. U must get responses from job agencies that they might be interested in u once u arrive there. Same goes for accommodation – responses from various places that rooms are available during the period that you are planning to be in that location. Have an iternary made listing places of visit, duration of stay, accommodation details and hotel information.
So good luck to u all!!. But please feel free to revert to me if you have any queries.
The author is senior attorney at the U.S / U.K immigration law offices of Korenburg Abramowitz Raj & Mathi and can be reached at raji@karmlaw.com
_________________
"Immigration is a mystery and a mastery in obfuscation, and the lawyers who can figure that out are worth their weight in gold"
THE HIGHLY MYTHICAL UK WORKING HOLDAY MAKER VISA.
I don’t know if you have heard of this quote “ Immigration is a mystery and a mastery in obfuscation and the lawyers who can figure it out are worth their weight in gold” This quote would be the most relevant to the U.K Working Holiday Maker visa. It was a total mystery even to us initially, until we figured what the visa officer really expects, to issue the visa.
About a year ago, so much hype was created about this visa, and every youngster that I met in places like Gujarat and Mumbai wanted to go to the U.K on this visa. The hype slowly settled down, as people found out that the visas were hardly issued, so much so that there is a myth today that the British High commissions do not entertain these visas. Nothing can be more further removed from the truth. Of course, there is a rejection rate of 98% at the High Commissions in India, but these visas are being issued if approached in the proper manner.
What is a Working Holiday Maker Visa?
The working holiday maker program was first introduced in Australia. The program provides opportunity for young people from overseas countries to enjoy an extended holiday in Australia and take incidental work to supplement their holiday money. The reciprocal nature of the program offers similar opportunities for young Australians to undertake working holidays overseas. Apart from the benefits of cultural, social and economic awareness, young people have a chance to expand their life’s experiences thro travel. That is the purpose of this visa.
Now lets look at the criteria for this visa.
Validity : 2 years
Eligibility :you are eligible to apply for a UK working holiday visa if you are a citizen of a commonwealth country and are aged between 17 and 30 years inclusively. India is a member of the commonwealth and so qualifies.
Other Requirements:
§ You must be single, or married to someone also eligible for a working holiday visa and plan to take a working holiday with you
§ You must not have dependant children aged five or over during your stay in the U.K
§ You must show proof of sufficient funds in your bank account.
U.K immigration does not specify how much ‘sufficient funds” are.
However, the idea is to show that you wont get into any financial trouble and rely on public funds to support you. Get a return ticket, if you only have a one way ticket, you will need to have more funds in your bank account.
Restrictions: As of feb 2005l restrictions on duration of work were instituted. U can work for a total of 12 months and u must travel for 12 months. The law permits you to apply for a work permit after 1 year of stay, if you can find a sponsor. There is total paradox here. Until you get the visa you do not even think about this aspect. Moreover, for visa purposes you have to show proof of return in the form of financial, social and emotional ties.
At face value, this criteria seems so simple and tempting. But if you apply for this visa based on the above, the answer to the question : Can I get the visa?, will be a definitive NO. So many youngsters look into any U.K website today and apply for the visa tomorrow. It is only after they are rejected that they come to us and say “ M’am, I provided all the paper work listed in the website and yet I was rejected.
There are 2 issues involved in this. One is that if it were that simple, at least 95% of our youngsters would be in the U.K by now. The second is, that the issuance of the visa is the sole discretion of the visa officer, and he must be convinced that you are not using this visa as a easy route to get to the U.K
So the question is “ How can one be successful in getting these visas” And how is KARM so successful in securing these visas for our clients?
After a careful study of the rejected visas, that came our way we’ve concluded that there is only one way to go about it.
The very name of the visa suggests that there are 2 components that anyone applying or advising should consider: the holiday component and the work component. And technically it’s the holiday component that is more important. The work is only to support your holiday.
Any person living abroad, planning to go for an extended holiday for 2 years, would naturally do an in-depth research thro the internet or books, and have the curiosity to find out the basics about that country, like the weather, places to see, modes of transport, accommodation, the job situation etc. We Indians lack this curiosity, and have the lackadaisical attitude to find out about a place only after we land in that country. Also we have some distant friend, relatives relative who has promised to at least initially take care of us. But the visa officers at the British High Commission expect u to know about the U.K in general.
A client of ours was asked “ Where is Buckingham Palace? Even a child would say it is in London and such an answer would be highly inadequate. The right answer would be its exact location ie: at the end of the mall between Belgravia, Westminister and Mayfair. The tube is James park.
And for what is the speciality of Buckingham Palace, instead of saying the queens residence, you elaborate and talk about the State Rooms, the gardens and importantly about the “change of guards”. It is ok if the visa officer says “ enough, enough” at least you have made a point that you have invested time in your study, which is very very important.
Like wise, you select at least 8 – 10 places in U.K including London, and learn abt the attractions, events, weather etc abt that particular place. U will be questioned on that and u must be focused to visit the U.K.
As this visa allows u to work in support of your holiday, research must be done in respect to part time jobs. It need not necessarily be relevant to your academic qualifications, but anything to support your stay in the U.K without recourse to public funds.
Also detailed research as to accommodation for 2 years, in the form of international youth hostel memberships, guest houses, rental apartments etc. should be done. Have a fair idea abt the various tarrifs, duration of stay allowed and accessibility.
Last but not the least, have enough finances in the form of bank statements, F.D’s property, to justify your need to take an extended holiday. Remember, logically anyone would think of a long holiday abroad only if they can genuinely afford it and have excess funds. We advice our clients to have a British pound draft in their name for a minimum of 2000 pounds at least.
In conclusion, I would say that the time frame to prepare for this visa would be at least a month. It’s a very research intensive program. U must get responses from job agencies that they might be interested in u once u arrive there. Same goes for accommodation – responses from various places that rooms are available during the period that you are planning to be in that location. Have an iternary made listing places of visit, duration of stay, accommodation details and hotel information.
So good luck to u all!!. But please feel free to revert to me if you have any queries.
The author is senior attorney at the U.S / U.K immigration law offices of Korenburg Abramowitz Raj & Mathi and can be reached at raji@karmlaw.com
_________________
"Immigration is a mystery and a mastery in obfuscation, and the lawyers who can figure that out are worth their weight in gold"