Working Holiday Visa

There is a great deal of confusion circulating with regard to what you may or may not do when you hold a Working Holiday Visa (WHV). Here are some basic guidelines which we hope will be of assistance to you:

• The changes that were made as of 20/07/2003 allowing free employment for the full 2 year duration have been reversed. If your WHV was issued between 20/07/2003 and 07/02/2005 you are able to continue working without restriction as these were the rules at the time of your visa approval. However any Working Holiday Maker issued with a visa after 07/02/2005 must only intend to take work which is incidental to a holiday, they must not engage in Business or work as a professional sports player and are not permitted to work for more than 12 months during his/her stay.
• The Working Holiday Makers Visa is available to most Commonwealth Citizens aged between 17 and 30 years inclusive. (In other words you can apply from your 17th birthday, up to your 31st birthday.)
• You are only allowed one 2yrWHVisa in your lifetime.
• You must gain Entry Clearance to travel to the UK as a Working Holiday Visa. You cannot apply for the WHV from within the shores of the UK.
• The WHV is granted for a maximum period of 2yrs. You cannot apply for it to be extended beyond the two years. In some circumstances it may be possible to apply for a totally different visa category in order to continue to remain in the UK, (i.e.Visitors Visa, Student Visa, etc). While such an application is being considered by the Home Office you are able to maintain your Working Holiday Visa status even if the 2yrWHVisa expires while your application is being considered. This is provided your application is made prior to the expiry of your Working Holiday Maker Visa.
• You may exit and re-enter the UK as many times as you like whilst you hold the visa. Time which you spend abroad cannot be used to then top-up your Working Holiday Visa.
• It is not considered acceptable to work operating as a Limited Company whilst holding a Working Holiday Visa. To do so may jeopardise a future application for the HSMP visa; see business section.
• It is quite acceptable to choose not to work when you hold a Working Holiday Visa, and it is also acceptable to study should you so wish.
• As a Person applying for a Working Holiday Visa you must be unmarried and not a civil partner OR must be married or the civil partner of a person who meets the requirements for a Working Holiday Visa, and that you both intend to take a Working Holiday together.
• You must not have any dependant children who will be over the age of 5yrs when your WHVisa expires, or have commitments which require you to earn a regular income.
• When lodging an application you should have the intent to the leave the UK by the time your WHVisa expires.
• You have the ability to pay for your onward journey.