Oh man, do I need some help with extending my stay in Australia!

Hi!

Not really sure this is right as not sure if the visa you get as an American is the same as British, but.....we are also on a 6 month tourist visa, the visa is valid for use within one year from date of issue, maximum stay in any one go is 6months but it is multiple entry within that year, we are here for 6 months then flying to New Zealand for a couple of weeks and then back in for 5 months. Likewise we could enter Australia for 2 weeks at a time as many times as we liked within that year.

I think the only time you have to prove funds is if you apply for a year visa and then you can only enter and leave once.

Not sure about dual citizenship, i think that you have to have some connection in Oz, ie a parent born here, as a UK resident if we apply and get Citizenship for Australia we can still keep UK Citizenship. I've heard that the US won't allow that you have to give up US one. Not sure on that, just heard it somewhere.

Depending on your age (if you are under 31) you can apply for a work visa, again i think only from your home country, you can't exchange a tourist visa for a work visa.

http://www.immi.gov.au/visitors/working-holiday/417/how-to-apply.htm

Otherwise i think your only way in would be to get sponsered by an employer, i think you have to do that from the US tho', something about if the employer is unable to fill a post with an Australian citizen they can recruit from abroad.

We've found the Australian visa system fairly complicated, there are so many types of visas

Check on you actual visa expirey date and read the small print i guess it might be the same as ours. Oh and just a thought, if you have to talk to the visa people and you are on a tourist visa definatly don't say you are working here, i think they can deport you with a big fat fine!

As i say, i'm not sure how much of all this is right, hopefully someone with more knowledge will be along soon!

Australian High Commsion is at http://www.australia.org.uk/lhlh/Visas_and_Migration.html

Hope it all works out for you

Claire & Tel Reply to this

If you've been living with your boyfriend for however many years, you can always apply for a de facto visa.

Otherwise perhaps you can look at signing up for a course and getting out a student visa.

A working holiday visa could be good, then you could do office work at a temping company (Select appointments pay GOOD wages). I think that's the one Rich is talking about, not sure if Yanks are eligible - I think they are though!

If you need to show proof of funds get a few friends to transfer quite a bit of money into your bank account. Print out the 'balance' page from your netbank or just get a statement of balance from the bank and use that in your application. Return the money once you have the print out!

A letter from your parents in the US saying they are willing to support you and a bank statement of theirs is often OK for real estate agents so I guess it would be ok for immi, but double check that.

Good luck! Reply to this