lonelysin

Hi

I'm planning to perform my initial entry to Australia and I have a few Q's


1) If i'm not mistaken, a person is not a PR unless he/she got his passport validated (arrival in OZ). If I were to purchase flight ticket with a travel agent, do I need to inform them I'm a PR? Or else, will they apply an ETA for me? Should I ask them not to apply an ETA?

2) Will the immigration officer in the airport stamp our passport even we have the visa label on it?

3) What if I travel from one city to another (e.g. Adelaide to Brisbane), will they stamp my passport again when I landed in Brisbane?

4) What other things should a migrant do after landing in Australia? (for validation purpose only) Should we apply for TFN, medicare, or etc?

5) Say my validation trip is 1 week and I go back to my country to settle some stuffs, how long will be given until I need to go back to Australia?


Cheers
LS

spottydog

As far as I'm aware:

1) You don't need any other Visa and your travel agent shouldn't apply for one. As long as you are making your first entry before the initial entry date on your PR Visa nothing else is required.

2) You passport will be stamped on every entry into and departure from Australia. Ours were stamped on the page opposite the visa label.

3) On internal flights you won't be required to clear customs therefore your passport won't be stamped.

4) you don't have to do anything. We just enjoyed our holiday and had a look for areas we we would like to live in when we get there permanently.

5)You get a 5 year RRV with the visa grant so you can travel in and out of Australia as much as you want for up to 5 years from the date of grant before you must worry about this. For the exact date check your visa label. Many people say you should aim to be residing in Australia within 3 years so you can get citizenship or a new RRV when the inital one runs out.

andrewb

You MUST not get an ETA as I think the last visa that is issued will cancel out anything that you have before!!!!

JAJ

Since 1 July 2002 an ETA cannot take effect if another visa is held - however a regular tourist visa *will* cancel your PR visa.

Same goes for any other type of substantive visa other than an ETA, border visa or special purpose visa.


Jeremy

lonelysin

JAJ,

Thanks for the reply. Does that mean the travel agent would not be able to apply an ETA for me?

Your statement "....cannot take effect if another visa is held..."
Am I consider a PR holder even though I have not make my initial entry?



Cheers.
LS

JAJ

You hold a PR visa however it can be cancelled if you don't validate it *or* if your circumstances change before validation.

If you don't validate it, it *will* be cancelled pretty quickly unless you can give a very good explanation to DIMIA and are very lucky, as for changes in circumstances - it depends.


Jeremy

Pollyana

You don't NEED an ETA - you enter Australia using your PR visa.

lonelysin

Hi Pollyana,

I know I do need an ETA. What if the travel agent apply for me. Will they be able to apply? Previously when I havent apply for my Australia PR, I enter using ETA where the travel agent apply for me. Should I tell them not to apply and just issue the flight ticket?


Cheers,
LS

swissfabs

Yes! tell them you dont need an ETA... i have never seen a travel agent apply for an ETA unrequested, but im sure it could have happened before. As JAJ said, even if they do get you an ETA it will NOT cancel your PR.

If the Travel Agent doesnt get it, just tell him / her you are Australian and thats why you dont need a visa! should be clear enough :-)

good luck

fabie

spottydog

You don't need an ETA. The Travel Agent will only apply for an ETA for you if you pay them to (it costs plus if they apply for it rather than you they can charge you extra and make money from it). Just tell the travel agent you already have a visa. They can't apply for an ETA without your passport number and you have no reason to give them this therefore they won't be applying for an ETA and will just issue tickets (or a receipt specifying an E Ticket)