# Flying to Australia on Tourist Visa while waiting for 189 grant



## bonkler (Oct 2, 2012)

Hi all.

By any chance, has anyone traveled to Australia on a Tourist visa while waiting for their 189/190 grant?. I´ve read in other forums that people who have applied to a partner o defacto visa had done that, but I haven´t heard anyone who has done it while waiting for their 189/190 grant.

I´ve already lodged my offshore 189 application and now I´m just waiting on my medicals that were referred in December, everything else has been cleared. I already have my flight scheduled for april 21st. If I don´t get my grant by then, I wonder if it is possible to fly to Australia with a tourist visa and wait for the grant there.

I will ask my CO eventually when the time comes, but I would like to hear if anyone has done some similar in the past.

Thanks!


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## RichWJ (Feb 27, 2013)

Hi. We're thinking of doing the same thing. We are delayed due to medicals being referred (3 months ago) but feels like visa is imminent so we want to get out there asap.

CO said we could enter on any other visa and he could grant the 189 while we are out there.

So from that I believe we do not need to leave and re-enter to activate the 189. I do wonder if to get into the country on a tourist visa we would need return flights booked rather than one-way - which would add £500 for 4 of us.

Perhaps you could ask your CO to ensure they are consistent?


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## bonkler (Oct 2, 2012)

Hi Rich,

Thanks for your reply, I thought I was the only one who was thinking of doing something like that. I´m glad you CO mentioned any type of visa as I could enter on a Work & Holiday Visa which allows me to work in the meantime.

I´ve reading experiences from applicants on other forums and I´ve found out that:


It is OK to get in the country with a tourist visa. Some people mentioned that they were´t asked for a return ticket... but it seems it depends on your luck when you arrived to the country. I visited Australia in 2011 without a return ticket and didn´t have any problems.
 After entering the country, people were informed by their CO when the grant was close, so they could exit the country, have the visa granted and then re-enter.

I still haven´t asked my CO as I´m going to wait an extra month for my medicals, I recently emailed her and I don´t want to bug her that often. I´ll update this thread as soon as I do it.


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## Guest (Feb 27, 2013)

RichWJ said:


> Hi. We're thinking of doing the same thing. We are delayed due to medicals being referred (3 months ago) but feels like visa is imminent so we want to get out there asap.
> 
> CO said we could enter on any other visa and he could grant the 189 while we are out there.
> 
> ...


 It all depends on the Immigration Officer at the border on the day. You will still be a tourist and still need to meet the requirements as a genuine tourist because even though you have applied for PR you do not have it yet. 

That includes being a visitor, having enough money for your stay and the intent to leave at the end of your stay. 

One Officer may wave you through, another may question if you are a genuine visitor. Just make sure you have enough money to show them you wont work illegally while waiting and that you have enough to book a flight should your PR application be rejected.


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## MrTweek (Jan 9, 2013)

> I do wonder if to get into the country on a tourist visa we would need return flights booked rather than one-way - which would add £500


They did not ask me for return flights, and I never heard of anyone having problems with this, so I really would not bother.

If you really want to be sure, but not spending that much money, you can still book a flight to NZ, or whatever is the cheapest flight out of the country you can find (maybe Darwin->Dili, Darwin->Bali or something like that).


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