Does the 457 need to be evidenced in the passport for a visit back to South Africa??

[arno&caroline]

We received a new 457 visa a month or so ago and it states clearly on the visa that it does not need to be evidenced in our passports. We thought it was cool, as it would save us having to go into town (Melbourne) to have it put in.

Now we have to go back to South Africa for an emergency visit and one of the things that concern us is that the visas are not evidenced in our passports. We think the Australia side should not be a problem, as we have the letter from immigration that states we don't need it, plus it shows a link to the immi website where it is explained. What worries us more is the South African side. What if they don’t want to let us board the plane back to Australia if they don’t see a visa in the passport?? My passport still has the previous 457 visa in it and it may pass inspection on the SA side if push comes to shove , but Caroline has just received her new passport (the new fancy one with the plastic pages), so the old 457 visa is not shown in it!

Has anybody travelled with the 457 not evidenced in the passport and did you have any grief (SA side or this side)???

[NotLookingBack]

mmm, I would also like to know the answer, as we just got our 457s and weren't planning on having it evidenced. The immigration lawyer in Aus said we should just carry a printout of the notification email that we received with us.

[Mara]

Quite frankly to set your minds at rest would it not be worth the couple of hours it would take to get it put in your passport? Then there can be no questions asked and no problems...

[Search]

Did you not fly out of SA in the first place without the visa evidence in your passport? I think it will work the same as it did first time around, they would look at your piece of paper and then let you through.

I evidenced my passport when I arrived, probably waiting 15min and when I reached the front not even 2min and all done

Just makes it easier for when you do bank or finance type things.

good luck!

[Blossom]

Are you talking about that little piece of pink slip in the passports? Off course it must be in your Passports, that's the only thing they look at when they ask for your pp. We've came over on the 457 visa and we needed that pasted in! Do it, to save you from any difficulties in future. When in doubt about something............do you think they are going to read the link from the Aus emigration people?

They might just keep you in SA due to over eager, spiteful staff who wants to impress god knows who......do it.

Sorry, I don't want to sound harsh but I've learned on the hard way to do the right thing re everything emigration related!

PS. edited to say......Good luck!!!

[arno&caroline]

The visa notification stated the following:

"VISA LABEL

IF THE APPROVED VISA HOLDER IS IN AUSTRALIA:

You will not require a visa label if you hold a passport from an eligible country. To check if your passport country is eligible go to http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/skilled-wor...visa-labels.htm. Your visa and passport details are electronically recorded. When you check in to fly to Australia, the airline staff will electronically confirm that you have authority to travel to Australia. You are not required to present this letter in order to travel to, enter and remain in Australia. However, you may wish to keep this letter with you for your reference."

We thus did not get it put into our visa, but our trip is as a result of an emergency back home and there is just not enough time to get it done. We even phoned the case officer and they recon there is nothing to worry about. South Africa is on the list of countries that does not require it (according to VEVO or something). This is apparently a new arrangement and we will have to do it this way, I was just hoping to hear if anybody else has gone through without issues!

Thanks Arno

[CTFamily]

You're dead right about the 457 not having to be evidenced in your passport any more but we had TONS of grief trying to leave South Africa without it. Even with a print out of our electronic Visa info. I had to go into the office at CT airport, log onto the Australia immi site and print out the info that states the 457 is now electronic for Saffers before they would let us go through to the flight!!

Worth the trip into Melbourne to save yourself the hassle - rather deal with 15 mins of Oz bureaucracy than a couple of hours of South African incompetence!!!

But as it's an emergency just take copies (and copies of copies) of everything - including that info in your post above.

Hope things go OK.

Tracey

[Alibaba]

Hi Arno

It's Illona here.

It is the only thing you can do. Luckily you have your old visa in your passport. Just have the necessary paperwork for Caroline. Are all new visas issued this way? It's a bit scary.

Take care

[arno&caroline]

If I can't get to the immi office in town, can I ask someone to do that for me or does one have to be there in person?? I can't remember from the previous time that we were there...???

[Emille]

For the South African side I suggest it must be in the passport.

I had the same query with regard to my 857 visa - phoned DIAC and they said its not a problem in Australia (getting into Aus) as everything's on computer (they dont have it as a requirement anymore to have it in the passport) - but they suggest if you go overseas it should be in the passsport as obviously they dont have computer records of Aus visas and wont allow you on the plane without it being in your passport.

I suppose 457 will be the same principle.

E

[Emille]

Again, you can ask somebody to do it for you, but you need to give them a letter authorising them to do it (this was the requirement for the 857 evidencing - I also did it for my wife and son but needed a letter from my wife authorising me to do it)

Also note that I had a 457 in my passport at the time and they suggested that it wont be sufficient for SA and that I must have the 857 in the passport for overseas travel.

E