Whether it's making coffee in an anonymous London office or pulling pints in a country pub, the UK offers a myriad of options for working, and earning, abroad. But, irrespective of your reason or destination, there’s always one constant to working overseas, and it’s not ‘Would you like fries with that, sir?’

It’s sorting out a visa, which can be even more of a headache than London’s tube system.

Permits & Visas

If you have a British-born grandparent you can apply for an Ancestry visa, which allows you to live and work in the UK for up to four years. You can apply for residency at the end of the fourth year and citizenship a year after that.

However, most South Africans get a Working Holiday visa, which lets you stay for up to two years. What’s more, the once-stringent conditions were relaxed slighty in August 2004.

Although you may now get a job in your chosen profession and you can spend as long as you like with one employer, as of February 7, 2005 you may only work for a maximum of 12 months of your two-year stay. However, the maximum age has been extended and you can now apply for the visa until you’re 30.

There are still a number of criteria that need to be met if you want to apply for a Working Holiday visa:

  • You need a passport from South Africa or other Commonwealth country, valid for at least the next two years.
  • You must be between 17 and 30.
  • You’ve got to be single or married to someone who also qualifies as a working holidaymaker and plans to take the working holiday with you.
  • If you have dependent kids they can’t be five or older, or turn five before your holiday is over.
  • You need enough money for your return journey and to support yourself initially in the UK without any help from public funds.

Got all of the above? Here's how to apply...

The British High Commission in Pretoria is the only place you can apply for the Working Holiday visa. You’ll need to fill in the relevant application form (VAF 1 2004, available online) and provide your passport, ID-sized colour photo as well as the visa fee.

You may also need to show evidence of how much money you have, proof of any travel plans (like your air ticket) or any supporting documents requested in the guidance notes.

It’s recommended that you provide bank statements (no ATM slips) for the last three-months, reflecting a balance of between R15 000 and R20 000. If your parents are sponsoring you, you’ll need a letter from them saying the money is a gift and not a loan. Also supply a letter from your employer stating your position, length of service and salary, as well as your salary slips for the last three months.

To improve your chances get a letter from a future employer stating their willingness to consider you for a position when you return from the UK.

Alternatively, if you’ve recently graduated, you can consider providing a letter from your school, college or university stating the date of graduation. If you plan to continue studying on your return from the UK it'll help if you can supply a letter of enrolment. It's all about proving to the authorities that you plan on returning to South Africa when your visa expires.

Most applications can be processed by submitting the forms and supporting documentation, but there’s a chance that you may have to attend an interview. Only one problem: interviews can only be held in Pretoria and may not be done over the phone, which could mean an expensive trip to Gauteng if you don't stay in the area.

If your application is successful, your visa will normally be valid for two years from the date of issue. Although you can leave and enter the UK as many times as you like, time spent abroad counts towards those two years.

Want to stay longer?

Working Holiday visas can't be extended, so don't even bother applying. If you want to stay in the UK for longer you'll need to apply for a work permit. The criteria are tough though, so you'll need to prove to the authorities that the UK needs you!

If you’re working in a highly-skilled professional field, your employer can sponsor you for up to four years, after which you can apply for permanent residency. After a year of being a resident, you can apply for citizenship. For more information on work permits see www.workpermits.gov.uk

The nitty-gritty

Raring to go? Here's all the info you need to appply for your Working Holiday visa...

Contact the British High Commission at:
Liberty Life Place
Block B, First Floor
Glyn Street
Hatfield 0083
Pretoria

Their opening hours are 7.45am-noon on Mondays to Thursdays, and 7.45am-11am on Fridays.

You can download the Visa application form in PDF format, or apply online at www.visa4uk.fco.gov.uk. If you need more info you can contact the High Commission on (012) 421 7802 or VisaSection.PRECG@fco.gov.uk.