Having recently joined the Global Visas team as a blogger and newswriter, I’d like to take an opportunity to introduce myself to the Global Visas online community (and hopefully provide some useful advice along the way).

My name is Mario Hannah and I am an Aussie who arrived in the UK just 10 days ago. How appropriate that I should find a job with an immigration company within my first week in London!

As an expat writing for an immigration company, it only makes sense that I should start by writing about my experiences so far. Hopefully I can provide some useful advice along the way.

My immigration to the UK started three months ago, when I chose to leave my home in Australia for the chance to live and work in the UK.

I didn’t have a job lined up, and I didn’t have a lot of money, but I’d always wanted to live in London.

Sure, it was a stupid decision, but it was well worth the risk.

I arrived last Saturday, and one week later I’m sitting behind my desk at my full-time office job. So how did I get here?

In early June I decided I needed a change and chose London as my destination.

Next came the UK visa application process. This was a huge – and surprisingly difficult – task. It was nearly impossible to find all the necessary information, and I spent hours researching my options.

After all that time I still managed to apply for the wrong visa. By the time I had gathered all my documentation and applied for the right visa, my trip was just three weeks away.

UK visa applications can be made up to three months before arrival in the UK. My advice is to apply immediately to avoid the nail-biting wait. Visa processing times can vary, and applying so late was a risky move. Luckily for me, my visa arrived just three days before my departure.

Applying for a UK visa was a stressful experience I do not wish to re-live. If you’d like to avoid this stress, a little company called Global Visas might be able to help out.

I arrived in London with one week booked in a hostel. The plan was to find a job and a place to stay by the end of the week. I applied for jobs relentlessly, but was reluctant to commit to a home before I found a job.

Unbelievably, I found a job within four days. I was extremely lucky, but it was my reward for hours of job applications.

Currently, I’m happy to be working and living in the great city of London. The only problem is that I’m still homeless! Living in a hostel is good fun, but not when you need to wake up at 7am every morning. My roommates certainly don’t appreciate it.

I’m hoping to bring loads more content to you via GlobalVisas.com in my new role as the company’s blogger and newswriter. Check out our Immigration News and Video News pages for more visa news and information.

And feel free to share your own experiences about living, working or studying overseas. Take advantage of our global audience to provide any tips and advice to your fellow expats.

I’ll be blogging quite regularly in my new role, so stay tuned for more immigration information and advice. If you’re interested in applying for a UK visa, visit our home page and follow the easy, step-by-step process.

Bye for now!