09
29
2015
backpack travel whv documents

Working Holiday Visa: What documents do you need to translate to travel?

All the documents needed to begin a WHV should be legalised, officially stamped and come with a certified translation, if necessary. See our list.

Travel to discover another country and get a visa to work there… Nothing could be harder, thanks to the “Working Holiday Visa” program. However, certain requirements do have to be met including a certified translation of the documents required for a WHV.

What does WHV stand for?

WHV is short for “Working Holiday”. It comes from the Canadian program called  “Programme Vacances-Travail” (PVT) or “Working Holiday Visa”. The goal of the Working Holiday Visa is to provide young people from fifty different countries the chance to live in a foreign country and work to finance their travel and accommodation needs. The WHV is designed to foster cultural exchange and knowledge among young people worldwide.

Where I can go with a Working Holiday Visa?

The Working Holiday Visa is the result of bilateral agreements between countries, and although fifty countries signed such agreements, not all of them are equally open to all citizens from the signatory countries. For those from the USA, Australia and Canada, their possible temporary work destinations are listed below:

  • USA: Singapore, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, South Korea and Ireland.
  • Australia: Argentina, Bangladesh, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, France, Finland, Germany, Holland, Hong Kong, Iran, Italy, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Malta, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, Sweden, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, UK, Uruguay, USA.
  • Canada: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Chile, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Holland, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Mexico, New Zealand, Noray, Poland, Slovakia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Taiwan and UK.

Who can travel on a WHV?

While there are no prior training or work experience conditions, WHV candidates must meet the following requirements:

  • Age: the WHV is reserved for young people between 18 and 30 years (this may extend up to 35 years in some countries).
  • Citizenship: they must be a citizen of a country that has signed a WHV with the destination country.
  • Passport: the passport must be valid for the duration of the stay, and in some cases, for several months after the return date.
  • Funds: the traveler must show that they have enough money to support themselves during their stay.
  • Documents: travelers may be required to produce certain documents (see next item).

What documents do you need to have translated to travel on a WHV?

The required documents may vary by country. You may be asked to show all or any of the following:

  • bank statement,
  • medical certificate,
  • proof of health insurance,
  • international driving license,
  • criminal record.

In general, all these documents should be legalized, stamped and translated by a certified translator. Sometimes the translator is required to be Embassy-certified.

Discover our translation agency.

This article has been written by Mathieu

Mathieu was born in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. After studying Literature and Linguistic Research, he moved to Argentina where he is currently a translator and a web editor.