ags83

Hi all,

We are currently in Australia with my wife on a Tourist visa. I'm after some good resources / posts for info on applying for a partner visa.

I am specifically wanting to know what extra documentation is required for a partner visa relative to the doc's required for a tourist visa (Thai police clearance, health checks ??), and also how much time remaining on the tourist visa do you need when applying for the partner visa.

Thanks for any help.

Thanks for the replies. So it sounds like the answer is to apply for a partner visa (and try and do it before the price goes up next year....). Is that generally able to be done whilst in Australia on a tourist visa or is that also a problem ?

Thanks again.

Thanks for all the advice guys. I am an Australian citizen, as is our 1 year old son (dual citizen). We arrived here in Australia about 3 weeks ago and initially were planning to stay a month and then return to Thailand, but I was fortunate to gain a job here just after arriving, so now we want to stay here.

I realize that it's just a tourist visa and eventually we will do the partner visa, but it could be a problem that I have been off the radar(and worked on the internet) for a number of years and have lived in Thailand for the major part of 5 years.

So if it is a multiple entry 1 year visa (basically same as the non-o 1 year in thailand ?? ) then she would basically have to go back to Thailand every 3 months ? I guess if we booked flights in advance it might not cost that much...

So on the slip of paper that they gave my wife with the 'paperless' electronic tourist visa for Australia it says....

IMPORTANT

You have been issued a visa for travel to Australia as a:

TOURIST

..............

MULTIPLE ENTRIES

into Australia for a STAY of up to:

THREE MONTHS

The visa is valid for entry to Australia for:

TWELVE MONTHS

from the date of this slip.

My wife said that the VFS people in Bangkok told her that the visa would allow her to stay in Aus for 1 year. But when we arrived at immigration I asked the officer and he said it was for a 3 month stay (though he didn't sound completely definate.....). We did only apply for a 3 month one, but I thought they may have given her more than we asked.

So can anyone please help clear this up for us ? It would be great if it was for 1 year as otherwise we will have to apply for extensions here as I just found a job here so we are hoping to stay for a while.

Cheers.

Minimum wage laws do not increase the average wealth of the people in a free market. In a free market all they would do is create unemployment. It's kind of complicated though because most of these businesses are probably not in a free market and I imaging it takes bribery and powerful friends/etc to be a,say, developer. If it's not a free market then there may actually be some level of 'unfair' profit taking going on..... which is of course due to government to begin with.

It's just so easy for governments to come along and look like the good guys by calling for things like minimum wage, when in reality it is these parasites keeping the people in poverty. Real entrepreneurs do create jobs and more importantly wealth for a society. Anyway, end of my poorly written rant.

Whenever I hear some parasitical member of the ruling elite speaking in the fashion of 'we need to.....' and 'we must.....' , it just makes me sick.

You see the problem is the stupid farmers, they need our god like intelligence and insight to guide them.

Hi, so we sent off a tourist visa app for my wife last Monday from Ubon post office (GDA center ?) . We are cutting it really close with flight dates, what are the chances we will get everything back this week ?

My wife has been to Aus before and I would think that it would be an 'easy' one to grant if that makes any difference in processing times.

Thanks for your help !

There's this idea that it's a really bad thing for a child to have to work, but sending them to thai public school for 15 years and filling their brains with garbage is such a great thing...

Obviously in a perfect world these children would have more options, but that's life. People in the western world get shocked when they see a child has to work in a factory or something ....but what do these people think the child would be doing if not working ? Playing xbox and studying to become a doctor ?

I can only hope that the wonderful government doesn't come along and make it illegal for children to work or some rubbish (just like the min wage thing - if that was actually enforced it would only lead to mass unemployment).

There is a world if difference between helping family in spare time and fulltime work.

Well...kind of, but what is the 'solution' ?

In terms of actual education and future earning potential, I doubt there would be much difference at all between a working street kid and a kid that went through a public school. Though arguments could be made for the social aspects of school life.

There's this idea that it's a really bad thing for a child to have to work, but sending them to thai public school for 15 years and filling their brains with garbage is such a great thing...

Obviously in a perfect world these children would have more options, but that's life. People in the western world get shocked when they see a child has to work in a factory or something ....but what do these people think the child would be doing if not working ? Playing xbox and studying to become a doctor ?

I can only hope that the wonderful government doesn't come along and make it illegal for children to work or some rubbish (just like the min wage thing - if that was actually enforced it would only lead to mass unemployment).

As for the printed money flowing to the rich.....where did that come from? When the money supply is increased it's in effect a wealth tax which affects those with money the most.

Look at the US, the money that is printed goes straight into the hands of those well connected (the big banks ), before filtering down to the little people. Prices don't suddenly just rise when the money is printed, it takes time, those who can spend it first get the best deal as the new money has not affected inflation yet.

And yes there is massive corruption worldwide (especially the Bush family ...). I think in Thailand they just don't even try to conceal it..... mai ben rai

Agree with you, Communism has proven not to be the answer , neither capitalism and it concept of "democracy" which is just an illusion, I think that the problem with communism is that it has been imposed by force, I believe in talking to people and show them that a better world is possible, a world in which people can have the same opportunities to develop their potential, not a world based on exploitation and consumerism, a world in which people and not profits are the most important thing.

Capitalism has nothing to do with democracy. Also what we have now is not 'true' capitalism, not even close. All capitalism really is is the acceptance of property rights, which creates an incentive for people to work and leads to society gaining more material wealth (which in turn generally leads to greater happiness, although it is only a part of it).

The entire problem (everywhere in the world) is governments stealing from the population (which is what will always happen when a certain group of people are given a licence to steal).....how exactly is giving more power to the government going to help....

It is scary that these are the ideas that people turn to in times of trouble. People, economies and markets need freedom to improve, not more oppression from groups of corrupt elites.

Ok, trying to (hopefully) get an application off tomorrow. I want to send off the application via mail but reading the websites I am not sure what exactly to do.

The vfs website says that you must send it from only certain locations, is this true ? Should I send to the vfs center or directly to the Embassy ?

Also is it a problem if you just put the cash in the envelope ? And am I right in thinking that it is 3850 (the visa cost) + 600 for the vfs ? I'm confused what the courier charge that is listed on http://www.vfs-au.net/courierapplication.html is about ..... and why is it so much ?

Thanks for any help !

Yeah I thought there used to be something saying 5 days also. I was just about to book flights departing in 2 weeks and send the application off tomorrow... Lucky i rechecked the websites. What is the latest ?

I did my 120 hour 'intensive' online course in about 14 hours. And yes, it was completely useless but used a lot of big words. I am not sure how many schools actually care about it, much more important that you have a degree to show them.

Seems to be happen to everyone, they just want you to sign up first and then later say it's 200 b an hour and 15 hours or so a week ..... It's probably not intentional, just incompetence....

I don't think it's a big deal for them to fabricate a false timetable, but they might make it out to be to get you to do more hours, the entire 'education' system here is just a show anyway.

Last week I visited another school and will be doing 10 days there once a week, the first idea they had for me was for me to teach the entire schools 250 kids (ranging from primary 1 -> secondary 3) for the full 5 hours each day the assembly area. . I think it's a mix of the teachers wanting to sit around doing nothing and let the falang take care of the kids and them thinking they somehow get a better deal out of it. It's just amazing though.....

Also on another note regarding inneficient / incompetent bureaucracy..... yes of course they are. Of course this initiative won't get anything done, but things like this sound good on paper and some higher ups will get some recognition, it allows many meetings to take place and gets a lot of money into the hands of the well connected. It's the same everywhere in the world although here it just more obvious.

I still find it pretty hilarious that they have teachers who have completed a 4 years 'masters' course in English and can speak at a 3 year old level.

I would like to hear some more opinions on falangs working without a work permit out in the country. Are there actual cases of teachers getting into real trouble. I honestly doubt it, i simply don't know who would be checking up on it out here, but please correct me if I'm wrong. I am aware that the law states you can go to jail and get deported .... but this is Thailand and there is a big difference between whats written on paper and reality, is there any chance of this actually occuring?

And, yes I have been working at the local school for 3 weeks (6 days) and have not started the procedure yet. Firstly the school has absolutely no idea about what that involves, they are also incompetent and I would have to push them to get every document required. Also the contract is only until September and it would probably take that long to get it all sorted out anyway.

That all sounds very complicated, Plopmeister!

The school can employ you directly? Well, I guess you'd still need a work permit for that, wouldn't you, so I can't really see that you're any/much better off? Are you starting work now - or are you still waiting for this and that to fall into place?

To cap it all, we're hearing that the new project will last until September - and that the NES school contracts will be for a (soon) maximum of 4(?) months.

For those of us that insist on a work permit and any other official paperwork to be in place before work actually starts - plus perhaps having to change one's visa status - it seems that it'll all hardly be worth the effort in the end, what with the way things go so slowly, here.

The possible contract period is shrinking by the week - and by the time all the paperwork is in place, there might just be a month or two left to assist in the classroom.....

Cheers

Splod

I can work on a NON O visa as I obtained it by being married to a Thai ( written response from TAK Immigration). I would need everything mentioned in all previous posts if I worked more than 15 hours a week so I am currently doing 3 hours each morning and have a contract directly with the school ( Written response from the education authority in BKK that issues the certificate to teach and by Kamphaengphet Uni).

The original initiative was, of course, set up to improve Thailand's current standing within ASEAN but today they mentioned that the school may wish to prolong my contract beyond September due to the response of the students..

Could you tell me how you obtained this response ? I am in a very similar situation. Thanks.

That's great news.

It's based on marriage. Non Immigrant O - No of entry - M. It's just that I see no expiry date on the actual visa sticker.

So if I wanted to, as my first entry on the visa was September 6 2011, I could technically do a border run now, and then on September 5 do another one and have 15 months total ?

Thanks for the replies.

I just spoke with the director of my local school (noi) this morning. I told them I could work 2 days a week for 15k a month. I said I was happy to teach 5 or 6 hours a day and they took this as 12 hours a week, although I was sure to make it clear again that I would just work 2 full days a week. Is there 6 hours of actual teaching a day in the 'noi' government schools ?? Also is there a link to some clear info on the process of getting the work permit ? Because I am sure I will have to help the school out and give them a nudge along to get it sorted.

Also seems that their plan is to have me teach lecture style to 3 or 4 classes at once....which doesn't sound like a great idea, but at least they have a projector (and that room has air con ).... so will give it a go. Anyone have any experience with teaching in this format? Is it possible to get any kind of interaction going ?

I am currently on a non-o multi entry. Although it's only been 9 months I have left and reentered Thailand 3 times already since getting the visa, and in a week my current stamp will expire. Am i right in thinking that my Visa expires after having 4 separate periods within the country ? Is it possible to get another extension somehow ?

I was planning to go for a new non-o next week. But just this morning the local school offered me a teaching role, but the thing is I wouldn't be starting until next month (hopefully early but my guess is probably not) as they said they have to sort out the contract and what not.

So I am not sure what I should do. Should I make a few border runs for the 15 day periods and wait for the paperwork to get sorted or can I extend my current visa somehow or do i need to do something else ?

Appreciate any thoughts, not quite sure what to do at the moment.

Thanks.

ps: Is there some good clear info somewhere on work permits / (non b ??) because I can't seem to find any good info anywhere and I am sure I will have to push the school a bit and tell them what they need to do.

Well from the looks of it its just rubbish anyway..... I just want a piece of paper that will allow me to teach over there.

You have a wonderful attitude to education. I have no doubt that any school in Thailand would be both delighted and privileged to have you teach there. Please don't waste your time getting any sort of qualification - it's totally unnecessary in your case.

And please don't ever bother starting to use fuddy-duddy punctuation. It's far more fun to read "its rubbish" than the traditional version. And your other punctuation errors are just so apposite.

Just one correction on my part. I wrote "oxymoron". "Moron" would have been closer to the mark.

lol.... calm down. You sound like some bitter, angry guy that hates his job and wants to keep competition out of his area.

I'm only talking about what you learn in a TEFL course and trying to find out about what I need to do. I completely respect the teaching profession obviously. I am an intelligent, happy person and anything that I do I make sure I give it 100% and make the most of the experience.

I come asking for information and you make your first snide completely unhelpful remark (ie:what is wrong with an online course, exactly ??? what is a good offline course ???). Then in the next post you call me a moron ???? Are you a salesman for TEFL courses ? You seem to have taken my remarks very personally.....

Now, if anyone would care to actually educate me on the matter, I would really appreciate that.

Well from the looks of it its just rubbish anyway..... I just want a piece of paper that will allow me to teach over there.

Hi,

I am considering getting into teaching, what is a good option for getting a TEFL certificate ? Is one even required ? I have a bachelors degree and a masters (not teaching).

Also, do many falang teachers teach other subjects besides English ? As I think I would find it more interesting to be able to teach other subjects as well.