dmbd

Hey all,

well we have a tourist visa for Australia that expires next week that we did not get to use. Will this reflect negatively on future visa applications or would she be best to come over for a few days?

Thoughts please

Thanks

David

*cough* any advise please

So many mixed reviews on this (and so many replies!)

Thanks for your efforts.

I don't see this being an incredibly high risk investment as the initial outlay isn't that much.

What would say a new studio room rent for in Suk 24 / month?

Dr Dentist in Suk Soi 24 is really good. Their dentists have studied in Australia.

All,

After much debate, we have decided to apply for a tourist visa for the next 6 months to see if my girlfriend likes Australian life and if she likes living here. What we plan is for her to come here for about 2 weeks to see what it is like, then go home and come back a short time later (likely to be in 1-2 months and hopefully stay for 3-6 months). So ideally we are hoping for a multi entry.

We are just going through the application form for a Tourist Visa and were wondering what additional information should be provided to assist with the visa process.

We were thinking the following (based on what others have said on the forum - thanks for your posts!):

• Visa Application Form 48R
  
• Invitation Letter from myself stating that i would like her to come, how we met, how long we have been together, that I am able to provide financial support and accommodation while she is here. Also in this statement I will state that I will purchase a return ticket for her and purchase travel insurance and ensure that she does not breach her visa conditions and I will ensure she departs as required by her visa conditions.
  
• Statement from my girlfriend stating why she wants to come to Australia (the box on the application form is too small! Is it wise to state that she is considering moving here full-time or considering applying for a working holiday visa in the future or best leave this off at this point? This is her first application for Aus (we have been together 4 years...)
  
• Copy of my employment contract
  
• Photocopy of front page of my Australian passport.
  
• Copy of girlfriends bank statement (it is showing about 230,000 baht)
  
• Is it worth putting photos in a tourist visa application? It isn't a long visa and would her funds are probably sufficient for her to get a 6 month visa without me even being a sponsor?
  

At the end of the application form it states has anyone assisted you with this application? I have helped her but I haven't influenced or changed anything that she said. Is it better just to say she has filled this in herself (which she really has - i've just assisted).

Is there anything else that we should include to assist the process and to make it quicker? We are thinking of applying tomorrow and hopefully have her here in the next 7-10 days.

Thanks for your advise once again.

David

I might have a look down that end thanks.

The site I am considering that might be good (pending release of the units!) is opposite President Park in Soi 24, opposite where Tops used to be.

I should have probably said I was thinking of spending about 2-2.5m baht so it won't be anything too flash, more so a small single bedder.

Anyone know how this works with tax in Aus and for visas?

Hi all,

I was recently in Bangkok and the prices of apartments are considerably cheap for a single room condo in a new development. Sure the rental return will not be as high as say in Australia, but the initial outlay is much much less. I am only 28 years old, working as an engineer in Australia and don't plan on retiring for quite some time

I was considering buying a new off the plan single unit apartment as a small investment. Sure its not going to give me a huge return in Australia (probably say 12,000 baht a month or so). I could just about pay off an apartment in 1 year which would be pretty good and then the apartment is purely just an income driver.

I'm not sure how many people here have purchased apartments in Bangkok when they live in Australia, the rules on tax, the rules on keeping the money in a bank in thailand and setting up a bank account in thailand for rental to be paid into and for me to transfer money from Australia to pay for the loan, body corporate fees, management fees etc etc,

I am considering a condo near Sukhumvit Soi 24 which is about to commence.

Does anyone have any advise, points, experience that they might be able to help with?

Thanks for your help.

David

Guys,

Thank you so much for your replies. I thought I was subscribed to the topic and therefore I didn't think there were any further replies, however I have just noticed there have been.

I understand exactly what you mean about the living together for 12 months prior to the application. I honestly think that it is better to live together anyway to get a proper feel of if the relationship will work.

Could you offer any other suggestions on what other types of visas may be suitable? (it becomes quite an expensive exercise paying for visas, ridiculous tuition fees in Aus for foreigners (better to wait till she gets PR really! ). I think the partner visa would most likely be an option if we lived together for a considerable period of time (even 3-6 months) on a tourist visa based on the length of our relationship. (note the: The 12 month relationship requirement does not apply in some circumstances.) I can see where you are coming from in saying that the partner visa might be approved, however if it would be more of a 'guarantee' and assist with the visa, it might be better to apply for a tourist visa for a 3-6 month period, live together here, and then apply for a partner visa. Atleast this way she would also get the benefit of Medicare and would also be able to study.

All of this is very overwhelming at my age. I'm only relatively young (28) and doing something like this is quite a big deal.

If you could offer your advise it would be greatly appreciated. I would even be happy going through the application process through an agent if you believe that it would be beneficial?

Thanks again for your help

David

Cant help you with your particular visa but just curious as to why you wouldnt just apply for a defacto visa as it seems you would meet all the criteria and the financial requirements are a lot less onerous?

Good luck with whichever way you go.

Mate, we have actually thought about this but we won't satisfy the year or 6 month living together criteria, otherwise we would.

Well... its the long term girlfriends birthday coming up and I think its time to get her a decent necklace (Thais seem to love gold...).

I want to buy it for her as a surprise but want to get it from a shop that is reputable and doesn't rip of farangs when they are by themselves buying jewellery. I'm not sure if any of these would allow an exchange if it isn't suitable or she would prefer something else?

Any suggestions would be great! (No I don't want to get in a tuk tuk and let them take me to their friends shop!).

Thanks for your help.

Anyone have had any experience with this? some help would really be appreciated.

Further to the above, I guess another way to get around the finance issue may be to take out a loan for her studies and transfer the money to her and let her apply for the visa in Bangkok.

Some feedback would be appreciated.

Hi Everyone,

I've read quite a lot of discussions on this site and so far a lot of the information has been very informative, but theres still some queries that I have and it would be great to get some advise on the below.

Me and my girlfriend met in January 2008 recently after she finished her university studies in Bangkok. She has since worked for large international companies in Bangkok whilst I was completing my second degree. I was still a student so we decided that it would be easier if she came to Australia after I finished my other degree and was on a steady income again. From 2008 to 2010 I made many trips to thailand to see her and spend time with her.

We have quite a lot of documentation that we will be able to put together to support our application and our ongoing relationship. I have been to her home town on two occasions and met her family. We have 100's of photos and a ridiculously long history of phone calls, sms's (its actually quite scary how many), emails, postage receipts / envelopes etc. I have provided minor financial support and gave her an EFTPOS card that she used when she was low on cash or needed something in an emergency (I have bank statements just for this card - it was a separate account). We have always gone to stay at one hotel on one of the islands since we have been together and the lady there knows us very well and we keep in touch as a friend (would it be worthwhile getting a statement to say she knows we have been together for 3+ years?) The past year we decided that it would be better for me to sort out my finances, pay off any debt that I have and then save enough for her to come to Australia and then we can start fresh, which is what we have done. I now have no HECS debt or any major debts that I believe would hinder the application. Anyway, onto the application....

So now, we are just going through the process of figuring out what we should apply for. We are thinking that it would be a good idea for her to study a master degree here, during such time we would live together and make sure everything goes well before we take our relationship further. If everything goes well we would then apply for a different visa whilst she is here and potentially move things forward in our lives (I think she means marriage).

I have sent her enough money to put in her bank to fund one semester of studies and for a flight to Australia (approximately $11,000 AUD). After the first semester, I will be able to pay for the second semester. I have completed a statutory declaration stating that I am capable and will provide for all of her expenses and will providefull lodging for her whilst she is in Australia. I will ensure that she has the appropriate medical insurance for theduration of her stay in Australia. Iwill support her during her studies and ensure that she completes the courserequirements.

Now, when i look at the subclass 573 visa, one of the notes states that: "You must have:

• been accepted to study full-time in a registered course at an educational institution in Australia
• enough money to pay for travel, tuition and living expenses for yourself, your partner and your dependent children (whether or not they are accompanying you to Australia) for the duration of your stay in Australia
• adequate health insurance for the duration of your stay in Australia. "

I am concerned because of dot point #2, as we do not have enough money for her entire course fees at the time of application and we would pay these fees progressively and they will not be an issue. Does anyone have a way that we should address this in our application to make it easier to be approved? Is there any other options?

Some advise would be greatly appreciated.

This is incredibly overwhelming and has been a long time coming.

Thanks for your help

David and Emm