bridge

Bridge, if he is not a resident of Oz, even though he is a citizen, would a letter of invitation asist in this case?

Adam.

It will if it outlines the areas of financial support, etc. If they are staying with rellies then a letter from the rellies regards accommodation would also assist. He can also use it to outline his reasons for not wanting to do a spouse visa at this time.

Anyone can supply a letter of support. What weight however that DIAC attaches to that letter of support (if any) will depend on many circumstances. In the OP's situation, he is an Australian citizen who lives permanently in Thailand but wants to visit Australia with his Thai wife for a holiday - sounds fair enough. As gburns57au has pointed out he can also use it to outline why not wanting to apply for a spouse visa.

It is my personal view that that the 48R in many cases doesn't allow an applicant to present a complete application to DIAC. Many applications fail simply because the applicant has failed to satisfy the decision maker that their intention is to visit Australia as a genuine visitor only as required by the Migration Regulations 1994. A thorough application will consist of more than just a completed 48R.

Your wife will need a Thai Police clearance and a police clearance for any country where she has lived for 12 months or more.

I dont believe that you will require an Australian Federal Police clearance for your own child. The information on the Immi website relates to sponsored children.

Thanks. I thought that that might have been the case. Not that getting a police clearance here is a problem. It's the amount of time and inconvenience getting one from Canberra that is a problem.

At least with an AFP police clearance you can do it by post. A Royal Thai Police clearance requires personal attendance.

How long does it take to get an AFP police clearance? A simple one without fingerprints.

15 working days without fingerptints.

30 working days for fingerprint checks.

These are estimates provided by AFP. Can always take longer if additional info is required.

The VFS is primarily a collection point for applications, it is not an embassy extension.

Certified copies of documents are required for the application, this is because the application eventually ends up in Australia.

It would be in your best interests to do the copies prior to attending VFS to ensure that your application is complete at time of lodgement.

If you have the original with you and a copy. When you submit the application to VFS they will sight the original and stamp the copy as original sighted.

Thanks, Bridge. That's going to save some money. Especially in light of the recent cost increases. How long does it take to put in the application at VFS? I have to come from Nakhon Si Thammarat to Bangkok on a day trip and time will be tight. Minus traveling time from and to the airport I'll have about 2 and a half hours. Will that be enough?

Once you are at the counter it usually takes about 30 minutes. How long you have to wait really depends on how many people are in front of you. If you have allowed for a full two and half hours at VFS you will be fine. Make sure you are not going to BKK on a public holiday when VFS is closed.

Is your wife going to BKK too. Might be an idea to get the Thai Police clearance certificate out of the way too.

The VFS is primarily a collection point for applications, it is not an embassy extension.

Certified copies of documents are required for the application, this is because the application eventually ends up in Australia.

It would be in your best interests to do the copies prior to attending VFS to ensure that your application is complete at time of lodgement.

If you have the original with you and a copy. When you submit the application to VFS they will sight the original and stamp the copy as original sighted.

Your wife will need a Thai Police clearance and a police clearance for any country where she has lived for 12 months or more.

I dont believe that you will require an Australian Federal Police clearance for your own child. The information on the Immi website relates to sponsored children.

Thanks. I thought that that might have been the case. Not that getting a police clearance here is a problem. It's the amount of time and inconvenience getting one from Canberra that is a problem.

At least with an AFP police clearance you can do it by post. A Royal Thai Police clearance requires personal attendance.

Your wife will need to satisfy DIAC that her intention is to visit Australia as a 'genuine visitor' only. Unfortunately she will have to go through the same process as any other applicant applying for a tourist visa. This will involve the submission of whatever supporting documentation necessary to evidence that her intention is to visit Australia as a genuine visitor only.

As gburns57au has stated the most appropriate visa to apply for is a subclass 676 visa applied for on the Form 48R.

Attached is a useful information sheet from the Australian Embassy, Bangkok which may assist you:

VisitorVisa.pdf

Good Luck

Bridge

ok thanks heaps.

im gonna download this from and take a good look at it i think.

im not gonna worry about it anymore as you said but if she sells her land maybe i'll give it a last shot and apply anyway if it doesnt jeopardize our future applications.

i was hoping to put in a strong application but i guess i should give it a last shot anyway.

i would have done that anyway. i was gonna give them everything i had in terms of evidence of funds etc. as i understand it, you have to anyway if your going to sponser them financially throughout their stay.

im planning on having about $5000AUD in my account purely for the purpose of sponsoring her after all the airfares, insurance, fees, etc.... shes just gonna be chillin with me livin life not going travelling around the continent or anything.

They arent concerned about what you have in the bank.....you could have 1 million in the bank, without income they wont look at it. Show proof of your income.

You don't sponsor her - you support her stay in Australia which is evidenced by a letter of support which is submitted with her application. Read my previous post to you weeks ago on what should be included in a well prepared letter of support (post # 10):

Dude please do a search or even go back a page or two here and you will find all the info you are after!

Schillaci,

I agree with Turboadam. This forum contains a wealth of information. Do a little bit of research yourself and you will find most of the answers on this forum. You have identified at least a dozen issues that I can see. Most people wont take the time to answer every issue you have identified if you cant at least do some research here yourself.

Bridge

On the 25th of February I posted on the increase in standard processing times from 3 months to 10 month for offshore partner visa applications (subclass 309) submitted to the Australian Embassy, Bangkok after the 07/02/2011. DIAC have just updated the standard processing times (again) to 13 months for offshore partner visa applications submitted in high risk countries:

DIAC - Processing Times

I spoke to a case officer at the Australian Embassy today who informed me that applications are currently being processed between 10 months and 1 year.

Prepare for the wait folks.

Note - the same time frames apply to prospective marriage visa applications (subclass 300)

Bridge

I believe also not mentioned here the cost of 'in country' processing for the spouse visa is substantially higher than if applied for in Thailand. Oz

Onshore partner (subclass 820 & 801) AUD$2960

Offshore partner (subclass 309 & 1000) AUD$1995 / THB66150

Effective 01/07/2011.

They might check your GF background . unfortunately a number of Aussies have been known to bring in thier GFs (bar girls) and then sell them to brothels.

Stereotypical BS.

Would you care to provide proof to support this claim.

Agreed - complete hyperbole.

You have touched on a multitude of issue:

1. Whilst there is no impediment to marrying in Australia on a tourist visa, a tourist visa applicant would not want to state that as their reason (intention) for wanting to visit Australia, that is, to marry their Australian partner. Any tourist visa application must clearly evidence that the applicant is intending to visit Australia as a genuine visitor only and that they have adequate funds or access to adequate fund to support themselves for the purpose and duration of their proposed stay in Australia. A genuine visitor is someone whose intention is to visit Australia for tourist purposes only, and will depart Australia prior to their tourist visa expiring.

2. To be eligible for a partner visa you and your partner must be legally married or in a de-facto relationship. A de-facto relationship requires that you have lived together for at least 12 months without any significant period of separation. Whether married or de-facto it is essential that the genuineness of the relationship is evident. There are many factors that are taken into consideration in determining genuineness (See Regulation 1.15A of the Migration Regulations 1994). Dont fall into the trap that marriage in itself is an immediate gateway to Australian permanent residency. Establishing that the relationship is genuine and continuing is paramount to the success of a partner visa application.

3. To sponsor your Thai partner you must assessed as an eligible sponsor. Again, there are many factors taken into consideration, but in short you must be able to demonstrate that you have the ability to provide for and support your partner for the first two years of settlement.

4. Now for the bomb. Considering you and your partner satisfy ALL of the requirements for a partner visa, on either married or de-facto grounds, she will only be able to apply for a partner visa in Australia if she has a substantive visa, such as a tourist visa, without the no further stay condition attached (Condition 8503). Unfortunately most Thai nationals have this condition attached to their tourist visa. The effect of this condition is that is prevents a visa holder from applying for any other visa whilst they remain in Australia. They therefore must depart Australia to apply for any other visa, which includes a partner visa for example.

5. Current standard processing times for a partner visa application lodged in Bangkok is 10 months +/- from date of application.

Hope this has helped a little.

Bridge

What was the complaint. ?

Basically that the teachers were a little bit too funny. They are all young females so there is certainly a lot of joy at the Walen school in Chiangmai. Some jokes could unintentionally offend someone. The situation is corrected now so we will not have this problem anymore.

Mac the more I read over your OP and your subsequent replies, it is clearly evident that this is nothing more than a failed attempt for you to market Walen by a misleading post.

When asked, "What was the complaint" you replied, "Basically that the teachers were a little bit too funny. They are all young females so there is certainly a lot of joy at the Walen school in Chiangmai. Some jokes could unintentionally offend someone. The situation is corrected now so we will not have this problem anymore".

There is nothing in the OP that even comes remotely close to what you are inferring. In fact most people would describe that as a 'glowing' testimonial. Mac do you honestly expect people to believe that that email amounts to a complaint worthy of you posting it on TV.

I would be interested in your thoughts.

What a strange post by the OP...and with a misleading title.

Not impressed.

Why a misleading title, can you elaborate a little more?

<bridge> has beaten me to it.

Why have you just added me as "a friend".? I find this a bit creepy to be honest.

If I were you, I would call it a day on this thread. It hasn't worked out.

Goes for me to, posted my comment and two minutes later I have been added as a friend. Whilst I don't find it creepy, I do find this all very bizarre.

Sorry Mac,

I know you are a very successful business person and I take my hat off to you, but this really is tackiness at its absolute finest. Oh please Mac really?? .....

As an institution that teaches languages I am sure you know the difference between Complaint and Compliment.

You are either inept or seeking to mislead by your title to get hits on the thread. Im sorry mate but it is either one or the other isn't it?

Shame on you Mac.

Yes it is the partners application and people do forget that. For a tourist visa prove of a relationship is not required, it is enough to prove merely that the applicant is known to whoever supports the application. Remember people get stand alone tourist visas without knowing anyone here if they meet the criteria.

There is no need to have money in the bank if the applicant is being supported, however the person supporting the application will need to provide proof of income. Loading a bank account with large amounts of money prior to applying will only raise suspicions. A stand alone application will need to sufficient funds to cover the duration of the visit.

People do take long service leave of upto 3 months so it is not unheard of for jobs to be kept open for that period of time but I take your point, it would be less likely in Thailand. Having a job to return to is only one thing that gives reason to return, if it not possible to get such a letter from the boss then look at other avenues that give reason to return.

i remember somebody saying on this forum a few months back that in regards to thai girls getting tourist visas to remember that they are the one applying for the visa. not you and not you and her but just her. that gave me the impression that all of this relationship business wasn't relevant to tourist visa applications.

anyway that aside. i wonder how much they want to see in the thai girls bankbook considering you have already put forward everything you have to sponser her financially.

and 1 other thing. i cant think of many workplaces thai or aussie that allow there employee to take a 3 month holiday and keep there job throughout that. is it more of a letter of gaurantee that they have a job when they get back rather than a holiday as such.

Graham,

I agree with everything you have stated. Succinctly put.

AS I predicted a few days ago there have unfortunately been some large hikes in DIAC Visa Application Charges:

New Visa Application Charges (effective from today 1 July, 2011)

Tourist (subclass 676) - WAS AUD$105 (THB3250)- NOW AUD$110 THB3650

Partner (subclass 309&100) - WAS AUD$1735 (THB54050)- NOW AUD$1995 THB66150

Prospective Marriage (subclass 300) - WAS AUD$1735 (THB54050) - NOW AUD$1995 THB66150

Just a few observations:

If paying in Thailand (THB) the increase in the VAC of THB12100 is a massive 22.39%

If paying Australia (AUD) the increase is the VAC of $260 is a still high at 14.99%

Before paying a VAC I recommended checking the AUDTHB exchange rate of the day. Depending on the rate it may be better to pay in Oz or Thailand.

Bridge

All potential Australian visa applicants should note that new visa application charges come into effect this Friday (1 July, 2011). Any visa applications submitted without the correct visa application charge will be an invalid application.

Also keep in mind that the DIAC deemed AUDTHB exchange rate will be adjusted on this day too, and given the recent strength of the AUD$ I am predicting a significant increase in visa application charges where they are paid for in Thailand. It should be remembered that just because an application has to be lodged offshore, this does not mean that the visa application charge cannot be paid for in Australia. In some circumstances this can save you a lot of money.

Current Visa Application Charges

Tourist (subclass 676) - AUD$105 (THB3250)

Partner (subclass 309&100) - AUD$1735 (THB54050)

Prospective Marriage (subclass 300) - AUD$1735 (THB54050)

I will post the new charges on Friday.

Bridge

Those who voted must not have very high expectations. I recently did two trips on AA to Singapore & back and on both occasions they ran out of food before reaching row 12. So anyone who fancies a near three hour flight with no food, & no alcohol then AA is the way to go.

Pre-purchase your meal and you wont miss out.

Interview can be in person or on the phone. This has long been the case - sorry nothing new.

Approximately 10 working days.

spell mad dog backwards.

Q. What does an atheist dyslexic insomniac do at night?

A. Stays up all night and wonders if there really is a dog.

Stu_$

What does it say on the letter advising that the visa has been granted?

Hi,

You said 'a start day of 3 month'. Sorry that makes no sense.

When you mother-in-law collected her passport she would have been given a notice/letter advising that her tourist visa had been granted. That notice outlines the length of stay and validity granted. Have you read that notice? It would say words to the effect, "permitted to say 3 months from date of arrival - single entry - must not arrived after **/**/**".

If you tell us what is on that notice, then perhaps can give you a better answer.

Get yourself to an Australian family law practitioner PDQ. Don't substitute internet advice for tailored legal advice if you really want to maximise your chances.

Agree. Excellent advice.