Taking Thai GF back to Australia possible?

[Odysseus123]

11 hours ago, CygnusX1 said:

Maybe because there are so many married to Australian men that they can form a local community, bit like being back home. Mate of mine’s married to a Filipina, and they’re forever having dinners and parties with her Filipina relatives and friends with their Australian husbands.

Very true...

In my Aussie rural town (approx 25,000 people) my Thai wife has certainly met a number of Thais,some Filipinas,a Cambodian family and is now being becoming friendly with a Bangladeshi family across the way.All these women work,participate in social events,swap food and vegies and seem to have very positive comments to make about living in Australia.

 

I get along well with their Aussie partners and see them as my primary social support network in the area.

 

My wife is also seen by my local koori mates as a wonder worker with kangaroo meat (Thai kangaroo red curry) and her chilli Isaan fish.A consequence of that is that we never seem to run out of these items..????????

[madmen]

16 minutes ago, Odysseus123 said:

swap food and vegies

why?

[Odysseus123]

Just now, madmen said:

why?

Because they want to.

[RJRS1301]

1 hour ago, madmen said:

why?

It's  called sharing, experiencing companionship, mutual support and breaks social isolation. part of being a community

Some places have community gardens where people work volunteering, and share the crops with family, friends and those who need them

[reargunnerph3]

15 hours ago, Will27 said:

Don't think she would be eligible for a RRV as she's not a permanent resident.

 

More likely was given a bridging visa B visa.

Permanent residents don't require a RRV. 

[reargunnerph3]

14 hours ago, Tongjaw said:

Did you do the paperwork yourself or use an agent? Just asking as I’ve heard pros and cons for using one.  

Did everything myself, Agents charge a fortune and don't do anything that you can't do yourself. 

[Odysseus123]

1 minute ago, reargunnerph3 said:

Did everything myself, Agents charge a fortune and don't do anything that you can't do yourself. 

Very true.

[brianthainess]

Has your GF ever been to OZ ? my mate spent a small fortune getting his GF a visa + airfare, in view to get married after 3 weeks she missed Thailand and came back and i think to her Thai man, who had been in the background all along. Has your GF ever been married ? and is she actually divorced ? tread very carefully and do some independent back ground checks.

[Will27]

31 minutes ago, reargunnerph3 said:

Permanent residents don't require a RRV. 

Yes they do.

[emptypockets]

52 minutes ago, reargunnerph3 said:

Permanent residents don't require a RRV. 

They do after 5 years if they haven't got citizenship. 

[emptypockets]

51 minutes ago, reargunnerph3 said:

Did everything myself, Agents charge a fortune and don't do anything that you can't do yourself. 

I used an agent.  He knew the right questions to ask.  I know of a couple of blokes who tried to do it themselves and have been knocked back twice.  Very expensive mistakes to make. 

[Old Croc]

16 hours ago, Will27 said:

Bit of a sweeping statement there.

 

I brought my wife out to Oz for quite a few years and she enjoyed it.

We're now in Thailand but she'd go back tomorrow if I wanted to.

 

Just because it didn't work work out with your lady, doesn't mean it won't work for everyone.

 

And Australia is far from a slum.

Some people bring a slum with them wherever they are.

[reargunnerph3]

20 minutes ago, Will27 said:

Yes they do.

Mate, my wife is a "Permanent Resident" and we go back to Thailand every few of months and she doesn't require any visa to return to OZ because she is a PR. Only a person on a "Bridging Visa" waiting for a "Permanent Resident Visa" outcome requires a resident return visa. I know this from experience.

[emptypockets]

Couple of things for the OP to consider. 

If your intention is the prospective spouse visa you may have a little problem.  One of the criteria is to show you are in a genuine and ongoing relationship. Might be problematic since you are still legally married to someone else. 

Some people say getting a divorce is easy,  and it is.  However there will still need to be a financial settlement done.  Depending on assets, age and future earning potential this can be very expensive.  I know of one bloke who was 64 years old with a wife of 59. Her lawyer was going for 100% of the assets as she had been a stay at home mum with very little other skills to earn an income and he was a quite successful business owner who still had the potential to earn. 

One last thing,  if you had any kids from your marriage and were supposed to,  but did not pay the child support payments,  you will be in a world of hurt. May as well throw your passport away when you land in Oz as you won't be travelling overseas until every last cent is paid back. You may even be seen as a high risk of doing a runner even after this if the kids are still of an age where support was supposed to be paid. 

 

A lot of things to consider. 

Edited September 29, 2019 by emptypockets
Fixed the Autospell mistakes

[reargunnerph3]

7 minutes ago, emptypockets said:

They do after 5 years if they haven't got citizenship. 

Wife's Subclass 100 Permanent Residence Visa is for 5 years and she can apply for Australian Citizenship after 4 years if she meet the requirements.

[emptypockets]

8 minutes ago, reargunnerph3 said:

Mate, my wife is a "Permanent Resident" and we go back to Thailand every few of months and she doesn't require any visa to return to OZ because she is a PR. Only a person on a "Bridging Visa" waiting for a "Permanent Resident Visa" outcome requires a resident return visa. I know this from experience.

I can forward you the email I received a couple of years ago when the wife got her PR.  She WILL require a reentry permit AFTER 5 years of PR IF citizenship is not obtained. 

This does not apply to PR under previous rules but it certainly applies now. 

Edited September 29, 2019 by emptypockets

[Odysseus123]

1 minute ago, emptypockets said:

Couple of things for the OP to consider. 

If your intention is the prospective spouse visa you may have a little problem.  One of the criteria is to show you are in a genuine and ongoing relationship. Might be problematic since you are still legally married to someone else. 

Some people say getting a divorce is easy,  and it is.  However there will still need to be a financial settlement done.  Depending inn assets, age and future earning potential this can be very expensive.  I know of one bloke who was 64 years old with a wife of 59. Her lawyer was going for 100% of the assets as she had been a stay at home mum with very little other skills to earn an income and he was a quite successful business owner who still had the potato earn. 

One last thing,  if you had any kids from your marriage and we're supposed to,  but did not pay the child support payments,  you will be in a world of hurt. May as well throw your passport away when you land in Oz as you won't be travelling overseas until every last cent is paid back. You may even be seen as a high risk of doing a runner even after this if the kids are still of an age where support I'd supposed to be paid. 

 

A lot of things to consider. 

Yes,quite agreed-and that is just the "home base" that needs to be tidied up...

They will be,of course,looking at the state of play in the current relationship as well.

The lack of a divorce in the home country-and hence no marriage in Thailand would (I think) be very closely examined.

 

When I did my application I had to present full evidence for my divorce in Australia as well as my marriage in Thailand (2012)-and don't forget the Thai police check if you have been residing in Thailand for 3-5 years(I forget the exact number)as well as your Aussie one.

[Will27]

9 minutes ago, reargunnerph3 said:

Mate, my wife is a "Permanent Resident" and we go back to Thailand every few of months and she doesn't require any visa to return to OZ because she is a PR. Only a person on a "Bridging Visa" waiting for a "Permanent Resident Visa" outcome requires a resident return visa. I know this from experience.

You said PM's don't require RRV's and they do.

 A person on a bridging visa B cannot get a RRV because they're not residents.

 

Permanent residency isn't for ever, it's for 5 years.

 

 

[emptypockets]

15 minutes ago, reargunnerph3 said:

Wife's Subclass 100 Permanent Residence Visa is for 5 years and she can apply for Australian Citizenship after 4 years if she meet the requirements.

Correct.  And if she doesn't apply or is  not granted citizenship she will still be PR but will need the reentry permit ( for want of a better word) if she leaves the country. No big deal really but something people need to be aware of. 

It's the Aussie version of good guys in,  bad guys out. 

There have been a few people refused reentry after living there for decades due to little known laws.  The boss of the Rebels to name one. Never even got PR as it wasn't really needed previously for immigrants in the 60's and 70's.  You arrived and stayed. 

A few peados have got the boot too along with hundreds of bad boy kiwis. 

You probably knew all that already. 

Edited September 29, 2019 by emptypockets

[reargunnerph3]

6 minutes ago, emptypockets said:

Correct.  And if she doesn't apply or is  not granted citizenship she will still be PR but will need the reentry permit ( for want of a better word) if she leaves the country. No big deal really but something people need to be aware of. 

It's the Aussie version of good guys in,  bad guys out. 

There have been a few people refused reentry after living there for decades due to little known laws.  The boss of the Rebels to name one. Never even got PR as it wasn't really needed previously for immigrants in the 60's and 70's.  You arrived and stayed. 

A few peados have got the boot too along with hundreds of bad boy kiwis. 

You probably knew all that already. 

 

7 minutes ago, emptypockets said:

Correct.  And if she doesn't apply or is  not granted citizenship she will still be PR but will need the reentry permit ( for want of a better word) if she leaves the country. No big deal really but something people need to be aware of. 

It's the Aussie version of good guys in,  bad guys out. 

There have been a few people refused reentry after living there for decades due to little known laws.  The boss of the Rebels to name one. Never even got PR as it wasn't really needed previously for immigrants in the 60's and 70's.  You arrived and stayed. 

A few peados have got the boot too along with hundreds of bad boy kiwis. 

You probably knew all that already. 

Correct. 

[Old Croc]

21 minutes ago, reargunnerph3 said:

Mate, my wife is a "Permanent Resident" and we go back to Thailand every few of months and she doesn't require any visa to return to OZ because she is a PR. Only a person on a "Bridging Visa" waiting for a "Permanent Resident Visa" outcome requires a resident return visa. I know this from experience.

This is a new one on me, I had to check.

You are right, PRs don't require an RRV for the first 5 years. A "Travel Facility" is now part of the grant and allows unlimited entry in that 5 years.

It expires after that and an RRV would then be required if Citizenship hasn't been conferred.

[reargunnerph3]

3 minutes ago, Old Croc said:

This is a new one on me, I had to check.

You are right, PRs don't require an RRV for the first 5 years. A "Travel Facility" is now part of the grant and allows unlimited entry in that 5 years.

It expires after that and an RRV would then be required if Citizenship hasn't been conferred.

 

[reargunnerph3]

4 minutes ago, Old Croc said:

This is a new one on me, I had to check.

You are right, PRs don't require an RRV for the first 5 years. A "Travel Facility" is now part of the grant and allows unlimited entry in that 5 years.

It expires after that and an RRV would then be required if Citizenship hasn't been conferred.

Yep, but intend applying for citizenship after 4 years

[emptypockets]

4 minutes ago, reargunnerph3 said:

 

Correct. 

From memory the wife got a letter two years after visa grant saying she had PR. 

[emptypockets]

1 minute ago, reargunnerph3 said:

Yep, but intend applying for citizenship after 4 years

As an aside to this we went online to do the citizenship test practice questions.  I'd reckon half of the dinki di, true blues would fail!! 

[Old Croc]

Just now, reargunnerph3 said:

 

Yes I saw that after posting. We posted at the same time.

 

Good idea really, gives freedom to travel while settling in from the old life to new, and gives an incentive to apply for citz when eligible.   

[reargunnerph3]

2 minutes ago, emptypockets said:

From memory the wife got a letter two years after visa grant saying she had PR. 

My wife got her Provisional Partner (subclass 309) visa on the same day as she got Permanent Resident (subclass 100) visa and it took 11 months, we applied in Thailand. My brothers Thai partner who applied for PR in OZ while on a Tourist Visa has been waiting 2 years and they have 2 Australian kids. 

[reargunnerph3]

5 minutes ago, emptypockets said:

As an aside to this we went online to do the citizenship test practice questions.  I'd reckon half of the dinki di, true blues would fail!! 

Yeh, me too. I've only been an Aussie for 66 years and I couldn't answer some of the stupid questions. Lucky the wife is smarter than me.

[Old Croc]

41 minutes ago, reargunnerph3 said:

48 minutes ago, emptypockets said:

As an aside to this we went online to do the citizenship test practice questions.  I'd reckon half of the dinki di, true blues would fail!! 

Yeh, me too. I've only been an Aussie for 66 years and I couldn't answer some of the stupid questions. Lucky the wife is smarter than me.

I just tried that. I passed, but got several wrong.

Considering one of the worse, most boring jobs I ever had was Citizenship Interviewer I probably should have done better! The questions were very basic when I was doing it.

[Kenny202]

14 hours ago, bofhman said:

Mate, there is only one guy in Pattaya, who is fully certified and registered as an immigration agent for the Aussie government. His name is Anthony from Offshore Migration Agents Australia. Aussie immigration know him very well. My wife and I were granted a direct 100 visa (full resident) after 3 months. That's brilliant. It pays to do it with him. You can contact him on line ID SnowCrystal or email at www.offshoremigration.com.au Highly recommend his services as NO visa agent not registered with MARN can do partner ones successfully. Especially in 3 months from Woe to Go. He's also handy for Aussie StatDecs. 

Don't really see the point in using agents. I spent a fortune on Thai agents getting tourist visas way beck when, no offence to anyone else of course. I just don't see the benefits. They lull you into believing they have some sort of "in" with Aus immigration. Say they "guarantee" but all they guarantee is that you can try again no charge if unsuccessful, and if last time unsuccessful next time probably will be too. I didn't care too much then, had plenty of money and a weekly income but now would rather do myself. I am sure agents can save a little bit of the running around but at the end of the day from what I can see it's just hand holding really. You still need to gather all of the information etc yourself.