Spouse Visa For Australia

[BAKABAS]

With all of the replys you seem to have all of the basses covered, the only thing I would add for this applicationis to do everything in Duplicate,a second original of all application forms and certified copies of all other doucuments and translations, if you are getting copies certified get 6 or more of each, we have certainly used a heap for all sorts of applications from Spouse Visa, Temp & Perm Resedent thru to drivers License,Citezenship and AUS Passport. Application files have been misplaced in the past and its good to have a back up.

The need for doucuments never seem to never cease and be prepared to continue gathering as much information on a continuing and genuine relationship.

Best of luck - was a long process 7 years ago, hope it has become a little more streamlined

The last post was cause of " flood control" i never got a chance to type, the computer just went beserk.

Thanks for the tip JBL, i wasn't going to, but i will now scan and store every piece of paperwork. GREAT TIP !

MM, i thought about that before i posted about my experience ringing the embassy. I though the same. should i, shouldn't i, I thought Damage done already, so what the heck, post.

I paid for translations today. 250 BHT per page. Apparently in Pattaya and Chiang Mai it is 1000 BHT per page and BKK is 500 BHT per page. for those who are interested.

Cheers.

[Pink Mist]

sorry B but we get a lot of "quote" posts like that, thanks for the heads up, we need to look at the flood control then

[fosco]

Good luck tomorrow!!   

[BAKABAS]

Good luck tomorrow!!   

thanks fosco. I wasn't going to post till tommorow, but i can't sleep. Nerves. All i can say at this stage for anyone reading that wants a tip:

READ THE APPLICATION FORM AND THE SPONSERSHIP FORMS 110% OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

If i did, i would not of missed a few important things at the last minute. Now i have to do a few things in the morning before we go to BKK.

but one great thing did happen by reading them for the last time today. My greatest fear was taken away , as one of the things i did miss was very much in my favour. I have sweated on a part of the application for over a month. If i only read it properly and remebered it, i need not of worried.

READ THEM , READ THEM AND READ THEM.

will let you all know my lodgement journey tommorow.

cheers.

[Aussietraveller]

Good luck tomorrow!!   

If i did, i would not of missed a few important things at the last minute.

but one great thing did happen by reading them for the last time today. My greatest fear was taken away , as one of the things i did miss was very much in my favour. I have sweated on a part of the application for over a month. If i only read it properly and remebered it, i need not of worried.

cheers.

What was it that you missed?

Put my mind at ease that i have not missed it as well.

I am heading to Bangkok in several weeks (3-4 probably)to do the same (spouse Visa lodgement) so am very interested in your"journey'

Good luck tomorrow.

[BAKABAS]

Well, i didn't make it to BKK today. Spewin.

turns out the Mrs documents that i needed to get certified took longer than we expected. It is not as easy as going to a JP in Auz. Had to go to a Thai Lawyer. I was cranky that he didn't listen to me, that the certification had to be in english. He said " i have done this before" at the least it only cost me 500BHT for 1hr . Try that with Aussie solicitors and you'd be working for a whole week for 1 hr.

Anyways, The story goes.... I rang the Embassy to see if we had to get the certifications translated to english and you would't believe what they said. I wish i had rung them in the morning, i would of lodged today if i had.

They said " The visa office prefers to certify them" I said " you mean that i didn't need to get anything certified" No they said. " Bring all the originals and the copies and when we finished certifiying them we will give the originals back to you"

So, The point of the post is:

Do exactley that. Bring all documents and the visa office will certify.

another thing i learn't today the hard way.

this has put me back 3 days cause there is a public holiday on Monday. Not to mention the 1 hour staring at this soliciotor who kept assuring me that he was right and the 500BHT fee. I also said that i had done my certification in Australia. " Thats ok, but you didn't have too"

Document certification - let the visa office do it for you, as they "prefer to"

Just another tip future applicants should be aware of to help keep thier hair.

Cheers.

PS: Aussietraveller. I answered your last post via PM.

[Aussietraveller]

Thanks for noting that Monday is a public holiday.

I was ready to pack up the car and head to bangkok, to go to the Embassy on Monday.

Need to pick up Aust. citizenship cert and lodge an Infant passort application.

Spouse Visa app will be a few weeks away.

I am headed back to OZ in a week for about 5 days. All of our phone records, bank statements etc are in storage with our furniture. Once we have these, and a few other things, i will be ready to lodge Spouse Visa app.

I still have not made the decision about where to lodge, embassy or visa office?

BAKABUS, my fingers will be crossed for you next week. Got the PM, thanks.

[BAKABAS]

Thanks for noting that Monday is a public holiday.

I was ready to pack up the car and head to bangkok, to go to the Embassy on Monday.

Need to pick up Aust. citizenship cert and lodge an Infant passort application.

Spouse Visa app will be a few weeks away.

I am headed back to OZ in a week for about 5 days. All of our phone records, bank statements etc are in storage with our furniture. Once we have these, and a few other things, i will be ready to lodge Spouse Visa app.

I still have not made the decision about where to lodge, embassy or visa office?

BAKABUS, my fingers will be crossed for you next week. Got the PM, thanks.

I'm going home this Friday. It would be a shame if we were on the same flight and didn't know it.

after i lodge at the office on Tuesday, i will post here my experience and this might help you decide where you will lodge.

You just reminded me to throw in the phone records for Tuesday. Thanks

good luck to you also.

[Aussietraveller]

I fly out Saturday unfortunately.

BKK-SYD, SYD - BNE on QF.

Back 1 week later.

What time do you fly on Friday?

[BAKABAS]

Just got back from lodging spouse visa. Yipee! what a relief.

A couple of things to note for future applicants. 1 Biggy. That is to:

1. take 44,000 BHT CASH with you. No credit card accepted at the visa office, and like most people , i could only get 20,000 per day from ATM. Lucky i had my Mrs card too.

2.they now are checking everyone in that walks into the office via register ( Guest book ) before you get a ticket. Thais should have id card to do this. No check on my passport, just a name address and signature.

3. Like i said before, they easily certify documents for you as they " prefer to do it ". the trouble we went to by getting a Thai Lawyer to certify all my Mrs stuff was still accepted. If they need another copy of any paperwork, they will give it to you and direct you to the back of the room where the photcopier is. No prob.

4. Everything was intact as far as i know, i guess the Embassy will tell us if it isn't.

5. We were told 1 month wait for interview.

6. Thats about all i can offer. All we have to do now is sweat it out for a couple of months at the latest ( i hope )

All in all, my experiences , everything to do with getting the person i love beside me in Australia has been ok. the staff at the Embassy are very helpful if you just call them. the staff at the Visa office are nice to deal with. Just show some respect and it comes back to you ( Hey, we must be in Thailand )

Good luck to all future applicants.

I will let you all know my outcome asap.

Thanks to all who helped me. Big thanks to Mighty mouse. thia is a bloddy great website.

Cheers.

[BAKABAS]

You bloody beauty. Today we received a call from the Embassy. We have been granted the visa. 3 Weeks after lodging the application.

I expect to fly over and pick up my new family within 2 weeks. I am estatic !

Thankyou Australian Deptartment of Immigration. The trust you have placed in me to be a good family man will not be misplaced.

Big thanks to Varissa at the office for your kind help and professional manner in helping us to become the family we dreampt of.

I was totaly confident that there would be no problems. I am a little surprised but thankful it took so quick. I guess if you have all the paperwork done correctly, it helps.

I would not of been so prepared if it wasn't for Thaivisa.com. The amount and quality of the information here is invaluable. I even told the office that www.thaivisa.com was a source of my info.

All i can say to future applicants, that i have not already said, is be honest. The truth always wins. Love your partner like there is no tommorow. Respect others ( Especially the Embassy Staff )

thanks again to all those who replied to my post.

Good luck to everyone.

I am off now to live happily ever after.

Cheers,

1 Happy Camper.

[JBL]

Awsome result, all the very best - dont forget that there are pleanty more applications to come, my wife has just recived her Australian passport not that we rushed but its nearly 8 years ago that we lodged our Spouse Visa Application but the amount of times we needed translated copies of the family book and other documents never seemed to end. All the very best to both of you

[Mighty Mouse]

Mission accomplished. Well done, congratulations.

It's always nice to see a smooth entry into Australia for genuine applicants.

Thanks for sharing your journey with us. Wishing all of you a very happy Ozzie life together.

[gburns57au]

Well done the both of you....

My wife's application goes in soon....hopefully this week sometime.

[Aussietraveller]

Congratulations, great result.

[BAKABAS]

Good luck to all. Thanks for the help and kind replies.

If i can help any future applicants, i certainly will repay this forum.

Cheers,

[fosco]

Congratulations!  Best to you both and have a great Christmas. We have decided to delay application awaiting more paperwork. (they want tax returns.  errrggh.) But as partner has a 12 month visa with a three month stay each time, we will come back to Oz next week.

[NedKelly]

This might be a bit late .....and I have not read all the replies between the first and last.......but for my 20 cents worth........a couple of things.....First - it's not the local police station you go to.....it's the special one in Bangkok (forget what its called but look it up on the Oz Embassy website). Ditto for medical checks......can only go to certain hospitals.......again check the website for a list.

In general, it's a good idea to make a nice photo album which follows your relationship through from the beginning........just stick the photos in and then add bits of paper with some text about the photos......ie make a story.

Good luck....