Panel Doctor Advice For Oz Spouse Visa's

[david96]

We purchased the Partner Migration Pack from the VFS office in Bangkok. 16 days later we submitted the application to the VFS office and paid the application fee with a Bangkok Bank cheque in THB. A receipt was issued by VFS.

The migration pack cost about THB 470 and it contained all the DIAC documents to apply for a spouse 309 temporary visa including the partner migration book. The VFS clerical officer did a routine check that all essential documents had been supplied. The application would have been received by DIAC the next day.

In 2 years time from the date the visa was granted the sponsorship will cease and my wife will apply for the permanent residence (spouse) visa. This is the second stage of processing and it is then that the two form 888s have to be completed by persons who know of our relationship and known both myself and my wife for 1 year or more.

At the second stage of processing we will both be in Australia. This processing is carried out at the nearest DIAC office to where we live.

[david96]

Information Only. Here is a website that explains statutory declarations in more detail.

http://www.ag.gov.au/statdec

[gburns57au]

David...

There is no need to keep on pushing your point...

We relate here what can be read on the sites and also from experiences of our own and others...all applications are treated differently depending on the application and the Case Officer. In this case I have related that a friend of mine doing an offshore application was asked by the Case Officer to supply two completed 888 forms. This does not mean that everyone will be asked to provide the same however......does it not make sense to provide it before being asked, thereby reducing any delays in the application process.

Both myself and another friend have supplied them and we havent been told that they were not needed. The more complete the application the less there is a chance of delays

However so as not to labour on this....read page 23 of the Partner Migration Booklet.

Where it says "in addition to the 2 completed form 888's"

That should resolve this.

Fishhooks....the answer to your question is also covered there

Edited November 28, 2007 by gburns57au

[fishhooks]

As regards the embassy moving the "goalposts" at will, I couldn't agree with you more and I did point this out to the 'learned friend'

AT the same time informing him we who share day to day life in the LOS are more than used to this dealing with shifting goalposts with every dealing with Thai Immigration.

I do however maintain a confidence when dealing with authorities, that common sense and good manners and approach usually win out and will not be intimidated with pedantic issues that may surface.

I am extremely grateful and thankful for the advice given here and I would say we have covered this Stat Dec issue adequately. I will report back for sure.

Perhaps a 'nig noy' issue by now, but did the forum ever come to a conclusion about the personal statements of the applicant and sponsor required by the embassy?

I cannot locate the threads involved but remember several months ago, numerous points of view floating around for several days re the filling out of these forms, how it should be done, to what degree the Oz sponsor should be involved in the applicant's statement and again even the type of paper format to be used?

[david96]

In my case I could not have complied with supplying the two form 888s in Bangkok for the following reasons.

In the prior 18 months up to the application date I had 4 months in Thailand and my wife had 8 months in Australia.

They may take a closer look at "defacto applicants" applications.

DIAC uses the Migration Regulations 1994 and their PAM 3 manual and applicants must meet the criteria for the class and subclass of visa they apply for. Everyone is treated equally and if you get a refusal they will give you the reason and advise you of any right of appeal.

[aussiebob]

Dear Fishhooks, My wife Lek applied for her provisional spouse visa in Feb this year and approval came 4 weeks later.

We both did our covering letters completely independant of each other as I didn't want it to appear there had been any collusion whatsoever.I wrote my letter here in Melbourne as a stat dec.( I just typed statutory declaration on the top with the appropriate wording and had it witnessed as such). My wife wrote hers in Bangkok and had it translated by an approved agency in Bangfkok.

We also supplied the 2 x 888 declarations as advised in the migration booklet . It obviously didn't have an adverse effect on the application.

Bob

[gburns57au]

As regards the embassy moving the "goalposts" at will, I couldn't agree with you more and I did point this out to the 'learned friend'

AT the same time informing him we who share day to day life in the LOS are more than used to this dealing with shifting goalposts with every dealing with Thai Immigration.

I do however maintain a confidence when dealing with authorities, that common sense and good manners and approach usually win out and will not be intimidated with pedantic issues that may surface.

I am extremely grateful and thankful for the advice given here and I would say we have covered this Stat Dec issue adequately. I will report back for sure.

Perhaps a 'nig noy' issue by now, but did the forum ever come to a conclusion about the personal statements of the applicant and sponsor required by the embassy?

I cannot locate the threads involved but remember several months ago, numerous points of view floating around for several days re the filling out of these forms, how it should be done, to what degree the Oz sponsor should be involved in the applicant's statement and again even the type of paper format to be used?

Personal statements are just that....personal and should be made independantly. The statement can be handwritten or typed....MM was totally right with that. The Thai applicants statement will need to be in English or translated into English with the relevent stamps

[david96]

The two statements one from the applicant in Thai with a copy in English and one from the sponsor stating how,when and and where you both met and the date that the "relationship" commenced and how it "developed" are the most important documents for the application.

The next are documents proving regular financial support to the applicant,eg international bank transfers to her account.

Of course other documents to support your application,selected telephone accounts (copies) and photographs etc.

The time from when your "relationship" commenced to the date of your application is important although no specific time is stated if you are legally married 6 months would be recomended it may be less in less in certain circumstances.

For "defacto" relationships it is normally 12 months.

Legal marriage does have advantages over "defacto" status when all matters are taken into consideration.