Spouse Visa Application

[zidaney]

Hello,

I wanted to make a few notes of what you should know before and when making a spouse visa application, having made an application a couple of days after Christmas and awaiting the outcome...

Firstly, I would advise, as obvious as this is to some people, that you get a medical check BEFORE you even start thinking of making the spouse visa application. We found this out the hard way as my wife is healthy (far more healthier than me!), however she has minor issues that in the least will slow the processing time for the visa, and at worst she will be denied based on her health. We had already paid for the visa application before hearing the result of the health check, meaning it could be wasted $$$ even if her visa application was successful. Knowing there's a health issue early on will allow you the opportunity to get the problem looked at and possibly fixed before you apply.

Secondly, getting a police clearance takes I believe 10 WORKING days to be processed, so allow for this, although you can always hand them the certificate after you've handed in your initial application paperwork, although this adds to more mucking around and delays in processing time.

Thirdly, as a few people have already mentioned (such as gburns57au), please check at the bottom right hand corner of your "Sponsorship for A Partner to Migrate to Australia" (Form 40SP) or "Application for Migration to Australia By A Partner" (Form 47SP) for "Design Date", as this is the date when the forms were last updated. Check with www.immi.gov.au to see if the forms 40SP and 47SP have been updated since you filled them out. Ensuring you have the most up to date forms means quicker visa processing time and less hassle if you have to re-submit the newer version of the forms.

Fourthly, on top of thoroughly preparing all paperwork and evidence for your spouse visa ensure that when it comes time for the interview (roughly 2-4 weeks after submitting your application) ensure the person applying knows about you, your job, where you live etc...also the addresses of your immediate family, and how often they keep in touch with your immediate family. My wife was asked these questions at her interview today.

Generally, if you cannot speak much thai then allow more processing time for everything you do (medical check, police check, translating etc) as it is confusing enough to follow government procedures here in Australia in english.

As I mentioned before, this info has probably either been said before or people are aware of it, but to those considering applying it may save them time and money. It's easy to forget important things to be done, or to make sure things are done in the order and planned properly when you're busy fretting and scrambling to get everything together for your visa application.

FYI dealing with people at both the Australian embassy and VFS has been very pleasant and they are helpful and informative.

If anyone else would like to add tips or info that they didn't come across until applying, please feel free to add your thoughts, hopefully to save future applicants time, money and headaches!

[sezzo]

Some good advice there. My wife and I are just starting the process and will submit in mid feb when I am there next.

Good luck for yours to be successful

[druckman]

Some good advice there. My wife and I are just starting the process and will submit in mid Feb when I am there next.

Good luck for yours to be successful

Hi Sezzo!

We might see you at the Embassy because I plan to get married on the 5th of February in South Thailand and then come back with the marriage certificate etc also we have to pick up the Police clearance in order to submit the paperwork (47SP). Does anybody know the current process time if in fact all the required paperwork is in order?

This forum is very valuable for anybody in need of a partner visa or else. All my major information including how to get the "clearance to marry" I researched on TV. I only can agree to zidaney the OZ government makes it sometimes very hard to get any information. To find out if I could speed up the progress I visited the Brisbane DOI and ask specifically if there is anything my spouse and me can do to speed up the progress before we go back to Thailand and start the application. We got informed that the only thing we could do was paying the fee and that was it. No word about the medical or some info about the time frame to get the police clearance. To top things up the Lady informed me that my spouses visa was a multiple entry visa (in fact single entry no further stay) and she had to leave for Thailand on the 6th of Jan.08 (in fact the last day to enter) So you can see it depends who you talk to and you can certainly rely on most of the info here on TV. Just one word for preparing the application I'm still doing it ...it takes a lot of research and planning if you want to get it right the first time.

At present I'm not worried that the passport is expiring next year Nov.2009 or about the name change .We will have her new ID and that should be sufficient. I said to myself just go by the 47SP checklist read TV and don't take "No" for an answer.

Good Luck to all!

[fishhooks]

Good advice, all round.

About to apply with most things ready and agree with all points raised.

[gburns57au]

To top things up the Lady informed me that my spouses visa was a multiple entry visa (in fact single entry no further stay) and she had to leave for Thailand on the 6th of Jan.08 (in fact the last day to enter)

I believe that the Temporary Resident (commonly known as a spouse visa) visa is a multi entry.....she can come and go as she wants until the PR is determined....when and if she gets the PR....she can do the same for 5 years....then she must use a resident return visa to leave and re enter the country unless she gets citizenship and an Oz Passport.

It sounds as if you talking about a single entry tourist visa.

Edited January 19, 2008 by gburns57au

[druckman]

To top things up the Lady informed me that my spouses visa was a multiple entry visa (in fact single entry no further stay) and she had to leave for Thailand on the 6th of Jan.08 (in fact the last day to enter)

I believe that the Temporary Resident (commonly known as a spouse visa) visa is a multi entry.....she can come and go as she wants until the PR is determined....when and if she gets the PR....she can do the same for 5 years....then she must use a resident return visa to leave and re enter the country unless she gets citizenship and an Oz Passport.

It sounds as if you talking about a single entry tourist visa.

Hi Gman.

Just to clarify for you : Present/current Visa : Tourist Visa ! The young lady looked at the visa when we visited the DI to check the name. We asked for info to ensure if we can do anything in OZ to speed up the application when we returning to Thailand for the wedding next week. It would be very hard not to see the limitations stated on the visa. If I would trusted her completely and without common sense I could have visit NZ and changed the return flight. The consequences would have been severe.

As I stated before it all depends who get to deal with at the time ...because when we visited Cairns to see friends we also gave it a go at the DI and the service was exactly what you expect for our tax contributions. Friendly,professional ,very knowledgeable and very helpful.

Gman BTW are you ex government?

[zidaney]

Sezzo, Druckman and Fishhooks,

Good luck with your applications. Graham, how's your family settling?

Getting a photo at the amphur office when you register your marriage is absolutely imperative!! This is particularly true if you don't intend to have a proper wedding in the future in Thailand before applying for the spouse visa. Make sure you're dressed at least fairly formal so you can get a photo with the nice background they provide at the office (they had that at the place we went to anyway). If you don't have one or more photographs they will be very suspicious.

In terms of requiring two witnesses for registering your marriage, we went to the trouble of bringing my wife's uncle and cousin, then found out the staff at the office can act at witnesses. Though this seems to be different throughout other offices that I have read on these forums..

Druckman, where abouts in Southern Thailand are you getting married?

[druckman]

Druckman, where abouts in Southern Thailand are you getting married

Zidaney you are more than welcome to take the wedding pic's ! Around 08 AM in Sathingphrah 5 th of Feb. 1 Hr east of Songkhla...I know the territory you should not go according to the travel advisory website. Never had any trouble...anything to keep her happy ...but she makes me very happy in return.

[gburns57au]

Hi Gman.

Just to clarify for you : Present/current Visa : Tourist Visa ! The young lady looked at the visa when we visited the DI to check the name. We asked for info to ensure if we can do anything in OZ to speed up the application when we returning to Thailand for the wedding next week. It would be very hard not to see the limitations stated on the visa. If I would trusted her completely and without common sense I could have visit NZ and changed the return flight. The consequences would have been severe.

As I stated before it all depends who get to deal with at the time ...because when we visited Cairns to see friends we also gave it a go at the DI and the service was exactly what you expect for our tax contributions. Friendly,professional ,very knowledgeable and very helpful.

Gman BTW are you ex government?

Ok....the word spouse's threw me there....

So lets get this right....you are marrying in Thailand and lodging the visa application here?

[zidaney]

Druckman,

Thanks for the offer! However I've returned to Australia already. Hope it's a great wedding. My wife is from Satun province, so I thought i'd ask whereabouts your wife was from since you said Southern Thailand.

In regards to our visa application the lady who interviewed my wife made points about what we missed from our application and that since I have been to Thailand three times (1st time for 1 1/2 weeks, 2nd for time 1 month and 3rd time for 2 1/2 weeks) that it looked like I had been coming over just for holidays despite our mountain of evidence including over 200 photos with my wife and lots of her family. It sounds like it's not panning out too well...although this is aside from awaiting the result of her health check which would mean a refused visa anyway.

Has anyone else experienced similar comments made by the interviewer? It is sounding like an imminent refusal at this stage...

[druckman]

Hi gman!

Here we go: Wife to be here at the present on a tourist visa (single entry, no further stay etc). We went to the DOI in Brisbane to get some advice if we can do anything here in Australia to minimize the waiting time after the 47SP is lodged in Bangkok next month. Like getting the medical done here to avoid the 6 weeks turnaround (Results from doctor get sent to Brisbane for approval and than back to Bangkok if you do it in Thailand) like getting as many documents witnessed by a JP here (free of charge). The lady answered: "All you can do here in Australia is paying the AUD$1390 processing fee and that's it" It took us 2 weeks to have the medical results in our hands ready to be presented at the interview in Bangkok. So knowing what you talking about would help the taxpaying public at lot. I hope this clarifies your questions!

Hi Zidaney!

Hold your head up straight; never take "No" for an answer anyway! My wife to be had some concerns as well since she has fallen pregnant during her stay here (confirmation 2 days after the medical) so I called the Doc and requested the results over the phone which you are entitled to because you or the wife pay for the medical. In our case it was OK and it will OK in your case ( or fixable) as well.

From my experience all your worries will be spend for nothing because other circumstances will happen and it comes out good in the wash! I think the interviewing Lady is taken her job too seriously and just want to show her part of the power game. It will be nothing personally just the case that she didn't had all the info gives her an opening. Ask the wife what she needs, fix it and let her known that you can smile too!

Zidaney just an example how great life can be...we got told by an intern Doctor a the Mackay Base Hospital that my wife had a miscarriage you can imagining the sorrow and pain in both of us...10 minutes later we saw the healthy heartbeat of our baby during a scan. So hang in there and no worries Mate!

Edited January 20, 2008 by druckman

[aussiestyle1983]

Very good advice.

My wife's spouse visa was approved 28 hours after it was lodged. Based on our experience, although it was a year ago now, here are some more tips.

1- Make sure you lodge a complete application. As the OP said, get the police and medical checks completed before you lodge, then, if you have a good application, the case officer will most likely want to get it approved quicker and start on the next. Not having a complete application means that your application will most likely be moved down to the bottom of the pile.

2- Don't lodge your application at the VFS, only lodge it at the embassy (together with your partner if possible). This will put you at an advantage from the start, because the staff there are more knowledgeable and will be able to answer your questions better; you don't have to wait for the application to be sent there from the VFS; more importantly, you get to meet your case officer face to face. If your relationship is genuine, they will most likely see that, so impress them and then like us, you might not even need to be interviewed.

Those are just two easy tips I learnt from my experience.

Good luck.

[druckman]

2- Don't lodge your application at the VFS, only lodge it at the embassy (together with your partner if possible).

Thanks aussiestyle!

One big problem I have right now to get an interview at the embassy or to call the right person to get a date for an appointment. The Lady's I talked to all referred me to the VFS , everyone of them like they are instructed to do so. I had a very strong conversation with a Thai Lady after she talked to my wife to get her to give me a date . The earliest date was the 27 Feb .I questioning her position and she informed me that she is a case officer when asking for details like time and requirements she put me on hold. After doing the research here on TV I expected to call them and asked for a date around the 11th of February which would suit me just fine. So I would appreciate if a member of TV can give me a direct number or a name to set up the interview. I certainly didn't expected such a delay for just getting an interview.

Are there any members who directly lodged with the Embassy lately? Any help with PH numbers would be appreciated.

[fishhooks]

Congrats to everyone here over the last few days, good stuff.

Two things raised my eyebrows a tad;

1. Imperative to get a photo at the Amphur registration!

Haven't heard this before. We had the local Buddhist Ceremony in June last, lots of pretty photos, but nothing at the Amphur on Xmas Day, it was very efficient, very "office setting" no backdrop, sitting at a desk, so really would have been no point!

If the matter at hand is proving that you are genuinly married, I'm sure I can do this with a 2 year plus relationship and corresponding photos of time around the wife's home camp and three overseas holidays out of Thailand to Cambodia, Burma and Singapore. Plus all the phone contact stuff and support payments, again over two years.

Told here in Korat last week that her 'medical' was fine also.

2. I didn't realize you could go direct to the Embassy with your application.

Would appreciate any advice or experiences on this?

This topic has similar undertones to the Oz "Retirement" one running at present. Seems if you get unreasonable treatment, you need to be prepared to concientiously stand up for yourself!

[aussiestyle1983]

2. I didn't realize you could go direct to the Embassy with your application.

Would appreciate any advice or experiences on this?

From my experience and knowledge, I believe that this is ONLY possible when lodging a migration visa, such as a partner migration visa. From what I recall, I being an Aussie citizen had to be there at the time otherwise my wife would have had to lodge the application at the VFS. I don't know how true that part is, but maybe the embassy offers this service to help Aussie citizens only, not sure. But yes, migration visas can be lodged anywhere, only cheap visas such as tourist visas that are handed out by the dozen and other visas like that need to be done at the VFS.

I wonder if the Thai spouse could make an appointment to lodge at the embassy alone without being accompanied by the kangaroo?

Put in the effort, make sure everything is complete, go to the embassy together, look in love, dress well but don't overdress; make a good impression in front of your case officer when you hand them your complete application. That should impress them enough for a decision quicker than the 9 or so months waiting time on the letter they give you. I hope everyone's visa could be approved within 28 hours like ours........

Has anyone out there beaten our record? Maybe an on the spot approval? I was just so shocked to recieve the phone call from the case officer whilst working the next day. When I saw the embassy number on my phone I thought I had forgotten something. The lady said your wife's visa had been approved. I said bullshit, with joy. She said, do you want it or not? I said see you tomorrow. End of story and six months of prepeartion ond over 5 x 3" thick folders full of doccumentation and evidence.

[fishhooks]

aussiestyle 1983:

When was this application? sorry if I missed it in one of your earlier posts.

So I take it, you fronted without an appointment and just handed in the goods?

[aussiestyle1983]

aussiestyle 1983:

When was this application? sorry if I missed it in one of your earlier posts.

So I take it, you fronted without an appointment and just handed in the goods?

I think we lodged some time in Dec 06? Well, it was late 06.

We made an appointment about 2 weeks before we were able to lodge, I think we picked a quiet time to call because we had to change the date and they said we were lucky because it usually take 4 weeks to get an appointment. Whatever you do, speak to the visa section, don't let anybody tell you that you can't lodge at the embassy. If you have to, because a lazy un-informed prick answers the phone, tell them you had a bad experience at the VFS, something like that, tell them you know you can lodge a spouse visa at the embassy and you would really like an appointment.

BTW, The goods were carried in 2 milk crates. Securtiy jokingly asked if I was the milk man! then they scanned and went through and plastic bagged the goods for about 10 mins; the milk crates never made it into the embassy. I took some pics of our application, if I find them, I'll post them up.

Edited January 21, 2008 by aussiestyle1983

[druckman]

Whatever you do, speak to the visa section, don't let anybody tell you that you can't lodge at the embassy. If you have to, because a lazy un-informed prick answers the phone, tell them you had a bad experience at the VFS, something like that, tell them you know you can lodge a spouse visa at the embassy and you would really like an appointment

So I guess I can't complain getting an appointment in 4 weeks...but I will not back the tone or the way I communicate with these so called "public servants".I don't understand whey these "officials" never went to a costumer support seminar to match the service you should receive since we are paying their wages. Also during the conversation with the Thai nationals you always find that they deep down they respect you and try to make you happy but that only last for split seconds.I think they have their noses up their behinds and are used to talk to people which are not on their level of education.

Aussiestyle , did you ever tried to talk on the phone to a supervisor ? I will try to get an earlier date to avoid to come again to BKK.I still think the return fare would be wisely spend looking at the advantages.

Like to hear your coment.

[gburns57au]

Hi gman!

Here we go: Wife to be here at the present on a tourist visa (single entry, no further stay etc). We went to the DOI in Brisbane to get some advice if we can do anything here in Australia to minimize the waiting time after the 47SP is lodged in Bangkok next month. Like getting the medical done here to avoid the 6 weeks turnaround (Results from doctor get sent to Brisbane for approval and than back to Bangkok if you do it in Thailand) like getting as many documents witnessed by a JP here (free of charge). The lady answered: "All you can do here in Australia is paying the AUD$1390 processing fee and that's it" It took us 2 weeks to have the medical results in our hands ready to be presented at the interview in Bangkok. So knowing what you talking about would help the taxpaying public at lot. I hope this clarifies your questions!

There is no six week turnaround on medicals......it is about 10-14 days if done in Thailand....If there are no problems, the results go straight to the embassy in BKK....the police clearance about 5 days....the police will send it to your address, to the embassy or you can pick it up. The police clearance can only be done at the Police clearance centre in BKK.

Any copies of documents that YOU are including in the wifes application can be certified in Oz...

VFS lodged.....lodge the complete application....interview after about 2 weeks....grant of visa between 2 and 4 weeks if no additional Docs are required.

Embassy lodged.....ring for an interview....grant of interview between 2-4 weeks later....grant of visa 1 or 2 days later if no further docs are required.

Some points to remember....

One of the reasons applications are being processed quicker is because the VFS have taken some of the strain off the Embassy....They dont want lines of people waiting for a quicky visa.

These "public servants" and "Officials" are the same people that can determine the outcome of the application....Be nice.

[aussiestyle1983]

I never needed to speak to a supervisor at the embassy. The embassy staff were all professional. However, the information I was given several times when I called the VFS was wrong and I needed to speak to a supervisor, who was still wrong, so I wouldn't have anything to do with the VFS if possible. Question any info the VFS tells you, they even told me we couldn't lodge at the embassy. Do as much as you can through the embassy.

In regards to a turn around time for the medicals, I believe it can only be a matter of days. My wifes medical was done the day before we lodged the visa, and the visa was approved the following day. So in our case, either the medical was not even considered or the medical was sent to the embassy very quickly. We used the hospital accross the road from the embassy, I think it was BNH hospital.

[fishhooks]

We have the Police Clearance already in hand and the Medical was done a week ago in Korat, thus I imagine it would be to the Embassy by now.

Just need to tidy up our own documentation now, so may give the Embassy a call and try to get an appointment to visit.

Even though on a previous visit to the Embassy for certification, I found the front Security Staff very helpful and friendly, I imagine if we just showed up without an appointment and a heap of docs, we would be directed to the VFS!

One question someone may be able to advise; To what extent do you need to provide copies of the docs you are handing in?

Most of the financial transfer stuff from Aus to Thailand, as well as phone records, I really don't require any more and would be happy to leave them with the originals. Thus is this mass copying exercise really necessary?

I've also prepared a fairly hefty photo album, covering over 2 years to the last few days, so I imagine there is no problem in presenting a quite large and heavy album, which of course we would have returned.

[OzzyBloke]

2. I didn't realize you could go direct to the Embassy with your application.

Would appreciate any advice or experiences on this?

From my experience and knowledge, I believe that this is ONLY possible when lodging a migration visa, such as a partner migration visa.

Aussestyle, could you clarify if you specifically mean a spouse visa only or can you lodge a prospective marraige visa directly with the embassy as well? The prospective marraige visa is not a migration but I would imagine there would be less applications than tourist visas.

[gburns57au]

One question someone may be able to advise; To what extent do you need to provide copies of the docs you are handing in?

Most of the financial transfer stuff from Aus to Thailand, as well as phone records, I really don't require any more and would be happy to leave them with the originals. Thus is this mass copying exercise really necessary?

I've also prepared a fairly hefty photo album, covering over 2 years to the last few days, so I imagine there is no problem in presenting a quite large and heavy album, which of course we would have returned.

You dont need to copy payslips, financial transfers etc.....unless you want to keep the originals...

[druckman]

Hi Gman!

Thanks for your advice ...but I think you have to set the pace when you are dealing with the girls from the Embassy. I called again today (Embassy Migration Visa's 0234466449 ) and had great success because I was persistent that I don't want to deal with the VFS because of simple time reason and not to pay for an additional flight to BKK . I had to stress this again and somehow I must have got the message through.

1. Advise that you are calling from Australia.

2. Allow for ample time to get your point across.

3. Be nice but don't take No for an answer.

Anyway my CO is Khun Wanida and the receptionist tried hard to please me and gave me an lodgement appointment for the time frame when we are in BKK. So all is good. What a difference a day can make!!

Gman you certainly know you stuff and thanks again for the hints.

[aussiestyle1983]

2. I didn't realize you could go direct to the Embassy with your application.

Would appreciate any advice or experiences on this?

From my experience and knowledge, I believe that this is ONLY possible when lodging a migration visa, such as a partner migration visa.

Aussestyle, could you clarify if you specifically mean a spouse visa only or can you lodge a prospective marraige visa directly with the embassy as well? The prospective marraige visa is not a migration but I would imagine there would be less applications than tourist visas.

Sorry mate, I aint 100% sure. Ours was a spouse visa, but I read somewhere beofre we lodged that all partner migration visas, eg: spouse, de-facto, prospective marriage (fiance) visas could be lodged there. I thought the prospective marriage visa was a migration visa? Doesn't it eventually entire the visa holder to eventually live in australia permenently?

[zidaney]

Fishhooks,

The main reason for copying your application paperwork is for an appeal or reference reasons. If the embassy were to lose or not have been in receipt of some of your paperwork it pays to have a copy that you can give to them to show you did have the papers they needed but it was lost. Even if they require originals, handing in a copy will keep the visa process going while you arrange the original.

If you have to appeal your visa decision (even if you have a good application), having all your paperwork as you handed to them will allow you to check what you're missing etc if they say they haven't got certain forms, paperwork etc.

aussiestyle 1983, the medical check for us was sent and arrived the next day at the embassy my wife got it done at the BNH Hospital as well. There's no delay in the handling from the hospital to the embassy, only from the embassy's standpoint if there's an issue with the medical.

FYI, the latest 40sp "Sponsorship for a partner to migrate to Australia" is dated 01/08 (August 2007).

[fishhooks]

Thanks zidaney.

Actually the 40SP & 47SP have later updates than the one you mention!

Both are (Design date 10/07) Bottom right hand corner of docs. I'm sure (but stand corrected) that this means OCTOBER 2007.

Can't remember the Medicals which I used last week, but fairly sure they were 10/07 as well.

[gburns57au]

Just checked.....

40SP has a design date of 01/08 (January 08).... Snuck that one in didnt they ?? I did a quick scan of it and didnt see any major changes.

47SP has a design date of 10/07 which was when the Values portion was added.

Edited January 23, 2008 by gburns57au

[druckman]

Just checked.....

40SP has a design date of 01/08 (January 08).... Snuck that one in didnt they ?? I did a quick scan of it and didnt see any major changes

Hi gburns

Does that mean redo on the new one per se?

[gburns57au]

Just checked.....

40SP has a design date of 01/08 (January 08).... Snuck that one in didnt they ?? I did a quick scan of it and didnt see any major changes

Hi gburns

Does that mean redo on the new one per se?

If you have used the old one and not yet lodged.....yes