Australia Tourist Visa For Thai Girlfriend

[SamAus]

Hi,

I've done quite a bit of searching but no solid answer to my question. What is the usual process (and timeframe) for getting a tourist visa for a Thai girlfriend for Australia? We've have known each other for 5/6 months now and I'll have visited her twice in June. I'm hoping she can come over in July. I am on a 457 temp. resident visa here in Australia for the next two years, have quite a well paid job and want her to come out here for 3/4 weeks during which I will "sponsor" her. We've been emailing/calling daily and I have proof of this and also photos of us together.

There's not much information freely available on the net surrounding this so any help is appreciated. If I go to the embassy in Sydney am I likely to get much help from them?

Thanks in advance

Sam

[gburns57au]

Hi,

I've done quite a bit of searching but no solid answer to my question. What is the usual process (and timeframe) for getting a tourist visa for a Thai girlfriend for Australia? We've have known each other for 5/6 months now and I'll have visited her twice in June. I'm hoping she can come over in July. I am on a 457 temp. resident visa here in Australia for the next two years, have quite a well paid job and want her to come out here for 3/4 weeks during which I will "sponsor" her. We've been emailing/calling daily and I have proof of this and also photos of us together.

There's not much information freely available on the net surrounding this so any help is appreciated. If I go to the embassy in Sydney am I likely to get much help from them?

Thanks in advance

Sam

I take it you mean the 457IEFAO visa......

You should be able to bring her over on much the same basis as anyone else. you will need to declare your visa status and provide proof of income along with the other evidence.

I am aware of others who have brought GF's over while they were on business visas.

[SamAus]

Thanks for the reply. So does the process for getting a holiday visa take long?

[actiondell4]

You done a lot of research but couldnt find the answer?

It states on the website a dozen times the aplication for a tourist visa takes around 5 days.

However YOU CANNOT sponser her.

Please read the immigration website.

You are not a family sponser.

I will tell you its a 50/50 case with yours.

She must apply from Thailand.

She downloads the forms from the immigration website.

THEY,the immigration Dept will probaly refuse on grounds,that she will not have a permanent address,in other words YOU are not a permanent Australian resident,SHE IS likely,With all PROBALITY apply for a further stay whilst in Australia,the probality she will overstay.

You are not married.

Your bank details are not considered by Immigration for a tourist visa,they want hers,you are aplying for a tourist visa,you are not married to her,there is a risk of overstay.

Does she have a job and adequate funds,say more than 100,000 baht in her bank depending on the length of stay.6 months bank details.

You cannot just lodge the monrey in one go.

Details of her work,Bosses name etc.

She will be checked and in ALL probality on what you have told me I dont see she will be successful unless she has a job that she can take leave from .

It is NOT easy belive me,I have lodged 2 tourist visa applications for Australia giving my bank details but THEY wanted the applicants bank details.Both were refused even though I have a Government Job .

One for not supllying bank details and another for not having a REASON to return toThailand,that is,in all probality ,could overstay,EVEN though the applicant owned land,they the immigration Dept checked taxation details on their computer records to see the applicants past employment AND didnt find any.

Secondly she will have to go to CC Tower on Yannawa,BKK to lodge it,you will not be with her.Really you should be.

I say try it,it costs 3500 baht.

SHE MUST do it from Thailand.Download the application forms,answer ALL the questions,include your reference details and a letter of invitation and support,make sure she includes HER financial evidence that she can support HERSELF whilst in Australia and has adequate funds showing bank statements.

Credit Cards and Cash are not sufficient,it must be Bank Statements in her name.

The important thing is a reason to RETURN to Thailand.

Please dont get your hopes up,I would say a 50/50 chance,but try it.

Edited April 20, 2008 by actiondell4

[SamAus]

That's not the best news...

I will be there with her in June to go to apply for the visa. She also has relatives (aunty & uncle) in Australia who are permanent residents, does that help.

She did have a job in Bangkok working at hotel reception (low paying) but is now back home with her parents so is unemployed.

[actiondell4]

Yes relatives can sponser her.They must be close relatives,Aunty and Uncle are not,however she can write in her application a letter of invitation FROM THEM,not you.

In fact,WHY even mention you,get the lettter from THEM,the Aubty and Uncle.

Remember THEY cannot sponser her but it would look good to get a letter of invitation and accomodation support from THEM.

Your support,in my opinion will not be successful.

Imagine yourself as a immigration Officer and your application came thru,would you risk approving it with a guy on a 457 saying he will look after a tourist from Thailand?

She should have adequate finacial funds,remember around 100,000 baht depending on her length of stay.

DO you trust her enough to deposit say 20,000 baht a month in her account until June?

Will she spend it?

Then get a letter of invitation from her Aunty and Uncle showing contact details.

She will have a much better chance if she leaves you out of the application.

If you go to the VFS website you can look at the questions.

Edited April 20, 2008 by actiondell4

[Howard]

If your girlfriend has an Uncle and Aunt who are permanent residents they can sponsor her for a family visitor visa for a three months stay. Just go to http://www.dimia.gov.au/allforms/pdf/48s.pdf for the application details.

Howard

[gburns57au]

Sam Aus,

You need to ensure that you are listed as an additional funds provider at the relevent question on the application form. You will need to provide proof of your income in the form of payslips/tax receipts, not bank statements, They want to know that you are actually working in a reliable job, not how much you have saved. You will need to show that you have known each other for a reasonable period of time (about 6 months).

Write a covering letter explaining your plans, your support financial and otherwise, accommodation etc...Include a copy of your visa, you can make it a certified copy. You can consider a stat dec in place of the letter.

No application is guaranteed....they are all 50/50....as the response is either yes or no.

A good and well planned application will have more chance of success than a poor one. As long as you are honest and dont try to dress it up, you are always in with a shot.

You dont need to be with her when the application is lodged, it is her application not yours, and it is the strength of the application not who lodges it that determines the outcome.

The forms can be downloaded from the website OR she can fill them out at the VFS Office. And it takes around 6 working days to process.

Thai CC Tower

Unit 2 & 3, 34th Floor

889, South Sathorn Road Yannawa

Bangkok 10120

Email: [email protected]

Forget the Naysayers and prophets of doom.....you have as much chance as anyone else.

[gburns57au]

The relevent section of the application for additional funds provider is art question 32 of the application form.

[dcm]

Not sure about your situation but all you can do is try and think positive.

My gf has just recently been granted a 3 month tv and we are both in Aus now.

I supplied 6 months proof of relationship: photos together including some with her family members, Western union slips for 6 months, telephone records, letters that we had sent to each other. I also supplied bank statements and proof of employment along with what I titled a statement of support stating when we met and how we felt our relationship was strong etc. We went the whole hog and requested a 12 me but a 3 was granted this time.

As the gf had no job and no reason to return this I felt would be our downfall but dont underestimate the strength of the relationship as a reason the visa is granted.

The gf supplied very little only a bank statement showing 40,000 baht, proof of family and a letter from a teacher in her local village stating how her knew her family and supported her application.

All the answers are on this web site....just do a search.

As has been said dont believe all the negative info, just show as much about your relatioship as you can and good luck.

[rodcourt49]

That's not the best news...

I will be there with her in June to go to apply for the visa. She also has relatives (aunty & uncle) in Australia who are permanent residents, does that help.

She did have a job in Bangkok working at hotel reception (low paying) but is now back home with her parents so is unemployed.

I HAVE HEARD OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS NOW FROM AUSTRALIAN EMBASSY CONTACT THAT IT IS FAR EASIER FOR A THAI LADY TO GO TO AUSTRALIA IF YOU JUST LET HER DO IT ON HER OWN..IE LET HER GO TO TO A TRAVEL AGENT IN BKK..SIGN UP FOR A HOLIDAY PACKAGE TO AUSTRALIA..SHE WILL BE FAST-TRACKED AND NO NEED FOR ALL THE HULLABALLOO..ONCE SHE GETS TO AUSTRALIA SHE CAN BREAK THE TOUR AND BE WITH YOU..ALL LEGAL.

[actiondell4]

Do you mean go without getting a visa?

Then she will be stopped at the airport,taken to a immigration office to be questioned.

Thats IF she is allowed to depart on the plane to Australia.

Does anyone here know if its possible for a Thai to leave on a plane to Australia without a visa and get a visa on arrival at a Australian Airport?

[SamAus]

I didn't even think us brits could do that?

[fishhooks]

I think what rodcourt49 is saying is that you forget the Girlfriend/Boyfriend bit period and have her apply in BKK at a reputable Travel Agent for a normal holiday and let them navigate or advise on the visa process.