Australian Tourist/visitor Visas

[bridge]

Edited May 9, 2009 by bridge

[adeelitc]

Thanx 4 shearing with us..

Adeel Khan Sherwani from <a href="

[Gats]

I had one approved recently. I made the first application based on the core criteria on the Australian Immigration website which included a statutory declaration, payslips and a couple of photos.

The case officer did not reject, but we were asked by the visa centre to provide more photos, proof of relationship and I had to provide bank statements as proof of income. These statements did not show a pattern of saving (I move money aside every month to another account and they all end on zero except latest one which ended on a balance of AU$3000 to cover the $1000/month in reserve requirement they like to see), but verified my income (which I admit is relatively high). I also provided MSN logs from my work MSN that dated back 3 months and phone bills showing correspondance back to September (probably also used as proof of adress). We did not have a compelling reason to return beyond expressing an intent to study further and the fact my gf has a degree and would not jeopardise career or study options by breaking visa conditions.

Remember people, if you're falling for a thai girl and primary comms is on the internet.. LOG EVERYTHING. I only had the evidence by accident because we never use email, only cam and chat and my work makes me log everything. My gf also does not have phone bills with her pre-paid service in BKK.

Hope that saves some people the trouble we went through doing multiple document runs. It's also worth noting that I found the case officers very reasonable and direct and ultimately Aus wants visitors who will contribute something, so just do the paper work and you should be fine.

If you or your girl gets angry, spare a thought for the girls who get conned and end up locked up in some suburban brothel never to be heard from again. It does happen, and that's what they want to stop. Aus is protecting thai people as much as their own boarders. The proof of relationship required made that clear to me and made my girl warm to the annoying process a lot more.

Edited January 18, 2009 by Gats

[ozfarang81]

Recent approval for my boyfriend of 18 months in which i was the financial/accommodation supporter, we provided:

- 2 x recent payslips from my work (no bank statement)

- stat dec signed by me

- letter of invite from me

- photos

- phone bills

- one old email

- a letter of reference for myself from my employer

- photocopies of all my passport pages showing over a dozen entries to thailand in the last 18 months

- letter of enrolment from my partners school showing his current course and course commencement date

got the standard single entry 3 month no further stay visa. very happy, applied on a friday, visa in hand on the wednesday afternoon

thanks for all advice i have read on this forum!

[Goinghomesoon]

The Embassy's website has a very complete list of what should be provided at

www.austembassy.or.th/bkok/DIMA08.html

We had almost everything on the list and got a 12 month multiple entry visa issued within one day (for non-working partner with no assets and no savings).

Edited April 11, 2009 by Goinghomesoon

[kelts]

Hi, i am confused as to what visa to ask for and how to go about it. I lived in Thailand for 5 years and have been back in AUstralia for 18 months. I lived with my Thai girlfirend for 1 year in Thailand and she has come out here for 3 months and recently gone back. I would like another visa for a longer period and maybe one that she can work under. But i do not want to obligated to the prospective marriage visa. So I have two questions. Which visa is best for me to apply for? And is it easier applying the second time around after already being granted a tourist visa and her returning on time?

[TheRavens]

I'm starting to plan my application to have my girlfriend out for a holiday in September.

She works in a small hotel and probably doesn't earn what it takes to show adequate funds. I notice she can be sponsored by a family member, but not by her boyfriend. This means we can't use the Sponsored Family Visitor visa and have to use the Tourist Visa...

When we apply for the tourist visa, should we still include declarations by myself stating that I will support her while she's in Australia? If I do this will they still look in to the funds in her account and make a judgement on this, or will my statement take all pressure off that?

Should I look at transferring a large lump sum in to her account now which can sit there until September?

[ozfarang81]

Hi TheRavens,

Tourist Visa - she will not need to show any funds in her bank whatsoever if you are going to provide the financial support. You will need to prove you make or have enough money by showing payslips and/or bank statements. She should have a letter from her employer saying she has leave and has a job to return to. Along with all the kinds of things i mention in my above post. There is no need for you to transfer the money into her bank account.

[hillbillybob]

The Embassy's website has a very complete list of what should be provided at

www.austembassy.or.th/bkok/DIMA08.html

We had almost everything on the list and got a 12 month multiple entry visa issued within one day (for non-working partner with no assets and no savings).

Thanks for the link to the forms, very helpful

[redfish44]

Hi,

We recently obtained a tourist visa (form 48R) for my Thai boyfriend. It was more complicated than seems. I was sponsoring him. we had to provide:

-birth certificate (he had to go to his parents to get the "book thing" they took a copy but wanted to see the original)

-Thai ID card (took copy, sighted original)

-evidence of exemption from military service (took copy, sighted original)

-one photo and passport (his)

-copy of my passport and Seamans Book

-travel insurance (had to take this out before application)

-bank accounts (they retain the original bankbooks during the application process)

-letters from employers

-evidence of "real and ongoing relationship"

These last 3 were the killer, we did the following.

Bank accounts: importantly his bank account showed evidence of slary being deposited regularly. We also took out a joint bank account together, and stuck about 80,000Baht in it (only did it 2 days before application due to Songkran mess, but ok). We used Siam Commercial.

Letters from employers: they want to see you have a reason to return to Thailand and that you have held a steady job for the last few years. My man is a divemaster, so work is seasonal, so we just had letters from the last 2 dive shops he's worked with over the last few years. I included in the letter I wrote a bit about how he returns home to work on the family rice farm when the season ends (we were worried about his work being seasonal). They want to know they are required to go back to Thailand, so get employers to indicate this.

Evidence of relationship: this was the hard one. We called the embassy to clarify this, they were no help at all "everything" was the answer, and no idea what format. I wrote a 4 page letter summarising out time together, where he will stay in Aus (and that I part owned the house he would be at), evidence of funds for both of us, planned itinerary (although dates not confirmed).

I then attached for each period of time we were together the following: copies of our passports indicating matching stamps (mostly mine ecept when we went out of thailand together), copy of my seamans book showing when I was at work and that my break time corresponded to being off and with him), copies of every photo we had taken together (printed on A4 paper with descriptions and dates), photos when he had a broken arm and couldn't work, copies of my dive log when he had signed my log, copies of flights and hotel stays we had together. I also attached my birthday card he gave me, which they kept also for the application (had left the others in Aus, would have been good).

We applied for a multiple entry visa, and they said we could do this. We came to Bangkok to do it in person, as tried to get an appointment to find out what they needed, but that didn't happen. Loged on floor 34 of TCC building on the Monday.

We both signed a letter with the application so I could collect the passport.

You paid at the cashier on 34th floor (they also had b/w photocopying available ther for 3B a page).

Had to call a phone number on the Friday, and they said passport was available for collection. Got passport with visa, bank books and birthday card back. They kept all the other "evidence"

Some aussie embassy guy had phoned him during the process while he was on a bus and couldn't hear properly, and wouldn't call him back later, so he isn't sure what he said.

Ended up only with a single entry visa for 3 months. I got mad and after a long chase, someone actually called me back to explain that as I had sponsored him, he would only get a single entry visa for the first visit as we were not married. The next application could be done by mail though, and only needed to supply updated info of our time together, as they have kept all the other docs (photos, flights etc) "on file" (not that I like having a "file" on us. He didn't say if we needed the birth book and bank accounts again, but probably do. He said after the next couple of single entry visa they would probably give him a multiple entry for 12 months once they were satisfied we were genuinely together (which after 2 years together sounded a bit dim, but that's gov I guess).

[Juzrelax]

Where has the info in the 1st post gone?

Does anyone have an example of the visa stamp for Australia that gets put in the Thai passport? I refer to the 3 month tourist visa stamp.

Thanks.

[Gats]

redfish that appears to be very true with non-married relatively short term relationships.

First application we were greeted with quite a few requests for further information including more photos and more bank statements (they wanted 6months of bank statements). We hadn't been together all that long and my income was good (no savings at all), but they also seemed to be concerned about my gf safety by getting more and more proof of the relationship and I was happy to oblige.

2nd time they were much happier with us. In fact they seemed to just be happy my gf went home when she was supposed to an applied for more time.

3 months first time (after relationship for 6months). Then 2nd time a much easier 6months was granted, but we probably could have got 12 if we applied for it. In thailand now applying for permanent.

Edited November 29, 2009 by Gats

[ags83]

Hi,

Wondering if anyone knows what it takes to get no conditions/restrictions placed on an Australian holiday/visitor visa for a Thai. My wife has previously gotten a 3 month holiday visa but it has the stamp 'not eligable for further stay' . I imagine most thais get this stamp at least the first time round. We would like the option to apply for another visa type once in Australia should we wish. Any advice on this appreciated.

[Will27]

Hi,

Wondering if anyone knows what it takes to get no conditions/restrictions placed on an Australian holiday/visitor visa for a Thai. My wife has previously gotten a 3 month holiday visa but it has the stamp 'not eligable for further stay' . I imagine most thais get this stamp at least the first time round. We would like the option to apply for another visa type once in Australia should we wish. Any advice on this appreciated.

It's up to the discretion of the case officer.

It's not something you can ask for.

Regards

Will

[aussiedoug]

If she is your wife, married etc, why not get her a spouse visa and be done with it.

Wondering if anyone knows what it takes to get no conditions/restrictions placed on an Australian holiday/visitor visa for a Thai. My wife has previously gotten a 3 month holiday visa but it has the stamp 'not eligable for further stay' . We would like the option to apply for another visa type once in Australia

[Will27]

If she is your wife, married etc, why not get her a spouse visa and be done with it.

Wondering if anyone knows what it takes to get no conditions/restrictions placed on an Australian holiday/visitor visa for a Thai. My wife has previously gotten a 3 month holiday visa but it has the stamp 'not eligable for further stay' . We would like the option to apply for another visa type once in Australia

Because if they're not going to reside in Australia,

there's not much point as it's a long and expensive

procedure. Especially if you're only going to have

the odd visit.

Regards

Will

[gburns57au]

Hi,

Wondering if anyone knows what it takes to get no conditions/restrictions placed on an Australian holiday/visitor visa for a Thai. My wife has previously gotten a 3 month holiday visa but it has the stamp 'not eligable for further stay' . I imagine most thais get this stamp at least the first time round. We would like the option to apply for another visa type once in Australia should we wish. Any advice on this appreciated.

tick the 12 month box on the application and hope for the 12 month multi entry

[Spoonman]

I live and work here fulltime, have done so for 3.5yrs, I have been with my girlfriend for 2yrs, she does not work, In september I have to go back home for a wedding.

I want to take the GF with me, the trip will be 2 weeks in duration.

Will I have any issues gaining a visa, I dont have any real supporting documents IE: phone/msn/email logs, she has zero money in the bank and I never transer any for her....in short All I have is pictures and a house lease in both our names, and a the wedding invite will be both our names.

Any Ideas on how to tackle the visa application ?

Edited April 16, 2010 by Spoonman

[acron45]

Hi,

Wondering if anyone knows what it takes to get no conditions/restrictions placed on an Australian holiday/visitor visa for a Thai. My wife has previously gotten a 3 month holiday visa but it has the stamp 'not eligable for further stay' . I imagine most thais get this stamp at least the first time round. We would like the option to apply for another visa type once in Australia should we wish. Any advice on this appreciated.

My Wife got a 3 month tourist visa first time round with a No Further Stay stamp. 2nd time we applied she got a Tourist Visa with no stamp. But when we arrived in Australia at the airport, the guy at passport control put the stamp on....

Troy.

[7by7]

Several off topic posts deleted. This is a thread about the visa application process, not Australian immigration policy.

[gburns57au]

Several off topic posts deleted. This is a thread about the visa application process, not Australian immigration policy.

Actually it started as a guideline for satisfying the requirements for visas....I dont believe that it was meant to be a thread for visa enquiries, they should still be placed in the visa thread....since the original post has gone, then perhaps this thread should be closed or deleted as well.

[7by7]

Good point, closed and unpinned.