Australian Visa

A change of form 47SP (Spouse/Partner/Fiance) application at the end of March 2009, had me and many others 'caught' at the Australian Visa Application Centre, VFS (Thailand ) Ltd. office at the Thai CC tower, Bangkok.

We were told by one of the counter staff to submit a "new" (issued AFTER 29 March, 2009) form 47SP- duly filled out - even though we had our application already filled and signed prior to our arrival at the office.

We were told our "old" form was not acceptable and advised to BUY an "information pack" containing the new form 47SP.

Suspicious of the sudden change and not wanting to go to all the trouble of filling out the 'new' form, as so many others were doing in the VFS office at the time, I decided to (brave the security officer in VFS ! ) and ring the visa section at the Australian Embassy.

A visa officer there was not sure, checked with her superior and "hey presto" all OK - we can use the "old" form for one more month - and my phone call had repercussions as the staff at VFS were sudden advised by a superior to ADVISE all "clients" the current form was still acceptable for the next month "transition period".

Bottom line is : question and stand firm if you suspect "the rules" are unfair or just plain stupid- especially if told by not told directly by someone in authority employed by the Australian Government

(I did- out of interest- later check the 'NEW' form47SP and could find very little change - except for the setting out of some questions. Says a lot about having to deal with "red tape")