Application For Oz Tourist Visa

[xerostar]

I've just got back from the Australian Visa application centre in Bangkok and decided to give some advice that might help other Aussies get through the process without the stress that I endured.

In case you don't know where to find it, it's at 889 South Sathorn Rd. Bangkok.

It's on the 34th (top) floor of the Thai CC tower which is a huge building set back about 100 metres from South Sathorn Rd, opposite the Surasak BTS station.

Our taxi driver didn't know where to find it. But we spotted the Thai CC sign on the top of the building. South Sathorn Rd has a separate carriageway for east and westbound traffic. So your taxi needs to be on the south side of South Sathorn Rd heading West and it's a left turn into the CC tower's grounds, next to the stairways leading to the BTS station, then through a security boomgate. The taxi takes you to the entry of the building.

When you enter the building there are no big signs pointing to the lifts but you'll find them on the right hand, back end of the entrance hall. Some lifts only go to floors 18, so look for the one with the sign "19th floor to 34th floor".

BTW "First floor" in Thailand can be the "ground floor" or the next one after ground floor ..

Exit the lift and you will see some offices in front of you.

The Australian Visa Application Centre is around the corner to the left.

A couple of security guards unlock the door and use a metal detector on you.

They want you to produce a) your partner's filled in application form and a colour copy of your partner's Thai passport. They might want to check your bags too. If they're satisfied, the chief guard will give you a serial ticket so you get your turn on the waiting list.

They also give you a slip of paper which is apparently used to audit the time you arrived and they enter further details to track your progress. You need to fill in the date, name of applicant and take a seat. My partner had also to supply copies of some other Thai documents for which I, as yet, failed to find out the title and significance of. If you don’t already have a colour photo of your passport then you can get one there and also do photocopying - for a price and it can cause more delays if you're in a queue.

If anyone can add to this knowledge base - please feel free to help.

I'm just a newbie so there are many facts of which I'm still not aware.

Before I went I had been warned to get there early - It opens at 8.30am.

According to other reports I've read, don't be late otherwise you could be forced to spend at least 5 hours standing and waiting to be processed in a very crowded room with inadequate airconditioning.

Me and my GF arrived at 8.50am and there were already about 20 people in the process of filling in forms and getting photocopies of their passports but there were plenty of seats still empty. We were on ticket 019 so we only had to wait 10 minutes. It's a 3 step process as others have explained. The first receptionist takes the application and checks it. She attaches the Thai passport and gives you a bill to take the cashier. You then wait in line for the cashier and pay $2200 Baht and you get a cheque for that amount to give to the first receptionist (?) You then go back to the first receptionist and give her the cheque and then pay another 428 Baht for the processing fee. She gives you a receipt for your passport with a date showing when to come back for your "interview" ? (or so we thought). In our case it was in a weeks time. (In our case to collect the passport - with or without a visa)

So much for the ambiguous description on the Embassy web site "about 3 to 5 days" (that's not including weekends and public holidays of course).

Another relevant point is that after reading many posts about visas in general, for some reason I wrongly assumed that an INTERVIEW was part of any visa application - NOT SO for tourist visas as I found out.

Here is the really crazy part - We handed over the form 48 duly filled in, as well as the Thai passport and a photo. The laconic Thai girl sitting behind the desk (more like a ROBOT if you ask me) spoke Thai to my GF so I didn't understand anything that was said. She issued the receipt and handed it to my GF. I was surprised that everything had been completed so quickly. I spoke through the hole in the window and said clearly "do you want to take our evidence now? - I have everything here in this folder" she looked at me blankly and pointed to the receipt and said "you come back next week .."

I thought "well she must be smart enough to know what she is doing .." - WRONG!!

I had made a MAJOR ERROR in assuming that she understood English!

Even without speaking any English she could have asked my GF - "where is your evidence?"

She must have known full-well that submitting just the form 48 alone was doomed to failure!

Had she done this deliberately? Was this some sort of sick joke?

I had more than a sneaking suspicion that all was not right as we left the building. When we got back to the hotel room I checked through all the guff on the Immigration web site but NOWHERE does it state clearly that all the evidence must be submitted physically at the same time and day as the application form 48. (except on the application form itself ..as I found out!!)

OK I admit, for somebody on the outside it would be patently obvious that it should be submitted at the same time. I'm a dumb, stupid, unassertive too-polite individual that seems to attract disasters like this.

When you're a raw newbie and you're in unfamiliar territory, anything can happen and in our case it did go wrong in the cruelest possible way.

Another thing I'd recommend is that you have access to a computer, printer an photocopier when in Thailand.

I found the laptop invaluable in looking up info on the net, finding phone numbers addresses maps etc. Despite all this, in the end I failed the mission anyway. Without it, hopeless would describe your chances ..

I printed up neat cover pages to include in our (as yet unseen) evidence.

We went back to the Visa office on the assigned day and time, assuming that we would have a short interview with one of the staff who would then check our evidence and stamp the passport with a tourist visa. NOT SO!! We arrived early and were shown where to sit and wait - no tickets this time.

When our turn came we gave the receipt (attached to the colour copy of the passport) to the

laconic one behind the counter. She turned around, rummaged through a stack of brown envelopes and pulled one out and handed to my GF. Upon opening the envelope we were astonished to find that our application had been rejected because there was: NO SUPPORTING EVIDENCE!!

I was furious! I complained to the robot, but she obviously did not understand one word I was saying. She called another Thai girl who asked me in English what the problem was ..

I told her that we had offered our evidence A WEEK AGO when we made the application!

She replied that we should have submitted evidence with the application!

I told her that we had asked about submitting the evidence last week for gods sake but the robot had ignored it.

Then she cooly replied that we would have to submit another application and if successful that my GF could follow on another flight in a week or two ..

I was even more furious but I could see there was nothing more I could do there. The frustration was making my ears go red. I had worked on the evidence for several weeks and had it ready in a neat folder with cover pages and photos - the whole thing was bulletproof!

I stormed out and tried ringing the Oz embassy on the mobile but just got a recorded message in Thai.

If your hearing is not good and there's a racket going on around you (often in BKK) then don't bother until your somewhere quiet - like in the back of the taxi.

We went out and got a taxi to take us to the Oz embassy. When we arrived, our taxi was waved on by Thai army guys toting automatic rifles. We stopped a bit further down the road and walked back to the steel entry gates and asked the security guy to let us in. He asked if we had an appointment and of course we didn't have one so he refused to help us in any way.

Later, I thought I should have offered the guy some money.

I'm not sure, but it may have got us in?

We went back to the hotel and I rang the Oz embassy again. After a long wait I was speaking to a Thai woman who also could not grasp the real reason why we had been refused a visa.

She calmy said we would have to apply again (and pay another 2200 Baht).

I insisted on speaking to her superior who in this case was Gemma Jackson who is evidently in charge of the visa section. She was polite but unmoved by my plight. She stated that when the applicant signs the form 48, they agree that the visa will be granted only on the evidence submitted with it and so in this case since there was no evidence, there could only be one outcome! Gemma promised she'd take another look at the file and phone me back at the hotel "in a couple of days". It was Thursday evening and I assume they don't work on Saturdays, so we could look forward to waiting at least until Monday .. I should have given her my GF's mobile number! Now we'll be hanging around for days hoping for a call.

My flight was booked to leave early Sunday morning .. and my GF was supposed to be going with me. Her flight was confirmed early in the week. My GF has never set foot on an aircraft and I really wanted to be there to hold her hand and reassure her - talk about "plans of mice and men going astray .." I felt like a mouse ..

I decided to postpone my return to Perth and changed my flight to Tuesday afternoon.

My efforts were in vain.

Despite sending a reminder fax to Gemma on the Friday and an email on the Monday, no reply was forthcoming.

I tried phoning the Embassy ALL DAY Monday - the phone was "off the hook"!!

Too bad if I had a real emergency!

In frustration on Monday I wrote emails to my local federal member as well as Amanda Vanstone in a desperate plea for their help.

I believe my local member did send them an email and my GF did get a phone call from an Aussie guy from the Embassy on the Wednesday - by then I was back in Oz. He just told her to apply again - so helpful ..

So anyone contemplating an application should allow at least 2 or 3 weeks in BKK to get everything done from filling in the form and gathering all the paperwork.

Since my Thai GF can not speak much English, it was quite a challenge getting her paperwork in order. Fortunately a friend was able to interpret for me - without them it would be mission impossible.

It has to be planned like a military exercise. Plan to succeed by getting every detail correct, otherwise you'll be disappointed.

Plan to be disappointed anyway when it comes to Oz embassy dealings ..

Gathering all the paperwork - you need to start this while still in Oz.

Get certified copies of you bank statements, A statutory declaration witnessed by a JP.

Keep printed copies of all your email sent and received, any photos you have both together preferably with date stamps or with friends as witnesses that can verify when you were together. You can also supply copies of phone bills to show international calls between Oz and Thailand.

I'd read a lot of advice on the Oz immigration web sites and others, but I was surprised to discover a 2 page list of advice that was produced by the Oz Visa office in Bangkok. I got it second hand from a friend.

It gives a fairly concise list of the requirements that I had not seen elsewhere.

Apparently if you are trying to get a 3 month visitors visa for a Thai GF so that she can come and stay with you in Oz then you have to prove that you have a genuine relationship that is real and ongoing. They don't say how long you should have known each other, but it looks like you have to supply photos, letters in their original envelopes from each other, copies of emails and anything else to prove when the relationship started and how it progressed.

Another small job was to get an English translation of my GF's Thai driver's licence. We had that done in one of those little Thai lawyer office in Silom Rd. That's the only way she could drive legally in Western Australia.

If you can add some wisdom to this please post a reply.

[wozza]

During the last 18 month My TG has received a 3 month Tourist visa and a 6 month one

It was however granted at the old embassy

First time 3 month visa issued same day with stat dec of support and photos and phone records

6 month visa granted next day because had to get hospital test and xray done

Well now i am nervous we are just about to lodge an application for another 6 month visa

But i guess if she has returned before the expiry date of the visa on 2 past occasions it should be easy shouldnt it? well? shouldnt it?

some how I dont think so

Looks like it is not as easy as before

[samran]

We went out and got a taxi to take us to the Oz embassy.  When we arrived, our taxi was waved on by Thai army guys toting automatic rifles. We stopped a bit further down the road and walked back to the steel entry gates and asked the security guy to let us in. He asked if we had an appointment and of course we didn't have one so he refused to help us in any way.

Later, I thought I should have offered the guy some money.

I'm not sure, but it may have got us in?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Great post, just one small thing regarding the army guys out the front of the OZ embassy.

No, these guys are the real thing, anti-terrorist personel who have been specifically assigned to protect the Australian embassy from hightended terrorist threats. You don't try and bribe these fellas.

At best you would have been laughed off, at worst, probably wrestled to the ground and had a machine gun pointed to your head.

Edited May 23, 2005 by samran

[Aussieguy]

During the last 18 month My TG has received a 3 month Tourist visa and a 6 month one

It was however granted at the old embassy

First time 3 month visa issued same day with stat dec of support and photos and phone records

6 month visa granted next day because had to get hospital test and xray done

Well now i am nervous we are just about to lodge an application for another 6 month visa

But i guess if she has returned before the expiry date of the visa on 2 past occasions it should be easy shouldnt it? well? shouldnt it?

some how I dont think so

Looks like it is not as easy as before

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Maybe Bronco can put some wisdom to this thread, it certainly is a disgrace.

Surley there is enough guys in here to try get some sort of a response from a politician.It just seems very unethical the way they do business there and if it was done like that here in OZ it would be easy to complain and there would be plenty complaints to bring attention.

[ArtfulD]

Anyone tried for the 4 year multi entry visa? http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/pdf/983i.pdf

Indicates you can get one that allows 3 or 6 months visits at a time for 4 years.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Xerostar. Very well put. Persist by going to see that Federal MP and show him a copy of your contribution to this forum. Good Luck.

[snoophound]

The OP pretty much sums it up

A few hundred poor applicants get this runaround every week.

You cant get thru on the phone,its hard to speak to anyone who knows anything.

The interviewers are &lt;deleted&gt;.

Seems they are desparately trying to stop any Thai entering Aust.

Anyone tried for the 4 year multi entry visa? http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/pdf/983i.pdf

Indicates you can get one that allows 3 or 6 months visits at a time for 4 years.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[xerostar]

UPDATE to HORROR STORY:

After I left BKK my GF made a fresh application and made sure that my folder full of supporting evidence was accepted at the same time.

She returned to the centre today to collect her dreaded brown envelope and "Lo and behold" they have granted her a 3 month visa!

On reflection, I should not have wasted time whinging to the embassy but got straight back to the Application centre the following morning with a new application.

Isn't hindsight wonderful?

Anway "all's well what ends well".

My GF arrives Perth Saturday morning on Thai airways !!

You little beauty!!

Now where is .. that flamin Dictionary !!..

[Cossi]

UPDATE to HORROR STORY:

After I left BKK my GF made a fresh application and made sure that my folder full of supporting evidence was accepted at the same time.

She returned to the centre today to collect her dreaded brown envelope and "Lo and behold" they have granted her a 3 month visa!

On reflection, I should not have wasted time whinging to the embassy but got straight back to the Application centre the following morning with a new application.

Isn't hindsight wonderful? 

Anway "all's well what ends well".

My GF arrives Perth Saturday morning on Thai airways !!

You little beauty!!   

Now where is .. that flamin Dictionary !!..

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well done and congrats mate. Thanks for all the detailed info to. I go to Visa Application Centre with my GF on monday so at the moment im soughting out her application. Few questions if i can. How Long had you known her and was she or is she working. That seems to be a big part of the application. Also did she need to attend an interview.

Regards Cossi

[350torana]

I have heard horror stories about the new immigration. Guess Slobstone has alot to answer for. Anyways, my wife's friend down the street runs a travel agent. All the documents(alot of them) got sent off by courier today, they say it takes two weeks to get a tourist visa . Have no idea if the visa will be granted or not. But, I assume alot of Thais obtain their visa through travel agents, just like i would to get a Thai visa in Australia ?

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Except getting a Thai visa for an Aussie is only a formality

[snoophound]

heres a major reason why its so hard to get young thai females into AUS.

A SYDNEY brothel owner accused of buying a Thai student as a slave has been found not guilty by a New South Wales District Court jury.

The verdict is the first in an Australian sexual servitude case.

After a trial lasting almost ten weeks, Sally Cui Mian Xu, 41, was acquitted of slave trading.

However, the jury failed to reach a verdict on charges that Ms Xu and her co-accused, Ngoc Lan Tran, 52, and Lin Qi, 28, had kept the 20-year-old woman in sexual slavery.

Advertisement:

Their alleged victim told the court she had been studying law in Thailand when she was promised a well-paid waitressing job in Australia. But when she arrived in Sydney in December 2002, she was forced into prostitution at a string of brothels run by Ms Xu and Mr Tran, she told the trial.

Police discovered the woman at Ms Xu's Rozelle brothel on January 5, 2003, after she phoned triple-0 for help, the court was told.

Ms Xu, Mr Tran and Mr Qi both pleaded not guilty to three charges of keeping the woman in sexual servitude, running a business involving her sexual servitude and detaining her for advantage as a prostitute.

Mr Tran had also pleaded not guilty to trading the woman as a slave.

Defence barristers for the three told the court the woman, who cannot be named, was a willing prostitute who was never held against her wishes.

After deliberating for two days the jury was unable to reach a verdict on the 10 remaining charges.

Judge Anthony Blackmore discharged the jury and released Ms Xu, Mr Tran and Mr Qi on conditional bail.

Except getting a Thai visa for an Aussie is only a formality

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[snoophound]

And another.

Its these issues beyond the general arrogance and culture of disdain and distrust of the BKK Dima office that make life very difficult for Aussies wanting to bring their young females into the country.

Hung jury in sex slave trial

May 27, 2005

From: AAP

A MELBOURNE brothel owner and her manager accused of keeping five Thai women as sex slaves may face a retrial after a jury was unable to reach a decision on their fate today.

The two accused, brothel owner Wei Tang, 42, formerly of Rae Street, Fitzroy, and her then manager Paul Pick, 46, of Panoramic Road, North Balwyn, have pleaded not guilty to five charges each of possessing a slave and five each of using a slave.

After three days of deliberation, the jury found Mr Pick not guilty on eight charges and were undecided on one count each of possessing and using a slave.

The jury could not decide on the 10 charges against Ms Tang.

During the landmark trial, the first of its kind in Victoria, the prosecution alleged the five Thai women, who cannot be named, were brought into Australia with the promise they would eventually be able to work legally in the sex trade.

But it was alleged the women were each told they first had to work off a debt of $45,000, which meant performing sex acts for no pay six days a week.

Ms Tang was the legal owner of a brothel known as Club 417 in Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, in Melbourne's inner north, and Pick was her legal manager, at the time of the alleged offences between August 2002 and May 2003.

Lawyers for the defendants said the five women's stories lacked credibility, the women had changed their stories during several statements made to police, and the women came to Australia with their "eyes wide open" to work in the sex industry.

A spokesman for the Commonwealth Public Prosecutions said it would have to decide if there would be a retrial

heres a major reason why its so hard to get young thai females into AUS.

A SYDNEY brothel owner accused of buying a Thai student as a slave has been found not guilty by a New South Wales District Court jury.

The verdict is the first in an Australian sexual servitude case.

After a trial lasting almost ten weeks, Sally Cui Mian Xu, 41, was acquitted of slave trading.

However, the jury failed to reach a verdict on charges that Ms Xu and her co-accused, Ngoc Lan Tran, 52, and Lin Qi, 28, had kept the 20-year-old woman in sexual slavery.

Advertisement:

Their alleged victim told the court she had been studying law in Thailand when she was promised a well-paid waitressing job in Australia. But when she arrived in Sydney in December 2002, she was forced into prostitution at a string of brothels run by Ms Xu and Mr Tran, she told the trial.

Police discovered the woman at Ms Xu's Rozelle brothel on January 5, 2003, after she phoned triple-0 for help, the court was told.

Ms Xu, Mr Tran and Mr Qi both pleaded not guilty to three charges of keeping the woman in sexual servitude, running a business involving her sexual servitude and detaining her for advantage as a prostitute.

Mr Tran had also pleaded not guilty to trading the woman as a slave.

Defence barristers for the three told the court the woman, who cannot be named, was a willing prostitute who was never held against her wishes.

After deliberating for two days the jury was unable to reach a verdict on the 10 remaining charges.

Judge Anthony Blackmore discharged the jury and released Ms Xu, Mr Tran and Mr Qi on conditional bail.

Except getting a Thai visa for an Aussie is only a formality

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[brubo1]

back to the original mail - Xerostar - you surprise me! For someone who seems to be computerliterate, have a bit of get up and go and have the ability to contact someone at the BKK embassy by telephone(!!!!) to lodge an application like that is quite incredulous!

All anyone has to do is read the information booklet and the application form and do what they tell you to do and you will have very few problems! If someones application for a tourist visa is genuine and complete they don't give you any trouble!

Having said all that I'm happy for you Xerostar that you have your girl with you!

[Cossi]

back to the original mail - Xerostar - you surprise me! For someone who seems to be computerliterate, have a bit of get up and go and have the ability to contact someone at the BKK embassy by telephone(!!!!) to lodge an application like that is quite incredulous!

All anyone has to do is read the information booklet and the application form and do what they tell you to do and you will have very few problems! If someones application for a tourist visa is genuine and complete they don't give you any trouble!

Having said all that I'm happy for you Xerostar that you have your girl with you!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I Think maybe the problem may have been that it doesnt actually state anything about evidence on form 48 at all. It is actually form 48R that mentions evidence must accompany the application. (still dont know the diff between the 2 forms except that 48R has a space to put in the gals previous work history)

Going to the application centre myself this week so hope me and my lady have a smoother run.

Cossi

[xerostar]

Hi Brubo 1

Maybe you missed the main thing that I was complaining about:

I spoke through the hole in the window and said clearly "do you want to take our evidence now? - I have everything here in this folder" she looked at me blankly and pointed to the receipt and said "you come back next week .."

I had made a MAJOR ERROR in assuming that she understood English!

Even without speaking any English she could have asked my GF (in Thai) - "where is your evidence?"

She must have known full-well that submitting just the form 48 alone was doomed to failure!

I admit that I did not "read" the form, we just filled in the blank spaces with the answers required .. (big mistake).

Taken in context, my reading of advice on this site led me to believe that an interview was part of the process and this made me think the evidence may be submitted at "the interview".

I also admitted:

"OK I admit, for somebody on the outside it would be patently obvious that it should be submitted at the same time. I'm a dumb, stupid, unassertive too-polite individual that seems to attract disasters like this."

And I also admitted that I should not have complained to the Embassy but I did not know at that stage that they would just ignore me! I assumed they were a compassionate group of professionals (like myself) who would be able to help me correct the oversight of their staff at the Application Centre.

I was just hoping for a short interview to show them the evidence (that we had all along), get a Visa and be able to take my GF back on the same flight which I had planned to do .. "wishful thinking" as it turned out!

I wrote in a lot of detail with the idea of helping other newbies get through the process easier and not have to repeat the same mistakes that I made.

[Rumpole]

I think many of the problems in embassies/consulates do seem to be caused by the local-hire staff, particularly in the developing world. A lot of them seem to think that because they work for an embassy, particularly a "First-World" one, they are somehow better than their fellow countrymen and the perceived power they hold seems to go to their heads. Jelousy can also play its part.

Wherever possible, I try to deal with a national of the embassy concerned. They may not always be much more efficient or sympathetic (as this thread shows), but I often feel you are more likely to get a fairer hearing and possibly slightly better service. It doesn't always work, but a polite but firm request to speak to the Consul or other non-local hire staff, and an appeal for their assistance, can sometimes get results.

[Pink Mist]

I think many of the problems in embassies/consulates do seem to be caused by the local-hire staff, particularly in the developing world.  A lot of them seem to think that because they work for an embassy, particularly a "First-World" one, they are somehow better than their fellow countrymen and the perceived power they hold seems to go to their heads. Jelousy can also play its part. 

Wherever possible, I try to deal with a national of the embassy concerned.  They may not always be much more efficient or sympathetic (as this thread shows), but I often feel you are more likely to get a fairer hearing and possibly slightly better service. It doesn't always work, but a polite but firm request to speak to the Consul or other non-local hire staff, and an appeal for their assistance, can sometimes get results.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The "Embassy" and "Immigration" are different animals, so talking to a Consular official would serve no purpose, it's the DIMA staff who make the decisions.

The Doc is right a sympathetic Polly is probably the best way to go.

[ozskin]

I was very interested to read this post as i just went through the same experience at the OZ VISA Aapplication Centre on the 23rd if May. The centre was very easy to find, right at the doorstep of the BTS.

We arrived with our supporting documents (phone records, financial records, My Proof of job, savings, photos, stat decs etc - figured overkill was the safest option!) All my girlfriend supplied was her passport and a her signature on the 48R form which i was informed was the better of the forms - alot more detail needs to be filled out. Also we arrived without her passport photo to attach to the form and thought this would be a problem but they made a passport photo for her on the spot (150 baht).

It was about 9am Monday morning when we arrived (running a little late) and we were the only people in the Centre. I found the setup easy (being able to do everything in one place - re getting the cheques made up etc.) She was told to come back friday afternoon between 3:00 and 4:30pm to collect her passport. We were in and out of the Application Centre within 20 minutes.

As i was packing my bags to return to Aus thursday morning i discover all my supporting dated photos had been left in the room and not included with the evidence handed in - Major Panic ! A bit too late to do anything as i was heading back and the application by this stage would have been decided already.

Friday afternoon she picked up her passport with a VISA Granted, much to my relief.

So its possible to get a tourist visa to aus without providing any photos at all ! Just make sure you have as much other supporting documents as possible. Most important of all i believe she must have a compelling reason to return to thailand, job or children to take care of etc.

[xerostar]

I can imagine your feelings after forgetting to submit the photos!

It just goes to show how the most meticulous planning can still go wrong.

Anyway I was glad to hear that you were successful!

Goodonyamate!

I'm enjoying the company of my Ti Luk now.

She is the most delightful woman I have ever met.