Increase In Australian Standard Processing Times (Again)

[Scabo]

WOW, I have only just become aware of this new rule.

I have been married now 6yrs and lived/worked in Thailand for that period. My wife and I

have travelled back to Aust for holidays several times over the yrs.

Would the Aust embassy look upon length of marriage favorably or the 10-13 months

is now like the blanket time frame?

I can certainly understand the frustation of so many blokes on this forum.

[wisterialane]

This is absolutely disgraceful by the Australian Government that waiting times are so long, being married myself with a thai wife and son (dual citizenship)

I was going to put in her application in august to come live in oz with me guess its another hole year before my son and wife can live with me as a family.

This is not acceptable in any way whatsoever and i will be writing to julia a very well worded letter and if there is no response i will be going to anybody that listens

newspapers, T.v, radio, my local member of parliament who ever i can to get the response i want to here.

It is about time The Australian Government started to do something about waiting times at the Thai embassy, i urge everybody in the same situation to do the same

so that we are heard and get a satisfactory result.

Why is it that my mates American wife can apply and be given her visa to live here in 5 working days ???and yet if you are a Thai national then you can just wait, we the oz government say

F.U Thailand nationals we do not care 1 bit about you and your new family Discrimination i think.

Am I Peed right off, you F.......ing Bet I am and everybody in the same situation should be too lets start doing something about this. .

<deleted>. You guys don't want much..starting action group to allow the missus permanent residency...how long did it take you to get RESIDENCY here OR any other country for that matter..In fact there's been a 40% increase in foreign brides finding other partners whilst on land and claiming government benefits to support themselves and the multitude of families visiting. Be thankful you have a Wife now...you can take the Bride out of Thailand but you'll never take Thailand out of the Bride.

[gburns57au]

This is absolutely disgraceful by the Australian Government that waiting times are so long, being married myself with a thai wife and son (dual citizenship)

I was going to put in her application in august to come live in oz with me guess its another hole year before my son and wife can live with me as a family.

This is not acceptable in any way whatsoever and i will be writing to julia a very well worded letter and if there is no response i will be going to anybody that listens

newspapers, T.v, radio, my local member of parliament who ever i can to get the response i want to here.

It is about time The Australian Government started to do something about waiting times at the Thai embassy, i urge everybody in the same situation to do the same

so that we are heard and get a satisfactory result.

Why is it that my mates American wife can apply and be given her visa to live here in 5 working days ???and yet if you are a Thai national then you can just wait, we the oz government say

F.U Thailand nationals we do not care 1 bit about you and your new family Discrimination i think.

Am I Peed right off, you F.......ing Bet I am and everybody in the same situation should be too lets start doing something about this. .

Actually it is the Australian Embassy in Thailand that processes applications to Oz, Nothing to do with the Thai Embassy.

There is a way you can get your family here in less than 6 months.....If you were to settle down and stop being outraged and start using your head, you'd work it out. No I cant tell you.

Graham,

I fully empathize with timestamps frustration. He has every right to be outraged - I don't blame him at all . Processing times have now gone from 3 months to 13 month's. That is a disgrace.

However writing to Gillard would be akin to pissing in the wind.

I understand thr frustration....but he can have his family with him in 6 months or less if he thinks about it...he would be less angry about the processing time if his family was here.

Edited July 10, 2011 by gburns57au

[ronniec]

I have been advised to apply for a 1 year multiply entry visa for my wife and her son to come Australia because of the long delays,however this means 2 things 1)she cannot work when she gets here and 2)her son cannot go to school so we are going to have to home teach,which because of him only speaking Thai will be pretty hard.

there is also the extra costs in going back to Thailand for the medical etc.

My question is why is this happening,is it because of all the illegal entries into Aust or is it lack of staff at the Embassies.

Can anyone advised about the schooling situation?

[bridge]

I have been advised to apply for a 1 year multiply entry visa for my wife and her son to come Australia because of the long delays,however this means 2 things 1)she cannot work when she gets here and 2)her son cannot go to school so we are going to have to home teach,which because of him only speaking Thai will be pretty hard.

there is also the extra costs in going back to Thailand for the medical etc.

My question is why is this happening,is it because of all the illegal entries into Aust or is it lack of staff at the Embassies.

Can anyone advised about the schooling situation?

Who advised you to apply for a 1 year multiple entry tourist visa, was it the Australian Embassy, Bangkok?

Another member of this forum (well actually his wife) recently applied for and was granted 6 months tourist visa (single entry). He was subsequently informed from someone high up in the DIAC office at the Embassy that where tourist visa applications are lodged to visit Australia during the processing of a partner visa application, only 3 months will be granted.

Question: Has anyone recently applied for a tourist visa to visit Australia during the processing of an offshore partner visa application? If so, how long a stay was applied for, and what was granted?

Not exactly sure what you mean about the 'schooling situation', but tourist visa holder are eligible to study for up to 3 months on a tourist visa.

[Turboadam]

I have been advised to apply for a 1 year multiply entry visa for my wife and her son to come Australia because of the long delays,however this means 2 things 1)she cannot work when she gets here and 2)her son cannot go to school so we are going to have to home teach,which because of him only speaking Thai will be pretty hard.

there is also the extra costs in going back to Thailand for the medical etc.

My question is why is this happening,is it because of all the illegal entries into Aust or is it lack of staff at the Embassies.

Can anyone advised about the schooling situation?

Who advised you to apply for a 1 year multiple entry tourist visa, was it the Australian Embassy, Bangkok?

Another member of this forum (well actually his wife) recently applied for and was granted 6 months tourist visa (single entry). He was subsequently informed from someone high up in the DIAC office at the Embassy that where tourist visa applications are lodged to visit Australia during the processing of a partner visa application, only 3 months will be granted.

Question: Has anyone recently applied for a tourist visa to visit Australia during the processing of an offshore partner visa application? If so, how long a stay was applied for, and what was granted?

Not exactly sure what you mean about the 'schooling situation', but tourist visa holder are eligible to study for up to 3 months on a tourist visa.

This is absolutely correct. My wife was granted 6 m TV during processing of the 309. We had a visa issue (my fault), she had to return to Thai after 1 month. The TV was granted again for 6 months and at that time - The Senior Migration Officer/Second Secretary Immigration (an Australian) told me that she was given 6 months only because of the great submission (from Bridge) and that she could have 6 months granted again because it was granted initially. She further went on to say that 3 months was the norm and we were very lucky to have got 6!

Edited July 11, 2011 by Turboadam

[electau]

From the DIAC website . This may answer some questions.

http://www.immi.gov.au/migrants/family/questions-answers.htm

[bridge]

From the DIAC website . This may answer some questions.

http://www.immi.gov.au/migrants/family/questions-answers.htm

Good link. Plenty of info there. Thanks Electau.

[scotto]

So gburns57au

has the answers to this if i calm down well i am calm now but still annoyed!!!

yet you would not share with the rest of us your secret to beating the system in 6 months?

How is this so? when the department states 12- 13 months?

I remember you giving me advise in an earlier post regarding citizenship for my son

which i do appreciate however being seperated from both my wife and son is very hard as you would no

as you are married to a thai !

I do not understand your thinking on this particuliar subject as ,if i was in your shoes knowing something that could

help many fellow aussies i would gladly share this info maybe a little compassion towards fellow aussies?

regards

scotto

[gburns57au]

So gburns57au

has the answers to this if i calm down well i am calm now but still annoyed!!!

yet you would not share with the rest of us your secret to beating the system in 6 months?

How is this so? when the department states 12- 13 months?

I remember you giving me advise in an earlier post regarding citizenship for my son

which i do appreciate however being seperated from both my wife and son is very hard as you would no

as you are married to a thai !

I do not understand your thinking on this particuliar subject as ,if i was in your shoes knowing something that could

help many fellow aussies i would gladly share this info maybe a little compassion towards fellow aussies?

regards

scotto

It is not a secret and a few people are doing it now. I cant advise on how to circumnavigate the Immigration process as that would be illegal. Bridge as a Registered agent could be more specific than I.

In my opinion it would ease your stress levels to have them here while applying for the spouse visa, there is a way to do that if they get the right condition or actually a lack of a condition on a particular visa. It will cost you a bit more in the long run and wont really affect the processing time but at least you will be with them.

[Logarhythm]

So gburns57au

has the answers to this if i calm down well i am calm now but still annoyed!!!

yet you would not share with the rest of us your secret to beating the system in 6 months?

How is this so? when the department states 12- 13 months?

I remember you giving me advise in an earlier post regarding citizenship for my son

which i do appreciate however being seperated from both my wife and son is very hard as you would no

as you are married to a thai !

I do not understand your thinking on this particuliar subject as ,if i was in your shoes knowing something that could

help many fellow aussies i would gladly share this info maybe a little compassion towards fellow aussies?

regards

scotto

It is not a secret and a few people are doing it now. I cant advise on how to circumnavigate the Immigration process as that would be illegal. Bridge as a Registered agent could be more specific than I.

In my opinion it would ease your stress levels to have them here while applying for the spouse visa, there is a way to do that if they get the right condition or actually a lack of a condition on a particular visa. It will cost you a bit more in the long run and wont really affect the processing time but at least you will be with them.

I'm in a similar boat to Scotto, but my wife is Filipino and teaching in Thailand and so am I. She has a Bachelor of Education. I am a Registered Nurse with over 20 years experience. I will return to Australia to work in an industry that is crying out for staff. We have an 8 month old child. If she applies for a tourist visa to enter Australia she would still have to return to Thailand for a medical and to collect her partner visa. This is very problematic. Any suggestions?

[bridge]

So gburns57au

has the answers to this if i calm down well i am calm now but still annoyed!!!

yet you would not share with the rest of us your secret to beating the system in 6 months?

How is this so? when the department states 12- 13 months?

I remember you giving me advise in an earlier post regarding citizenship for my son

which i do appreciate however being seperated from both my wife and son is very hard as you would no

as you are married to a thai !

I do not understand your thinking on this particuliar subject as ,if i was in your shoes knowing something that could

help many fellow aussies i would gladly share this info maybe a little compassion towards fellow aussies?

regards

scotto

It is not a secret and a few people are doing it now. I cant advise on how to circumnavigate the Immigration process as that would be illegal. Bridge as a Registered agent could be more specific than I.

In my opinion it would ease your stress levels to have them here while applying for the spouse visa, there is a way to do that if they get the right condition or actually a lack of a condition on a particular visa. It will cost you a bit more in the long run and wont really affect the processing time but at least you will be with them.

Graham, You've got me. I am even not sure what you are talking about. Is there something I am missing.

Bridge

[Will27]

So gburns57au

has the answers to this if i calm down well i am calm now but still annoyed!!!

yet you would not share with the rest of us your secret to beating the system in 6 months?

How is this so? when the department states 12- 13 months?

I remember you giving me advise in an earlier post regarding citizenship for my son

which i do appreciate however being seperated from both my wife and son is very hard as you would no

as you are married to a thai !

I do not understand your thinking on this particuliar subject as ,if i was in your shoes knowing something that could

help many fellow aussies i would gladly share this info maybe a little compassion towards fellow aussies?

regards

scotto

It is not a secret and a few people are doing it now. I cant advise on how to circumnavigate the Immigration process as that would be illegal. Bridge as a Registered agent could be more specific than I.

In my opinion it would ease your stress levels to have them here while applying for the spouse visa, there is a way to do that if they get the right condition or actually a lack of a condition on a particular visa. It will cost you a bit more in the long run and wont really affect the processing time but at least you will be with them.

Graham, You've got me. I am even not sure what you are talking about. Is there something I am missing.

Bridge

G'day Bridge

It's got me confused as well.

For a start, it's not illegal to circumnavigate any government process IMHO opinion.

Make the system work for you. But if Graham thinks it is illegal, why does he think

you could be any more specific?

Reading between the lines, it seems as if he may be talking about applying onshore

without the 8503 condition which there is no problem with. Although maybe he's talking

about trying to get the 8503 lifted which ain't easy. Either way it's vague.

Secondly, although I can sympathise with scotto's situation about the long waiting

times, it's not just Thailand, it's all "high risk" countries. It's not just a Thailand thing.

Scotto, you can apply for visitor visa's in the meantime but obviously it get's expensive

doing it that way.

Also, I don't believe for a second his comment about someone from the USA getting

a partner visa in 5 days.

Reagrds

Will

Edited July 13, 2011 by Will27

[Logarhythm]

I my wife were to apply for a tourist visa,she would have to leave her job as there is no way she would get 3 months off work. Is a letter from her employer absolutely necessary when applying for a tourist visa?

[Will27]

I my wife were to apply for a tourist visa,she would have to leave her job as there is no way she would get 3 months off work. Is a letter from her employer absolutely necessary when applying for a tourist visa?

Mate

You really need to start researching the forum. A lot of your recent

questions have been covered in great detail. It seems that everytime

you think of a new question you just fire away without looking for it.

I don't mean to be harsh but it's not rocket science.

It's not necessary to have a letter from her employer but it adds a

lot of weight. Depending on the "strength" of the application, it could

be the deal breaker.

Why not just get a letter saying she is currently employed there?

Regards

Will

[Logarhythm]

I my wife were to apply for a tourist visa,she would have to leave her job as there is no way she would get 3 months off work. Is a letter from her employer absolutely necessary when applying for a tourist visa?

Mate

You really need to start researching the forum. A lot of your recent

questions have been covered in great detail. It seems that everytime

you think of a new question you just fire away without looking for it.

I don't mean to be harsh but it's not rocket science.

It's not necessary to have a letter from her employer but it adds a

lot of weight. Depending on the "strength" of the application, it could

be the deal breaker.

Why not just get a letter saying she is currently employed there?

Regards

Will

With all due respect, mate. Your first comments were totally unnecesary. However, I'll take the 2nd and 3rd paragraphs on board. Thanks.

[bridge]

So gburns57au

has the answers to this if i calm down well i am calm now but still annoyed!!!

yet you would not share with the rest of us your secret to beating the system in 6 months?

How is this so? when the department states 12- 13 months?

I remember you giving me advise in an earlier post regarding citizenship for my son

which i do appreciate however being seperated from both my wife and son is very hard as you would no

as you are married to a thai !

I do not understand your thinking on this particuliar subject as ,if i was in your shoes knowing something that could

help many fellow aussies i would gladly share this info maybe a little compassion towards fellow aussies?

regards

scotto

It is not a secret and a few people are doing it now. I cant advise on how to circumnavigate the Immigration process as that would be illegal. Bridge as a Registered agent could be more specific than I.

In my opinion it would ease your stress levels to have them here while applying for the spouse visa, there is a way to do that if they get the right condition or actually a lack of a condition on a particular visa. It will cost you a bit more in the long run and wont really affect the processing time but at least you will be with them.

Graham, You've got me. I am even not sure what you are talking about. Is there something I am missing.

Bridge

G'day Bridge

It's got me confused as well.

For a start, it's not illegal to circumnavigate any government process IMHO opinion.

Make the system work for you. But if Graham thinks it is illegal, why does he think

you could be any more specific?

Reading between the lines, it seems as if he may be talking about applying onshore

without the 8503 condition which there is no problem with. Although maybe he's talking

about trying to get the 8503 lifted which ain't easy. Either way it's vague.

Secondly, although I can sympathise with scotto's situation about the long waiting

times, it's not just Thailand, it's all "high risk" countries. It's not just a Thailand thing.

Scotto, you can apply for visitor visa's in the meantime but obviously it get's expensive

doing it that way.

Also, I don't believe for a second his comment about someone from the USA getting

a partner visa in 5 days.

Reagrds

Will

Will,

Agree with you.

If onshore and you don't have 8503, then you can lodge an onshore application - nothing wrong with that.

The standard processing times are the same across all high risk posts not just LOS.

Obtaining an 8503 waiver is no easy task. The Migration Regulations 1994 (Reg 2.05) provide the circumstances in which a waiver may be granted: "since the person was granted the visa that was subject to the condition, compelling and compassionate circumstances have developed over which the person had no control and that resulted in a major change to the person's circumstances". This is no easy hurdle.

Nothing stopping a partner visa applicant applying for a tourist visa during the processing. Will certainly add to the costs.

A partner visa application in 5 days - NO WAY. More likely scenario was onshore partner visa application lodged whereby applicant went straight on to a Bridging Visa.

Edited July 13, 2011 by bridge

[scotto]

Hi all,

thanks for yhe comments but my wife and son were here in oz with me for 3mths on a tr visa,with the obligatory stamp of no further stay

so i did the right thing and sent them back to LOS before there time ran out.

As i do not really want to upset the apple cart as it were.

So i have done the visitor visa thing and now we will be apart until i can save enough money to go back to los and apply for the spouse visa

i no many of you have gone through the same thing as i am about too, guess i will just have to wait like everybody else which will not be easy

but thats life in Thailand and obviously oz as well when dealing with the goverment.

thanks again

scotto..

[bridge]

Hi all,

thanks for yhe comments but my wife and son were here in oz with me for 3mths on a tr visa,with the obligatory stamp of no further stay

so i did the right thing and sent them back to LOS before there time ran out.

As i do not really want to upset the apple cart as it were.

So i have done the visitor visa thing and now we will be apart until i can save enough money to go back to los and apply for the spouse visa

i no many of you have gone through the same thing as i am about too, guess i will just have to wait like everybody else which will not be easy

but thats life in Thailand and obviously oz as well when dealing with the goverment.

thanks again

scotto..

All the best Scotto.

[gburns57au]

There are certain rules that pertain to the giving of advice to visa applicants, Breach the rules and you could commit Migration/document fraud. Registered agents obviously can give advice

Some of you guys were on the right track though

Edited July 13, 2011 by gburns57au

[Turboadam]

That is really weak Graham.

We all know that the law you refer to is aimed at dodgy people posing as migration agents, who aren't qualified and who take peoples money.

There is absolutely nothing illegal about putting info on a forum which ultimately is simply opinion and/or personal experience.

Furthermore, using the system to your advantage isn't illegal.

If what you (aren't) saying is illegal, then anyone who does it faces deportation and or criminal charges. Not real smart.

So is it legal or not? If not, keep it to yourself. If so put up your thoughts.

Edited July 14, 2011 by Turboadam

[gburns57au]

That is really weak Graham.

We all know that the law you refer to is aimed at dodgy people posing as migration agents, who aren't qualified and who take peoples money.

There is absolutely nothing illegal about putting info on a forum which ultimately is simply opinion and/or personal experience.

Furthermore, using the system to your advantage isn't illegal.

If what you (aren't) saying is illegal, then anyone who does it faces deportation and or criminal charges. Not real smart.

So is it legal or not? If not, keep it to yourself. If so put up your thoughts.

While the aim of the law is probably the dodgy people acting as agents it doesnt differentiate between an average joe trying to be helpful and a dodgy agent. The mere act of telling someone which visa to apply for is in breach of the law. While in private converstion this would not generally be an issue, putting it on a public forum is a different matter.

Giving an opinion is not illegal but there is a fine line between giving an opinion and giving advice. If I tell Scotto he needs to apply for a XYZ visa that doesnt have a ABCD condition attached to it so he can get his family here prior to applying for a more substantive ABC visa, then I would be in breach of the Immigration law, even with a disclaimer on the post or the words "in my opinion" at the start.

Using the system to your advantage is not illegal unless there is a breach of the Immigration laws. Using the system to give someone else an advantage is a different matter. Imagine if everybody circumnavigated the system to gain advantages....they would tighten the system so tight hardly anybody would get a visa.

I didnt make the rules.....

And BTW......you guys would be lousy at cryptic crosswords

[howareyou]

Guys no one has confirmed yet whether these new processing times are effective for applications submitted after 1st july - I applied for partner visa on the 6th of May and as at that that the spt was 10 months

Can anyone confirm this?

That is really weak Graham.

We all know that the law you refer to is aimed at dodgy people posing as migration agents, who aren't qualified and who take peoples money.

There is absolutely nothing illegal about putting info on a forum which ultimately is simply opinion and/or personal experience.

Furthermore, using the system to your advantage isn't illegal.

If what you (aren't) saying is illegal, then anyone who does it faces deportation and or criminal charges. Not real smart.

So is it legal or not? If not, keep it to yourself. If so put up your thoughts.

While the aim of the law is probably the dodgy people acting as agents it doesnt differentiate between an average joe trying to be helpful and a dodgy agent. The mere act of telling someone which visa to apply for is in breach of the law. While in private converstion this would not generally be an issue, putting it on a public forum is a different matter.

Giving an opinion is not illegal but there is a fine line between giving an opinion and giving advice. If I tell Scotto he needs to apply for a XYZ visa that doesnt have a ABCD condition attached to it so he can get his family here prior to applying for a more substantive ABC visa, then I would be in breach of the Immigration law, even with a disclaimer on the post or the words "in my opinion" at the start.

Using the system to your advantage is not illegal unless there is a breach of the Immigration laws. Using the system to give someone else an advantage is a different matter. Imagine if everybody circumnavigated the system to gain advantages....they would tighten the system so tight hardly anybody would get a visa.

I didnt make the rules.....

And BTW......you guys would be lousy at cryptic crosswords

[wazzi]

I would love to know who has got a tourist visa without the 8503 condition lately? All of my GF visas and those of other people I know have the 8503 condition.

I will be in the same position as scotto soon when we apply for a partner visa, the long wait would be much better if we were together

[gburns57au]

I would love to know who has got a tourist visa without the 8503 condition lately? All of my GF visas and those of other people I know have the 8503 condition.

I will be in the same position as scotto soon when we apply for a partner visa, the long wait would be much better if we were together

12 month ME doesnt have the 8503.....as that visa allows for further travel.

I personally know of a girl who got a 3 month tourist visa without the condition, it was her first time here. She is now on the Temporary Spouse visa.

Edited July 15, 2011 by gburns57au

[OzDamo]

I helped my Lady put her Fiancee' visa application in on 14/2/11-it was very comprehensive.

We didn't know about the 7th of Feb changes, which came with no warning to us, pity if we did know at the time we could of beaten that "date".

I got on to my graceful local member Mr.Swan after 3 months after the application was received and we had heard nothing from them and rattled his staffers cages about DIAC and the Bangkok Embassy website's inconsistencies.

My Lady did her interview 2 weeks ago said it was all good.

I was asked for an additional tax notice for the application which I was still awaiting for it to be sent to me from the ATO and in any case I had a letter from my employer, which if you read the prospective visa check list ask for either 2 tax notices "or" a letter from employer- I thought I had done more then required.

How long after her interview and extra documentation requested from the case officer is received should my Fiancee' expect to get her visa?

Damo'

Edited July 17, 2011 by OzDamo

[OzDamo]

This is absolutely disgraceful by the Australian Government that waiting times are so long, being married myself with a thai wife and son (dual citizenship)

I was going to put in her application in august to come live in oz with me guess its another hole year before my son and wife can live with me as a family.

This is not acceptable in any way whatsoever and i will be writing to julia a very well worded letter and if there is no response i will be going to anybody that listens

newspapers, T.v, radio, my local member of parliament who ever i can to get the response i want to here.

It is about time The Australian Government started to do something about waiting times at the Thai embassy, i urge everybody in the same situation to do the same

so that we are heard and get a satisfactory result.

Why is it that my mates American wife can apply and be given her visa to live here in 5 working days ???and yet if you are a Thai national then you can just wait, we the oz government say

F.U Thailand nationals we do not care 1 bit about you and your new family Discrimination i think.

Am I Peed right off, you F.......ing Bet I am and everybody in the same situation should be too lets start doing something about this. .

<deleted>. You guys don't want much..starting action group to allow the missus permanent residency...how long did it take you to get RESIDENCY here OR any other country for that matter..In fact there's been a 40% increase in foreign brides finding other partners whilst on land and claiming government benefits to support themselves and the multitude of families visiting. Be thankful you have a Wife now...you can take the Bride out of Thailand but you'll never take Thailand out of the Bride.

Yes and you can't take the fat rsed, bludging lazy b-tch out of Australia!

[bridge]

I helped my Lady put her Fiancee' visa application in on 14/2/11-it was very comprehensive.

We didn't know about the 7th of Feb changes, which came with no warning to us, pity if we did know at the time we could of beaten that "date".

I got on to my graceful local member Mr.Swan after 3 months after the application was received and we had heard nothing from them and rattled his staffers cages about DIAC and the Bangkok Embassy website's inconsistencies.

My Lady did her interview 2 weeks ago said it was all good.

I was asked for an additional tax notice for the application which I was still awaiting for it to be sent to me from the ATO and in any case I had a letter from my employer, which if you read the prospective visa check list ask for either 2 tax notices "or" a letter from employer- I thought I had done more then required.

How long after her interview and extra documentation requested from the case officer is received should my Fiancee' expect to get her visa?

Damo'

Hopefully within a month of the interview taking place. I take it medicals have been done.

Get the additional requested info to the case officer ASAP as no decision will be made until that is provided.

Good Luck

[wazzi]

I would love to know who has got a tourist visa without the 8503 condition lately? All of my GF visas and those of other people I know have the 8503 condition.

I will be in the same position as scotto soon when we apply for a partner visa, the long wait would be much better if we were together

12 month ME doesnt have the 8503.....as that visa allows for further travel.

I personally know of a girl who got a 3 month tourist visa without the condition, it was her first time here. She is now on the Temporary Spouse visa.

WE / she have applied for the 12 month ME visa and got a standard 3 month tourist visa, her first visa I can understand them being cautious but after that I thought we would have a chance at the ME.

What is the secret to getting a 12 month ME?

On the 48 R form there is no place to tick to ask for a 12 month ME visa, Should we have ticked the 12 month box?

[gburns57au]

WE / she have applied for the 12 month ME visa and got a standard 3 month tourist visa, her first visa I can understand them being cautious but after that I thought we would have a chance at the ME.

What is the secret to getting a 12 month ME?

On the 48 R form there is no place to tick to ask for a 12 month ME visa, Should we have ticked the 12 month box?

Yes.....although that doesnt guarantee anything, it is still at the Embassys discretion