Australian Tourist Visa Application

[Will27]

45 minutes ago, pdtokyo said:

Will27 thank you again ... i barely have time for a swim and there's a reply ...

 

OK i hear you about the marriage and house plans ...

 

presumably the drop-down box description of me as 'Fiance' (so quaint) is OK in the body of the application?

I don't know much about the online application.

 

I would just use partner or boyfriend if it has it.

But that's just me.

[TSF]

13 hours ago, pdtokyo said:

Successful 600 Tourist visa for jobless and unfunded (but property-owner) Thai partner and Australian aged pensioner with limited assets and 6 month relationship history !

 

Yes, sounds too good to be true but a 3 year multi-trip visa arrived tonight about 7 days after submitting application online.

 

Briefly, we ... 

 

- listed all her family in Thailand

- described me as ''fiance" on application

- made it clear her mother's health not 100% and her daughter needs help looking after two small grandchildren (reasons to return)

- provided translated title deeds to her Thai property (more reasons for her return)

- provided same-dated Australian bank accounts showing AUD 50k available cash from me to support her

- stated in several of the uploaded documents (the 'Invitation letter', 'Funding letter' and in a later 'Relationship letter') that i would meet all expenses

- every upload in PDF form, shrunk to maximum 2mb size, maximum 10 pages per PDF. Bigger files should work but i noticed a high error rate in the IMMI upload process. If it takes their app more than 10 seconds to upload then it seems to choke.

 

A scary bit ...

 

We did not go into a lot of detail about relationship initially and did not even upload family photos of us all (figuring it's a Tourist visa, not a Spouse visa) but two days after application submitted, the embassy officer called my partner and asked about length of proposed stay (two months), then a few questions about relationship and finished the call with "Next time provide some photos".

 

This could be read two ways ...

 

(1) Your application is hopeless, next time provide some photos

or

(2) Your application will be approved this time, next time provide some photos.

 

In case it was (1) we hastily got together some photos and more relationship details and uploaded them as an "Other" document titled "Relationship letter" which started with a grovelling apology for not supplying these details earlier.

 

We will never know if the additional documents were read or considered, or what else was important, but with hindsight i'd probably provide the Relationship letter up-front, before hitting the ''submit" button.

 

Finally ... it's very obvious you only get one shot per application. In Australia and most places i've lived, if there was a problem with an application there's a good chance someone would call to say 'you need to fix X and Y'. Not this lot. Take your time and read this entire thread!

 

Once more, thanks to all the positive contributors to it !

Be aware that Aussie Border Force are now insisting that tourists on these multi-entry 600 visas spend equal time out of the country as they did in. For example if visitor arrives and spends the max time in Oz (3 months) then they must depart the country and stay out for 3 months before entering Oz. Can no longer stay 3 months then fly up to Bali or S'Pore for a week and fly back in and get another 3 months. If a visitor does that then on re-entry their visa is cancelled and they are deported and cannot apply for another Oz visa...effectively a 3 year ban. Plus they have a visa cancellation & deportation on their record, so possibly never get another visa. 

[Peterw42]

9 minutes ago, TSF said:

Be aware that Aussie Border Force are now insisting that tourists on these multi-entry 600 visas spend equal time out of the country as they did in. For example if visitor arrives and spends the max time in Oz (3 months) then they must depart the country and stay out for 3 months before entering Oz. Can no longer stay 3 months then fly up to Bali or S'Pore for a week and fly back in and get another 3 months. If a visitor does that then on re-entry their visa is cancelled and they are deported and cannot apply for another Oz visa...effectively a 3 year ban. Plus they have a visa cancellation & deportation on their record, so possibly never get another visa. 

Is there an official statement/documents that says this in/out requirement or based on personal experience ? Has it just been implemented ?

Wifes friend has literally just arrived back in Thailand after doing 3 x 3 month visits with a couple of weeks in between each stay, in the last 12 months.

[AverageBloke]

13 hours ago, pdtokyo said:

Successful 600 Tourist visa for jobless and unfunded (but property-owner) Thai partner and Australian aged pensioner with limited assets and 6 month relationship history !

 

Yes, sounds too good to be true but a 3 year multi-trip visa arrived tonight about 7 days after submitting application online.

 

Briefly, we ... 

 

- listed all her family in Thailand

- described me as ''fiance" on application

- made it clear her mother's health not 100% and her daughter needs help looking after two small grandchildren (reasons to return)

- provided translated title deeds to her Thai property (more reasons for her return)

- provided same-dated Australian bank accounts showing AUD 50k available cash from me to support her

- stated in several of the uploaded documents (the 'Invitation letter', 'Funding letter' and in a later 'Relationship letter') that i would meet all expenses

- every upload in PDF form, shrunk to maximum 2mb size, maximum 10 pages per PDF. Bigger files should work but i noticed a high error rate in the IMMI upload process. If it takes their app more than 10 seconds to upload then it seems to choke.

 

A scary bit ...

 

We did not go into a lot of detail about relationship initially and did not even upload family photos of us all (figuring it's a Tourist visa, not a Spouse visa) but two days after application submitted, the embassy officer called my partner and asked about length of proposed stay (two months), then a few questions about relationship and finished the call with "Next time provide some photos".

 

This could be read two ways ...

 

(1) Your application is hopeless, next time provide some photos

or

(2) Your application will be approved this time, next time provide some photos.

 

In case it was (1) we hastily got together some photos and more relationship details and uploaded them as an "Other" document titled "Relationship letter" which started with a grovelling apology for not supplying these details earlier.

 

We will never know if the additional documents were read or considered, or what else was important, but with hindsight i'd probably provide the Relationship letter up-front, before hitting the ''submit" button.

 

Finally ... it's very obvious you only get one shot per application. In Australia and most places i've lived, if there was a problem with an application there's a good chance someone would call to say 'you need to fix X and Y'. Not this lot. Take your time and read this entire thread!

 

Once more, thanks to all the positive contributors to it !

I'm very pleased to read that you had a good outcome. Last Monday my girlfriend attended the Australian Embassy in Bangkok, she thinks everything went fairly well although they said it could take up to a month before she gets an answer. Just wondering if anyone knows if that's the usual timeframe?

[Will27]

4 minutes ago, AverageBloke said:

I'm very pleased to read that you had a good outcome. Last Monday my girlfriend attended the Australian Embassy in Bangkok, she thinks everything went fairly well although they said it could take up to a month before she gets an answer. Just wondering if anyone knows if that's the usual timeframe?

Seems to be around 10 to 14 days but here are the official times from Immigrations website:

Processing times

• 75% of applications: 21 days
• 90% of applications: 34 days

[BEVUP]

Yes very lucky 

Such a short time together & limited funds

 

As yu have heard my story the reason I had to go with the Family sponsor was that wife couldn't show funds

I also applied for 1 full yr (no multi ) - Hence the medical due to more then a 3 mth stay 

& also not forgetting that if yu apply for a 600 Visitor stream & they deem your partener has insufficient funds they may demand yu to be a Sponsor, which entails a 8503 clause

 

[rhodie]

23 minutes ago, TSF said:

Be aware that Aussie Border Force are now insisting that tourists on these multi-entry 600 visas spend equal time out of the country as they did in. For example if visitor arrives and spends the max time in Oz (3 months) then they must depart the country and stay out for 3 months before entering Oz. Can no longer stay 3 months then fly up to Bali or S'Pore for a week and fly back in and get another 3 months. If a visitor does that then on re-entry their visa is cancelled and they are deported and cannot apply for another Oz visa...effectively a 3 year ban. Plus they have a visa cancellation & deportation on their record, so possibly never get another visa. 

Do you have any examples of this? Same as @Peterw42 above , I know a girl who was in OZ Oct-Dec, back in Thailand for 3 weeks in Jan and has been back in OZ since then on tourist visa.

[Will27]

12 minutes ago, rhodie said:

Do you have any examples of this? Same as @Peterw42 above , I know a girl who was in OZ Oct-Dec, back in Thailand for 3 weeks in Jan and has been back in OZ since then on tourist visa.

Unless their is a written directive, I find it hard to believe TBH.

 

Immigration have always looked at people on tourist visas who spend too much

time in Oz so I don't think it's anything new.

 

Normally you would be spoken to by an Immi officer at the airport and told you

were spending too much time in Oz and to have some time away.

 

IMO, It would be unusual to have a visa cancelled on arrival for someone doing their first visa bounce.

[TSF]

1 hour ago, Peterw42 said:

Is there an official statement/documents that says this in/out requirement or based on personal experience ? Has it just been implemented ?

Wifes friend has literally just arrived back in Thailand after doing 3 x 3 month visits with a couple of weeks in between each stay, in the last 12 months.

 

50 minutes ago, Will27 said:

Unless their is a written directive, I find it hard to believe TBH.

 

Immigration have always looked at people on tourist visas who spend too much

time in Oz so I don't think it's anything new.

 

Normally you would be spoken to by an Immi officer at the airport and told you

were spending too much time in Oz and to have some time away.

 

IMO, It would be unusual to have a visa cancelled on arrival for someone doing their first visa bounce.

 

1 hour ago, rhodie said:

Do you have any examples of this? Same as @Peterw42 above , I know a girl who was in OZ Oct-Dec, back in Thailand for 3 weeks in Jan and has been back in OZ since then on tourist visa.

Personal experience guys. Happened to us a couple of weeks ago as we were at Perth airport about to get a flight to Bali for 10 days. I was told this by a border force official. He said if my Thai partner tried to re-enter Australia in 10 days he will cancel her visa and she'll be deported. He said he was putting the "conversation" on her file. Neither of us have done anything wrong, no criminal records or activities whatsoever, we both have very smart appearances and were well dressed. We were just unfortunate to be picked upon by a nasty officious bast#@d, who IMO was greatly abusing his powers. But those guys have incredible powers, way more than police.  I couldn't risk having my Thai partner deported so bought her a flight back to Thailand from Bali. I spent a lot of time online searching for info on this. Seems it's entirely up to border force, they can decide such things on the spot. I only found one other reference to this, from an immigration lawyer on a forum, and he said there are now reports coming in of this happening. Border force now consider visitors staying 2-3 months in Australia, then flying up to Bali or S'Pore for a week and returning for another 2-3 months, as setting up de facto residency, which they say is incorrect use of the visa and are clamping down on it. Anyway, be warned.

[Will27]

31 minutes ago, TSF said:

 

 

Personal experience guys. Happened to us a couple of weeks ago as we were at Perth airport about to get a flight to Bali for 10 days. I was told this by a border force official. He said if my Thai partner tried to re-enter Australia in 10 days he will cancel her visa and she'll be deported. He said he was putting the "conversation" on her file. Neither of us have done anything wrong, no criminal records or activities whatsoever, we both have very smart appearances and were well dressed. We were just unfortunate to be picked upon by a nasty officious bast#@d, who IMO was greatly abusing his powers. But those guys have incredible powers, way more than police.  I couldn't risk having my Thai partner deported so bought her a flight back to Thailand from Bali. I spent a lot of time online searching for info on this. Seems it's entirely up to border force, they can decide such things on the spot. I only found one other reference to this, from an immigration lawyer on a forum, and he said there are now reports coming in of this happening. Border force now consider visitors staying 2-3 months in Australia, then flying up to Bali or S'Pore for a week and returning for another 2-3 months, as setting up de facto residency, which they say is incorrect use of the visa and are clamping down on it. Anyway, be warned.

Thanks for that.

 

Just a question.

Why were they speaking to your girlfriend on departing?

 

How long has your girlfriend been spending in Australia?

[TSF]

5 minutes ago, Will27 said:

Thanks for that.

 

Just a question.

Why were they speaking to your girlfriend on departing?

 

How long has your girlfriend been spending in Australia?

Didn't speak to her at all. He approached me. As for her time in Australia. She had just spent 2.5 months in the country. From Nov 2019 - Feb 2020. Her previous visit was Oct 2018 - Jan 2019. So from Jan 2019 until Nov 2019, a total of 11 months she was in Thailand. So no way can anyone say she was spending too long in Australia. 

[Will27]

3 minutes ago, TSF said:

Didn't speak to her at all. He approached me. As for her time in Australia. She had just spent 2.5 months in the country. From Nov 2019 - Feb 2020. Her previous visit was Oct 2018 - Jan 2019. So from Jan 2019 until Nov 2019, a total of 11 months she was in Thailand. So no way can anyone say she was spending too long in Australia. 

Sounds like you got a power hungry turd to me.

[ThaiBunny]

2 hours ago, TSF said:

Be aware that Aussie Border Force are now insisting that tourists on these multi-entry 600 visas spend equal time out of the country as they did in. For example if visitor arrives and spends the max time in Oz (3 months) then they must depart the country and stay out for 3 months before entering Oz. Can no longer stay 3 months then fly up to Bali or S'Pore for a week and fly back in and get another 3 months. If a visitor does that then on re-entry their visa is cancelled and they are deported and cannot apply for another Oz visa...effectively a 3 year ban. Plus they have a visa cancellation & deportation on their record, so possibly never get another visa. 

Can you explain how this happens when many tourists are using the automatic entry points? As they insert their passport in the machine do the trumpets sound and the machine, in the manner of a Dalek, cries out "No Entry, No Entry"? Or is it at the automatic gates themselves when the passport holder inserts the "ticket" the machine has issued, the lights flash, the passport holder's face is validated, and then the shutters come down and entry to the Promised Land is denied?

 

As all airlines now have immediate access to the Australian visa status of every passenger at check-in, why would the airline allow such a passenger to check in at all?

[TSF]

45 minutes ago, Will27 said:

Sounds like you got a power hungry turd to me.

I've thought all this over so much and I'm afraid that's it. Unfortunately in life there are people who are just nasty bullies and as you say power hungry. Sometime in life you bump into these ass&%$es. 

[Will27]

1 minute ago, TSF said:

I've thought all this over so much and I'm afraid that's it. Unfortunately in life there are people who are just nasty bullies and as you say power hungry. Sometime in life you bump into these ass&%$es. 

Most people don't like to rock the boat with Immigration officials.

 

I would've ask him to put it in writing that he would cancel her visa.

He never would.

 

At the very least I would've asked him for his name and number and then

made some enquiries.

[TSF]

37 minutes ago, ThaiBunny said:

Can you explain how this happens when many tourists are using the automatic entry points? As they insert their passport in the machine do the trumpets sound and the machine, in the manner of a Dalek, cries out "No Entry, No Entry"? Or is it at the automatic gates themselves when the passport holder inserts the "ticket" the machine has issued, the lights flash, the passport holder's face is validated, and then the shutters come down and entry to the Promised Land is denied?

 

As all airlines now have immediate access to the Australian visa status of every passenger at check-in, why would the airline allow such a passenger to check in at all?

It didn't happen entering, it happened after passport control departing Australia. We were warned that if my Thai partner did not spend equal time out as she had just spent in (which in her case was approx 10 weeks) then upon trying to re-enter her visa would be cancelled and she would be deported. 

 

Now we could have taken a gamble and as you say just rock up 10 days later and insert her Thailand E-passport and perhaps she would just walk right through and out the airport and nothing happens. But I didn't want to take the risk because the border force guy said he'll put the "conversation" on her file. In which case maybe when my Thai partner tried to re-enter something would trigger and she'll get pulled aside. I wasn't prepared to gamble on her being put in detention and deported. 

 

As it is now, she hasn't had her visa cancelled, hasn't been deported, I've avoided all possibility of that by flying her home from Bali. Next time we plan to go to Australia, probably Nov this year, she would have spent 9 months outside Australia, so all is OK. But all this BS has cost me a packet.

[TSF]

8 minutes ago, Will27 said:

Most people don't like to rock the boat with Immigration officials.

 

I would've ask him to put it in writing that he would cancel her visa.

He never would.

 

At the very least I would've asked him for his name and number and then

made some enquiries.

He was a nasty officious bast#$d and I had the feeling he was getting pleasure from all this. I said to him at one time "Well what can I do? We are about to get on a flight to Bali, we have return tickets back to Perth in 10 days." He just smirked and repeated what he'd previously said about cancelling the visa and deportation, and pointed to a chair several meters away and said I could go sit down and think about it.

 

No kidding he was so aggressive I believe if I had asked him for his name and number he probably would have got super pee'd off with me cancelled the visa there and then. They have the power to do anything. All he needs to say is in his opinion we were using the visa to set up de facto residency, which is not what the visa is intended for. And that's that. 

 

 

[ThaiBunny]

2 minutes ago, TSF said:

He was a nasty officious bast#$d and I had the feeling he was getting pleasure from all this. I said to him at one time "Well what can I do? We are about to get on a flight to Bali, we have return tickets back to Perth in 10 days." He just smirked and repeated what he'd previously said about cancelling the visa and deportation, and pointed to a chair several meters away and said I could go sit down and think about it.

 

No kidding he was so aggressive I believe if I had asked him for his name and number he probably would have got super pee'd off with me cancelled the visa there and then. They have the power to do anything. All he needs to say is in his opinion we were using the visa to set up de facto residency, which is not what the visa is intended for. And that's that. 

All you had to do was call his bluff by walking off quietly, leave the country and return 10 days later. It won't have been recorded on file anywhere

[Will27]

8 minutes ago, ThaiBunny said:

All you had to do was call his bluff by walking off quietly, leave the country and return 10 days later. It won't have been recorded on file anywhere

The officer might've put something on the system asking them to have a look on return.

 

IMO he did the right thing.

He couldn't risk a cancellation.

[TSF]

3 hours ago, ThaiBunny said:

All you had to do was call his bluff by walking off quietly, leave the country and return 10 days later. It won't have been recorded on file anywhere

We'll never know, perhaps he was just having fun (his twisted idea of fun) but we had been threatened with cancellation and deportation. I serious thought about just returning and giving it a go. But I couldn't put my dear partner at that risk. If what he threatened happened to her it would be dreadful for her. She would virtually be arrested, taken to detention at the airport, then put on the next flight to Thailand. All that would be a terrible experience for her. He did say 2 or 3 times that he was going to put it on her file that we have had this "conversation". I just couldn't take the risk.

[TSF]

3 hours ago, Will27 said:

The officer might've put something on the system asking them to have a look on return.

 

IMO he did the right thing.

He couldn't risk a cancellation.

Yes, it was all a horrible experience and could have been worse. At least she still has her multi-entry visa, valid for another 2 years 8 months. So we can have a few more holidays in Perth. But all I'm doing is one trip a year from now on.

[rhodie]

3 hours ago, TSF said:

Yes, it was all a horrible experience and could have been worse. At least she still has her multi-entry visa, valid for another 2 years 8 months. So we can have a few more holidays in Perth. But all I'm doing is one trip a year from now on.

Does seem like a one off, but obviously you can't take a chance. I do know of many other visitors who have bounced after 3 months and not had any problems. My ex FIL came on a one year visa and bounced twice to NZ a few years ago without problems. Not from Thailand. 

 

I hope you don't run into that IO again.

[PhanomR]

On 3/5/2020 at 3:53 PM, TSF said:

No kidding he was so aggressive I believe if I had asked him for his name and number he probably would have got super pee'd off with me cancelled the visa there and then. They have the power to do anything. All he needs to say is in his opinion we were using the visa to set up de facto residency, which is not what the visa is intended for. And that's that. 

 

I am calling bullsh*t on it all!, The officers you deal with on leaving Australian (and entering) are Australian Border Force officers, they have nothing to do with immigration or visas besides checking that you have the relevant travel documentation in place.

 

They can refer you to immigration officers who belong to the Department of Home Affairs if required and have good reason, but they (ABF) have no power to cancel the visa, or deport you.

[Will27]

51 minutes ago, PhanomR said:

 

I am calling bullsh*t on it all!, The officers you deal with on leaving Australian (and entering) are Australian Border Force officers, they have nothing to do with immigration or visas besides checking that you have the relevant travel documentation in place.

 

They can refer you to immigration officers who belong to the Department of Home Affairs if required and have good reason, but they (ABF) have no power to cancel the visa, or deport you.

I believe him.

I doubt he'd make something like that up.

 

More probable is he got confused with Immigration/Border Force officers.

Like when people used to mistake Customs officers for Immigration officers.

[TSF]

2 hours ago, Will27 said:

I believe him.

I doubt he'd make something like that up.

 

More probable is he got confused with Immigration/Border Force officers.

Like when people used to mistake Customs officers for Immigration officers.

Perhaps you're right: border force/immigration/customs I really can't say I can tell the difference between all those uniformed officials at the airport. 

 

For someone to say I'm bull<deleted>ting and make this story up kinda leaves me speechless. So I'll have no more to say on the matter. All I wanted to do is put out the warning to others.

[PhanomR]

4 hours ago, pdtokyo said:

ABF and Immigration are both parts of Department of Home Affairs, headed by Mr PotatoHead ...

Yeah No, you're confused about this.

 

They are both part of the Home Affairs portfolio, which Dutton is the Minister for. There are a number of departments in the portfolio such as the Australian Federal Police.

 

But they are separate departments, 

[PhanomR]

5 hours ago, Will27 said:

I believe him.

I doubt he'd make something like that up.

Up to you, but far to many inconsistencies in the "story" for me and it doesn't make any logical sense. 

 

When questioned on it, suddenly they aren't even sure who they were speaking with. 

 

 

[AverageBloke]

On a different note, my girlfriend attended the Australian Embassy in Bangkok last Monday and today she received an email to say her visa has been granted. She's over the moon and I can't wait to show her around. 

[PhanomR]

On 3/7/2020 at 12:19 AM, pdtokyo said:

 

It won't, if he manages to grab the leadership from Morrison it will be like seizing the control of the Titanic.

 

But just in case, i'm moving to Thailand later this year to a Land of Smiles where a kind, wise and just government gently guides the population to a better life.

 

Oh, sorry PhanomR you're right ... i am confused.

Seem like the virus may take care of your problems for you.  Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton diagnosed with coronavirus https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-13/peter-dutton-diagnosed-with-coronavirus/12055104

 

 

[PhanomR]

On 3/7/2020 at 2:01 PM, pdtokyo said:

person "B" is the (usually Australian) adviser, the application communications from IMMI can be directed to "A" or "B" but not both.

That's because unless person 'B' is a a close family member (spouse, child, adopted child, parent, brother or sister of a visa applicant); a sponsor or nominator for a visa applicant, a member of parliament or their staff,  an official whose duties include providing immigration assistance, a member of a diplomatic mission, consular post or
international organisation, then its illegal for them to give advice or assistance to the applicant.