Oz Tourist Visa

[Smokey88]

Ok so this is not a normal Tourist visa application and its also not for myself or my girlfriend.

Situation: Best friend of my girlfriend we shall call her Song is in a relationship with a American that I had the pleasure to meet on my last trip to Thailand. He is coming to Australia in July for business and then planning on flying to Thailand to see Song for 3 days before flying home. Song told my Girlfriend that she would love to go to Australia half jokingly. So I got it into my head that there is no harm in trying for a 3 month visa so she can come over to Australia.

Jay (american) will be coming over here for 3 days of work and 7 days of holiday then 3 days in Thailand but if we can get Song a visa it will be a 2 week stay in Australia. Song will then continue to stay in Australia till my girlfriend has to leave the country and they will fly home to Thailand together 1 week after Jay has gone home.

So my questions are in relation to who provides details and of what.

1. Am I the one who has to sponsor her trip ( I will be housing and financing a small part of her trip here while she is under my care) ?
   
2. If I do sponsor a 2nd Thai girls visa will that cause trouble with my girlfriends when it comes time to do our next 12 month tourist and fiancée visa's
   
3. Does a American being a sponsor hold any weight
   
4. Is it just better for me to sponsor her claims of coming to see her friend as that is half the reason of coming besides seeing the boyfriend
   

If we can co-sponsor what papers would you include

My behalf - Normal stuff I submit

Jay's - same stuff submitted

My Girlfriends - proof of their friendship?

Any advice would be great as I'm not sure how to approach this one and cannot find any threads close to this scenario.

[secretariat]

This post won't be too much help to you as it's only my opinion based on gut instincts.

My guess (and it's only a guess) is that it would be best for your American friend to act as the girl's sponsor, and for you to remain removed from the application process.

I think there would be too many questions asked if you tried to sponsor a 2nd girl from Thailand.

[Smokey88]

While I do share that same view Secretariat I can't find a reason why they would give her the visa for a American visitor that she is not married to. To me if I am not involved in the visa then there is no weight to it at all imo. That said I wouldn't risk mine and my soon to be fiancée's future over a 2 week holiday.

[David48]

Could your friend 'Song' not apply in her own right?

Many people who apply for an Australian Visa do not have 'Sponsor' in Australia.

If she has questions about the application or if she would qualify in her own right, representatives from the Embassy go to their lodging agency, currently the VFS, on a Thursday between 14.00 and 16.00. Check here for confirmation of the days and times http://www.thailand...._Migration.html

[Smokey88]

Interesting avenue David48 didn't even cross my mind to be honest will do some more searching down that way.

[gburns57au]

First thing.....forget the word "sponsor".....a sponsor is not required for a visitor visa.

If she doesnt have enough funds for a stand alone application then she will require an additional funds provider who will have to provide proof of income, this can be provided by anyone. However if you support the application then you will need to show proof that you actually know her. There wouldnt be a problem with the American supporting her application. She will also need to meet the criteria including a reason to return to Thailand.

As to future applications for your girl, it may raise some questions with the next application that you support.

Being American does not add anything to an application, each application is judged on its own merits not on the status of the application support person.

[David48]

I agree with 100% gburns57au above (is that the sky falling in I see?) ...

What helps us greatly is to know what happened?

What did you, your Thai gf and 'Song' decide?

Did you go to the VFS as suggested and ask their opinion?

Telephone to the Embassy and get their thoughts?

If you declined to help Song, what was the Thai gf's reaction?

OH ... BTW, great first post.

If we weren’t such a cynical bunch we might think that it was a wind up.

So come back and update the thread.

Edited April 9, 2012 by David48

[Smokey88]

No wind up david just busy with work.

Nothing has been decided yet and my TGF is fine either way it goes. Song has a job but only gets 10k a month and her bank balance is only sitting at 32k so money wise it a no go imo for her to stand on her own.

Proof of relationship between her and jay

Stat dec from me

A few emails

Phone records

Skype records

3 photos clearly showing faces

Only problem here is it will only be 5 months proof.

I have talked to Jay about how my involement might cause problems for me in future so he wont let me do it if some harm comes from it.

Reason to return

Letter from employer

Family ties

Still have time to decide what to do, tho it would have been easier to do it next week while we are both in BKK.

No harm in attempting to get a visa if unsuccesful he just flys tp thailand.

Forgive any errors please written from iphone.

[gburns57au]

No wind up david just busy with work.

Nothing has been decided yet and my TGF is fine either way it goes. Song has a job but only gets 10k a month and her bank balance is only sitting at 32k so money wise it a no go imo for her to stand on her own.

Proof of relationship between her and jay

Stat dec from me

A few emails

Phone records

Skype records

3 photos clearly showing faces

Only problem here is it will only be 5 months proof.

I have talked to Jay about how my involement might cause problems for me in future so he wont let me do it if some harm comes from it.

Reason to return

Letter from employer

Family ties

Still have time to decide what to do, tho it would have been easier to do it next week while we are both in BKK.

No harm in attempting to get a visa if unsuccesful he just flys tp thailand.

Forgive any errors please written from iphone.

5 months proof is generally sufficient to show you know someone as long as there has been a physical proven meeting, by that I dont mean a dinner date alone but time spent in company such you would over the course of a holiday. Internet or mail contact alone will not be considered.