Best Way To Pay For Spouse Visa Australia.

[althemighty]

So we called VFS today and they told us the best way to pay for spouse visa was to do inside Australia. From my calculations visa application in thailand costs 65000 baht and cost in Australia slightly less than 60000 baht. Looking at the immigation website it says you can pay for application in Australia and it lists the methods of payment such as credit card. So a couple of questions.

As I live about 7 hours drive to the closest office is it possible to pay online using the credit card?

What happens when I pay the money? VFS said I get a slip and I need to send this to my wife in thailand. Is there a limit for how long the application needs to be submitted after I pay? I am worried about July and price increase complicating the application.

Any advice from people who have paid this way on how to do would be most helpful.

[Berek]

I paid via CC at the Brisbane office then sent my wife a certified copy of the receipt. She didn't submit the application till approx 2 1/2 months after I paid.

[thaibeachlovers]

Just for interest sake, why does a visa cost 60,000 baht. Seems excessive to me.

[fishhooks]

Slightly off-topic but Australian friend and his TW, living in Melbourne are at present looking at migrating the wifes teenage Thai daughter to Australia. The Thai father is agreeable at the Thai end.

The Teenage daughter is currently living with them in Melbourne on a Tourist Visa which doesn't have the sometime notation of stating "No Further Stay"

Their initial enquiries have found that the cost of upgrading the daughter's status to apply for Permanent Residence (requiring a Bridging Visa) will cost more if done at this end, than the daughter returning to Thailand and going through the process there!

Have they been given the correct information?

[althemighty]

I was told it is cheapest to do the visa there but pay for it here. However as I don't live near a capital it is not possible for me to do so we are paying the extra 5000 baht. There is some things cheaper in Australia you can do for example to certify a document in Australia is free in thailand it costs money.

[edwinclapham]

Slightly off-topic but Australian friend and his TW, living in Melbourne are at present looking at migrating the wifes teenage Thai daughter to Australia. The Thai father is agreeable at the Thai end.

The Teenage daughter is currently living with them in Melbourne on a Tourist Visa which doesn't have the sometime notation of stating "No Further Stay"

Their initial enquiries have found that the cost of upgrading the daughter's status to apply for Permanent Residence (requiring a Bridging Visa) will cost more if done at this end, than the daughter returning to Thailand and going through the process there!

Have they been given the correct information?

Off shore is always cheaper than on shore. Your information is correct.

Edited June 17, 2012 by edwinclapham

[edwinclapham]

Just for interest sake, why does a visa cost 60,000 baht. Seems excessive to me.

The visa process is not cheap, and then you have the medical examination costs, translations where appropriate, stat decs/certifying documents.

De facto visas are primarily cheaper than most others.

If you are awarded a subclass 309 (2 yr temporary visa) then the second stage PR price is inclusive in the initial price which of course excluded the 2nd round of Police checks as the initial PC are have a life span of 12 months,.

[thaibeachlovers]

Just for interest sake, why does a visa cost 60,000 baht. Seems excessive to me.

The visa process is not cheap, and then you have the medical examination costs, translations where appropriate, stat decs/certifying documents.

De facto visas are primarily cheaper than most others.

If you are awarded a subclass 309 (2 yr temporary visa) then the second stage PR price is inclusive in the initial price which of course excluded the 2nd round of Police checks as the initial PC are have a life span of 12 months,.

Thanks.

Seems that they don't really want citizens bringing in wives from overseas.

[althemighty]

No Australia wants to increase growth. It just does not want poor people to bring in a wife as they can't afford to support them and need govenment help. Also the high visa cost acts as a barrier for people bringing in a wife if they are not really serious.

[thaibeachlovers]

No Australia wants to increase growth. It just does not want poor people to bring in a wife as they can't afford to support them and need govenment help. Also the high visa cost acts as a barrier for people bringing in a wife if they are not really serious.

Hmmmm, so it's OK to give taxpayer support to illegals, but not OK to give benefits to poor people's wives just because they are from overseas? It's not as though 2 unemployed people can't get married.

I doubt that the number of people looking to bring in foreign wives even registers on the statistics.

[edwinclapham]

No Australia wants to increase growth. It just does not want poor people to bring in a wife as they can't afford to support them and need govenment help. Also the high visa cost acts as a barrier for people bringing in a wife if they are not really serious.

Hmmmm, so it's OK to give taxpayer support to illegals, but not OK to give benefits to poor people's wives just because they are from overseas? It's not as though 2 unemployed people can't get married.

I doubt that the number of people looking to bring in foreign wives even registers on the statistics.

Australian signed the UN Convention, therefore they are obliged to meet their obligations.

Why should the likes of me, be directly able to claim benefits. We have to wait the statutory 2 years.

However, I do understand from a European perspective that ones citizens should come first particularly the pensioners, disabled etc.

There is no direct answer and I doubt very much Tony Abbott has one as well.

[Elwood62]

a bit off topic now lol

[7by7]

Indeed, further off topic posts will be deleted.

[catwho]

I was told it is cheapest to do the visa there but pay for it here. However as I don't live near a capital it is not possible for me to do so we are paying the extra 5000 baht. There is some things cheaper in Australia you can do for example to certify a document in Australia is free in thailand it costs money.

i paid 65,000bt,plus 1,700bt [cash] fot the app to be processed at the counter,at the VFS,bkk,its on the reciept

[ThaiVisaExpress]

UK Settlement visas are around 42k whenever I prepare an Australian spouse visa when I go make the draft it hurts. Its not even my money but it seems a lot however that's the fee you must pay.

[fishhooks]

UK Settlement visas are around 42k whenever I prepare an Australian spouse visa when I go make the draft it hurts. Its not even my money but it seems a lot however that's the fee you must pay.

Also hurts a tad when you bring a child to Australia a bit later than the wife's Spouse Visa and pay the same fee again.

Yes, I know it can be done under the original Spouse Visa within a time limit, but for many reasons couples want to settle into their new life before bringing the kid/s.

I think I'm correct in saying that children of the wife are considered even with a medical in the wife's original application, so a brand new full fee does as you have put it 'hurt'.

Have friends going through this at present and it's really expensive.

They are looking to pay the fee here in Aust. as you can with a Spouse Visa even though processing in BKK., but are having trouble getting definitive info!

Thai Visa Express: Do you know the actual difference in cost at present if paying in Australia for the visa to be done in Bangkok?.......and I guess if this is indeed possible as with a Spouse V?

EDIT: From what I can see on the IMMI. website, the cost of an on-shore application is just on $3000 and about $2000 for application overseas, thus the question remains can an off-shore 'child' application be paid for here as can be done with a Spouse Visa and taking the official receipt overseas to validate the off-shore application.

Edited June 23, 2012 by fishhooks

[fishhooks]

I should have added in the above post that the child is currently in Australia with the parents on a Tourist Visa which does 'not' have the "No Further Stay" endorsment.

So I guess they have a choice as to where the eventual visa is processed? So it really comes down to if it can be done in Thailand at a $1000 less!

[catwho]

I should have added in the above post that the child is currently in Australia with the parents on a Tourist Visa which does 'not' have the "No Further Stay" endorsment.

So I guess they have a choice as to where the eventual visa is processed? So it really comes down to if it can be done in Thailand at a $1000 less!

And if the child comes back to thailand fish,what about the plane fare,evens out,try the bridging visa,my mate did it with his mrs ,not sure if same thing,

but doing from oz cost him less in the long run.

cat

[fishhooks]

I should have added in the above post that the child is currently in Australia with the parents on a Tourist Visa which does 'not' have the "No Further Stay" endorsment.

So I guess they have a choice as to where the eventual visa is processed? So it really comes down to if it can be done in Thailand at a $1000 less!

And if the child comes back to thailand fish,what about the plane fare,evens out,try the bridging visa,my mate did it with his mrs ,not sure if same thing,

but doing from oz cost him less in the long run.

cat

You make a very good point and one which I was thinking myself, only to say that the young girl does I imagine need to go back home in the near future anyway, even if she is going to migrate here.

She was living with her father and family and some form of re settling arrangements I imagine need to be done.

But, yes, airfares do come into play here!

I think the only thing hanging out here now is, if the same arrangement as with a Spouse Visa exists, whereby the off-shore Immigration fee can be transacted in Aust.

I think my mate needs to go to Immigration here and find that out definitely, then they can do the sums.

I was actually in a similar situation myself many years back, where a Chinese girlfriend (now ex wife) visited me here on a Tourist Visa and we eventually decided she would stay.

So we did the Bridging Visa thing.

But, hell, the Immigration fees were peanuts then!

With another possible rise in fees coming up in a few days, July 1, these fees now need a lot of planning as to the best way forward.

Edited June 24, 2012 by fishhooks

[fishhooks]

No Australia wants to increase growth. It just does not want poor people to bring in a wife as they can't afford to support them and need govenment help. Also the high visa cost acts as a barrier for people bringing in a wife if they are not really serious.

Oh Oh my .........!

Wouldn't it be great if 'Human Nature' worked as well as this is as easy to state