Common Reasons For Visa Refusal?

[chareehusbee]

Not to sound pessimistic, but I'm just curious as to what are common reasons for a spouse visa refusal? Besides obvious ones like inability to prove genuine relationship, etc.

[gburns57au]

Not to sound pessimistic, but I'm just curious as to what are common reasons for a spouse visa refusal? Besides obvious ones like inability to prove genuine relationship, etc.

Thats the main one I believe....

Some others are;

Failure to meet health and character checks.

Incomplete applications. By this I also mean lack of supporting documents.

[chareehusbee]

Thats the main one I believe....

Some others are;

Failure to meet health and character checks.

Incomplete applications. By this I also mean lack of supporting documents.

So assuming you have all that, there's really no real reason for denial?

(then it's just the waiting game)

I've been perusing this forum for awhile now, and reading the types of things people ask about doing the application. In my opinion, more is always better. If they ask for 2 stat decs give them 6. Try to pre-empt the documents they might want. For example, if they ask for this or that or that, give them this AND that AND that from the getgo. If they ask for last 6 months paychecks give them the last 2 years if you have them. Try to give them every document they mention, and then some, if possible. We gave them every financial/business document we could think of, payslips, invoices, contracts, employer letters, accountant letter, tax doc's, bank statements, etc. Every proof of relationship thing we had, albums of photos inc wedding photos, stacks of emails and print-outs, phone cards, phone records, flight tickets/boarding passes, tourist visa (I think it's important that he/she has visited your home country and met your family and friends, getting those stat dec's will be alot easier too), bills, household, etc, etc. We had so much stuff they needed 3 courier bags at the VFS office! Proving your relationship shouldn't be an issue, by the time you're applying for this visa you should already have a considerable history with pics, stories and the whole bit anyway. One of the important things is to get all the official Thai documents translated, it's really not a big deal and inexpensive too. Similarly get the copies of important doc's certified/notarized. They might not accept copies which aren't.

It is better to do as much of the leg-work as you can before submitting the application. Because when they have to ask for more info it will just slow it down, and man it sux having to wait longer! But if they ask for something try to do it as fast and accurately as you can.

We were told we had a perfect application and that alot of applications the embassy receives are in poor condition. Even perfect applications may fail tho, so I reckon it's better to do the best you can with it! If you fail and have "if only we had..." thoughts, then that's gonna make it suck a helluva lot more than if you did everything you could.

One note of caution regarding visa agencies... we were gonna use one initially, and they only wanted to submit the bare minimum as far as documents go. Their attitude really concerned me, and we decided to do it ourselves. Alot of em are just out to make a buck imho, so you really need to think about that. The visa application is no trivial matter, but if you put the time and effort into it, you're gonna have a much better success rate with it. Isn't the most important thing being with your spouse anyway? You would treat her/him with respect and your relationship, and the visa is no different, imho.

Nothing will change the waiting game tho, it's inevitable...

Sorry for the rant, just my 2c.

Thoughts? Comments?

cheers

c.h.

[chareehusbee]

Do rejected visas generally come back faster than accepted ones?

Cos it'd suck bigtime to wait months and months only to be rejected! At least if you're rejected fast you can get on with things and make other arrangements.

[gburns57au]

Do rejected visas generally come back faster than accepted ones?

Cos it'd suck bigtime to wait months and months only to be rejected! At least if you're rejected fast you can get on with things and make other arrangements.

The short answer is NO....you will be informed once a decision is made either way...

one more reason why a spouse visa may be rejected even tho it is a perfect application is if Oz has reached its quota of new immigrants.

There is a thing called too much information...or trying too hard ....which can raise suspicion in the eyes of the CO...The best is to present a well balanced application.

[chareehusbee]

There is a thing called too much information...or trying too hard ....which can raise suspicion in the eyes of the CO...The best is to present a well balanced application.

You should be trying hard imho, you're talking about your spouse. I'm well prepared to move over to Thailand if things go awry with the visa, and that's because I want to be with my wife and no other reason. I still think it's better to give more. If they're suspicious about something they can bring it up in the interview. Anyway, apparently even with all our stuff there were still things missing and they asked for additional documents before the interview. It seems like a double-edged sword tho, if you give too little you run the risk of failing and if you give too much as well. Better to give too much tho. As long as there are no inconsistencies between the documents (and there shouldn't be anyway, unless your app is flawed from the getgo) you should be fine, imho.

Well, whatever floats your boat I spose.

[Sporting Dog]

I'm in Thailand - I moved here because I thought it would help when my wife moves to OZ - and i guess it will.

My wife has had two Tourist Visas to OZ and all I can say is that too much is better than not enough.

And don't worry, if you have to move to Thailand it will

1) be frustrasting

2)challenging

3) different to what you expected

and probably a TOTAL BLAst!!!

The problem I have now is that its getting close to the time to go back to Oz and while it will be good to go home, there are MANY things I'm going to miss about Thailand. I could easily stay and certainly returning to live here is an option for the future.

Either way - wife in Oz, or you in LOS, you can't lose!!

Good Luck!!!

Edited February 7, 2006 by Sporting Dog

[gburns57au]

There is a thing called too much information...or trying too hard ....which can raise suspicion in the eyes of the CO...The best is to present a well balanced application.

You should be trying hard imho, you're talking about your spouse. I'm well prepared to move over to Thailand if things go awry with the visa, and that's because I want to be with my wife and no other reason. I still think it's better to give more. If they're suspicious about something they can bring it up in the interview. Anyway, apparently even with all our stuff there were still things missing and they asked for additional documents before the interview. It seems like a double-edged sword tho, if you give too little you run the risk of failing and if you give too much as well. Better to give too much tho. As long as there are no inconsistencies between the documents (and there shouldn't be anyway, unless your app is flawed from the getgo) you should be fine, imho.

Well, whatever floats your boat I spose.

You do the best you can.....if it is good enough it gets through, if it is not you dont....a damned if you do and damned if you dont situation.....

Just remember that the people who decide on your application may not always see things as you do...and what may seem great to the VFS girl may not seem so great to the case officer that handles and recommends on your application...

Anyway....my boat floats great with only one oarsman....cya

[chareehusbee]

And don't worry, if you have to move to Thailand it will

1) be frustrasting

2)challenging

3) different to what you expected

and probably a TOTAL BLAst!!!

I hear ya man. I've already spent substantial time there already, in a "living" mode rather than a "tourist" mode, and everything you said is true. If you really want to test your relationship go live in a place where you can't speak the lingo!

Thanks. Yeah, being with the wife is the number 1 priority, so whatever happens happens, but it's not gonna keep us apart! Rock!

Good luck with your move back. You'll be shocked at how expensive things are here

cheers

c.h.

[Mighty Mouse]

Keep in mind that the case officer assigned to your visa application is fully experienced. (If they are still in learning mode their findings and decisions are oversighted by an experienced supervisor)

As such, they handle dozens of applications every month and they know what to look for in every application. They can differentiate between a genuine application and an application full of BS.

During the interview they can be quite expert at exposing the weaknesses in your application with probing questions. If your answers aren't up to scratch and leave some doubt, they will further probe away with more questions until they are satisfied. They may then ask you to produce further documents in support of your claims, or they may just reject the application.

In my case I was interviewed together with my g/f. I thought that the answers we gave were spot on.

Prior to the interview I had written down all the questions that I thought would be asked and we both went over the answers until we had them perfect. All that I had written down was asked at the interview.

My g/f had to return to the Embassy in my absence to get the results of her medical examination and she was re-interviewed. During that interview, the case officer was critical of me for not visiting her parents prior to submitting our permanent visa application.

I then received a follow up telephone call from Bangkok to Sydney inviting me to submit further supporting evidence of our relationship.

I submitted a four page submission plus further statutory declarations from neighbours and friends who could verify the genuineness of our relationship.

I went into great detail as to why I hadn't yet met her parents.

The visa was subsequently granted.

I believe that every application should be as strong as you can possibly make it. If that means giving them a pile of extra supporting papers, then so be it.

Just keep in mind that it is better to be truthful, especially about her employment record, than to tell a stack of lies. If you tell lies, you need to back them up with documents that prove your lies, not an easy task.

Preparation, preparation and more preparation is the only way for a successful outcome.

[chareehusbee]

Preparation, preparation and more preparation is the only way for a successful outcome.

I totally agree, and that's what I was getting at.

Having spoken to a visa consultant about 6 months before applying (a friend of a friend who I met on the train!) he told me that the most important thing is to not have any inconsistencies. Because they will find them and that will jeopardize your app. IMHO, if your relationship is genuine there shouldn't be any problems at all, no need to tell any lies or make any fabrications. Honesty is always the best way.

We didn't do any preparation before the interview. What for? We had nothing to hide, nothing strange about our relationship or anything. Just two people who fell in love and got married. End of story. Incidentally, the interview went very well, she was in there for about 90 minutes just yacking away to the case officer like it was one of her friends. After all, she's talking about something close to her heart, and who doesn't like to talk about that!

Every document we gave them was a legit one, ones they suggested (like in the Partner Migration booklet) or asked for or just additional common-sense things to show proof of relationship or whatever. The only BS I can think of would be statements or stat decs, but again nothing to hide, told em straight up about our relationship and everything.

If you've got something to hide, they'll find it, that's their job. As I said before, the CO told us at the interview our app was perfect (even tho they did ask for some additional documents), so whatever we did was okay. Do the prep and legwork and it pays off I reckon.

It's still stressful waiting, but at least it's just anxiety about the wait rather than wondering if they'll find some fabrication or something. That's our story. Hopefully it's a happy ending!

[xerostar]

One more reason for a Visa application to be rejected.

The number of sponsorships is limited to 2 (two) not closer than 5 years apart.

I'm helping my wife prepare her Application, however I fear that it will be rejected.

I have already sponsored 2 women to immigrate to Australia.

The first was a Fiancé Visa for a Swiss woman - that was over 30 years ago.

She returned to Switzerland after 5 years and never came back.

The second was a Malaysian lady who was already in Oz.

She had applied for a business migration visa but due to a problem having sufficient funds to bring to Austalia, the application was looking shaky.

She would have been sent back to Penang to live the rest of her life separated from her siblings who already had permanent visas. (married to Australian men)

So I volunteered to help out. She got her permanent visa and now runs a very successful Chinese restaurant. After 10 years together we separated.

I went to Thailand last year and fell in love.

I've said in my stat. dec. that we refuse to be separated and I will go to live in Thailand if she is not granted a Visa. (not that they probably care ..)

Evidently the department can make an acception to the rule if:

a) You have a long standing relationship or..

A child is born to the couple

We have only known each other a year and we don't have a child,

nor do we plan one at this stage.

Anyone hazard a guess what will happen?

I guess I had better start learning Thai in earnest ...

[gburns57au]

One more reason for a Visa application to be rejected.

The number of sponsorships is limited to 2 (two) not closer than 5 years apart.

I'm helping my wife prepare her Application, however I fear that it will be rejected.

I have already sponsored 2 women to immigrate to Australia.

The first was a Fiancé Visa for a Swiss woman - that was over 30 years ago.

She returned to Switzerland after 5 years and never came back.

The second was a Malaysian lady who was already in Oz.

She had applied for a business migration visa but due to a problem having sufficient funds to bring to Austalia, the application was looking shaky.

She would have been sent back to Penang to live the rest of her life separated from her siblings who already had permanent visas. (married to Australian men)

So I volunteered to help out. She got her permanent visa and now runs a very successful Chinese restaurant. After 10 years together we separated.

I went to Thailand last year and fell in love.

I've said in my stat. dec. that we refuse to be separated and I will go to live in Thailand if she is not granted a Visa. (not that they probably care ..)

Evidently the department can make an acception to the rule if:

a) You have a long standing relationship or..

A child is born to the couple

We have only known each other a year and we don't have a child,

nor do we plan one at this stage.

Anyone hazard a guess what will happen?

I guess I had better start learning Thai in earnest ...

so this is the third one in 41 years then....shouldnt be a problem

[chareehusbee]

The number of sponsorships is limited to 2 (two) not closer than 5 years apart.

I guess I had better start learning Thai in earnest ...

Me too. I'm actually in a similar boat, however my previous spouse never used the visa, and never plans to (she's american and remarried). Don't they expire anyway? I read somewhere that the visa has to be "activated" with a trip into the country within a 6 or 9 month time-frame. Can anyone confirm that? What happens if you don't "activate" it, does it become null and void? That activation period expired ages ago for my previous spouse. But it was less than 5 years ago that she received the visa.

We're hoping for some leniency based on the fact my previous spouse never used it and never activated it within the timeframe. I had to give the Embassy a statement explaining why I believed we should get a waiver, which I did. After that they never mentioned it, not even in the interview. So we're hoping all's well with it.

That should give you some clue as to why I've been a bit paranoid over the whole thing.

But like xerostar said, it's not gonna keep us apart, might just delay her acceptance into the country if I have to go over there for a bit. We're just waiting for a result, one way or the other, so we can get on with things...

[xerostar]

Hi chareehusbee

From my perspective I don't think you have to worry about the sponsorship thing.

You would be still within your quota if the last lady didn't go through with it.

Another question that has not been raised (in this thread).

Will they have grounds to reject our application if they know my wife was a former bargirl?

I'm trying to look at the big picture - there must be a large proportion of applications made

by couples where the gf/wife was a bargirl.

Firstly do we tell the truth? - I guess so, even though my wife would like to keep it a secret..

In a timeline how do you disguise it? They will surely want formal employment records which

would be difficult to forge/create.

My guess is that they will focus on seeing if the lady in question has a "good" character.

Maybe this is separate from "moral" character.

When I met my wife, I knew she was in the bargirl business but after observing her for a while,

getting to oz on a tourist visa, I began to see that she had a strength of character that I had not expected.

At first, I half expected a nail-filing baby-doll that was lazy, but she turned out to be a real worker. She was marvellous! I never asked her to do anything but she simply got to work and

cleaned up my house and keeps it sparkling. She is very loving and affectionate.

she is from a farming village and her father died when she was 4. She left school at age 12 to

go and work in a factory. To cut a long story short she ended up with 2 children and has to support her widowed mum and the rest of the family.

After an acrimonious split with the father of the children, she turned to the bargirl trade to make enough money to support the family. She kept very little for herself, sending most of her earnings home. Despite the moral questions, I think it shows she has proved herself to be a worthy citizen.

Does this story sound familiar?

All opinions gladly considered ..

[chareehusbee]

I think it's more to do with a good character, good health, no criminal records, proof of genuine relationship etc, for a spouse visa. For a tourist visa (when she's not married) they are more concerned with her employment etc and whether they deem her a risk that she will go awol after arriving. That's my take on it anyway. Since for a spouse visa you are sponsoring her over, if anything happens you're gonna be the one who takes the fall cos you're married to her, which is different for a tourist visa (if you're not married to her).

In our case, my wife's first tourist visa was rejected, but that was before we were married. Afterwards, she got the tourist visa no questions asked in a couple of days.

I reckon you'd be okay if your relationship is strong and you can prove it. I imagine your story is common for them anyway...

[gburns57au]

Another question that has not been raised (in this thread).

Will they have grounds to reject our application if they know my wife was a former bargirl?

I'm trying to look at the big picture - there must be a large proportion of applications made

by couples where the gf/wife was a bargirl.

Firstly do we tell the truth? - I guess so, even though my wife would like to keep it a secret..

In a timeline how do you disguise it? They will surely want formal employment records which

would be difficult to forge/create.

My guess is that they will focus on seeing if the lady in question has a "good" character.

Maybe this is separate from "moral" character.

All opinions gladly considered ..

No it will not affect your application...

I just looked at the form and it requires her to list her usual occupation only. It doesnt ask for previous employment details.

They know that many BG's apply for spouse visas etc....IMHO I think they know this but let it slide when a girl says she was a housemaid, cleaner etc etc...

If she passes the Police check then she will be deemed to be of good character, irrespective of her previous employment.

Hope that helps to alleviate your concerns

I think it's more to do with a good character, good health, no criminal records, proof of genuine relationship etc, for a spouse visa. For a tourist visa (when she's not married) they are more concerned with her employment etc and whether they deem her a risk that she will go awol after arriving. That's my take on it anyway. Since for a spouse visa you are sponsoring her over, if anything happens you're gonna be the one who takes the fall cos you're married to her, which is different for a tourist visa (if you're not married to her).

Thats a reasonable take on it...

For a tourist visa as long as she can show that she is being supported for her trip here and will not be a burden on the taxpayer, then it doesnt matter if she has a job or is unemployed.

[Jockstar]

Me and the missus are gonna have to go through all the stuff soon. I might be Scottish but i am also an Ozzie resident. Moving back in October. But only to keep my visa right. So after a couple of years .If i want i can come back and live here. But i have lived here for 4 years now. Will be good to go back for a change again. Also i'm only 32 next month. So need to go to Oz and make some money. Plans to retire when i'm 40 something. At least i'll get to do a bit of fishing in Sydney.

[gburns57au]

Me and the missus are gonna have to go through all the stuff soon. I might be Scottish but i am also an Ozzie resident. Moving back in October. But only to keep my visa right. So after a couple of years .If i want i can come back and live here. But i have lived here for 4 years now. Will be good to go back for a change again. Also i'm only 32 next month. So need to go to Oz and make some money. Plans to retire when i'm 40 something. At least i'll get to do a bit of fishing in Sydney.

If I can be of help????