T.g.f. To Oz On A Tourist Visa

[8ball]

Hi all,

Just after a bit of advice here, i am hoping to bring my Thai Girlfriend back to Australia next month on a tourist visa. We havent spent a lot of time together in Thailand but have been in touch by phone and internet almost everyday.

I'll give you a bit of background first.

I am a UK citizen who has been living and working in Thailand for approx 2 1/2 years. Last year I was granted a skilled migration visa to Australia. I left Thailand in February 2006 and settled in Australia as a permanent resident. I am now working in a full time job and renting accomodation. I have funds to support her and myself. We met in eary february 2006 and i left Thailand just 3 weeks after meeting her. Things are going well and i would like to bring her over here to see how things progress. She is a school teacher but has recently changed jobs.

What would you recommend as the best approach for us. I know the relationship is in its infancy (have only know each other 4 months) . But i was hoping that she would be able to get over on her own strengths rather than using the relationship as the main basis. I of course will have to write a letter of support etc.

She will have to leave her job but we are hoping to get a letter from them or another prospective employer stating that she will have a job to come back to. We were considering stating that the trip to Australia would be used primarily as a holiday but also to investigated the posibility of studying at a later time (with the correct student visa of course), would this be advisable or better not to state that.

We can provide some docmentation and photos to prove somewhat of a relationship but not many.

Any advice upon what we should gather up (info etc) and what our best approach would be most welcome.

Thanks in advance,

8ball.

What advice would you

[sibeymai]

Three things are key here which the embassy will consider.

1. Proof of Relationship. If you have telephone records, hers showing calls to your number in Australia or yours showing calls to her number in Thailand that will be good. Photos are also good. Being that teachers are very respected you may find a letter from a school principal or district official stating they are aware of her ongoing relationship with you will be very useful in establishing the relationship as genuine. The embassy staff will quiz you both separately about the details of your relationship. Make sure your stories match.

2. Independent Funds. She needs to be able to prove she has enough money at her disposal to take care of herself for the duration of her intended stay. My guess is this would amount to something like US$500 per week. She needs to have this money independent of you.

3. Reason NOT to stay in Australia. A job to return to is good. Assets in Thailand are also good, especially a house or land in her name. A car or other "moveable" asset is ok but not as good. Letter from an employer, especially one of a few years duration is excellent. A child or dependent such as an aged parent is also a good reason. I wouldn't talk about the study as they might see this as temtation to stay illegally on a visitor visa.

In 1999 my then girlfriend of 3 months was granted a visitor visa, so it's not impossible. It helps to contact the visa section at the embassy by telephone and explain the situation and ask them what documents they want to satisfy them. The embassy website and Austalian Government website also has good information on the sorts of documentation you should provide.

Good Luck.

[gburns57au]

Hi all,

Just after a bit of advice here, i am hoping to bring my Thai Girlfriend back to Australia next month on a tourist visa. We havent spent a lot of time together in Thailand but have been in touch by phone and internet almost everyday.

I'll give you a bit of background first.

I am a UK citizen who has been living and working in Thailand for approx 2 1/2 years. Last year I was granted a skilled migration visa to Australia. I left Thailand in February 2006 and settled in Australia as a permanent resident. I am now working in a full time job and renting accomodation. I have funds to support her and myself. We met in eary february 2006 and i left Thailand just 3 weeks after meeting her. Things are going well and i would like to bring her over here to see how things progress. She is a school teacher but has recently changed jobs.

What would you recommend as the best approach for us. I know the relationship is in its infancy (have only know each other 4 months) . But i was hoping that she would be able to get over on her own strengths rather than using the relationship as the main basis. I of course will have to write a letter of support etc.

She will have to leave her job but we are hoping to get a letter from them or another prospective employer stating that she will have a job to come back to. We were considering stating that the trip to Australia would be used primarily as a holiday but also to investigated the posibility of studying at a later time (with the correct student visa of course), would this be advisable or better not to state that.

We can provide some docmentation and photos to prove somewhat of a relationship but not many.

Any advice upon what we should gather up (info etc) and what our best approach would be most welcome.

Thanks in advance,

8ball.

What advice would you

First up...for a tourist visa you need to show that you have known her for at least 6 months prior to making the application....this is not set in stone but seems to be the minimum required. It is not necessary to prove a romantic relationship.

If she is doing the solo thing then she will need funds of her own as mentioned by Sibeymai, However you can provide a letter of support or a stat dec stating that you will provide accommodation and assist with living costs etc...

The reason to return clause is ambiguous to say the least...A job, assets, sick rellies have all been quoted by various people...but an unemployed person with no assets with a sponsor can get a visa. Children and family is not considered good enough reason to return....Anything on the job front would be ok.

I wouldnt tell them of any future intentions in your application....merely stating a holiday should be enough, after all it is the truth. They may ask her some things by phone prior to deciding on the application but usually they wont ask you anything even if you are the sponsor.

You can include in the application any letters, photos, phone bills etc....also a stat dec, Photocopy of your Aussie drivers licence if you have one or a bill in your name showing the address. If you are assisting her or sponsoring her then you will need to show payslips and maybe a letter from your boss regards your ongoing employment prospects.

By all means check the respective websites, they are of great assistance.

[8ball]

Thanks guys for your replys,

I will get lists of all our correspondence etc, my payslips and letter from employer etc. ,my landlady is also happy to supply a letter stating that i live at this address and she is happy to have my g.f. stay also. The Driving license also is not a problem. I can provide a good letter pledging support etc.

If we submit an application and get knocked back this time, would it make a future application more difficult. I am thinking of applying in another 3 months if we dont get it this time. To be honest this application will sort of be thrown together at the last minute, but we will do out best with all the documents.

The only problem may be her funds, as she doesent have a lot of savings. If i dumped a load of cash into her account before we apply surly that will look a bit suspicious.

I will be in Thailand next week and try to get everything arranged as best as we can. I feel it will be a bit of a long shot as the relationship is still quite new but hey, you never know.

If anybody has any further advice please let me know. I'll keep you all posted.

Cheers,

8Ball

[8ball]

Well Guys,

Just wanted to give you an update on how things have been going. We decided to wait a bit longer to get the application right. Had a great month together in Thailand and took a lot of pics together around the country.

I came back to Australia and got all the letters i needed to help provide Financial support, including payslips and letter from boss. Wrote letters of support myself, etc.

She got letters from mum, sister and uncle (who is a cop) to help support the application. We stated the dates of the trip (just under 3 months), told them how long our relationship had been at the time, 5 1/2 months at time of application. There were a few points in the application that i thought they might knock us back on but we decided to go ahead anyway.

She had no financial proof of her own and did have to resign from her job as they wouldn't keep it open for 3 months.

We put the application in last week (Mon) and hey presto, got the good news on Friday. No phone calls or anything. Its only a 3 month visa (i did hint in my letter about a multiple entry visa) but we're happy anyway and hopfully this will be the start of a great relationship. We should be together again by the weekend.

Just want to say a big thank you to all active members on the board. The info i got here definately made a big difference.

After having got the tourist visa once, would this make subsequent applications easier in say 3 months after she had returned to Thailand?

Cheers,

8ball.

[Mighty Mouse]

Well done.

Don't worry about only getting a 3 month visa. In many respects this is preferable to having a multi entry visa as you can re-apply for another tourist visa at a later time, and you may get a 6 month visa on the next occasion. The second tourist visa application is almost a certainty, provided of course that she abides by her first visa conditions.

The only downside is that you will need to pay the fee for another visa application.

If you intend to make this relationship permanent, I suggest to you that whilst you are both together in Australia, you start gathering as much evidence/proofs that you can to support a future spouse visa application and that you start PLANNING and PREPARING for whatever visa category you choose to apply for later.

Good luck, I hope she loves it Down Under.

[8ball]

Thanks MM,

Yes i have already started "gathering" stuff, gonna keep all the receipts from everything we do together and take plenty of photos together around Aus. I definately think she might be a keeper, lets see how we get on anyway for the next three months. I'll probably go back to Thailand around Xmas for a few weeks and then try to get her out here again late Jan/Feb for another 3 months.

Thanks again for your help.

Cheers,

8ball.

[gburns57au]

You may find the 2nd application will result in a 12 month ME visa but that is upto the Embassy, I wouldnt try to second guess them....The second one should be easier if there is no probs with her first trip here. It will only be easier for the embassy as they will have a travel history for her. You will still have to submit the same sort of supporting documentation for the application.

Anyway it is a good start and if the future holds well then good luck.