Obtaining a visa to live permanantly in Australia?

[kunash]

Hi

I am English and live in the uk. I have a Thai wife who has indef leave to remain in uk, and is currently studying for life in uk test with a view to getting a british passport. I have 2 step children 10 and 12, who are thai.

my thai wife has a sister who is married to an Australian and lives now in Australia. she has permanent residency there ( sorry if that is incorrect term ). her husband has his own business.

eventually we may wish to move to Australia. I would like to live there and my wife would like to be with her sister. I have no skills as such , or no trade, but have many rental properties which I rent out and are owned outright. ( around 140k *aus$ yearly income).

can someone please advise who is knowledgeable about visas to Australia.

can I obtain a permanent visa to live in Australia, for my wife and kids, taking into account my assets and income?

can my wife obtain a permanent visa to live in Australia , with me and her kids, to be with her sister?

can the husband offer me a job and I obtain a visa that way, with a view to living there permanently?

any other route we can try for permanent citizenship for Australia?

thanks for any help

Edited June 11, 2014 by kunash

[ozsamurai]

The Department of Immigration and Border Protection website has all the answers you are looking for. If you are able to be sponsored to Australia, then your wife and step-children can be included in your application. Vise versa you can be included on theirs. Look into the new visa types as some have merged, and some no longer exist.

Oz

[ubonjoe]

Moved to visas for other countries forum

[7by7]

I can't answer your question about Australian residency; but on a side issue you say

I have 2 step children 10 and 12, who are thai.

Do they live in the UK with you and their mother?

Do they also have ILR?

If 'yes' to both, then they can apply to be registered as British.

See under 'Registration of a child' at British citizenship basics

For your wife, a LitUK test pass is no longer enough; she now also needs B1 of the CEFR, or equivalent from an approved provider in English speaking and listening as well; unless she has a recognised degree which was taught in English, see previous link.

If she has already satisfied both for her ILR, she does not need to do so again for naturalisation.

[kunash]

thanks 7

yes she has a B1 pass in English speaking and listening, and she will eventually be applying for citizenship, and yes we all live in the uk and they have iLR

[avander]

If you are moving to Australia because of family ties I believe it can take a long time to get a visa.

Last I looked about 18 months ago the queue time was about 10 years!

This was when we were living in Australia and looking to bring in the brother of my Thai wife (my wife is an Australian permanent resident). He also has no special skills so could not be sponsored by a business on a 457 visa. You may be able to get sponsored but would need to look into this and the "required skills" list.

My information is a little dated so you would be advised to look into the Dept of Immigration and Border Protection website as previously advised https://www.immi.gov.au/immigration/

[kunash]

If you are moving to Australia because of family ties I believe it can take a long time to get a visa.

Last I looked about 18 months ago the queue time was about 10 years!

This was when we were living in Australia and looking to bring in the brother of my Thai wife (my wife is an Australian permanent resident). He also has no special skills so could not be sponsored by a business on a 457 visa. You may be able to get sponsored but would need to look into this and the "required skills" list.

My information is a little dated so you would be advised to look into the Dept of Immigration and Border Protection website as previously advised https://www.immi.gov.au/immigration/

thanks

yes I looked on that website and filled in the visa form to see what visa I could apply for, but it came up with no results. I will try and phone them today

[avander]

If you are moving to Australia because of family ties I believe it can take a long time to get a visa.

Last I looked about 18 months ago the queue time was about 10 years!

This was when we were living in Australia and looking to bring in the brother of my Thai wife (my wife is an Australian permanent resident). He also has no special skills so could not be sponsored by a business on a 457 visa. You may be able to get sponsored but would need to look into this and the "required skills" list.

My information is a little dated so you would be advised to look into the Dept of Immigration and Border Protection website as previously advised https://www.immi.gov.au/immigration/

yes I looked on that website and filled in the visa form to see what visa I could apply for, but it came up with no results. I will try and phone them today

You're welcome,

That's unusual Kunash as every time I have used the visa questionaire it returns a result? I would check carefully and give it another go.

The call centre phone queue times are quite long. I have hung up after about 40 mins wait on a number of occassions previously. The best time I found to call is first thing AM opening hours (AESST).

You could also try the Australian embassy in the UK but I expect that they too, will direct you to the website.

Another alternative, and the best I think would be if you could make an appointment with the Embassy to go over your situation and request.

On another note, after rereading your post and hazarding an educated guess, it would probably make the paperwork easier if your wife has the UK citizenship you are planning rather than having to sort out Thai and possibly UK paperwork for AU Immigration.

Have you visited Australia with your wife yet? Probably good to show intent if you can arrange at least one holiday downunder at the appropriate time so you could tell AU Immigration you have "checked it out" for a possible move later. They like that sort of stuff.

[kunash]

If you are moving to Australia because of family ties I believe it can take a long time to get a visa.

Last I looked about 18 months ago the queue time was about 10 years!

This was when we were living in Australia and looking to bring in the brother of my Thai wife (my wife is an Australian permanent resident). He also has no special skills so could not be sponsored by a business on a 457 visa. You may be able to get sponsored but would need to look into this and the "required skills" list.

My information is a little dated so you would be advised to look into the Dept of Immigration and Border Protection website as previously advised https://www.immi.gov.au/immigration/

yes I looked on that website and filled in the visa form to see what visa I could apply for, but it came up with no results. I will try and phone them today

You're welcome,

That's unusual Kunash as every time I have used the visa questionaire it returns a result? I would check carefully and give it another go.

The call centre phone queue times are quite long. I have hung up after about 40 mins wait on a number of occassions previously. The best time I found to call is first thing AM opening hours (AESST).

You could also try the Australian embassy in the UK but I expect that they too, will direct you to the website.

Another alternative, and the best I think would be if you could make an appointment with the Embassy to go over your situation and request.

On another note, after rereading your post and hazarding an educated guess, it would probably make the paperwork easier if your wife has the UK citizenship you are planning rather than having to sort out Thai and possibly UK paperwork for AU Immigration.

Have you visited Australia with your wife yet? Probably good to show intent if you can arrange at least one holiday downunder at the appropriate time so you could tell AU Immigration you have "checked it out" for a possible move later. They like that sort of stuff.

thanks. we will definitely travel to Aus for a holiday, so my wife can meet up with her sister. she hasn't seen her for years now. I have been to Brisbane and Sydney - both great cities. apparently my wife was told by her sister the Aus government have now made it even harder to go down the family route for a visa. so that may be a no no.

just tried the helpline (Europe service centre) and it is open 1-4pm, so will try later

seems the only viable routes now would be my income ( I will have to ask about this ), or invest money in by brother in law's business, or job offer possibly.

cheers

Edited June 12, 2014 by kunash

[krisb]

Think its a 457 work visa. Bucketloads of Chinese use them here in Aus.
Try googling immigration lawyers in Australia and ring them. Perhaps they can help with some free info. There's also visa agents around the place you could ring.

Ringing immigration is bloody painful. Expect to hold for a while and then some.

http://www.immi.gov.au/Visas/Pages/457.aspx

Edited June 12, 2014 by krisb

[GreenDZ]

No I am sure it's not possible ,I have a brother and an uncle over there and have looked into it many times .

We plan on going back over next year and my wife will study for a couple of years to gain a diploma in an occupation that is in short supply then she can extend her visa and work then apply for permanent residency that's the only way we can get over there now as I am over fifty she will be the main applicant .

We did start this process five years ago but the mrs fell pregnant so she couldn't carry on studying on we went back to Thai for a while.

Happy to help if you need anymore info

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[Jay Sata]

In a blunt answer to the OP I think you face some major obstacles.

Back in 1989 when I got my Aussie residency it took over a year and I had substantial assets and was on a key job for entering.

These days there are big obstacles and indeed limits to where you can live.

The fact your relatives have a business will not help. Like a lot countries you will have to prove key skills.

[simple1]

OP: Unfortunately your income would not be sufficient for an investment / business visa. In anycase for the moment Australia has ceased accepting such applications; refer URL below. As someone mentioned family visas have up to a ten year wait for processing due to the backlog caused by constraints for number of applicatiions permitted p.a. If you have the relevant skills currently in demand for 457 visas it would be the way to go for you and family, but sounds as though you don't.

http://www.immi.gov.au/Visas/Pages/160-165.aspx

As already mentioned make an appointment with Oz Immi in the UK to see if they can provide guidance for a suitable visa application.

EDIT: Just in case you have not accessed the info, more detail on migrant visas at:

https://www.immi.gov.au/migrants/

Edited June 18, 2014 by simple1

[ClutchClark]

We did start this process five years ago but the mrs fell pregnant so she couldn't carry on studying on we went back to Thai for a while.

Happy to help if you need more

I could use more help...is falling pregnant similar to tripping over a log or more like falling off a wagon?

Either way, it sounds like an unpleasant experience and I hope she has recovered.