New Visitor Visa Restrictions

[BenjaminOz]

My partner will apply for a spouse visa soon to come back to Oz with me, but due to the nature of our application, it will probably take about at least 9 months to process. I was planning on doing a visa run to Mae Sai (she's in Chiang Mai) after I arrive in October, but now I can't do this for the whole nine months and my work in Oz won't start up again for another 9 months. Any suggestions on what my options are?

I read some other comments on the forum about how the only people who complained about the new visa restrictions were illegal workers. This isn't true. I just want to be with my partner for the whole visa process as we've already spent nearly 3 months apart.

[Pink Mist]

your post isn't really clear to me, but are you saying that you are gonna apply for a spouse visa in October?

are you married now?

please post again with more details

[zeusbheld]

hmmm lemme see if i got this:

you are in oz.

she is in chiang mai

you're importing her to oz when the paperwork's done in 9 months.

you want to be in chiang mai during those 9 months, and have enough money for that, and don't have to work.

if i have interpreted your post correctly then i believe your first choice would be a tourist visa with 3 entries. they may still issue them in oz, i dont know. if you get one, you stay 60 days, get a 30 day extension (1,900 baht, i did it today, OUCH). then you leave the country, and get a stamp on returning. be advised that borders into laos and myanmar are closed at the moment, you'd probably have to fly somehwere). rinse and repeat until finished.

your second choice would be a 2 entry tourist visa, with will cover you for 6 months. then you can either get a single entry tourist visa or make 3 border runs to get 30 day stamps.

you could also get 3 single entry tourist visas in a row., 60 days plus 30 day extension.

a last resort option would be 3 stamps, 1 visa, 3 stamps, and that may be difficult for you unless they reopen the borders up there (which i imagine they will soon). another disadvantage of stamps is that while they are unlikely to be a problem, you *are* at the mercy of the immo officer at the border, and his/her judgment. this has always been the case, even before the smell of new regulations filled the air. that's why i like tourist visas, for those who don't want to work.

[lopburi3]

If you are indeed married you could rather easily obtain a multi entry non immigrant O visa which would allow 90 day stays back to back for more than a year. If you are not married you might still be able to obtain if you can convince a Consulate of your intentions. If not a three entry tourist visa would probably be your best bet.

If you are not married and will be you can always get a flight to KL or Singapore to obtain the non immigrant visa after you do the deed. Although there is no guarantee what is possible today will be possible tomorrow in this world of visas.

[zeusbheld]

by the way border crossings into laos and myanmar *might* be open already, i've been noticing on this board that some are open (and some have been open all along). my gf told me that thai news (i think it was last night but coulda been tuesday ) said all the border crossings to laos and myanmar were closed but that might be over already. or it might have been a spurious news report.

[Crossy]

My partner will apply for a spouse visa soon to come back to Oz with me, but due to the nature of our application, it will probably take about at least 9 months to process. I was planning on doing a visa run to Mae Sai (she's in Chiang Mai) after I arrive in October, but now I can't do this for the whole nine months and my work in Oz won't start up again for another 9 months. Any suggestions on what my options are?

Are you married?? If so a multi entry non-o visa is your answer, valid for 12 months you get 90 days per entry, just do a border hop every 90 days. Get it at your local consulate or in KL.

QED.