3-month visitor visa to Australia for TGF

[The Sly Fox]

I'm in the process of applying for a 3-month visitor visa for my TGF, I'd like her to be able to accompany me on a trip to Perth over Feb-March-April 2014.

 

As I'm putting the application together I have a couple questions so I'd like to run them past you experienced guys on this forum, especially Scumbag, who always has good information on this topic. Following Scumbag's thread about applying through the service at Pattaya PO in Soi Post Office, I talked to the guys upstairs and got some details from them.

 

I've downloaded the application form and now filling it in via Adobe Reader. I'm gathering all the necessary support docs & photocopies now.

 

So I have a couple questions regarding filling in the form. On the 1419 application form.

 

Question 19: What is the purpose of your stay in your current location and what is your visa status?

 

So what do I put down for that? TGF is a Thai citizen. I can't understand this question.

 

Question 28: Do you have any friends or contacts in Australia?

 

Me her BF obviously, but I'm in Thailand right now, but I've put myself down for that question. Is this correct?

 

At the end of the form  there's 52, Part O - additional information. Am I supposed to add things to that section that I have already added at other places in the form?

 

 

[dave01]

I'm in the process of applying for a 3-month visitor visa for my TGF, I'd like her to be able to accompany me on a trip to Perth over Feb-March-April 2014.

 

As I'm putting the application together I have a couple questions so I'd like to run them past you experienced guys on this forum, especially Scumbag, who always has good information on this topic. Following Scumbag's thread about applying through the service at Pattaya PO in Soi Post Office, I talked to the guys upstairs and got some details from them.

 

I've downloaded the application form and now filling it in via Adobe Reader. I'm gathering all the necessary support docs & photocopies now.

 

So I have a couple questions regarding filling in the form. On the 1419 application form.

 

Question 19: What is the purpose of your stay in your current location and what is your visa status?

 

So what do I put down for that? TGF is a Thai citizen. I can't understand this question.

 

Question 28: Do you have any friends or contacts in Australia?

 

Me her BF obviously, but I'm in Thailand right now, but I've put myself down for that question. Is this correct?

 

At the end of the form  there's 52, Part O - additional information. Am I supposed to add things to that section that I have already added at other places in the form?

Q19   Citizen is all that is required

 

Q28  Yep that will do.

 

Q52  Additional Info is for stuff you think may further help your application

 

That was how I Answered those questions and there were no problems at all...  No interview or anything like that.

 

They are more interested in her having a reason to return to Thailand, you know, employment, family, kids that sort of thing.... and you having the ability to support her whilst she  is in OZ.

 

When she gets her pp back, there won't be a visa in it.   Just a piece of paper saying  that a visa # has been entered into Border Protection Computers, and when she presents at an OZ airport, she will get the 3 month stamp.

 

Just a tip, if you can, travel with her to OZ, it will make it so much easier and more pleasant for her thru Immigration....

[The Sly Fox]

Q19   Citizen is all that is required

 

Q28  Yep that will do.

 

Q52  Additional Info is for stuff you think may further help your application

 

That was how I Answered those questions and there were no problems at all...  No interview or anything like that.

 

They are more interested in her having a reason to return to Thailand, you know, employment, family, kids that sort of thing.... and you having the ability to support her whilst she  is in OZ.

 

When she gets her pp back, there won't be a visa in it.   Just a piece of paper saying  that a visa # has been entered into Border Protection Computers, and when she presents at an OZ airport, she will get the 3 month stamp.

 

Just a tip, if you can, travel with her to OZ, it will make it so much easier and more pleasant for her thru Immigration....

 Thanks for your reply dave01. Yes we'll be travelling together, from BKK to Perth and back to BKK after the 3-months is up.

 

As for reason for her to return to Thailand, I'm not sure what I can say there, she doesn't have kids, has recently only done waitress and kitchen work. She does have family in Korat and owns some land in Korat. We're returning to LOS for sure after 3 months, I live fulltime in LOS, can't afford to live in Oz on my pension and have no Desire at all to live in Oz fulltime. So it's only a 3-month holiday over the summer to visit my family and friends and do some sightseeing. So do you have any tips what I could say on the form about this?

 

As for support. I own my apartment in Perth, we'll be living there, I've added about this to the application form and will even include a copy of my title. I have about $6,500 AUD in my bank in Oz and 350,000 THB in bank in LOS. TGF has 160,878.43 THB in her 2 bank accounts. So does that sound like sufficient for support?

[flynn]

Hope it all goes well,

[dave01]

 Thanks for your reply dave01. Yes we'll be travelling together, from BKK to Perth and back to BKK after the 3-months is up.

 

As for reason for her to return to Thailand, I'm not sure what I can say there, she doesn't have kids, has recently only done waitress and kitchen work. She does have family in Korat and owns some land in Korat. We're returning to LOS for sure after 3 months, I live fulltime in LOS, can't afford to live in Oz on my pension and have no desire at all to live in Oz fulltime. So it's only a 3-month holiday over the summer to visit my family and friends and do some sightseeing. So do you have any tips what I could say on the form about this?

 

As for support. I own my apartment in Perth, we'll be living there, I've added about this to the application form and will even include a copy of my title. I have about $6,500 AUD in my bank in Oz and 350,000 THB in bank in LOS. TGF has 160,878.43 THB in her 2 bank accounts. So does that sound like sufficient for support?

Maybe a letter from where she works, on  a letterhead or similar?  Others, may have a better idea about reasons to return to Thailand.

 

The money sounds fine..... What is in her bank a/c really doesn't matter too much... even though showing them wont hurt. It matters that you can take care of her. I assume her visa application is the sponsored variety....

 

I didn't show a bank statement per se, just my tax return for the previous year, and they were happy with that.

 

My missus surprised me a bit.... when we have travelled around Thailand by plane, she always took our boarding passes and tickets and put them in her bag.... I thought nothing of it, but when we were scratching around to find some more added info, she pulls them all out.... we photo copied them and sent them in as well... They were for a period over 3 years travelling together, so they were helpful as well.  Any little bit of positive documentation you have, will be helpful.

 

Once you submit your application, it should be back within, I think, 10 working days....  Ours took about 5, but from memory I think they quote 10.

[The Sly Fox]

Thanks again dave01, and flynn for your kind wishes.

 

We've only been together for about 6 months and are officially BF & GF, not de facto. We have separate addresses. In all likelihood we'll marry in the near future but for the time being we're BF & GF. In the form I refer to myself as her sponsor, as I will be sponsoring everything for her visit - I have put this down on the form and in my letter of invitation. I am able to provide full accommodation, will provide all support as in meals, transport costs, utilities, whatever. She has her own holiday spending money.

 

I don't really have anything like joint accounts and joint bills to prove a relationship but I do have some very nice photos of us taken together in Pattaya and on trips we've made to Lao and recently to Siem Reap. So I've collected about 20 pics which show us together and will put them in a photo book and send that with the application. I also have pics of the interior of my apartment in Perth and I'll send some of them them too. I believe the Embassy staff like looking at photos.

 

A couple more questions about the application form: I've used caps for names and important details. Is this correct? Or should I just use title case?

 

Also at the end of the form there's a section about details of payment. Do I have to fill this in now, or will the guy at the Pattaya PO fill that section in when I pay him the 5,300Bt cash to send the application?

[Scumbag]

Thanks again dave01, and flynn for your kind wishes.

 

We've only been together for about 6 months and are officially BF & GF, not de facto. We have separate addresses. In all likelihood we'll marry in the near future but for the time being we're BF & GF. In the form I refer to myself as her sponsor, as I will be sponsoring everything for her visit - I have put this down on the form and in my letter of invitation. I am able to provide full accommodation, will provide all support as in meals, transport costs, utilities, whatever. She has her own holiday spending money.

 

I don't really have anything like joint accounts and joint bills to prove a relationship but I do have some very nice photos of us taken together in Pattaya and on trips we've made to Lao and recently to Siem Reap. So I've collected about 20 pics which show us together and will put them in a photo book and send that with the application. I also have pics of the interior of my apartment in Perth and I'll send some of them them too. I believe the Embassy staff like looking at photos.

 

A couple more questions about the application form: I've used caps for names and important details. Is this correct? Or should I just use title case?

 

Also at the end of the form there's a section about details of payment. Do I have to fill this in now, or will the guy at the Pattaya PO fill that section in when I pay him the 5,300Bt cash to send the application?

If I was you I would avoid using the word sponsor. I would just replace it with partner. I don't think it means anything legally but looks better than sponsor. Sponsor sounds too clinical to me and officially you are not sponsoring her for the trip. You are only committing to to support her during her stay in Australia. Under Australian immigration law only direct family members can be sponsored under certain visa classes.

 

In your letter state that you will both return to Thailand at the end of the trip.

 

Using capitals or not is not important as long as it is easy to read.

 

I didn't fill in the payment section and neither did the guy in the post office.

 

BTW we just arrived in Perth yesterday and flew through immigration. You can take her into the Australian citizen lane.

[The Sly Fox]

If I was you I would avoid using the word sponsor. I would just replace it with partner. I don't think it means anything legally but looks better than sponsor. Sponsor sounds too clinical to me and officially you are not sponsoring her for the trip. You are only committing to to support her during her stay in Australia. Under Australian immigration law only direct family members can be sponsored under certain visa classes.

 

In your letter state that you will both return to Thailand at the end of the trip.

 

Using capitals or not is not important as long as it is easy to read.

 

I didn't fill in the payment section and neither did the guy in the post office.

 

BTW we just arrived in Perth yesterday and flew through immigration. You can take her into the Australian citizen lane.

 

Many thanks Scumbag, useful tips, I'll edit the form and change sponsor to partner.  

 

Hope you and your tirak enjoy your time in Perth.

[The Sly Fox]

Still working my way through the application form. I see this bit near the end:

 

Documents not in English should be accompanied by accredited English translations.

 

Does that mean all of TGFs docs will need to be translated? She owns some land in Korat and I was thinking of including a photocopy of the chanote. She also worked for a company for 16 years and has some docs verifying this but they're in Thai.

 

If I need accredited translations where should I go, or shouldn't I bother sending those things?

 

And how about the required copies of her Thai ID card and Tabien Bahn, will I need to get translations of those docs too, or just send the Thai photocopies?

[Scumbag]

Still working my way through the application form. I see this bit near the end:

 

Documents not in English should be accompanied by accredited English translations.

 

Does that mean all of TGFs docs will need to be translated? She owns some land in Korat and I was thinking of including a photocopy of the chanote. She also worked for a company for 16 years and has some docs verifying this but they're in Thai.

 

If I need accredited translations where should I go, or shouldn't I bother sending those things?

 

And how about the required copies of her Thai ID card and Tabien Bahn, will I need to get translations of those docs too, or just send the Thai photocopies?

No translations need to be submitted. Just submit them in Thai. Make sure a copy of the chanote is submitted.

[The Sly Fox]

Thanks for making that clear Scumbag.

 

How about bank accounts. Are statements and online balance printouts OK or need to include original bank books?

 

I don't have a bank book for my Oz acc, but have for Thai acc, and GF has books for her 2 Thai accs.

[Scumbag]

Thanks for making that clear Scumbag.

 

How about bank accounts. Are statements and online balance printouts OK or need to include original bank books?

 

I don't have a bank book for my Oz acc, but have for Thai acc, and GF has books for her 2 Thai accs.

For your stuff only copies/printouts are required.

 

Every time we submitted an application at the VFS office they wanted to see her bankbook. However when sending it off from the post office it was not asked for. Since she has a significant amount of money in the account I would send her bankbook(s) with the application. It will be returned with the letter informing her of the result of the application. It is sent back via EMS.

[The Sly Fox]

Thanks Scumbag, good advice & tips here. The reason she has a "significant amount" is because I whacked 100,000 Bt into her account last week...lol    So would that make any difference if we sent the bankbook with the application, they'd see immediately that 100K was deposited recently to bang up the balance?

[marshy97]

What happened to the 48R visa?? as she is in Thailand??

 

They don't care where the money came from as long as it was legal, your showing that she has money to support her self on holiday that's all.

[The Sly Fox]

What happened to the 48R visa?? as she is in Thailand??

 

They don't care where the money came from as long as it was legal, your showing that she has money to support her self on holiday that's all.

 True marshy97, that's how I see it too. But someone told me they want to see original bankbooks to check for this very thing - someone whacking a large sum in to bang up the low balance.

 

It's the same when farang have to show bank balances for retirement visas and the like, the money needs to be in the account for 3 months so they know it wasn't just whacked in for a couple days to bang up the balance.

 

As for the 48R visa, there have been recent changes. The new visa is 1419, that's the one I'm doing now for a TG.

[Scumbag]

What happened to the 48R visa?? as she is in Thailand??

 

They don't care where the money came from as long as it was legal, your showing that she has money to support her self on holiday that's all.

There never was a visa called 48R. That was only the name of the form that needed to be completed for a tourist visa. This is just like with the current form. It is called 1419 but the visa is called a Tourist Visa (subclass 600). As far as I can tell nothing changed but the names.

 

BTW there is a version of the current form that has the questions in Thai and English. It is best to use this form so that the girl understands what is going on the form. She needs to understand what is on the form. Here is the form.

[trantinr]

Good luck with your application.

My TGF just sent her 4th application yesterday and are hoping for a quick response so that she can come for Christmas.

Cheers.

[The Sly Fox]

There never was a visa called 48R. That was only the name of the form that needed to be completed for a tourist visa. This is just like with the current form. It is called 1419 but the visa is called a Tourist Visa (subclass 600). As far as I can tell nothing changed but the names.

 

BTW there is a version of the current form that has the questions in Thai and English. It is best to use this form so that the girl understands what is going on the form. She needs to understand what is on the form. Here is the form.

 Many thanks for that link Scumbag, I was working on the English only form. So it's better to switch over to the Thai & English form you gave the link to, and send in that one, and discard the other?

[The Sly Fox]

Good luck with your application.

My TGF just sent her 4th application yesterday and are hoping for a quick response so that she can come for Christmas.

Cheers.

 Cheers mate, I'm hoping all goes well, can't see any reason for a reject - have own accom, money in bank, no crim records.

[Scumbag]

 Many thanks for that link Scumbag, I was working on the English only form. So it's better to switch over to the Thai & English form you gave the link to, and send in that one, and discard the other?

I think it is best so that the girl understands the information on the form. I would even go so far as have her complete the form as she should understand everything on it.

[marshy97]

Sorry mate my bad with the "visa" part... but is the 48R still in use, as when I posted before I was looking at both, so has it changed or can you still use a 48R, as it's more simple then the 1419 and from reading the (when to use "To visit or remain in Australia") I get the idea it's a visa extension more then just a tourist visa where as the 48R states "outside of Australia".

We have used the (48R Thai) but only as a reference for the girl and only submitted the 48R.

[The Sly Fox]

I think it is best so that the girl understands the information on the form. I would even go so far as have her complete the form as she should understand everything on it.

 I was filling in the form typing via Adobe Reader on my laptop, I thought that would be better, very clear to read and look very neat and professional, but you suggest it's better filled in by hand? If GF fills in by hand it must be in English, or Thai is OK?

 

Or do you mean have GF fill it in on the laptop using Adobe and in English?

 

Sorry if I sound vague about all this, I just want to make 100% sure we do everything correctly.

[The Sly Fox]

Sorry mate my bad with the "visa" part... but is the 48R still in use, as when I posted before I was looking at both, so has it changed or can you still use a 48R, as it's more simple then the 1419 and from reading the (when to use "To visit or remain in Australia") I get the idea it's a visa extension more then just a tourist visa where as the 48R states "outside of Australia".

We have used the (48R Thai) but only as a reference for the girl and only submitted the 48R.

 I was told to use the 1419, so I guess that has now replaced the old 48R.

[marshy97]

 I was told to use the 1419, so I guess that has now replaced the old 48R.

Shame really it was a simple from.

For the girl and I, we used the Thai form for her to understand the questions, and she copied my english answers to the form and submitted it at the post office, as they are the one who'll get the phone calls about the app, and need to answer if any questions come up.

[Scumbag]

 I was filling in the form typing via Adobe Reader on my laptop, I thought that would be better, very clear to read and look very neat and professional, but you suggest it's better filled in by hand? If GF fills in by hand it must be in English, or Thai is OK?

 

Or do you mean have GF fill it in on the laptop using Adobe and in English?

 

Sorry if I sound vague about all this, I just want to make 100% sure we do everything correctly.

If you are doing it that way I guess just complete it and send it to her. It needs to be completed in English.