Australia Visitor Visa Tourist Stream? (class 600)

[JayH]

What a blow-- so sorry to hear.

[calmissile]

Sorry to hear about the rejection.  Your lady is living in Russia?

[JayH]

Kharkiv

[sleepycat]

Funny thing is...

Previously my lady friend managed to use the same fake employment letter and bank statements to successfully obtain the USA 10 year open visa.

Who would have though it is tougher to get an Aussie visa than an American visa!

[Isthmus]

Ah crap, sorry to hear that Sleepy   

The migration lawyer I spoke to advised me that visitors visas are never a forgone conclusion and he suspects that there can be bureaucratic arbitrariness at times. Unfortunately they are not reviewable decisions as are other migration applications (like a PMV).

The employers letter is a fairly important cog as far as the Department of Immigration are concerned, I was advised by my friend. How detailed was your letter in support of her application?

Maybe go chat to a migration lawyer about where you are at and start planning another trip to UA or to a third country (Thailand might be an idea). She doesn't have to have been here previously for a PMV to be successful.

[sleepycat]

The letter of support that I wrote was relatively detailed. I've also attached my passport page, council rates bill, electricity bill, salary verification letter and photos of us together. The rejection letter said they had considered my support letter but it was not enough to override their other concerns.

Yeah so what we'll probably end up doing is to find a mid point country like Thailand and meet up there...

[southernX]

Funny thing is...

Previously my lady friend managed to use the same fake employment letter and bank statements to successfully obtain the USA 10 year open visa.

funny??  your not going to like this sleepy cat but why use a fake letter?? to be honest  id say its stupid
just really stupid !!
if they have tripped the fake letter etc , your both now on record as person to be not trusted in any futiure applications

you need to be honest, and take your chances with the honest info ,
 
IMMI /gov depts hate any kind of fraud or deceptive conduct ,

Who would have though it is tougher to get an Aussie visa than an American visa!

id say maybe not , its more likly IMMI have looked at her history and may have cross checked her docs if they can with the US , or the supplier of the false doc may be issueing others which are showing up in the embassy

Interesting, the rejection letter came from the Aussie embassy in Moscow, signed by a woman with a Russian sounding name. No doubt that b**ch was looking to get back at an Ukrainian woman.

while it cannot be entirley ruled out , your false doc is all that is needed ,

SX

[sleepycat]

Let me clarify...

This time when she applied for the Aussie visitor visa, she did not use any fake docs like job letters or bank statements. She thought the Aussie visa will be easy to get so she didn't go to the trouble of buying the fake docs.

After the visa rejection, she suggested to me of trying to apply again but this time adding the fake docs. I talked her out of this idea as I think the risks are not justified.

I am merely pointing out the fact that previously she managed to score a 10 year open US visa with fake job letters and bank statements purchased.

[southernX]

ah sleepy , ok mate , sorry i was misreading the first post &thought she ahd used the same letter again , my apologies 
i rectract my comments mate ,

have either of you contacted the embassy or your case officer direct to ask why it was rejected ??

id also be seeking advice from a migration agent on your next move

SX

[Isthmus]

Sleepy, did she ever end up visiting the States on that 10 year open US visa?

If she did she should have shown the US entry and exit stamps for this application. I made sure my lady friend scanned her prior US, EU Schengen and Thai visas showing she had travelled abroad before and returned home to Kazakhstan with no over staying. I think a good prior track record of international travel can only help in these applications.

Sounds to me you put everything you needed into your supporting letter. Shame it didn't get the application over the line.

Also consider meeting her in an EU Country. A Schengen visa is easier to get than an Australian visa (seen that for myself recently).

Australia is tough in the visa approval stakes and my lady friend noted that more documentation was required for this Aussie visitors visa than her previous US J1 visa.

I agree with SouthernX, I think consulting a migration agent/lawyer at this juncture might be a prudent idea and meanwhile plan to meet elsewhere.

I met my lady friend in Thailand a few months ago for a short holiday. Was a lot more convenient and cheaper than going to KZ for which has a cumbersome visa process for Aussies and you can't really do trips there on short notice (unlike Thailand or Malaysia). I think both Thailand and Malaysia have 2 week visas on arrival for most citizens of FSU countries.


 

[southernX]

I think both Thailand and Malaysia have 2 week visas on arrival for most citizens of FSU countries.

they do , you need to take some recent passport size photos , [they can do the photos  at the airports usually , but it takes longer etc etc so take your own ]

visa on arrival  is relativly easy and cheap , takes about 20 mins , they will sideline your lady once she has fronted cutoms/entry &they see her passport , , so be prepared to stay with her and wait , rather than go through without her ,
the wait is a bit nerve wracking the first time you do it as a couple for your lady ime

but it should not cause you or her any dificulties
SX

[sleepycat]

If we are to do a holiday trip to Thailand, then we will be on separate flights as I will be flying in from Aus and she and her son will be flying in from Ukraine. So will be different arrival times for us. My lady friend shouldn't have a problem getting the visa at the airport as she has previously been to Thailand for work purpose.

What about us Aussies, do we need visa to Thailand?

[supraman]

Possible that because they are extending Ukraine peoples visas -- or at least were , because of the trouble -- her not showing a job to return to .. maybe points to her not going back - or at least not having anything to return to .
   My wife says the first tourist visa she got was the hardest .
   Thailand is the same for Russians as Ozzies -- 3 months , visa issued on entry .. It is where I first met my wife almost 2 years ago .
  Also just got a message from a friend of the wife .. Visa pricing is going up next year to around $6800 for partners visa -- this is still broken up if you use the 300 class first as it will be a balance left to pay when you apply for partner visa .ie we payed $4800 for the 300 class , now only have to pay $1400, plus one child ( $400 ) this time for the partners visa. If you go for the partner visa you will be hit with the $6800 bill at the start .   We were able to lodge our forms  last week for the partner visa .
   Ps prices I listed are approx. and also involve one child

[Isthmus]

When I met with my lady friend in July we came in on separate flights. She from KZ, I from Australia.  I flew in the day before so I could met her at the airport. I thought she got an instant 90 day visa on arrival like Australians do but she told me she had to fill out a form, have a photo taken and pay a 1,000 baht fee. Plus her visa is only valid for a fortnight.