tourist visa for Australia

[deus777]

hi

anyone have any experience bringing out a russian girl to australia on a tourist visa? seems nearly impossible to get.

[I/O]

anyone have any experience bringing out a russian girl to australia on a tourist visa?

Yes.

seems nearly impossible to get.

Rubbish. Follow due process. Piece of cake. Done it several times starting with my now wife years back, then friends of hers, family etc etc. You pay the receipt here, send it to her with a letter of support (use your brains a bit when you write it), legitimise your capacity to support (rates notice, phone account, electricity account, maybe a bank statement), she sends the application, usually takes less than two weeks. I / we've never had anyone refused.

If you go to the Au Moscow embassy website, everything is there (or links to) and can be toggled from English to Russian.

[Kuna]

Agreed with I/O...and after the visa has been granted they are now also likely to be asked to do a client satisfaction survey on exit so they get to comment on how easy/pleasant it was dealing with the Aust Embassy in Moscow.

Be a little smart when writing the invitation letter...but it realy shouln't be an issue assuming you can prove you have the means to pay for the visit.

[deus777]

hi

how long ago did you guys do this?

according to the moscow web site a sponsored visa can now only be lodged in australia and here it states that these are only available for family.

I was informed by an sydney immigration lawyer that the chances of a tourist visa are now slim due to rampant abuse of processes in Australia by FSU women.

[I/O]

how long ago did you guys do this?

Within the last year, twice. And will be doing it again shortly.

according to the moscow web site a sponsored visa can now only be lodged in australia and here it states that these are only available for family.

You're not "sponsoring" anyone on a visitor visa. You're offering " informal support". BTW, I think you're reading about the wrong visa.

I was informed by an sydney immigration lawyer

There's your first mistake.

that the chances of a tourist visa are now slim due to rampant abuse of processes in Australia by FSU women.

Utter bullschh!t, but you are welcome to believe what you want. Now let me see, he/she'll do the paperwork for you for $600 - $1000 with a reduction if the application fails. Go figure.

The visa honey wants is Tourist Visa (Subclass 676).  $105.00 Au. http://www.immi.gov.au/visitors/tourist/676/#a

[Kuna]

Agree with I/O...

It's a tourist visa you should be looking for... not a visitor visa.  Maximum term is 3 months.  As I/O said before, pay for the visa here, send a copy of the receipt to accompany the applicaiton there.

If you've met before, you treat it for what it is (or should be - i.e. a genuine visit for the purpose of tourism) and use your noggin when writing your invitation letter you really shouldn't have a problem.

I know of an Aussie member (don't know if it's public knowledge) who had his first face to face meeting with his now wife on a tourist visa.

We've had the MIL over every year on tourist visas, most recently in February.  The nephew has been over twice and a neice once. 

DO NOT try to marry while she is here...  it'll be painful! 

We were in touch with the Embassy just before our recent holiday to ask for any difference in making an applicaiton for one of my wife's friends. They said, "No, no changes, just make sure the documents are fully completed." Seriously,  they've been very helpful for us on several occassions now.

When my wife submitted our Prospective Marriage Visa they called her up a few days later (proactively) and asked if she would like a Tourist Visa while waiting for the visa to be processed (Estimatedat5months atthat stage).  Turned out not being needed as (from memory) the Prospective Marriage visa was processed and approved within 2 and a half weeks.

Don't be scared of the immigration officers in Moscow.  Yes, they are doing their job but I honestly don't think they are their to spoil anyones "party".

Oh,  if an immigrration lawyer was directing you towards a visitors visa, or scaring you about the difficulty in getting a (girl)friend here they were likely to be involved in a similar style of marketing that some of our Commercial Members (guides) here use... FUD-Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt.

In the big scheme of things, this will be one of the easier tasks you undertake in this journey.

[Aloe]

Applied for one, didn't get it. Had all documents in order. Denied for some BS reason (lack of travel outside of Russia AND "desired duration of trip does not correspond with specified purpose of the trip", which was tourism and 2 weeks, is that BS or what, how does 2 weeks not correspond with tourism purposes?).
She needs to have european visas in her passport, turkey and other easy countries dont count apparently

[I/O]

She needs to have european visas in her passport

Rubbish.

[Gator]

My ex-wife from Moscow went to Oz in 2006 on a tourist visa handled by her then Ozzie boyfriend.  She says it was easy. 

I sure wish she had stayed in Oz. 

Actually, she later got a fiancee visa, and he had sent her air tix and reserved a reception hall for a big wedding when she decided he was not the one.  Sometimes clues are everywhere.

[I/O]

Sometimes clues are everywhere.

And..........that ain't all.

[Aloe]

Rubbish.

Then why did my turkey visas not satisfy them ? They specifically mentioned "lack of international travel". Last i checked, turkey was not a part of Russia

[Kuna]

Then why did my turkey visas not satisfy them ? They specifically mentioned "lack of international travel". Last i checked, turkey was not a part of Russia

Aloe,

Did you have an Australian in Australia inviting you by letter???

[Aloe]

Aloe,

Did you have an Australian in Australia inviting you by letter???

Yes, i think they thought i'd marry him or something? He wasn't exactly inviting, he was stating that he provides lodging and in case i run into trouble, he takes all financial responsibility, or something to that extent.

[GoodOlBoy]

Actually, she later got a fiancee visa, and he had sent her air tix and reserved a reception hall for a big wedding when she decided he was not the one.  Sometimes clues are everywhere.

Damn Gator....I'm not trying to be harsh, BUT....wasn't that a BIG Red Flag the size of a football field? :noidea:

GOB

[Kuna]

Yes, i think they thought i'd marry him or something? He wasn't exactly inviting, he was stating that he provides lodging and in case i run into trouble, he takes all financial responsibility, or something to that extent.

Hmmm..must have been something.

Lots of Russians here now...holidays and students. I know several people who've had female friends visit from Russia and Ukraine. I/O and his wife have also had visitors...

Maybe they were lucky... maybe you were unlucky???

[I/O]

Aloe: I remind you of your statement "She needs to have european visas in her passport" which is rubbish.

Nothing in any of the Australian migration (under which comes tourism) legislation or regulations suggests, implies or requires this for the issuance of an Australian tourist or visitor visa. Your statement is wholly misleading and entirely inaccurate. Furthermore, I have demonstated this to be wrong on several occasions, no less than 9 at this point (people who had no other visa in their Russian passport).

You claim "Had all documents in order" and that may well be correct but clearly there was something you didn't have in order. I've no issue with you complaining because you were whacked upside the head, men also come here doing likewise, often after failed trips but I do have issue with you touting conclusions on this particular subject which have no factual basis.