The Australian Tourist Visa is the most popular route for Thailand to come to Australia for tourism, visiting family as well as business visits. It’s never easy to realize this plan especially in the case of ordinary Thais who need to undergo the visa application procedure to be able to enter Australia for a visit. Admittedly, the visa application is difficult for some Thai citizens, as they are often considered high-risk travelers. It is a complicated process especially for first-time applicants who are not familiar with the procedure.
Australian Tourist Visa Applications
Thai nationals are qualified to apply for a tourist visa under the following visitor visa subclasses:
- Tourist visa (subclass 600)This type of visa allows the holder to stay in Australia for recreational purposes for either three, six or even a year.
- Sponsored Family Visitor visa (subclass 679)This type of visa allows the holder to visit their family or relatives in Australia for a maximum of 12 month period. This visa requires a formal sponsorship from the Australian citizen or permanent resident.
Australian Tourist Visa Qualifications
Applicants for the Australian Tourist Visa in Thailand must show:
- genuinely seeking to enter Australia for a limited period of time as requested in the application;
- the applicant is not using the visitor visa as a means for extended stays to live in Australia through extensions or multiple successive visits;
- the applicant will not work in Australia for remuneration or for free;
- the applicant has sufficient funds to support themselves on their visit without the need for public funds or employment. If the applicant will be accommodated by relatives or friends in Australia, they have to provide a statement that they are legally present in Australia (or will be at the time of the visit) and intend to provide accommodations and support;
- the applicant has the means to leave Australia at the end of their stay.
Australian Tourist Visa Requirements
The general requirements for this type of visa are as follow:
- Duly accomplished application form
- Current, valid passport or travel document
- Passport Photos
- Visa fee
- Proof of sufficient financial support
- Proof of accommodation for the entire stay
- Evidence of strong ties to Thailand
- Evidence of stable employment
- Flight ticket reservation
In the case of sponsorship:
- Invitation letter by an Australian citizen or permanent resident
- Sponsorship letter by an Australian citizen or permanent resident
- Evidence of employment, bank savings and accommodation by sponsor
Important Factors in Applying for an Australian Tourist Visa
Australian tourist visa application entails meeting particular requirements to be granted the visa. The Australian government would like to make sure that the visa applicant is coming back to his home country after his allowed visit to Australia so it’s necessary to prove your strong ties with Thailand. You have to show proof of your ties to Thailand in the forms of the following:
- Current Employment
- Savings
- Personal Assets and Properties
- Dependents
- Tourist visa applicants relying on sponsorship from their Australian partners, friends, and relatives will just need to provide all their details and the necessary documentation to their sponsors as their sponsors will be the one lodging a formal sponsorship.
Recommendation
If the Thai citizen is not a frequent traveler around Asia and has never visited Australia before, it is best to apply for a 3-month tourist visa first. After the three-month visa expires and the Thai applicant returns to Thailand on time, you can consider applying for a longer visa or even a different type of visa such as an Australian Partner Visa. The first visa is mainly a test to see if the Thai national will return home on time.
Where can you submit the visa application?
The Australian Embassy in Bangkok does not handle the collection and release of the visa application. To submit the application documents for an Australian visa, you may lodge your application and biometric capture in person at the Australian Visa Application Centre or VFS Thailand.
Why should you hire a Visa Consultant?
Doing the visa application by yourself is definitely an option if you wish to save some money. However, going over the visa application and ensuring the thorough preparation of the required papers are no easy task to do. In this regard, it remains best to enlist the service of an immigration consultant to guide you with the visa application process.
LIVE SUPPORT
CALLCall +66 2 254 8900 |
CHATChat with our representative |
LEAVE US A MESSAGE
Tell us about your plan to apply for an Australian Tourist Visa in Thailand. Please completely fill out the form below.