Any person wanting to migrate to Australia must have an appropriate visa that allows them to do so. If you are an Australian citizen or permanent resident there are several visa options available to bring your Thai partner to Australia to live permanently. If your partner only wishes to visit Australia for a temporary stay, then Thai Visa Express can assist in obtaining your Thai partner a tourist visa. A tourist visa can be granted to permit the holder to travel to and remain in Australia for up to 1 year. We will ensure that a thoroughly prepared application is submitted which addresses all of the criteria necessary for the grant of a tourist visa. However, what if you are engaged to be married and you want to bring your Thai fiancée to Australia to live permanently.
I’m engaged to my Thai partner- what visa allows her to migrate to Australia?
A partner visa allows an Australian citizen or permanent resident to bring their Thai partner to Australia if they are either legally married or in a de facto relationship with them. However, if you are not legally married or do not meet the de facto relationship criteria, there is still another option that may be available. It is called the prospective marriage visa, also referred to as a fiancé visa. This is for people that are engaged to be married.
To be eligible for a prospective marriage visa you must have met your partner in person as adults, be known to each other personally, and have a genuine intention to marry in the future. Once the prospective marriage visa is granted your partner can travel to and remain in Australia without having to leave. You must both then marry within 9 months, which then allows your partner to apply in Australia for the onshore partner visa without having to leave.
How long does a partner visa take to process?
On average subclass 300 visa applications are processed within 12 – 18 months if submitted in Bangkok Thailand.
Can you apply for a prospective marriage visa while in Australia?
A prospective marriage visa is an offshore visa, and it cannot be applied for in Australia. This means that your fiancée must apply for the visa whilst she is in Thailand. She must also be in Thailand at the time her visa is granted. The processing period for a prospective marriage visa is quite lengthy. At Thai Visa Express we can not only assist you and your partner in every stage of the application process, including biometric collection, medical assessments, and police clearances, but as the processing of the prospective marriage visa is quite lengthy, we can also assist your partner in applying for a tourist visa to visit you in Australia during the processing period. This will help to lessen the time spent apart.
Is the prospective marriage visa eligible for Medicare?
Eligibility for Medicare won’t commence for someone on a subclass 300 visa until they lodge the application for the 820/801 visa
Our support does not end with the grant of your fiancée’s prospective marriage visa. We can also assist with her onshore partner visa application after you have married. We have assisted many clients that have migrated to Australia through this pathway that are now Australian citizens. If you require any professional help or advice please feel free to contact us for a free 30-minute visa assessment today.