Recap: Sakunphet was denied a tourist visa after the first lodgement of her application. Sakunphet and Anastasias enlisted the help of Visa Solutions Australia.
With the help of Vanessa at Visa Solutions, Sakunphet and Anastasias put together a second application for a tourist visa.
Not the outcome they expected
The second visa application was lodged but that too was refused. After asking for an extension to collect biometric information, the application was knocked back because of the lack of this information, something the Visa Solutions team had not seen before.
While Anastasias thought this would be the point where they should give up, the team at Visa Solutions assured him that it was possible the biometrics were just missed, and they should re-lodge the application.
Third time’s a charm
After lodging the visa application for the third time with all the information including biometrics submitted, Sakunphet and Anastasias finally got the visa approval they were waiting for. Sakunphet arrived in Australia in mid-February. Needless to say, they are both relieved yet for Sakunphet this visa approval is pivotal and can change the direction of the rest of her life.
What does a Tourist Visa mean for Sakunphet?
A tourist visa gives Sakunphet the flexibility to explore her options and potentially build a prosperous future in Australia. We all know that Australia is the land of opportunity and Sakunphet with her highly in demand skills as a nurse will be able to explore many avenues in order to live her life to the fullest. Sakunphet understands that her tourist visa is a great gift and started her English classes prior to leaving Thailand to help her get ahead. She truly appreciates the opportunity that Australia has given her.
Visa Solutions point of view
Visa agent, Vanessa says Sakunphet and Anastasias made the right decision in asking for help from a visa agent as this case was slightly more complicated. Firstly because the visa application was already refused once and secondly, the Department of Home Affairs considers Thailand a high-risk country, so the visa application came under more scrutiny than usual.
‘It was beneficial for Sakunphet and Anastasias to use a visa agent. Their particular circumstances meant we had to go the extra mile to satisfy what the Department [of Home Affairs] is looking for and provide extra guidance in what documents to collect.’ – Vanessa Wibawa, Visa Agent, Visa Solutions Australia.
What’s next?
Sakunphet will stay in Australia for the duration of her visa. If she decides Australia is the place for her then she will explore her visa options. Given the tourist visa is a substantive visa, she could apply for any visa as long as there is no Condition 8503 on her current visa which prevents applicants from applying for a visa onshore.
Anyone holding a tourist visa can apply for any of the following visas, provided they meet eligibility criteria.
- Work visa (subclass 482 or permanent subclass 186)
- Skilled visa (subclass 189, 190 and 491. N.B. you must be invited to apply for a subclass 491)
- Student visa (subclass 500)
- Partner visa (subclass 820)
- Visitor visa (subclass 600)
When it comes to deciding the next steps and their options going forward, Sakunphet and Anastasias have declared they will be meeting with Visa Solutions to choose the best path and to handle any subsequent visa applications.
Final words
Sakunphet and Anastasias can’t praise Visa Solutions enough. Without their help and expertise, Sakunphet and Anastasias would have given up on applying for a visa.
‘Without Visa Solutions help, we would have thrown in the towel after the second refusal. Working with Visa Solutions took away all the stress of the visa application process, we should have done it sooner. It was an absolute pleasure working with Vanessa and the VSA team. We can’t recommend them enough!’ – Anastasias
To speak to a visa agent about tourist visas or any aspect of migration, contact the Visa solutions team. Book a consultation today.
