Australian tourist visas and the risk of overstaying

Tourist visa applications to Australia from Philippines are not easy to get. Simpler that partner visas, but under a different type of scrutiny because these are the visas-of-choice for those who want to overstay and break visa conditions in Australia. These are the visas-of-choice for those who plan to work illegally in Australia.

So given that this is the gateway they use, DIBP staff are on the lookout for those whom they consider likely to try to overstay in Australia. If they feel that the visa applicant is high-risk, they will refuse the application.

So who is a high-risk visa applicant to Australia?

Tourist visas are for people visiting Australia for genuine reasons. They intend to visit to:

• Visit friends or relatives
• Spent time with a fiancée or partner
• Do tourist things

If they believe confidently that the applicant intends to do these things, they have no problem. But if they are not certain, they will refuse the visa application. No choice, because that’s their job and it’s what Australia as a whole expects of them.

Tourist visa to visit family

Tourist visas from Philippines to Australia to visit family. Visa to bring younger sister out, or favourite cousin. Sounds easy, right? And surely you have the “right” to invite relatives to come over?

Unfortunately this is one of the risk groups because it’s one of the areas where families break the rules in order to help each other out.

Understand that there IS no “right” to invite a relative to Australia. You can invite whoever you want into your own house. Someone knocks at your door, it’s your decision what you want to do. But you don’t have the right to swing open the doors of Australia and beckon somebody in. The Immigration people in Canberra are the only ones who have that legal right. It’s written in the Constitution.

Yet Filipino families have a long-established tradition of sharing the good fortune and helping out the relatives, and this includes access to the Good Life in Australia. And many will bend the rules to do just that. So getting cousin Jenny or sister Cristina out on a tourist visa as a stepping stone, or for as long as she gets away with it, many will do this. Or bringing her out to take care of your new baby while your wife goes back to work, that all looks fairly harmless. The problem is it’s not what Australian tourist visas were designed for. Visiting and spending time together, and providing some moral support after birth of a baby? Sure. Providing a day-care service? No.

What it means is that they will scrutinize very closely any application from a relative, especially a young and apparently healthy relative of working age, and they won’t grant it unless they’re sure there’s a really good reason for them to come out.

Tourist visa to visit friends and for tourism purposes

Taking a tourism holiday in Australia is going to cost many thousands of dollars. Unless you want to stay at the Wiley Park Hotel, a hotel room in Sydney is going to cost you AUD$200.00 a night and upwards. Meals, AUD$15.00 and upward. So yes, thousands of dollars. Believing that someone who earns probably less than AUD$300.00 a month is going to spend that sort of money so they can pat koalas and take selfies in front of the Opera House is not especially believable.

So basically, unless the visa applicant is earning like an Aussie executive, they won’t believe they’re planning a touristy holiday. It’s just plain reality. And a couple of thousand dollars suddenly appearing in their bank account with no explanation of its origins, this doesn’t cut it either.

Tourist visas for Australian Filipina couples

We submit many hundreds of tourist visa applications every year, and we have a great success rate. If you are planning to visit your Australian fiancé or partner or boyfriend and you’re in an established relationship, then in most situations we should be able to get you a visa. Just understand that we need to prove this so they have no doubt as to your intentions and purpose being genuine. We have a great success rate because we’re thorough, so you need to follow our guidance if you want to join all those other successful applicants.

And note that if you haven’t met in person, it’s not so easy to show a committed relationship.

High-risk tourist visa applicants

The case officers at the Department are checking you and assessing you for risk of doing the wrong thing, much like the loan officer at the bank. They have a job to do to protect Australia’s interests, much like the loan officer needs to protect the bank. If you have a history of doing the wrong thing, they will see you like the bank man will see you if you have a history of defaulting on loans and on having credit cards cut in half with scissors. If you have a history of overstaying and/or working illegally overseas, they will certainly be concerned about you doing it all over again.

And the same applies to any clever schemes where you try to influence them by lies, exaggeration and omissions. They’ve seen them all before. Don’t try to be clever, because you will face a refusal of your tourist visa and possibly a 3 year ban if you take it too far.

A tourist visa application may look simple on the surface, but it is never a mere formality. Get some professional help, and always tell the truth. No lies. No secrets. In most cases we can help you.

Further Reading

Can you apply again when you have an Australian tourist visa refused?

How to get a tourist visa to Australia from Philippines