Best place to apply

[bjc]

Hi,

I am an Australian citizen and have been living and working in South East Asia for the last six years. I am married to an Indonesian national (married in Australia last year). We are currently living in Indonesia.

My wife has travelled with on several occassions to Australia, for short visits on a tourist visa. She usually gets a mutiple entry visa, valid for 12 months with one months maximum stay, from the Australian Embassy in Singapore. We were not married when she got these visas, but my name was on the application as her defacto.

My company will re assign me sometime in the next 1 - 2 years. No idea where yet, but eventually it will be back to Australia. As such we will need to apply fo a temporary resident visa.

Can anyone offer me advise as to the best place to apply, be it Jakarta, Singapore or when we are visiting Australia later this year on a tourist visa ? I have heard that the Jakarta and Singapore embassies are not also user friendly ? Can we apply while we are on a tourist visit ?

Any insights appreciated.

Thanks

[nvoorst]

Hi,

I take it that you are considering applying for a spouse visa ?
Normally you would apply for it in the country where your wife is living.
Technically she could apply for one in Australia as long as her tourist visa does not have a "no further stay" (or other similar) condition on it.

Regards,

[downundervisa]

I've had no experience with Jakarta or Singapore. Hong Kong is good to deal with.

I agree with Nick. As long as there's no "8503 - No further stay" condition on the visa, then applying in Australia will be the easiest. And it means she gains a Bridging Visa the moment the visitor visa expires, which allows her to continue staying.