Australian tourist visa applications from Philippines to Australia for loving Australian Filipina couples are extremely popular with us at Down Under Visa. Visiting and spending time together in the Philippines to get to know each other and to get a good introduction to Filipino culture and to meet your girl’s family, this is an absolute must. And if you are ready to bite the bullet and be together permanently then you should definitely be looking at a partner visa application. However if you are not ready yet, then the logical next step is to get a tourist visa for your Filipina girl and spend some time in Australia.
Are Australian tourist visas hard to get? And if so, why?
Yes, they are definitely harder to get than most people realise. Most assume they are a bit of a formality. Fill out a few forms and pop them into the Australian Embassy, and of course she can come back with you on the same plane. As if! Close to 1:5 tourist visa applications lodged by the inexperienced person applying for visa themselves end up refused, and the disappointment is usually pretty profound.
They are also not quick, nor do you deal with the Australian Embassy in Manila these days.
Why so hard? Because there are so many people from so many countries…..especially poor countries like the Philippines…..who are happy to lie, cheat and manipulate the facts AND people in order to get a foot in Australia’s door. Opportunities abound, and paypackets for even menial work is comparatively very high compared to Filipino salaries. So you have to work hard to prove that you DO have a genuine reason to visit Australia and to spend some time together to enhance and to enjoy your relationship with an Australian.
How long can you stay in Australia for?
For a first visit to Australia for a Filipina girl visiting her Australian boyfriend? And you want the visa to be actually granted? Three months! This is a realistic time period to ask for.
Tourist visas are designed for visitors. They are there for tourism purposes, and for visiting friends and family. Visiting anywhere at all for 3 months is a good length of time. Down Under Visa take 2 weeks off over Christmas, and I might sneak in a few days from time to time, but I would LOVE to be able to take a 3 month holiday. It gives you plenty of time to see if you are really comfortable with each other, and if she is comfortable with Australia too. You should both have a fairly good idea at the end of this period if you wish to take your relationship to the next level or not.
And yes, I know the DIBP website says “You can choose 3, 6 or 12 months”, but that doesn’t mean they will grant what you ask for! It’s not an online “shopping cart” where you can just choose what you want. Australian visas are grants……not rights! If the Filipina visa applicant has visited Australia before and done the right thing, yes there’s a possibility she can stay a bit longer (ie. 6 months). I’ve never heard of any Filipina girl visiting her boyfriend or fiancé getting a 12 month stay in one go, though. If this is your first go, then 3 months is realistic. It will also increase your chances significantly if your request matches what a normal couple would look for. Not too many people take a 1 year holiday, do they?
Can you use a tourist visa to live together instead of getting a partner visa?
No, and please don’t try.
There is one thing the Department really don’t like and that is seeing people trying to play the system, and trying to bypass existing visa pathways. Tourist visas are for visiting and then returning. Partner visas are for committed couples to remain together. The visa requirements built into the Migration Regulations for both visa types is completely different, because of their different purposes. Don’t try sneaking in the back door because they will see what you are up to.
I even had somebody tell me he had applied for 12 month tourist visas for his wife and kids, and stated in the application that he was doing this to avoid the high fees and long delays that went with partner visa applications! He was surprised when they knocked him back!
Yes, I sympathise. The fees for partner visas are unfairly high, but ‘fraid that’s the way it is and you can’t do anything about it. Even if the Government had changed last election, it wouldn’t have changed anything because from the Governments point of view it’s great revenue-raising. Captive market! No choice. Not fair at all, but if you want to be together as committed partners then that’s what you need to do. If you’re not at that stage yet? Well, use a tourist visa. But don’t expect to spend the next year together.
So what to do? Go to the Down Under Visa free VISA ASSESSMENT FORM, and let’s see if we can help you. Get some professional help from an experienced Registered Migration Agent in Manila who specializes in visas for Australian Filipina couples, and increase your chances of success.
Registered Relationship Certificate. Is it enough for a Partner Visa?
Ladies from Thailand, Vietnam or Cambodia. Who makes the best wives?
Offshore Partner Visas and Prospective Marriage Visas
Australian Partner Visas and Aging Visa Sponsors
Merits Review! How to turn an Australian Visa Refusal around at the AAT!
Why does a lady need to have so much money in her bank account before being granted a visa to visit her boyfriend in Australia? I have heard she must have 300,000 pesos in the bank is this true?
No! Who told you that? Completely untrue!
How can i get a sposers visa for my girlfreind in manila to come to australia
Hello Barry. Please complete our online assessment form (top right hand on the main website) and we can see if we can help you both.
What a timely blog Jeff. I totally agree with you that getting an Australian visitors visa is hard to get.
I applied for a visitors visa for my fiancée earlier this year and was refused on the grounds that they could not be satisfied that she had enough incentive to return to the Philippines after the three months.
Thankfully we then decided to engage the services of down under visa to apply for a tourist visa for us.
We got the good news yesterday that my fiancée was granted a twelve month multiple entry visa.
I then booked flights for her and she arrives into Melbourne on Wednesday the 17th of August.
Thanks for achieving this for us Jeff.
Our pleasure, Robert. Enjoy!
Hi, Emily & i have been together since 8/8/2016 I’ve had 2 week’s holiday with Emily @ her house in the phillipine Em’s is invited to my son’s wedding in April 2017 & I’ve booked a cruise for me & Emily departing 25th April 2017 for 10 night’s to Fiji Island’s, we have decided for Emily to stay for 2 month’s with me on a holiday in Australia. Our plan is to marry one day but this time & date has not been set, Any help i could get with getting Emily a visa for these holidays would be much appreciated, how much will this cost also please ? Kind Regards Anthony Jarrott Newcastle Australia
I’m sure we can help with a tourist visa for Emily, Anthony.
Hi… Can i ask u something guys? Hope u may help us. I also have an australian bf and we’ve been through for almost 2 years and 5 months now. He already went to the philippines twice in and recently dec. 2016 we spend holiday together for two weeks in boracay. Im working also abroad and we r planning that this coming month of december im going to spend holiday with him in australia for two weeks coz i just only hv a 1 month holiday from my work here abroad. How long does it take to hv a tourist visa going there and how much will be the cost. Thank u guys… Waiting for ur reply and more power!!
Hello Mary Grace. Please go to https://www.downundervisa.com/visa-assessment/ and complete our free assessment.
What is the process if my fillipino girlfriend only comes for say less than 30 days is visa required when i go abroad for less than 30 days i don’t need a visa is this the case with the philipines
Filipinos require visas to enter Australia, Mirko. Even for less than 30 days.
Would it be easier to get if it is only 30 days and she indicated that she wants to work in Australia is this possible she has three children would this satisfy that she has the incentive to return to phillipines
You’re talking about a tourist visa? Wants to work? No, not possible to work in Australia on a tourist visa.
I know that how can she come to Australia and work similarto back packers is it possible like for a year
No she can’t. Working Holiday Visas (backpacker visas) are not available to citizens of the Philippines
Hello you guy! I hope someone can help us! I have a boyfriend in Australia but he’s a New Zealand citizen our relationship now is 5months he’s working and living in Australia for 5years he has stable job too. We already meet last December 2017 we spent time almost 2months he coming back on Australia February 2018. So now he wants me to invite in Australia for a tourist visa he write an invitation later and he will covering my flights back and forth in short he will covering all my expenses during my stay on Australia. Question: there’s possibility that I can get a 3months visa? Because in my side i’m A single mother I have two kids and I’m employed I don’t have work only my boyfriend support me and my kids. But of course only my strong tight to comeback here in Philippines is my two kids who is only depending on me. But I have bank accounts also that my boyfriend put money through banking. My purpose of my travel in Australia I just want to visit him and he’s family and spent time with them and getting to know each other more and more. Thank you for reading I hope someone can give an idea! God bless all!
I don’t know enough about your situation to comment, Mary. Please complete our online visa assessment form on the website.
I just need ur help…
I am a filipina single mom, i have bf from australia, we bought a house in philippines to live together we are going 2years together, i am just worried what i need for travel.. coz we are planning to visit him in australia with my son for 2months vacation… i hope u can advise me
What you should do is complete a free online visa assessment form on this page. Top right hand side of the page, and you will see “assessment form”. I can assess whether we can help you or not, and I can tell you about costs and what to do next. Hope we can help you.
Hi Jeff, i ave been living in the Philippines with my girlfriend for eight years now and we have two children. I turn sixty soon and want to move back to Australia with my girlfriend and our children as i have older kids there. What would be the best visa to get as we want to eventually live in Australia permanently, how much would you charge and how long to process please. What would be the best visa to bring her in on initially.
This isn’t the place to advise you, David. Suggest you look above this at the link to a free online visa assessment. I can advise you properly once I have some more information.
Hi, Good Day! I would like to ask if a personal bank statement or account is needed if my boyfriend supports my trip in Australia and what else do i need for required documents for tourist visa.
Please don’t ask us to guide you with doing your own applications.
Hi good day everyone, I just want to ask me and my Australian bf we been together 2 years and 3 months now and we never meet yet in person but everyday we communicate thru WhatsApp. My question how many changes to I have if I apply for tourist visa going to Australia for a weeks only? And since pandemic he can’t come here and also he has a work and kinda busy at the moment. So I want to visit him instead. Thank you and have a good day and keep safe everyone… And I am Filipina by the way.
You can’t go to Australia at the moment as Australia also has a travel ban. And you will find it almost impossible even at the best of times to get an Australian tourist visa when you’ve never met in person. Suggest you wait until this is over, and have him visit you in Philippines first!