by jackspratt » April 7, 2009, 2:22 pm
Tourist visa for Americans, and many other "1st world" countries is simple - generally can be done online, and issued electronically. This visa is free.
For most SE Asians not so simple. Visa application document is probably 20+ pages, and the overriding criteria seems to be whether there is sufficient evidence that you are likely to return to your home country before the visa runs out, and you are of good character. If issued, may be a single or multiple entry, for 3 months stay, with the visa being valid for 12 months ie if you have a multiple, you could theoretically get 15 months total (in 3 month chunks).
For a single lady, she would generally need to have evidence of sufficient money in the bank to support her while in Oz (or a sponsor with sufficient money), and job to go back to in her home country. Medical generally not required, and cost, from memory, is about A$100.
Once the first visa to another country (or Oz) has been used and complied with, it is generally a lot easier to get a subsequent visa for Oz. For example, my then g/f (now wife) had visited me 3 times in China without incident, so sailed through her 1st Oz application quite easily.