After reading lots of threads concerning marrige-visa regs etc,I'd like
to go back to basics and ask these simple Q's.
* Where do I apply for this visa? Where do I get the relevant forms?
* Where do I submit these forms?..UK or HH,or BKK?
* When do I submit the application...in relation to existing non O visa
(at same time I need a new visa,3 months before my current visa
ends, )
* I am out of Thailand for a 3month stint of work annually,does this
'break' affect my visa acceptance?
* It is my wife that will show 40k/month regular earnings for the
application...is this OK or do I have to show income also?
Finnally,does having this visa mean I don't have to go to Ranong
for a stamp every 90days? Can I just be stamped at HH Imm.?
Helpful hints/info welcome...thank you.
Marrige visa...how,when,where?
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usual suspect
- Ace
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- Location: Huahin
Re: Marrige visa...how,when,where?
Can't answer the rest of your questions as I'm on a non-M visa, I'm sure our resident guru will be on soon.usual suspect wrote: * It is my wife that will show 40k/month regular earnings for the
application...is this OK or do I have to show income also?
However when I asked HH Imm about switching visa from my current to an non-O based on 40k 'family income' I got blank looks and bemusement. Bangkok is probably a better route for this, HH seem to just want to deal with retirees.
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
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Wanderlust
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- Location: Hua Hin
OK usual suspect, i will answer as best I can. There is no such thing called a marriage visa; what most are referring to is a non immigrant o visa issued on the basis of being married to a Thai, which they have had an extension granted for 1 year based on having sufficient income and satisfying the immigration department that the relationship is genuine. So the first thing you need is a Thai wife, then you need to get a non immigrant O visa, which is available in Thai embassies and consulates worldwide but not in Thailand. Forms are probably available on the Thai Embassy websites. Those forms are submitted to the Embassy or consulate you are applying to.
Once you have that visa and are in Thailand, you can then apply for the extension; there are a load of threads on this in here so I won't go into detail about that, but you apply at your nearest immigration office (it is worth going there just to check with them what you will need as it can vary). You can submit the application anytime within the permitted to stay until stamp in your passport, but normally it should be a few weeks before that.
In theory your wife's income should be sufficient but it seems that either no one on this board has yet tried that or that no one has succeeded as there haven't been any reports. I got mine on the basis of my income which goes into a UK bank every month, with a letter from the British embassy confirming this (required if it is your income). I would test the water at HH immigration by going up there with your wife and showing them what you have got and seeing if they say if it is enough - they are normally very helpful.
Once the extension is granted you will only have to report to the immigration office every 90 days, although if you leave Thailand at all you will need to get a re-entry permit (single or multiple) from them or your extension will be lost. When the end of the extension is a few weeks away you can apply again, with new copies of the same paperwork (assuming your circumstances are the same) and get another years extension.
I hope that is of some help.
Once you have that visa and are in Thailand, you can then apply for the extension; there are a load of threads on this in here so I won't go into detail about that, but you apply at your nearest immigration office (it is worth going there just to check with them what you will need as it can vary). You can submit the application anytime within the permitted to stay until stamp in your passport, but normally it should be a few weeks before that.
In theory your wife's income should be sufficient but it seems that either no one on this board has yet tried that or that no one has succeeded as there haven't been any reports. I got mine on the basis of my income which goes into a UK bank every month, with a letter from the British embassy confirming this (required if it is your income). I would test the water at HH immigration by going up there with your wife and showing them what you have got and seeing if they say if it is enough - they are normally very helpful.
Once the extension is granted you will only have to report to the immigration office every 90 days, although if you leave Thailand at all you will need to get a re-entry permit (single or multiple) from them or your extension will be lost. When the end of the extension is a few weeks away you can apply again, with new copies of the same paperwork (assuming your circumstances are the same) and get another years extension.
I hope that is of some help.
Usual Suspect,
As WL said your visa will be the following:
NON-IMMIGRANT VISA - other activities (Category "O") as follows: to stay with the family, to perfrom duties for the state enterprise or social welfare organizations, to stay after retirement for the elderly, to receive medical treatment, to be a sport coach as required by Thai Government, to be a contestant or witness for the judicial process.
Here's some useful info and forms.
http://www.thaiconsul-uk.com/visas1.asp
Thai Government site on Visas with form downloads:
http://www.mfa.go.th/web/2637.php
SJ
As WL said your visa will be the following:
NON-IMMIGRANT VISA - other activities (Category "O") as follows: to stay with the family, to perfrom duties for the state enterprise or social welfare organizations, to stay after retirement for the elderly, to receive medical treatment, to be a sport coach as required by Thai Government, to be a contestant or witness for the judicial process.
Here's some useful info and forms.
http://www.thaiconsul-uk.com/visas1.asp
Thai Government site on Visas with form downloads:
http://www.mfa.go.th/web/2637.php
SJ
As usual, Wanderlust is quite right with what he says on these matters. I would just like to add a couple of things about the non O aswell.
Some Thai embassies in the countries surrounding here are more willing to give out a non immigrant visa than others are. Vientianne is quite easy at the moment, if you want a non O.
To get the initial 90 day visa is quite easy, you don't have to show any income, you can just say 'staying with my wife' and have the usual copies of everything. It's almost as if they don't really know what to do with you but assume that some Thais and Thailand will benefit from you being here, and might upset some Thai people if they say no.
As Wanderlust points out the difficulties begin when you want to extend it to a year.
However, if you are prepared to go to an embassy outside the country every 90 days, then a non O can be used to stay indefinitley in Thailand as there are no limits to how many you can get on the trot, well, not yet anyway. I know many guys that are married and just leave every three month and get a new one as they cannot be bothered with or cannot meet the reqirements for the extention.
I hear that a non O can also be gained on the strength that you have dependents (children) in the country, even if you are not married anymore. Not totally sure about it and would have to look into it a bit more.
Some Thai embassies in the countries surrounding here are more willing to give out a non immigrant visa than others are. Vientianne is quite easy at the moment, if you want a non O.
To get the initial 90 day visa is quite easy, you don't have to show any income, you can just say 'staying with my wife' and have the usual copies of everything. It's almost as if they don't really know what to do with you but assume that some Thais and Thailand will benefit from you being here, and might upset some Thai people if they say no.
As Wanderlust points out the difficulties begin when you want to extend it to a year.
However, if you are prepared to go to an embassy outside the country every 90 days, then a non O can be used to stay indefinitley in Thailand as there are no limits to how many you can get on the trot, well, not yet anyway. I know many guys that are married and just leave every three month and get a new one as they cannot be bothered with or cannot meet the reqirements for the extention.
I hear that a non O can also be gained on the strength that you have dependents (children) in the country, even if you are not married anymore. Not totally sure about it and would have to look into it a bit more.
Resolve dissolves in alcohol
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usual suspect
- Ace
- Posts: 1939
- Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2005 10:10 pm
- Location: Huahin
Wanderlust,thanks for the time taken and the quite lengthy answer you
did for me....cheers for this.
Sounds like I'll get a folder cobbled together,with my relevant details
and my Mrs's tax reciepts for each month and find a vehicle similar
to a Paris-Dakar racer to take me to the Imm.Office.
Thanks also to others that contributed, when I know owt new,
I'll let you know....US.
did for me....cheers for this.
Sounds like I'll get a folder cobbled together,with my relevant details
and my Mrs's tax reciepts for each month and find a vehicle similar
to a Paris-Dakar racer to take me to the Imm.Office.
Thanks also to others that contributed, when I know owt new,
I'll let you know....US.
Yes, please let us know if you have any joy with the 'family income' extension with your mrs providing the 40k. I don't think anyone has manged one from HH yet, you could be on a pioneering mission here!
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
Most points seem to have been covered by others, but for record I've just returned from Penang with a new single entry Non O on the basis of marriage. Getting it was no problem.
The agent I used asked to see UK bank statements saying that sometimes they're asked for by the consulate and sometimes not. (I've a feeling that he was mixing this local requirement up with applying for a multi-entry). Anyway, I had one two month old statement and that sufficed. You might be best to take a few more than that to be on the safe side. Cost was 220 Ringit and 15 to the agents (it would cost you more in a taxi to get get to and from the consulate). If you need any details, I can supply the agent's telephone number and email address.
I'd concur with the income side of things - ie your Thai wife can be the sole bread winner. She'll need to show tax payments here in Thailand on that minimum amount for you to qualify.
The relevant Police Order is here:
http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/2n ... p606EN.pdf
The relevant section is 7:17. Look at subsection 6 in the second column and you'll see that either party, or both, can make up the 40k Baht. The extension is now actually granted on family income, not on support of a Thai wife.
I'm not sure how happy HH will be with this arrangement, but the law seems clear. Family income extensions are approved in BKK. Only the application is made locally and it generally takes 30 days - you'll get an "under consideration" stamp to cover your extra time here.
As mentioned, Imm normally like you to apply 2-3 weeks before any 90 day permitted to stay stamp is due to expire. This is to allow time to get any paperwork you might initially have missed.
The agent I used asked to see UK bank statements saying that sometimes they're asked for by the consulate and sometimes not. (I've a feeling that he was mixing this local requirement up with applying for a multi-entry). Anyway, I had one two month old statement and that sufficed. You might be best to take a few more than that to be on the safe side. Cost was 220 Ringit and 15 to the agents (it would cost you more in a taxi to get get to and from the consulate). If you need any details, I can supply the agent's telephone number and email address.
I'd concur with the income side of things - ie your Thai wife can be the sole bread winner. She'll need to show tax payments here in Thailand on that minimum amount for you to qualify.
The relevant Police Order is here:
http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/2n ... p606EN.pdf
The relevant section is 7:17. Look at subsection 6 in the second column and you'll see that either party, or both, can make up the 40k Baht. The extension is now actually granted on family income, not on support of a Thai wife.
I'm not sure how happy HH will be with this arrangement, but the law seems clear. Family income extensions are approved in BKK. Only the application is made locally and it generally takes 30 days - you'll get an "under consideration" stamp to cover your extra time here.
As mentioned, Imm normally like you to apply 2-3 weeks before any 90 day permitted to stay stamp is due to expire. This is to allow time to get any paperwork you might initially have missed.