abdulrahman

"I am sorry if I am repeating something here, but I like to tell you that there is a massive difference in paperwork between marriage-

extension and the much much much more easier retirement-extension.

So go for retirement if you can...... just 65.000 baht in income confirmed by your embassy, photos, fill in you application and that should be everything. While a marriage-extension is something like 13-14 different stages to go through...."

I disagree with most of that.

Even assuming the money isn't a problem, which it is for some, the word 'massive' and 'much much much' is misleading.

For the spouse extension the only extra stuff you need is the marriage certificate and then the spouses info, copy of pp, ID card and house registration. In some cases they'll also ask for some photos.

I'm not sure what you mean by "13-14 different stages".

1. You get a 30 day 'under consideration' stamp requiring a second visit to imm. That's only a problem if you live a long ways from your imm office.

2. For a spouse extension you have to take your spouse with you on the first visit.

3. A police officer might visit your home. In most cases they don't.

4.

5.

6.

7.

...

14.

I'm sure I'm missing some of the different stages.

A spouse extension also allows you to get a work permit so you can work legally. That's important for many, either to supplement their income or to simply give them something to do.

But some farang still believe the friendly advice of the lazy Immigration Officer!

I only said lazy!

Don't forget IF you get "Income from pension/social welfare of not less than 65,000 Baht per month" you don't need to show a big sum (a seasoned 800K or 400K baht) in the bank. A pension letter from your home country embassy verifying the 65K baht/month pension meets/satisfies the income requirement.

Same as 40K Baht/month,verified from your Embassy,meets/satisfies the income requirement for a marriage extension!

Yes, I know it's just the way it is, but when a person has a one year visa, this 90 day report stuff is simply rediculous and smacks of big boss Thai man lording it over those untrustworthy aliens. At best the policy is overbearing, and at worst it's xenophobic.

I don't know why you feel that way. In my home country, and probably in MOST countries, you have to report your address, and ANY change of address, on a regular basis.

There's lots of reasonable reasons for that, on of them being. If they had to get in touch with you in case of an emergency, how would they find you ? Or if you lost your passport, and it was turned in to the embassy, or the police.....how would they locate you ? Maybe you don't worry about that, but THEY do.

I don't find it too inconvenient, even though it's a fifteen minute drive to Immigration, but there's no charge, and they have treated me really nice on every visit. I've renewed my yearly visa three times now, and I don't even mind that. They're very polite, and accommodating, and it only cost 1900 baht, or about $60 American, just about what it cost me to fill my gas tank at home.

I admit, there are a few strange customs over here that are very different than I'm used to at "home", but the GOOD outweighs the BAD by so much that I just ignore the "bad" and enjoy the "good". And there's plenty of "GOOD" to enjoy.

Cheers, and I hope you stay here a long time, and enjoy every minute of it. ErnieK

In my home country,and probably in MOST countries,you have to report your address(the first time your parents normally do it for you)and any subsequent change of address.

You can live all your life at the same address (many Thais do)without the need to reporting.It's my opinion that after living 10 years or more at the same house,finding you,if necessary, is not rocket-science.Understood?

100% correct.

But,as you can see many in TV like it so!

It's a question of taste,you know.

so can i live off 25000 baht in laos

No. http://www.tourismlaos.gov.la/laos-in-brief.htm

The only place...perhaps that you might be able to live semi-comfortably on 25,000 THB per month is Cambodia.

$250 USD will get you a "no questions asked" one year visa with multiple re-entry's.

Perhaps, you should ask your question on the S.E.A. section of Thaivisa.

If you have money problems in Thailand (I would have them with your income): Lao will be worse!

I think maxjay is right,try Cambodia.Good luck!

I love this forum, filled with people clearly unable to read the news and then flaming others that do.

Thanks for proving that not everyone should be allowed to vote.

*sigh*

Re-read the news(for what's worth,onesided).

Will wait for a comment on the Thai side before forming an opinion.

You are NOT questioning the ability of the Forum members to read the news,but their understanding of them.

If they don't share your opinion=they are stupid!

It never ceases to amaze me just how much bashing or flaming that goes on here! lol

Within one or two posts of the original, it degenerates into a "you're wrong, I'm right, if you don't like it here, go back to where you came from" back and forth cyclic argument. At least the Mods (thank you) do a good job trying to calm things down and sticking to the facts, but some of you people really do need to get a life!

We are all here in the LOS for different reasons and under different circumstances and we all have our own opinions, if you don't agree with some of those opinions, you "can" keep your opinions to yourself

A very smug opinion,(and some ass kissing to follow)

Other posters, like myself and Mario, have happily pointed out she can stay and work here properly...it isn't rocket science. Plenty of people on salaries lower than 50K a month work here totally legally.

I would not work for a pittancy with a workpermit of 3 month(maybe renevable).

Or without workpermit,at the mercy of the corrupted government officials.

This people are wrong,but I feel for them,because they have no possibility to change the situation.

Oh yes,this is LOL,if you don't like something,go home.

Just join a uni for some classes.Educated Thai girls are much easier and much more fun to hang out with that girls working low end subsistence level jobs> As always theres the never ending face and privacy issues to consider though,.

This is the best advice given,up to now!

Not really Thailand related,I'm sorry.

And,no,I didn't meet my Thai wife of many years this way,but could have had.

I got my new extension 5 weeks ago. With the new crew.....

Sorry!Probably irrelevant?!

As Lop stated,new management,old crew.....

As this is not a question related to visas etc but merely one to gain some experiences could the mods kindly move it if I've posted it in the wrong section. Cheers.

I did my first extension of stay through marriage in BKK many years ago and the subsequent ones in Nong Khai and I've always brought with me pics of my wedding, me, wife and wardrobe etc but never been required to show them. The officers in both BKK and NK asked what was in the envelope and when I say "Wedding Pics" they just hand them back with a "Don't want them."

I know a couple of blokes who use NK and they said their pics were went through with a fine tooth comb with follow up questions regarding the relationship etc.

I'm just interested to know other folks experiences regarding pics.

Thanks.

Many years on marriage extensions too. The only thing they never asked are marriage or home pics.

Luckily,I may add,because I refused to have them (free) on my wedding!

My last year extention was 7.17(5) Child supporting parent

So... Just for clarification... are you say that if I had a 25 year-old Thai son, who had an Income of 100,000 Baht per month (1.2 Million a year) and I was his 75 year old Father, with no income or pension, or a pension under 40,000 Baht per month, My son could NOT sponsor/support me in my final days??? The Thai government would force us to live apart, due to my lack of income????

Is this what you are saying???

Isn't this against the basic tenant of Thai culture that The children support (take care of) their parents when they get older?

CS

What make you think that a farang parent deserve the same treatment as a Thai parent? Preposterous!

If you are not a permanent resident and don't own your own condo or house, it is probably not worth the hassle of trying to get on the tabien baan of a rental property, unless it's a long term lease and you intend to stay there a long time. I don't think Immigration ever asks for proof of address and you can get something from your embassy stating your address to get a driving licence, even though your embassy simply takes your word for it. The tabien baan is useless as evidence of address for international purposes for obvious reasons. For that you usually need bank statements or utilities bills with your name and address in English.

Agree with you,but if you can obtain a yellow Tabien ban from your Amphur (cheap) it's useful.

I went to the police station this morning to check out the status of the new offices.

I spoke to several higher rankng offices who all told me to go to AEK Udon.

I kept saying no the new office is supposed to be here.

I was shown several offices and finished up at the duty officers post.

He got someone to speak English and find out what I was looking for.

He first of all said to report to N.Khai and I again repeated they told me to report here only last week.

He then told me you at wrong place go AEK Udon.

I said it was closed some time ago and the new office according to N.Khai immigration is here at this police station.

He then said it,s now reopened on the first floor at the hospital, so I assumed it must be there.

I was going to say <deleted> it but thought no follow it up now you,ve got to this stage sooooooooooo

Went to check it out so I could report the facts and save Milo and anyone else who was planing to visit doing what I did.

I went there and looked at the basement and then on what we would call the first floor but no sign of it and no one knew it existed.

Fortunately I know admin well and they rang Immigration for me personally to ascertain where the office is / was going to be.

It was confirmed that it would be at the police station in the location the old one was in originally.

The happy ones name was mentioned a few times during the conversation on the phone and apparently he had been instructed to tell Udon visitors that the opening date had been put back to the 8th of October and he obviously forgot to tell Milo the correct month / information.

He told me to report on Dec 1st so with luck it could actually be up and running by then.

I,ll keep popping in when I pass the station and see if any progress is being made and if so pass any developments on to Thai Visa.

While it didn,t take long to post this, it was nearly 3 hours of fuffing about so please, no cynical posts on my actions.

Let us give them a bit of understanding and accept the situation gracefully, I am anyways.

As for the happy one, just maybe the benefit of the doubt can be applied this time.

marshbags at least they didn,t me up.

Report to Nong Khai until further notice and confirmation that the office is up and running

Physically checking is advisable as always, no matter what is said.

Thank you for a good laugh, marshbags.

Next time I meet you on the Imm. Office in Udon(this year or next?) will happily pay a round.

KFC,Pizza company,Hotdogs(thai-style),could continue!

This thread,as most other,politically motivated,is going nowhere.

Sure. I want to dispel this myth that Isaan is just some giant paddy field with uneducated kids running around while their uneducated folks plant rice. It's simply not true. The vast, vast majority of Isaan kids (even the ones from the poorer families) are schooled up to M4 and beyond and the ones who aren't, well, that's not just Isaan. You'll find that everywhere in Thailand including Bangkok.

Only one point:I'm living in Isaan many years already,pay the school fees for 2 boys now,Pathom3 and Matayom2,respectively,the girl finished Matayom5 already.

The quantity of education may be high,the quality is ****.The teacher are a pair with the R.T.Police, badly paid,worse qualified,but with impressive uniforms.

An Isaan child at the end of Matayom,for my standards IS uneducated.Less than 50% finish Matayom.

Their parents(and here I speak about middle-class Thais) had not so many years in school.

These are facts known by every expat living in Isaan.Or have you the famous rose-tinted glasses?

No, it’s an easy question and you are doing nothing but showing your ignorance to ask it.

There are about 70,000 various hill tribe members and about 150,000 or so Burmese refugees fit your category. This makes about 0.3% of the population of Thailand.

Do you have other numbers who care to divulge, or are do you only make smart ass comments?

TH

Your numbers are out of...........thin air?

BTW,you have PR,right?

Save the flames,please,they don't make you look superior.

... the feeling that one has been accepted into another society without discrimination and prejudice.

Which is more then a 30% of the population of Malaysia feels like.

TH

And the% in Thailand?

(citizens and non-citizens,residents and non-residents)? ID Card holder and not.

I know,a difficult question!

Good luck,but don't push it!You do not sound coldhearted, just uninformed.

Thank you very much!I understand reverse discrimination,or hope so.

It wasn't my point!

Sorry if I sound coldhearted.

You are an Irish/UK citizen that want to bring a Thai girl to Germany:right?

Why should the German authorities make it easy for you?

Easier as YOUR authorities do,if I may say so?

Good luck,but don't push it!

If an Italian wished to take his Thai wife to visit Italy, she would have to pay the Italian charges for a Schengen visit visa. If he wished to take her to the UK, she would be entitled to a Family Permit free of charge.

It's the law.

Not True.The Schengen Visa is absolutely free,for the wife.

Well...speaking about your GF......no.

I have seen many good things done by the tourist police, Both in koh samui and within Lumpini bkk.

To say there are worthless and should be disbanded is imho foolish. I agree there is one or two factions of the tourist police which leave a little to be desired. That is for the powers that be to clean up their act.

But you cannot tar them all with the same brush.

It worries me that so many people can form an opinion or come to a conclusion that something is bad, Without really having any experience in the matter.

Or does a full blown discussion on the subject in the local pub count as experience?

I haven't seen any good things done by the voluntary farang Police,in Koh Samui or Lumpini.But I don't frequent those places.

I haven't seen any good things done by the voluntary farang Police in the town where I live since many years!

I'm as a free citizen am against any wanna be Policeman,with no training,chekhs,and psichological attitude tests.

The Royal Thai Police is overbloated,incompetent and corrupt to the core,no need to add incompetent farang to them!

Hello to all..Am off to Vientiane next week for Tourist visa..Will arrive at the border near 7.30 pm.

Any problems this time of day..crowds , closed? etc...?

I heard you pay 1,300 baht for Laos visa...YES?

Do you need photo copies of relevant passport and personal photo or Two to apply for Laos visa?

How much should you pay for a ride to Vientiane city?

Anyone stayed at Riverine on riverfront, or at Riverside hotel, near each other?

Can suggest a better hotel??? near 600 baht

Thanks for advice to follow!

[/quote)

Lao visa:price may depend on nationality

Evening?tuk-tuk or taxi,100Baht++

1 photo,no copies

Don't forget:overtime!5$

The latest in a stream of commentators, none I would guess who actually hold PR, who seem put out that the process is governed by clear and transparent rules.

Exactly. I'd like this to be a topic outlining people's experience rather than just groundless speculation. For all those in a situation where they haven't been working and paying tax in Thailand for the past 3 years, I'd say go to Immigration and ask or contact a legal firm like Sunbelt and get them to ask for you. It's really not difficult to ask. During my PR process I had to ask many questions about various documents and I always got a reasonable answer.

One section of the process is your social contribution to Thailand. Some users on big expat salaries have told us Immigration said their salary was enough contribution. In my case, I had five or six character references, one from a deputy permanent secretary of a government ministry. When Immigration saw that one, they put it on the top of the pile. So presumably, references from important people are worth points in that section. As for whether some big shot can get you through the process when you don't qualify... first, why would he bother (unless he is a relative)? and second, what would YOU owe HIM after such a favour? Anyway, it's all speculation. The decision is made by a committee from different government agencies, so any theoretical influence would have to be brought to bear on the entire committee.

As you maybe remember or not,Camerata,I asked some years ago about the procedure,and benefits,of PR.

My decision that time was not favourable: it's the same today.

Other people may have different opinions!I resent to be considered envious for something that I cannot attain.

About clear and transparent rules:in Thailand? :D

It's "not done that way" for reasons which I would have thought were made obvious in my post.

It doesn't all help and your advice is poor.People like you always seem to think think results can be achieved in Thailand by the exercise of influence.Sometimes of course it happens but not I think to a significant degree in the processing of PR.The process within the Immigration Department is crystal clear and the hypothetical friendly phone call you mention will actually make no difference in the best scenario (assuming the caller has real influence, very unlikely - see previous comments) and counterproductive in the worst scenario.A supporting letter/s is sometimes provided from a senior Thai but certainly isn't essential.Actually when dissected your advice is meaningless.What does "bear in mind" mean anyway in a context when the rules are clear and transparent ?

Old chinese proverb:one hand wash the other,and both wash the face.

Where are you living?For sure not Thailand!

Lop,Mario:

May be a coincidence,but are you aware of the fact that you are,with your answers,pushing people to a retirement Visa(extension)

instead of a "marriage' Visa(extension).

I'm 99.99% sure the Immigration doesn't give you any teamoney so why?

the 30 days waiting time should not be a big problem for a retired farang.

The new assignation of regional Offices could be,but then the trend is much older then that!

The cash difference between the 2 kinds of Visa is not important?