My trip to immigration for Non O - marriage visa extension on Monday

[tstcman]

Just wanted to give everybody a heads up. Went to immigration to file the paperwork to get my first marriage visa extension. Tons of paperwork, I think we ended up turning in close to 80 pieces of individual papers. Got there 7 something a.m. and ended up being there till almost 4 p.m. and that's with almost no inline for that specific office.

 

1. Make sure you have every page that has anything to do with a Thai Visa or Thai stamp copied. They made me end up copying almost every page in my passport.

2. Get two sets of the application and 13 steps or requirements sheet in advance.

3. For The Chiang Mai office, the 40,000 Thai baht for the monthly salary can still be satisfied with the income verification form from your local Embassy or consulate.

4. Heads up, the Chiang Mai office is enforcing the 24-hour after you enter rule about reporting your lodging to immigration. If you don't do it you will be things like I was and have to pay 1600 baht.

5. Make sure you have your wife or husband with you.

6. Have all requirements met, i e paperwork filled out, two visa size photos.

7. Your marriage certificate and if your wife or husband has a name change they need that as well.

8. You get a 30 day consideration stamp while you wait.

9. They stated that the cops will come visit you within the 30-day. So be ready for that.

10. And don't be a ding dong like I was and not report we are at within the first 24 hours or you'll have to pay the fee like I did. Ended up paying almost 4000 Baht by time everything was done.

11. So in the immigration guy kept reminding me over and over that I had to come back and report in 90 days which is in March.

 

 

Sent from my ASUS_T00J using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

 

 

[JackThompson]

1 hour ago, tstcman said:

Got there 7 something a.m. and ended up being there till almost 4 p.m. and that's with almost no inline for that specific office.

 

1 hour ago, tstcman said:

For The Chiang Mai office,

Chang Mai + No Agent = Wait - even if no one "in line" for your service.  They may have a stack of dodgy "agent submitted" (with special envelope) applications to process, which get priority over people like you - doing it honestly with all the correct paperwork.

 

Congratulations on your success through the gauntlet !!

[tstcman]

Chang Mai + No Agent = Wait - even if no one "in line" for your service.  They may have a stack of dodgy "agent submitted" (with special envelope) applications to process, which get priority over people like you - doing it honestly with all the correct paperwork.
 
Congratulations on your success through the gauntlet !!

Well thank you, but I still have to get the actual Visa, still in the 30-day consideration.

Sent from my ASUS_T00J using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[JackThompson]

5 minutes ago, tstcman said:

Well thank you, but I still have to get the actual Visa, still in the 30-day consideration.

I haven't seen any reports of rejections by Bangkok of applications that made it though the office-level.  I think this is why you have to fill out the form twice - with photos on each one - one goes to Bangkok (or some regional office).

 

Just be sure to have some "gas money" for the cops who come to visit, and you should be OK. 

[tstcman]

Yeah I doubt they're going to be asking for that. My father-in-law is a retired border patrol ranking officer. That would kind of make them lose face

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[steve187]

3 hours ago, tstcman said:

Yeah I doubt they're going to be asking for that. My father-in-law is a retired border patrol ranking officer. That would kind of make them lose face

Sent from my ASUS_T00J using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

shame he couldn't help at the immigration office 

[BEVUP]

So what happened to the pictures others have mentioned of the need for one to enter property with the number then leading up to the bedroom to have another one done of the closet (never know maybe someone in there 555 ) then to go for the big one of ensuring you get that exact angle of the position required.

Also the map to ensure all this happened at the place you say

When the time comes as to when I need to do this I guess I wont have to pay the police much on fuel as they come every day for the lady across the rd

[ubonjoe]

A inflammatory post and the expected replies have been removed.

[Russell17au]

I did mine on Monday at Khon Kaen and yes there is a lot of paperwork but it did not take long and now we have to wait for the inspectors to come and I was told to come back on the 4 January and pick up my 1 year extension. It only cost me 1900 baht

[Formaleins]

Chiang Mai Immigration is the most disgraceful Immigration office in Thailand- Even the Thais (Agents etc.) will tell you that. They appear have an agenda of making everything they do drag on and be as inconvenient to the person applying as if they are trying to make a point of being understaffed or something.

Never complain though, you will make rod for your own back, better pay an agent, then you barely even have to look at their miserable faces let alone speak to them. Just turn up and get your stamp.

[baansgr]

Its one reason i decided not to live there, has so much to offer but read stories of having to arrive at 5am. Jomtien for all its woes is run quite efficiently. 

[rkidlad]

It gets easier after the first one. Especially if you and your missus are of a similar age (old or young). Last time I did mine was the day after Chulalongkorn Day. We were in and out in 45 minutes. 

[BsBs]

Really? Doing this to avoid leaving the country for few days vacation every 3 months ? You deserve it !

 

 

[BHW]

I did mine in Si Sa Ket no problems at all have had 2 renewals also no problem, the 90 day reporting very fast even if busy with other work they'll fit you in between the longest wait I have had would be no longer than half an hour.

 

I think it's an office by office thing some efficient others not as.

[4MyEgo]

11 hours ago, Russell17au said:

I did mine on Monday at Khon Kaen and yes there is a lot of paperwork but it did not take long and now we have to wait for the inspectors to come and I was told to come back on the 4 January and pick up my 1 year extension. It only cost me 1900 baht

Did mine a year ago, also 1900 baht, plus 1,500 baht tea money for them to come out, now have to go through the same process less the witness and them coming out again, one can't help but to feel like one is a prisoner reporting to the parole officers every 90 days, and to think of how many trees are being chopped down just for their paperwork.

 

Oh well, it is Thailand, this being the darker side, I guess 555

[Peter Aherne]

Hey Folks, 

 

So, I've seen a lot of mentions of the residence reporting with 48hours, something I was only ever aware of because of reading this forum! I'm on a 1 year Non-O Marriage Visa. But sine I travel a lot I'm in and out through Suvarabumhi every week or two. Do I still need to do the address reporting within 48 hours then or does coming through immigration count as that since I'm never in the country for 90 days at a time?

 

Thanks.

[ubonjoe]

11 minutes ago, Peter Aherne said:

Hey Folks, 

 

So, I've seen a lot of mentions of the residence reporting with 48hours, something I was only ever aware of because of reading this forum! I'm on a 1 year Non-O Marriage Visa. But sine I travel a lot I'm in and out through Suvarabumhi every week or two. Do I still need to do the address reporting within 48 hours then or does coming through immigration count as that since I'm never in the country for 90 days at a time?

 

Thanks.

If you have a multiple entry non-o visa you will not have to worry about the reporting unless you have to do something at a immigration office and that would depend upon the immigration office you go to. Some offices do not require the reporting.

[Peter Aherne]

4 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

unless you have to do something at a immigration office and that would depend upon the immigration office you go to. Some offices do not require the reporting.

Hmm, I will have to extend it next year, immigration for me I guess will be Chang Wattana as I'm living on the west side of BKK. So 90 day reporting and address reporting within 48 hours are different things right?

[ubonjoe]

46 minutes ago, Peter Aherne said:

Hmm, I will have to extend it next year, immigration for me I guess will be Chang Wattana as I'm living on the west side of BKK. So 90 day reporting and address reporting within 48 hours are different things right?

If your address is in Bangkok you will use Chaeng Wattana immigration. If in one of the adjacent provinces you will use the office for it.

Chaeng Wattana does not enforce the address reporting which is completely separate from 90 day reporting.

[BsBs]

1 hour ago, Peter Aherne said:

Hmm, I will have to extend it next year, immigration for me I guess will be Chang Wattana as I'm living on the west side of BKK. So 90 day reporting and address reporting within 48 hours are different things right?

 

Why extending when it's so easy to make a new visa next year ? Extending means looking for problems.

 

 

[ubonjoe]

18 minutes ago, BsBs said:

Extending means looking for problems.

What kind of problems?

I am on my 10th extension of stay based upon marriage and have had no problems.

[BsBs]

5 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

What kind of problems?

I am on my 10th extension of stay based upon marriage and have had no problems.

 

Yes and you perfectly read all the posts from the people who had to spend a full day at least at immigration for something that should be done in 10 mns.

I also do not like that any uniform visits me or even speaks to me when I have not decided.

Life is so much easier by just leaving the country for a short trip 4 times a years. I never and will never report anything, better live in Cambodia.

 

 

 

 

[Peter Aherne]

30 minutes ago, BsBs said:

Why extending when it's so easy to make a new visa next year ? Extending means looking for problems.

My visa is a one year and if I can extend for another year then even a day at immigration is less effort than leaving and coming back. What visa type are you getting 4 times a year? I suspect if I went applying for new visa's for marriage every year they would eventually tell me to just extend anyway. I travel enough, happy to not have to travel abroad for a few days just to get a new visa if renewal is an option. As someone else mentioned, there are also agents that can make it even less of an effort if you are willing to pay for the service.

[JackThompson]

6 hours ago, Peter Aherne said:

My visa is a one year and if I can extend for another year then even a day at immigration is less effort than leaving and coming back. What visa type are you getting 4 times a year? I suspect if I went applying for new visa's for marriage every year they would eventually tell me to just extend anyway. I travel enough, happy to not have to travel abroad for a few days just to get a new visa if renewal is an option. As someone else mentioned, there are also agents that can make it even less of an effort if you are willing to pay for the service.

I'm a bit tired of visa-runs, after those Tourist Visa years, so hope my extension works out.  But, for now, there is no limit on Non-O visas from consulates.  It's not like TR-Visas, where you get red-stamped if you spend too much time and money in Thailand.  Non-O/family folks can spend and spend here, until we keel-over - even using visas. 

 

Who knows about the future, though - they might decide to do further harm their economy by adding more hoops for the married and/or retired - similar to the actions which drove-away many Tourist spenders.  Let's hope the onerous 5/10 year "O-X" retirement rules are not foreshadowing.

 

I have to wonder how many Thai jobs this site has preserved - and Thai families lived-well as a result - by helping more self-funded foreigners find ways to stay in Thailand and spend their foreign-sourced capital into this economy.

[Grauwulf]

7 hours ago, BsBs said:

 

Yes and you perfectly read all the posts from the people who had to spend a full day at least at immigration for something that should be done in 10 mns.

I also do not like that any uniform visits me or even speaks to me when I have not decided.

Life is so much easier by just leaving the country for a short trip 4 times a years. I never and will never report anything, better live in Cambodia.

 

 

 

 

Well if you can’t adapt to Thai rules and the way of life and the procedure for legal paperwork off you go to Cambodia....kindly shut the door on the way out...

[Russell17au]

2 minutes ago, Grauwulf said:

Well if you can’t adapt to Thai rules and the way of life and the procedure for legal paperwork off you go to Cambodia....kindly shut the door on the way out...

Fair go mate, it would be better to take the door off the hinges instead of trying to fix it all the time. But I do agree with you

[BsBs]

1 hour ago, Grauwulf said:

Well if you can’t adapt to Thai rules and the way of life and the procedure for legal paperwork off you go to Cambodia....kindly shut the door on the way out...

 

Unfortunately for you, you are not in position to decide anything for me, so I do what I want, and I could even pay and elite visa because 500k is kind of free for me. So as you can see, the one who will first shut he door behind him is you, not me...

 

 

[sikishrory]

Im tossing up whether i should get the extension or just get another visa.

I have cash for another visa but i would need to move it here and lose some during exchange process.

I am wondering if you can apply for residency or citizenship based on marriage after you have been on extensions a few years? As thats the only benefit that could really appeal to me I think.

Otherwise I will just go to laos and get next visa without the financial proof.

Oh and on extensions do you still need to leave country every 90 days?

 

[ubonjoe]

56 minutes ago, sikishrory said:

Im tossing up whether i should get the extension or just get another visa.

I have cash for another visa but i would need to move it here and lose some during exchange process.

I am wondering if you can apply for residency or citizenship based on marriage after you have been on extensions a few years? As thats the only benefit that could really appeal to me I think.

Otherwise I will just go to laos and get next visa without the financial proof.

Oh and on extensions do you still need to leave country every 90 days?

 

You have to be working with a work permit and paying taxes for 3 years to apply for permanent residency or citizenship.

No need to leave the country at all if you have an extension of stay. Just do 90 day reports to immigration.

I suspect that the loss from exchanged rates to transfer the 400k baht would be less than the cost of another visa (5000 baht plus travel expenses) and then the trips out of the country for a new entry every 90 days.

[sikishrory]

22 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

You have to be working with a work permit and paying taxes for 3 years to apply for permanent residency or citizenship.

No need to leave the country at all if you have an extension of stay. Just do 90 day reports to immigration.

I suspect that the loss from exchanged rates to transfer the 400k baht would be less than the cost of another visa (5000 baht plus travel expenses) and then the trips out of the country for a new entry every 90 days.

Yeh your right but I work on rotation so I am usually coming and going a fair bit anyway. I think I will just go to Laos to do a new visa.

Thanks for your help.