It's a crime: Foreigners marrying Thais now subject to fingerprints taken for criminal background

[Rhys]

Thought they would check bank accounts first...

 

[spidermike007]

There are already strict laws in place, to make sure one does not marry to get a visa. I have a friend who has been on a retirement visa for many years. He is now changing to a marriage visa. The hurdles he is having to jump over are ridiculous. The process is far more difficult than a retirement visa. He had to bring a witness (a Thai neighbor) to the interview. They then sent an immigration official to his home, to see that he and his wife were living there, etc, etc. And he was only given a 30 day conditional visa, while the entire 80-100 page application package was sent to Bangkok for final review!

[Mace648]

On 2/23/2018 at 10:04 PM, hansnl said:

No, of course not.

Thai are all squeeky clean.

It does happen in reverse, when Thais come to America on a  K-1 visa they must have an extensive background check. Its only common sense.

[gk10002000]

On 2/23/2018 at 11:29 PM, Maverell said:

It is a good idea for farang wanting to marry to have a background check, but it should also happen in reverse ?

yeah. I have read some people try to hire a Private Eye to check on the wife to be.  Not so sure how good the databases, reports, etc. would be, especially as many provinces don't seem to centralize records, and births, marriages, arrests, etc.. seem to not necessarily be centralized

[the guest]

On 2018-02-24 at 2:15 PM, mark01 said:

Just another reason not to marry a Thai.

Can't see the advantage anyway, unless you want a marriage visa.

You have no rights in Thailand so marrying a Thai has no advantage.

[Bob1million]

It is a good idea for farang wanting to marry to have a background check, but it should also happen in reverse ?

Choice answer


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[RKASA]

On 2/24/2018 at 8:05 PM, Sumarianson said:

It is one thing to ask for this information as an immigration matter when entering the country. However it an entirely different matter when you are living in Thailand legally and are about to marry and asked for fingerprints. They are treating legally settled foreigners as criminals. What an invasion of your civil rights. Thai's make up more of the criminal element in Thailand than any other group. Why then are Thai's not subject to the same rules? Thailand is such a blatantly racist country and they do not even attempt to hide it.

So years on after you get married they can ID the body after you fall out of your condo - been happening a lot - this will save time.. 

[bkkcanuck8]

On 2018-02-24 at 8:05 PM, Sumarianson said:

It is one thing to ask for this information as an immigration matter when entering the country. However it an entirely different matter when you are living in Thailand legally and are about to marry and asked for fingerprints. They are treating legally settled foreigners as criminals. What an invasion of your civil rights. Thai's make up more of the criminal element in Thailand than any other group. Why then are Thai's not subject to the same rules? Thailand is such a blatantly racist country and they do not even attempt to hide it.

 

This will not affect any "legally settled" foreigners (of which there is only a handful -- 100 per nationality per year).  Anyone without permanent residence (or citizenship) is not "legally settled" -- you are only a temporary visitor of one of many categories (be it retirement, tourist or other).  During the PR process you would have likely had to show that you had no serious criminal record, and a PR would be cancelled if you had a serious criminal record -- so it is likely not going to be applied to permanent residents.  A non-immigrant visa does not make you "legally settled" .... so your point is basically moot.

[hansnl]

On 2/24/2018 at 1:37 PM, dotpoom said:

"get a criminal record check and a personality profile check"

  Not sure what the latter is.....but a lot of guys I have come accross since coming to Thailand may have bigger problems with that one more than the first one.555

 

Please explain if you don't know what a personality check means why a lot of guys would have problems with that?

[WHYWHY]

I think both parties should have a check

Females to see what number this husband is and why they divorce first one and so on

Only fare to check both parties 

 

[gk10002000]

On 2/25/2018 at 11:03 PM, spidermike007 said:

There are already strict laws in place, to make sure one does not marry to get a visa. I have a friend who has been on a retirement visa for many years. He is now changing to a marriage visa. The hurdles he is having to jump over are ridiculous. The process is far more difficult than a retirement visa. He had to bring a witness (a Thai neighbor) to the interview. They then sent an immigration official to his home, to see that he and his wife were living there, etc, etc. And he was only given a 30 day conditional visa, while the entire 80-100 page application package was sent to Bangkok for final review!

yeah, have read similar things.  I don't see many advantages to switching from retirement to marriage .  One is he can not work on a retirement but could work on marriage.  Another is the financial proof requirements are about 1/2 of the retirement

[Rhys]

Somebody needs their early Christmas club payouts...

[Expatthailover]

On 24/02/2018 at 12:29 PM, Maverell said:

It is a good idea for farang wanting to marry to have a background check, but it should also happen in reverse ?

And it does.

My wife had to get clearances from thailand and australia before being granted residency and then again before she was granted citizenship.

Similar as well in the uk and nz.

The 'not fair' blearing that goes on in this place from disenchanted clearly depressed expats is bewildering.

They clearly have short memories of what it really is like in 'good old back home'.

People from developing countries have it much much tougher when applying to live in so called developed world countries

 

[HampiK]

On ‎26‎.‎02‎.‎2018 at 11:03 AM, spidermike007 said:

There are already strict laws in place, to make sure one does not marry to get a visa. I have a friend who has been on a retirement visa for many years. He is now changing to a marriage visa. The hurdles he is having to jump over are ridiculous. The process is far more difficult than a retirement visa. He had to bring a witness (a Thai neighbor) to the interview. They then sent an immigration official to his home, to see that he and his wife were living there, etc, etc. And he was only given a 30 day conditional visa, while the entire 80-100 page application package was sent to Bangkok for final review!

It seems that outside Bangkok its much more complicated. We (my wife and I) were going to Chaeng Wattana with about 5-6 papers in my hand, gave this papers to the Immigration and about 3-4 hours later we were on the way back home. Waited the 30 days to pick up the extension at Chaeng Wattana. No Witness and no home visits were required.

Yes a extension based on marriage is more complicated than on retirement, but after I have done one, it's not that horrible as many like to say (or at least not in Bangkok). But I already was married for more than 10 years when I asked for my first extension based on marriage.

 

[Mad mick]

On 24/02/2018 at 2:29 PM, Maverell said:

It is a good idea for farang wanting to marry to have a background check, but it should also happen in reverse ?

Agree both should have criminal check up before a marriage in thailand may be same in Aussie? if you or your wife or husband whatever case may be trying not to be gender specific, you both decide go back to your country of birth to live " my example > Australia she or he has undergo criminal record check + medical check before granted a spousal visa, " if applying 3 month holiday visa " must have a rtn airline ticket, you take responsibility for medical insurance and you can financially support once in Australia

[KhunFred]

Marry outside the Kingdom.

[jorgenweihrauch]

I think it`s more important to take fingerprint from the thai wife  - they make more problem than the husband 

[Fish Head Soup]

Should make it so only eligible for Non 'O' based on marriage after minimum 10 years of being married. That should sort it.

[spacebass]

Not that they would get a marrisge visa anyway......,.

[KhunFred]

On 2/24/2018 at 11:16 AM, rooster59 said:

“Specifically they are making farang (foreigners) who are marrying Thai get a criminal record check and a personality profile check to make sure farang are not marrying just to get a marriage visa,” the expat wrote.

 

As if marrying to get a marriage visa were a criminal offense. I would have thought that is why they offered it. Stunning stupidity.

[ravip]

This sure would be a big problem for a criminal.

Most so called 'developed nations' require it - so why not the 'developed' beings also undergo the same procedure?

 

[NamKangMan]

Foreigners entering Malaysia and Cambodia have had their fingerprints scanned for years now.

 

Marriage aside, with the whole BS of "Good guys in - Bad guys out" - where is similar technology for Thailand, being a more developed country???? 

 

Could it be that fingerprints on the immigration system here can not be manipulated buy corrupt Thai officials for entry and exit???? 

[Horace]

On 2/24/2018 at 11:16 AM, rooster59 said:

and a personality profile check to make sure farang are not marrying just to get a marriage visa,”

What sort of personality profile check?  Personality profiles are notoriously unreliable.  Here in Thailand, I can't imagine what they have in mind.   Are psychologists generally qualified to make this sort of assessment?  Assuming some are (which I suspect is not the case), how many are in Thailand?

[ravip]

On 6/27/2018 at 1:29 AM, NamKangMan said:

Foreigners entering Malaysia and Cambodia have had their fingerprints scanned for years now.

 

Marriage aside, with the whole BS of "Good guys in - Bad guys out" - where is similar technology for Thailand, being a more developed country???? 

 

Could it be that fingerprints on the immigration system here can not be manipulated buy corrupt Thai officials for entry and exit???? 

 

1 hour ago, Horace said:

What sort of personality profile check?  Personality profiles are notoriously unreliable.  Here in Thailand, I can't imagine what they have in mind.   Are psychologists generally qualified to make this sort of assessment?  Assuming some are (which I suspect is not the case), how many are in Thailand?

Should avoid these unreliable countries

[jenny2017]

  These days a lot of computer programmes are able to find out a lot more about you than just the fingerprints. George Orwell was right. 

[NamKangMan]

On 6/29/2018 at 5:19 PM, jenny2017 said:

  These days a lot of computer programmes are able to find out a lot more about you than just the fingerprints. George Orwell was right. 

 

True, but that information about an individual first starts with identifying the said individual in the first place. 

 

As mentioned, less developed, neighboring countries, have been using fingerprints for several years now. 

 

Not so, Thailand, which is the country that needs it most. 

 

Once again, Thailand's neighbors, which is Thailand's tourism competition, are doing things better, despite being less "developed." 

[Byron Allen Black]

On 2/24/2018 at 3:01 PM, ezzra said:

Why don't they fingerprint everybody who comes into Thailand at the airport, just in case you know,

who knows what else will necessitate fingerprint in futur so might as well....

 

That is precisely what they do at Changi Airport Immigration, with an electronic fingerprint reader.

 

My last time there I was sent to the Immigration Office at the side of the lineup because 'your fingerprints do not match' what was already on record (been visiting Zinger since the 1980s). Passport, signature, face, everything else match up, right Ossifer? 

 

So much for their vaunted technology.

[ajarnmarc]

I could certainly recommend a personality profile check for the Thai spouse,

to make sure she's of sane mind, and isn't just marrying for money or to control & destroy her husbands life.

[Thaipan68]

Really not a bad idea they should know who wants to marry and if there has been any  dramas in their  Country of origin 

when my lady came to Australia ?? she had to do this and also a  special branch  police check 

only people not  wanting to  comply  Maybe to much  shady history 

 Not really a breach privacy As if you are thinking of  marriage all parties should be  transparent 

hope you are not  offended about my two cents worth 

[KhunFred]

Fingerprints are not a big issue with me. I've only been fingerprinted once in connection with a job where I had to handle money. Thais will make their own rules and they get brownie points if they appear to be "tough" on those worthless clods who are pumping money into their economy. Simply disgraceful, the way some folk spread the wealth around.