Marriage visa question

[SteveK]

Hi,

 

Once again I am a bit confused. Siam Legal says that a tourist visa can be upgraded to a marriage visa with correct documentation, see here:

 

"Additionally, the foreigner on a Visa Exemption stamp or a tourist visa can still apply for a marriage visa given that the foreigner has already met the requirements for the non-immigrant O visa and for the one year extension visa applications. This can be done at the immigration office in Thailand."

 

I always though you needed the Non-Immigrant visa. Does anybody know anything about this?

 

Thanks again.

[glegolo]

It is being called a conversation,,,, and there is loads of posts and threads about this. I let somebody else dig into this, and explain the procedure to you. But Yes, it is possible and frequently common to do this..

 

glegolo

[SteveK]

Thank you.

[Crossy]

13 minutes ago, glegolo said:

It is being called a conversation

Probably better searching for "conversion", damn you auto-correct.

 

But yes, you can convert, depends upon which office you use but you may have to go the BKK. I'll let the knowledgeable fill in the detail.

 

[SteveK]

I'd be wanting to do it in Ubon if possible.

[glegolo]

33 minutes ago, Crossy said:

Probably better searching for "conversion", damn you auto-correct.

 

But yes, you can convert, depends upon which office you use but you may have to go the BKK. I'll let the knowledgeable fill in the detail.

 

O shit, too early probably.... Thank you for correcting me.

 

glegolo

[ubonjoe]

1 hour ago, pr9spk said:

I'd be wanting to do it in Ubon if possible.

All immigration offices are allowed to issue a non immigrant visa (category O) based upon qualifying for an extension of stay based upon marriage.

Requirements can be found here on the immigration website. https://www.immigration.go.th/content/service_79

If using the 400k baht in the bank option it only needs to be in the bank on the date of application. Note that you must have at least 15 days remaining on your current entry to apply. It requires 2 trips to immigration about 15 days apart to get the visa/entry stamps.

Since Ubon is near Savannakhet Laos it might be easier to get a single entry non-o visa at the consulate there. No financial proof will be required.

 

[Happyman58]

1 hour ago, pr9spk said:

I'd be wanting to do it in Ubon if possible.

ok, I had a marriage visa. First, you need the Non-immigrant visa for 1 month. Then you can apply for a marriage visa. But be warned it is a lot of paperwork and bullshit. Truth is they really don't want you to get the marriage visa because it is the cheapest one. You pay once per year not sure 3000 baht  and you do 90 day reporting with out having to leave the country Dont be like me I had to go back to my home country in Feb i had the marriage visa but had no time to get Re-entry visa when I left Thailand which can be done at airports or immigration ( easier to do at immigration) because I had no time I virtually had to get off one plane and get straight back on another so when I came back straight away they cancelled my marriage visa which was good to feb next year . Now I am back on Tourist visa thinking OMG I have to go through all that paperwork again Might just stay on Non immigrant for a while You think in my case where I had no chance of getting that re-entry visa due to my flight being so tight they would have given me leeway and not cancelled the marriage visa. But you can do it in Ubon ok I did.

[SteveK]

I'm planning to:

 

1. Arrive on tourist visa.

2. Open Bangkok bank account and deposit 400,000 immediately.

3. Get affirmation to marry from UK embassy, translations etc, and register marriage at amphur once everything has arrived in the post 3-4 days later.

4. Get 30-day tourist visa extension.

5. Once money has been in account for 2 months, apply for marriage visa (conversion from tourist visa).

 

Does that seem right?

 

What a headache.

Edited May 10, 2018 by pr9spk

[ubonjoe]

9 minutes ago, Happyman58 said:

ok, I had a marriage visa. First, you need the Non-immigrant visa for 1 month. Then you can apply for a marriage visa. But be warned it is a lot of paperwork and bullshit. Truth is they really don't want you to get the marriage visa because it is the cheapest one.

It appears you are writing about an extension of stay (it is not a visa) based upon marriage. You need a 90 day non immigrant visa entry and can apply for the extension during the last 30 days to the 90 days.

The fee for all extension of stay is 1900 baht. Not sure why you think there are different fees.

[ubonjoe]

1 minute ago, pr9spk said:

I'm planning to:

1. Arrive on tourist visa.

2. Open Bangkok bank account and deposit 400,000 immediately.

3. Get affirmation to marry from UK embassy, translations etc, and register marriage at amphur once everything has arrived in the post 3-4 days later.

4. Get 30-day tourist visa extension.

5. Once money has been in account for 2 months, apply for marriage visa (conversion from tourist visa).

Does that seem right?

1 to 3 is ok.

4. Not needed unless you do not have 15 days remaining on the 60 day entry from your tourist visa on the date you apply for the change of visa status.

5. As wrote in my earlier post the 400k baht only has to be in the bank on the date you apply for a change of visa status to get a 90 day non immigrant visa (category O) entry. Then during the last 30 days of the 90 day entry you can apply for a one year extension of stay when the 400k baht has been in the bank for 2 months.

[SteveK]

Fantastic, thank you very much.

[HampiK]

59 minutes ago, Happyman58 said:

ok, I had a marriage visa. First, you need the Non-immigrant visa for 1 month. Then you can apply for a marriage visa. But be warned it is a lot of paperwork and bullshit. Truth is they really don't want you to get the marriage visa because it is the cheapest one. You pay once per year not sure 3000 baht  and you do 90 day reporting with out having to leave the country Dont be like me I had to go back to my home country in Feb i had the marriage visa but had no time to get Re-entry visa when I left Thailand which can be done at airports or immigration ( easier to do at immigration) because I had no time I virtually had to get off one plane and get straight back on another so when I came back straight away they cancelled my marriage visa which was good to feb next year . Now I am back on Tourist visa thinking OMG I have to go through all that paperwork again Might just stay on Non immigrant for a while You think in my case where I had no chance of getting that re-entry visa due to my flight being so tight they would have given me leeway and not cancelled the marriage visa. But you can do it in Ubon ok I did.

Sorry about your lost of the extension, but you had more than enough time for the re-entry permit before your flight. You can do it at the date of your extension or any other day before your flight. Because you forget to do something you can't blame others.

 

About the lot of paperwork, yes it is more paperwork than for example a retirement extension, but still not that bad. 

[Happyman58]

1 hour ago, HampiK said:

Sorry about your lost of the extension, but you had more than enough time for the re-entry permit before your flight. You can do it at the date of your extension or any other day before your flight. Because you forget to do something you can't blame others.

 

About the lot of paperwork, yes it is more paperwork than for example a retirement extension, but still not that bad. 

1

Ok, I am not blaming others.  You know what I got confused on Its called a re-entry permit. I did not realise a re-entry permit was when you leave the country I was under the impression you could get when u entered the country.Oh, I did not forget but the personal issue came up from the homeland and I had to leave in a hurry but that's ok I made the mistake. Thanks for putting me straight on the issue.

[HampiK]

1 minute ago, Happyman58 said:

Ok, I am not blaming others.  You know what I got confused on Its called a re-entry permit. I did not realise a re-entry permit was when you leave the country I was under the impression you could get when u entered the country.Oh, I did not forget but the personal issue came up from the homeland and I had to leave in a hurry but that's ok I made the mistake. Thanks for putting me straight on the issue.

Yes with this I can agree. I am only aware of this special re-entry permit, because I read a lot in this forum and maybe because of the good explanations of some people like UbonJoe.

It's confusing as I never was thinking before something like this could exists. But as always, when you want to live in a foreign country you should try to inform as much as possible about the country in advanced. Many things I think could be easier, but at the end it's not on us to make the rules.. we only can accept them or choose another country.

Wish you anyway a nice time

[ubonjoe]

29 minutes ago, Happyman58 said:

You know what I got confused on Its called a re-entry permit. I did not realise a re-entry permit was when you leave the country I was under the impression you could get when u entered the country.

There is this under your extension of stay stamp that informs you about a re-entry permit.

 

[HampiK]

1 minute ago, ubonjoe said:

There is this under your extension of stay stamp that informs you about a re-entry permit.

 

yes, but how many people not bother with reading what they become back?

Because of this many mistakes and confusions exists.

[Happyman58]

2 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

There is this under your extension of stay stamp that informs you about a re-entry permit.

 

ok thanks jo