Tourist visa, marriage and Non-Imm O process

[orientalist]

I have friends (European guy and Thai lady) who will arrive back in Thailand soon after years abroad. He will arrive on a tourist visa, they'll rent a townhouse, and the plan is to marry ASAP, then convert to a Non-Imm O visa based on marriage, and later apply for the one-year extension. What exactly do they have to do?

 

Some questions that come to mind:

 

For the marriage, the main thing he needs is the certificate of freedom to marry from his embassy, right?

 

Will she - at any time - need her original tabien baan as opposed to the one-page extract she can get at the Amphur?

 

Does the husband's name need to be on the townhouse lease contract?

 

Will the landlord of the townhouse have to report the foreigner to Immigration within 24 hours?

 

Does he need 400K in a Thai bank account to apply to convert to a 90-day Non-Imm O?

 

Does it have to be seasoned? Does the 400K have to be proven to come from overseas? At present they have moved all their funds into her account in Thailand and intend to just transfer the 400K from there to his new account.

[ubonjoe]

34 minutes ago, orientalist said:

For the marriage, the main thing he needs is the certificate of freedom to marry from his embassy, right?

Yes but getting it from some european embassies is more complicated than others. He needs to check with them to find out what they require. Best to check before getting because he might need something from his home country to get it.

36 minutes ago, orientalist said:

Will she - at any time - need her original tabien baan as opposed to the one-page extract she can get at the Amphur?

The original is not needed. A copy of page 1 and page she is registered on would be enough or the print out of it from a Amphoe.

 

38 minutes ago, orientalist said:

Does the husband's name need to be on the townhouse lease contract?

Will the landlord of the townhouse have to report the foreigner to Immigration within 24 hours?

His wife's name on the rental contract is will be accepted.

The report within 24 hours depends upon the office it will be reported to.

40 minutes ago, orientalist said:

Does he need 400K in a Thai bank account to apply to convert to a 90-day Non-Imm O?

Does it have to be seasoned? Does the 400K have to be proven to come from overseas?

He has to show the 400k baht is in the bank on the date he applies for the visa.

No need for proof the funds came from abroad. 

He will need all the required documents needed to apply for an extension of stay based upon marriage. Photos and etc for example.

IMO it might be easier for him to make a trip to a nearby embassy or consulate to get a single entry non-o visa.

[JackThompson]

17 hours ago, orientalist said:

For the marriage, the main thing he needs is the certificate of freedom to marry from his embassy, right? 

The amphoe where they will get married will have a list of qualifications.   Many now require additional documents.  A common request is a "certified copy" of the info-page of the foreigner's passport - certified by their embassy, then verified by the MFA.  The best course of action, is to have his fiance go to the amphur, and get a written-list of their requirements to marry a foreigner from his country. 

 

Some amphoes will not accept "affirmation of freedom to marry" from some countries' embassies.  Some have other requirements that only apply to some foreigner's countries.  Do not assume what someone reported as required a year or two ago applies today - it is more difficult at some amphurs than before. 

 

If it is onerous or impossible, one can check with other amphoes nearby.  If it all becomes too much, as the foreigner's "permission to stay" is ticking away, an agent can magically make most of the "special" obstacles go away for about 10K Baht, which should include any needed MFA certifications and translations, plus witnesses and an interpreter for the marriage-process at the amphur.

[Aussieroaming]

Whats the issue with getting married in a civil ceremony in the home country, then registering the marriage in Thailand?

[ubonjoe]

5 minutes ago, Aussieroaming said:

Whats the issue with getting married in a civil ceremony in the home country, then registering the marriage in Thailand?

There is no issue other than what is required to register your foreign marriage at an Amphoe.

Your marriage certificate has to be legalized (where you go married in some cases), having it translated and certified by the Consular affairs department.

[orientalist]

21 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

IMO it might be easier for him to make a trip to a nearby embassy or consulate to get a single entry non-o visa.

Thanks, Joe.

 

Is it really so difficult to do the conversion in Bangkok? In their case, they will be newly married and probably have somewhere more romantic in mind than Vientiane for a honeymoon.

[ubonjoe]

6 minutes ago, orientalist said:

Is it really so difficult to do the conversion in Bangkok? In their case, they will be newly married and probably have somewhere more romantic in mind than Vientiane for a honeymoon.

Not that difficult. It does require 2 trips to immigration about 15 days apart to get the visa and entry stamps done.

The big thing is having to put all the paperwork together twice. Once for the visa and then the extension of stay.

General requirements for the visa application are here. https://www.immigration.go.th/content/service_79

There are other locations than Vientiane that will issue a single entry non-o visa based upon marriage.

[4MyEgo]

22 hours ago, orientalist said:

At present they have moved all their funds into her account in Thailand and intend to just transfer the 400K from there to his new account.

As the other guys have answered most of your questions, I will only say this, and whether you pass it on to your mate or not, is up to you, but I do it all the time, its called balancing the risks.

 

Why would they only transfer 400k into his new account, I am assuming they had a joint account wherever they are coming from, and maybe working jointly and both contributing to their joint account which is fair enough, but I would certainly suggest 50% into his new account as everyone needs a fall back position and this is one of the main reasons people end up being bitter when things go pear shape, not suggesting this will happen, but you never know, so the sooner he wises up and has his own independence financially, the better off he will be if things go pear shape.

 

All all the funds in her account leave him wide open, and if your a good mate, you will suggest he doesn't do that, if he listens, all and good, he might thank you if things go pear shape, if he doesn't listen, well lets not hold our breath and hope for the best.

[paahlman]

23 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Yes but getting it from some european embassies is more complicated than others. He needs to check with them to find out what they require. Best to check before getting because he might need something from his home country to get it.

The original is not needed. A copy of page 1 and page she is registered on would be enough or the print out of it from a Amphoe.

 

His wife's name on the rental contract is will be accepted.

The report within 24 hours depends upon the office it will be reported to.

He has to show the 400k baht is in the bank on the date he applies for the visa.

No need for proof the funds came from abroad. 

He will need all the required documents needed to apply for an extension of stay based upon marriage. Photos and etc for example.

IMO it might be easier for him to make a trip to a nearby embassy or consulate to get a single entry non-o visa.

no... there is no money requirement for a non o. For a years extension it is of course, but not the regular one.

[ubonjoe]

35 minutes ago, paahlman said:

no... there is no money requirement for a non o. For a years extension it is of course, but not the regular one.

To apply for the visa at immigration there is certainly a requirement for financial proof.

Click this link I posted earlier. https://www.immigration.go.th/content/service_79

[paahlman]

We talk around each other.. The Non immigrant O 90 days have to be applied for out of Thailand anyway. Any thai embassy or consulate that does it. Remember there are possibly at least 20 ways to get a Non im O. I am just saying the non im o is applied for outside.. The 90 day one that is.

 

The extension of this based on marriage is like you say 400k Inside Thailand then.

 

This should explain it more to the core.

 

https://www.siam-legal.com/thailand-visa/90-Day-Thailand-Visa.php

Edited June 21, 2018 by paahlman
Adding a link

[Russell17au]

There is one thing that no one has mentioned and that is your Thai g/f must get a letter from the district office which is on her Thai ID to state that she is free to marry.

[ubonjoe]

10 hours ago, paahlman said:

We talk around each other.. The Non immigrant O 90 days have to be applied for out of Thailand anyway. Any thai embassy or consulate that does it. Remember there are possibly at least 20 ways to get a Non im O. I am just saying the non im o is applied for outside.. The 90 day one that is.

You are wrong. It does not have to be applied for outside of Thailand. A non immigrant visa (category O) is applied for and a 90 day entry is given when the visa stamp is done.

The link I posted clearly states it can be applied for at immigration here in Thailand.

The page you posted a link to has a lot of incorrect info on it.

 

[ubonjoe]

8 hours ago, Russell17au said:

There is one thing that no one has mentioned and that is your Thai g/f must get a letter from the district office which is on her Thai ID to state that she is free to marry.

That is not required. The Amphoe verifies she is not married when the application for registration is done by accessing their records.

[paahlman]

10 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

You are wrong. It does not have to be applied for outside of Thailand. A non immigrant visa (category O) is applied for and a 90 day entry is given when the visa stamp is done.

The link I posted clearly states it can be applied for at immigration here in Thailand.

The page you posted a link to has a lot of incorrect info on it.

 

Im sure you are right.. I just have never experienced that... So you mean you can walk over to your province immigration office and apply for a 90 days Non Immigrant O?

 

And what do you mean with "when the visa stamp is done"? The stamp is the visa right?

 

I have had several Non im O before I married for different reasons, but was always told that check to get that visa has to be done at an embassy abroad.. Maybe I was given wrong info or they changed. Also.. I have never given proof of even 1 baht for that visa.. Just paid the regular 1500 baht abroad(in local currency) about.

 

another link:

https://www.phuket.net/phuket-living/visas/non-immigrant-visa/

NON-IMMIGRANT VISA

Non-immigrant visas can be obtained by foreigners wishing to enter Thailand for various purposes at Royal Thai embassies or consulates abroad. The purpose of visit must be stated in the application form.

 

link

https://phuketdir.com/phuket-immigration/

 

I dont disagree with you. there might be different ways I dont know about....

 

C

[paahlman]

10 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

That is not required. The Amphoe verifies she is not married when the application for registration is done by accessing their records.

Agree with you on this one for sure...

[ubonjoe]

23 minutes ago, paahlman said:

Im sure you are right.. I just have never experienced that... So you mean you can walk over to your province immigration office and apply for a 90 days Non Immigrant O?

 

Based upon marriage the answer is yes. The visas are issued based upon qualifying for certain extensions of stay but not all of them.

23 minutes ago, paahlman said:

And what do you mean with "when the visa stamp is done"? The stamp is the visa right?

Immigration does a visa stamp and the visa is only valid for the date it is issued, As soon as the visa is stamped in the passport a person's current entry stamp is voided and a new one is done with a admitted until date 90 days later.