My Thai Experience

[burrina]

My Thai Experience

 

I hail from the great state of Texas and my goal was to retire to Thailand and marry a Thai woman. I had never travelled out of the United States before so this was a major undertaking. I tried to educate myself as best as I could and prepare for what I thought I would encounter. I was not prepared for what I would encounter or experience.

 

I will try and keep this brief since I could write a book on my Thai experiences so far. I will make this about my visa and marriage experience. Hopefully it will help someone else. I corresponded for 8 months with my future wife before coming to Thailand. I simply got lucky is all I can say. I started with getting my passport which I got the application from my post office. They need a certified copy of your birth certificate.

 

Next, I went to the US Embassy in Houston, Texas where I got a 60 day tourist visa. I flew into Bangkok airport where I met my wife to be for the first time. From this moment on it was a whirlwind of things to do and places to go. You need to inform the state department of your address and phone number where you will be living and your future girlfriend needs to inform the Thai government as well.

 

I digress for a moment and say that I also stopped my insurance since I am 66 yrs old and also informed Social Security of my plans and the reason why I would be stopping medicare since it is no good in Thailand, so why pay for it. You have to explain why so they will stop taking it out of your check.

 

Unless you have some additional money and or are rich, you will need all of this money to be able to retire in Thailand and marry as well. I suggest you invest in a good color printer since you will need to make many copies of forms and also suggest to you that you take pictures of you and your future wife around town, at your home and inside as well. Your going to need a map of your location, pictures of the building, pictures of you and your gf/wife together around the city.

 

You can search the internet and download and print forms but from my experience it is better to get them from the official place itself. Printed forms are often not like the official ones and they won't accept them. You will need to make most likely several trips to the US Embassy to accomplish what you want.

 

Even though it is your US Embassy, be prepared, you will be greeted by Thai people who can speak english if you can understand them.  You can’t get in line until 15 minute before your appointment and you will wait outside on the sidewalk in the hot sun until such time. You have to turn off your cell phone and surrender it before going inside. You will also have to go thru a metal detector and be body scanned with a wand before entering as well as showing your passport and informing them of your appointment time.

 

I went to the US Embassy twice so far for my requirements. I needed a certified copy of my Social Security income to be able to open a bank account and other things as well. For this copy I had to raise my right hand and swear it was correct and pay the fee of 1,950 Baht or $59.11. I also went back for two additional copies for marriage which I also had to swear to and pay 1,649.50 or $50.00 for EACH copy.

 

Make many copies of each and every document you get and make many  color copies of your passport and travel documents. Never give them a original copy unless it is required. Oh, I travelled to Thailand using Eva-Air and was required to book a return ticket but I redeemed part of it after getting here since I would never return. There is only a limited time to do this so don’t wait.

 

Next we prepared to be get married. We paid for a service to help with this which I highly recommend. Not a service by the Embassy but one located near the Embassy in a office or in the mall. The cost for the Thai translation  was 1000 Baht, $30.31 and Thai consulate was 1200 Baht or $36.37 and US Embassy cost was 3,299.00 Baht or $50.00 for EACH copy (2 copies), $100.00.

 

We also had to go to the Thai Embassy to get a extension or change of Visa since my tourist visa was expiring soon. You have to do this at least 15 days before the departure date of your visa. We managed to get a 60 day visa extension which also cost us 1900 Baht or $57.59.

 

Short story is I am now married to my beautiful Thai wife and the next step is retirement for which I am fully prepared for. I have not covered every single thing here or experience but I hope it will be helpful to someone.

 

 

[Phuket Man]

Looks like you are making it sound much more complicated than it actually is.

Quite a few inaccuracies in your essay above.

[burrina]

I did not find it easy at all. However I can assure you that the information is accurate. I have documented proof of what I have posted. Anyway I hope it is helpful to someone.

[jackdd]

You seem to be in a hurry which leads to stress and stupid decisions, you should do everything more relaxed

[burrina]

I'm truly sorry that I tried to help someone less informed than myself. I can't seem to find out how to delete my account on here otherwise I would. Good Luck to all.

[Peterw42]

24 minutes ago, burrina said:

I did not find it easy at all. However I can assure you that the information is accurate. I have documented proof of what I have posted. Anyway I hope it is helpful to someone.

Thanks for sharing your information but some of your information is not accurate,

 

"We also had to go to the Thai Embassy to get a extension or change of Visa since my tourist visa was expiring soon. You have to do this at least 15 days before the departure date of your visa. We managed to get a 60 day visa extension which also cost us 1900 Baht or $57.59."

 

you do not get a visa extension from Thai embassy in Thailand, there are no Thai embassies inside Thailand. you get a visa extension at immigration. An extension on a tourist visa is 30 days.

 

 

"suggest to you that you take pictures of you and your future wife around town, at your home and inside as well. Your going to need a map of your location, pictures of the building, pictures of you and your gf/wife together around the city."

 

You do not need photos with future wife or maps to get married. You may require them if you are going to get an extension based on marriage later.

 

[transam]

4 minutes ago, burrina said:

I'm truly sorry that I tried to help someone less informed than myself. I can't seem to find out how to delete my account on here otherwise I would. Good Luck to all.

If you think you need to delete your account here over nothing l don't fancy your longevity chances in LOS...If you don't chill out you will have a ploblem...

First thing to do is get rid of the "angry" thing and dismiss farangland thought, it takes a while...

[jackdd]

10 minutes ago, burrina said:

I'm truly sorry that I tried to help someone less informed than myself. I can't seem to find out how to delete my account on here otherwise I would. Good Luck to all.

Before you go, always remember: Just invest in Thailand (house, land, car...) what you are willing to walk away from when the shit hits the fan

[Phuket Man]

You do not need photos of the two of you around the town.

You did not need to book a return flight ticket.

You do not need any special documents to open a bank account.

[Peterw42]

OP, you appear to have listed many of the things you need to do, and how. However, possibly because you were rushed, you have some of the places mixed up. Show income letter to immigration not the bank, extend visa at immigration not embassy, photos and maps are for immigration not for the ampher to get married.

[JAS21]

I think it is great that you have found someone and will settle here ... good luck ... just ignore those that don't think what you have done is too wise.

[NanLaew]

28 minutes ago, Phuket Man said:

You do not need photos of the two of you around the town.

But you may need them for future 'legitimization' of claims to longevity of their partnership.

 

29 minutes ago, Phuket Man said:

You did not need to book a return flight ticket.

But some airlines insist that you do.

 

30 minutes ago, Phuket Man said:

You do not need any special documents to open a bank account.

Depends on the bank, branch of bank, attending staff member of the branch of bank, whether the attending staff member is hungry... and the day of the week.

 

Now stop messing with a newbie who is only trying to help and didn't expect to have is ass handed to him by the few lonely, hardened, cynical, know-it-all keyboard jousters who think their paltry, localized knowledge of life in LOS is somehow empirical.

[Blue Muton]

41 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

Thanks for sharing your information but some of your information is not accurate,

 

"We also had to go to the Thai Embassy to get a extension or change of Visa since my tourist visa was expiring soon. You have to do this at least 15 days before the departure date of your visa. We managed to get a 60 day visa extension which also cost us 1900 Baht or $57.59."

 

you do not get a visa extension from Thai embassy in Thailand, there are no Thai embassies inside Thailand. you get a visa extension at immigration. An extension on a tourist visa is 30 days.

 

 

"suggest to you that you take pictures of you and your future wife around town, at your home and inside as well. Your going to need a map of your location, pictures of the building, pictures of you and your gf/wife together around the city."

 

You do not need photos with future wife or maps to get married. You may require them if you are going to get an extension based on marriage later.

 

.....and is there really a US embassy in Houston, has Texas split from the rest and is now the DRT?

[stevenl]

Apart from a few inaccuracies the OP's post can be useful to some newbies.

 

So thanks OP.

[transam]

5 minutes ago, stevenl said:

Apart from a few inaccuracies the OP's post can be useful to some newbies.

 

So thanks OP.

I am sure we all wish the guy well...I hope he moves to Ubon so we can talk about Pontiac rides...

[petermik]

8 hours ago, jackdd said:

You seem to be in a hurry which leads to stress and stupid decisions, you should do everything more relaxed

"fools rush in" springs to mind here...and before the OP or others feel the need to  reply...I do wish him the best of luck

[petermik]

7 hours ago, transam said:

I am sure we all wish the guy well...I hope he moves to Ubon so we can talk about Pontiac rides...

Don,t confuse him transam....he,s only just breaking in his newly found sweetheart   

[Phuket Man]

2 hours ago, NanLaew said:

But you may need them for future 'legitimization' of claims to longevity of their partnership.

 

But some airlines insist that you do.

 

Depends on the bank, branch of bank, attending staff member of the branch of bank, whether the attending staff member is hungry... and the day of the week.

 

Now stop messing with a newbie who is only trying to help and didn't expect to have is ass handed to him by the few lonely, hardened, cynical, know-it-all keyboard jousters who think their paltry, localized knowledge of life in LOS is somehow empirical.

I was just correcting wrong information to help others.

Nothing more and nothing less.

[murraynz]

im sure your story is genuine.you sound very naive though.  surely it would have been far wiser to come to thailand first, get to to know the lady better,understand thai culture better, BEFORE  getting married.

you dont sound like you have huge funds, so be careful..... once this is gone, its very hard to start again at 66yrs old...

a fantastic life can be lived in thailand, if you are sensible.. 

thai women are very lovely, but once your money is gone, life will get miserable...

 

[bkk6060]

Sorry to sound mean.

He is 66 and never traveled outside the US before.

He comes here and gets married to Skype GF.

Then the rest of it.

Sorry, this all seems like text book of what not to do. 

 

But yes, good luck. 

Soon, you may want to do some more research, attend an ex-pat meeting, or get to know some seasoned Falang. 

 

  

[transam]

4 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Sorry to sound mean.

He is 66 and never traveled outside the US before.

He comes here and gets married to Skype GF.

Then the rest of it.

Sorry, this all seems like text book of what not to do. 

 

But yes, good luck. 

Soon, you may want to do some more research, attend an ex-pat meeting, or get to know some seasoned Falang. 

 

  

I wouldn't bother about meeting the farang thing....And I am seasoned...

[bkk6060]

14 minutes ago, transam said:

I wouldn't bother about meeting the farang thing....And I am seasoned...

Maybe right. ?

[KiChakayan]

2 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

Sorry to sound mean.

He is 66 and never traveled outside the US before.

He comes here and gets married to Skype GF.

Then the rest of it.

Sorry, this all seems like text book of what not to do. 

I tend to think that he is a lot more likely to find a good wife online than in some places in Pattaya... But amongst the gross mistakes one is cancelling his medicare..