Thai (Man) getting married to Foreigner (Woman). Income & Work required?

[Dnyy]

Has anyone every heard that if a foreign woman wants to marry a Thai (half Thai), she is required to show a work permit and proof of income?

 

My girlfriend went to the Amphue in Phaya Thai two weeks ago and asked for the documents required. They told her what she needs and she prepared everything (Affirmation of Freedom to marry, translations (incl. passport), legalized by the MFA) and went back today to make an appointment. But all of a sudden they asked her for proof of income and a work permit. She is currently not working in Thailand and can not provide these things so they sent her away.

 

I have not read anywhere about this requirement and it doesn't seem to make sense. Does it mean that a foreigner can only marry if he/she has a work permit? Or am I missing the point here? 

 

Is Bang Rak asking for this? I'd rather like some first hand experience from foreigners that got married to a Thai before asking in the Amphue directly. 

 

 

Thanks in advance.

 

 

Edited March 6, 2019 by Dnyy

[Hummin]

Sorry for laughing, but this is over the top!

[Vacuum]

2 minutes ago, Dnyy said:

Has anyone every heard that if a foreign woman wants to marry a Thai (half Thai), she is required to show a work permit and proof of income?

No.

[Dnyy]

3 minutes ago, Hummin said:

Sorry for laughing, but this is over the top!

I also wanted to laugh because it's ridiculous. After talking to them they said, that they are getting stricter now and there is no boss in their office and blablabla. It's really sad and I am glad to leave this country soon.

Edited March 6, 2019 by Dnyy

[HLover]

Sounds like a beautiful union of love, best of luck to the lovebirds.

Please do keep us posted on how this relationship ends.

[Sheryl]

Can you marry in a different Ampur?

 

There  are requirements for a foreigner marrying a Thai, but not the ones you mention. Main thing is they need a statement from their Embassy that they are eligible ot marry (i.e. not already married) and I think also an official Thai translation of their passport done by Ministry of foreign Affairs.

[Dnyy]

1 minute ago, HLover said:

Sounds like a beautiful union of love, best of luck to the lovebirds.

Please do keep us posted on how this relationship ends.

Sorry, can you explain what you mean?

[HLover]

Just now, Dnyy said:

Sorry, can you explain what you mean?

I wish them good luck, no more or less.

[Dnyy]

2 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

Can you marry in a different Ampur?

 

There  are requirements for a foreigner marrying a Thai, but not the ones you mention. Main thing is they need a statement from their Embassy that they are eligible ot marry (i.e. not already married) and I think also an official Thai translation of their passport done by Ministry of foreign Affairs.

We will go to Phra Khanong or Bang Rak tomorrow to make an appointment they seem more foreigner friendly and easier to handle. We have all the documents needed complete.

[cnx355]

23 hours ago, Vacuum said:

No.

The man support the wife here.

 

The foreign lady  does not have to prove anything except that she can marry and the wife normally get her visa as an wife of a Thai man.

 

Maybe  the Thai future husband should go with her to handle this matter.

[atyclb]

On 3/6/2019 at 2:39 PM, Hummin said:

Sorry for laughing, but this is over the top!

 

 

reminds me of the time i took my usa friend with a retirement visa to a bangkok blank(pun intended) shopping mall branch to open an account. desk lady required his work permit and we told her in clear thai those on retirement visa are not eligible for work permit. gave up and went to the main branch on silom road where a much smarter lady laughed at what happend and apologized.  imo no lack of incompetent and or lazy workers and a high % get the job via nepotism/ cronyism or bribe and NOT merit. 

[shy coconut]

40 minutes ago, atyclb said:

 

 

reminds me of the time i took my usa friend with a retirement visa to a bangkok blank(pun intended) shopping mall branch to open an account. desk lady required his work permit and we told her in clear thai those on retirement visa are not eligible for work permit. gave up and went to the main branch on silom road where a much smarter lady laughed at what happend and apologized.  imo no lack of incompetent and or lazy workers and a high % get the job via nepotism/ cronyism or bribe and NOT merit. 

Did you speak to the 1st bank in Thai, English, or some other language?

 

[atyclb]

4 minutes ago, shy coconut said:

46 minutes ago, atyclb said:

 

 

reminds me of the time i took my usa friend with a retirement visa to a bangkok blank(pun intended) shopping mall branch to open an account. desk lady required his work permit and we told her in clear thai those on retirement visa are not eligible for work permit. gave up and went to the main branch on silom road where a much smarter lady laughed at what happend and apologized.  imo no lack of incompetent and or lazy workers and a high % get the job via nepotism/ cronyism or bribe and NOT merit. 

Did you speak to the 1st bank in Thai, English, or some other language?

 

 

thai

[connda]

If you are not married yet (you stated she's your 'girlfriend' and not wife), then she can not apply for a marriage visa/extension. 

Once you're married, then the rules for a foreigner women marrying a Thai national are significantly different than for foreigner men marrying Thai women.  From my understanding there is no financial requirement for the woman as she is being supported by the Thai national husband.  Ubonjoe could expound on this as he's the expert. 

[timendres]

I wonder if the issue is that the Amphur is asking how your gf can be staying in Thailand at the moment without a work permit. Typically speaking, the foreigner applies for a Visa from outside of Thailand, enters using that visa, performs the marriage, then applies for an extension based on being a spouse. It is possible that your exception to this process is what is confusing matters?

[Sheryl]

4 hours ago, connda said:

If you are not married yet (you stated she's your 'girlfriend' and not wife), then she can not apply for a marriage visa/extension. 

Once you're married, then the rules for a foreigner women marrying a Thai national are significantly different than for foreigner men marrying Thai women.  From my understanding there is no financial requirement for the woman as she is being supported by the Thai national husband.  Ubonjoe could expound on this as he's the expert. 

This is correct (no financial requirement for foreign woman married to a Thai) but he is not asking about extension of stay. Rather, is asking abut requirements for getting married.

 

It also sounds like they do not plan to live in Thailand so the extension issue may not arise.

[Arkady]

There is something strange about the Phya Thai district office. I think they hate foreigners. I went there to get married with my Thai wife with all documents correct but they claimed I needed the affirmation of freedom to marry which was definitely not the case because I was a permanent resident. I started arguing with the head of registrations and he suddenly announced that my alien book must be forged because my 13 digit ID number started with 8- which he claimed was reserved for Chinese only (actually it is the prefix for all PRs of whatever nationality). I was so irritated by this absurd assertion that I uncharacteristically lost my cool and told him it was a shame for the people in Phya Thai that they had a head of registrations that was utterly ignorant of the regulations he was supposed to be applying. Then we beat a hasty retreat before he could call the BiB and went to the Sathorn district office where we were welcomed with open arms and married without the affirmation.

 

Definitely you do not need a WP, proof of income or any other such nonsense. When we were married at Sathorn the couple in front of us were both Chinese tourists on a wedding tour who obviously did not have WPs. Neither could speak a word of Thai but they managed everything through an interpreter and the officials were clearly pleased to have them there.

 

Once you have been married for 3 years (or 1 year, if you already have a Thai child together), you will be eligible to apply for Thai citizenship, if you are living in Thailand. It  is relatively easy for foreign wives of Thai citizens. You don’t need to be working. It is all based on your husband’s occupation and income and the bar is quite low.

[Arkady]

Nonsense post deleted.

[connda]

Just now, Sheryl said:

Rather, is asking abut requirements for getting married.

Dohhh! <head-slap> 

[Dnyy]

23 hours ago, Arkady said:

There is something strange about the Phya Thai district office. I think they hate foreigners. I went there to get married with my Thai wife with all documents correct but they claimed I needed the affirmation of freedom to marry which was definitely not the case because I was a permanent resident. I started arguing with the head of registrations and he suddenly announced that my alien book must be forged because my 13 digit ID number started with 8- which he claimed was reserved for Chinese only (actually it is the prefix for all PRs of whatever nationality). I was so irritated by this absurd assertion that I uncharacteristically lost my cool and told him it was a shame for the people in Phya Thai that they had a head of registrations that was utterly ignorant of the regulations he was supposed to be applying. Then we beat a hasty retreat before he could call the BiB and went to the Sathorn district office where we were welcomed with open arms and married without the affirmation.

 

Definitely you do not need a WP, proof of income or any other such nonsense. When we were married at Sathorn the couple in front of us were both Chinese tourists on a wedding tour who obviously did not have WPs. Neither could speak a word of Thai but they managed everything through an interpreter and the officials were clearly pleased to have them there.

 

Once you have been married for 3 years (or 1 year, if you already have a Thai child together), you will be eligible to apply for Thai citizenship, if you are living in Thailand. It  is relatively easy for foreign wives of Thai citizens. You don’t need to be working. It is all based on your husband’s occupation and income and the bar is quite low.

He was probably waiting for some kind of tip? I went there to get my Thai ID before and had to pay an "express fee" of 3,000 Baht to get things done.

 

We have now booked an appointment in Bang Rak, much easier and friendlier.