Buriram: Immigration and Expats

[gunghang]

I've bought my wife a house in Krasang, Buriram. We've waited to move in because of a visit to California. The last thing we needed before/after a transpacific flight was a seven hour train ride. We're back in Nonthaburi now, and will move to Krasang within a week.

 

Since we'll be in Buriram, Buriram Expats seems to be a group I should join.  Two requests went unanswered and I suspect my IP address has been banned for some reason. If anybody from BE reads this, could you PM me and let me know if there's a problem?

 

Also, my Non-Im ME "O" visa expires in early August. We now have 400K in a Thai bank account, and will try to extend the visa year to year based on marriage.  I have a few questions about the Buriram immigration office, such as:

Do I need a letter from a bank with a branch in Buriram or Krasang?

Does it need to be issued the day the application is made?

 

We'll visit immigration in Buriram in July, but if there's something we need to do in Bangkok first, it would be nice to learn of it before leaving Nonthaburi.

 

Any other pearls of wisdom are welcome.

 

[MJCM]

PM Sent

 

Re: few questions about the Buriram immigration office

 

1 and 2 - You will need the bank letter issued on the same day you going to ask for an extension, so yes it would be very handy if you get it from a branch in Buriram

 

Buriram Immigration also likes that you add some money (500-1000THB) to the account the day that you going to get the Bank Letter, so they see the updated balance.

 

Which Bank are you talking about, Krasang NOW only has KTB Bank branch (and Government Savings Bank) so NO other Banks (KSK,BBL,SCB) have branches there. (KSK branch closed last year)

 

Your best bet is going to either Robinson or Big C in Buriram and get the Bank Letter there and then directly go to Immigration. But please note that the Bank branches there only open after 10am (some even at 11am)

 

 

[MJCM]

What is also very important is that Immigration wants to see that your Wife House Book is in Buriram Province, and they also really like if you have a Yellow House Book with a Buriram address.

 

When I moved to Buriram, Kap Choeng Surin was the Immigration I had to deal with, and they wouldn't accept the application if you didn't have a Yellow House book with an address in Buriram.

 

My advice to you is, when arriving in Buriram go to Immigration (either the one in City Hall) or the one at Buriram Football Stadium and also ask your questions there !! They can tell you for sure what you need because nothing is so changeable as requirements at Immigration.

 

(For example: We were told that we needed witnesses for our 2nd extension, so we arrived with witnesses and in the end we were told they were NOT needed (Needed only for the 1st Extension based on Marriage)

[fishtank]

Quote

We now have 400K in a Thai bank account,

You do realise that the bank account has to be in your name only.

[gunghang]

No, but it is.

[gunghang]

4 hours ago, MJCM said:

What is also very important is that Immigration wants to see that your Wife House Book is in Buriram Province, and they also really like if you have a Yellow House Book with a Buriram address.

 

 

I'm new at this.  How does one get a yellow book?  My wife just said I need a work permit. I hope she's wrong about that.

[gunghang]

4 hours ago, MJCM said:

My advice to you is, when arriving in Buriram go to Immigration (either the one in City Hall) or the one at Buriram Football Stadium and also ask your questions there !! They can tell you for sure what you need because nothing is so changeable as requirements at Immigration.

 

(For example: We were told that we needed witnesses for our 2nd extension, so we arrived with witnesses and in the end we were told they were NOT needed (Needed only for the 1st Extension based on Marriage)

Excellent advice and we will do that.

 

Pardon my ignorance, again, but who makes a good witness?  Who would we ask to be one?

[Blue Muton]

5 minutes ago, gunghang said:

Excellent advice and we will do that.

 

Pardon my ignorance, again, but who makes a good witness?  Who would we ask to be one?

The usual prfessionals - teachers, doctors etc and Poo Yai Bahn are good.

 

No need for a WP in any reports I've seen, certainly not here in Suphanburi, I checked just this morning.

[MJCM]

4 minutes ago, Blue Muton said:

The usual prfessionals - teachers, doctors etc and Poo Yai Bahn are good.

 

No need for a WP in any reports I've seen, certainly not here in Suphanburi, I checked just this morning.

Also very important NO Family Members !!

 

We used our neighbor (no professional of sorts ????)  and he was accepted as well as the former Village Chief.

 

No problems there, but they must know that you and you are wife are living together and willing to sign documents saying so.

[MJCM]

21 minutes ago, gunghang said:

I'm new at this.  How does one get a yellow book?  My wife just said I need a work permit. I hope she's wrong about that.

Mine was done a long time ago, and it's best of you go with your wife to Krasang Amphur and ask them as they could have changed the rules about it. (Ask to talk to the boss there, he is a very friendly guy, did my will last year and was very very friendly)

 

But we needed,

Witnesses (3 I believe)

names of my Father and Mother translated into thai

Some Passport Photos

Wife's ID / Tabien Baan

[Hank Gunn]

I live here in Buriram town (coincidentally, I'm also an ex-Californian whose wife is from Krasang) and am on an extension based on retirement. I initially started off on one base on marriage but there was/is just so much more paperwork to deal with and since I wasn't working, the retirement "visa" was/is the way to go. In the two years I've been here, I've not needed a yellow book when dealing with immigration. I may eventually get it, to make other things easier but so far immigration has only needed a bank letter and an updated passbook.

 

Ninety day check-ins are also pretty quick. I now go to the smaller office behind the KFC at the stadium and have found Immigration here pretty easy to deal with.

 

As for the Buriram Expats web site, I don't visit often but the folks there are generally pretty helpful. I think the admin just is busy, since the website is part of several businesses the owner runs (also includes a car/truck/motorcycle rental business here in town). When I first registered I had to wait a week or more before sending a reminder message that I needed to be approved. Once I did that, my account was active. So not sure about your situation, but if you're just waiting for final confirmation, I'd just send them a gentle reminder.

 

PM if you want more info. I consider myself a newbie here, having only been retired here two years, but I might be able to offer some insights.

[Muhendis]

One additional thing worth mentioning is that the Buriram regional office which used to be in Korat and is now in Khon kaen, wants you to keep your 400k in the bank for the "under consideration" period which is 30+ days. Buriram IO's will ask for a bank statement to confirm this before you get your extension.

[gunghang]

Thanks to all for all the replies. I can see that I'll have a lot of fun next June/July.

[MJCM]

Thanks to all for all the replies. I can see that I'll have a lot of fun next June/July.

A lot of fun and a lot of surprises

But please note, when everything doesn’t work out, just go to savannakhet (Laos) and get a new multiple Non-O based on marriage as that is what I did after being “hassled” by Immigration at Kap Choeng.

[khwaibah]

2 hours ago, Muhendis said:

One additional thing worth mentioning is that the Buriram regional office which used to be in Korat and is now in Khon kaen, wants you to keep your 400k in the bank for the "under consideration" period which is 30+ days. Buriram IO's will ask for a bank statement to confirm this before you get your extension.

Korat Immigration is still in Korat at the old location of Division 4 Headquarters. Division 4 Headquarters is inchage over I think 17 immigration offices in isaan. Khon Kaen immigration and Korat immigration have separate office location. Your money advise to my knowledge is correct. Also be advised because of the change of requirements on funding a lot of retirement extension are and have gone over to the marriage extension by doing so there is a serious back log at the Division 4 HQ as all marriage extension are sent their for approval and these are now taking up to 60 days for approval. I know of persons in Buriram and Surin that have had this happen.

[ericthai]

OP just a heads up, since you are just moving to Thailand I'm sure your not aware of the TM30 form.

 

This states that the owner of the property where you stay more than 24hrs will need to register with immigration that you are staying there.

This is an old rule that was ignored but recently started being enforced. Have your wife call immigration and ask them, typically each office has their owns rules (interpretations) same for all govt offices.  

[sandyf]

6 hours ago, MJCM said:

Also very important NO Family Members !!

When making statements like that you need to be specific.

My witnesses were my wife's niece and uncle.

[Aussieroaming]

13 hours ago, fishtank said:

You do realise that the bank account has to be in your name only.

I have used a joint bank account for the last 7 years. But thats at CW in BKK. For some reason they require min 1.6M in a joint account. Last extention was a week ago.

[MJCM]

9 hours ago, sandyf said:

When making statements like that you need to be specific.

My witnesses were my wife's niece and uncle.

 

Our Immigration (Buriram) told us NO Family members, so that's what I told the OP as he is going to the same Immigration Office, the OP should ask them if he wants to take his wife's niece and uncle just to be sure. We just took people (neighbor and former village chief (NO family ties what so ever) with us, and they were accepted.

 

It's a waste of time and money to go to Immigration (approx 70km roundtrip for the OP) and to get send away.

[gunghang]

20 hours ago, ericthai said:

OP just a heads up, since you are just moving to Thailand I'm sure your not aware of the TM30 form.

 

This states that the owner of the property where you stay more than 24hrs will need to register with immigration that you are staying there.

This is an old rule that was ignored but recently started being enforced. Have your wife call immigration and ask them, typically each office has their owns rules (interpretations) same for all govt offices.  

I'm going to move to Krasang in a few days, but I've spent 17 of the past 25 years in Thailand. In spite of that, I did not know that my wife (our house is in her name) needs to register me with immigration; thanks for that info.

 

It looks like the day after we arrive will be a four-for-one trip into town to register me, get me a yellow book, touch bases with immigration for latest requirements for a marriage extension, and open a bank account.

[Muhendis]

This thing about the yellow book (tabien baan). I seem to recall an extra task when I applied in the local amphur office for mine. I needed to supply a confirmation letter from my embassy which stated that I am who I am. My amphur office was very helpful and showed me examples of what was expected. The local kamnan was also involved but it all went smoothly and they all made me feel most welcome.

[metisdead]

A post containing offensive language has been reported and removed:

 

8.) You will not post disruptive or inflammatory messages, vulgarities, obscenities or profanities.

[sandyf]

On 5/9/2019 at 1:53 AM, MJCM said:

 

Our Immigration (Buriram) told us NO Family members, so that's what I told the OP as he is going to the same Immigration Office, the OP should ask them if he wants to take his wife's niece and uncle just to be sure. We just took people (neighbor and former village chief (NO family ties what so ever) with us, and they were accepted.

 

It's a waste of time and money to go to Immigration (approx 70km roundtrip for the OP) and to get send away.

Quite right, as i said you should have been a bit more specific rather than a definitive statement that could be misinterpreted.

[IvorBiggun2]

On 5/8/2019 at 11:33 AM, MJCM said:

When I moved to Buriram, Kap Choeng Surin was the Immigration I had to deal with, and they wouldn't accept the application if you didn't have a Yellow House book with an address in Buriram.

Having a 'Yellow Book' is not a requirement to obtaining a 'Marriage Extension'. I too used to use the Kap Choeng office before moving to the Buriram office. 

 

On 5/8/2019 at 3:57 PM, gunghang said:

How does one get a yellow book?  My wife just said I need a work permit. I hope she's wrong about that.

Don't bother it ain't worth the hassle. And you hoped right, your missus is wrong.    ????