1-year Visa extension because of marriage to Thai national, income-documents required?

[Jenson75]

I have an embassy letter confirming my income of 900K a year. I have used this document to get a 1-year extension because of marriage to a Thai national for over a decade now. Last year I had to bring a print-out from my European bank for the last 12 months in addition to the embassy letter - showing my pension payments in Europe.

 

This year I have heard I have to bring a statement from my Thai bank on money I have transferred into Thailand from my bank in my home country - and it has to show I have transferred more than 400,000 baht in the last 12 months to my Thai bank. Is this accurate? Or will I only be asked for an embassy letter confirming my income?

 

Also, I only live in Thailand 6 months of the year, so I don't transfer a minimum of 40,000 baht a month into Thailand -- but I do transfer more than 400,000 baht per year. Is this a problem?

 

I think people who apply for Retirement extension have to transfer at least 65,000 baht a month for 12 months in a row (just 1 month with less than 65K and you have a BIG problem even if the yearly total is more than 800K). But I have heard that for an extension because of marriage you only have to AVERAGE more than 40K a month, not move 40K+ EVERY month. Have I understood this correctly - how this is practised in at Chiang Mai Immigration?

 

I would really appreciate help from someone who is wiser and more knowledgeable than I!

[chilly07]

Best to get a new Non O from home country every time you come which is less onerous financially. Non O with extensions is mainly for people who live in Thailand. Income Letters need to be new for each extension.

[Jenson75]

2 hours ago, chilly07 said:

Best to get a new Non O from home country every time you come which is less onerous financially. Non O with extensions is mainly for people who live in Thailand. Income Letters need to be new for each extension.

OK. But I have gotten 1-year extensions since 2009 with no problems... This year might be different though, if the rules/practice has changed at Chiang Mai Immigration from last year. Has it? Does anyone have any actual experience with the income-method 1-year extension because of marriage in Chiang Mai?

 

Can I still get by with just a new embassy letter stating my yearly income? (which my embassy still produces!)

 

Or do I need additional income documents as stated in my first post?

 

Thanks!

[emptypockets]

s far as I know, for an extension based on marriage, you need 400,000 baht in your name in a Thai bank. Or 40,000 income per month. Haven't heard of people using an embassy letter for marriage extensions, only for those based on retirement.

Perhaps you are confusing the two?

 

Go to immigration office and clarify would be the best thing to do.

[bangkokbrian47]

You can definitely use an Embassy letter for an extension based on marriage to a Thai national. I have been using an Embassy letter right up until the UK government stopped the Embassy from issuing them.

If your Embassy still issues such a letter then it will normally be accepted as proof of income by Thai Immigration.

Edited September 5, 2019 by bangkokbrian47
spelling correction

[poka513]

I got this attached list 2+ months ago from Chiang Mai Immigration

thai_wife_chiang_mai.pdf

[Jenson75]

14 hours ago, poka513 said:

I got this attached list 2+ months ago from Chiang Mai Immigration

thai_wife_chiang_mai.pdf 1.91 MB · 19 downloads

Thank you so much, poka513! In #7.3 of your PDF above it looks like since I have a pension from abroad of above 40K a month that all I have to show to document my income is an embassy letter. It looks like I do not have to show any statement from any banks, Thai or foreign.

 

This is the way it has been at CM Imm for me from 2009-2017. In 2018 CM Imm asked me for a bank statement from my home country as well, but now it looks like it's back to normal.

 

If I were to do as Chilly07 suggested and get a new 3 months Non-0 from the Thai embassy in my home country every year, then it would not be easy for me to stay here in Thailand for 6 months a year... I know it can be extended for 30 days at CM Imm, and then I could stay for a total of 4 months. But to get 2 months in addition to that - so my total stay would add up to 6 months - I would have to travel to a Thai consulate or embassy in Laos or another neighbouring country and get a 2-month tourist visa. And that is much harder to get now than it used to be. Sometimes you cannot get it at all. So this does not seem like a good solution for me. But maybe I have misunderstood something? Or misunderstood Chilly07.

 

Anyway. Thanks to everyone who has replied/posted in this thread! I really appreciate it.

[holy cow cm]

On 9/5/2019 at 9:38 PM, poka513 said:

I got this attached list 2+ months ago from Chiang Mai Immigration

thai_wife_chiang_mai.pdf 1.91 MB · 37 downloads

Yes as I asked in another personal thread today, I would like to know if they require the bank statement having funds 400,000 on the day or before the day? I remember bank book needs to be updated on the day with copies.

 

Also how long is the que now? And how does it work for showing up and for what time?

[stament]

No financial requirements for a non immigration multi O visa at HMC or Savannakhet based on marriage. Might suit you if spending 6 months out of the country.