Switching from ED to marriage visa ?

[Pepper9187]

Soo, here's the million dollar question (with details)

 

I've been bouncing between FR and TH for the last 3 years (like 6 months / 6 months more or less).

Eventually i decided to settle (again) to TH a couple of months ago, so i bought 1 year TH languages courses with ED visa in a "real" school in BKK, went back to France for 2-3 months, then went to Vietnam to get my visa.

 

Getting the visa in Ho Chi min was a mess and getting through the immigration in suva was even worst, a fa*cking nightmare.

(that's my first ED visa ever)

 

I'm really sick of it, the last 3 times i crossed the border in Thailand in 2018 / 2019 they always threatened to send me back, questioned me over and over, that time they said they'll deny me and asked for my boarding pass (really pooped my pants), at the end she said she putted a warning in her system, spent 15 minutes typing on the computer, said that was the last time i was allowed to cross the border (i guess she meant for 2019 but i wasn't feeling like asking details was a good idea for somehow).

 

So here we go : I just decided that getting married + marriage visa was the "right" thing to do *crying* 

 

I got 2 93+ years old grandmas that sadly won't get much older and i dont want to be in a situation where i have to fly out of Thailand for X days with a re-entry permit on my ED visa, not knowing if they'll let me in again.

 

Would it be a problem to switch from ED to marriage visa, i guess as long as you got all the paperwork in order it "should" be okay but you never know right ?

My ED visa is brand new, just crossed the border 2 days ago.

PS : I'm starting to believe the GF works for the immigration, well done, you finally got what you wanted !

[ubonjoe]

I assume you only have a 90 day entry from a single entry non-ed visa? Or have you extended that entry at immigration?

You should be able to apply for a one year extension of stay based upon marriage at the end of the 90 day entry if that is what you have if you can meet the financial requirements of 400k baht in a Thai bank for 2 months or proof of 40k baht income. If on an extension you would have to cancel it and apply for the new one on the same day. 

Or are you wanting to get a multiple entry non-o visa based upon marriage you would apply for at embassy or consulate? Your non-ed visa would be invalid when you leave the country or if on an extension for attending school it would need to be canceled before you leave the country to apply for a the visa.

[Pepper9187]

Hi,

 

Thanks for the reply.

 

Yep so far i got the 90 days entry from a single non-ed visa, no extension done yet, brand new just stamped 2 days ago.

 

So, hang on, are you saying that i could in theory get a 1 year extension (marriage) with my ED visa ? Interesting !?

What worries me is that if i do that, my visa will still be marked as "ED" visa, they wrote down in Thai on the visa "student visa at xx school" so if at some point and for any reason i gotta leave the country for a few days, on my way back at the airport the IO might get confused and think i'm using a re-entry permit with an ED visa and deny me ?

 

They get me really worried 2 days ago, it's ridiculous, i'm thinking about toasting a new ED visa that i just got.

 

[ubonjoe]

You would be on an extension of stay based upon marriage not the non-ed visa. The reentry permit would have non-re for your visa type shown on it not non-ed. If questioned you would just show them extension your of stay stamp.

You need to check with your local immigration office to find out if they will let you apply for the extension of stay of the 90 day entry from your non-ed visa. Not all offices would do it even though all that is required is a non immigrant visa entry.

If they say no you could then apply for a 60 day extension to visit your wife to give you more time to go out to get a single entry non-o visa at a nearby embassy or consulate. You could get a re-entry permit that would include the remainder of your 90 day entry and the 60 day extension.

[spidermike007]

The marriage visa is quite difficult. Even the immigration officer asked me recently why don't you just do a retirement visa? I believe it is about discouraging foreigners from marrying Thai women. Of course it has no effect, like most Thai policy. But, in the small immigration minds, it seems like a smart approach. The hurdles are high and they really give you a hard time. The mountain of paperwork is nothing short of surly. Stick with a retirement visa, if you qualify, and do not mind tying up the cash.

[Pepper9187]

Thanks for the answers :

@ubonjoe, i'll probably do my extension at Changwatana, anyway i still have 3 months to make up my mind and get my paperwork ready, i'll try to update the results here.

@spider : Yep, well, i'm a bit quite too young for a retirement visa, the marriage process can be a pain in the ass, but lots of friends have done it without "major" issues so i'm confident.