I've been married to a Thai for 13 years and have always either got a spouse visa or been on a work permit. My current WP expires in June and I will be applying for a spouse visa. My question is this, Are Immigration being strict about the requirements (money in the bank)? Has anyone managed to renew a marriage visa by just depositing a sum of money a week before? I find it hard to believe that Immigration would deport a foreigner, leaving a wife and kids without a provider, however any info on this would be much appreciated.

There is no option to put money in the bank. The requirements changed last year and the new requirement for one year extension of stay is a family income of 40k baht per month and this has to be proven for the previous year tax receipts for Thai income and previous three months for foreign income. Requirement is strict and (proof) has changed at least once already.

There is no option to put money in the bank. The requirements changed last year and the new requirement for one year extension of stay is a family income of 40k baht per month and this has to be proven for the previous year tax receipts for Thai income and previous three months for foreign income. Requirement is strict and (proof) has changed at least once already.

Nope, not so. Previous holders of a visa based on marriage to a Thai national are grandfathered in on renewal under the old requirements of funds in the bank as opposed to the new income standard. I thought that was reasonably well known by now.

That is true but he says he is making application in one breath and renew in another and using a work permit for visa in yet another so it is rather hard to be sure if he qualifies for grandfather treatment. I hope my guess that he does not was wrong but he seems to have been here on the basis of a work permit which ends in June.

Exactly one of the nasty issues with grandfathering is if you change your status at any point (for example, take a job on WP and come off an investor visa) your grandfathering is stopped..

"Exactly one of the nasty issues with grandfathering is if you change your status at any point (for example, take a job on WP and come off an investor visa) your grandfathering is stopped.."

There isn't any need to change your status if you want to work and are on a Non O visa. You can get a work permit with a Non O (based on marriage).

I'm not sure about other categories of visas, but the original post was about this kind of visa.

Terry

This is well out of my depth in visa knowledge.. But would it not be 'under what conditions your incountry visa extension' was granted ?? Not the actual letter after your non imm (B or O) ??

So yes if your extending annually based on Marriage (even if your working and holding a WP) then yes you would grandfather in.. But even if your initial visa was a non imm O (due to marriage) if you have been annually extending it due to working, or annually extend it based on special invester status, or or or) then just becuase the non imm was initially given due to marriage no grandfathering would apply ??

Would be my assumption.. The incountry extension is what matters not the out of country issueing of the visa or even the holding of a WP..