Marriage Visa.. Possible Problems

[LivinLOS]

My buddy is returning to Thailand from working contract work.. He is coming back simply to sort out his visa but seems to be underestimating complexity.. Mostly as his Thai wife has been getting the 'yeah no problem, just come here and discuss' type advice from immigration..

He is already married (here in Thailand).. He works contract work overseas and is back and away in unpredictable time periods but usually back days gone weeks even months.

He is returning from Iran and will only have a visa exempt stamp.

He has a letter from a company he does contract work for that he earns a sizeable amount per year but basically hes a freelance agent. So this doesnt really prove much ??

My take is this.

Firstly I said to go to embassy and get the income statement verified, without that happening hes going no where.

Secondly hes arriving on a visa exempt stamp, he then has a few days in BKK, getting above done, then comes down to Phuket. I tend to think hes running a risk with not being allowed to 'change visa types' and also will be close on 23 days left on his visa exempt stamp. He claims immigration has told his wife this is no problem but they are (in my guess) assuming he has a non imm O already.

Lastly he expects to come incountry and then in a week or so of being here be issued a non imm O and have it 12 month extended and gain a multiple re entry permit to go back to work. Dont marriage visa's require multiple visits at thier time periods / appointments ?? Even being checked to ensure co-habiting ??

I just think hes setting himself a tough task and told him to get a non imm O based on marriage from home country.. He is never in country 90 days and would be far cheaper then what he is trying now in flights and time off work.

Opinions please.

[lopburi3]

Although he might not have too much trouble if he is going to be here several months the marriage extension normally take 30 days under review even with the speedup. And then he has to be here next year at about the same time period.

Believe he would be better served with a multi entry non immigrant O visa for this type of schedule. He can likely obtain in Singapore if he has a bank deposit somewhere with totals of 400k or more. He may also obtain in KL without. I am sure he would have no problem obtaining in Oz or many other countries. This also does not require re-entry permits or worry about address reporting (if he has a long break).

[LivinLOS]

Thanks Lop.. thats exactly what I have told him (tho I wasnt sure on the 30 days scene I thought it was longer)..

The visa exemption is just another hurdle..

The issue is hes talking to the Thai wife, she tends to pull a lot of water being a local family in a tourist area and expects the face issue of that to work in everything (and in fact it does work in a hel_l of a lot).. It was even said they would just drag Khun Mare along with them to immigration and that would do it..

Well he isnt listening about just getting a multiple..