Marriage visa information

[Cableguy]

Hi

Im a 29 year old Australian married to a Thai lady.

What exactly do I need to obtain a one year visa based on marriage?

Concerning the 250,000 Baht, is this required, and if so how do you prove it to the consulate staff.

Do I need a work permit as well?

Thanks

Cableguy

[lopburi3]

You should be able to receive a multi entry one year visa that allows you 90 day stay at a time now with the marriage certificate (and perhaps wife ID).  But what you seem to want is a one year extension of a 90 day stay and that is obtained inside Thailand at an immigration office.  You need to prove support.  This can be 250k in a Thai bank account and is shown to have come from overseas for those not working here.  If you can keep up showing source of funds are from overseas (investment/retirement etc) no work permit would be required.  I suspect most people who are working here without a permit without outside source of funds would not want to use this method and would just make visa trips.

[Cableguy]

lopburi3

Thanks for your help

Actually a multi entry one year visa that allows me to stay 90 day at a time is fine.

Does that mean that I only have to go to a boarder every 90 days and get my passport stamped and renewed for another 90 days.

we have the marriage certificate, but my wife's ID card was stolen three months ago and we are still waiting for a new card.

Regards

Cableguy

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Where in Australia are you ?

[lopburi3]

You have to cross a border, enter another country and return.  Your last exit can be the day before visa ends so you can end up with about 15 months before you need to obtain a new visa.  I was never asked for ID card myself but many consulates seem to request a copy from other posters.

[Cableguy]

I am from Canberra in Australia, but am currently in Thailand

[dr_Pat_Pong]

You have to get that multi entry visa outside of Thailand.  Try Canberra, but the Embassy can be difficult, otherwise Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth are usually helpful

[DaveYo]

Hi, hey Lopburi, did you not say that 250,000 Baht is combined one year total meaning earning and bank total?  I thought that is what it was.  And also if he is married to a Thai, getting one year extension should be a snap more or less.  Like for retirement, one needs total 800,000 combined yearly, ie- 400,000 savings and 400,000 earnings to meet that requirement.  I would suppose now he being married, that would mean ie- 125,000 savings and 125,000 earnings to meet this requirement.  Right or wrong?  Hmmmm :blues:

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Cable you need the money in a Thai bank account  if you propose to seek a one year extension in Thailand. That is    the visa that enables a full year stay without 90 day visa

runs. Be sure to get a re-entry permit if you intend to go    outside Thailand.   With that year stay, the obligation to   report your address every 90 days begins with an O visa.   Work is not an option with an O class visa.

[lopburi3]

I would suppose now he being married, that would mean ie- 125,000 savings and 125,000 earnings to meet this requirement.  Right or wrong?

Most things are shades of grey.  Believe they would like to see the money up front but probably have leeway.

[Biz]

I just came back from the Thai Immigration office today, and I would recommend to all and sundry that they consider the married visa as a last resort.

My current visa is a non-immigrant B and I am married to a Thai.  We have shared bank accounts in excess of the requirements, a marriage license, are both officers and owners of a Thai corporation with assets here.  Upon presentation of the required documents, we were asked to come back with a photograph of our house and a wedding picture.  Who knows what they would require next, a stool sample?

It seems pretty clear that what is going on at the Immigration office is set up to encourage under-the-table payments and bribes from foreigners.  That is not too surprising to anyone who has lived here for more than 20 minutes, but is frustrating nonetheless.

My recommendation is to live with the non-immigrant B visa, obtaining it in your home country and taking the trips out of Thailand every 90 days as required.  When SARS has passed, you can slip down to Singapore and spend a few days in a country which is not so corrupt.  A nice break any time.

[lopburi3]

Upon presentation of the required documents, we were asked to come back with a photograph of our house and a wedding picture

This is a normal request as they are required to verify your living together.  The photo serves this purpose without an officer having to visit you at home.  They will normally accept any photo of you together in your home if you don't have wedding photo and is only required on your first extension.

[Biz]

Ah yes, a normal request and one of many normal and non-so-normal requests made as part of many Thai visas.

However, this request was not made by either of the two individuals my wife spoke to (in Thai, of course) previously on the telephone.  And she read back the list she had developed to both of those officers.

My point is simply that one is better off obtaining a non-immigrant B visa in one's own country, rather than having to deal with the corrupt Thai bureaucracy here.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I presume that you sought to vary visa class from B to O ? Is that right ?

[Cableguy]

Hi

lopburi3 stated that  concerning the  250k

"This can be 250k in a Thai bank account and is shown to have come from overseas"

I can organize the money in Thailand, but to arrange it from overseas is a big hassel.

I am currently not working here, but am a student.

I assume I cannot get around the immigration officials with a smile.

Cableguy

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Might pay to go and ask 'em ...with the wife in tow