OK OK OK ....... please make it dead simple .

[Wasp]

10 minutes ago, timendres said:

A friend of mine from the US just entered Thailand one month ago (Dec 2020). It was definitely more involved than previous trips where he simply arrived visa exempt. He complained at length about the seeming complexity of the process. However, once he made a list of everything he needed to do, and got about doing it, it was all relatively straightforward. It is not as terrible as it first appears, it just requires some organization and persistence. The most difficult part will be the 2 weeks in quarantine, so be sure to plan that as best you can - make sure you get a room you can tolerate, look for the best deal, and plan to deal with the boredom.

As far as you know ..... do you get any say about where the quarantine will be . Can you ask for a Hotel say in Korat ?

[Peterw42]

OP, did you get married in UK or Thailand ?

If its UK there will be a process to translate, register etc, your UK marriage in Thailand.

Its no big drama but something you need to be aware of.

[youreavinalaff]

2 minutes ago, ChouDoufu said:

 

isn't there a requirement for health insurance (in addition to the covid cover requirement) for NON-O-A from outside the country, and when extending?  but currently not for NON-O.

That is correct. However, the subject of this discussion is NonO. Not Non O-A.

[Peterw42]

6 minutes ago, Wasp said:

As far as you know ..... do you get any say about where the quarantine will be . Can you ask for a Hotel say in Korat ?

You can certainly choose your quarantine hotel, they are listed on Agoda nowadays, but the hotels are mostly in the tourist spots Bangkok, pattaya, etc.

If there is one in Korat you can choose it, you book all that before you come.

[Wasp]

4 minutes ago, Bangyai said:

Might be worth pointing out that you can't just walk into any old bank with your passport and open an account any more. They will say you need  to have a work permit.

 

To circumvent this obstacle it might be necessary to go the bank of your choices head office , most likely in Bangkok.

Fortunately I do have a Bank Account . Kasikorn . With which I have a problem . I can open it on the Internet and I can check it and send money to it but I can't send money on . Because I must use a PIN2 . Which I've forgotten . I tried to change my PIN2 but you must enter the old one ....... which ------ I've forgotten !  Big problem is that if I try what I thought was my PIN2 and I fail it will Lock my Account and I've locked it before and its a massive pain . So IF ( separate issue ) you know how to get around this I'd very much be appreciating .

[Wasp]

25 minutes ago, ChouDoufu said:

might be simpler to get a tourist visa (or enter visa exempt) and get a NON-O in country to avoid the insurance requirement.

 

if you have the cash to set aside, maybe consider 800k in the bank and claim retirement rather than marriage.  Unless I'm mistaken, that should greatly reduce the paperwork.

Didn't know about Insurance Requirement either .

There are lots of people being very helpful here .... and I thank all of you .

I have to log off and read every little thing because I'm sidetracking myself into Bank enquiries also !

I do appreciate everything here .

 

W.

[RanongCat]

OK OK OK........small bit  funny .

Person  Youtube  says? Has Thai  wife  and no knowledfe of Thailand immigration  needs be?

But now  so much informationand so   thankyou thank you  thankyou ...real?

Funny sad way this site supports itself.????

 

[Wasp]

10 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

OP, did you get married in UK or Thailand ?

If its UK there will be a process to translate, register etc, your UK marriage in Thailand.

Its no big drama but something you need to be aware of.

Once again . Something I didn't know about though it might have turned up in the Visa Forms . 

We married in the UK .

I think maybe I'll try Switzerland . I'm sure it's much easier .

[Peterw42]

13 minutes ago, ChouDoufu said:

 

isn't there a requirement for health insurance (in addition to the covid cover requirement) for NON-O-A from outside the country, and when extending?  but currently not for NON-O.

Yes that correct but the OP is talking about entering on an O visa, not an OA. 

 

[Wasp]

ChouDuFu wrote  " If you have the cash to set aside, maybe consider 800k in the bank and claim retirement rather than marriage.  Unless I'm mistaken, that should greatly reduce the paperwork."

 

Is that right ?  Do you guys think the Retirement route is simpler than the Marriage Visa ?

[Peterw42]

5 minutes ago, Wasp said:

Once again . Something I didn't know about though it might have turned up in the Visa Forms . 

We married in the UK .

I think maybe I'll try Switzerland . I'm sure it's much easier .

Switzerland is nice, lol but dint you just leave the EU ?

Seriously, as others have said, dont worry too much.

Split the whole thing into two parts, part one, getting to Thailand and then part two. marriage extension  2-3 months later.

Make sure you pack your UK marriage docs, and transfer money over when you land here, otherwise there is plenty of time to sort out the Thai side of things once you are here.

[Wasp]

Just now, Peterw42 said:

Switzerland is nice, lol but dint you just leave the EU ?

Seriously, as others have said, dont worry too much.

Split the whole thing into two parts, part one, getting to Thailand and then part two. marriage extension  2-3 months later.

Make sure you pack your UK marriage docs, and transfer money over when you land here, otherwise there is plenty of time to sort out the Thai side of things once you are here.

Switzerland is not in the EU .

Your words here are like a cooling cloth laid across my forehead . Smelling of 4711 . And Weissbeer .

It seems sensible to do exactly as you say . Though even just getting to Thailand is not an easy task now . You must have a clear Covid Test from your Doctor . Signed. And doctors are not inclined to see anyone now as they are so busy . Of course if I was female , 24 and Pregnant they would whizz me straight in . But as I am none of those I don't have a chance of being seen . 

[zzzzz]

get ur 90 day non o in the UK:
on arrival, wherever you plan on living, go ask the local immigration office what THEY require , as they all are a law unto themselves

[Wasp]

1 hour ago, steve187 said:

a non immigrant 'O' visa obtained from the London Thai embassy. for being married to a Thai national will give you a 90 day permission to stay stamp on entry. brewster is wrong about the 60 day option

once in Thailand you can either extend this permission to stay stamp

for 60 days to visit Thai wife, no financials required, just your wife and copy of marriage certificate wither from Thailand of any other country.

or for 1 year, financials required, marriage cert from Thailand, if from another country lots of hoops to jump through a whole new subject, photos, witness, copies of wifes id card and house book  etc. both extensions are 1,900 baht

 

Thank you Steve . My confusion is starting again . It's like going to a new address and they say " Oh ! It's easy to find !!"   And it is indeed easy for THEM to find because they've driven in and out of there a thousand times . But it's not easy when you are trying to find the building and there are 12 different signposts pointing all over the place . The Thai Embassy site is horrible .

[Wasp]

23 minutes ago, zzzzz said:

get ur 90 day non o in the UK:
on arrival, wherever you plan on living, go ask the local immigration office what THEY require , as they all are a law unto themselves

Which takes me back to Covid Certification being needed and doctors being unwilling to see you . We get automated messages every day telling us only to book an appointment if we are actually already dead .

[timendres]

3 hours ago, Wasp said:

ChouDuFu wrote  " If you have the cash to set aside, maybe consider 800k in the bank and claim retirement rather than marriage.  Unless I'm mistaken, that should greatly reduce the paperwork."

 

Is that right ?  Do you guys think the Retirement route is simpler than the Marriage Visa ?

 

I believe the retirement extension is much simpler than the marriage extension, and I believe that IO's prefer processing a retirement extension over a marriage extension. But the retirement extension also has its downsides. Locking up 800k versus 400k. You can obtain a work permit with a marriage extension, you cannot with retirement. My own opinion: I suspect the marriage extension will be more stable over time with regards to any modifications of the extension laws and requirements.

[Wasp]

3 hours ago, timendres said:

 

I believe the retirement extension is much simpler than the marriage extension, and I believe that IO's prefer processing a retirement extension over a marriage extension. But the retirement extension also has its downsides. Locking up 800k versus 400k. You can obtain a work permit with a marriage extension, you cannot with retirement. My own opinion: I suspect the marriage extension will be more stable over time with regards to any modifications of the extension laws and requirements.

OK Timendres . I do appreciate . I don't need a work visa but locking up twice as much money is a pain . No good me asking and then not listening so I think the retirement visa is the way to go . I'm a good age and I certainly hope to leave her more than a million so 800000 in the bank is doable . Thank you .

[ubonjoe]

11 hours ago, Wasp said:

Once again . Something I didn't know about though it might have turned up in the Visa Forms . 

We married in the UK .

It is not a requirements to get a visa. Immigration requires your foreign marriage be registered at a Amphoe (district office) to get a Kor Ror 22.

You marriage certificate must be legalized by a authority it in the UK and the Thai embassy in London to do the registration. The procedure is here. Best to get it done before leaving the UK.

 https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/714089/Legalisation_info_June_2018.pdf

Then after you are here it will need to be translated to Thai and the translation be certified by the Department of Consular Affairs. Not a big problem to get done before going to the Amphoe.

[soi3eddie]

12 hours ago, Wasp said:

Fortunately I do have a Bank Account . Kasikorn . With which I have a problem . I can open it on the Internet and I can check it and send money to it but I can't send money on . Because I must use a PIN2 . Which I've forgotten . I tried to change my PIN2 but you must enter the old one ....... which ------ I've forgotten !  Big problem is that if I try what I thought was my PIN2 and I fail it will Lock my Account and I've locked it before and its a massive pain . So IF ( separate issue ) you know how to get around this I'd very much be appreciating .

 

Call Kasikorn Bank on their Bangkok number which is +66 2 888 8888. They speak excellent English and are very helpful. You could email them a copy of your passport to prove identity if needed. To transfer money OUT of your account to another person or to pay a bill you will need a mobile phone to receive the SMS-OTP code (one time password) needed for each transaction. I beleive it can only be sent to a Thai number but ask them if they have a solution for you.

 

[Peter Denis]

14 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

Besides covid insurance for any entry, there isn't any separate O visa insurance requirement

 

14 hours ago, ChouDoufu said:

isn't there a requirement for health insurance (in addition to the covid cover requirement) for NON-O-A from outside the country, and when extending?  but currently not for NON-O.

The mandatory Thai IO-approved health-insurance policy is normally only required when applying for a Non Imm O-A or a Non Imm O-X Visa at the Thai Embassy/Consulate of your home-country.

However, as part of the CoE requirements, some Thai Embassies (including the London one) now also require such insurance when applying for the Non Imm O Visa for reason of retirement.

Note: As the OP considers applying for a Non Imm O Visa for reason of marriage, he will not be confronted with that requirement.

 

> https://london.thaiembassy.org/en/publicservice/requirements-for-foreigners-travelling-to-thailand-during-covid-19-tra?page=5d6636cd15e39c3bd00072dd&menu=5f4b6eb3f6ae4b236972c562

[Peter Denis]

14 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

OP, did you get married in UK or Thailand ?

If its UK there will be a process to translate, register etc, your UK marriage in Thailand.

Its no big drama but something you need to be aware of.

OP mentioned that he married his Thai wife in UK.

When applying for the Non Imm O Visa for reason of marriage at the London Thai Embassy, he will be able to use that UK marriage certificate (accompanied with a copy of the Thai ID-card of his wife) for his application.

But once in Thailand, as Peterw42 correctly mentions, OP will need to get hold of a Thai marriage certificate as the UK one will not be accepted by Immigration when applying for a Visa or an extension for reason of Marriage to a Thai national.

As @ubonjoe wrote >

... Immigration requires your foreign marriage be registered at a Amphoe (district office) to get a Kor Ror 22.

You marriage certificate must be legalized by a authority it in the UK and the Thai embassy in London to do the registration. The procedure is here. Best to get it done before leaving the UK.

 https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/714089/Legalisation_info_June_2018.pdf

Then after you are here it will need to be translated to Thai and the translation be certified by the Department of Consular Affairs. Not a big problem to get done before going to the Amphoe.

>> To avoid any problems getting hold of that required Kor Ror 22, OP needs to ensure that he legalizes his UK marriage certificate in UK before leaving for Thailand  according to the procedure mentioned in the link provided by UJ.

[Peter Denis]

14 hours ago, Wasp said:

Fortunately I do have a Bank Account . Kasikorn . With which I have a problem . I can open it on the Internet and I can check it and send money to it but I can't send money on . Because I must use a PIN2 . Which I've forgotten . I tried to change my PIN2 but you must enter the old one ....... which ------ I've forgotten !  Big problem is that if I try what I thought was my PIN2 and I fail it will Lock my Account and I've locked it before and its a massive pain . So IF ( separate issue ) you know how to get around this I'd very much be appreciating .

The fact that you already have a personal Thai bank-account (with Kasikorn Bank) greatly simplifies things, as the crazy Thai banking system is such that it is not as easy as walking into a Thai bank and open an account.

When you are not able from UK to get hold of the 6-digit pin number which you don't remember anymore, it would normally be simple to solve the issue once you are in Thailand by going to a Kasikorn Bank branche with your bank-book and debit-card and they will re-set it for you.

It's a small problem to be solved and you won't need that Thai bank-account when you apply for a Visa from UK (if you opt for a Visa that requires financial requirements to be met, your UK bank-account will be accepted).

[cucme]

Enough advices sure.

Just the German Weissbeer will be the problem ????

[DaLa]

17 minutes ago, cucme said:

Enough advices sure.

Just the German Weissbeer will be the problem ????

Correct, all Wasp's problems with his visa will pale into insignificance when his 800,000 drains away on Weissbeer. They have it at my nearby restaurant but this is where 'cheap' Thailand ends.  But good luck to him anyway and cheers.

[Peter Denis]

It is difficult to make it 'super simple' for your situation because of 3 intertwined issues:

1 - Being +50 years of age AND married to a Thai national, you have many options to apply for Visa and extensions (which is of course a good thing);

2 - Currently EVERYONE wanting to re-enter Thailand, also needs to comply with the CoE (Certificate of Entry) requirements - and those requirements are not 'static' but are in-flux and on top of that are not consistently applied everywhere;

3 - You being married to a Thai national in UK will allow you to apply for a Non Imm O Visa for reason of marriage in UK.  But when entering Thailand on a different Visa (or Visa Exempt) and then applying for a Non Imm O Visa or an extension of stay for reason of marriage, requires that you get a Thai Marriage certificate as your UK one will not be accepted by Thai immigration.

 

Nevertheless I will try to provide you with a simplified overview of the options you have, so that you can make a well-informed choice.

In your situation there are basically 4 options you need to choose from, when wanting to enter Thailand, and the option you chooses has consequences for how to proceed once you are in Thailand.

The 4 options (and their pros/cons) are the following:

1 - Entering Thailand Visa Exempt, which will provide you with a 45 day permission to stay stamp.

The PRO of that option is that you do not need to apply for a Visa at the London Thai Embassy, and the consequence of doing that is that you will need to apply for a 90-day Non Imm O Visa (for reason of marriage or for reason of retirement) at the local Imm Office of the province where you intend to stay long-term. The application for such 90-day Non Imm O Visa needs to be done, when you still have at least 15 days left on that 45-day permission to stay you received on entry.  So in practice you will have a 15 day window to do it, as the first 15 days of your stay you will be in an ASQ quarantaine hotel.  Having applied for the Non Imm O Visa, you will need to collect your 90-day permission to stay at the end of the approx 2 week 'under consideration' period.  And in the last month of that 90-day permission to stay, you would then need to apply for a 1-year permission to stay based on that original Non Imm O Visa.

So the CONTRA of that easy no Visa required entry process, is that you will need to visit your local Imm Office 3 times in a relatively short period, having to make 2 applications.

2 - Applying for a 60-day Tourist Visa, at the London Thai Embassy which will provide you with a 60 day permission to stay stamp.

The process is exactly the same as for a Visa Exempt entry, so the PRO-CONTRA consideration is whether you are inclined to apply for that Visa just to get 15 days longer on the permission to stay stamp you will receive on entering Thailand.  Imo that is not worth it...

3 - Applying straight-away for a 90-day Non Imm O Visa, at the London Thai Embassy which will provide you with a 90 day permission to stay stamp.

The PRO of that option is that you then do not need to apply for such a Visa at your local Imm Office, but that you can then in the last month of that 90-day permission to stay, apply for the 1-year extension of stay.

When applying for that 90-day Non Imm O Visa at the London Thai Embassy, you have 2 options.  You can either apply for reason of marriage, or for reason of retirement (+50 years of age).

The requirements to be met for both applications are different, but a current CONTRA factor for doing this for reason of retirement is that the CoE now requires a Thai IO approved health-insurance for doing that.  So in your case it would make sense to apply for reason of marriage.

4 - You might be surprised that I also mention as fourth option to apply for a 1-year MultipleEntry Non Imm O-A Visa at the London Thai Embassy.  An absolute PRO of that Visa is that it will provide you with a 1-year permission to stay stamp on entry.  And each time you exit and then re-enter Thailand while the Visa is still valid (1 year from date of issue), you will once again receive a 1-year permission to stamp.  So when timed right, that Visa can provide you with almost 2 years of stay in Thailand WITHOUT the need to visit your local Imm Office for an extension of stay.

And on top of that during that almost 2 year stay, there is NO need to park or transfer funds to a Thai bank-account.

The only down-side of that Non Imm O-A Visa to start your long-stay in Thailand, is that it requires a Thai IO-approved health-insurance policy.  When reading the requirements for that on the Thai Embassy website you would be inclined to 'give up trying', but in actual fact it is neither difficult nor costly to subscribe to such a policy (just PM me if you are interested in a Guideline document I compiled on how to meet that insurance requirement, it is easy if you know how).

 

Some additional comments:

I - When applying for the 90-day Non Imm O Visa at your local Imm Office (after having arrived in Thailand Visa Exempt or on a 60-day Tourist Visa), you can do this for reason of marriage or for reason of retirement.  The requirements are different, but the financial requirements to be met for a 1-year extension for reason of marriage are way lower (+400K to be parked on your personal thai bank-account for approx 3 months - 2 months before application + the 3-4 week under consideration period) than what is required for a 1-year extension for reason of retirement (+800K to be parked on your personal thai bank-account during 2 months before and 3 months after your application, and +400K during the remaining months of the year, but having to top up again to +800K two months before your next 1-year extension of stay application).

However, a 1-year extension of stay application for reason of marriage requires proof that you are still married to your Thai wife and that both of you are living together at same address.  Sounds easy, but the Thai love for documents makes that somewhat of a challenge (especially if you are not very admin-minded).  Also in your case, you would need to get hold of the Thai Marriage Certificate as your UK one will not be accepted (see an earlier post of mine to you on that subject).

II - When applying for the 1-year extension of stay, you can SWITCH the reason for such application.  So having applied for the 90-day Non Imm O Visa for reason of marriage at the London Thai Embassy, you would be able to apply for the 1-year extension of stay at your local Imm Office for reason of retirement (when you meet the requirements for such application).

Similarly, when having applied for the 1-year Non Imm O-A Visa at the London Thai Embassy, you would be able to apply at the end of the 2-years the permission to stay could provide you, for a 1-year extension of stay for reason of marriage (thus avoiding the mandatory health-insurance for a retirement extension based on your original Non Imm O-A Visa).

 

Hope this info (simplified as much as possible without skipping essential details) will help you determine your best choice of Visa to enter Thailand for intended long-stay.

Unfortunately, navigating the Thai Visa jungle is not easy and quick/easy 1-sentence replies on questions you might have provided by the Embassy staff or by Immigration officals, will often not address consequences of your choice or possible alternatives.

Luckily the Thai Visa Forum members are there to help you.

Cheers and success!

[ubonjoe]

4 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

OP mentioned that he married his Thai wife in UK.

I think you missed my previous post.

6 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

It is not a requirements to get a visa. Immigration requires your foreign marriage be registered at a Amphoe (district office) to get a Kor Ror 22.

You marriage certificate must be legalized by a authority it in the UK and the Thai embassy in London to do the registration. The procedure is here. Best to get it done before leaving the UK.

 https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/714089/Legalisation_info_June_2018.pdf

Then after you are here it will need to be translated to Thai and the translation be certified by the Department of Consular Affairs. Not a big problem to get done before going to the Amphoe.

 

[Peter Denis]

2 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

I think you missed my previous post.

Hi UJ,

Yes, I only saw it after having responded to an earlier message  But then edited my response and inserted the content of your helpful post into it.

 

[Jack Hna]

19 hours ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

This guy: @Peter Denis can give you guidance, he will be along shortly or you can pm him.

Aka

my other profile.

 

[Pedrogaz]

20 hours ago, Brewster67 said:

A non-imm O visa based on marriage to a Thai from the UK for 60 or 90 days depending what you can get...

 

Get here, and put 400K into a bank account. Wait 60 days, then go to local immigration and ask for a list of everything else you need, such as house book, photos inside home, and with neighbours etc.. They have a pre-printed list of you can get from their website.

 

Fill everything in and get a letter from the bank saying this is a accurate bank statement. 

 

Immigration will give you a 60 day extension and tell you to come back after that and your visa will be ready, extendable after 12 months.

 

DONE

Is that a Mk 3 Cortina in your pic?

[Crossy]

@Wasp I've not read the entire thread so someone may already have said this but if you married in the UK you need to get your marriage certificate (and your birth certificate would be wise) legalised by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and then attested by the Thai embassy. 

 

It can be done by remote control but it's far, far easier whilst you are still in the UK.

 

EDIT As expected UbonJoe beat me to it by 7 hours ????