Why is the marriage extension so difficult ?

[Wookie]

I applied to change my retirement extension to a marriage extension last week. What a load of requirements and not just paperwork !

 

Copies of:

every passport page × 2 + original

TM7 × 2

New form signed, acknowledging circumstances when extension becomes invalid and subsequent penalties x 2

TM6 × 2

Marriage certificate × 2 + original

Kor ror 2 x 2  + original

Wife's Ta Bien Baan x 2 + original

Wife's ID x 2 + original

My yellow Ta Bien Baan x 2 + original

Leter from bank issued same day × 2 + original

Bank statement for past 12 months × 2 + original

Bank book pages for past 12 months showing a transaction on day of application × 2 + original

6 photos with wife in front of and in house × 2

 

Had to book the appointment in advance - not possible online so had to call in to book it a week before.

Had to bring along two thai witnesses from our "neighbourhood". They were asked many questions about us and also about themselves, including what was their occupation and earnings !

They had to bring their Ta Bien Baans and IDs and 2 copies and sign the copies.

My wife was interviewed separately and asked how we met and why we got married.

They then typed a copy of what she said and she had to sign 2 copies.

It was all conducted in a friendly manner but it all seemed very excessive.

Anyway was told to come back in 30 days and my passport was stamped, under consideration.

They didn't reset my 90 day report so I have to do that in 60 days !

The retirement extension is so much quicker and easier !

 

 

 

[jackdd]

2 minutes ago, Wookie said:

My yellow Ta Bien Baan x 2 + original

That's not required.

 

2 minutes ago, Wookie said:

The retirement extension is so much quicker and easier !

Yes it is, even for IOs, which is why they often pressure people into getting a retirement instead of a marriage extension.

[BEVUP]

& here they are pushing people to get the right Visa

I think it comes down to more of the fact that it also allows you to work

[NancyL]

The marriage visa application has to go to Bangkok for approval while the retirement visa extension are approved locally.  The local immigration offices want to make sure that they have done all the paperwork correctly because of the higher level review.

 

Also, since the financial requirements are less for the marriage visa, they want to make sure the applicants haven't set up sham marriages to lessen their financial burdens.

[CharlieH]

15 minutes ago, jackdd said:

That's not required.

 

Yes it is, even for IOs, which is why they often pressure people into getting a retirement instead of a marriage extension.

 

Well it was for mine also, saying "its not required" may be the official view but means absolutely nothing to the office you are attending and requirements can and do vary by office and even by officer.

 

My application was in excess of 88 pages over 176 signatures so yes I know exactly where the OP is coming from and agree its not only excessive but frankly ridiculous ! it is deliberately obstructive IMHO

[DrJack54]

I can understand the scrutiny regarding marriage. Easy way to live in Thailand and also possiblity of work. Especially appealing if under 50.

 

[lopburi3]

8 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Easy way to live in Thailand

Guess you haven't been married long.  ????

[ukrules]

40 minutes ago, Wookie said:

The retirement extension is so much quicker and easier !

.....and that is the point.

[WineOh]

28 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

My application was in excess of 88 pages over 176 signatures so yes I know exactly where the OP is coming from and agree its not only excessive but frankly ridiculous ! it is deliberately obstructive IMHO

Ever get the feeling you're not wanted?

They hardly make things easy for us here, do they?

[RichardColeman]

Friend of mine with an agent (nudge nudge) got told marriage visa was a waste of time and get retirement one as it was so much easier and less paperwork. You'd think for supporting a wife a kid they'd make it easier

[userabcd]

Not difficult at all at CW.

 

Never had to make an appointment to renew but rules may have changed.

 

Only ever prepared one set of docs about 10 pages in all, get the bank letter at the bank in immig, take photos quickly at CW, fill in the forms at immigration, get a number and wait.

 

My wife takes about 1 hr to prepare the docs the day before we go.

 

The waiting to be called to see the immig officer is what takes the most time, but once with the immigration officer it is about 15 mins to process and then we go home.

[Morch]

The first marriage visa application was a PITA - more documents asked for, more questions asked. Got better (or we got used to the routine) over time. Moving to our province from Bangkok meant a bit of restart on that, but no big deal, really. I think how much of a hassle it is comes down to which office/officers one is dealing with. As for it being over the top etc., thought so at the time, not so sure nowadays. If going through the same procedures in your home country, are things all that much different? (from your spouse's point of view).

[allane]

They are trying to prevent "Marriages of Convenience", wherein a citizen (usually a female) makes a business out of serial marriages to foreigners in return for a large cash payment. I am Canadian, and can remember when it was an issue there decades ago.It was often the case that bride and groom had sometimes barely even met each other. The marriage was just a sham, to give the non-citizen a toehold in the country, and enough time to establish some other legal basis to stay there. 

In Canada, then, and still,  I think, tourist visas required a substantial cash deposit; enough to make them impossible for people from low income countries. 

[HampiK]

46 minutes ago, userabcd said:

Not difficult at all at CW.

 

Never had to make an appointment to renew but rules may have changed.

 

Only ever prepared one set of docs about 10 pages in all, get the bank letter at the bank in immig, take photos quickly at CW, fill in the forms at immigration, get a number and wait.

 

My wife takes about 1 hr to prepare the docs the day before we go.

 

The waiting to be called to see the immig officer is what takes the most time, but once with the immigration officer it is about 15 mins to process and then we go home.

Yes, but because you not have to do everything in double, as this is already the HQ.

The most annoying thing at Chaeng Wattana is the waiting time and the long queues. and of course the traffic depending from where you come. I need about half a day for preparation, as I go to bank the day before for the bank letter, then print out some pictures, and print out the rest. some papers I always use from last year like my map, ID cards copy and so on. But of course a retirement would be much easier, because you not have to wait the 30 days and go again there for a shorter queue but still wait.. and the traffic again ???? 

[Moonlover]

1 hour ago, Wookie said:

I applied to change my retirement extension to a marriage extension last week. What a load of requirements and not just paperwork !

 

Copies of:

every passport page × 2 + original

TM7 × 2

New form signed, acknowledging circumstances when extension becomes invalid and subsequent penalties x 2

TM6 × 2

Marriage certificate × 2 + original

Kor ror 2 x 2  + original

Wife's Ta Bien Baan x 2 + original

Wife's ID x 2 + original

My yellow Ta Bien Baan x 2 + original

Leter from bank issued same day × 2 + original

Bank statement for past 12 months × 2 + original

Bank book pages for past 12 months showing a transaction on day of application × 2 + original

6 photos with wife in front of and in house × 2

 

Had to book the appointment in advance - not possible online so had to call in to book it a week before.

Had to bring along two thai witnesses from our "neighbourhood". They were asked many questions about us and also about themselves, including what was their occupation and earnings !

They had to bring their Ta Bien Baans and IDs and 2 copies and sign the copies.

My wife was interviewed separately and asked how we met and why we got married.

They then typed a copy of what she said and she had to sign 2 copies.

It was all conducted in a friendly manner but it all seemed very excessive.

Anyway was told to come back in 30 days and my passport was stamped, under consideration.

They didn't reset my 90 day report so I have to do that in 60 days !

The retirement extension is so much quicker and easier !

 

 

 

Don't worry about it. Most of us will have gone through this when they apply for the first marriage extension. As already mentioned, they want to be sure that you are really married and cohabiting, not just having a sham marriage of convenience. They do happen here and have been reported on TVF in the past.

 

It won't be as daunted from now on. Madam Moon and I no longer require any witnesses or a home visit and our details are already on file so it's just a matter off print off and sign. 

[richard_smith237]

I did the Marriage Extensions for the first time in October. 

 

After reading so much about it on this forum I was expecting a bit of a nightmare. 

 

I don’t know how some people can say its difficult - its a simple matter of getting the right paperwork together. 

 

I found it quite easy (at Chaengwattana) - the biggest pain in the backside is the ‘under-consideration’ part and having to go back again a month later.

 

 

That said: it seems the Op was expected to provide a bit extra: i.e. 2 witnesses.

 

 

 

AND: The '90 day Report' automatically re-sets on the date of the extension of stay.

 

 

 

[ubonjoe]

14 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

The '90 day Report' automatically re-sets on the date of the extension of stay.

Only for the first extension of stay unless the office you go to does a new 90 day report and gives your a receipt for it.

[wilkis333]

4 hours ago, NancyL said:

The marriage visa application has to go to Bangkok for approval while the retirement visa extension are approved locally.  The local immigration offices want to make sure that they have done all the paperwork correctly because of the higher level review.

 

Also, since the financial requirements are less for the marriage visa, they want to make sure the applicants haven't set up sham marriages to lessen their financial burdens.

In my memory, bangkok central immigration will approve the visa as sent by local district office. No reject case as quoted in this forum.

[ubonjoe]

4 hours ago, NancyL said:

The marriage visa application has to go to Bangkok for approval while the retirement visa extension are approved locally. 

The only go to Bangkok unless use immigration in Bangkok and it is sent to Division 1 for approval. Also for those in the central region they are sent to Division 3 in Bangkok.

The others are sent to the Division responsible for the other 3 regions of the country.

[guzzi850m2]

I did or should I say tried marriage extension today (1 year).

 

Was kicked out with the words: Goggle maps not accepted showing where you live, has to be a drawing.

 

Photos: Selfies not allowed, have to be a 3rd person taking the photos.

 

This is Pattaya.

 

So now, I made drawings of our location and a friend living close by came by and took photos of the family i 4 different locations on the property and will go back to immigration again tomorrow. 

 

Retirement much much easier but was not possible back in Sep last year.

[userabcd]

49 minutes ago, guzzi850m2 said:

I did or should I say tried marriage extension today (1 year).

 

Was kicked out with the words: Goggle maps not accepted showing where you live, has to be a drawing - In CW for a long time they don't want google maps, it must be hand drawn. I remember a few years ago the immigration lady said to my wife she does not understand my hand drawn map but since then my wife reminds me every year of that and she now hand draws the map the way the Thai people will be happy with it.

 

Photos: Selfies not allowed, have to be a 3rd person taking the photos. I bought a cheap tripod and set it up from a distance and can take photos using a small BT remote that came with the tripod to activate the phone camera.

 

This is Pattaya.

 

So now, I made drawings of our location and a friend living close by came by and took photos of the family i 4 different locations on the property and will go back to immigration again tomorrow. 

 

Retirement much much easier but was not possible back in Sep last year.

 

[In the jungle]

Despite the fact that I meet the financial requirements I just cannot bring myself to providing a gazillion documents many of which are irrelevant to the issues they have to consider for a marriage application.

 

To take just one example my wife and I married 27 years ago in Europe.  If I apply on the basis of marriage outside Thailand the MFA staff at embassies and consulates abroad spend about ten seconds looking at the marriage certificate before concluding it is genuine. 

 

If I apply in Thailand on the basis of marriage I have to get a KR22 and to get that I have to get the marriage certificate certified by my home country government, the Thai Embassy in my home country and then the MFA in Bangkok. 

 

Self respect dictates that I cannot through the in country process.  The daft photos.  The home visit with requests for bribes.  The whole damn process.

 

I just cannot understand the guys on here who get righteous about the fact that they bend over and go through this stuff every year and choose to broadcast that fact on the web.

 

If in the end they refuse me an extension of stay my wife and I will leave and never come back on a full time basis.  Perhaps a few months a year here to avoid the worst of the European winter.  And we will cash in all our assets here which is a good chunk of change.

 

And consider this, at the the same time as you are wading through the pointless red tape of a marriage application Burmese illegal entrants are getting two year visas based on nothing at all!

[edwinchester]

5 hours ago, Wookie said:

I applied to change my retirement extension to a marriage extension last week. What a load of requirements and not just paperwork !

 

Copies of:

every passport page × 2 + original

TM7 × 2

New form signed, acknowledging circumstances when extension becomes invalid and subsequent penalties x 2

TM6 × 2

Marriage certificate × 2 + original

Kor ror 2 x 2  + original

Wife's Ta Bien Baan x 2 + original

Wife's ID x 2 + original

My yellow Ta Bien Baan x 2 + original

Leter from bank issued same day × 2 + original

Bank statement for past 12 months × 2 + original

Bank book pages for past 12 months showing a transaction on day of application × 2 + original

6 photos with wife in front of and in house × 2

 

Had to book the appointment in advance - not possible online so had to call in to book it a week before.

Had to bring along two thai witnesses from our "neighbourhood". They were asked many questions about us and also about themselves, including what was their occupation and earnings !

They had to bring their Ta Bien Baans and IDs and 2 copies and sign the copies.

My wife was interviewed separately and asked how we met and why we got married.

They then typed a copy of what she said and she had to sign 2 copies.

It was all conducted in a friendly manner but it all seemed very excessive.

Anyway was told to come back in 30 days and my passport was stamped, under consideration.

They didn't reset my 90 day report so I have to do that in 60 days !

The retirement extension is so much quicker and easier !

 

 

 

Sounds like Kanchanaburi where I live....almost a never ending list of required documents.

[DrJack54]

17 minutes ago, In the jungle said:

Self respect dictates that I cannot through the in country process.  The daft photos.  The home visit with requests for bribes.  The whole damn process.

You can make life difficult or easy. 

Stick 800k in a dedicated bank a/c and do retirement extensions. Problems gone.

 

[guzzi850m2]

36 minutes ago, In the jungle said:

Despite the fact that I meet the financial requirements I just cannot bring myself to providing a gazillion documents many of which are irrelevant to the issues they have to consider for a marriage application.

 

To take just one example my wife and I married 27 years ago in Europe.  If I apply on the basis of marriage outside Thailand the MFA staff at embassies and consulates abroad spend about ten seconds looking at the marriage certificate before concluding it is genuine. 

 

If I apply in Thailand on the basis of marriage I have to get a KR22 and to get that I have to get the marriage certificate certified by my home country government, the Thai Embassy in my home country and then the MFA in Bangkok. 

 

Self respect dictates that I cannot through the in country process.  The daft photos.  The home visit with requests for bribes.  The whole damn process.

 

I just cannot understand the guys on here who get righteous about the fact that they bend over and go through this stuff every year and choose to broadcast that fact on the web.

 

If in the end they refuse me an extension of stay my wife and I will leave and never come back on a full time basis.  Perhaps a few months a year here to avoid the worst of the European winter.  And we will cash in all our assets here which is a good chunk of change.

 

And consider this, at the the same time as you are wading through the pointless red tape of a marriage application Burmese illegal entrants are getting two year visas based on nothing at all!

My friend had a visit from immigration last week, not a single word was said about money (Pattaya).

 

Well if it's that hard on you, you can get retirement next time? I go revert back to retirement next time I think. 

 

But yes don't really understand why they give us so much <deleted> on a marriage visa,  my son goes in a good private school, we live in a fairly nice house, go out and eats in good restaurants during weekends, so all in all contributing to the society.

 

They should give us a 3 or 5 years visa, report once a year.   

[bwpage3]

5 hours ago, CharlieH said:

 

Well it was for mine also, saying "its not required" may be the official view but means absolutely nothing to the office you are attending and requirements can and do vary by office and even by officer.

 

My application was in excess of 88 pages over 176 signatures so yes I know exactly where the OP is coming from and agree its not only excessive but frankly ridiculous ! it is deliberately obstructive IMHO

Is that a one time thing or do you have go through this every year to renew?

[CharlieH]

2 minutes ago, bwpage3 said:

Is that a one time thing or do you have go through this every year to renew?

I'll let you know in 2 months at next renewal. I expect it to be the same but probably more.

[In the jungle]

5 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

You can make life difficult or easy. 

Stick 800k in a dedicated bank a/c and do retirement extensions. Problems gone.

 

 

I know that is easy but I will not do that because it is much harder to take the money out than it is to bring it in.

 

I don't see my long term future in Thailand.  Within the next few years I plan on leaving for Europe.  

[EricTh]

The Thai government make it so difficult for any long-term visa, not just marriage. 

 

I don't agree with some members that retirement visa is 'easy'. It was easier in the past but not now. Every year, they come up with more and more requirements.

 

There are tons of unnecessary paperwork and photocopying just to feed those 'officers' salaries.

 

 

[DrJack54]

1 minute ago, In the jungle said:

 

I know that is easy but I will not do that because it is much harder to take the money out than it is to bring it in.

 

I don't see my long term future in Thailand.  Within the next few years I plan on leaving for Europe.  

You sort of have a point but not really. With the 800k in your Thai bank there is no need to show immigration those funds are in bank after issue of your annual extension. (apart from rogue imm offices such as Jomtien).

If you decide to leave permanently then just run the funds out. 

Also there are ways to transfer funds out of Thailand.