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Immigration officer house visit - what to expect?


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Hello, I just submitted my application for extension of stay (marriage) yesterday. IO told us to wait for a call within 1-2 weeks for a house visit. Two witnesses should not be a relative. As this is our first time, what can I expect in this process? I also have these few questions if you know the answers:

  • Witnesses should not be a relative. Does it mean we could not bring the cousins of my wife? They're not living in the same house or compound.
  • Will they knock the neighbors? There's one neighbor (adjacent), a relative of my wife who is not in good terms with the family. ???? 
  • What they usually do when they visited, do they inspect the full house?
  • What are the usual questions?
  • Any other tips for me?

And also, I'm confused with the timing. My passport has only until April 12 for my valid stay. IO stamp another 1 month because, so now it becomes May 11. IO said I will go back May 11 for receive extension if approved. That's 2 months from now. Is it really that long? 

Thanks.

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Here's what happened to me recently. 2 officers arrived, asked me if I spoke Thai, I said not really and they didn't speak to me again. They spent about 45 minutes completing some forms whilst speaking to my wife. They took a lot of photos. Then my wife's cousin came over to act as a witness, he had to sign some forms and was asked a lot of questions. Then they went on their way, they did not speak to any neighbours. They didn't go inside the house at all.

Edited by BenDeCosta
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2 minutes ago, Gahn5 said:

All in all, no problem as the purpose of these visits is so they know there's no dodgy scam marriages going on.

Just curious, what kind of a scam could that be? In the West the police would want to check your proof of address and also whether the marriage is not a mariage blanc. But who would go into a mariage blanc in Thailand since marriage to a Thai brings no rights?

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I think that they're just trying to make sure that the marriage is genuine, and I think that's a good idea. The officers I dealt with were polite, refused a drink or a cigarette and were more interested in our dogs. Seemed like nice guys.

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1 hour ago, JackGats said:

Just curious, what kind of a scam could that be? In the West the police would want to check your proof of address and also whether the marriage is not a mariage blanc. But who would go into a mariage blanc in Thailand since marriage to a Thai brings no rights?

not sure what a marriage blanc is but I do know that marriage scams are a major problem for immigration world wide. Paper is just paper, proof of an ongoing relationship is usually readily apparent when visiting someone's home. The right acquired is the visa extension on those grounds..

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Hi mpchamp,

Had a couple of home visits and they are NOT frightening at all.  The officers were really polite and friendly and they were not intrusive at all.  Photographs around the house of my wife and I, clothes in the wardrobes [we have open walk-in wardrobes] and no actual questions to us at all really.  They seemed more interested in the Bang Kaew dogs!  

In all - it's part of the procedure but not anything you should worry about.  We had two friends [Thai] visit while they were there and they just asked them some easy and simple questions and we gave them copies of their ID cards and that was really it.

It is only really to check you are a real married couple living together.  There have been incidents of 'marriages of convenience' but that happens in every country.  Once they are satisfied you are a real couple they do not pursue it any further.

I am on my 'under consideration' period at the moment but I am not worried in the slightest that the extension will be given.

Be polite - look as though you are glad to see them - offer them a cold drink [NOT alcohol!] and you should have no problems whatsoever.

 

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OP, so long as surnames don't match and you don't mention it, you could get away with having relatives as witness's.

Witnesses usually need their ID and blue book (copy)

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2 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

OP, so long as surnames don't match and you don't mention it, you could get away with having relatives as witness's.

Witnesses usually need their ID and blue book (copy)

I used a witness that was a family member, no problem at all.

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On 3/13/2021 at 2:37 PM, Gahn5 said:

Two Officers arrived at our place the day after my application was submitted and were very polite. 

We offered them cool drinks, which they accepted, they took out a printer from their car to use to copy the Id cards of the two witnesses who are our neighbours (and not related) and asked them various questions; how long had their known me and the wife, what's he like, is he good with the villagers and kids, how many live in the house etc.

Talk was mainly Thai or Khmer, some English, stayed for about an hour looking around downstairs but didn't go upstairs.

Basically, could the witnesses attest to the farangs character? Our village is very close-knit with the other neighbours being aunts or cousins or in laws; even had the village mayor sitting outside, and they only had a short chat with him.

All in all, no problem as the purpose of these visits is so they know there's no dodgy scam marriages going on.

That was fast! Did they call you before they arrive?

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40 minutes ago, Gahn5 said:

Yes, they said expect us in 3/4's of an hour (coming from Sisaket). We weren't home, but finished our errands in town and 40 minutes later drove home.

As we turned into the road to the village we caught up to them, in their 5 series police decal adorned Bimmer, and they followed us into the Moo (followed by gob-smacked kiddies, soi dogs and curious locals!) (No, there was no piper playing!)

I submitted my first application in the morning and they were at my house at 2 pm the same day, before I left the office they said to expect a visit today , this was 12 months ago 

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On 3/13/2021 at 8:57 AM, BenDeCosta said:

I think that they're just trying to make sure that the marriage is genuine, and I think that's a good idea. The officers I dealt with were polite, refused a drink or a cigarette and were more interested in our dogs. Seemed like nice guys.

We were married in Thailand 14 years ago my wife has a Europeen passport with the same surname as mine. We also have 12 year old boy born in Thailand with same surname and they still question are we legally married . I suppose this another example of TIT.

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We had our guys rock up a week after my visa application. Got a phone call the previous evening. 
The arrived at 8.30am. Asked the wife a couple of questions, asked me about my Ducati and Cefiro and accepted our offer of water. 
Got the local Poo Yai over as a witness, they took 3 pics and if they went. All up about 20mins and painless. Huay Yai/Pattaya 

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All my neighbours are wife's relatives and it wasn't a problem upon the io visit. One witness was my wife's sister and the other a cousin.  A little chat, a few photos, some signatures from the witnesses and that was it. Took about 30 mins. Every province is different though. If you post your location you will get all the answers you need. 

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On 3/13/2021 at 2:37 PM, Gahn5 said:

All in all, no problem as the purpose of these visits is so they know there's no dodgy scam marriages going on.

There must be more to it than that. They had proof my wife and I have been married for 30 years but they still came and went through the pantomime of speaking to two people from over the road, examining their house certificates etc. They ignored me completely. I think they do it just to get out of the office.

Edited by Bangkok Barry
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On 3/13/2021 at 6:42 PM, JackGats said:

But who would go into a mariage blanc in Thailand since marriage to a Thai brings no rights?

Other than halving the financial requirements. When the Baht started strengthening there was a lot of talk of people scraping by on retirement getting priced out.

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On 3/13/2021 at 2:42 PM, JackGats said:

But who would go into a mariage blanc in Thailand since marriage to a Thai brings no rights?

No rights as such, but You can get a one year extension while under the age of 50yr and only need B400,000 in the bank for 2mths. There was a case of a young guy marrying a woman of 70yr old and many other sham marriages, where the 'couples' did not even live together this is what brought on home visits.

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On 3/13/2021 at 4:15 PM, Shannoblic said:

Be polite - look as though you are glad to see them - offer them a cold drink [NOT alcohol!] and you should have no problems whatsoever.

First visit I ever got at 1 1 am one of the officers was completely pished, reeking of alcohol, one year later they phoned and said ''be there in 2hrs, and he is not drunk this time'' True story.

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not to worry most of it a formality  have you had a request for any type of payment   if so dont give if they have not asked even better i did my first one last year they came  they saw .did their stuff and left all ok polite ..this year did all my paperwork my wife asked when the visit would  be told   ok no visit   great  good luck im sure all will be fine

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  • 3 weeks later...

Since I started this post, I'll also share my own experience. They called us a day before the visit (maybe around 4PM) to tell us they will come 1:30PM the next day and to print another set of pictures with my 2 kids in front of the house and inside. Also to print the house book and ID's of the 2 witnesses. We've also told to prepare a table for their laptop and printer. I guess around 1:20PM they already inside the compound since the gate is open. The car is very quiet and we didn't hear them coming. As everyone have said, they didn't ask me directly much. More on the witnesses like how long they have known me. My confusion is that if I understood, they also ask the witness about their family income. Seems not in anyway related to me.

We just received another call today that they asked more documents such as my Father in law house book and id, house book of my 2 kids. It's fine but the only hassle is that, they didn't asked for these when we go to immigration office 2 times before, or when officer visit the house. Now I need to go back again to immigration office. 

But so far the visit is fine, we prepared them some snacks. They took more pictures with us, and standing with them in front of the house and beside the police car. They said normally its only on first visit. 

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