Tourist Visa Rolled Into Marriage Visa Question(s)

[chokdeekrap]

hi gang,

i plan to be heading back to LOS in sept. from what i remember i should get a multi-entry tourist visa from the thai embassy here at home (canada) before heading out. this will initially allow me to stay for 60 days uninterrupted. then i can do the border run thang & re-enter for another 60 days (multi-entry tourist visa)?

somewhere within that first 4 months i will be marrying my thai GF, so i can then go for a marriage visa (& we can then apply for her PR to canada). my question on the marriage visa thang is i remember talking to many peeps before & after the recent changes to the visa rules. i believe once i am eligible for a marriage visa i can go to penang/singapore (vietienne? looking for my cheapest alternative here) to get my marriage visa that allows me to stay for a year. now i also believe you need to show a certain amount of thai $ in a thai bank account for this visa (400,000 baht i believe)? i thought i also remember an alternate option that if you could prove 40,000 baht/month income (via latest income statement from home country ok if certified by canadian embassy in my case)? although i could put 400,000 baht into a thai bank account it isn't my first choice (as i believe it also needs to be there for like 90 days or something?).

this could have been an option before the recent visa changes happened but i remember doing visa runs with one guy who was married to a thai & this is where i am quite fuzzy with the details but he was doing visa runs so that he didn't have to tie up any of his money. not just 30 no visa border runs but he had a visa as a result of his marriage but it required regular runs to the border. is there anything along these lines that would be available to someone married to a thai that doesn't want to tie up money?

so sorry for the long long post, but trying to get prepared well ahead of my visit this time.

cheers,

chokdeekrap

[lopburi3]

1. It is called a two entry tourist visa and each entry can be extended for 30 days at Immigration upon payment of 1,900 baht.

2. The visa after marriage is/was called a multi entry non immigrant O visa. Very few Consulates in the area of Thailand issue them anymore. KL might but also likely you would receive a single entry providing a 90 day stay. The exception is Singapore, if you can prove your financial ability with 400k or more in a bank account (anywhere).

3. The 400k in Thai bank (old system) or 40k monthly family income is used for one year extensions of stay for those living here - it appears you place to move back to Canada so that is not what you will require.

4. So if you can show money try Singapore for multi entry. If not try KL and hope for the best. Most Consulates will provide the 90 day single entry.

[chokdeekrap]

1. It is called a two entry tourist visa and each entry can be extended for 30 days at Immigration upon payment of 1,900 baht.

kk so i remember now, you can extend in bkk the first 60 day tourist visa for 1900 baht.

The exception is Singapore, if you can prove your financial ability with 400k or more in a bank account (anywhere).

this would be ideal & the easiest solution for me (not having to move money around). can you provide more details with reagrds to this visa option?

it appears you place to move back to Canada so that is not what you will require.

actually i will be back in LOS until the GF gets her canadian PR, which by the sounds of it will take ~1 year. so i am expecting to be back in LOS for 1 year +. i plan to do my celta teaching cert & try my hand at teaching so who knows if that goes well i could wanna stay longer. i love living in LOS but i need dosh (eventually) so if i can make it in LOS then all the better.

thanks for the reply lopburi.

cheers,

chokdeekrap

[lopburi3]

Visit Royal Thai Embassy in Singapore and apply in morning and pick up next afternoon. Multi Entry non immigrant O visa to visit wife. Provide copy of marriage certificate and proof of bank account with more than 400k somewhere. Price should be about 5,000 baht in local currency. But read up shortly before you travel as visa requirements at various Consulates often change.

[chokdeekrap]

proof of bank account with more than 400k somewhere.

ok kewls. it looks like i can provide proof from my bank account back home. does the bank statement have be certified by my embassy or someone to verrify whatever it is they might be able to verify?

[lopburi3]

For the multi entry visa issue at Singapore it is just present some form of proof you have more than 400k to support your stay - a bank book or bank statement I believe is acceptable.

The Embassy paperwork is used with Immigration requirements for extensions of stay.