American marrying Thai. Marriage Visa Renewal Question.

[DrJoy]

2 minutes ago, overherebc said:

Because they can.

Coz we did the extension by ourselves, didnt use agent.

 

So be ready to get your ass torn ????

[Lite Beer]

6 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Don't forget the photos of you and she in front of the house, sitting on the bed etc.....it was why I switched to retirement when I hit 50.

Why would you provide a photo of you on the bed?

Certainly not a requirement.

[DrJack54]

6 minutes ago, DrJoy said:

They do home visit only on the 1st extension based on Thai wife.

 

Subsequent extension = No

Stated with such confidence.

Can you speak for the ~75 immigration offices in Thailand. 

Subsequent extensions = up to immigration office. 

[Lite Beer]

Having kids together provides further evidence that the marriage is legit.

So it is to your benefit.

[Lite Beer]

Never had a home visit in 16 years.

[Guest Isaanlife]

It is possible to use the same document package (copying it after the first time) year after year?

 

I understand you would have to provide an up to date banking statement each year.

[DrJack54]

10 minutes ago, DrJoy said:

Coz we did the extension by ourselves, didnt use agent.

I'm not aware of anyone using agent for extensions based on marriage.

Yes very few use agents (marriage) to assist with paperwork. Certainly not financial requirements etc.

[DrJack54]

Just now, Isaanlife said:

It is possible to use the same document package (copying it after the first time) year after year?

 

I understand you would have to provide an up to date banking statement each year.

No.

[DrJack54]

4 minutes ago, Lite Beer said:

Never had a home visit in 16 years.

Best advise OP to move to your immigration office area. 

[IvorBiggun2]

8 hours ago, Lite Beer said:

Having kids together provides further evidence that the marriage is legit.

Does having children out of wedlock not happen in Thailand?

[sirineou]

15 hours ago, koratkarlos said:

I am an American and married to a Thai woman.  As you must attend a meeting with your wife at Immigration every year I agree with the forum and suggest you do this yourself.  I thought about getting help but by the time you get together all of the necessary paperwork you might as well just finish the application.  It does not take so long.  And I have found Thai Immigration to be professional and polite at all times.  It is 100% about getting the paperwork right and having the cash.  You can do it!

Same here

after reading all the stories and opinions, I was a bit apprehensive and considered hiring an agent, but I was pleasantly surprised how easy it was. We are located in Khon Kaen and also had the same positive experience with the immigration office there.  before summited our paperwork was reviewed by the receptionist lady where you also get a number, she pointed out  couple of things the were not done correctly, we fixed them, a short seat down with the Immigration officer, and we were set. A week later we wad pleasant visit at home by  a couple of very nice immigration officers, and we were set with an under consideration stamp. a few weeks later I had my one year extension.

  Make sure your passport is valid for a full year otherwise your extension will be for the time remaining in your passport and not a full year. 

[ubonjoe]

21 minutes ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

Does having children out of wedlock not happen in Thailand?

It does happen. 

If not married when the child was born it requires legitimizing your parenthood to apply for a extension based upon being the parent of a Thai.

[pagallim]

10 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

 

On personal note I would change to retirement from marriage just because I would not accept immigration officers to enter my home. Also present witnesses. IMO it's a nonsense. 

 

 

I'm on my 4th Marriage extension (with 9 previous Retirement ones) and have never had a home visit.    Apart from the actual marriage and wife's documentation, there is little difference in paperwork terms.   For me at least, not being required to maintain a minimum balance of 400,000 baht in my bank account for 6 months of the year (and 800,000 for the other six months) as is the case with a Retirement extension is reason enough.

 

WRT the two copies, Marriage extensions are approved at a Regional level, not local.   For instance, my local office in Phuket sends one set of copies to Hat Yai (the regional office) for consideration/approval, retaining one set in Phuket.

[Peterw42]

OP, you wont find many (if any) agents that do marriage visa's, and if you do its just a hand holding exercise while you (and your wife) do the extension. You wont find any agent that attends immigration on your behalf, or can do creative solutions for missing documents/financials.

Take any of the mentioned requirements with a grain of salt, as the requirements vary from office to office, and year to year in the same office.

I do a marriage extension every year, it takes a morning, visit ampher for kor ror 2, visit bank for letter/passbook update, immigration mid morning, whatever photo copies they want this year but didn't want last year, submit the same photos each year, finished by lunchtime.

usually later that same day, immigration comes to my condo, a quick photo with the condo office staff (witness). Stamp in passport 1 month later.

Edited January 2, 2022 by Peterw42

[IvorBiggun2]

4 minutes ago, pagallim said:

 For instance, my local office in Phuket sends one set of copies to Hat Yai (the regional office) for consideration/approval, retaining one set in Phuket.

So why do they send off ones documents to the (regional office) knowing full well that the the application will be accepted as it was fully checked, probably twice, before it was sent. To me it's just another way of pis*ing off Johny Foreigner.

[IvorBiggun2]

6 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

You wont find any agent that attends immigration on your behalf

I'm sure I'm 100% correct in that Buriram IO are the agents themselves.

[Lite Beer]

11 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Best advise OP to move to your immigration office area. 

Actually 3 different offices over the years.

Back in the day it took over eight months to get the marriage extension.

Passport full of under consideration stamps.

Those moaning today don't know how easy they have it.

Edited January 2, 2022 by Lite Beer
B

[overherebc]

3 hours ago, Lite Beer said:

Actually 3 different offices over the years.

Back in the day it took over eight months to get the marriage extension.

Passport full of under consideration stamps.

Those moaning today don't know how easy they have it.

Eee by goom, when I were a lad ---------

????????????????

[IvorBiggun2]

8 hours ago, Lite Beer said:

Actually 3 different offices over the years.

Light weight. Offices for me have changed 7 times since 2005. Even though I haven't moved.

1 Kap Choeng

2 St Mary's school Korat

3 The old TOT offices 12 Km outside Korat

4 Chok Chai

5 The Pottery Village. 

6 Back to Kap Choeng.

7 Buriram.

Edited January 2, 2022 by IvorBiggun2

[Maestro]

On 1/1/2022 at 10:27 AM, pagallim said:

Not necessary (sitting on the bed)...

 

It is known to vary from one immigration office to the next and within an immigration office from one official to the next.

 

[Maestro]

On 1/1/2022 at 12:53 PM, IvorBiggun2 said:

...What TF does my children have to do with an extension based on marriage for FS??????...

 

The birth certificates of your children, required by some immigration officials, serve as additional proof that your marriage is real, that it has been consummated, ie that what you call TF has taken place. Weird, but that's TIT for you. Count your blessings that they do not want video evidence of the act.

[Maestro]

22 hours ago, Lite Beer said:

Why would you provide a photo of you on the bed?

Certainly not a requirement.

 

I have seen a number of first-hand reports on this forum stating that in some immigration offices, a photo of the couple sitting on the bed was needed. Some posts also mentioned the requirement of a photo of an open wardrobe showing clothes of both husband and wife inside. All this runs as part of the criterion "...the relationship must be de jure and de facto...", with emphasis on de facto, a clause that allows an immigration official's imagination to run wild as to what he can ask for.

Reference: Clause 2.11(3) of Police Order 327/2557 (2014)

 

[IvorBiggun2]

13 hours ago, Maestro said:

The birth certificates of your children, required by some immigration officials, serve as additional proof that your marriage is real

Why additional? Marriage Certs and KR2 with photo's and a home visit surely should be enough? Children are not expected to be at home for the home visit or visit to immigration. Even photos , KR2, Marriage Cert plus a home visit are still not proof of a legit marriage. 

There was a German who lived in our village with his Thai boyfriend and had a 12 month extension, based on marriage. To get around the marriage law the German married the boyfriends widowed/divorced mother. They didn't live together as husband and wife  but got together for the trip, once a year, to immigration.

It's all a load of <deleted>.

Edited January 3, 2022 by IvorBiggun2