Clarifying Confusion - Multiple Entry Non-imm 'o' With No Income Req?

[bzalt]

I'm a US citizen, age 37, have spent most of the past 3 years in Thailand using 'visa runs', and last year married my Thai girlfriend. I have spent the last 6 months working in the US and am planning to return to Thailand shortly, trying to plan a long stay of up to a year.

I have enough to live on but am not able to meet the B40,000 p/m income requirement. Therefore, what my research seems to tell me is that my best option for a long stay is a multiple-entry non-immigrant 'O' visa, of the type which requires me to leave and re-enter Thailand every 90 days. My wife recently confirmed with a UK citizen (also married to a Thai) that he has obtained this type of visa, which only required him to sign an affirmation on the application that he had adequate means of support. (It seems to me that the other way, which does require the income proof, is to enter on a 90-day non-Imm 'O' and then apply for the one-year extension...?)

But the discussion in this forum and elsewhere has left me very confused. So, straight and simple, does this category truly exist? Is it easily obtained from any Thai consulate in the US? (Los Angeles would be my first option).

If this is true, then one more question - do I need to have advance tickets booked for outgoing travel for each future entry period, before I apply?

thanks.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

LA is as tough as nails. Apply by mail through the Houston Thai Consulate.

[IMA_FARANG]

I'm a US citizen, age 37, have spent most of the past 3 years in Thailand using 'visa runs', and last year married my Thai girlfriend. I have spent the last 6 months working in the US and am planning to return to Thailand shortly, trying to plan a long stay of up to a year.

I have enough to live on but am not able to meet the B40,000 p/m income requirement. Therefore, what my research seems to tell me is that my best option for a long stay is a multiple-entry non-immigrant 'O' visa, of the type which requires me to leave and re-enter Thailand every 90 days. My wife recently confirmed with a UK citizen (also married to a Thai) that he has obtained this type of visa, which only required him to sign an affirmation on the application that he had adequate means of support. (It seems to me that the other way, which does require the income proof, is to enter on a 90-day non-Imm 'O' and then apply for the one-year extension...?)

But the discussion in this forum and elsewhere has left me very confused. So, straight and simple, does this category truly exist? Is it easily obtained from any Thai consulate in the US? (Los Angeles would be my first option).

If this is true, then one more question - do I need to have advance tickets booked for outgoing travel for each future entry period, before I apply?

thanks.

I am NOT an expert on visa matters. It seems like what you are refereing to is a multi-o visa based upon your marriage and support of a Thai (multi entry non-immigrant o visa based on marriage to a Thai citizen and being the support of a Thai citizen.)

If that is the case I believe you will require the 40K baht monthly test (combined income of both partners). Don't think there is any other way except what is known as a retirement visa that reequires applicant being over 50 years. You will require proof of marriage and be able to prove support for your Thai partner at the very least for a "marriage" visa.

The Thai visa requirements are posted (pinned) above under "Thai Visa Information " or something like that)

Also be aware that multi-entry visa (2 or 3 entries) are getting harder than H*ll to get ahold of recently.

Good luck, but I'm afraid it isn't that easy to do. If it was I wouldn't be here working in Crete, while my Thai girlfriend was in BKK.

[puuchai299]

You wont need any proof of income when applying for the non imm O.and use it as you said leaving the country every 90 days.also you wont need any proof of on going air tickets,you can leave and come back into Thailand as many times as you want in the 12 month period of your visas validity,and if you leave before the last day of validity you can get a further 3 months.You can also book a one way ticket out of your country and buy a return from Thailand if you wish,so long as you get the non O.

[Lite Beer]

As said , get a Multi Entry Non Imm O Visa in US .(Not L A) No income proof needed, only proof of marriage. You can stretch this out to 15 months stay in Thailand. Will have to hop over a border and come back every 90 days.

[lopburi3]

You obtain the multi (unlimited) entry non immigrant O visa on the basis of visiting your family (wife) and this does not require support or financial tests (except in the special case of Singapore). Most official Thai Consulates will prefer to issue a single entry non immigrant O visa and advise you to extend your stay at Immigration using the 40k family income method. However in many cases the smaller and honorary Consulates will issue the multi entry type visa knowing that in todays world many people are not able to (1). apply for extension at same time each year; (2.) work short term jobs and can not meet the extension requirements; or (3.) travel frequently thus making the multi entry visa the logical choice.

[caligirl4u2]

You obtain the multi (unlimited) entry non immigrant O visa on the basis of visiting your family (wife) and this does not require support or financial tests (except in the special case of Singapore). Most official Thai Consulates will prefer to issue a single entry non immigrant O visa and advise you to extend your stay at Immigration using the 40k family income method. However in many cases the smaller and honorary Consulates will issue the multi entry type visa knowing that in todays world many people are not able to (1). apply for extension at same time each year; (2.) work short term jobs and can not meet the extension requirements; or (3.) travel frequently thus making the multi entry visa the logical choice.

That almost sounds like the choice I will make when I move to Thailand next year with my thai husband. This visa stuff has been very confusing to me also. I have been reading the forms often and there seems to be a wealth of information here.

[Yukhoh]

I am a resident in Thailand and read the thaivisa posts for quite a while already.

What strikes me is that hardly no-one gets a straight answer. Everyone knows something.

Same like in this post, where the poster bzalt is giving his specs and gets unrelated answers.

He himself states that he gets confused by answers giving here. Looks like people like to believe they know something, but hardly anyone knows it all. The fact that I don't answer questions is that I also don't know it all, but I keep silent.

Almost all Thai embassee's abroad (that is in your own country) give you a one year multi entry non-immigrant visa, with probably a simple income requirement of a bank account stating the amount of a detour ticket.

What is wrong with you bzalt, why not just go to your national/regional Thai embassy and ask them politely what the requirements are. Seems like many are afraid of asking or being refused. Thai can get firmly by the book, but what is wrong with rules? If you apply to the rules, they (Thai) will happily give you the required documents.

[Felt 35]

What strikes me is that hardly no-one gets a straight answer.

I believe that’s because almost no Thai Embassy or Thai Consulate have a straight answer or similar practise.

The most funny is that in my home country where they have all the channels to find out if I’m Bin laden or the Pope, they don’t even want to hear taking about anything, except tourist visas.

But when on the other side of the world I can give a copy of my marriage certificate and you even get the visa free some places.

However it at least makes it a bit exiting for each time it is visa renewal.

[Bagsida]

What is wrong with you bzalt, why not just go to your national/regional Thai embassy and ask them politely what the requirements are. Seems like many are afraid of asking or being refused. Thai can get firmly by the book, but what is wrong with rules? If you apply to the rules, they (Thai) will happily give you the required documents.

Hello,

I am a German citizen 46 yo, not married. 3 weeks ago I visited a Thai-consulate in Germany with my Thai-bank-book (with anough savings for 1 year > THB 800.000) and asked there, how I can stay long time, many times and with only 1 visa-application in Thailand. Yes I know before about all conditions etc. for get the Non-Imm O-Type for 1 year, but I thought better asked and wait for the answer. The lady (German) asked for my passport and after checked the Thai-immigration-stamps in there, she told me, that the only thing (???) she can offer me is a Non-Immi. O-Type-Visa for 1 year with multi-entry for Euro 120,- . I aswered her "o.k. - if you only have this I´ll take it" after under 10 min. I left the office with the visa and without show them something else than my passport-they not asked about marriage, bank-book etc. So I think at first they check the passport for overstays etc., then they evaluate the physical apperance of the claimant and then decide about give you or not.

So my oppinion is, if you visit them in a smart way, not smell from to many beers, have no long overstays (I have 2 overstays each for 1 day in my passport) and ask them what they can offer you and not try to claim it, you get the steeped in legends 1 year visa.

But attention : The legendary 1 year Non-Immigrant-Visa O-Type never existed !!!

With each non-immi.-visa you are ony allowed to stay for max. 90 days in Thailand - decisive is the extension "multiple entry". I hear from some cased, people buy a "1 year-visa" which is 1 year valid but only with single or 2-times entry. So they have to leave after 90 days and want re-enter Thailand after 1 day, but no chance because they have only one entry or they have 2 entries, can operate there visa-run for one time and the second time the immigration rebuffed them.

The official conditions in Germany for get the Non-Immi.-1 year-Visa Multiple entries are :

Your age is min 50 (if not married), you have min THB 800.000 (not married, married THB 400.000,-) on an Thai-Bank-Account for I think min. 6 month or you have foreign income of THB 60.000 (not married, married THB 30.000) - more informations about the conditions in Germany you can find here :

http://www.thaiembassy.de/consul/13_visa.htm

I am also not a Visa-specialist and only can tell you my own experiences with a Thai-Consulate in Germany - I think if you try to get a visa without apply to the conditions, it would be more difficult in a Thai-Embassy because there Thais have to decide.

Greezzz

Bagsida

[scaramangax12]

What is wrong with you bzalt, why not just go to your national/regional Thai embassy and ask them politely what the requirements are. Seems like many are afraid of asking or being refused. Thai can get firmly by the book, but what is wrong with rules? If you apply to the rules, they (Thai) will happily give you the required documents.

Hello,

I am a German citizen 46 yo, not married. 3 weeks ago I visited a Thai-consulate in Germany with my Thai-bank-book (with anough savings for 1 year > THB 800.000) and asked there, how I can stay long time, many times and with only 1 visa-application in Thailand. Yes I know before about all conditions etc. for get the Non-Imm O-Type for 1 year, but I thought better asked and wait for the answer. The lady (German) asked for my passport and after checked the Thai-immigration-stamps in there, she told me, that the only thing (???) she can offer me is a Non-Immi. O-Type-Visa for 1 year with multi-entry for Euro 120,- . I aswered her "o.k. - if you only have this I´ll take it" after under 10 min. I left the office with the visa and without show them something else than my passport-they not asked about marriage, bank-book etc. So I think at first they check the passport for overstays etc., then they evaluate the physical apperance of the claimant and then decide about give you or not.

So my oppinion is, if you visit them in a smart way, not smell from to many beers, have no long overstays (I have 2 overstays each for 1 day in my passport) and ask them what they can offer you and not try to claim it, you get the steeped in legends 1 year visa.

But attention : The legendary 1 year Non-Immigrant-Visa O-Type never existed !!!

With each non-immi.-visa you are ony allowed to stay for max. 90 days in Thailand - decisive is the extension "multiple entry". I hear from some cased, people buy a "1 year-visa" which is 1 year valid but only with single or 2-times entry. So they have to leave after 90 days and want re-enter Thailand after 1 day, but no chance because they have only one entry or they have 2 entries, can operate there visa-run for one time and the second time the immigration rebuffed them.

The official conditions in Germany for get the Non-Immi.-1 year-Visa Multiple entries are :

Your age is min 50 (if not married), you have min THB 800.000 (not married, married THB 400.000,-) on an Thai-Bank-Account for I think min. 6 month or you have foreign income of THB 60.000 (not married, married THB 30.000) - more informations about the conditions in Germany you can find here :

http://www.thaiembassy.de/consul/13_visa.htm

I am also not a Visa-specialist and only can tell you my own experiences with a Thai-Consulate in Germany - I think if you try to get a visa without apply to the conditions, it would be more difficult in a Thai-Embassy because there Thais have to decide.

Greezzz

Bagsida

spot on, just get 400 000 baht in a Thai bank account and you can stay for a yeat at a time and will only have to report to the immigration office a few times a year

[Bagsida]

spot on, just get 400 000 baht in a Thai bank account and you can stay for a yeat at a time and will only have to report to the immigration office a few times a year

....means I visit the immigration in Phuket-Town, show them my bank-book with min. THB 400.000 (only) and then not have to leave Thailand for some hours (visa-run) every 90 days, instead I have to report to the immigration office where I am living a few times a year ?

Is this correct ? Would be perfect !!!

Thx

Bagsida

[Maestro]

...Thai-consulate in Germany...can offer me...a Non-Immi. O-Type-Visa for 1 year with multi-entry...

...The legendary 1 year Non-Immigrant-Visa O-Type never existed !!!...

Bagsida, do you see the contradiction in your post? The one-year non-O visa does exist, and your own passport is proof of it. You have a multiple-entry non-O visa valid for one year from the date of issue, valid for multiple journeys, ie an unlimited number of journeys, to Thailand, and on each entry into Thailand you will receive permission to stay for 90 days.

I left the office with the visa and without show them something else than my passport-they not asked about marriage, bank-book etc...

...The official conditions in Germany for get the Non-Immi.-1 year-Visa Multiple entries are :

Your age is min 50 (if not married), you have min THB 800.000 (not married, married THB 400.000,-) on an Thai-Bank-Account for I think min. 6 month or you have foreign income of THB 60.000 (not married, married THB 30.000) - more informations about the conditions in Germany you can find here :

http://www.thaiembassy.de/consul/13_visa.htm

Another contradiction. What you list as the official conditions to get a multiple-entry non-O visa in Germany is all wrong, and the website of which you give a link does not list these conditions. You say yourself that you did not have to meet any of these conditions.

--

Maestro

[Maestro]

spot on, just get 400 000 baht in a Thai bank account and you can stay for a yeat at a time and will only have to report to the immigration office a few times a year

....means I visit the immigration in Phuket-Town, show them my bank-book with min. THB 400.000 (only) and then not have to leave Thailand for some hours (visa-run) every 90 days, instead I have to report to the immigration office where I am living a few times a year ?

Is this correct ? Would be perfect !!!

No, Bagsida, the information given by Scaramangax12 is not correct in your case. It applies to a man married to a Thai wife who already had an annual extension based on marriage before 1 October 2006.

--

Maestro

[bzalt]

Thanks to all for the info, at least those who directly answered my particular questions, most of which only need a simple yes-or-now answer. I expecially appreciate learning that LA is not a good consulate to use, so I'll try Houston by mail.

In response to the question why I didn't try just asking the consulate, I already did go with my wife to an immigration office when I was last in Thailand, and they didn't even inform me about the multiple-entry visa; I only found out about it later from another farang. I have also recently tried to contact the LA consulate by phone several times, and the one time that I was actually able to reach someone to talk to instead of the line getting disconnected, I only got a lot of confused mumbling from someone who could barely speak english. These experiences made me feel I should try and get whatever info I could outside of official channels as well. So I figured I should check here first to try and find out what people's actual *experiences* are, rather than just what people are *saying*, official or not, and then go from there.

But my feeling now is that I may be better off just trying to get a tourist double-entry to cover the next six months, and see if I can find a way of getting my income situation resolved by the end of the year.

On that point, I noticed that the thai consulate web page says I'm supposed to have pre-booked ongoing air travel in and out for *both* entries. Is this strictly enforced? I was hoping to get a 6-month ticket and do a border run to Cambodia half-way through.

Please note, I'm not interested in speculation. I want to hear from people who have clear and definitive knowledge based on experience, particularly with Thai consulates in the US.

thanks.

[Bagsida]

...Thai-consulate in Germany...can offer me...a Non-Immi. O-Type-Visa for 1 year with multi-entry...

...The legendary 1 year Non-Immigrant-Visa O-Type never existed !!!...

Bagsida, do you see the contradiction in your post? The one-year non-O visa does exist, and your own passport is proof of it. You have a multiple-entry non-O visa valid for one year from the date of issue, valid for multiple journeys, ie an unlimited number of journeys, to Thailand, and on each entry into Thailand you will receive permission to stay for 90 days.

I left the office with the visa and without show them something else than my passport-they not asked about marriage, bank-book etc...

...The official conditions in Germany for get the Non-Immi.-1 year-Visa Multiple entries are :

Your age is min 50 (if not married), you have min THB 800.000 (not married, married THB 400.000,-) on an Thai-Bank-Account for I think min. 6 month or you have foreign income of THB 60.000 (not married, married THB 30.000) - more informations about the conditions in Germany you can find here :

http://www.thaiembassy.de/consul/13_visa.htm

Another contradiction. What you list as the official conditions to get a multiple-entry non-O visa in Germany is all wrong, and the website of which you give a link does not list these conditions. You say yourself that you did not have to meet any of these conditions.

--

Maestro

Hello Maestro,

I not think what I write is really a contradiction, because

1.) yes I got a visa called "1 year Non-Immigrant O-Type", but it is not really a 1-year visa, it´s only valid for 1 year but not for a uninterrupted stay of 1 year - but many of the people think you can stay 1 year without leave Thailand after 90 days I think.

More informations about this subject you can find here :

http://www.clickthai.de/Service/Visa.html (there are some new regulations now to find I see at the moment-it´s getting more hard !!!)

2.) yes on the this website you only find the different visa-types and some of the conditions to get a longtime-visa. The complete and exact conditions you find on a poster on the wall in the Thai-embassy for example in Berlin or you can call them and ask, so on this page only not everything is complete but no contradiction. If you can read between the lines you will recognize, that they speak about "pensioners" (Rentner) - but what is a pensioner ? He is 65 or 67 or 55 ? No - they mean min. 50 yo ! And how much income is the "notice of the amount of one's pension" (Rentenbescheinungung) ? THB 10.000 or 100.000 ? May be it´s different and belongs to the country you come from, but in Germany the income is what I wrote.

May be in Switzerland some of the conditions are different to the conditions in Germany and shure the conditions can change and also the implementation of the conditions can be different and change like the weather do.

So sorry, but if I have reported contradictions, then they are contradictions based on the Thai-visa-system.

Greezzz

Bagsida

Edited June 17, 2007 by Bagsida

[Lite Beer]

...Thai-consulate in Germany...can offer me...a Non-Immi. O-Type-Visa for 1 year with multi-entry...

...The legendary 1 year Non-Immigrant-Visa O-Type never existed !!!...

Bagsida, do you see the contradiction in your post? The one-year non-O visa does exist, and your own passport is proof of it. You have a multiple-entry non-O visa valid for one year from the date of issue, valid for multiple journeys, ie an unlimited number of journeys, to Thailand, and on each entry into Thailand you will receive permission to stay for 90 days.

I left the office with the visa and without show them something else than my passport-they not asked about marriage, bank-book etc...

...The official conditions in Germany for get the Non-Immi.-1 year-Visa Multiple entries are :

Your age is min 50 (if not married), you have min THB 800.000 (not married, married THB 400.000,-) on an Thai-Bank-Account for I think min. 6 month or you have foreign income of THB 60.000 (not married, married THB 30.000) - more informations about the conditions in Germany you can find here :

http://www.thaiembassy.de/consul/13_visa.htm

Another contradiction. What you list as the official conditions to get a multiple-entry non-O visa in Germany is all wrong, and the website of which you give a link does not list these conditions. You say yourself that you did not have to meet any of these conditions.

--

Maestro

Hello Maestro,

I not think what I write is really a contradiction, because

1.) yes I got a visa called "1 year Non-Immigrant O-Type", but it is not really a 1-year visa, it´s only valid for 1 year but not for a uninterrupted stay of 1 year - but many of the people think you can stay 1 year without leave Thailand after 90 days I think.

More informations about this subject you can find here :

http://www.clickthai.de/Service/Visa.html (there are some new regulations now to find I see at the moment-it´s getting more hard !!!)

2.) yes on the this website you only find the different visa-types and some of the conditions to get a longtime-visa. The complete and exact conditions you find on a poster on the wall in the Thai-embassy for example in Berlin or you can call them and ask, so on this page only not everything is complete but no contradiction. If you can read between the lines you will recognize, that they speak about "pensioners" (Rentner) - but what is a pensioner ? He is 65 or 67 or 55 ? No - they mean min. 50 yo ! And how much income is the "notice of the amount of one's pension" (Rentenbescheinungung) ? THB 10.000 or 100.000 ? May be it´s different and belongs to the country you come from, but in Germany the income is what I wrote.

May be in Switzerland some of the conditions are different to the conditions in Germany and shure the conditions can change and also the implementation of the conditions can be different and change like the weather do.

So sorry, but if I have reported contradictions, then they are contradictions based on the Thai-visa-system.

Greezzz

Bagsida

Bagsida.

Actually your Multipul entry Non O Visa valid for one year will give you 15 months in Thailand if you do your final exit a day or two before it expires.

You only have to hop over the border every 90 days and come straight back again.

Edited June 18, 2007 by Lite Beer

[CORVETTELOVER]

I'm a US citizen, age 37, have spent most of the past 3 years in Thailand using 'visa runs', and last year married my Thai girlfriend. I have spent the last 6 months working in the US and am planning to return to Thailand shortly, trying to plan a long stay of up to a year.

I have enough to live on but am not able to meet the B40,000 p/m income requirement. Therefore, what my research seems to tell me is that my best option for a long stay is a multiple-entry non-immigrant 'O' visa, of the type which requires me to leave and re-enter Thailand every 90 days. My wife recently confirmed with a UK citizen (also married to a Thai) that he has obtained this type of visa, which only required him to sign an affirmation on the application that he had adequate means of support. (It seems to me that the other way, which does require the income proof, is to enter on a 90-day non-Imm 'O' and then apply for the one-year extension...?)

But the discussion in this forum and elsewhere has left me very confused. So, straight and simple, does this category truly exist? Is it easily obtained from any Thai consulate in the US? (Los Angeles would be my first option).

If this is true, then one more question - do I need to have advance tickets booked for outgoing travel for each future entry period, before I apply?

thanks.

i fly tonight out of brisbane.

I rang consulate told to take the following

my passport

copy of wifes passport or thai id card

copy of marriage certificate

copy of house papers

letter from wife inviting me to come to thailand saying we are married and my purpose coming over was to support her at her family home.

$225Aud

and given 12 month non immigrant OA visa (marriage visa)

no mention of money,

told i could go in and out as many times as I like in 12 months.

also told didnt have to do visa runs, Just go to local police station as i live north of udon thani and get them to sign and sight me and send paper work to immigration with reply envelope that is my 3 monthly reporting.

Told at end on 12 months re apply showing income of 600,000 baht at bangkok

too easy

but who knows things change on daily basis in thailand

[Crossy]

......

and given 12 month non immigrant OA visa (marriage visa)

no mention of money, told i could go in and out as many times as I like in 12 months.

also told didnt have to do visa runs, Just go to local police station as i live north of udon thani and get them to sign and sight me and send paper work to immigration with reply envelope that is my 3 monthly reporting.

Told at end on 12 months re apply showing income of 600,000 baht at bangkok

too easy

but who knows things change on daily basis in thailand

How old are you?

I am confused as to what visa you actually have because:-

1. If you have a non-o based on marriage you must do 90 day visa runs, only a non-oa (retirement) visa avoids these.
   
2. An income of 600,000 suits neither a retirement extension (800,000 in the bank or 65,000 per month income) or a marriage extension (40,000 per month income).
   

What does your visa state in the 'number of entries' box.

When you arrive please check the 'permitted to stay' stamp that immigration put in your passport, do not remain in Thailand past that date or you are on overstay (no matter what anyone else says).

[CORVETTELOVER]

......

and given 12 month non immigrant OA visa (marriage visa)

no mention of money, told i could go in and out as many times as I like in 12 months.

also told didnt have to do visa runs, Just go to local police station as i live north of udon thani and get them to sign and sight me and send paper work to immigration with reply envelope that is my 3 monthly reporting.

Told at end on 12 months re apply showing income of 600,000 baht at bangkok

too easy

but who knows things change on daily basis in thailand

How old are you?

I am confused as to what visa you actually have because:-

1. If you have a non-o based on marriage you must do 90 day visa runs, only a non-oa (retirement) visa avoids these.
   
2. An income of 600,000 suits neither a retirement extension (800,000 in the bank or 65,000 per month income) or a marriage extension (40,000 per month income).
   

What does your visa state in the 'number of entries' box.

When you arrive please check the 'permitted to stay' stamp that immigration put in your passport, do not remain in Thailand past that date or you are on overstay (no matter what anyone else says).

55 years i didnt apply for retirement visa, states multiple journeys cat 0 use before 8 june 08 signed by vice consular general she served me, will check what immigration puts on passport in morning. intend to do retirement visa later have a few trips to do back to aus anyway.

[Mentors]

I am a resident in Thailand and read the thaivisa posts for quite a while already.

What strikes me is that hardly no-one gets a straight answer. Everyone knows something.

Same like in this post, where the poster bzalt is giving his specs and gets unrelated answers.

He himself states that he gets confused by answers giving here. Looks like people like to believe they know something, but hardly anyone knows it all. The fact that I don't answer questions is that I also don't know it all, but I keep silent.

I fully agree with you. Often, to read in this forum gives me a headache.

[Maestro]

I not think what I write is really a contradiction, because...

... if I have reported contradictions, then they are contradictions based on the Thai-visa-system.

Bagsida, you are mighty confused. Keep hanging out in this forum and you will learn a lot about visa and immigration matters regarding Thailand, which can indeed be a little difficult to understand sometimes.

Start with figuring out the difference between a visa and the permission to stay:

To avoid confusion, please understand the differences between the following:

– Visa: permission to travel to Thailand.

– Entry stamp (admitted until...): permission to stay in Thailand.

– Extension of stay: extension of the period of stay granted upon entry into Thailand or when last extended.

In the pinned topic “Thai Immigration Laws, Regulations, Police Orders” at the top of this forum , read the links about “Visa types” and “Thai Police Order 606/2549”

The reason I pointed out the errors in your post was to protect other members from getting confused. If you want to continue to believe that what you say was posted on the wall at the Thai consulate in Berlin are the requirements for getting a non-O visa there, please feel free to do so but kindly do not post this misinformation again. With that poster, the consulate may have tried to give information about the requirements for getting an extension of stay, not a visa, and possibly got some of it wrong.

--

Maestro

[m02]

Please note, I'm not interested in speculation. I want to hear from people who have clear and definitive knowledge based on experience, particularly with Thai consulates in the US. thanks.

bzalt:

I went back to the States and got a new non-imm 0 marriage visa last October, which was actually during the Thai goverment transition, so maybe things have changed since then but I don't really think so. At that time at least, there was no proof of income or return ticket requirement, etc. I did everything by mail and by using overnight mailers got my passport back within a week.

My experience matches what dr Pat Pong, puuchai299, Lite Beer, and lopburi3 have already stated - why these others are putting in their two cents I have no idea. I have even gone up to Mae Sai for my 90 day trip out of country and had no hassles, not even a request to see the 10 thousand baht they often ask of the monthly visa runners.

One thing you might consider is if you have very many monthly visa stamps is to simply get a new passport. In the US there is a priority handling fee of $60 on top of the regular fee if you want it within 2 weeks, otherwise it can take six months - there is quite a backlog now. It is a fairly simple process that most main post offices can handle, and even if your old passport is still valid for several years they will renew it, no questions asked.

As long as you have all of the paper work getting a non-immigrant 0 marriage visa is a very simple straight forward process, and always has been for at least the past twenty some odd years. If there have been significant changes since the change in government, I too would be interested in hearing about them.

[bzalt]

update...

I called the honorary consulate in Oregon today, and unlike L.A., actually reached someone helpful to talk to. She informed me that there is a non-immigrant 1-year visa with the following requirements:

*copy of marriage certificate

*2 passport photos

*copy of my wife's Thai ID card

* $125 fee

*bank statement showing balance of at least $1000. NO proof of income required.

*must leave Thailand and return every 90 days.

So, it seems this 'mythical' beast does exist. I will give this a try and report back what happens.

(note to m02 -- thanks for the advice about getting a new passport. i actually just had to get a new one already since mine had expired, so I guess that will work in my favor...)

[scaramangax12]

update...

I called the honorary consulate in Oregon today, and unlike L.A., actually reached someone helpful to talk to. She informed me that there is a non-immigrant 1-year visa with the following requirements:

*copy of marriage certificate

*2 passport photos

*copy of my wife's Thai ID card

* $125 fee

*bank statement showing balance of at least $1000. NO proof of income required.

*must leave Thailand and return every 90 days.

So, it seems this 'mythical' beast does exist. I will give this a try and report back what happens.

(note to m02 -- thanks for the advice about getting a new passport. i actually just had to get a new one already since mine had expired, so I guess that will work in my favor...)

If you are married then just get a Bangkok Bank account and put 400 000 baht in it and you do not have to leave Bangkok and simply have to report to an immigration office.

[scaramangax12]

spot on, just get 400 000 baht in a Thai bank account and you can stay for a yeat at a time and will only have to report to the immigration office a few times a year

....means I visit the immigration in Phuket-Town, show them my bank-book with min. THB 400.000 (only) and then not have to leave Thailand for some hours (visa-run) every 90 days, instead I have to report to the immigration office where I am living a few times a year ?

Is this correct ? Would be perfect !!!

No, Bagsida, the information given by Scaramangax12 is not correct in your case. It applies to a man married to a Thai wife who already had an annual extension based on marriage before 1 October 2006.

--

Maestro

So Maestro what if you got married after October 2006 ? I have not heard about this

[Maestro]

what if you got married after October 2006 ? I have not heard about this

You probably have not heard about it because you have not been reading the forum long enough. The major change brought about by the new rules effective October 2006 has been about this new requirement for the “married man’s extension” and hundreds of posts have been made on this subject.

If you got married after October 2006, the new rule applies. Any Immigration office will confirm this to you. It’s tough, but this is how it stands at present.

--

Maestro

[lopburi3]

Any new application for extension of stay for marriage requires proof of 40k per month family income. Only those already on the old 400k extension of stay provision are still allowed that as an option. When you got married is not a factor - although obviously if after October of 2006 you were not on the 400k extension at that time.

[dlwc1975]

Thought I'd add a little contribution here....

My wife and I are both Brits.

We applied for:

Wife - Non-imm 'B' (she is working)

Me - Non-imm 'O' (she is supporting me - ie I am her dependant.)

I think both visas cost 90GBP (we applied to Hull consulate UK.)

We had to 'self-certify' that we had adequate funds (ie signing a form to say so - no other evidence required)

We supplied documents from my wife's employer confirming that she was to be employed in Thailand, and I was accompanying her as her spouse and dependant.

(My visa is stamped 'Employment Prohibited)

Both visas multiplie entry. We would have had to leave the country every 90 days, however, we both went to the Immigration office in Bkk, paid 1900THB each, and both received 'leave to stay' in the country up until the expiry of the visa (ie one year after it was issued), as long as we reported to the Immigration office every 90 days, and confirmed our address. (you can do this online).

We have actually left the country a couple of times for holidays (to Laos and other places) and have been stamped back in, no problems.

Hope this helps

Cheers

(Although I agree it is confusing, all the 'advice', comments, other peoples experience, websites, etc etc. There is tons of info out there, but trawling through it is mind numbing and soul-destroying!!!!!!!)

PS As an aside, friends who had exactly the same Non-imm 'B' MULTIPLE ENTRY visa have been to Immigration to get a 'Re-entry Permit' (for 1900THB) when they've gone abroad for hols. I do not understand why!!!!

[lopburi3]

1. If you extended your stays for one year the expiration date is normally the day prior to one year from entry date - not visa issue date. As you sure you were extended one year from issue date of visa?

2. If you travel out of Thailand an extension of stay ends; unless you have purchased a re-entry permit. Did you have a re-entry permit? If not you had best leave the country in 90 days or you will be on overstay. What did your new entry stamp say as permitted to stay until?

3. Would like to know what office is accepting on-line address reporting? I don't know of any that are. Have you done this?