Marriage And Visits By Immigration Officials...

[jingjingna]

I have just finished the first step in applying for a Non O/ Marriage visa and was informed by immigration that they wold be popping in for a visit sometime within this month. That's fine even if I am not entirely happy with the thought of a bunch of strangers invading my private space.

Sbk, have you or any other Farang women experienced this and what sort of things do they want to know??

[sbk]

Never! But then, I don't live on the same island as my immigration office (hmmm.. sounds like an awful lot of trouble to come all the way over here just to see our house) and I have known the same guy in Immigration for the past 12 years or so. I think he's figured out we are married for real by now .

Sorry I couldn't be of more help here. Sounds like a new policy for newlyweds. Good luck, just make sure you have photos of the two of you together, and if you had a wedding display those pictures prominently.

[jingjingna]

Thanks sbk, knew I could rely on you to answer

An update: The boys in brown called my hubby to say they will be popping in tomorrow a.m and that they had ALREADY paid a visit to my immediate next door neighbour ... My husband explained that we have only been living here a short while and that even we don't know who our neighbour/he/she/they are...

We were told that it doesn't matter as he just needs a couple of photocopies of I.D cards from the people next door and the corner shop(who again we only frequent when we're desperate..prefer doing my local shops at Tops!) ...so he can get the paperwork over and done with as quickly and conveniently as possible!

Anyway, thanks for the tips, will lwt you know more tomorrow!

[chanchao]

Weird. I for one wouldnt want police cars parked out in front of my house, or them bothering neighbours for copies of ID cards. (Non of their business)

Cheers,

Chanchao

[george]

he just needs a couple of photocopies of I.D cards from the people next door and the corner shop

Why does Immigration want photocopies of neighbours IDs?? Did I miss something here?

[Nam Kao]

They'll never find my house, I am out in the boon docks.

I have a hard time finding it

I hope my neighbors dont take them hostage and strip down their vehicle

and rob them

If i come home and see my neighbors riding around with nicely pressed brown

uniforms and shiny side arms i knew immigration paid a visit

[jingjingna]

Okay folks, here's what went down. Three plain clothed immigration officers arrived this morning. One of them took photo's of the house, inside and out and they also took a photo of us on our bed

They then spent the next 30 mins or so filling in forms and just seemed in a hurry to get things over and done with.

After that was done we trotted down to our local shop where they asked the local shop owner to confirm that she know us and that we're married and living together. She was also required to provide them with a signed and dated photocopy of her I.D card. Then we went to visit our next door neighbour (whom we only got to know last night!) who had to basically do the same.

Apparently, the immigration dept will interview two people in your neighbourhood without your prior knowledge, as they did with us.

Everything said and done I think they were satisfied with what they saw and I doubt there will be any probs in an O visa being issued.

[Darknight]

he just needs a couple of photocopies of I.D cards from the people next door and the corner shop

Why does Immigration want photocopies of neighbours IDs?? Did I miss something here?

Two thais need to vouch that you are really married and living toghether. The immigration officer comes to talk to you and your "vouche's" and they have to make a statement and sign it.

They prefer the neighbours as they can see that you live toghether. Actually any thai will do actually.

When you have a baby toghether this requirement is not needed i was told. (possibly because you need to be close to each other to make a baby )

This was already the case when i applied for the marriage extension in chiangmai in januari. actually my landlord and her husband signed the papers as we knew nobody yet in chiangmai.

It's a non written rule apparently.

I actually had a big fight whith the woman at the immigration office when she started to say , i could only have an extension when i had a child.

I told her it was not up to the thai governement to decide if i make children or not.

Was a nice "loose face" moment again for everybody

[up2you]

I know quite a few farrangs that this has happened to. In some cases the Imm sent the police round to confirm that the couple in question were genuinely married.

It was also posted as one of the requirements to obtain a marriage visa in the Phuket gazette a couple of years ago. When I read it at the time it said, you should be accompanied to Immigration by a Thai national that knows you both and can confirm that you are married.

I think they are seeking out the "Sham" marriages.

U2Y.

[Kronberg]

I have just finished the first step in applying for a Non O/ Marriage visa and was informed by immigration that they wold be popping in for a visit sometime within this month.

Hi,

I have tried the same before business. But they never showed up...

Instead, they asked for witneses, not family. Then we made an appointment, but we had to come at the immigration many, many times, and always the officer was out of office. The other officers were in bathing clothes or were playing computer games so they could not help.

I was living in Samut Prakan.

In the end I got my one year extension, even without corruption...

Regards, Robert

[ASIC]

My friend had to show pictures of his wedding ceremony.

ASIC

[up2you]

Just a snippet from the Phuket gazette.............

A one-year extension based on marriage is good for someone who cannot get an extension by reason of work, but Immigration will want to check, during the procedure, whether you are living together as a married couple.

The issue of this kind of extension takes a long time [around three months – Gazette], because your request must be sent to Bangkok for checking. The decision is made in Bangkok, not by us.

In your case, it will not be convenient for you to have to stay in Thailand with your wife, waiting for Immigration to check, and for Bangkok to make the decision.

If your company has a contract with the Thai government, it may be able to get you a one-year extension by reason of work. You should check with the company’s personnel department. ”

Friday, June 4, 2004 Pol Capt Krissarat Nusen, Officer, Phuket Provincial Immigration Office.

U2Y.

Couldn't go back far enough to see the post I was referring to.

[RamdomChances]

When you go to Imagration to do your marrige visa, they should send a letter to your local police station. Asking them to confirm that you live at this adress.

As you have to have your marrige certificate, and wife/husband present to obtain the extention, it should be nothing about being legaly married.

Immagration should give you a 1 month extention pending the police report, often this report does not arrive as the poilce are not really that competent and forget to post back or do not understand the letter.

This is usual and nothing to do with "plain clothes" imagration officials, but sounds like over zelous police.

[Nam Kao]

When you go to Imagration to do your marrige visa, they should send a letter to your local police station. Asking them to confirm that you live at this adress.

Oh just wonderful, last time i saw the policeman who precides over my village

he was in uniform, completely hammered on mekhong, at a high level party

of village officials, firing his gun in the air and waving it around at people.

People diving under tables etc.

Cant wait for this visit

[Darknight]

with us it wasn't the police but 2 immigration officers in plain clothes.

[Indo-Siam]

Immigration Field inspectors are assigned to jurisdications where they operate. There are not enough Immigration inspectors to cover all areas. If an individual is outside the jurisdiction assigned to Immigration's internal field inspectors, then inspections are tasked out to local police stations, who must complete the inspections, and send their report back to Immigration.

This applies to all entry pernit extensions - not just Class O extensions.

For example, individuals who work for employers based at the Software Park Thailand in Pakkread are outside of Immigrations jurisdictiuon. Inspections for the Software Park are carried out by the Police from Nonthaburi.

This month (July 2004), Immigration inspections will be at top level of strictness - there is a directive out to be especially strict this month.

Traditionally, couples responsible for Class O applications have been inspected, but often without themselves being aware of this - inspector's just talked to the apartment building management office, and security guards (for example). I think it is an issue of discretion - if overwhelming evidence immediately confirms that happy couple are a long-standing team, Immigration inspectors move on. If there are questions or doubts, they dig deeper.

Cheers!

Steve

Indo-Siam

[dr_Pat_Pong]

he just needs a couple of photocopies of I.D cards from the people next door and the corner shop

Why does Immigration want photocopies of neighbours IDs?? Did I miss something here?

To prove who they are and where they live

[wca01]

At the immigration I was asked to present some photos of my wedding and my appartment. Declined was my invitation for a nice dinner. The lady in charge told me: If the photos show enough evidence and we are convinced you are married, nobody will come in person to your appartment.

WC

[astral]

In my experience the visit is discrete, with Immigration officers in plain clothes and an ordinary car. They do carry ID and will show if requested. If you house is remote, finding it is their problem, not yours.

It is a good idea to have the wedding photos to show them, I let my wife deal with that.

As already stated, they want a statement from someone to confirm that you do live together. In my case one witness has been enough.

It is a routine matter and nothing to worry about.

They will not be searching your house or disturbing your peace and quiet.

For anyone planning to get married, it is a good idea to invite the head man of the village, and/or a few of the local police officers. (My wife's idea.)

Edited July 16, 2004 by astral

[Darknight]

At the immigration I was asked to present some photos of my wedding and my appartment. Declined was my invitation for a nice dinner. The lady in charge told me: If the photos show enough evidence and we are convinced you are married, nobody will come in person to your appartment.

WC

mmm, my two immigration officers where very happy to come to dinner . They'd been hinting that they needed "a drink" from the first call.

[sbk]

Wow, I feel kind of left out. I live in a VERY small neighborhood and would know if anyone came round asking questions, discreetly or not. Maybe it is for first time applicants? Newlyweds? I have never had this done, not even when we first got married (of course, things were alot more lax way back when). Have any long-termers had this happen to them? Does it happen every year or just the first application for extension? I am curious!

[bangsaen bob]

Immigration didn't show up at our house in Bangna, but they called and wanted me to bring wedding photos to the office in Bangkok imediately. Very odd. They looked through all 200 of them and took out 5 to put in my file.

[Whiplash]

When I did the same visa-extention for the first time here in Chiang Mai, One plain clothed immigration official visited us at home, but never went inside, just wanted a couple of pictures and statements of a couple of neighbours + a copy of their ID-Cards.

[Martin]

Because I was still going three-months-on/three-months-off to work in the UK for the first years of our marriage, I didn't ask for a Non Imm O(M) extension till we had been living in our Amphoe (where I am the only farang resident) for about five years.

When the form requesting the report came from Nong Khai Immigration to the Police Station, just along the soi from our house, the top officer was new to our Amphoe. I guess he just asked the others in the office and they vouched for us.

There were one or two questions on the form to which they didn't have answers and two police were sent. One was just a trainee, but the other was an old sweat who everybody (including his colleagues) dislikes.

He rang the bell at the gate and stayed there as our foxhounds and the rottweiler are very welcoming to nice people, but he knew he wasn't in that category.

Thong went to talk to him and came back to the house spitting feathers, and determined to drop him in it.

He had insinuated that we were faced with a bit of a problem, but he could put a fix in if 200 baht came his way.

Thong did the sweet smile and thanked him for his concern, but said that, as she was going down past the station anyway in a couple of minutes, she would call in and find out exactly what was the problem.

I suggested she took all the bureaucratic fodder (house papers, her i.d., my passport, and the marriage certificate).

She was soon back, saying what a nice bloke the new big man was, and how he had hidden a wince when she had 'innocently' enquired when he wanted the '200 baht fee' that the old sweat had been angling for.

Coded signals aren't entirely the prerogative of those who appeared in that documentary "Yes, Minister" !!

[compman]

Okay folks, here's what went down. Three plain clothed immigration officers arrived this morning. One of them took photo's of the house, inside and out and they also took a photo of us on our bed

[Rinrada]

"One of them took photo's of the house, inside and out and they also took a photo of us on our bed"

Suggest next time they take a photo of you in bed....rear page spread Cheeky sods

[astral]

"One of them took photo's of the house, inside and out and they also took a photo of us on our bed"

Shucks

I thought the underline on "on our bed" might have indicated a link to the photo?

Seriously my answer would have been "why"?

On the sofa should suffice!

[dighambara]

Seems like an awful lot of foofraw to convince the Gov that somebody is really married. I have a yellow house registration book (Ta Bien Ban), so I hope that is enough proof of who lives where and is married to whom.

Michael Weldon

Udon Thani, Thailand

[Orion76]

Imagine Brittish imigration officials entering a convenience store in London and asking the store clerk to confirm a couple living down the street is in fact a legitimate couple and then tell him to provide a photocopy of his identification...

I bet he would tell the immigration officials to shove it into a not so sunny place.

It's unbelievable how easy Thais give away photo copies of their personal documents without protest.

[royar2002]

After my last non o extension, two policemen on a bike start driving closed to my house and turn back about 1.30am. I live in a small dirt road and they allways turned with my house. This happends usually a couple of times a week. I asked a policefriend why. He say he don't now, but he think it was becuse I was a farang.

My wife want to study in BKK for a year an I called Suan plu how to do when she stay in BKK and I still stay in Isan. The answerd was very informative " you will have problem if police come for check if we still stayed together, and why she want to study when you have to support her".