Visa for foreign woman married to Thai man

[alexanderkaufman]

Is it true that if a foreign woman is married to a Thai man, proof of income is not needed for her to obtain a one year visa?

Edited June 18 by alexanderkaufman

[BritManToo]

If you've been married 2 years, or 1 year with a baby, just apply for Thai citizenship.

Joint income of 15kbht/month required.

[alexanderkaufman]

Thanks for the clarification.

 

But if you're a foreign man you must show 400,000 Baht in advance. So why is the law different? In my perspective, the law implies that Thai women are inferior to Thai men. I would like to hear the opinion of Thai women. I also would like to hear how this ruling is substantiated.

[Tod Daniels]

12 hours ago, alexanderkaufman said:

Thanks for the clarification.

 

But if you're a foreign man you must show 400,000 Baht in advance. So why is the law different? In my perspective, the law implies that Thai women are inferior to Thai men. I would like to hear the opinion of Thai women. I also would like to hear how this ruling is substantiated.

You're asking a question that can't be answered by any of the illusionary posers 😮 I mean illustrious posters 🙂 on this or any other inter-web group related to thailand and while you're certainly allowed to have an opinion on the matter neither your perspective nor opinion on the issue factors into it in the least.   

A foreign woman who marries a thai man does not have to show proof of funds to get a Non-O visa based on marriage or the yearly extension,

If you want to know "how this rule is substantiated" slog on out to your local immigration office and talk to them about it. It's been the rule for many many many years now 

[Korat Kiwi]

1 hour ago, Tod Daniels said:

You're asking a question that can't be answered by any of the illusionary posers 😮 I mean illustrious posters 🙂 on this or any other inter-web group related to thailand and while you're certainly allowed to have an opinion on the matter neither your perspective nor opinion on the issue factors into it in the least.   

A foreign woman who marries a thai man does not have to show proof of funds to get a Non-O visa based on marriage or the yearly extension,

If you want to know "how this rule is substantiated" slog on out to your local immigration office and talk to them about it. It's been the rule for many many many years now 

I wonder how or what they are going to apply to same sex married couples now they've passed that into law. 

 

That could become a can of worms

[newnative]

1 hour ago, Korat Kiwi said:

I wonder how or what they are going to apply to same sex married couples now they've passed that into law. 

 

That could become a can of worms

Treating everyone equally, in theory, should not be a 'can of worms'. 

[Korat Kiwi]

4 minutes ago, newnative said:

Treating everyone equally, in theory, should not be a 'can of worms'. 

My point being (As stated by AK above) ,  a foreign female married to a Thai male does not have to prove finances. 

 

Whereas a foreign male married to a Thai female does have to prove finances (400k baht) 

 

So leading on from this (in regards to same sex marriages):

 

Foreign female married to Thai female.  Proof of finance required? 

 

Foreign male married to Thai male. Proof of finance required? 

 

Treating everyone equally in Thailand?  I suppose time will tell. 

 

 

[Lite Beer]

Thai women are being discriminated against.

A Thai man can have his Wife live with him easily.

Not so a Thai woman.

[Captain Flack]

Post moved to visa forum, as more relevant.

[john donson]

human equalities, for when in thailand...  thai only for sure

[Gottfrid]

As there is no chance of knowing why, as @Tod Daniels posted, one can only speculate. However, it will be a very good speculation, founded in the deep roots of cultural Thailand.

 

Even if it looks like that woman in a Thai relationship is handling the finances, it is not a fact. The fact is, that the Thai man is seen as the breadwinner, bringing home the dough. The reason why the women seems so dominant in the relationship and economy part, is that the culture sees her as the stronger sex, with the ability to give birth and please. Therefore a Thai man will often obey so both parts get what they want. It sounds blunt, but very close to reality and cultural tradition.

Therefore, one can assume the Thai government and authorities look at the Thai man as the strong in the relation and household as the economic contributor. Something, that means it will be the label enforced on the male foreigner. The result is that a female foreigner is seen to be able to live on the Thai mans economy, and the Thai woman on the foreign mans economy.

However, how they will solve foreign woman and Thai woman will be a mystery, as they according to this calculation would be able to live on nothing. Regarding foreign male and Thai male, would according to this be forced to show 1,6M. 

😂😂😂

[connda]

17 hours ago, alexanderkaufman said:

Thanks for the clarification.

 

But if you're a foreign man you must show 400,000 Baht in advance. So why is the law different? In my perspective, the law implies that Thai women are inferior to Thai men. I would like to hear the opinion of Thai women. I also would like to hear how this ruling is substantiated.

Many years back there was an article (which I wish I would have saved) in ThaiVisa which explained it in the terms that the Thai government considers foreign men married to Thai women to be a national security risk to Thailand. 
 

[connda]

5 hours ago, Tod Daniels said:

You're asking a question that can't be answered by any of the illusionary posers 😮 I mean illustrious posters 🙂 on this or any other inter-web group related to thailand and while you're certainly allowed to have an opinion on the matter neither your perspective nor opinion on the issue factors into it in the least.   

Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning - your post just drips of disdain for those of us married to Thai women and who post about this obvious difference.  Thanks for wading into this thread and beating the rest of us with a verbal club.  Have a little heart as well as respect.  Posers?  Come on, get real.  What you spewed here was really unnecessary and purposefully hostile.

 

Edited June 19 by connda

[connda]

24 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

The result is that a female foreigner is seen to be able to live on the Thai mans economy

The only issue being that the foreign female can help to contribute to (very low) financial threshold required by the Thai man.  Thai women married to foreign men can not.  They don't bloster the economy with a financial threshold of 15k/month.
Plus as BritManToo noted, they have an almost immediate path to citizenship.  Us guys are temporary guest visiting our spouses year to year.  I'm on year 17.  And that's bringing in about 1 million THB a year and injecting into the economy (although with the new tax laws probably not anymore). 

From a human rights perspective the treatment is really a travesty.  But not much we can do about it.

[oldcpu]

While there is definitely an imbalance here (arguably unfair to both married Thai women and to their foreign husbands), IMHO it may be best not to 'rock the boat'.

 

Cynic that I am, I I suspect if this were to be addressed, the result would be to require the foreign woman to prove her income. ie I believe a Thai perception of foreigners (having wealth) would be stronger than the Thai perception in regards to a Thai men being the main bread earner in Thaliand.

 

This then would make life difficult for foreign women in Thailand (who have Thai husbands - unless protected by a 'grandfather' clause).

 

But as noted - i can be a cynic.

[Gottfrid]

3 minutes ago, connda said:

From a human rights perspective the treatment is really a travesty.  But not much we can do about it.

I will sign on that 100%. 🙂 But as you say, what can we do? Jim Yai?

[connda]

5 minutes ago, oldcpu said:

While there is definitely an imbalance here (arguably unfair to both married Thai women and to their foreign husbands), IMHO it may be best not to 'rock the boat'.

Really there is no "rocking the boat."  The Thai government doesn't listen to any of us men married to Thai women.  There really is no respect by the government for any of us.  I'm sure they don't care what we think about the different treatment of foreign women married to Thai men and us.  And they really have no respect for their own women.  Patriarchal society. Women are an afterthought.

[Liverpool Lou]

17 hours ago, alexanderkaufman said:

I would like to hear the opinion of Thai women.

This is, obviously, the wrong place for that.

[Liverpool Lou]

3 hours ago, Korat Kiwi said:

I wonder how or what they are going to apply to same sex married couples now they've passed that into law. 

You're wondering how they will apply the Nationality Act in which Section 9 references a foreign woman marrying a Thai man?  Why?  A foreign homosexual man would not be a foreign woman. 

[Liverpool Lou]

2 hours ago, Korat Kiwi said:

Foreign female married to Thai female.  Proof of finance required? 

 

Foreign male married to Thai male. Proof of finance required? 

No to both because those options for applying for nationality are not offered by the Nationality Act which specifies applications from women married to Thai men. 

[oldcpu]

39 minutes ago, connda said:

Really there is no "rocking the boat."  The Thai government doesn't listen to any of us men married to Thai women. 

 

In this case, for the sake of foreign women and Thai men who are married and live in Thailand, I hope you are right.

 

Still - cynic that I can be at times, ... I still think an underlying nationalistic (and possibly subconscious anti-foreigner sentiment) , if there should ever be a case of "saving face", ...  could make this an exception to your view.  Cynically I wonder if there could be one-sided listening by the government. .... worst case resulting in foreign women could be required to show limited income, much like foreign men (married to Thai women) have to show reduced income.

 

I say reduced as I am thinking of the 400k THB Type-O/OA non-immigrant financial requirements (for reason of foreign man married to Thai woman)  as opposed to the 800K THB Type-O/OA non-immigrant financial requirement (for reason of retirement).  ie The amount can be reduced for a foreign man (if married to a Thai woman) but not eliminated. 

 

.... So if the government is pushed into a 'loss of face' by too many public complaints, would a similar 400k THB requirement be applied to foreign women?   I think not - unless of course there is a LOT of publicity around such - after which, I would not want to venture nor risk the outcome, for foreign women married to Thai men.

 

[connda]

This should be interesting.

So - if a foreign man marries a Thai man, will he be treated like a foreign woman married to a Thai man?
And - if a foreign woman marries a Thai woman, will she be treated like a foreign man married to a Thai woman?

 

Standby.  This is going to create lots of sparks!  😁

Anyway you cut it, they will have to rewrite that section of the police orders pertaining to same sex couples - wait for the screams!  🙀

 

 

Edited June 19 by connda

[connda]

1 hour ago, oldcpu said:

 

In this case, for the sake of foreign women and Thai men who are married and live in Thailand, I hope you are right.

 

Still - cynic that I can be at times, ... I still think an underlying nationalistic (and possibly subconscious anti-foreigner sentiment) , if there should ever be a case of "saving face", ...  could make this an exception to your view.  Cynically I wonder if there could be one-sided listening by the government. .... worst case resulting in foreign women could be required to show limited income, much like foreign men (married to Thai women) have to show reduced income.

 

I say reduced as I am thinking of the 400k THB Type-O/OA non-immigrant financial requirements (for reason of foreign man married to Thai woman)  as opposed to the 800K THB Type-O/OA non-immigrant financial requirement (for reason of retirement).  ie The amount can be reduced for a foreign man (if married to a Thai woman) but not eliminated. 

 

.... So if the government is pushed into a 'loss of face' by too many public complaints, would a similar 400k THB requirement be applied to foreign women?   I think not - unless of course there is a LOT of publicity around such - after which, I would not want to venture nor risk the outcome, for foreign women married to Thai men.

 

@oldcpu  Read the post above this post - THAT is going to "rock the boat."  Now that same sex marriages are legal, they are going to have to rewrite the immigration law to include "same sex marriages."  That will create significant friction as the Thai authorities will be forced to take a hard look at their immigration policies pertaining to Foreigner-Thai marriages.  How do they make it equitable?  🤔

 

Edited June 19 by connda

[Tod Daniels]

6 hours ago, Korat Kiwi said:

I wonder how or what they are going to apply to same sex married couples now they've passed that into law. 

 

That could become a can of worms

Good question and you are certainly correct it will open up a GIANT "can 'o wormz"

I am sure the powerz-that-b here haven't even contemplated how the changes in the marriage laws between sexes will work immigration visa/extension wise

right now it's;
foreign male/thai female, foreigner banks 400K 
foreign female/thai male, foreigner banks nothing

How the other permutations will parse out I guess that remains to be seen 🙂    

[richard_smith237]

17 minutes ago, Tod Daniels said:

6 hours ago, Korat Kiwi said:

I wonder how or what they are going to apply to same sex married couples now they've passed that into law. 

 

That could become a can of worms

Good question and you are certainly correct it will open up a GIANT "can 'o wormz"

I am sure the powerz-that-b here haven't even contemplated how the changes in the marriage laws between sexes will work immigration visa/extension wise

right now it's;
foreign male/thai female, foreigner banks 400K 
foreign female/thai male, foreigner banks nothing

How the other permutations will parse out I guess that remains to be seen 🙂    

 

It doesn't 'need' to be a can of worms... 

 

They could just 'open up' the same laws & requirements to all married couples that exist between Foreign Females married to Thai Males. 

 

That would be too easy, too giving...     I can imagine that 'Anutin' and his cronies arguing.... "No way, we can't have these foreign males coming in a getting citizenship by marrying the a bit of strumpet from Soi 6"... 

 

So... my guess is no... Nothing will change in the Laws at all... Foreign Females marrying Thai Males continues to fit within the Thai Patriarchial agenda, nothing else does.

 

 

 

Edited June 19 by richard_smith237

[Tod Daniels]

3 hours ago, connda said:

Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning - your post just drips of disdain for those of us married to Thai women and who post about this obvious difference.  Thanks for wading into this thread and beating the rest of us with a verbal club.  Have a little heart as well as respect.  Posers?  Come on, get real.  What you spewed here was really unnecessary and purposefully hostile.

 

My apologies there @connda  I wasn't singling out foreign males married to thai women OR foreign women married to thai men, and I wake up on the same side of the bed every day thanx for asking though.. 

I was using an overly broad brush (possibly a roller 😛 ) in reference to any person posting on the tiny part of the inter-web that is related to thailand and pointing out it is unlikely any of those people would have a clue about why the rule is the rule 🙂

I got no disdain for foreigners who wing their way here and marry thaiz, sheesh I know hundreds of foreign/thai couplez here. If that works for you good on you.

Sorry, didn't mean to jerk your chain or wind you up. Believe me IF/WHEN I post 'hostile' you'll most definitely know. This was just an observational comment mixed with my normal cynicism, sarcasm and a touch of snark 😉       

 

[connda]

26 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

It doesn't 'need' to be a can of worms... 

 

They could just 'open up' the same laws & requirements to all married couples that exist between Foreign Females married to Thai Males. 

 

That would be too easy, too giving...     I can imagine that 'Anutin' and his cronies arguing.... "No way, we can't have these foreign males coming in a getting citizenship by marrying the a bit of strumpet from Soi 6"... 

 

So... my guess is no... Nothing will change in the Laws at all... Foreign Females marrying Thai Males continues to fit within the Thai Patriarchial agenda, nothing else does.

 

 

 

You are speaking rational common sense.  TIT.  This is Thailand. <laughs>

 

I'm sure the government officials will thoroughly muck up everything. Just wait - see if I'm wrong. But I agree - I think in their "Pride" zeal they have completely overlooked the affect of the law on foreigner-Thai same sex marriages.  I expect them to do something like make a law that foreigner-Thai same sex couples marriages will not be recognized by the Thai government or something inane like that.  Again - wait for the screams.  There are a significant number of same sex couples, Thai and foreigners, who want to be officially married. They could promote that for tourism:  "Come to Thailand and marry your same-sex sweetheart."  But?  Never underestimate a government's ability to screw things up. 

[connda]

7 minutes ago, Tod Daniels said:

My apologies there @connda  I wasn't singling out foreign males married to thai women OR foreign women married to thai men, and I wake up on the same side of the bed every day thanx for asking though.. 

I was using an overly broad brush (possibly a roller 😛 ) in reference to any person posting on the tiny part of the inter-web that is related to thailand and pointing out it is unlikely any of those people would have a clue about why the rule is the rule 🙂

I got no disdain for foreigners who wing their way here and marry thaiz, sheesh I know hundreds of foreign/thai couplez here. If that works for you good on you.

Sorry, didn't mean to jerk your chain or wind you up. Believe me IF/WHEN I post 'hostile' you'll most definitely know. This was just an observational comment mixed with my normal cynicism, sarcasm and a touch of snark 😉       

 

Apologies accepted. 

[DogNo1]

Well, there’s the Thai Culture.  I don’t think that the government will let the liberal progressives mess it up.  Many Asian countries guard their cultures against foreign influence.  

[alexanderkaufman]

Great to see the number of people who have responded to my post. What I want see is the Thai women married to foreigners band together and approach the government through legal structures or the news media. Guessing mostly men on this thread 🤔