A couple of changes from last year.

 

The application form has been updated, so our carefully pre-filled form wasn't acceptable, grrr 😞 

 

They want more photos than the previous two-in, two-out. Now also need photos of in the bedroom, in the lounge, in the diner, with the cars in the car port and something about our mango trees.

 

If you have a helper (we have a lady from our office) they need to provide their blue-book as well as their ID card.

 

If using the money in the bank method you have to keep the $$$ in your account and update the bank book on the day you collect your final stamp (also noted in red on the 30 day under-consideration stamp).

 

Luckily the additional stuff can be uploaded via the official Line account so no need to trek back to the office, just prefix with your visa application number. That account can also be used to check your application status.

 

They still want an updated TM30 each year although there was no mention of a home visit (they didn't come last year).

 

Various downloads here https://pathumthani.imm.police.go.th/information you will need a translate app as it's all in Thai.

 

I think that's all.

 

As always a friendly office and the waiting area is now weatherproof and air-conditioned, so no real hassle.

 

EDIT They also tried (unsuccessfully) to persuade me to go to a retirement extension having noted that there's more than enough in the account we used. I'll need to reduce that balance before next year

 

I submitted my application at the CW offices several days ago. My observations: 

 

I usually download most of the requisite forms from the official immigration website a month or so before visiting in person. i.e. TM.7, STM.2, STM.9, and STM.11. I haven't been able to locate a downloadable STM.10 form (Affidavit of Family Relationship to Thai National), so if anyone can assist me that would be useful.

 

Two photos outside the property and two inside (bedroom and lounge) as usual.

 

For a number years now, I have made a point of updating my bank book and obtaining a bank letter the day before attending immigration. I then update the bank book the day before obtaining the visa stamp, as they usually want to check before stamping my passport.

 

Given that I am an owner/occupier, I use the official TM.30 online facility to maintain a record of my residence. This year for the very first time I did download a single document from the application detailing my period of stay, which I submitted with my application.

 

After the officer had gone through my papers, stamping and initialling as necessary, they were handed back to me. I was told to photocopy each page and return immediately. This request hasn't been made of me at CW in the past!

 

For anyone with the age and financials, I can't imagine any reason to stick with the marriage extension if retirement is an option --- except for one:  Ability to engage in legal, gainful employment in Thailand.

 

If Crossy has another reason, I'd like to hear it.

9 minutes ago, TaoNow said:

For anyone with the age and financials, I can't imagine any reason to stick with the marriage extension if retirement is an option --- except for one:  Ability to engage in legal, gainful employment in Thailand.

 

If Crossy has another reason, I'd like to hear it.

 

You got it in one. Whilst I'm not working right now (at least not in Thailand) I reserve the right to get myself a job.

 

8 minutes ago, TaoNow said:

For anyone with the age and financials, I can't imagine any reason to stick with the marriage extension if retirement is an option --- except for one:  Ability to engage in legal, gainful employment in Thailand.

 

If Crossy has another reason, I'd like to hear it.

You also get treated as a Thai if you've been naughty (like kicking a doctor).

Splitting up a married couple is a Human Rights problem which the Thai government try to avoid.

16 minutes ago, TaoNow said:

For anyone with the age and financials, I can't imagine any reason to stick with the marriage extension if retirement is an option

Perhaps work out the opportunity cost of having 800k locked in a Thai bank at very low interest vs kept in alternative. 

One easy example is my Oz superannuation fund which is 8% + 

Compound that over several years. 

 

If monthly transfers (income method) is an option then yes based on retirement is a winner. 

3 hours ago, Crossy said:

 

If using the money in the bank method you have to keep the $$$ in your account and update the bank book on the day you collect your final stamp (also noted in red on the 30 day under-consideration stamp).

 

 

 

Yep. I was told the same thing today at Pathumthani. Funny how they surreptitiously turned a 60 day bank requirement into a 90 day requirement with absolutely no legal authority to do so.

 

I also got dinged because the address on my bank account statement didn't match my address. Had the bank account for 20 years, including over a decade's worth of marriage visas.  It's never been an issue until now, so make sure you get the paperwork right.

 

Also new this year was a "witness" to the marriage. Wife had to scramble to get her sister to email pictures of her house paper and ID card which we had to print out on site so they would accept the application. They did let me send the updated bank statement with the corrected address via the Line account though.

18 minutes ago, uncletiger said:

Also new this year was a "witness" to the marriage. Wife had to scramble to get her sister to email pictures of her house paper and ID card which we had to print out on site so they would accept the application.

 

YES.

 

This would appear to be what our "helper" needed to provide, so she was our witness.

 

If you look at the requirements in the link I posted a "witness" and the paperwork appear there.

 

https://pathumthani.imm.police.go.th/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/1.6.2-Wife.pdf Item 5

 

Whilst I intended this to be Pathum Thani oriented it would be interesting to know if any other offices have similar requirements.

 

We probably crossed paths today!!

I was the fat-farang with the black Thaiger polo (the only decent black item I have).

2 hours ago, uncletiger said:

Yep. I was told the same thing today at Pathumthani. Funny how they surreptitiously turned a 60 day bank requirement into a 90 day requirement with absolutely no legal authority to do so.

It's still 2 months before, but it's always recommended to keep the funds in the bank until the extension is approved.

1 hour ago, Crossy said:

Whilst I intended this to be Pathum Thani oriented it would be interesting to know if any other offices have similar requirements.

New form introduced this year and previously reported on the forum.

 

STM10 downloadable from here; https://bangkok.immigration.go.th/en/downloads_en/

Number 26 on the list.

5 hours ago, a269652 said:

I haven't been able to locate a downloadable STM.10 form (Affidavit of Family Relationship to Thai National), so if anyone can assist me that would be useful.

Link in post above.

Bit off topic... Downloadable forms along with able to fill in via computer or whatever, I find laughable. 

Recently I attended immigration (CW) allbeit retirement. 

Had appointment 1pm.

Picked up the TM7 and they even handed over forms mentioned in this thread. 

Went down to lower level for photocopies etc

Filled in forms. 5 mins. 

Type about make easy difficult.

Not to mention some offices update the forms

11 hours ago, Liquorice said:

It's still 2 months before, but it's always recommended to keep the funds in the bank until the extension is approved.

 

Yeah, the change is that it is now a requirement to keep the funds in the bank during the under-approval period making a total of about 90 days.

 

I wonder if Bangkok Bank are going to start freezing accounts for the 30 days like they seem to be doing for retirement extensions.

 

None of the changes are particularly onerous and apart from the requirment for a witness are just extensions of existing.

 

2 hours ago, Crossy said:

Yeah, the change is that it is now a requirement to keep the funds in the bank during the under-approval period making a total of about 90 days.

Change only reported for Pathum Thani so far, but wise to keep funds in the account until approved.
A couple of years ago a friend had his application accepted by the local IO, but 2 weeks later the regional office returned his docs and requested he resubmitted as some of the copies were so faint they were illegible.

 

2 hours ago, Crossy said:

I wonder if Bangkok Bank are going to start freezing accounts for the 30 days like they seem to be doing for retirement extensions.

Their policy applies to all requests for the Immigration letter, retirement or Thai family, if the funds haven't been in the account for the previous 4 months.
Not all branches apply it, though.

 

2 hours ago, Crossy said:

None of the changes are particularly onerous and apart from the requirment for a witness are just extensions of existing.

We were required to take the form away and have it signed by a witness, then return it along with a signed copy of the witnesses ID card.

1 minute ago, Liquorice said:

We were required to take the form away and have it signed by a witness, then return it along with a signed copy of the witnesses ID card.

 

Yeah, we were lucky that our "witness" happened to be in attendance.

 

This is definitely going to catch a few out 😞 

23 hours ago, uncletiger said:

Yep. I was told the same thing today at Pathumthani. Funny how they surreptitiously turned a 60 day bank requirement into a 90 day requirement with absolutely no legal authority to do so.

This illegal requirement to get the final stamp - which can be ~120 days later, if you apply early - started in some remote offices, then CW Bangkok started doing it. A couple years ago they stopped.

 

A remote office where I lived for awhile simplified things, by illegally demanding 90 days money-seasoning pre-application, instead of 60 days, but without the final-stamp "show the money, again" requirement.

In Ubon Ratchathani the newish head man wants copies of divorce certificate or death certificate if either previously married or widowed. Also birth certificate, id card and house book entries of any children you have together.Mine are in their 30's and both live and work in UK.

At the end, two Immigration officers took me and the wife outside to have our photos taken, and also one of me holding my passport , with an IO.

Took 3 hours from handing in the paperwork to leaving the offices.

The IO was complaining about the new man making things more difficult.

Some offices really do seem to go out of their way to make life difficult, fortunately this does not currently apply to my local office,   At my last 90 day report they told me to get somebody , in fact anybody from the village to simply supply me with  a signed photocopy of their ID card  and that would satisfy the witness requirement for them.  That was it nothing else.   

They always fill all the forms in themselves and just get me to sign on the (many and ever increasing ) dotted lines. This time I was in and out in just under an hour, literally as fast as the officer could fill the forms in for me

The current team , all female are very polite and very very helpful, long may it continue (he said, desperately looking for wood to touch)

On 10/31/2025 at 5:18 PM, Rob Browder said:

This illegal requirement to get the final stamp - which can be ~120 days later, if you apply early - started in some remote offices, then CW Bangkok started doing it. A couple years ago they stopped.

Any reports CW has started demanding an updated bank book when returning for the final stamp?

On 10/31/2025 at 5:18 PM, Rob Browder said:

This illegal requirement to get the final stamp - which can be ~120 days later, if you apply early - started in some remote offices, then CW Bangkok started doing it. A couple years ago they stopped.

What's illegal, and how do you calculate the 120 days?

On 10/30/2025 at 1:28 PM, Crossy said:

A couple of changes from last year.

 

The application form has been updated, so our carefully pre-filled form wasn't acceptable, grrr 😞 

 

They want more photos than the previous two-in, two-out. Now also need photos of in the bedroom, in the lounge, in the diner, with the cars in the car port and something about our mango trees.

 

If you have a helper (we have a lady from our office) they need to provide their blue-book as well as their ID card.

 

If using the money in the bank method you have to keep the $$$ in your account and update the bank book on the day you collect your final stamp (also noted in red on the 30 day under-consideration stamp).

 

Luckily the additional stuff can be uploaded via the official Line account so no need to trek back to the office, just prefix with your visa application number. That account can also be used to check your application status.

 

They still want an updated TM30 each year although there was no mention of a home visit (they didn't come last year).

 

Various downloads here https://pathumthani.imm.police.go.th/information you will need a translate app as it's all in Thai.

 

I think that's all.

 

As always a friendly office and the waiting area is now weatherproof and air-conditioned, so no real hassle.

 

EDIT They also tried (unsuccessfully) to persuade me to go to a retirement extension having noted that there's more than enough in the account we used. I'll need to reduce that balance before next year

 

 

 

Thanks to the TM 30 every year confuses me, but what the heck.

On 10/30/2025 at 1:28 PM, Crossy said:

They want more photos than the previous two-in, two-out. Now also need photos of in the bedroom, in the lounge, in the diner,

Welcome to the real world Trat want 6 photos... and must sit on the bed with your wife.

We all know that individual offices have their own little foibles.

 

Hence my relaying changes at our office (Pathum Thani) in order to give a heads-up to other users of the same office so they don't get caught out.

 

On 10/30/2025 at 3:02 PM, TaoNow said:

For anyone with the age and financials, I can't imagine any reason to stick with the marriage extension if retirement is an option --- except for one:  Ability to engage in legal, gainful employment in Thailand.

 

If Crossy has another reason, I'd like to hear it.

It is a question of perception. Every office has their way of doing things but overall immigration is more in favour of the family connection than the retiree.  This was fairly obvious during covid.

I was on retirement up until they stopped the embassy letters and had to go to marriage, now I could go back to retirement but wouldn't choose to unless there was a significant change.

Come the next coup I would prefer to be on this side of the fence.

On 10/30/2025 at 5:28 PM, uncletiger said:

 

Yep. I was told the same thing today at Pathumthani. Funny how they surreptitiously turned a 60 day bank requirement into a 90 day requirement with absolutely no legal authority to do so.

 

I also got dinged because the address on my bank account statement didn't match my address. Had the bank account for 20 years, including over a decade's worth of marriage visas.  It's never been an issue until now, so make sure you get the paperwork right.

 

Also new this year was a "witness" to the marriage. Wife had to scramble to get her sister to email pictures of her house paper and ID card which we had to print out on site so they would accept the application. They did let me send the updated bank statement with the corrected address via the Line account though.

Thanks.

I go next month for the millionth marriage extension. 

 

Have always been able to dip into the 400K after application submitted.

Now we can't?? 

This needs challenging!

 

Don't recall any "witnesses to the marriage ".

It was done at an Ampur over 20 years ago.

So zip to that one!

 

Did they want a home visit??....like Crossy above, for the first time, we DIDN'T get one last year.

12 minutes ago, orchidfan said:

Have always been able to dip into the 400K after application submitted.

Now we can't?? 

The 400k should be maintained in account during the under consideration period until final stamp is entered into pp. 

34 minutes ago, orchidfan said:

Did they want a home visit??....like Crossy above, for the first time, we DIDN'T get one last year.

 

No mention this time of a home visit.

 

Just for completeness.

 

On 10/30/2025 at 3:13 PM, BritManToo said:

You also get treated as a Thai if you've been naughty (like kicking a doctor).

Splitting up a married couple is a Human Rights problem which the Thai government try to avoid.

 

Agreed.

 

The reasons I keep to Marriage Extension and not Retirement is:

Entitlement to work.

I feel a bit more protected (if that’s possible) by applying to support Thai wife/kids than with Retirement. Maybe that’s a false perception, hopefully I never have to test it.

Havingh to keep B400k in bank is far better than B800k

I don’t feel that it is any more onerous to apply for Marriage Extension than Retirement, except I have to return to the Imm Off after 30 days with Marriage Extension (takes minutes to get the extension stamp)

Another perception. Control of my application is by faceless people in BKK HQ and not by people I deal with at the Imm Off.

15 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

The 400k should be maintained in account during the under consideration period until final stamp is entered into pp. 

Well, I don't think it's officially documented or justified, and has never been a "requirement " at PT in the past. 

Just roll up personally (or nominee?), hand over pp and wait outside for stamped pp to be handed out.

I know that you have always advocated this and now it is a "requirement "

 

Not your fault, but bloody hell !!

Just now, orchidfan said:

Well, I don't think it's officially documented or justified, and has never been a "requirement " at PT in the past. 

Just roll up personally (or nominee?), hand over pp and wait outside for stamped pp to be handed out.

I know that you have always advocated this and now it is a "requirement "

 

Not your fault, but bloody hell !!

 

See my edited post above!