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I can't take it anymore..............

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  • Author
Just now, BritManToo said:

You're wrong, 60 day very easy

No photos, no witness, no finances, no photocopies .........

Just wife, marriage cert, her ID and House book along with a filled in application form and 1,900bht.

Cheers.....we are driving by our IO on Friday pm.....can't reapply fully as we don't have the new photos or the new STM.11, but can check that 60 day option out as a fall back.

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  • BilllyGOAT
    BilllyGOAT

    I have two Thai wives, so if one does not get me approved for the marriage visa, I have a backup. So far, everything is going well. Maybe it is her nice smile in the house photos. She is missing a few

  • IMHO They are sending you a message....get an agent so they get theirs & your life will be like a unicorn crapping rainbows 😉

  • And yet hundreds of folk do extensions every day based on marriage with zero issues. Let alone resort to rants

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34 minutes ago, MIke B Bad said:

We have no queuing system either. There's two 12 year olds on a tiny cramped desk pre-screening, paperwork strewn everywhere, people pushing in......absolutely chaotic.

Ah one item I forgot to mention, my visa extension is category "Retirement" so they do not need any paperwork from my partner but she always comes along to the office just in case.

So if it is such a hassle getting the marriage extension why do people not put an extra 400k in a bank for the months necessary and then get a 'retirement' extension instead?

No health insurance needed for non-O visas.

It is the same in the Phuket office, two or three people pre-screen the paperwork in order to save time, but they remember who came in first, second etc, we then get a card with a number, it is called out and then you see the IO person.

There is a new separate, nicely seated air con office just for visa extensions.

3 hours ago, lch said:

My local immigration has got so bad I just do a 90 day none O visa run, more money over the year but no hastle!

I can't even access my deposits or add deposits at the moment to apply for a non-o as they require the 400K proof to even get a single non-o child visa in SE asia, which makes also no sense if they would change visa's back to 30 days and limit to 1 extension a year.

How are people even supposed to get a bank account if they require a year visa to get a bank account while you need a deposit to just get a single non-o lol.

Why would you have a 90 day visa to begin with, they make it as if it is only for the purpose to extend to a year by default. This also goes against international law they agreed on. You can't separate a child from a parent for financial reasons / visa reasons, if that child holds the nationality and resides there.

Is same wall Trump walked against.

  • Author
3 minutes ago, JamesPhuket10 said:

Ah one item I forgot to mention, my visa extension is category "Retirement" so they do not need any paperwork from my partner but she always comes along to the office just in case.

So if it is such a hassle getting the marriage extension why do people not put an extra 400k in a bank for the months necessary and then get a 'retirement' extension instead?

No health insurance needed for non-O visas.

It is the same in the Phuket office, two or three people pre-screen the paperwork in order to save time, but they remember who came in first, second etc, we then get a card with a number, it is called out and then you see the IO person.

There is a new separate, nicely seated air con office just for visa extensions.

Yep....going to switch next year if I'm still here.

I could understand, to a degree, the hassle if you are newly weds......but we have been married for 20 years.

2 minutes ago, JamesPhuket10 said:

With an arrow on the front of the shirt pointing to the house which also says, "I live here" when you take the photo outside the house.

Oh no, that might confuse the IO in the Isan branch as the shirt you are wearing at the office will be pointing to the office and they might think you live there in secret. 😃

A hand drawn map on the front with your passport number in bold font and a google maps on the back with QR code.

  • Author
2 minutes ago, BuffaloRider said:

I can't even access my deposits or add deposits at the moment to apply for a non-o as they require the 400K proof to even get a single non-o child visa in SE asia, which makes also no sense if they would change visa's back to 30 days and limit to 1 extension a year.

Why would you have a 90 day visa to begin with, they make it as if it is only for the purpose to extend to a year by default. This also goes against international law they agreed on. You can't separate a child from a parent for financial reasons / visa reasons.

And the UK has split up families with their financial requirements....people who have been married for years.....like me.

If you have been married for, say, five years, do you really need to have the same financial requirements imposed when your spouse has no recourse to public funds and the NHS?

On 2/24/2026 at 10:57 AM, spidermike007 said:

This is a past post from a few years ago when I was still using the marriage visa, which I now refuse to apply for, having switched to the retirement visa which is infinitely easier.

Recently returned from immigration, after renewing my marriage visa. The upside to this visa, is that only 400,000 is needed as a deposit, and it does not have to stay in the bank, once your visa is granted. The downsides are:

The hurdles you need to jump over, in order to get a marriage visa are stupid, ridiculous, unnecessary, draconian, wasteful, and silly.

I understand the need for them to verify that you are a legitimate couple. Upon the first application.

But, the dumb requirements should not relate to renewals. You should not be required to show fresh images of the house each time, copies of the marriage papers, the house documents, either come with a local Thai witness, or bring a signed affidavit from a local Thai each time, provide new maps to the house, and dozens of other requirements.

I just do not even know what to say about the process. I felt like a very unwanted expat by the time I left. After hours of paperwork, copy after copy after copy, each page having to be signed, and then being grilling by the surly officer, I literally felt like a street dog. The level of disrespect that immigration shows married couples here, and foreigners in general, is totally uncalled for, beyond the pale, and inane. The copy woman, the guy sorting our papers, they were all nice. But, the officers? Such sourpusses.

The woman who was helping us was so difficult to work with, when she finally rejected us over the tiniest thing she did not like, after nearly an hour of reviewing every document with a microscope, so to speak, and said no, I responded by saying YES, YES, you are going to do this. YES , you are going to do this right now. YES, you are going to stop saying NO to me right now. This ends now. I was so angry I was screaming at her, so everybody in the immigration office turned and looked at what was going on including the manager. She looked at me and did not know what to say, as I had totally shut down her ridiculousness. I asked for the manager. The big boss came over, I explained the abuse we had been getting, and we had it sorted in 30 minutes. Took nearly 3 hours total. And as usual, it was a month, until I had final approval. Is it worth it? NO. Was that my last marriage visa. Yes. I will go back to a retirement visa next year, or leave the country, before I subject myself to that abuse one more time.

Frankly, I think at least some of this comes from the rather extreme level of xenophobia and the toxic racism of the government. It filters down throughout the government. I do not think they want us here. And making these procedures difficult is one way of expressing that. 

 

Fortunately, I feel very little of that sentiment from the non governmental Thai people. 

 

I still love it here. The extreme heat in the hot season and the horrific air quality in the cool season are definitely issues for me. If I had the required cash, I would likely buy a farm with 20 rai of land in SW Italy, and spend 5 months of the year there, a few months traveling, a month in the US (family and work), and two to three months of the year here. But I don't have the budget for that and my life here is quite good, so I'm here to stay.

I suppose they have to keep on checking the fine details of a marriage extension as people get divorced, but yes the retirement visa is infinitely easier to get, as I said in a previous comment it took 20 minutes from start to finish in the Phuket office, they were also very friendly and I joked with them and had them laughing, I picked up the passport the next day with a big friendly smile from the staff member.

Maybe a lot of the IO staff are 'pissssssed off" with the fact they have been posted to Isan instead of Bangkok or Phuket for example and so take it out on the 'customer' as was the case relating to the author of this article.

6 minutes ago, MIke B Bad said:

And the UK has split up families with their financial requirements....people who have been married for years.....like me.

If you have been married for, say, five years, do you really need to have the same financial requirements imposed when your spouse has no recourse to public funds and the NHS?

That is not true for what I talk about, children, the Chavez law ruling applies and gives 5 year visa's and working rights as well as social welfare access and state pension build up. There is not even a integration or language requirement.

This is repeated extended up to age 18 child. As well by that time you get a passport already. Just by living there 10 years and doing nothing a Thai would get around 12,000 baht pension from age 65 lol. Let that sink in for a minute.

Asylum seekers exploit this btw.

In terms of married requirements, you really have to be in a bad shape both paperwise and even with just a basic job, to not meet that. To have 400K cash is a bigger achievement.

16 hours ago, MIke B Bad said:

Close to tears......so glad the wife won't let me have a gun......555

If you had, had a gun it would have solved the marriage visa extensions as you would have been awarded a 20 years jail extension and at no cost. 😃

  • Popular Post
9 minutes ago, JamesPhuket10 said:

I suppose they have to keep on checking the fine details of a marriage extension as people get divorced

There is government systems for that, ever seen how hyper modern it is for Thais to get new passports or ID cards in places like Chiang Mai or BKK? They even have state of the art 5-10 min precise queue systems online and offline. My son his new passport was done in 1 day.

All this paperwork stuff is to keep the corruption alive. They could see in a second if you are married or not, or if that Thai person is married to you. All these problems are by design, that is what makes it even worse.

3 hours ago, Asquith Production said:

I did my marriage renewal 2 days ago. Rejected house photo due to not getting whole house in. Luckily Im only 15 minutes away from immigration

So another whole house in.

Good luck tif you have a cam that can catch it in a narrow neighborhood 🙄

Time for professional photographers to engage 🫣

58 minutes ago, MIke B Bad said:

I'm looking at Turkey for 6 months a year then split the remainder between UK, Thailand.....maybe Philippines?

That is what is so good about living in Phuket, If I go to the tourists areas I sometimes feel as though I am in Turkey, or India or Russia of the surrounding Asian countries like the Philippines. 😃

But while in the area where my house is in Kathu, Kathu, I feel like I am back in Thailand again as of the 350 houses, 95% are occupied by Thai families, just a two farangs on my street.

I was back in England last year, partly in London and partly 30 miles out, it make me realise how cheap it is to live in Phuket in comparison, money goes a long way here.

And the immigration office is friendly and helpful when it comes to the annual visa extension, as I said, 20 minutes this time around.

8 minutes ago, BuffaloRider said:

There is government systems for that, ever seen how hyper modern it is for Thais to get new passports or ID cards in places like Chiang Mai or BKK? They even have state of the art 5-10 min precise queue systems online and offline. My son his new passport was done in 1 day.

All this paperwork stuff is to keep the corruption alive. They could see in a second if you are married or not, or if that Thai person is married to you. All these problems are by design, that is what makes it even worse.

I have seen it as one of my son's had to get his first ever passport and Thai ID in Bangkok even though he had lived his whole life in England up to two years ago where he now has a business in New Zealand, he said it was very easy.

As I said, maybe the immigration officers working in the sticks are so pissssssed off for being posted there they take it out on the 'customers'.

46 minutes ago, BuffaloRider said:

How are people even supposed to get a bank account if they require a year visa to get a bank account while you need a deposit to just get a single non-o lol.

You get them to contact head office, and they will open an account for you to put money in, but you will need to show the extension after you get the extension.

I renew at CW and have never had the entire house in the photo, only the front door with the address on the mailbox next to it.

Are you including the house number in the photo?

I let my wife do everything and we never have any issues. She loves the photos. Make sure you do not wear the same shirt two year in a row.

2 hours ago, JamesPhuket10 said:

You must be joking, it took me 20 minutes from entering the IO to paying the 1900 baht and then picking my passport with the new visa the next day, 30 mins drive to the IO from my house here in Phuket.

That's fabulous.

It does read like Phuket has massively improved. 👍 From 2019 to 2023 (before I obtained my LTR) on a Type-OA (marriage, later retirement), and later a Type-O (retirement), I typically would spend the better part of an entire day (a couple of times the entire day) at Phuket immigration mad .

Given what you note, the skeptics should take note (where I tend to be a skeptic) - somethings DO improve, and it reads like a massive improvement in Phuket. 👍

... One thing about Phuket Immigration that always impressed me - was the hard work ethic of the staff who worked there. Likely my timing was unlucky (when I went to Phuket immigration) as for me, the place was typically flooded with foreigners. The hassle at Phuket immigration due to the overcrowding was one factor that drove me to go for the LTR-WP.

Again - I am glad to read of the improvement in Phuket.

1 hour ago, BuffaloRider said:

How are people even supposed to get a bank account if they require a year visa to get a bank account while you need a deposit to just get a single non-o lol.

They do not.

Obtain a Non O eVisa prior to entry.

With that you should be able to open Thai Bank account.

4 hours ago, wwest5829 said:

Sorry to hear of your challenges. And all should note that requirements vary among the immigration offices and officers. This is the reason I have used an agency for going on 15 years. They know if there is a new requirement, a new boss wanting to change something, who got up on the “wrong side of the bed”. As they work daily with immigration a trusted agency makes our once a year Extension not so difficult.

I've done my 1 yr extension both ways over the years. Last year I utiized the 65k/ month reqiurement. Worked great. Previously I used the agent for the 800k because my retirement pension income did not meet the requirements. I'll keep doing it this way until the Cdn dollar tanks and then back to Soi PO.

I hate entering the immigration offfice mainly because I don't appreciate being spoken to like a dog that pissed on the carpet. I'm always polite but never receive the same in return. Reminds me of the stone faces Imm officers at the airport.

29 minutes ago, oldcpu said:

That's fabulous.

It does read like Phuket has massively improved. 👍 From 2019 to 2023 (before I obtained my LTR) on a Type-OA (marriage, later retirement), and later a Type-O (retirement), I typically would spend the better part of an entire day (a couple of times the entire day) at Phuket immigration mad .

Given what you note, the skeptics should take note (where I tend to be a skeptic) - somethings DO improve, and it reads like a massive improvement in Phuket. 👍

... One thing about Phuket Immigration that always impressed me - was the hard work ethic of the staff who worked there. Likely my timing was unlucky (when I went to Phuket immigration) as for me, the place was typically flooded with foreigners. The hassle at Phuket immigration due to the overcrowding was one factor that drove me to go for the LTR-WP.

Again - I am glad to read of the improvement in Phuket.

The good thing is it was not a one off event, it has been that way for the last two years. 👍

I also did a 90 day report via the drive through counter a few months ago as I left the country and came back in, that took three minutes and all I had to do was hand over my passport, no paperwork and it was done on the spot.

I wonder how many thumbs down I will get for saying something positive yet true about Thailand as seem to happen many times, but it just make me laugh when it happens. 😃

Meanwhile.

We got caught up in the "need extra photos" rule change at our last marriage extension in November.

Immigration lady gave me a Line account to send the updated images to, took photos, sent them, got a "thank you" Line sticker, problem solved.

Pathum Thani office. We are actually only about 10 minutes away anyway so it wouldn't really have been a problem.

"I don't want to know why you can't. I want to know how you can!"

  • Popular Post

Did my marriage ext yesterday 24th feb Jomtien IO two new girls at the counter 6, the girl we had, picked on everything plus wanted two extra photos kitchen and bedroom the lady on the counter in previous years was no problem two photos outside house one showing house number etc, and two inside, with this new girl every form scrutinised plus old pasport and new passport looking at every single page over and over by this new girl, glad my wife had taken care i just sat there as usual totally ignored except to countersign ever single form that she pulled out from the heap, took about 2 hours in all at IO, wife went back alone today with two extra photos required, and did the 90 day clockin at the same time,completly ridiculous waste of time,this is my 12th ext and as others have said, same thing every year, very tireing for a 87 yr old semi invalid bloke like me sitting in a wheelchair!

32 minutes ago, maxcorrigan said:

.....the same time,completly ridiculous waste of time,this is my 12th ext and as others have said, same thing every year, very tireing for a 87 yr old semi invalid bloke like me sitting in a wheelchair!

If mobility an issue then switch to agent using based on retirement.

You have options.

  • Author
4 hours ago, BritManToo said:

You're wrong, 60 day very easy

No photos, no witness, no finances, no photocopies .........

Just wife, marriage cert, her ID and House book along with a filled in application form and 1,900bht.

I'll defo try that route then.....cheers.

Just now, MIke B Bad said:

I'll defo try that route then.....cheers.

Order 327-2557 60 Ext 2.24.png

  • Author
3 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

I renew at CW and have never had the entire house in the photo, only the front door with the address on the mailbox next to it.

Are you including the house number in the photo?

I let my wife do everything and we never have any issues. She loves the photos. Make sure you do not wear the same shirt two year in a row.

Exactly what we have done for three (four?) years......house number, both stood pointing at it, then us with the house as a backdrop

  • Author
2 hours ago, Crossy said:

Meanwhile.

We got caught up in the "need extra photos" rule change at our last marriage extension in November.

Immigration lady gave me a Line account to send the updated images to, took photos, sent them, got a "thank you" Line sticker, problem solved.

Pathum Thani office. We are actually only about 10 minutes away anyway so it wouldn't really have been a problem.

2 hours ago, Crossy said:

Immigration lady gave me a Line account to send the updated images to,WHAT????

WHAT????

  • Author
5 minutes ago, Liquorice said:

Order 327-2557 60 Ext 2.24.png

Cheers......and this keeps my Non-O 'alive' so I can then extend anytime during the 60 days?

17 minutes ago, MIke B Bad said:

WHAT????

I'm not sure what was unclear.

It wasn't her personal Line (she is rather cute and I do love a woman in uniform, but Madam was watching) it was the offical "Visa Status Check" Line account.

"I don't want to know why you can't. I want to know how you can!"

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