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

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4 hours ago, BritManToo said:

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.

The same HQ told me since 2 months that i should be able to withdraw my funds at least, having bank book passport and myself. Yet they refused each time so far.

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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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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 was lucky, when i married a Thai lady, but opted to use the embassy letter (early 2000's) to do my retirement visa in BKK and did my rides to Poipet and the casino for lunch and back to BKK. Then the embassy dropped the letter and I did monthly income with no real problems either and by then i was living and doing yearly extension of stay in CM and never had any problem there either. But when the LTR dropped from 100K to 50K, no 90-day reports and no income taxes on foreign income, immediately went for that and. I think that is the best visa for me and my finances though with the DTA with US, I would be exempt anyway but the less of having to go to immigration with possible changes I still love the LTR and love living here in CM. The winter weather this year in the US makes me smile even more so that I live here. I can put up with the pollution here but hate the old and snowy/ice weather there.

There is new fuss every time I try to extend my retirement. Last month she told me that I need to show activities on my bank account. When I replied that this account is a “fixed account” and I use it only for my extension. She said: why did you have a “withdraw” from this account ? 🤔 I told her that I did not touch the 800,000 for 10 years (I only withdraw the interest amount) and the statement shows, right ? 🤔😂 I can’t believe this logic.

4 minutes ago, OneManShow said:

There is new fuss every time I try to extend my retirement. Last month she told me that I need to show activities on my bank account

That's nothing new at some offices.

Previously I used FD account at CW and made a 1000b deposit on day of application.

13 minutes ago, BuffaloRider said:

The same HQ told me since 2 months that i should be able to withdraw my funds at least, having bank book passport and myself. Yet they refused each time so far.

That is BBL specific. No need to bang on about it. Rogue bank

42 minutes ago, MIke B Bad said:

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

Your Non O is not "alive"

You have a permission of stay stamp.

You can obtain a once off 60 day extension to visit wife.

After that the only option is 12 month extension

Time is money! When I saw what my brother was going through after Embassy letters were discontinued I said no way I made sure within my year to ship more over never turn back.

19 minutes ago, thailand49 said:

Time is money! When I saw what my brother was going through after Embassy letters were discontinued I said no way I made sure within my year to ship more over never turn back.

You are referring to money in bank method.

The OP is concerning issues with extension marriage.

Perhaps I'm just lucky, but I have not had problems with immigration even once in the 36 years I have been living and working here and I have had a spousal visa for most of those years.

6 minutes ago, CM Dad said:

Perhaps I'm just lucky, but I have not had problems with immigration even once in the 36 years I have been living and working here and I have had a spousal visa for most of those years.

You are not alone.

Yes, some offices can be pedantic.

To me the OP smells of poor preparation and the rant almost backs that up.

The late great ubonjoe never complained re his marriage extensions.

Some folk simply don't provide required docs

2 hours ago, MIke B Bad said:

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

Your Non O visa is 'used', but your Immigration status remains Non Immigrant, so yes you can apply for the 1 year extension whilst on the 60 day extension.

7 hours ago, JamesPhuket10 said:

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'.

Its a nation wide issue.

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My marriage visa extensions often involve new surprises, but I prepare for them every year like it is serious business. This time, while submitting my stack of documents thick enough to stop a tuk-tuk barreling down Doi Inthanon, they casually mentioned there might be a home visit this year while the extension was under consideration.

That was enough.

I cleaned up my dumpy little house like royalty was coming and put my mia nois, both of them, who also live with us, in a hotel together for weeks. Then I got fresh curtains, matching pillows, and new bathroom floor towels that no one was allowed to step on. I even bought vegetables I have never eaten in my life and arranged them artistically on the kitchen table so it looked like we live on a wholesome vegetarian diet instead of surviving on 7-Eleven toasties and instant noodles.

So we waited.

And waited.

For three and a half weeks we sat in a spotless house, afraid to touch anything in case an IO appeared without warning. I also fluffed cushions daily just to maintain operational readiness. We did not even bump uglies the entire time because I did not want to get caught with my pants down, literally.

In the end, nobody ever came, and my marriage visa was extended for the 27th time without a hitch. Good thing too, because those vegetables were no longer looking so lively after the first week.

10 hours ago, MIke B Bad said:

Yes........think I'll switch now.....married for 20 years and they still grill us every time.....pathetic.

Married for 25 years, we have two +20 Yr old kids (always in the photos we submit, and we provide their birth certificates with the wife and my names as parents), and yet they ask my wife every year 'when and where did you meet?' as part of a form they seem to fill in for my wife 😆

16 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

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

You have options.

Yes thank you, i have thought of that route already we live in Sattahip, not far from Jomtien just off the Sukomvit Road area, next question is can anyone suggest an agent in that area that can do the job and roughly outline prices etc. i've obviously got money for a marriage visa in the bank, and a retirement visa is double that anount, so an agent would provide the differance, as i understand it, which is about all i understand of retirement route!

Thank you Dr Jack and all who responded to my post, and good luck to all of you!

45 minutes ago, maxcorrigan said:

Yes thank you, i have thought of that route already we live in Sattahip, not far from Jomtien just off the Sukomvit Road area, next question is can anyone suggest an agent in that area that can do the job and roughly outline prices etc. i've obviously got money for a marriage visa in the bank, and a retirement visa is double that anount, so an agent would provide the differance, as i understand it, which is about all i understand of retirement route!

Thank you Dr Jack and all who responded to my post, and good luck to all of you!

You'll be very hard pressed to find any agent that will do a marriage extension. Those require approval from the district office, and cannot be approved at the local office. That means the costs are much higher, and they require a lot more work, so agents avoid them.

Any agent you talk to is going to tell you to just do a retirement extension, which will be fast and easy, and significantly cheaper than a marriage extension (if you can even find an agent that does it).

44 minutes ago, maxcorrigan said:

i've obviously got money for a marriage visa in the bank, and a retirement visa is double that anount, so an agent would provide the differance, as i understand it, which is about all i understand of retirement route!

To be clear you can use an agent for two different levels of service for extension based on retirement.

One is "hand holding" where by you meet the financial requirements.

That in short means funds in bank all year round. Many just opt to maintain 800k.

The other type of agent service (far more common) is where the agent covers the financial requirements.

Your 400k in that case is moot point.

Re agent... There are many in Pattaya.

Annual extensions approx 15k.

Bit irrelevant however I also have mobility issues. Can still drive to CW however the shear size of the joint makes it a formidable task.

I use income method however eventually will be resigned to using agent.

I still will most likely be financially compliant as use income method, money that's needed anyway.

You could consider retirement extensions using income method.

Passport country?

The Centara hotel at CW is pretty nice, great parking, decent breakfast, and reasonably priced.

It's not too bad a hoof from the lobby to immigration, and the walk is all indoor, and I think wheelchair accessible, but I'm not sure.

One could also get a taxi to drop you right at the door next to immigration. There is also a shuttle, but not sure how often it runs.

I will admit that from 2012 thru 2015 marriage visa was quite simple to do in Chiang Mai except one time needing to bring a office person from condo as witness. But from 2015 on it got so insane to get an appointment. The online booking was full 1 min after midnight when it opened online remember? for the new day etc...Remember folks paying someone to sit in a line outside from 1-2am in the parking lot?

So that is when we used Assist Thai Visa...I have to admit if we continued to live there I would have continued to use them it was crazy how simple it was. They did it all (of course we provided the papers they needed) They go take care of it & you get a call when it is time to go in to sign at Imm. They then walk you to the head of the line & take your photo. Total time there maybe 10 minutes. Then you leave & agent takes care of the rest. I remember thinking as I left best 10k baht I ever spent.

PS: This is a real agent that functions above board & I had the funds etc...They just made life easier & expedite things

11 minutes ago, mania said:

I will admit that from 2012 thru 2015 marriage visa was quite simple to do in Chiang Mai except one time needing to bring a office person from condo as witness. But from 2015 on it got so insane to get an appointment. The online booking was full 1 min after midnight when it opened online remember? for the new day etc...Remember folks paying someone to sit in a line outside from 1-2am in the parking lot?

So that is when we used Assist Thai Visa...I have to admit if we continued to live there I would have continued to use them it was crazy how simple it was. They did it all (of course we provided the papers they needed) They go take care of it & you get a call when it is time to go in to sign at Imm. They then walk you to the head of the line & take your photo. Total time there maybe 10 minutes. Then you leave & agent takes care of the rest. I remember thinking as I left best 10k baht I ever spent.

PS: This is a real agent that functions above board & I had the funds etc...They just made life easier & expedite things

Agree, from 2015 to COVID I went to Saigon for multi entry non Os as Chiang Mai was so difficult.

But during and after COVID it became very easy again.

1 minute ago, BritManToo said:

Agree, from 2015 to COVID I went to Saigon for multi entry non Os as Chiang Mai was so difficult.

But during and after COVID it became very easy again.

Glad to hear that!

On 2/24/2026 at 12:20 PM, KhunLA said:

Somebody pissed someone off at Imm Office.

25+ yrs, and none that picky about anything, during marriage, support of Thai or retirement extensions at Nong Khai, Udon Thani or Hua Hin IOs. Along with letting a few things slide, that they didn't have to, knowing I travelled a bit to get there.

Well count yourself lucky that Udon IO which probably oversaw Nong Khai too, has a friendly helpful ethos which I have also experienced. But my current IO, and other IOs reported on here do not. They are clearly on a power trip making everything as difficult as possible. Also often talking down to you like a child, not with the respect fo older people that most of Asia is renowned for. I am a snowbird staying for 6 months only so now I make alternative visa arrangements and avoid my IO like the plague.

  • Author
17 hours ago, Liquorice said:

Your Non O visa is 'used', but your Immigration status remains Non Immigrant, so yes you can apply for the 1 year extension whilst on the 60 day extension.

Cheers

  • Author

Can anyone answer (politely)?................ if I go for the 60 day extension, would I be allowed to switch to a one year extension based on retirement.....or would it be best to leave that for next year?

6 minutes ago, MIke B Bad said:

Can anyone answer (politely)?................ if I go for the 60 day extension, would I be allowed to switch to a one year extension based on retirement.....or would it be best to leave that for next year?

I did, no problem at all in Chiang Mai.

I went from COVID visa waiver to 60 day visit wife extension to 1 year marriage extensions.

26 minutes ago, SunsetT said:

Well count yourself lucky that Udon IO which probably oversaw Nong Khai too, has a friendly helpful ethos which I have also experienced. But my current IO, and other IOs reported on here do not. They are clearly on a power trip making everything as difficult as possible. Also often talking down to you like a child, not with the respect fo older people that most of Asia is renowned for. I am a snowbird staying for 6 months only so now I make alternative visa arrangements and avoid my IO like the plague.

Actually it was Nong Khai that oversaw UT, since not having an Imm Office back then. NK, at least one agent 'Mr Happy' was very strict, and I actually got along fine with him, and preferred his style, as I knew exactly what to expect.

UT on the other hand, you had to be 'firm' as they seemed (one female agent), was always on the look out for a 'tip'. I avoided her at all cost.

Actually didn't do many extensions when living in UT, as enjoyed hopping over to Vientiane every 90 days instead. Bailey's & Beer Lao run, and nice town, had a nice pub, and enjoyed a good Bánh mì when there. Last time I exited/entered TH, Aug 2013.

Hua Hin has been strict, but excellent, as no surprises, both marriage & retirement extensions. Given me a bit of leeway, when bank screwed up paperwork, since 100 kms away, instead of denying, come back. 25 yrs of TM7s, I think they know me by now.

Probably a notation in my Imm record ... "just approve the idiot, he's harmless"

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I just let my wife do it. Why get involved?

I tell I don't care If I get it or not, I'm happy to go back to the US.

On 2/25/2026 at 11:34 AM, 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.

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.

Not sure i understand the last sentence references to Trump was about; however, I completely agree with the bank issue. We had our Bangkok bank account frozen then closed after just a year as we didn't have a yellow book or 3 year lease agreement. I am not sure how one obtains a yellow book or 3 year lease agreement without a bank account (not married or living with a Thai.) We don't have to technically have a bank account with our visa (LTR). But, it is still a huge pain in the ass, and I don't know how someone with another type of visa (marriage or retired) does any of this without a bank account. Thailand adds all this extra paperwork, extra documentation, etc in order to stop scams and criminals and from what i can see all it does is upset and anger people who are just trying to live their lives and follow the rules. It is ridiculous that someone married and living in Thailand for numerous years still has to go through that much hassle every year.

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People that are unable to read and follow the instructions required to fill out paperwork should probably stay home.

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