Marriage Visa

[dressedingreen]

Do we only qualify for a marriage visa if we're employed?

DIG

[lopburi3]

There is no marriage visa. There is a non immigrant O visa that allows 90 days stays and you qualify for that with proof of marriage. If you want extensions of stay for family reasons (one year at a time) you qualify for that with a family income of 40k per month. There is no requirement for employment.

[dressedingreen]

There is no marriage visa. There is a non immigrant O visa that allows 90 days stays and you qualify for that with proof of marriage. If you want extensions of stay for family reasons (one year at a time) you qualify for that with a family income of 40k per month. There is no requirement for employment.

Ok, Lop ...

... let me ride that one a little. On this site there's a drop down menu, marked 'non immigrant 'O' - marriage', listing the paperwork needed to qualify. My understanding is that the requirement, apart from the obvious (a Thai spouse), is a bank balance of 400,000 baht. Last year, I filled out the application form and, where it asked the type of visa being applied for, I wrote 'marriage visa'. I didn't check the visa stamp, and when we got home I noticed Jomtien Immigration had issued a retirement visa. Well ... a visa is a visa is ... so I didn't go back and query it. But the requirement for a retirement visa is a bank balance of 800,000, and, if I'm correct, 400,000 for a 'marriage visa'. Am I heading in the right direction, or did I take a left when I should have checked the map?

DIG

[chaamguy]

If you were granted the extension "for the right to support a Thai spouse" with the 400,000 baht, breathe a sigh of relief, it has been "grandfathered."

I've had the same for over three years, I think it was changed about a year ago.

The new requirement is 40,000 baht "proven income" per month.

Hope this helps.

Chaamguy.

[chaamguy]

Sorry, I just re-read your post.......I think you got the retirement visa? If so, you must have had 800,000 in the bank, if that is/was the case, you still need the 800,000 in the bank as you can't get the "right to support Thai" with 400,000 any more.

Chaamguy.

[Maestro]

...Last year, I filled out the application form and, where it asked the type of visa being applied for, I wrote 'marriage visa'...

Did you fill out form TM.86 “Application for change of visa”? This form asks for “kind of visa” and for a man married to a Thai requires proof of 400k in the bank.

What your applied for and received was a non-immigrant visa category O, and you were given it on the basis of marriage to a Thai, but it is not really called a marriage visa.

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Maestro

[stingray]

If you don't have 400k in your account and no aprove of income, do you can apply for a non O if you are married?

[Maestro]

Stingray, are you asking about an application for a visa at a Thai consulate, or about an application for change of visa at an immigration office?

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Maestro

[stingray]

Stingray, are you asking about an application for a visa at a Thai consulate, or about an application for change of visa at an immigration office?

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Maestro

[/quot

apply for a non O at a Thai consulate outside Thailand

[Maestro]

No proof of 400k in the bank or of income needed, except in Singapore, where some posters were asked for proof of 400k in the bank, any bank in the world.

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Maestro

[lopburi3]

There is no marriage visa. There is a non immigrant O visa that allows 90 days stays and you qualify for that with proof of marriage. If you want extensions of stay for family reasons (one year at a time) you qualify for that with a family income of 40k per month. There is no requirement for employment.

Ok, Lop ...

... let me ride that one a little. On this site there's a drop down menu, marked 'non immigrant 'O' - marriage', listing the paperwork needed to qualify. My understanding is that the requirement, apart from the obvious (a Thai spouse), is a bank balance of 400,000 baht. Last year, I filled out the application form and, where it asked the type of visa being applied for, I wrote 'marriage visa'. I didn't check the visa stamp, and when we got home I noticed Jomtien Immigration had issued a retirement visa. Well ... a visa is a visa is ... so I didn't go back and query it. But the requirement for a retirement visa is a bank balance of 800,000, and, if I'm correct, 400,000 for a 'marriage visa'. Am I heading in the right direction, or did I take a left when I should have checked the map?

DIG

Non immigrant O (other) and one of the "other" conditions for issue would be marriage to a Thai national.

There is no requirement for any money (other than the normal 20/40k baht requirement) for any visa issue - but to obtain the visa, as a conversion or issue, on the basis of future extension of stay from Immigration inside Thailand, would require the 400k. Outside Thailand financial requirements are not normally required, other than the 20/40k, except for selected Consulates that use them for multi entry visa issue (to prove to them you can support yourself for the extended period).

For an Extension of stay you must have 40k family income, there has not been an option for 400k for new applicants since 2006. For retirement it is 800k or 65k pension/income, or a combination of the two to equal 800k.

[teacherofwoe]

My wife phonedImmigration in Chiang Mai yesterday and they told her that 400K in the bank has finished. They only view 40K per month income to qualify. On the other hand, if you've been here for over ten years and can speak Thai you don't need any monies to qualify. Bummer as i've only been here for six and a half years and my Thai is terrible. She didn't ascertain where the income has to come from. If I were to own property in my home country and rent it, would this qualify? I'll get her to call them again next week. Crazy that money in the bank doesn't qualify you. So if I win the U.K. lottery and transfer B150 million to my Thai account, I wouldn't get a marriage visa unless I could show an extra B40k per month. Ha!

[lopburi3]

The 400k bank deposit should be accepted for those who have used it previously - but not for new applicants.

Have never heard of any "over ten years but speak Thai" provision. Please elaborate.

It would be up to what your Embassy approves as income - they sign off on the letter of income.

[teacherofwoe]

The 400k bank deposit should be accepted for those who have used it previously - but not for new applicants.

Have never heard of any "over ten years but speak Thai" provision. Please elaborate.

It would be up to what your Embassy approves as income - they sign off on the letter of income.

I got a photocopied document from Immigration (in Thai) showing three examples of how to qualify for a marriage visa. The first is to have 400k, which we later found out has been discontinued. The second is to have income of 40k. The last is to have resided in Thailand for over ten years and to be fluent in Thai. When my wife phoned immigration they confirmed that this is still current. I'll scan the document and attach it to this thread soon.

[lopburi3]

Please do so as nobody has ever mentioned using that avenue and it does not seem to be in the regulations.

[pechuah]

Non immigrant O (other) and one of the "other" conditions for issue would be marriage to a Thai national.

There is no requirement for any money (other than the normal 20/40k baht requirement) for any visa issue - but to obtain the visa, as a conversion or issue, on the basis of future extension of stay from Immigration inside Thailand, would require the 400k. Outside Thailand financial requirements are not normally required, other than the 20/40k, except for selected Consulates that use them for multi entry visa issue (to prove to them you can support yourself for the extended period).

For an Extension of stay you must have 40k family income, there has not been an option for 400k for new applicants since 2006. For retirement it is 800k or 65k pension/income, or a combination of the two to equal 800k.

Hi Lop,

I confused about what you are trying to say. So if i would like to apply for the Multiple-entry Non immigrant O visa based on marriage, do I need to show 400k baht in the bank? or There is no requirement for any money?

[Lite Beer]

There is no requirement for money in the bank.

However if applying anywhere near Thailand you are unlikely to get one.

But Singapore will issue one if you have 400,000 Baht in a bank.

KL or Penang ???????

If you apply in your home country you should not need any money to show.

Just noticed that you are Malaysian and have been turned down by KL.

Give Penang a ring and ask them.

They may be a bit busy at the moment.

Edited February 4, 2008 by Lite Beer

[pechuah]

There is no requirement for money in the bank.

However if applying anywhere near Thailand you are unlikely to get one.

But Singapore will issue one if you have 400,000 Baht in a bank.

KL or Penang ???????

If you apply in your home country you should not need any money to show.

I am Malaysian. If I am apply in KL or Penang, no need to show any money right?

[lopburi3]

It will be up to the Consulate. Normal operation in the area has been to issue a single entry non immigrant O visa for those who apply on the basis of marriage to a Thai; with the expectation that they will extend there stay at an immigration office on the basis of 40k per month family income if they desire to live in Thailand.

[rimbung]

It will be up to the Consulate. Normal operation in the area has been to issue a single entry non immigrant O visa for those who apply on the basis of marriage to a Thai; with the expectation that they will extend there stay at an immigration office on the basis of 40k per month family income if they desire to live in Thailand.

Not true.

In Europe a Thai non immigrant O visa is valid for 12 month multi entry. (In reality up to 15months)

There is no requirment to show money in the bank. If a Thai lives in Europe with a farang husband these are the rules that apply. I suspect the same for the USA and Australia.

[Maestro]

Not true...

True.

Lopburi answered a post asking about KL and Penang in Malaysia. His “in the area” means the geographical area in which Thailand and Malaysia are located, and for this area Lopburi’s comment is true. You talk about Europe, USA and Australia.

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Maestro

[Lite Beer]

Not true...

True.

Lopburi answered a post asking about KL and Penang in Malaysia. His “in the area” means the geographical area in which Thailand and Malaysia are located, and for this area Lopburi’s comment is true. You talk about Europe, USA and Australia.

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Maestro

Correct Maestro.

But do the same rules apply if the applicant is a Malaysian citizen.

[Maestro]

Only the consul of each consulate can give the answer, since there is no official, published rule on evidence of financial means other than the 20,000 Baht mentioned on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Anything else goes under the heading “Consular officers reserve the rights to request additional documents as deemed necessary.”

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Maestro