Marriage, Visa And Money

[ricklee]

I am an American citizen living with my Thai fiancee in Viet Nam and we wish to move to Thailand later this year and get married. My first of many questions is this: In order to get married do I have to (a) deposit 800,000 baht in a Thai bank AND show 65,000 baht monthly income or ( deposit 800,000 in a Thai bank OR show 65,000 baht monthly income? Also, as I understand it, I will have to enter the country on a tourist visa and then attempt to upgrade it after I'm there. What sort of problems might I encounter with this? Thanks for your help.

Edited February 24, 2008 by ricklee

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I am an American citizen living with my Thai fiancee in Viet Nam and we wish to move to Thailand later this year and get married. My first of many questions is this: In order to get married do I have to (a) deposit 800,000 baht in a Thai bank AND show 65,000 baht monthly income or ( deposit 800,000 in a Thai bank OR show 65,000 baht monthly income? Also, as I understand it, I will have to enter the country on a tourist visa and then attempt to upgrade it after I'm there. What sort of problems might I encounter with this? Thanks for your help.

Assuming that you are 50 years or over, the sole requirement is 800,000 baht in a bank in Thailand, OR an income of 65,000 baht per month, or a combination of savings and fixed income. It is definitely not both.

[Mahout Angrit]

You dont need a cent in the bank or any income to get married in Thailand.

Yes you probably will have to enter on a tourist visa initially but once married you can go to a nearby consulate and get a Non Imm O visa based on your marriage.To extend that Non Imm O to 1 year you will have to show a family income of B40,000 per month (based on being married) or if you are over 50 you can extend by showing B65,000 per month or B800,000 in an account or a combination of both.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Take your fiance with you to The Thai Embassy and apply for a Non-Immigrant visa ( 'O' Class ) on the basis of your forthcoming marriage. She needs to take her Thai ID and passport with you to support your visa application.

[ricklee]

Thanks for your very quick replies. Is the 50-year-old requirement the same as for a retirement visa? Last week at the US Embassy they stated the eligable age as 55, making me think that they have just raised it. I also read about the 65,000 monthly income (to insure that you can support your wife). There seems to be a lot of conflicting information coming out of Thailand these days.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Thanks for your very quick replies. Is the 50-year-old requirement the same as for a retirement visa? Last week at the US Embassy they stated the eligable age as 55, making me think that they have just raised it. I also read about the 65,000 monthly income (to insure that you can support your wife). There seems to be a lot of conflicting information coming out of Thailand these days.

It is 50 years of age for retirement.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

You dont need a cent in the bank or any income to get married in Thailand.

Yes you probably will have to enter on a tourist visa initially but once married you can go to a nearby consulate and get a Non Imm O visa based on your marriage.To extend that Non Imm O to 1 year you will have to show a family income of B40,000 per month (based on being married) or if you are over 50 you can extend by showing B65,000 per month or B800,000 in an account or a combination of both.

He wants an extended visa.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

You dont need a cent in the bank or any income to get married in Thailand.

Yes you probably will have to enter on a tourist visa initially but once married you can go to a nearby consulate and get a Non Imm O visa based on your marriage.To extend that Non Imm O to 1 year you will have to show a family income of B40,000 per month (based on being married) or if you are over 50 you can extend by showing B65,000 per month or B800,000 in an account or a combination of both.

Do I hear an echo ???

[Mahout Angrit]

Dr PatPong why did you also remove an informative post?

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Dr PatPong why did you also remove an informative post?

because you , yet again, gave unlawful visa information.

Edited February 24, 2008 by dr_Pat_Pong

[lopburi3]

To get married you have to obtain and fill out the blanks on a paper at the US Embassy in Bangkok. This will include that your free to marry, your employment, two references and general family type bio data. You will that have to have it translated into Thai by an official translation service and register it with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Once that is done you can take take/passport/wife/her id card/her home register and register your marriage at a Thai District Office. That results in your marriage.

You can request a non immigrant visa In Vietnam, and being over age 50 they may issue (do not believe they currently issue for those under age 50 talking about marriage in local area Consulates). To remain in Thailand will either require extension on basis of 40k family income or you can use the easier retirement once you have 800k in a Thai bank account for 3 months or can obtain paper from Embassy of 65k per month pension or a combination of the two.

Without extension requirements being met you must leave every 90 days and the best visa is a multi entry non immigrant O visa. Penang will probably issue this with some money in bank and Singapore will issue with proof of 400k or more in a bank account anywhere (with marriage certificate/wife id copy).

[ricklee]

Thanks very much for the information. I am considerably less confused now. I still wonder about the age requirement for putting 800,000 in the bank. I always thought it was 50 (retirement visa) but the guidebook I got from the US Embassy last week says 55. I'm 51 so this makes a difference to me. If you're interested you can go to their website and download the guidebook to check it out. I'm just wondering if they raised the age recently and didn't tell anyone.

[Lite Beer]

Thanks very much for the information. I am considerably less confused now. I still wonder about the age requirement for putting 800,000 in the bank. I always thought it was 50 (retirement visa) but the guidebook I got from the US Embassy last week says 55. I'm 51 so this makes a difference to me. If you're interested you can go to their website and download the guidebook to check it out. I'm just wondering if they raised the age recently and didn't tell anyone.

It is 50 . 50 . 50 100%

Edited February 24, 2008 by Lite Beer

[lopburi3]

You have now said "US Embassy" twice. The US Embassy has nothing to do with Thai immigration or retirement requirements. As you are in Vietnam if you are getting a "guide" it would most likely be to retirement in Vietnam rather than Thailand. If you are really getting this information from a Royal Thai Consulate they would appear to be wrong. If you are talking about the US Embassy in Bangkok please provide a link to the information so we may read it.

The requirement in Thailand is over 50 years of age. It used to be 60 years of age but with a special provision allowing early age of 55 with extra financial conditions. It has been 50 for many years now.

[astral]

To get married you have to obtain and fill out the blanks on a paper at the US Embassy in Bangkok. This will include that your free to marry, your employment, two references and general family type bio data. You will that have to have it translated into Thai by an official translation service and register it with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Once that is done you can take take/passport/wife/her id card/her home register and register your marriage at a Thai District Office. That results in your marriage.e id copy).

The info above only applies if you wish to marry in Thailand.

You may find it simpler to tie the knot where you are?

Marriage is marriage, no matter where it is performed.

[lopburi3]

OK. I have found what you must be talking about - it is a guide to living in Thailand and presents a bunch of outdated and incorrect information in the visa section. It has been many years since extensions of stay were only 500 baht!!! http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/root/pdfs/wel...to-thailand.pdf

But there is the avoid all disclaimer "As the regulations for obtaining

this type of visa are quite complicated, interested Americans are encouraged to contact the Thai

Immigration Bureau directly."

In there defense they do provide a link to Immigration HQ (which is also invalid).

[torrenova]

As you are over 50, go the retirement route. 800k in a bank for 3 months beforehand or 65k monthly income with proof from the US Embassy in Bangkok.

The marriage extension is not 40k per month but income of 40k per month upon which tax must be paid and as yet, the answer seems to be that they want to see a whole year's tax receipts (i.e. the previous 12 months) before they will give it to you. This would cost around Bt30k whereas the >50 route is considerably cheaper and easier.

To my knowledge, it has not yet been confirmed that a letter from the embassy showing 40k income will generate the extension as there is no tax paid on it. On 65k, there are no tax issues via the retirement route.

[abdulrahman]

The marriage extension is not 40k per month but income of 40k per month upon which tax must be paid and as yet, the answer seems to be that they want to see a whole year's tax receipts (i.e. the previous 12 months) before they will give it to you. This would cost around Bt30k whereas the >50 route is considerably cheaper and easier.

To my knowledge, it has not yet been confirmed that a letter from the embassy showing 40k income will generate the extension as there is no tax paid on it. On 65k, there are no tax issues via the retirement route.

This is slightly inaccurate.Before,2006,an income of 40K Baht a month,certified by Embassy letter,was enough for the extension of the "marriage visa";today it's sufficient too!Now,you CAN use a family income of 40K a month;in this case the earnings of the Thai partner must be subject to taxation.

To be clear:The Farang husband has an certified income of 20K monthly,the Thai wife earns(and pay tax) on 240K a year;you'll have your extension of stay without problems!

[torrenova]

Ok, but I don't think there has been a documented case on TV of late where a guy has gone to the embassy, then immigration and received his one year extension, when aged under 50, on the basis that he has an income of Bt40,000 per month. this income going forward, not showing his income for the past year.

Also, under Thai taxation rules, I believe that if the income is actually income then it falls subject to tax but if it is capital from a prior 12 months period, then it is exampt.

So, take this scenario. Under 50, not married, living on whatever income, non immigrant visa. Then you marry, your non imm finishes and you go to immigration and show them a letter from the embassy stating that from this month, you will receive an income of 40k and then immigration stamps you in for 12 months ? Is that what you are saying ?

If so, please can you post a link to a case on TV where that has happened as I not remember one of late.

[ricklee]

The info above only applies if you wish to marry in Thailand.

You may find it simpler to tie the knot where you are?

Marriage is marriage, no matter where it is performed.

I'm not sure if a marriage in Viet Nam would be recognized by the American and Thai governments. It depends on whatever sort of treaties they have. Also, this place is so corrupt that we would wind up bribing 20 people and all their relatives and in-laws in order to get it done. We might not have enough money left to move to Thailand!

[TerryLH]

"If so, please can you post a link to a case on TV where that has happened as I not remember one of late."

"...but I don't think there has been a documented case on TV of late where a guy has gone to the embassy, then immigration and received his one year extension, when aged under 50, on the basis that he has an income of Bt40,000 per month. this income going forward, not showing his income for the past year."

So, what you're saying is that if it hasn't been posted on TV, it's not true?

"The marriage extension is not 40k per month but income of 40k per month upon which tax must be paid..."

Is that actually what it says in the law? What about a person who has a retirement from the USA because of military duty, and they're only 38 years old? What you're saying is that they have to pay tax on that? I don't think so.

[rainman]

This is slightly inaccurate.Before,2006,an income of 40K Baht a month,certified by Embassy letter,was enough for the extension of the "marriage visa";today it's sufficient too!

You're saying the 40k/month income certified by the Embassy is no longer sufficient? Isn't that what they currently want, though? Please clarify, I think you're wrong.

[rainman]

To my knowledge, it has not yet been confirmed that a letter from the embassy showing 40k income will generate the extension as there is no tax paid on it. On 65k, there are no tax issues via the retirement route.

I did my extension last year this way. Nobody ever asked for tax receipts.

[Lite Beer]

To my knowledge, it has not yet been confirmed that a letter from the embassy showing 40k income will generate the extension as there is no tax paid on it. On 65k, there are no tax issues via the retirement route.

I did my extension last year this way. Nobody ever asked for tax receipts.

Correct Rainman.

Letter from Embassy is all that is needed.

[Dave the Dude]

Correct Rainman.

Letter from Embassy is all that is needed.

I can confirm that too, I did it yesterday at Kap Cheung.

They still wanted photocopies of my Thai bank book but all was simple and hastle free. A gr8 office with a sexy helpful Imm Officer

SORTED FOR ONE YEAR

Dave

[vadik]

Gents,

it is pretty interesting all that. Just copied to pocket pc. will read on business meeting.

Thanks to all