Yet another marriage visa question post..

[Whiplash]

Hi guys,

I am a 42 year old Swede who has been living in ChiangMai since November 2001, beginning with a 2 month tourist visa and later a 1 month extension.  After that one expired I got a 'fake' Multiple one year Non-O thru an agent, and every 90 days I sent it to get the exit/re-entry stamps thru the same agent.   (not very legal I know).

But as it was my first time in Thailand, and I didn't know better I have to claim that as the reason of my blunder..

Safe to say that I now have ALOT of exit/re-entry stamps all thru that agent filling up half the pages in my passport.

That Non-O expires a few days into October.  And I now plan to have a authentic Non-O visa for a change because I got married on July 12, and want to continue staying here.

I am supporting my Thai wife and her daughter from a previous marriage.

I get about 45000 bht every month from an early retirement pension due to Whiplash injuries from an old car accident.  and the weather here is kind to my aches and pains.  But I do not fulfill any requirements of retirement visa.

My questions are:

1.  Is it safe to use my current passport along with all thoose qestionable stamps to get that new Non-O visa, or will they check the credibility my visa history..

Or should I just report it lost and get a new 'clean' one thru my embassy in Bangkok ?   Takes about 2-3 weeks.

2.  About money requirements in a bank account, I do not have the 250000 bht in funds required, must I do the 90 day exit/re-entry as before (but in person this time)..  Or will they accept a embassy-certified statement of my yearly pension-income of about 540000 bht as sufficient ?

3. Where is the easiest/best place to go for my Non-O/Marriage visa,   Laos or Malaysia ?

And I am also grateful to any other advice you may have for me.

Any fellow Swedes in ChiangMai are welcome to write to me at:  [email protected]

[lopburi3]

1.  Do not believe they are interested in anything except your current visa/entry stamp and any admendments to your passport.  The culture is to encourage current good conduct rather than punish past misdeeds.

2.  Up to them.  Try to get something into the bank, you will have about 3 months before you apply for the extension after you obtain the multi entry visa, even if you have to spend most of it each month.  I would plan on bringing both a bank book/letter from bank and statement of earnings certified by your Embassy.  Also you should try to transfer funds into the account so that it can be traced from overseas, wire transfer the best way.  Also be good to bring proof of retirement pension in form of statements even if you do have the required funds in the bank, although these would not have to be certified.

3.  Penang, Malaysia is my suggestion for visa.

[Whiplash]

Thanks for your reply lopburi3,

I forgot to mention before that my 'fake' Multi Non-O has a sticker in the passport that says it was issued at the Thai embassy in Birmingham UK, I have never even been to the UK..  I am just afraid that the possibility exist that they may check it with the embassy..

And what I read at:  http://www.thaivisa.com/339.0.html  about being caught using visa agents makes me feel a bit uneasy..    ???

I think I can manage to save that 250000 bht and have it transfered to my Thai bank account within the the nextcoming year.  so I guess I can cope with the 90 day border-runs until then    

It's mainly the issue with that Non-O issue-sticker that makes me a bit uncomfortable..

Maybe its the easiest way just to have a new passport made.

Thanks again,

Andy

[lopburi3]

I have only heard of one case where the visa was not real; and that was here in Bangkok a few years ago.  Most 'agents' send your passport out and a Consulate stamps a real visa in it.  The problem is that they are not supposed to do this and you are not supposed to do that.

If you are concerned I would suggest you go and get a good visa yourself (to make sure you are here legal) and then make a new passport.  The new passport will have the old visa information transferred (which will now be the visa you obtained) and all new visas.

[richard bampton]

Dear Whiplash,

I have to say your a plonker (now there is a good English saying), sorry about that but you should be honest with the authorities. Its a case of you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours.

I am married to a Thai lady and I'm on a one year visa (first year) and I have been honest with the immigration man at Chiang Khan and so far he has been very good with me.

I don't know about retirement income but I have to put in 200,000 baht every year and show it on a bank statement no more than a week before I apply.

The immigration in BKK head office then write to the bank to verify its genuine before they ok my renewal, so yes it seems they do check everything.

I'm on the understanding that after three one year visas I can apply for a permanent resident visa and if I get that I don't ever have to see immigration again.

To get the resident visa I have to have at least 800,000 in the bank, be working and show enough support for my wife and her 16 year old son (even though my wife has a job as a teacher), and also to be able to speak, read and write good Thai language.

I hope this helps and your best bet is to talk to immigration and not us lot here as the rules (like everywhere) change all the time.

Best of luck

Richard

[Whiplash]

Well,  earlier this week I went to the Imm. Office here in ChiangMai about getting a 1 year marriage visa, I dont have the required money in my Thai bank account, but I have a letter of income certified both by my Embassy and the Foreign affairs office in BKK, it certifies that I have an income just over 600k bht, though its per year my embassy did a typo and it says I have that amount every month.. hehe, i'm not complaining.. it got the right stamps on it..

But that letter was not enough.. I have to show the 250k amount in the bank before anything could be done.. high income or not..  so when you can't show the whole requested amount in the bank the talk of a combination of bank assets end income would suffice is bull as I'm concerned.

But I've checked my previous stamps and all seem ok, at least none of them had the numbers previous posted to be fakes.

So I'm taking a trip to Penang at the end of the month.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Your income and certifications held are sufficient for your marriage application

as the rules are now. I worry about the crook visa's. Why take a chance, wash the PP ....don't lose it....easier to deal with at the Embassy. You and the wife and her ID need to present outside Thailand at an Embassy or Consulate with all your marriage papers. Richard is well meaning, but is on the wrong track

[Whiplash]

Heh, ok

I could always blame my wife for not checking my shortspockets before laundry..  

But that would smudge the stamps sufficiantly enough ?

I'm a bit worried that it not only will smudge, but ruin the whole thing too..  It's already partially hold together with scotch tape..

[Whiplash]

Well, I'm going to try my luck without changing or ruining my PP, I have the money in the bank now.

:cool:

And as far as I know all my stamps seems to check out.