My Thoughts Only

[dingdongrb]

Everyone would have to agree with me that Thaivisa.com is a very popular website. I am sure that most of us had found this website by searching for some information about Thailand or else perhaps a friend recommended it. Specifically I would almost bet most of us found this website while wanting information about Thailand visas, thus the name Thaivisa.com… Regardless I have found this website to be useful not just for Thailand visa information but also for entertainment and just general living day to day in Thailand.

You now may ask, ‘what is my point in all this’?? My point is that I have used this website to find various visa information as I am sure most of you have done the same. What is irritating to me is that most of the visa questions/subjects are on numerous posts as well as people asking the same old questions over and over. Since this website was first derived to help others in regards to visa information (an assumption by me) I highly suggest that the webmasters/moderators/editors of this website keep the visa information up to date.

A good example is, I am currently in the process of trying to obtain a Type-O nonimmigrant visa (married to a Thai) and even though there are more posts than I desire reading through the website itself does not even keep up to date information. Example:

Currently on Bangkok’s immigration website it says you need the following to try and obtain a Type –O visa (married to a Thai):

1. Application form T.M. 7 with one photograph size 4x6 cm. and Visa Fee 1900.-Baht

2. Copy of passport ( with certified true copy )

3. Required documentation for applying visa in case of

o For supporting Thai wife

1. Marriage Certificate

2. Child's birth certificate (if any)

3. Wife’s house registration

4. Wife’s identity card

o Incase of Working

1. A copy of work permit or receiving work permit form ( WP.2 )

2. The letter from the applicant’s company to certify salary that the applicant receives not less than 40,000 baht per month (identifier position and salary) or husband or wife working has Income including at least 40,000 baht/month

3. Personal Corporation income Tax (PND.1) in latest 3 months and personal income tax for previous year with receipt

4. Recording interviewing the husband and wife for confirming status of husband and wife

5. House’s map

6. Other such as Registration Company

7. Picture of house and family

o To be supported from Thai husband

1. Marriage certificate

2. Child’s Birth certificate

3. Husband’s house registration

4. Husband’s identity card

5. Recording interviewing the husband and wife for confirming status of husband and wife

6. House’s map, picture of House’s and family

But yet this website states that all you need is:

• Application Form TM.7.
  
• Copy and original of passport or substitute document.
  
• One 4*6 cm photo
  
• Marriage certificate
  
• 1,900 Baht fee
  
• If an alien is the supporter, he must submit financial evidence, proof of employment, work permit and tax receipts.
  

Source: Immigration Bureau, Bangkok

And yet, look at the source from this website… What gives?

I would even go further to suggest to this site’s owner, why not provide a step by step instruction on how to obtain this visa. This is information, I feel, is worth its weight in gold. But then again, I don’t own or run this website and I guess the more people that post the same redundant questions and answers make it appear as a god site… Bahhhh!

Perhaps giving more detailed information on the various visa processes is too difficult of providing information?

[Lite Beer]

The problem is that most of the official websites are out of date.

Different Immigration offices have different rules . Not easy.

Ask your question on here and you will get an up to date answer. As best as we all can do.

Plus people such as your self get all the terminology wrong when asking.

Are you asking about a Non Imm O Visa or A years extension based on marriage>

[dingdongrb]

The problem is that most of the official websites are out of date.

Different Immigration offices have different rules . Not easy.

Ask your question on here and you will get an up to date answer. As best as we all can do.

Plus people such as your self get all the terminology wrong when asking.

Okay, please tell me the requirements to obtain a Type-O (married to a Thai) visa when submitting at the Chiang Mai Immigration office. All pertinent details would be appreciated. Thanks in advance for any help. Also any step by step instructions would be most graciously appreciated.

[Lite Beer]

The problem is that most of the official websites are out of date.

Different Immigration offices have different rules . Not easy.

Ask your question on here and you will get an up to date answer. As best as we all can do.

Plus people such as your self get all the terminology wrong when asking.

Okay, please tell me the requirements to obtain a Type-O (married to a Thai) visa when submitting at the Chiang Mai Immigration office. All pertinent details would be appreciated. Thanks in advance for any help. Also any step by step instructions would be most graciously appreciated.

That is the problem. You get a Non O Visa at an embassy out side of Thailand

You get the years extension based on marriage to a Thai lady at immigration inside Thailand.

Which is it you want?

[dotcom]

He should really take an original of his marriage certificate to that overseas Embassy.

[dingdongrb]

The problem is that most of the official websites are out of date.

Different Immigration offices have different rules . Not easy.

Ask your question on here and you will get an up to date answer. As best as we all can do.

Plus people such as your self get all the terminology wrong when asking.

Okay, please tell me the requirements to obtain a Type-O (married to a Thai) visa when submitting at the Chiang Mai Immigration office. All pertinent details would be appreciated. Thanks in advance for any help. Also any step by step instructions would be most graciously appreciated.

That is the problem. You get a Non O Visa at an embassy out side of Thailand

You get the years extension based on marriage to a Thai lady at immigration inside Thailand.

Which is it you want?

I currently have a Business visa that was obtained outside of Thailand. Using this I want to get a Non-O (married to a Thai) visa.

[funfun]

"I would even go further to suggest to this site’s owner, why not provide a step by step instruction on how to obtain this visa. This is information, I feel, is worth its weight in gold. But then again, I don’t own or run this website and I guess the more people that post the same redundant questions and answers make it appear as a god site… Bahhhh!"

72 hours ref

"Perhaps giving more detailed information on the various visa processes is too difficult of providing information?"

and another 72 hours ref, just to give him time for filling his forms out and refection!

[Lite Beer]

Ok.

Letter from your embassy verifying your income of at least 40,000 Baht a month.

If your income is from inside Thailand Tax receipts on the above.

If it is your Wife,s income , same as above.

Or it can be a combination of both.

Bank book showing some cash movement.

Wife's ID card and house registration.

Marriage certificate.

Map to your house,

Photos of you and your Wife in and around your house.

You and your Wife to be interviewed.

Possible visit to your house and talking to neighbors.

As said different Immigration Offices will require different things. This as near as I can get.

And I am only a member , the same as you and everyone else on here,

If you want the official Thai Immigration Rules here it is as posted on Thai Visa Dot Com

[twschw]

Op, could you please give all visa related information at one time. Now you have added a non-B visa into the mix. It is hard to complete the puzzle with pieces missing.

[dotcom]

That would be Non Imm O. not B.

[twschw]

That would be Non Imm O. not B.

How do you figure that?

A non-O is for family situations, however you can work on it. A Non-B is for working with no familial ties.

[Mario2008]

He is on a non-B and want to convert to extention of stay based on marriage.

[dingdongrb]

Ok.

Letter from your embassy verifying your income of at least 40,000 Baht a month.

If your income is from inside Thailand Tax receipts on the above.

If it is your Wife,s income , same as above.

Or it can be a combination of both.

Bank book showing some cash movement.

Wife's ID card and house registration.

Marriage certificate.

Map to your house,

Photos of you and your Wife in and around your house.

You and your Wife to be interviewed.

Possible visit to your house and talking to neighbors.

As said different Immigration Offices will require different things. This as near as I can get.

And I am only a member , the same as you and everyone else on here,

Thanks Lite Beer, as this is getting me closer. Here are the requirements I obtained going to the Thai Immigration office in Chiang Mai just last week. They handed me a pamphlet stating what was required of me:

1) Application form (TM.7) and two photographs (4x6cm) taken within the last 6 months. I have these.

2) Passport and copy of Passport. They also note that I must have a current non-immigrant visa. I have my passport obviously. But now I am wondering when they say copy of passport is that all the pages with stamps or just the page with my picture and my current non-immigrant visa (which I have already announced it is a Type B – Business visa).

3) A copy of my wife’s Identity Card and Household Registration – I have this.

4) Then it states a Certificate of wife and in parenthesis it says (Interview with Immigration Officer) – I suspect there is nothing I need to submit here and if they want to interview my wife they will request this when I apply???

5) Certificate of marriage and evidence of status before marriage – I have been told before that if I was married in the USA (which I was) that this could be used. So I figure I just need to provide my USA marriage certificate and since I was married before this marriage I need to provide my Divorce Decree from my previous marriage?? Is this correct? And I am wondering do these documents need a Thai translation since they are in English?

6) Children’s Birth Certificate or hospital pregnancy certificate – Since we have a 2 yr old girl together I plan on providing her birth certificate. But once again, does this need a Thai translation?

7) Letter from Embassy showing an external pension of not less than 40,000 baht per month, together with proof of money transfer into Thailand. I have the letter from my USA Embassy stating my income of more than the 40k required. However since I only have a Business visa currently for Thailand I am not able to obtain a Thai bank account. So how does one put money into a Thai bank? And is this really necessary as I have read other posts on this website saying it was not???? Big question where maybe only the Immigration office can really answer for me? Thoughts?

8) Location map of residence – No problem with this one.

9) Extension fee of 1,900 baht – Again, no problem but I will accept contributions from Thaivisa members if you feel obligated… (Just joking)

10) Document – 2 sets – Is this two copies of everything or just the TM.7 application?

Again, any detailed information to my questions/concerns is greatly appreciated. (_)]

[dingdongrb]

He is on a non-B and want to convert to extention of stay based on marriage.

'BINGO' Mario, you understand my need exactly....

I just want a Non-O (married to a Thai).. I already know that you have to have a Non-Immigrant visa to be able to obtain a Non-O (married to a Thai) and I have this with my Non-Immigrant 'B' visa (business). Now I want the details in the process to do this. Particulary from someone who has recently done this in CM (since as everyone say, the requirements are different depending on where you submit. As well as changing all the time.)

[Lite Beer]

Ok.

Letter from your embassy verifying your income of at least 40,000 Baht a month.

If your income is from inside Thailand Tax receipts on the above.

If it is your Wife,s income , same as above.

Or it can be a combination of both.

Bank book showing some cash movement.

Wife's ID card and house registration.

Marriage certificate.

Map to your house,

Photos of you and your Wife in and around your house.

You and your Wife to be interviewed.

Possible visit to your house and talking to neighbors.

As said different Immigration Offices will require different things. This as near as I can get.

And I am only a member , the same as you and everyone else on here,

Thanks Lite Beer, as this is getting me closer. Here are the requirements I obtained going to the Thai Immigration office in Chiang Mai just last week. They handed me a pamphlet stating what was required of me:

1) Application form (TM.7) and two photographs (4x6cm) taken within the last 6 months. I have these.

2) Passport and copy of Passport. They also note that I must have a current non-immigrant visa. I have my passport obviously. But now I am wondering when they say copy of passport is that all the pages with stamps or just the page with my picture and my current non-immigrant visa (which I have already announced it is a Type B – Business visa).

3) A copy of my wife’s Identity Card and Household Registration – I have this.

4) Then it states a Certificate of wife and in parenthesis it says (Interview with Immigration Officer) – I suspect there is nothing I need to submit here and if they want to interview my wife they will request this when I apply???

5) Certificate of marriage and evidence of status before marriage – I have been told before that if I was married in the USA (which I was) that this could be used. So I figure I just need to provide my USA marriage certificate and since I was married before this marriage I need to provide my Divorce Decree from my previous marriage?? Is this correct? And I am wondering do these documents need a Thai translation since they are in English?

6) Children’s Birth Certificate or hospital pregnancy certificate – Since we have a 2 yr old girl together I plan on providing her birth certificate. But once again, does this need a Thai translation?

7) Letter from Embassy showing an external pension of not less than 40,000 baht per month, together with proof of money transfer into Thailand. I have the letter from my USA Embassy stating my income of more than the 40k required. However since I only have a Business visa currently for Thailand I am not able to obtain a Thai bank account. So how does one put money into a Thai bank? And is this really necessary as I have read other posts on this website saying it was not???? Big question where maybe only the Immigration office can really answer for me? Thoughts?

8) Location map of residence – No problem with this one.

9) Extension fee of 1,900 baht – Again, no problem but I will accept contributions from Thaivisa members if you feel obligated… (Just joking)

10) Document – 2 sets – Is this two copies of everything or just the TM.7 application?

Again, any detailed information to my questions/concerns is greatly appreciated. (_)]

2 Copy of everything you think is relevant.

4. Interview with Wife.

5 Sorry have not come across this before. Must be a Chiang Mai thing. But any document in English does not need translating.

6. Don't see how this is relevant.

7. Letter from Embassy.. You can open a Thai bank acc. Just try different banks and branches.

9. No problem. 50 % interest.

10 2 Copies of every thing all signed

[dingdongrb]

Ok.

Letter from your embassy verifying your income of at least 40,000 Baht a month.

If your income is from inside Thailand Tax receipts on the above.

If it is your Wife,s income , same as above.

Or it can be a combination of both.

Bank book showing some cash movement.

Wife's ID card and house registration.

Marriage certificate.

Map to your house,

Photos of you and your Wife in and around your house.

You and your Wife to be interviewed.

Possible visit to your house and talking to neighbors.

As said different Immigration Offices will require different things. This as near as I can get.

And I am only a member , the same as you and everyone else on here,

Thanks Lite Beer, as this is getting me closer. Here are the requirements I obtained going to the Thai Immigration office in Chiang Mai just last week. They handed me a pamphlet stating what was required of me:

1) Application form (TM.7) and two photographs (4x6cm) taken within the last 6 months. I have these.

2) Passport and copy of Passport. They also note that I must have a current non-immigrant visa. I have my passport obviously. But now I am wondering when they say copy of passport is that all the pages with stamps or just the page with my picture and my current non-immigrant visa (which I have already announced it is a Type B – Business visa).

3) A copy of my wife’s Identity Card and Household Registration – I have this.

4) Then it states a Certificate of wife and in parenthesis it says (Interview with Immigration Officer) – I suspect there is nothing I need to submit here and if they want to interview my wife they will request this when I apply???

5) Certificate of marriage and evidence of status before marriage – I have been told before that if I was married in the USA (which I was) that this could be used. So I figure I just need to provide my USA marriage certificate and since I was married before this marriage I need to provide my Divorce Decree from my previous marriage?? Is this correct? And I am wondering do these documents need a Thai translation since they are in English?

6) Children’s Birth Certificate or hospital pregnancy certificate – Since we have a 2 yr old girl together I plan on providing her birth certificate. But once again, does this need a Thai translation?

7) Letter from Embassy showing an external pension of not less than 40,000 baht per month, together with proof of money transfer into Thailand. I have the letter from my USA Embassy stating my income of more than the 40k required. However since I only have a Business visa currently for Thailand I am not able to obtain a Thai bank account. So how does one put money into a Thai bank? And is this really necessary as I have read other posts on this website saying it was not???? Big question where maybe only the Immigration office can really answer for me? Thoughts?

8) Location map of residence – No problem with this one.

9) Extension fee of 1,900 baht – Again, no problem but I will accept contributions from Thaivisa members if you feel obligated… (Just joking)

10) Document – 2 sets – Is this two copies of everything or just the TM.7 application?

Again, any detailed information to my questions/concerns is greatly appreciated. (_)]

2 Copy of everything you think is relevant.

4. Interview with Wife.

5 Sorry have not come across this before. Must be a Chiang Mai thing. But any document in English does not need translating.

6. Don't see how this is relevant.

7. Letter from Embassy.. You can open a Thai bank acc. Just try different banks and branches.

9. No problem. 50 % interest.

10 2 Copies of every thing all signed

Thanks again Lite Beer.. I appreciate all your insight as I feel that I am wise enough to do my best to provide what is listed but then again I really hate to over exert myself if I don't really have to. I guess I'll give it my best shot, what the h3ll, the most that could happen is I'm turned away and I have to gather more paperwork and try again. I was just hoping that a reader may have recently gone through the process.

50%...whew... I thought you were going to ask for a tank full of gas.....

[lopburi3]

You do not need a non immigrant O visa - you have a non immigrant visa entry and that can be extended for family reasons - that is why they did not mention the visa conversion forms. You are obtaining a one year extension of stay.

Your wife will absolutely have to be with you each and every year.

Passport copies will always be, at least, data page and current entry/visa pages and departure card. Always good to have full set.

Two sets of everything as one copy goes to Bangkok.

Proof of marriage/single can get complex as some office (officers) want more than just marriage certificate so you may get a small run around on that.

The reason we can not provide a fail safe outline is because there is none. Each office/officer can ask for specific items so you have to go with a mindset to keep cool and try to understand exactly what they want. I see no mention of personal photos but this has been a very strongly enforced requirement for the last year or two from most reports. Have photos in home together showing you both live there (clothing hung in same closet) and outside home with house number visible. Perhaps they plan to take during visit in Chiang Mai but I would have just in case.

[Mario2008]

On question 5, you ask if you need to show effidence that you were difforced before. From the posting I understood it is not something immigration asked.

I would say you don't need the difforce papers, you only need them if you want to get married in Thailand. You are already married. For immigration the proof of marriage is sufficient. (If you have the papers take them allong to be sure, but you don't have to offer them without being asked).

[RonD]

Since this website was first derived to help others in regards to visa information (an assumption by me) I highly suggest that the webmasters/moderators/editors of this website keep the visa information up to date.

I would even go further to suggest to this site's owner, why not provide a step by step instruction on how to obtain this visa. This is information, I feel, is worth its weight in gold. But then again, I don't own or run this website and I guess the more people that post the same redundant questions and answers make it appear as a god site… Bahhhh!

Perhaps giving more detailed information on the various visa processes is too difficult of providing information?

A Wiki based moderated site will do the trick... a la Wikipedia... ThaiWikiPedia... This would cover frequent topics that are constantly updated (and/or asked about) in terms of rules, forms, knowledge and information: Visa, visa runs in different countries, employment, sinsod, etc etc etc...

The overall quality and quantity of the content on this site is getting out of hand and unstructured, erroneous, and hard to search and find. The price this site has to pay for it's popularity.

(That's why I'm looking at ways (for myself primarily) to structure this and other Thailand/Expat sites/feeds/forums/news content. I'd be interested in any other parties having similar thoughts and initiatives)

[spongeman]

My thoughts - ( for what they are worth )

I did visa runs a long time ago 1995/-1997( for nearly two years to penang ) when it was no problem. However now I still keep up to date with Thaivisa.com as I live in Ireland.

Perhaps people should appreciate more the fact that there are people on this website that give their time and opinions free of charge, and do so even if they have been asked 10,000 times.

Unless you want to ask the Thai government themselves........(not)

[Lite Beer]

Unless you want to ask the Thai government themselves........(not)

Even that would not give anyone a good answer because as we all know different officers at different offices on different days of the week all have different rules.

The best anyone can do is talk to the Immigration office they are going to deal with and hope they see the same officer when they go back. And hope he got his leg over the night before.