Marriage Visa (clarification)

[JR Texas]

A friend of mine entered Thailand on a 30 day "stamp." No visa. He just got married to a Thai woman. He plans to go to Lao to get a proper visa. Can you explain the process........what he needs to get, take with him, time involved, etc. Thanks.

[lopburi3]

Is he intending to extend his stay on a yearly basis (40k per month family income) or will he have to live on 90 day visa visits? Need to know that as will change recommendations.

If he here on first week of entry and intends to extend he can obtain a one time non immigrant visa from Bangkok Immigration for a 90 day stay for 2,000 baht.

[JR Texas]

Is he intending to extend his stay on a yearly basis (40k per month family income) or will he have to live on 90 day visa visits? Need to know that as will change recommendations.

If he here on first week of entry and intends to extend he can obtain a one time non immigrant visa from Bangkok Immigration for a 90 day stay for 2,000 baht.

He intends on staying on 40K per month family income..........I was going to tell him, but I think the 40K requirement is only after the first 12 months. But I am not sure. Thanks in advance.

[lopburi3]

The 40k requirement is for extension of stay - they may well not require the previous years proof of tax payments but believe he will have to show the income when application for the one year extension of stay takes place.

[JR Texas]

The 40k requirement is for extension of stay - they may well not require the previous years proof of tax payments but believe he will have to show the income when application for the one year extension of stay takes place.

He is on his last week (gave 30 days when he entered Thailand on visa exempt). Are you saying he does not have to leave the country to get the non-O and can do so in Bangkok?

That seems easy.........so I am confused given nothing is easy when dealing with immigration. Maybe this is a first!

If he can go to Bangkok Immigration and get his visa exempt changed to a non-O........what papers must he take with him: marriage certificate? other?

Thanks.

[Lite Beer]

The 40k requirement is for extension of stay - they may well not require the previous years proof of tax payments but believe he will have to show the income when application for the one year extension of stay takes place.

He is on his last week (gave 30 days when he entered Thailand on visa exempt). Are you saying he does not have to leave the country to get the non-O and can do so in Bangkok?

That seems easy.........so I am confused given nothing is easy when dealing with immigration. Maybe this is a first!

If he can go to Bangkok Immigration and get his visa exempt changed to a non-O........what papers must he take with him: marriage certificate? other?

Thanks.

No. He has to have at least 21 days left to change to a Non O Visa.

He will have to leave and get a Non O Visa from a consulate OR a Tourist Visa OR a 30 day stamp.

The last 2 options can be changed to a Non O with at least 21 days remaining.

[JR Texas]

The 40k requirement is for extension of stay - they may well not require the previous years proof of tax payments but believe he will have to show the income when application for the one year extension of stay takes place.

He is on his last week (gave 30 days when he entered Thailand on visa exempt). Are you saying he does not have to leave the country to get the non-O and can do so in Bangkok?

That seems easy.........so I am confused given nothing is easy when dealing with immigration. Maybe this is a first!

If he can go to Bangkok Immigration and get his visa exempt changed to a non-O........what papers must he take with him: marriage certificate? other?

Thanks.

No. He has to have at least 21 days left to change to a Non O Visa.

He will have to leave and get a Non O Visa from a consulate OR a Tourist Visa OR a 30 day stamp.

The last 2 options can be changed to a Non O with at least 21 days remaining.

Thanks........who makes up these rules? ha ha ha ha ha ha..........what a twisted mind he/she must have.

[lopburi3]

If he goes to Laos to obtain the non immigrant O visa have him take his marriage certificate and copy; copy of wife ID card and home register (blue book) which are signed/dated. It is also a good idea to have short note from wife asking for visa to be issued (but probably not required - especially with a new marriage).

[lopburi3]

If travel is a problem he can likely obtain a one time 60 day extension of stay "to visit wife" but that will require 1,900 baht extension and he will still need non immigrant visa to extend on a yearly basis.

[dingdongrb]

No. He has to have at least 21 days left to change to a Non O Visa.

He will have to leave and get a Non O Visa from a consulate OR a Tourist Visa OR a 30 day stamp.

The last 2 options can be changed to a Non O with at least 21 days remaining.

Not necessarily true. I had 19 days left on my Business visa and applied for an extension being married to a Thai just last month. When I submitted my application they placed a stamp in my passport extending my Business visa for 7 days until the approval of my 1 year extension came back. The stamp clearly states: “Application of stay is under consideration of the Immigration Bureau.”

This was done in Chiang Mai and as I have always found out, it depends on where you go, what immigration officer works on your case, the day of the week, the phase of the moon, etc. etc. etc.

By the way, I was granted my 1 year visa……

[mgjackson69]

The stamp clearly states: “Application of stay is under consideration of the Immigration Bureau.”

By the way, I was granted my 1 year visa……

Strange wording, that...

Same for me...when I applied for my extension of stay last month, the stamp reads:

"...APPLICATION OF STAY IS UNDER CONSIDERATION..."

Ok, it is a bit strange, but Thai -> English, things can get mixed up a bit...

Today, I went back for my 30-day contact, and was given the one-year extension. The stamp reads:

"...APPLICATION OF STAY IS PERMITTED UP TO ...."

I would expect "APPLICATION" to read "EXTENSION" in both cases.

This was done at the North Eastern Region Immigration Center in Korat.

Looking at my previous two extensions (based on work permit), which were done at the One Stop Service Center in Bangkok, the stamps for both read:

"EXTENSION OF STAY PERMITTED UP TO..."

Hmmmmmmm.....

I wonder if this is an "Isaan idiosyncrasy" or the stamps have changed everywhere?

In the interest of accuracy, and please correct me if I mis-speak...but I believe that you were granted a one-year extension of stay, not a one-year visa

[mgjackson69]

The stamp clearly states: “Application of stay is under consideration of the Immigration Bureau.”

By the way, I was granted my 1 year visa……

Strange wording, that...

Same for me...when I applied for my extension of

[Maestro]

No. He has to have at least 21 days left to change to a Non O Visa.

He will have to leave and get a Non O Visa from a consulate OR a Tourist Visa OR a 30 day stamp.

The last 2 options can be changed to a Non O with at least 21 days remaining.

Not necessarily true. I had 19 days left on my Business visa and applied for an extension being married to a Thai just last month...

Your situation was entirely different: you did not apply for a change of visa to non-immigrant. You already had a non-immigrant visa, ie a non-B visa, you entered Thailand on this visa and applied for and received an extension of stay.

--

Maestro

[dingdongrb]

You are correct, wrong wording used. I did not get a 'visa', I obtained an 'extension' of my pervious visa. However my one year extension was based on being married to a Thai.

[mgjackson69]

You are correct, wrong wording used. I did not get a 'visa', I obtained an 'extension' of my pervious visa. However my one year extension was based on being married to a Thai.

That is what I thought, based on the other facts.

I think it is a side-effect of my work (systems analyst/tech consultant), but I am a stickler for accuracy in terminology. Especially on the subject of visas, with so many stories and interpretations around, and the differences amongst the various nations, etc etc etc.

Your extension basis is the same as mine then, based on marriage to Thai national.

[Sam125]

I had the same experience with the same strange wording of my extension.

The stamp clearly states: "Application of stay is under consideration of the Immigration Bureau."

By the way, I was granted my 1 year visa……

Strange wording, that...

Same for me...when I applied for my extension of stay last month, the stamp reads:

"...APPLICATION OF STAY IS UNDER CONSIDERATION..."

Ok, it is a bit strange, but Thai -> English, things can get mixed up a bit...

Today, I went back for my 30-day contact, and was given the one-year extension. The stamp reads:

"...APPLICATION OF STAY IS PERMITTED UP TO ...."

I would expect "APPLICATION" to read "EXTENSION" in both cases.

This was done at the North Eastern Region Immigration Center in Korat.

Looking at my previous two extensions (based on work permit), which were done at the One Stop Service Center in Bangkok, the stamps for both read:

"EXTENSION OF STAY PERMITTED UP TO..."

Hmmmmmmm.....

I wonder if this is an "Isaan idiosyncrasy" or the stamps have changed everywhere?

In the interest of accuracy, and please correct me if I mis-speak...but I believe that you were granted a one-year extension of stay, not a one-year visa

[DNPBC0]

The regulations for a 1 yr marriage extension of a non-immigrant 'O' visa are clearly stated in the Immigration Bureau's Police Order No. 606/2549, dated 2006 attached (read Chapter 2 para 2.17) - I have checked in the past 2 weeks, and the Thai Embassy in New Zealand confirms that the Order still stands. Note that it depends on your income or bank account over past 3 months or a combo of the two.

[Lite Beer]

The regulations for a 1 yr marriage extension of a non-immigrant 'O' visa are clearly stated in the Immigration Bureau's Police Order No. 606/2549, dated 2006 attached (read Chapter 2 para 2.17) - I have checked in the past 2 weeks, and the Thai Embassy in New Zealand confirms that the Order still stands. Note that it depends on your income or bank account over past 3 months or a combo of the two.

No. It depends on your income. OR Money in the bank if you are grandfathered as having extended before 2006.

Never a combination of the two.

[HAL9000]

The 40k requirement is for extension of stay - they may well not require the previous years proof of tax payments but believe he will have to show the income when application for the one year extension of stay takes place.

That was correct in my case. The affidavit from the US Embassy was sufficient. They did not want to look at the papers we brought from the bank.

[HAL9000]

The stamp clearly states: "Application of stay is under consideration of the Immigration Bureau."

By the way, I was granted my 1 year visa……

Strange wording, that...

Same for me...when I applied for my extension of stay last month, the stamp reads:

"...APPLICATION OF STAY IS UNDER CONSIDERATION..."

Ok, it is a bit strange, but Thai -> English, things can get mixed up a bit...

Today, I went back for my 30-day contact, and was given the one-year extension. The stamp reads:

"...APPLICATION OF STAY IS PERMITTED UP TO ...."

I would expect "APPLICATION" to read "EXTENSION" in both cases.

This was done at the North Eastern Region Immigration Center in Korat.

Looking at my previous two extensions (based on work permit), which were done at the One Stop Service Center in Bangkok, the stamps for both read:

"EXTENSION OF STAY PERMITTED UP TO..."

Hmmmmmmm.....

I wonder if this is an "Isaan idiosyncrasy" or the stamps have changed everywhere?

In the interest of accuracy, and please correct me if I mis-speak...but I believe that you were granted a one-year extension of stay, not a one-year visa

The bureaucratic grammar is difficult for a non-native speaker. I am sure they meant to say APPLICATION FOR EXTENSION OF STAY IS APPROVED. STAY IS PERMITTED UP TO ....

[mgjackson69]

The 40k requirement is for extension of stay - they may well not require the previous years proof of tax payments but believe he will have to show the income when application for the one year extension of stay takes place.

That was correct in my case. The affidavit from the US Embassy was sufficient. They did not want to look at the papers we brought from the bank.

Same-same for me.

I had payroll records for 2007 and the first half of 2008 with me. They were not asked for and I did not offer them.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

The 40k requirement is for extension of stay - they may well not require the previous years proof of tax payments but believe he will have to show the income when application for the one year extension of stay takes place.

That was correct in my case. The affidavit from the US Embassy was sufficient. They did not want to look at the papers we brought from the bank.

Same-same for me.

I had payroll records for 2007 and the first half of 2008 with me. They were not asked for and I did not offer them.

Never ever give a bureaucrat any information that he is not lawfully entitled to. ( or he asks for specifically )