Married visa?

[KhunKiKiad]

Hi

Is there a simple answer for those people who are married to a Thai woman regarding visa's?

Ie, I am married to a Thai and we currrently live in the west. We plan to return to Thailand to live, are both in our 30's...so no retirement type visa advice required etc.

Is it easy to get a one year visa when you are married to a Thai?

I am basing this on if I couldn't get a job etc...can you simply get a one year visa because your partner is Thai?

Does this avoid countless visa runs?

Thanks for any advice.

[lopburi3]

The best you can do on the basis of marriage is a multi entry non-immigrant class O visa valid for one year.  With this you are allowed to stay 90 days at a time so you will have to make border runs (but you only have to get a new visa about every 15 months).

One year extensions of stay are available only on the basis of support, which being unemployed with no income you would not qualify for; unless your wife can provide the support.  It is currently 250k baht per year but due to increase to 400k.

[KhunKiKiad]

The best you can do on the basis of marriage is a multi entry non-immigrant class O visa valid for one year.  With this you are allowed to stay 90 days at a time so you will have to make border runs (but you only have to get a new visa about every 15 months).

One year extensions of stay are available only on the basis of support, which being unemployed with no income you would not qualify for; unless your wife can provide the support.  It is currently 250k baht per year but due to increase to 400k.

Thanks for that.

Seems strange, as visas for Thai's married to farangs wanting to live abroad are nowhere near as imposing...ie, my wife doesn't have to do something ridiculous like leave the country every three weeks.

There seems no logic in that...I have friends in Malaysia, so how does Thailand benefit if I go to KL and spend money there regularly? Hmmmmm...

I intend to work, I just wanted to find out what the general scenario was for a partner.

Thanks again

[KhunKiKiad]

Just one other quick question, is that 250 / 400 000 baht "in the bank" simply mean my own savings?

ie, as long as you leave that much in the bank...you can get the one year visa yearly?

[JimGant]

You won't have to leave the country every 90 days with a marriage visa; and as pointed out, 400k of baht in the bank, but only once a year when you trot down to Immigration to renew your visa, is all you need. There is some kind of requirement to report your presence to Immigration every 90 days, but there's a form for this, and it can be done by mail or messenger. Also, I'm told, the account with the 400k in it can be joint with your wife -- immigration just wants a letter from the bank confirming this sum. So, if necessary, once a year borrow enought to reach 400k in your account, go see Immigration with your bank letter, extend your visa for another year, then the next day pay back the borrowed 400k.

I haven't done any of the above yet, but will soon. So, obviously someone out there correct me if I'm wrong. All I know is what I've gleaned on this forum; but sometimes my memory ain't what it used to be.

Jim Gant

[lopburi3]

You won't have to leave the country every 90 days with a marriage visa;

Yes you will.  The visa based on marriage only allows visits of 90 days each and does not require money in the bank.  The bank deposit is another ball game.  

If you meet the support requirements you can extend your stay on a yearly basis (this is not a visa).  It requires more than just money in the bank (although that is probably the most important factor) and you and wife will be interviewed on marriage/home/income and information will be considered before a panel for approval.  This is not an automatic process (but for most is just routine).  A joint banking account is fine for this  They also want to see the bank passbook showing deposits, and to keep copies of it.  Proof of where you live.  Proof that you live together (photos sometimes ok for this).

Whenever you stay more than 90 days there is a requirement to report your address to immigration; so that becomes another thing to remember.

Hope that above is clear.  You had most of it right; just wanted to fill in details a bit.

[KhunKiKiad]

You won't have to leave the country every 90 days with a marriage visa;

Yes you will.  The visa based on marriage only allows visits of 90 days each and does not require money in the bank.  The bank deposit is another ball game.  

If you meet the support requirements you can extend your stay on a yearly basis (this is not a visa).  It requires more than just money in the bank (although that is probably the most important factor) and you and wife will be interviewed on marriage/home/income and information will be considered before a panel for approval.  This is not an automatic process (but for most is just routine).  A joint banking account is fine for this  They also want to see the bank passbook showing deposits, and to keep copies of it.  Proof of where you live.  Proof that you live together (photos sometimes ok for this).

Whenever you stay more than 90 days there is a requirement to report your address to immigration; so that becomes another thing to remember.

Hope that above is clear.  You had most of it right; just wanted to fill in details a bit.

Thanks for that.

Re the support requirments, my wife owns her own house. If we have more than 250 000 baht in the bank...then does this allow us to apply for the 'yearly' extension?

If that's not a visa, as you say, does that avoid having to leave the country every 90 days?

Does this also act as a work visa / make a work visa easier?

Again, thanks for the advice

[lopburi3]

The 250k in the bank (going to 400k) is the basic requirement.  You also have to prove relationship and will be asked for income information (ie how are you going to support your wife and replenish the bank account).  How serious that may be will probably be based on your demure.  Yes.  it does allow you to apply for yearly extensions of stay.

This avoids requirement to leave the country every 90 days but adds the requirement for a re-entry permit before any travel as you will no longer have a valid visa (the re-entry permit will serve that purpose).  And the 90 day address reporting.

This (marriage or extension of stay) will not help for a work permit - that is based on work, not marriage.  But your marriage based visa could save a trip out of Thailand to obtain a new visa if you find work as it allows a work permit to be issued.

[KhunKiKiad]

Thanks for that. We have tonnes of documentation etc having had to 'prove' everything a few years ago so my wife could live here...I guess we just have to do all that again, which shouldn't be hard now as the file is the length of war and peace by now...

I have to show how I will support her? If she has a good job, and own home etc...do I still have to show how I'll support her?

We will have savings from here + will probably start a business. I wouldn't mind doing some teaching, I have a degree and will do an ESL course before we come back as a back up plan.

Thanks again!

[lopburi3]

If she has a good job she can be the supporting party - with equal rights provisions of the new constitution.  But you could probably still expect some jokes.  Don't believe you will have any problems - they just have to fill out paperwork on income as part of the process.  There really is not a lot of paperwork involved.  But then you are not allowed to stay forever without another review each year; like in the US.  So less paperwork here, but more often.

[JimGant]

Lopburi3,

Thanks for clarifying some of my confusion. But one more quick question:

I've got the NonImmigrant "O" visa courtesy of being married to a Thai. This will expire soon as it (like everyone's, I assume) is issued for only one year. When I obtain the one year extension of stay by showing support, 400k, etc, can I do this indefinitely without ever leaving the country again? In other words, even tho' the NonIm "O" visa expires, the extensionj of stay essentially breathes new life into this visa. And thus there is no requirement to leave Thailand ever again to obtain a new NonIm "O" visa as long as I can get annual extensions of stay. Am I interpreting this correctly?

Many thanks for your time.

Jim Gant

[lopburi3]

can I do this indefinitely without ever leaving the country again?

Yes.  Assuming you continue to meet the requirements and do not exit Thailand without first obtaining a re-entry permit (and returning before the end of your permitted stay [one year extension] expires).