Clarifications On Marriage Visa

[thairookie]

I understand that renewal for VISA based on marriage with a Thai spouse you've to show 400K in your account.

I have a few questions:

(1) When you first get married to a Thai woman, this 400K does not apply. You will still get your 1 year non-immigrant VISA; it's only upon renewal that you need to show 400K in your account. Am I right ?

(2) The 1 year non-immigrant granted the 1st time based on marriage (not renewal) as well as subsequent renewal based on 400K savings, I will still need to travel out of Thailand every 3 months. Am I right ?

[Lite Beer]

I understand that renewal for VISA based on marriage with a Thai spouse you've to show 400K in your account.

I have a few questions:

(1) When you first get married to a Thai woman, this 400K does not apply. You will still get your 1 year non-immigrant VISA; it's only upon renewal that you need to show 400K in your account. Am I right ?

(2) The 1 year non-immigrant granted the 1st time based on marriage (not renewal) as well as subsequent renewal based on 400K savings, I will still need to travel out of Thailand every 3 months. Am I right ?

A lot of confusion there.

If you are talking about a Non Imm O Multi Entry, you do not need 400,000 Baht in a bank .you will have to do a border run every 90 days.

If you are talking about a 12 Month Extension of stay you need 400,000 Baht in a Thai Bank OR 40,000 Baht a month income and no border runs.

[ubonjoe]

For an extension see 2.18 of this police order.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/post-a70477-...ember-2008.html

[jamesjdaly]

If you go to KL for a Non O multi, they may well ask to see a substantial sum in a Thai bank. They asked me in August.

[AussieFarang]

I understand that renewal for VISA based on marriage with a Thai spouse you've to show 400K in your account.

I have a few questions:

(1) When you first get married to a Thai woman, this 400K does not apply. You will still get your 1 year non-immigrant VISA; it's only upon renewal that you need to show 400K in your account. Am I right ?

(2) The 1 year non-immigrant granted the 1st time based on marriage (not renewal) as well as subsequent renewal based on 400K savings, I will still need to travel out of Thailand every 3 months. Am I right ?

I am on exactly the same visa as you state here.

You do not need the 400K baht in the Thai bank account in your own name when you get your Non Immigrant Type O Visa (Thai Wife) before entry into Thailand but this is required if you make application for a 1 year extension of stay based from here in Thailand. If you choose you can always leave Thailand before your visa expires and then reapply for a new Non Immigrant Type O Visa (Thai Wife) from outside Thailand and then return and stay for 1 year on that visa.

No If your visa is Non Immigrant Type O based on a Thai wife you do not need to leave Thailand every 3 months you can live here permanently for the period of your visa or extension and your only requirement is to report your residential address every 90 days to Thai Immigration.

Hope this helps.

[thairookie]

I understand that renewal for VISA based on marriage with a Thai spouse you've to show 400K in your account.

I have a few questions:

(1) When you first get married to a Thai woman, this 400K does not apply. You will still get your 1 year non-immigrant VISA; it's only upon renewal that you need to show 400K in your account. Am I right ?

(2) The 1 year non-immigrant granted the 1st time based on marriage (not renewal) as well as subsequent renewal based on 400K savings, I will still need to travel out of Thailand every 3 months. Am I right ?

I am on exactly the same visa as you state here.

You do not need the 400K baht in the Thai bank account in your own name when you get your Non Immigrant Type O Visa (Thai Wife) before entry into Thailand but this is required if you make application for a 1 year extension of stay based from here in Thailand. If you choose you can always leave Thailand before your visa expires and then reapply for a new Non Immigrant Type O Visa (Thai Wife) from outside Thailand and then return and stay for 1 year on that visa.

No If your visa is Non Immigrant Type O based on a Thai wife you do not need to leave Thailand every 3 months you can live here permanently for the period of your visa or extension and your only requirement is to report your residential address every 90 days to Thai Immigration.

Hope this helps.

Yes, it helps. At least I know I can do away with the 400K just by going out of Thailand and applying for a non-O based on Thai wife.

Now be it non-O Thai wife or non-O renewal based on 400K, if I wish to travel out of Thailand during the course of my 1-year visa, is there any problem ? Will that automatically invalidate my visa ?

[beechguy]

If you get a one year multi-entry Non "O", you will go outside of Thailand every 90 days and get stamped back in no problem. If you have the one year "Extension of Stay", you would need a re-entry permit before exiting. Those are available in single or multiple re-entries. I think single is 1000 baht and multi re-entry is 3800 baht. Also, if you stay on "Extension of Stay" you don't exit every 90 days, but do address report at immigration.

Edited January 3, 2009 by beechguy

[Lite Beer]

No If your visa is Non Immigrant Type O based on a Thai wife you do not need to leave Thailand every 3 months you can live here permanently for the period of your visa or extension and your only requirement is to report your residential address every 90 days to Thai Immigration.

Yes you do have to leave every 90 days if you have a Non Imm O Visa Multi based on a Thai Wife.

Each entry is a max. of 90 days.

[ubonjoe]

Yes, it helps. At least I know I can do away with the 400K just by going out of Thailand and applying for a non-O based on Thai wife.

Now be it non-O Thai wife or non-O renewal based on 400K, if I wish to travel out of Thailand during the course of my 1-year visa, is there any problem ? Will that automatically invalidate my visa ?

If you have a multiple entry non-o visa you have to leave the country every 90 days and re-enter.

After yuu are on an extension of stay you are no longer on a visa. You renew your extension of stay every year. And make 90 day reports to immigration.

If you get a one year extension you have ot get a re-entry permit at immigration. For a single it is 1000 baht and multiple it's 3800 baht.

[thairookie]

Yes, it helps. At least I know I can do away with the 400K just by going out of Thailand and applying for a non-O based on Thai wife.

Now be it non-O Thai wife or non-O renewal based on 400K, if I wish to travel out of Thailand during the course of my 1-year visa, is there any problem ? Will that automatically invalidate my visa ?

If you have a multiple entry non-o visa you have to leave the country every 90 days and re-enter.

After yuu are on an extension of stay you are no longer on a visa. You renew your extension of stay every year. And make 90 day reports to immigration.

If you get a one year extension you have ot get a re-entry permit at immigration. For a single it is 1000 baht and multiple it's 3800 baht.

Getting a bit confused. Lets see if I got it right.

Non-O VISA based on marriage = 1 year = border run every 90 days

Extension based on 400K = 1 year = NO border run = Report to Immigration every 90 days instead

In either case, I need to get a re-entry permit before I exit Thailand to keep my VISA alive.

Edited January 3, 2009 by thairookie

[ubonjoe]

There is no reason to get a re-entry permit for a multiple entry visa. You can leave and re-enter as many times as you wish up to the use before date.

[thairookie]

There is no reason to get a re-entry permit for a multiple entry visa. You can leave and re-enter as many times as you wish up to the use before date.

I see.

So it's correct to say that if I choose not to renew but apply for a new one instead, which will have to be done outside Thailand, it can be done ?

[Lite Beer]

There is no reason to get a re-entry permit for a multiple entry visa. You can leave and re-enter as many times as you wish up to the use before date.

I see.

So it's correct to say that if I choose not to renew but apply for a new one instead, which will have to be done outside Thailand, it can be done ?

There is no such thing as renew,

When your Visa expires you apply for another one.

[AussieFarang]

...Now be it non-O Thai wife or non-O renewal based on 400K, if I wish to travel out of Thailand during the course of my 1-year visa, is there any problem ? Will that automatically invalidate my visa ?

When you first get your visa it will be a single or multiple entry visa by your choice. If its single entry it will be used when you first enter Thailand but if its multiple you can come and go as often as you need.

When you get your Extension of Stay for 1 year you then need to further get a Reentry Permit at 1,000 baht for single or 3,900 for multiple reentry. You must have this or you visa is used and you cannot reenter Thailand.

[gioste]

I wonder if I can hijack this post for a further clarification on Marriage VISA?

Have they had another change of heart? I went to BKK immigration ~8 months ago asking for extension of stay based on Thai dependants. I had entered a few weeks before with a multi-entry Type O non-imm. visa obtained abroad based on children. I had all the money in the account but they said that that's not good any more (it worked for me a few years back). They said only proof of constant income was ok. She even told me to find a job even if the VISA says "Employment prohibited". So I've been doing the border hop every ~90 days and VISA expires in March...

Can anybody confirm with certainty? 400k is good? my own account or spouse's? (at the moment I'm a bit short, and it's wify holding the cash ).

[ubonjoe]

I wonder if I can hijack this post for a further clarification on Marriage VISA?

Have they had another change of heart? I went to BKK immigration ~8 months ago asking for extension of stay based on Thai dependants. I had entered a few weeks before with a multi-entry Type O non-imm. visa obtained abroad based on children. I had all the money in the account but they said that that's not good any more (it worked for me a few years back). They said only proof of constant income was ok. She even told me to find a job even if the VISA says "Employment prohibited". So I've been doing the border hop every ~90 days and VISA expires in March...

Can anybody confirm with certainty? 400k is good? my own account or spouse's? (at the moment I'm a bit short, and it's wify holding the cash ).

Yes there was a change of the police order on Nov. 25th. You can now get the extension with 400,000 baht in the bank for 60 days. See 2.18 of police order.

LinK: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/post-a70477-...ember-2008.html

It needs to be in your name but they might let you do it by moving it to an account with your name and a letter for both accounts from the bank showing it was in her account for 60 days.

It's good news for you and a lot of others

[gioste]

Thanks a lot, ubonjoe for the fast reply and the link.

But that gave me another idea, as I'm personally short of THB

It seems to me, reading the order, that if I am the father of a Thai child of 8 I can stay and no question asked (notice that it doesn't mention money in sub-point 4 of point 2.18). I tracked down the original Thai version (http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/doc/RTP777_2551.pdf) and my Thai wife agrees with me. Naturally, this is illogical (how am I going to support my child?), yet that would not be surprising

Has anybody tried this way? does it work? or they'll say: "It's not in the rulebook but of course you need the money". Or are they applying to me the least favourable condition (i.e. being both father of a Thai and husband of a Thai, I must have the money). Last time I went there with all docs (child and wife).

[ubonjoe]

(4) is the rule that sets conditions for the child.

Also (5) of the new order does not apply if you are married.

The only choice for you is (3) and (6).

[gioste]

Uhm, I think I have to disagree... I had long doubts about it as well, for the way it is phrased. But it says:

in the case of a child, adopted child or child of his/her spouse.

The "his/her" should be referred to me (i.e. "my own child, I child I adopted or a child of my spouse"), where the child is the Thai of whom I am a family member. I don't think it can be read the other way, if the alien asking for visa is the child (which is point 5, where the alien must have parents with enough money). Unfortunately, wife is not here now to triple check the Thai version ...

Am I badly wrong here?

[ubonjoe]

Uhm, I think I have to disagree... I had long doubts about it as well, for the way it is phrased. But it says:

in the case of a child, adopted child or child of his/her spouse.

The "his/her" should be referred to me (i.e. "my own child, I child I adopted or a child of my spouse"), where the child is the Thai of whom I am a family member. I don't think it can be read the other way, if the alien asking for visa is the child (which is point 5, where the alien must have parents with enough money). Unfortunately, wife is not here now to triple check the Thai version ...

Am I badly wrong here?

(4) In the case of a child, adopted child or child of his/her spouse Meaning your wife's child (step child), the said person must not be married, must be living withthe family, and must be less than 20 years of age; or

Remember this is also for a woman married to a Thai man that is why the his/her is there.

(5) Means the parent of the child mentioned in (4)

Yes I think you are wrong.

Go through this 17 page topic where these changes were discussed: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Regulations-...ig-t227532.html

[Maestro]

In 2.18(4), “in the case of a child” means “in the case where a child is the applicant for extension of stay”

--

Maestro

[thairookie]

When you get your Extension of Stay for 1 year you then need to further get a Reentry Permit at 1,000 baht for single or 3,900 for multiple reentry. You must have this or you visa is used and you cannot reenter Thailand.

Hi AussieFarang,

I think I understand the part on re-entry.

I just want to follow up on your very 1st post about applying for a new VISA outside Thailand instead of an extension within Thailand. Does that mean each your VISA expires, you choose not to renew in Thailand and save on the 400K requirement, and instead exit Thailand and apply for the same VISA once more ?

[astral]

The word that has cause confusion here is RENEWAL.

There is no such thing as renewal of any visa.

You either exit the country and obtain a NEW visa from a consulate,

or you get an EXTENSION OF STAY inside Thailand if you can meet the necessary requirements

[gioste]

Thanks again ubonjoe. You convinced me that I was wrong in the interpretation (wishful thinking, I guess...).

And how could I miss a 17-page long thread?? I've almost finished reading it

Thanks for the patience, sometimes we read what we would liketo read

[ubonjoe]

Thanks again ubonjoe. You convinced me that I was wrong in the interpretation (wishful thinking, I guess...).

And how could I miss a 17-page long thread?? I've almost finished reading it

Thanks for the patience, sometimes we read what we would liketo read

Not just me with the convincing.

The topic was on the 2nd page so you could of easily missed it.

Good Luck

Joe

[thairookie]

The word that has cause confusion here is RENEWAL.

There is no such thing as renewal of any visa.

You either exit the country and obtain a NEW visa from a consulate,

or you get an EXTENSION OF STAY inside Thailand if you can meet the necessary requirements

So in the context of Marriage with a Thai, is it workable that instead of seeking an extension of stay, I exit and obtain a 'new' visa from a consulate ? And repeat the process every year ?

[ubonjoe]

So in the context of Marriage with a Thai, is it workable that instead of seeking an extension of stay, I exit and obtain a 'new' visa from a consulate ? And repeat the process every year ?

If that is what you want to do. You will have to make border runs every 90 days and after your last entry make a visa run for a new visa. It works out to about every 15 months total between visas if you make a border run just before you visa's use before date.

[davyboy]

So in the context of Marriage with a Thai, is it workable that instead of seeking an extension of stay, I exit and obtain a 'new' visa from a consulate ? And repeat the process every year ?

If that is what you want to do. You will have to make border runs every 90 days and after your last entry make a visa run for a new visa. It works out to about every 15 months total between visas if you make a border run just before you visa's use before date.

I couldn't be bothered with the visa runs! They're a pain! Stick with the marriage extention of stay!!

[ozzydom]

What is the maximum period non-imm o based on marriage available at the Vientienne consulate?

I have previously only been able to obtain a 3 month single entry which could not be extended.

I have always been told that I had to go back and get a new visa every 90 days.

Is this still the case in Laos?

We actually went over yesterday but found accomodation unavailable so we came back bearing a 15 day entry and will try again next week ,when with luck we may have up to date news on the new consulate and its workings.

[ubonjoe]

What is the maximum period non-imm o based on marriage available at the Vientienne consulate?

I have previously only been able to obtain a 3 month single entry which could not be extended.

I have always been told that I had to go back and get a new visa every 90 days.

Is this still the case in Laos?

We actually went over yesterday but found accomodation unavailable so we came back bearing a 15 day entry and will try again next week ,when with luck we may have up to date news on the new consulate and its workings.

It's still a single entry non-o. Just because it says no extensions does not mean that you cannot get it extended. The stamp or writing on a visa means nothing to immigration. All they want is to see is a non immigrant visa. My last O from there does not say no extensions (one year old).

Wow no rooms available in Vientiane. Must be the long holiday or a bunch of visa runners that did not know the consulate was closed for 5 days.

Today should of been interesting at the conuslate since it was the first day at the new location plus lots of people because of the holiday.