Non Imm "B" Or "O" Marriage?

[srgoldie]

I currently have a Non Imm. "B" which is tied to my Job (teacher) and Work Permit.

I am married and am looking into the pros and cons of converting to a O-Marriage Visa.

I believe I meet the criteria:

1/ My salary is in excess of 40k. Baht.

2/ I am legally married to a Thai national.

I am considering changing my school. Have already experienced the hassle of changing visa and work permit and want to avoid if at all possible.

So, I am considering changing to a Marriage visa beforehand to cut out the trip to Vientiane. Is it possible to change my

'B' visa to an 'O-Marriage' without leaving the country?

(I know that my work permit is unlikely to be transferred to my new school but it's the Visa that's pain).

Assuming I go for the Marriage visa, when will I next have to leave the country?

Is the marriage visa multi or single entry? Do I get a choice?

Once I have stipulated 1 school as being my source of income will it cause problems if I change school. In other words is the change of visa futile in my case? In any case my salary will not fall below the 40k threshold.

Is the O Marriage visa dependent upon me staying in full time employment? Do Immigration check your status every 90 days? Not that I'm planning on being out of work or penniless ...

In general, what are the advantages of a marriage visa over a B visa, if any, over and above the ones I'm assuming to benefit from?

Are their any disadvantages of having a a Marriage visa rather than a B?

Thanks. Steve.

[Lite Beer]

The Marriage Extension is based on your Marriage. Lose your job. No problem. You do not loose your permision to stay if you lose your job.

If you have a Marriage Extension you do not have to leave the country. Only report your address to Immigration every 90 days.

[Maestro]

There is no marriage visa and I assume that you are currently on an extension of stay for employment (work extension) and are inquiring about a change to an annual extension of stay for living with your Thai wife (marriage extension)

There is no disadvantage in making this change, only advantages:

1. When your employment ends you are free to remain in Thailand until the expiration of your marriage extension of stay. Once you have met the finance requirements for the application for extension (40k monthly income or 400k in the bank) the immigration office does check if you still have that income if your application was based on income, until the time comes for your next application.
   
2. If you lose your job and by the time you have to make your next application for extension stay you still have not found another source of 40k monthly income, you have the option of applying for your extension based on 400k in the bank.
   

Normally, you would make your application for the marriage extension during the last 30 days of you current work extension but there is no harm in asking the immigration office if you can do it right now. For proof of income you need your tax receipts. For your employer, the advantage is that he does not have to submit a heap of company documents.

--

Maestro

[srgoldie]

ok, I need to notify ninety days before the 29th of this month.

Then again around the 29th of April. I will still be under contract to my current school until the 30th of April.

So ideally I should change my visa from B to O sometime in April.

Will I have to pay the 1,900 baht? Or with it being a change of reason for extension will I just stamp with new documentation?

Will it matter that I plan to change province/immigration office?

[Lite Beer]

It is not quite as simple as that.

For the Marriage Extension you need.

Proof of income. Marriage Certificate. Wife's ID Card and house registration. Photos of you and you Wife in and around your house. Map showing the way to your house. (They may visit you or speak to neighbours) Take your Wife to be interviewed. Application form and 1,900 Baht fee. If succesful you will get a 30 day under consideration stamp. Go back in a month and get the full extension.

[srgoldie]

It is not quite as simple as that.

For the Marriage Extension you need.

Proof of income. Marriage Certificate. Wife's ID Card and house registration. Photos of you and you Wife in and around your house. Map showing the way to your house. (They may visit you or speak to neighbours) Take your Wife to be interviewed. Application form and 1,900 Baht fee. If succesful you will get a 30 day under consideration stamp. Go back in a month and get the full extension.

Oh dear!

Proof of income, no problem, Marriage certificate, no problem, Wife's ID card, no problem, house (condo) registration no problem.

The rest could be a problem. Currently I own a condo in Pattaya, but we rent it out. We did live there until July 2008. But then we moved to Bangkok where I work. However, as my wife is in the late stages of pregnancy she is living in a condo owned by my father in Naklua to be near her sisters who run a business nearby. I am working in Bangkok throughout the week and then going to Naklua for the weekends. After the baby is born I may move her back to Bangkok to be with me or leave her in Chonburi to be near her sisters so they can help her. We have photos of us in all the places. I think best to stamp my visa 90 day non-b this time and look to do the change over just before the next 90 day stamp.

[ubonjoe]

Oh dear!

Proof of income, no problem, Marriage certificate, no problem, Wife's ID card, no problem, house (condo) registration no problem.

The rest could be a problem. Currently I own a condo in Pattaya, but we rent it out. We did live there until July 2008. But then we moved to Bangkok where I work. However, as my wife is in the late stages of pregnancy she is living in a condo owned by my father in Naklua to be near her sisters who run a business nearby. I am working in Bangkok throughout the week and then going to Naklua for the weekends. After the baby is born I may move her back to Bangkok to be with me or leave her in Chonburi to be near her sisters so they can help her. We have photos of us in all the places. I think best to stamp my visa 90 day non-b this time and look to do the change over just before the next 90 day stamp.

Go ahead and apply for your extension in Pattaya and use the condo address where your wife is staying. She will need to go with you when you apply and do an interview. It can be noted what your current arrangements are at that time, I think they will understand.

The fact that your wife is pregnant can even be part of the proof that you are living as husband and wife which is the reason for all the pictures and etc.