Has Any Rules Changed For Non-o Mariange Extension Since Last Year?

[ctira]

It seems the Thai immigration changes rules monthly Last year hubby applied under the grandfather clause with a Thai bank account statement (no monthly income). What are the documents we will need to bring with us? Thank you in advance for your help.

Edited May 11, 2009 by ctira

[Mario2008]

new is that the income now only can be the foreign husbands. As you don't have the income option you have to make use of the money in the bank option, which also has to be the foreign husbands money only. The money has to be in the account for 2 months.

new is also that ou now can only apply at the immigraiton office of your area.

other documents are the same as always:

- wife

- marrriage certificate

- pasport

- passphoto

- copy ID- wife

- household book

- bank book

- bank letter

- map to the house

Contact your immigration office for the specifics what they want.

[Lite Beer]

Yes. 400,000 Baht in the bank. It must be his bank account, not a joint account.

The new rule is for 2 months deposit but some offices are still insisiting on 3 months.

[ctira]

Yes. 400,000 Baht in the bank. It must be his bank account, not a joint account.

The new rule is for 2 months deposit but some offices are still insisiting on 3 months.

Crap. They DID change again. When did it go in effect? He only has a joint bank account (a Thai bank, under "and/or" account, not "and"). This is the account we've been using to apply extension for years.

Going in Suan Plu this Thursday, so no time to establish a new bank account. Will there be any problem?

[ubonjoe]

November last year is when the new police order came out.

All you can do is try. They may let you do it. What they may also let you do is open a new bank acount in your husbands name only and show both bank books. But go there first beffoe you do anything.

There is a clause in the new police order that says they can make exceptions if you have gotten an extension before. It is only valid for the first year of the new order.

[Mario2008]

he will probably be alright. Worse case is that he has to get a 60 day extension first, before he can get a new 1 year extension. That would cost an extra 1,900 baht.

[ctira]

So why did the police change the rule? Who benefits from this rule or is this an anti-money laundrying campaign? What's the reason to have only the name of the person applying for the extension on the account?

[ubonjoe]

So why did the police change the rule? Who benefits from this rule or is this an anti-money laundrying campaign? What's the reason to have only the name of the person applying for the extension on the account?

Here is what the rule says now.

(6) In case of marriage with a Thai lady, the husband who is an alien must have an average annual income of not less than 40,000 baht per month or a money deposit in a local Thai bank of not less than 400,000 baht for the past 2 months for expenses within a year.

They are applying the rule for the money the same way as the inocme. The old rule allowed income of either the wife, husband or both combined but no option for money in the bank.

To answer why they changed the rule would only be a guess. Some people suspect that it was done because some people were using the wifes income only and submitting questionable proof of income in the form of tax payments because they had no other way of showing the income.

[phaethon]

It seems the Thai immigration changes rules monthly

My impression is that the rules do not change very often - it's the frequency and extent to which they are applied/overlooked that varies from month to month

Edited May 12, 2009 by phaethon

[ubonjoe]

It seems the Thai immigration changes rules monthly

My impression is that the rules do not change very often - it's the frequency and extent to which they are applied/overlooked that varies from month to month

It has been about every two years for the the most recent changes.

It is more of an office to office problem than month to month.

It's just the reports that we get when somebody encounters local office rules/policy that makes it appear month to month.

[ctira]

Back from immigration. No problem using the old bank account. However the officer had me wrote a form stating that the joint account is no longer valid, and the applicant must provide HIS own bank account for the next extension. Both signed the form.

The officer complained big time how rules keep changing and there is no consistency (with a whisper to me it's her boss who has a final decision on each case and the boss keeps changing her mind).

So next step we are going to open a bank account for hubby. Thank you for every post. It helps us out

[Mario2008]

Good that everything worked out fine.

[CosmicSurfer]

So why did the police change the rule? Who benefits from this rule or is this an anti-money laundrying campaign? What's the reason to have only the name of the person applying for the extension on the account?

Here is what the rule says now.

(6) In case of marriage with a Thai lady, the husband who is an alien must have an average annual income of not less than 40,000 baht per month or a money deposit in a local Thai bank of not less than 400,000 baht for the past 2 months for expenses within a year.

They are applying the rule for the money the same way as the inocme. The old rule allowed income of either the wife, husband or both combined but no option for money in the bank.

To answer why they changed the rule would only be a guess. Some people suspect that it was done because some people were using the wifes income only and submitting questionable proof of income in the form of tax payments because they had no other way of showing the income.

And some people feel that it is inherent Thai Governmental (read Hi-So) discrimination against a Thai woman's ability to support her family, as well as discrimination against sick and older Farang's that can no longer work and make an income, which has the effect of driving these un-wanted, feeble, geriatrics out of the country, breaking up Family Units and causing general pain and suffering to Thai wives and children that had the nerve to get themselves involved with these low-life creatures in the first place...

Some people think this!

CS

[bkkexplorer]

Is it true that there's a new regulation that says if you got married outside the kingdom, you and missus will now have to register at your local amphur? Is there any change to the marriage certificate requirements? thanks.

[ubonjoe]

I don't know that there is any new regulation but it is something that needs to be done and there is no reason not to. There may even be some rule that it has be registered at the Amphoe.

If you plan on ever getting an extension based up marriage immigration is going to expect to see that the marriage is in your wifes house and on her Id card.

Just have your marriage certificate translated and have the translation certified at the Ministry of Foreign affairs. Then a trip to the Amphoe.

[Mario2008]

Haven't seen any rule change and looking at several embassies website they also mention you can register it at your local Thai embassy. because of verification that would also be much easier.

There was 1 member who reported that Thai law require that a Thai registers his/her marriage abroad, but when I asked Isaan Lawyers they knew nothing of such rule. (That might not mean such rules doesn't exist).

It might be that you will need to register your mariage abroad when you return to Thailand to live here. It would make sense to register the marriage in that case anyway.

[TerryLH]

"To answer why they changed the rule would only be a guess. Some people suspect that it was done because some people were using the wifes income only and submitting questionable proof of income in the form of tax payments because they had no other way of showing the income."

If this was the case, I think it's probably because of all the talk about it on forums like this. I've even seen 'how to' about the subject, explaining how to exploit the loophole.

I always thought the combined method was a good idea, but maybe talking about how to get around the rules on open forums wasn't such a good idea.

It doesn't hurt the people who didn't really qualify under that rule, but it does hurt the legit people.

[Foo Tao]

Is it true that there's a new regulation that says if you got married outside the kingdom, you and missus will now have to register at your local amphur? Is there any change to the marriage certificate requirements? thanks.

I just renewed my non-O last week, and the rule for marriages outside of Thailand has changed. I had to go to my embassy to get an affidavit regarding our marriage, then get that translated, then take it to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to get legalized, then go to the district office to have the marriage registered in Thailand. One warning, though, is that the first district office (Buengkum) would not do it. We then went to Bangkapi and they had no problem doing it. If possible, I would suggest going to a district that is used to dealing with foreigners.

[Beachbunny]

Is it true that there's a new regulation that says if you got married outside the kingdom, you and missus will now have to register at your local amphur? Is there any change to the marriage certificate requirements? thanks.

Not a new rule as far as I know. When we moved back six years ago the first thing we had to do was register our stateside marriage documents with the Thai Embassy. The copy of this and translation is included with copies of our marriage license every year when I do my visa extension.

If you can register while in Thailand I'm not sure. If not you have to register at the Thai embassy/consulate that is nearest where your marriage is registered in your home country. One word of advice......get verified copies of your marriage license from the your marriage license office, and any other documents you need a legal copy. . because although they are supposed to return them they don't. Luckily I found that out before registering............

If you are from the states I got good information from the thai consulate in Los Angeles. The Thai Embassy in DC doesn't give any information, plus they will say

they don't do this, but in fact they do.........If you happen to be from CA though it is lots simpler as you can do everything at the thai consulate there.

Beachbunny

[happylarry]

If the info is of any use to anyone, Korat immigration is still insisting on the money in bank for three months, as of last week.

HL

[Grey11]

If the info is of any use to anyone, Korat immigration is still insisting on the money in bank for three months, as of last week.

HL

My wife is Thai. We are moving permanently to Phuket in June. We were told by people supposedly in the know that we would need $12,500 or $25,000 in a bank account. She called the Royal Thai Consulate in Houston, Texas. She was told that there are forms to be filled out and we must bring our marriage license. We were told that no money in the bank or any kind of bank account was not needed. We paid $175 apiece for a one year visa. That's all there was to it.

Grey in Texas

[ubonjoe]

If the info is of any use to anyone, Korat immigration is still insisting on the money in bank for three months, as of last week.

HL

My wife is Thai. We are moving permanently to Phuket in June. We were told by people supposedly in the know that we would need $12,500 or $25,000 in a bank account. She called the Royal Thai Consulate in Houston, Texas. She was told that there are forms to be filled out and we must bring our marriage license. We were told that no money in the bank or any kind of bank account was not needed. We paid $175 apiece for a one year visa. That's all there was to it.

Grey in Texas

The visa is valid for one year but you have to leave every 90 days. Are you saying your wife also got a visa and she is Thai? If she is Thai she does not need a visa.

The discussion is about getting an extension of stay for a year based upong mariage to a Thai.

The requirements are 40K baht income or 400K in a Thai bank account.

[joncl]

In BKK the other day they asked for;

1. The bank letter dated the same day as the immigration visit (no exceptions) - started on the 12APR09

2. A new form from your district office called a Kor Ror 22 as proof of marriage either in or out of Thailand, and will most likely involve a trip to the local Thai Foreign Office for vaidation of the certified true copy of your foreign wedding certificate - started on the 12APR09

My two pence worth..

[ubonjoe]

In BKK the other day they asked for;

1. The bank letter dated the same day as the immigration visit (no exceptions) - started on the 12APR09

2. A new form from your district office called a Kor Ror 22 as proof of marriage either in or out of Thailand, and will most likely involve a trip to the local Thai Foreign Office for vaidation of the certified true copy of your foreign wedding certificate - started on the 12APR09

My two pence worth..

1. That has bee reported.

2. That is your marriage certificate that you get when you marry here or register your foreign marriage at the Amphoe.

It has been a requirement by immigration that your marriage be registered here for some time.

Marriage certificate translated to Thai and certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bangkok, There are no local offices. Then take the translated copy to the Amphoe.

The important thing to immigration is that the marriage is shown in your wifes house book and on her ID card also.

[RLM2008]

I went to Suan Plu in Bangkok, a couple of months ago to apply. I took what I thought was the relevant documentation, including a birth certificate for our two year old. Even before the officer had finished emptying the envelope he was requesting a bank book.

I told him I didn't have one, but that I did have a bank statement proving a 40,000+ a month income. He wasn't interested. It's new ruling he said, must have 400,000 (8000 pounds) in a bank account here. So that was us stuffed.

RLM

[ubonjoe]

I went to Suan Plu in Bangkok, a couple of months ago to apply. I took what I thought was the relevant documentation, including a birth certificate for our two year old. Even before the officer had finished emptying the envelope he was requesting a bank book.

I told him I didn't have one, but that I did have a bank statement proving a 40,000+ a month income. He wasn't interested. It's new ruling he said, must have 400,000 (8000 pounds) in a bank account here. So that was us stuffed.

RLM

Income can only be proven by a letter from your embassy if it is from outside Thailand. If you are working here then 3 months of tax payments or annual tax report plus work permit to prove you are working legally.

This has been the rule for a long time.

[steve28]

Yes. 400,000 Baht in the bank. It must be his bank account, not a joint account.

The new rule is for 2 months deposit but some offices are still insisiting on 3 months.

Samut Prakan immigration still insist on money being in the bank for 3 months, after being here 10 years and having way in excess of 400,000 baht in the bank for the past 5 years, I was refused a marriage visa as i had taken the money out for a month when banks were looking dodgy, what was worse they stamped my passport for only a week extension saying i must leave the country? after sitting at the immigration officers desk, finally got a 60 day extension, am now on another 60 day extension waiting for the marriage extension to be approved.

[Texpat]

Even before the officer had finished emptying the envelope he was requesting a bank book.

Money grubbing, shameless behavior.

My wife was deeply embarrassed during my last extension.

It's very clear that the number one priority for consideration is money. Clattering calculators all the way down the line, officers thumbing through bankbooks ...

Everything else is tertiary.

[Always18]

new is that the income now only can be the foreign husbands. As you don't have the income option you have to make use of the money in the bank option, which also has to be the foreign husbands money only. The money has to be in the account for 2 months.

new is also that ou now can only apply at the immigraiton office of your area.

other documents are the same as always:

- wife

- marrriage certificate

- pasport

- passphoto

- copy ID- wife

- household book

- bank book

- bank letter

- map to the house

Contact your immigration office for the specifics what they want.

My Thai wife and I are currently residing in the UK but plan to relocate to Sisaket at the end of the year and live in a hotel while we have our house built on her land (owned in her name).

My current non O multi expires in December and I had planned to get an extension of permission to stay based on our marriage.

We can provide all of the listed documents (including the name change on her ID card) except, of course, the "household book".

Does anyone know if proof of hotel residency (for maybe 6mths or more) would suffice? or could we use her land ownership documents as proof of our address? or maybe her brother's household book with his confirmation that we continually reside there to supervise the building works?

I'd be grateful for any suggestions!

Many thanks.

[lopburi3]

If your wife has an ID card she should be listed on a home register. It does not have to be her home or where she lives. Every Thai has to be on one - probably her parents. That should be changed to show she is not a Miss anymore.