Can A Tourist Visa Be Converted To A Marriage Visa?

[Lance_A_Lot]

A gent from Switzerland and his sweetheart (my wife's cousin) are visiting at our home now. He is here on a tourist visa and asked me if he could get legally married while here on his current tourist visa without leaving Thailand.

I recommended that he join this forum; but offered to ask for him to try to get an answer as soon as possible.

Is it possible for him to get legally married in Thailand on his current Tourist Visa?

If it is, can he then convert the Tourist Visa to a Non-Immigrant Visa based on marriage without returning to his home country? If this can be done, what are the requirements?

Understandably he does not want to leave this gal whom he now madly loves, nor LOS.

Thank you for any and all pertinent replies.

[ubonjoe]

He can get married with any type of visa or even an 30 day visa exempt entry.

It is possible to do a change of visa status from a tourist visa but it has to do it when he has at least 21 days on his permit to stay. But it may require a trip to Bangkok immigration to get it done. Even Pattaya immigration dose not do them anymore.

From immigration website.

DOCUMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED IN SUPPORT OF THE APPLICATION FOR VISA OR VISA STATUS ALTERATION (NON-O): FOR A FAMILY MEMBER OF A THAI (APPLICABLE ONLY PARENTS, SPOUSE OR CHILD.

Application for Visa Status Alteration. (TM.86)

Application for visa. (TM.87)

Copy of passport entries.

4 X 6 cm. Photograph.

Application fee of 2,000 baht.

In case of, marriage registered in Thailand

- Copy of marriage Certificate(Kor Ror.2)

- Copy of marriage Registeration Papers (Kor Ror.3)

A copy of the letter form The Embassy or Consulate certify in that the applicant is single.

Copy of I.D. card and house registration papers of the Thai national.

Wedding ceremony picture.(if any)

He will also have to show income of 4OK baht or 400K in a Thai bank in his name only.

This is the first step the next step is the extension application (1900 baht) which will require the same documents (TM 7 form only) plus the money will have to be in the bank for 2 months.

In my opinion it would be a lot easier to just make a honeymoon trip to Vientiane and get a single entry non-o visa. It only requires the marriage certificate and copy of wifes ID card. Then do the extension during the last 30 days of his 90 day entry.

Edited August 28, 2009 by ubonjoe

[stgrhe]

Is it possible for him to get legally married in Thailand on his current Tourist Visa?

Yes, no problem provided he brought the documents he need with him from Switzerland. I.e. he need a prof that he is not married and this must be certified by his embassy and translated into Thai and thereafter legalised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Once that is done he can take his bride to be to her local amphur and register their marriage. The need to bring along a lot of copies and two witness.

If it is, can he then convert the Tourist Visa to a Non-Immigrant Visa based on marriage without returning to his home country? If this can be done, what are the requirements?

No, a visa cannot be changed, but after their marriage he can apply for an extension of stay based on Non-immigrant visa type O and based on marriage. He would first normally get a 30 days permission granted whilst the application is under review.

[Lite Beer]

As Joe says it could be changed but would be easier to hop over the border and get a single entry Non Imm. O Visa and go from there.

Regarding getting married, he needs to get an Affirmation to Marry document from his Embassy. This will have to be translated into Thai and verified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bangkok. They can then go to any Amphur and register the Marriage. Note that a Buddhist Ceremony is not a legal marriage. It has to be registered.