Upcoming Marriage In Thailand - Which Visa?

[starcatcher]

Hi all,

since I read the thread about the tourist visa crackdown, I'm a bit confused, what I should do:

I stay together with my Thai girl friend since nearly 4 years. In the beginning I don't wanted to marry, as i wanted to be sure it's because of love and not because of any visa or similar (for both sides). We lived in Cambodia and 9 months ago we decided to went back to live in Thailand again and also to marry.

I'm 40 and I have no need to work (worked hard on the internet before I came to Asia and builded up a nice and stable income stream). So as you maybe realize, I'm too young for normal O visa and I don't want to run a business. Additionally we are not sure if we want to stay in Thailand, maybe we'll go to back to the Caribbean, as we where there already (but not yet married and because of this difficult to stay for her).

When we came back from Cambodia to Thailand I decided to make 1 or 2 double entry tourist visa, as I thought, within one year it shouldn't be a problem to become married. But now, with the new Tourist Visa situation I have the feeling I run into time problems, because also collecting of all necessary documents takes much more time than expected: my (last) responsible registry office in Germany asks for some usually impossible documents: my girlfriend was married with a Thai before and now the Germans want to have the marriage certificate to legalize or confirm this first marriage at the court. And they also want to have the divorce certificate for the same procedure. But the point was, my girlfriend told me, to get the divorce certificate, she had to give back the marriage certificate to the Thai registry office And we still try to find a solution for this problem. But the point is, once the documents are in Germany, the office told me, this procedure to confirm everything, will take another 3, 4 months.

So my question: is there a way to apply for a O/Marriage visa in Thailand, while still getting all documents legalized?

Thanks in advance to everybody

[lopburi3]

No. The O visa must be obtained outside of Thailand. I don't believe you will have a problem using tourist visas with your story but if you did Perth would likely issue a non immigrant O visa.

The larger problem seems to be that your GF appears to still be married.

[starcatcher]

Hi lopburi3

thanks for your response.

Maybe I wrote not good: she was married, but first the German court has to confirm this marriage and than to confirm the divorce. But when she applied for the divorce certificate (long time before we met) she had to give back the marriage certificate to got the divorce certificate from her Thai registry office.

But I thought similar like you: maybe, when I copy all documents, I have right now (all translated and verified documents), and maybe also the (German) embassy legalization of all documents (I'll do this next month and my visa is including extension still valid another 2 1/2 month) and show to the officer at the Thai consulate, where I'll apply for another tourist visa, they'll accept. Because for sure the German court and registry office will need another 4 month to verify all documents.

That Thais are changing their tourist visa laws, I understand fully. At least the German laws make me pissed off a lot. Why the Germans always must make it harder for everybody. Any other country in Europe is more easy to deal with then Germany. That's also a reason why I left this country - too much rules and regulations. And is was one of the best decisions I ever had made in my life. But sometimes, as right now, I'm still struggling about German rules (if they dont ask such a shitload of documents and if they dont want to have everything 110 percent I'm long time ago married).

[thaiphoon]

If she registered her marriage at the amphur she should be able to obtain a copy of the register confirming her previous marriage.

[lopburi3]

Sorry - I misread and thought you were saying she would have to return the marriage certificate rather than 'had' returned it as you actually wrote. You are right about Germany and details. Lived there for two years about 40 years ago and it was the same then. But the beer was good.

[astral]

Why not let your girlfriend return her marriage certificate and get the divorce in Thailand.

Then you can get married in Thailand.

After that I feel sure the German authorities will accept your Thai marriage certificate,

after due translation.