Non-o, Wife Non Resident In Thailand

[Brunus]

Hi everyone

My Thai wife has moved her residence to Italy (my country). We work in Italy 4 months in the summer and we spend the rest of the year in Thailand. We need her to have her residence in Italy to allow her to work there and have the related benefits.

I want to apply for a non-o multiple entry visa in Thailand because of our marriage. If I understood correctly with this visa I have only to go to sign at the immigration and I don't have to leave the country every 3 months. Correct?

Well, can I get this visa even if my Thai wife is resident in Italy?

In case I can, where is it better for me to apply? (I have 400k in my Thai bank)

Thanks a lot

Edited November 25, 2009 by Brunus

[lopburi3]

Residence in Thailand is required as that is the reason for the extension of stay (it is not a visa). You home here will be checked by police.

A multi entry non immigrant O visa allows stays of up to 90 days each but you will have to leave for a few minutes to get a new 90 day stay. That is probably what you need as you obviously do not want questions raised about 'official' residence. It might be best to obtain outside of Italy and you will normally need copy of her ID card and perhaps the home register that her name is on. It also good to have short letter from her and proof of a bank account in Thailand (which you seem to have). Expect Hull would provide easily.

[Brunus]

Residence in Thailand is required as that is the reason for the extension of stay (it is not a visa). You home here will be checked by police.

A multi entry non immigrant O visa allows stays of up to 90 days each but you will have to leave for a few minutes to get a new 90 day stay. That is probably what you need as you obviously do not want questions raised about 'official' residence. It might be best to obtain outside of Italy and you will normally need copy of her ID card and perhaps the home register that her name is on. It also good to have short letter from her and proof of a bank account in Thailand (which you seem to have). Expect Hull would provide easily.

Thanks for your answer.

We rent a small apartment in Pattaya all year long and we live there for 8 months a year. If police come will find the place messy, but no doubt we live there together. We still have a copy of her house registration at this address. Can I use this copy to apply for my visa? Or does anybody know if there is some immigration office or embassy where they don't require this document?

"Expect Hull would provide easily." Sorry I don't understand this sentence

[lopburi3]

I was talking about a multi entry non immigrant O visa and Hull is a Consulate in the UK that is well known for not requiring excess amounts of paperwork. The visa normally only requires a marriage certificate and perhaps copy of wife ID card so should not be a problem to obtain most places - but you were insisting on not having to do 90 day border run and for that you require and extension of stay from Immigration and that might conflict with the decoration you have made in Italy about that being your residence if it came to there attention.

[thaiphoon]

Stuttgart consulate in Germany will probably issue too with minimum paperwork.

[Brunus]

Ok thanks

The Thai embassy in Italy don't require house registration but issue only a 3 months visa.

Anyway now I am in Thailand an I will not be back to Italy (or Europe) until June.

So if I do the 90 days border run, can I apply for a 12 months non-o visa in a Thai embassy nearby (Laos or Malaysia)? I mean if I go to Kuala Lumpur can I apply for this visa without the house registration? And if I understand well, if I apply out of Thailand, police won't come to my place, right?

[thaiphoon]

You will not get multiple entry visa in Laos. Apply at the Thai Embassy in Kuala Lumpur for a 12 month multiple entry Non-Immigrant O visa on basis of marriage to Thai. You will need to take with your marriage certificate, signed copy of wife's ID card, completed Form TM7. Suggest also taking short letter from wife to the embassy requesting the visa be issued. You will have you show Thai bank book with some funds. Should not be problem for you with 400k balance.

http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/download/tm7.doc

You will need to do border runs every 90 days. Do a border run just before your visa expires and you will get new 90 day permission to stay on entry, stretching visa to 15 months.

[Brunus]

Understood

Thank you guys

[CWMcMurray]

If you are already in Thailand and you have an apartment that you stay in then you should go to the local immigration office and apply for a 1 yr extension based upon living with your Thai wife.

You can find many posts advising all the docs required if you do a quick search.

Despite what others have said, it appears you and your wife really ARE residents of Thailand (live here 8 mo/yr). So you would not be breaking any laws or regualtions in either letter or in spirit if you were to get a 1 yr extension of stay.

I am not sure the same can be said of Italian law (claiming to be a resident, but only living there for 4 mo/yr), but that is not related to your situation in Thailand.

I have no idea how the Italian government monitors your wife's residency, but I do not think that the type of visa that her husband uses when in Thailand will have any effect (i.e. I don't you would be able to argue, no look I really am a resident.. see my husband uses a tourist visa when we live in Thailand 8 mo/yr)

So go get your 1 yr extension and be sure to get a re-entry permit before you head back to Italy. In future years just make sure that you are in Thailand when your extension is due to be renewed.

Edited November 28, 2009 by CWMcMurray

[Brunus]

I have no idea how the Italian government monitors your wife's residency, but I do not think that the type of visa that her husband uses when in Thailand will have any effect

You are right, I don't need to show my passport to Italian autorities to renew my wife's Italian visa.

Well, maybe I could try to apply in Pattaya. But what about if they reject my application? Can I still apply in KL?

Edited November 30, 2009 by Brunus

[lopburi3]

In Pattaya it would be an extension of your current stay and 400k in bank two months and return after 30 days to get the final extension of stay. Permitted to stay one year.

In KL it would be a non immigrant O visa (multi entry) with about 100k in a bank account and wife ID card/invitation letter. Permitted to stay 90 days one each entry for one year.

They are not connected so if one fails the other is still open.

[Brunus]

I just found out that in Italy we have 2 kinds of residence (called with 2 different names). One is the place where you work and pay tax, the other is the place you usually live. My wife moved only the first one to Italy, so there is no problem for the house registration (also for Thai authorities). We just didn't know

In future years just make sure that you are in Thailand when your extension is due to be renewed.

Thanks for the advise. I was calculating it. My money will be in my Thai account for two months at the end of January. It arrived at the Thai bank the same day I entered with a single entry visa. So because the visa is practically valid for 59 days, the money will be in the bank for 60 days, the day after my visa expires. What is my best option?

Lopburi said 30 days at the beginning, then extended. Extended for 12 months or 11 months? Just ask because it is easier for me having the money in the bank in October, November, December or January, rather than in March or April, in order to renew my visa next years. I usually go to Italy from the end of May until the end of September. Please advise best solution or alternatives.

[lopburi3]

What I said was you must return after 30 days to obtain the one year stamp - that 30 days is an under consideration period - not an extension; but it allows you to stay until decision is made. The time will be from your current permitted to stay stamp (end of January). So that should fit in with your travel plans - even if you need to extend your stay using a 60 day extension to visit wife in order to have the required 60 days in account.

[Brunus]

Please correct me if I misunderstood.

1) I go to the immigration and extend my visa for 60 days because of marriage

2) Next day the money will be in the bank for 60 days, so I can return to the immigration and apply for 1 year visa.

3) After 30 days I go back and they will change my 60 days visa with a 1 year visa that will start form my current permitted to stay stamp (end of January).

Am I correct? It seems strange to me that the 1 year visa won't start from the date I apply, or the date when they decide, or the date when the visa I have when I apply expires

[lopburi3]

You will likely have to wait until under 30 days (except in Pattaya). Then you make application for one year extension of stay from date your current permitted to stay stamp ends. They provide a 30 day under consideration stamp and at the end of that time your report to get the final stamp.

Extension is always from the current permitted to stay date - that is why we always advise those one tourist visas to get there 30 day extension early as they lose nothing by doing so and avoid last minute emergencies.

[Brunus]

Sorry but I still don't understand.

If I go to immigration, I will be permitted to stay for 60 more days. So the 1 year extension should start at the end of these 60 days, so at end of March, which is very bad for me.

Or are you saying that the 60 days is an extension and not a permitted to stay, therefore the 1 year visa will start from my current permitted to stay with a tourist visa? I mean the will the 1 year visa "erase" my 60 days?

Do you recommend to do it by ourselves or to use an agency? We have all what is requested. Is it common a refusal for apparently no reasons?

How much is the fee?

Thanks a lot again

[lopburi3]

I usually go to Italy from the end of May until the end of September.

The above are your words. You are in Thailand for renewal in February (you do a month early) and for pick up in March each year. Where is the problem?

The fee is 1,900 baht and very easy to do yourself - the only thing someone else can gain is an hour or so less wait as they hold your place - you still have to do the extension yourself (with wife). Unless you do not meet requirements or fail to provide paperwork it will be approved.

[lopburi3]

I guess it is a money thing on third read - in that case just do 60 day extension and a tourist visa or non immigrant O visa this year - next year arrive on a single entry non immigrant O visa and apply when down to 30 days (early December). Future years the timing would be the same (early December).

[Brunus]

The problem is that I earn in the summer, and use that money for supporting myself and my wife here in Thailand and for buying the stuff that I sell in Italy. Therefore it might be difficult for me having that amount in March. Maybe February could be ok.

I was thinking to apply for a 30 day extension of my tourist visa, instead of 60. That will allow me to apply for renewal in January. Do you think this could be done?

[lopburi3]

You can not apply from a tourist visa without obtaining a non immigrant 90 day entry first so I would just plan on using visas this year and next year arrive with a single entry non immigrant O visa for entry.

[Brunus]

Thanks a lot. I really appreciate your help