Soon To Be Married...

[falangaman]

Hi

Ive been surfing ThaiVisa about getting my fiancee her visa for the UK but now its time to look at the other option of me going to Thailand should this become an opportunity later.

So, can anyone tell me which visas I will be entitled to apply for once married to Thai Citizen and what each will entitle me to do there ie work, length of stay etc.

Thanks

[Crossy]

Best bet is a multi-entry non-o based on supporting a Thai wife (I have one).

OK to get a work permit against.

You get stamped 90 days on arrival, then you do visa runs every 90 days, time it right and you can get 15 months in Thailand on a 12 month visa.

Extendable 1 year at a time subject to financial constraints (currently 400,000 in a Thai bank account), once you have an extension you don't need to visa runs just report your address to immigration every 90 days (by post if you want).

Apply at Hull.

[Greer]

Being married to a Thai citizen allows you to apply for a type "O" visa (supporting a Thai family). As with all visa applications, it does not guarantee that you will be granted that visa, but as long as you are officially married, and you fulfil other requirements they may have, there is no real reason for you to be refused.

If you get married overseas (not in Thailand), then you may apply at the local Thai embassy or consulate using the marriage certificate from your home country.

If you go to Thailand and marry there, the marriage must be a registered marriage, not just the religious ceremony at the temple or at the brides home etc. To register your marriage, you must go to the local amphur (governement office) and pay the fees (not sure how much nowadays, but not a lot in any case).

Once registered you will be given two copies (one for each of you) of the certificate (in Thai). It is a good idea to get an official translation done and then keep this and the originals in a safe place (I actually scanned mine into the computer). I also keep several photocopies of these and other important documents readily available for use with any applications that require them.

You can only apply for the type "O" visa outside of Thailand, and it is normal that you should apply at a Thai embassy or consulate in your home country. Thus you would plan to go to Thailand, getmarried, then leave and apply for the type "O" in your home country, then return to Thailand.

The other type is a type "B", and this is only for those intending to work in Thailand or to travel here on business. Officially you will need to have a Thai company reference letter to obtain this type of visa.

If you intend to work here you will, once you arrive with your visa, take up your position with the company employing you and they must then apply for your work permit.

Both type "O" and type "B" are known as "non-immigrant" visas, and are valid for a year. It is worth while to get a multiple re-entry visa, as otherwise you have to pay a fee for a re-entry permit to maintain the visa validity if you go out of the kingdom, otherwise it will be cancelled upon exiting.

These visas will allow you to stay in the kingdom for a maximum of 90 days per entry, unless of course using a type "B" you get a work permit - then you may stay for the period of the visa (usually a year) before you must apply for an extension - which you do while in Thailand, at the local Immigration Office.

You cannot work in Thailand on a type "O" visa - it is for us farang that support a family but do so by working overseas and sending money back - unless of course you are independently wealthy!

You should look at the governement web sites to see what the application fees are, and to find out the latest requirements. Elsewhere in Thai Visa you may find links to these.

Do not under any circumstances try the shonky approach to getting the visas say after you arrive in Bangkok, as the immigration police have no sense of humour about this and are likely to initially lock you up and then fine and/or deport you. If you are serious about Thailand, it is best to do it "by the book"...especially these days..this particular governement is not known for being lax when it comes to farang.

Hope this is of some help.

My only other advice is to be careful of getting advice from web sites...even this one...some information may not be accurate, or may not be up to date - what I have told you here is based on my life expereince in Thailand over the last 12 years - it is not heresay, but I still recommend talking to the local Thai embassy or consulate.

[Crossy]

Greer

You said

"

You cannot work in Thailand on a type "O" visa - it is for us farang that support a family but do so by working overseas and sending money back - unless of course you are independently wealthy!

"

You MOST DEFINATELY CAN work on a non-o (support of Thai wife), I am doing it!!!!

A non-o/a (retirement visa) does NOT allow work.

PLEASE ensure that your facts are straight.