Extension Non Imm O Based On Marriage

[fvw53]

To-day I went with my Thai wife for the first time to apply for an extension with 365 days of my Non Immigrant O visa based on marriage to a Thai wife at Pathum Thani immigration office.

Our documents were found to be OK.

The atmosphere was friendly and relaxed

I want to share with this forum two informations and I have one question :

a) we were requested to come back and make the application until there were less than 30 days left of my last and still valid Non Imm O visa (to-day this one year visa has still about 45 days left)

as it was the first time I applied for an extension based on marriage and as we have no children, we will need two witnesses to co-sign the application (but only for the first time application). I have never read about such requirement in this forum and so this information could be useful for others.

Question (which I forgot to ask the Immigration officer) :

The application form TM.7 mentions a fee of 1900 Baht but does not indicate how many entries are allowed.

Will I again - as with Non Imm O for 365 days - need to leave the country at least every three months or are another regulations applicable.

[lopburi3]

a. Normal - last 30 days.

b. Somebody has to sign - used to be immigration officer but under new system they have been asking different things at different places. Have seen one other recent report that couple was asked to bring two neighbors on next visit. It used to be they or local police would make checks.

The extension of stay allows no entry. You must have a re-entry permit prior to any travel out of Thailand. Cost is 1,000 baht single or 3,800 baht multi entry (unlimited during period of extension). You do not want to get until you have your extension of stay as your current permitted to stay is the date it gets.

[prodriver]

Once you have your extention of stay for 365 days, that's how long you can remain in Thailand without having to leave. However, you will need to report to your local immigration office every 90 days (from the date you last arrived in Thailand)

[Lite Beer]

Once you have your extention of stay for 365 days, that's how long you can remain in Thailand without having to leave. However, you will need to report to your local immigration office every 90 days (from the date you last arrived in Thailand)

The 90 days start from the date of application.

[lopburi3]

You have to file a TM.47 for each 90 day period you remain in Thailand. You do not have to visit Immigration to do that. You can use mail service or have someone do for you.

[prodriver]

Once you have your extention of stay for 365 days, that's how long you can remain in Thailand without having to leave. However, you will need to report to your local immigration office every 90 days (from the date you last arrived in Thailand)

The 90 days start from the date of application.

According to what you say Lite Beer, if the 90 days starts from the date of application, that would mean that one could be in Thailand for the period of time allowed on the initial visa plus 90 days from application of extention? A lot longer than 90 days.

My 90 day reports do not coincide with my date for yearly extentions. On the form TM.47 it states "Form for Alien to notify of staying longer than 90 days". Surely that would be a 90 day countdown from the date of entry into the country.

I'm sure what you say is correct but how so?

[Lite Beer]

The first application for the extension also counts as a 90 day report.

From then on it is 90 days from your last report or when you re entered the country.

Future applications have nothing to do with 90 day reports.

From the Immigration Website

Notification of staying in the Kingdom over 90 days

Procedure and notification

1. The foreigner makes the notification in person, or

2. The foreigner authorises another person to make the notification, or

3. The foreigner makes the notification by registered mail.

4. The notification must be made within 7 days before or after the period of 90 days expires.

5. The first application for extension of stay by the foreigner is equivalent to the notification of staying in the Kingdom over 90 days.

[monty]

According to what you say Lite Beer, if the 90 days starts from the date of application, that would mean that one could be in Thailand for the period of time allowed on the initial visa plus 90 days from application of extention? A lot longer than 90 days.

My 90 day reports do not coincide with my date for yearly extentions. On the form TM.47 it states "Form for Alien to notify of staying longer than 90 days". Surely that would be a 90 day countdown from the date of entry into the country.

I'm sure what you say is correct but how so?

It's how it works.

Your very first application for extension counts as your first 90 day report, no separate paperwork required.

Then every 90 days.

This can get interrupted whenever you leave the country, as the 90 day reporting will start counting from the day you re-enter thailand.

From then on your 90 days would become out of sync with your yearly extension date.

And anyway, after the second yearly extension your reporting is out of sync as well, as an extension is for 365 days and not 360 (4 times 90). Only the first application counts as 90 day reporting, subsequent applications not, hence them becoming out of sync.

[JimGant]

we were requested to come back and make the application until there were less than 30 days left of my last and still valid Non Imm O visa (to-day this one year visa has still about 45 days left)

Make sure you understand the terminology.....

You come back during the last 30 days of your last 90-day permission to stay period -- which is the stamp you got when you last entered Thailand. It is *not* the last 30 days of your visa's one-year validity period.

[pnustedt]

And anyway, after the second yearly extension your reporting is out of sync as well, as an extension is for 365 days and not 360 (4 times 90). Only the first application counts as 90 day reporting, subsequent applications not, hence them becoming out of sync.

My local imm office keeps my 90 day reporting in sync with yearly extensions. I did my 90 day report the other week (last one before yearly extension) and they gave me a "report again" slip to coincide with my annual extension, which was less than 90 days away. Incidentally, I use this 90 day report visit to check what documents/changes that have occurred since my last extension - they still accept a joint bank a/c with Bt400K in it for extn based on marriage to Thai wife.

[thaiphoon]

Interesting, as the rules were changed over a year ago requiring funds to be in the sole name of applicant. What immigration office is this?

[pnustedt]

Phu Sing in Sisaket province. Actually the rules don't say the funds have to be in the applicant's sole name, they just say they have to be in the applicant's name. There have been many changes of staff at this imm. office since the rule changes and, surprisingly, they have all had the same interpretation.

[thaiphoon]

Changes to the law introduces through Police Order 777/2551 in November 2008 specifically removed the previous provision allowing the use of funds on joint accounts. This is what the new Police Order says:

2.18 In the case of a family member of a Thai(applicable only to parents, spouse, child, adopted child or child of his/her spouse):

Permission will be granted for a period of not more than 1 year at a time.

(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.

[pnustedt]

Yes, I have over Bt400K deposited in a local Thai bank (in a joint a/c with my wife) and therefore comply with this regulation. There is no requirement in the regulation for an account in my sole name. This is, and always has been, accepted by my local immigration office.

[lopburi3]

Believe they are very strict on the one name for retirement now but have seen reports that they are not on marriage (it used to be encouraged to have joint account as money is supposed to be for support). Believe it was/is a case of policy rather than spelled out.

[Lite Beer]

Yes it may well be accepted by your Immigration Office but it is not the norm.

Thaiphoon posted the 2008 rule.

The 2006 rule was.

(6) In case of the applicant who is

married to a Thai wife, one of them

or both of them need to have the

total annual income that is

averaged out not less than 40,000

Baht per month. Except for the case

that the said foreign national has

entered Thailand before this Order

is enforced and the foreign national

has been permitted to stay in the

Kingdom by the result of having

married to a Thai wife, then if the

applicant does not have the said

income, then, the latest 3 months

records of the account book of any

Bank in Thailand with the account

name of either or both parties need

to have the amount of money not

less than 400,000 Baht.

[prodriver]

The first application for the extension also counts as a 90 day report.

From then on it is 90 days from your last report or when you re entered the country.

Future applications have nothing to do with 90 day reports.

From the Immigration Website

Notification of staying in the Kingdom over 90 days

Procedure and notification

1. The foreigner makes the notification in person, or

2. The foreigner authorises another person to make the notification, or

3. The foreigner makes the notification by registered mail.

4. The notification must be made within 7 days before or after the period of 90 days expires.

5. The first application for extension of stay by the foreigner is equivalent to the notification of staying in the Kingdom over 90 days.

Thanks Lite Beer (and monty) for clarifying that for me. The visa I am extending on was issued back in 1997....so I'd forgotten how it worked

[Tawai]

I do have a "extension of stay" MULTIPLE entries.

Pls. can give some of you valuable experts in visa cases the correct answer to my following question:

Do I have to get a "re-entry permit" before leaving the country (after tomorrow) even when I do hold a multiple entries extension of stay?? I know I had to get this permit with my previous single entry extension, but now?

[Lite Beer]

There is no Extension of Stay Multiple Entries.

What you probably have is a Multi Re Entry Permit.

How much did you pay for your extension?

1,900 Baht is the fee.

Multi Re Entry Permit is 3,800 Baht.

So if you paid 5,700 Baht you already have a Multi Re Entry Permit.

It is a big red stamp that takes up most of the page.