Help with visa info

[dman]

Hope someone can give me advice.

I have been in Thailand 3 years. I am legally married in Thailand with government document to a Thai lady. I travel for business outside LOS occasionally and when not travelling have been doing the 30 day visa runs to Mai Sai. Just got my passport renewed and had two recent trips to the Philippines so my last visit to Mai Sai on October 20th was fairly uneventful except they questioned my full address in Chiang Rai plus asked for my mobile phone number. There is a sign at the immigration office stating if you make two crossings that you have to make copies of all pages in your passport and write a letter stating your reason for coming to Thailand so frequently. I have seen the light and want to get a proper visa. I have a bank account in Thailand with a balance of over 400k. "QUESTION" What to do. Can I just go to Penang and get a one year multi entry marriage visa? If so what do I need from the bank? Will an updated passbook be ok or do I need a special letter from the bank. Someone told me I needed a non immigrant 90 visa first, and then while on that visa, apply for a marriage visa in Thailand. I am confused. Can anyone tell me what my best bet is given my circumstances and that I live in Chiang Rai. Thanks

[lopburi3]

You need a copy of your marriage certificate, your wife's ID card and a letter that you are still together (at the most) to obtain a multi entry visa valid for one year (up to 15 months in Thailand).  If you travel often this may be all you need or want.  No reporting of address or re entry permit needed.  Just exit every 90 days or less.  I would make it a short vacation with the wife to Penang to obtain.

If you want, at any time within the last 30 days of a 90 day entry, you can extend your stay at an immigration post inside Thailand with the bank book/letter from bank within the week that xxx,xxx funds are in your account, the wife, her id card, her home register or perhaps lease papers, photos together, your passport with non immigrant visa and extension application with photo (s).  Signed copies of everything will be required.  Normal for there to be a delay with a temp extension stamp first.  But now you have to report address every 90 days if you do not travel and obtain re entry permit (s) if you do.

So you have the choice.  I would get the multi entry visa now and then decide if you want the extensions or not later.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Great advice there from Lopburi dman. I applaud your decision to get a "proper visa".  There'll be a crackdown very soon and you'll be all neat and tidy. Having a Thai wife would have helped you as a walker, but it gets kinda hard to prove it all at a border. Good upon you.