Non-o Based On Marriage

[MZurf]

I am married to a Thai and have for the last several years been able to get at one year, non-O, multiple entry based on this.

I sent a mail to the consulate in my home town (Scandinavian country) to check if the procedures for renewal were the same and she replied that there are new rules in force.

She will no longer be able to issue me this type of visa. She wrote that Thai authorities now want farangs married to Thais and wanting to stay in Thailand for an extended period of time to apply with immigration in Thailand.

Does anyone have info on this?

I am not yet 50 years old and work outside Thailand on a 5 weeks on-5 weeks off rotation.

[lopburi3]

You can not obtain such a visa from Immigration and never have been able to do so. Only extensions of stay or single entry visa for that purpose are available. Multi entry non immigrant O visas are still being issued for those married and with proof of marriage/copy of wife ID and home register and a letter asking for visa to be issued and proof of 100k in bank account can be obtained in KL in the local area. They are also available at other locations with various requirements.

If you have 5 weeks here the extension of stay from Immigration could work but you would require a multi re-entry permit for your frequent travel so total cost would be 1,900 for extension and 3,800 for the permit. It takes 30 days so have to do soon after arrival and proof of 40k per month income in Embassy letter of 400k in bank account for two months.

[khunjake]

If you are writing on your Non-O application that you reside at a Thailand based address, then the embassy or consulate will assume that you are staying in Thailand longer-term with your wife. Therefore they will recommend that you apply for an extension of stay instead.

[tutsiwarrior]

depending on where you work non-imm. 'O' visas are relatively easy to obtain based upon marriage to a thai national...I've had several years of these visas issued by thai embassies/consulates in Abu Dhabi, Bahrain and saudi with no mention of any requirement to get an extension when in Thailand instead, everything straightforward with no hassles...I didn't even haveta show up to make the application, for the last one in Jeddah I sent the company driver with my passport and copies of the necessary documents...

I got my first extension after 10 years of marriage a couple of months ago and that was my choice...sounds like the thai consulate in your home country has an 'attitude problem'...forget them and simply obtain your visa elsewhere...