Marrying A Thai With No Proof Of Income

[Thaigift]

I just joined this forum and I am not exactly sure where to post this at!

Anyways, a little history about us: I am 27 and she is 27. We met in America while I was studying at College/University and she was doing an Au Pair program there. Before meeting, we both had plans on living in Chiang Mai. Me after I graduated and her after her Au Pair program was over. It was just completely coincidental that we met and had these plans!

We moved to Chiang Mai in October of 2007. We have lived together here for the past two years. In that time frame, her mom has dropped the hint a few times that she would like us to get married. The thought of us living together while not being married kind of upsets her! Here is the thing though...I have not had a job since coming here in 2007. I saved up USD 25K before I left America and I have been living off of the sale of stock and interest that the accounts have made since then. We would both like to get married as well, but I just don't think that the government will let us! I know that we need proof of income of 40,000 baht per month?

We are planning on leaving Thailand in July to go travel for a few months before returning to America. She is going to go study there and I am going to go find work. We plan to save enough money for a down payment on a small house and start a small business back here in Chiang Mai.

My questions are:

1) Are there any loopholes in the system that can allow me to get around the proof of income rule?

2) Would it be easier to get married in the U.S.A?

3) How far back do the government(s) look at income for proof?

4) Any other advice is welcomed!

[Carib]

There is no proof of income required for marriage, you need to proof that to are not married by an "Affidavit of Eligibility to Marry.

Check you home country embassy site, I am sure you will find the exact info about this subject

[morphious]

You can get married at the local amphur for about 1500 baht good luck

[beano2274]

As stated there is no proof of Income to get married. The proof of income is required when obtaining a Visa to legally stay here with your wife.

[Carib]

http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/service/marriage.html

Check this link out.

[gotlost]

You can get married at the local amphur for about 1500 baht good luck

A little high, only 100 baht at the local amphur. But by the time you get your other paper work in order from the US Consulate another 3000 baht.

[keeniau96]

Go to US Embassy in BKK, Citizen Services (best to make appointment on their website). Get the form for the affirmation of not married (whatever the official name, it is in the rack with other forms). Fill it out, submit to embassy clerk, get ticket to pay US#0 for the fee, go back to clerk who takes your oath, stamps the affirmation and you are through. Now take that to one of the translation services right by the embassy, get it translated (about 1-hour, 1k baht). Go to Ministry of Foreign Affairs who do official approval of the translation (absolutely necessary for the Amphur). The MFA is quite efficient just find the right corner, submit your papers, pay the fee and wait a while. That's it; go to amphur and do the deed there.

[gotlost]

Go to US Embassy in BKK, Citizen Services (best to make appointment on their website). Get the form for the affirmation of not married (whatever the official name, it is in the rack with other forms). Fill it out, submit to embassy clerk, get ticket to pay US#0 for the fee, go back to clerk who takes your oath, stamps the affirmation and you are through. Now take that to one of the translation services right by the embassy, get it translated (about 1-hour, 1k baht). Go to Ministry of Foreign Affairs who do official approval of the translation (absolutely necessary for the Amphur). The MFA is quite efficient just find the right corner, submit your papers, pay the fee and wait a while. That's it; go to amphur and do the deed there.

He is in Chiang Mai same service and fees at the US Consulate.

[mmushr00m]

The proof of income is for your "o" visa. All you need is 400k in your thai bank account.

You seem to have the $$$. So marry the girl already!!!!

[sarahsbloke]

You don't need any money or income to get married

Notarised "affirmation of freedom to marry" 3000bht

Translation (local firm) and stamping by "Ministry of Foreign Affairs" (in Bangkok) 2000-3000bht (all done by local translation service in CM)

Wedding at Amphur office 70bht

The 40k/400k is for a married visa extension for 1 year.

Edited March 19, 2010 by sarahsbloke

[Bottlerocket]

Since you're leaving in July, get married back home and work out your marriage visa at the embassy before you return to Thailand. They are much less stringent regarding the financial requirements and they speak English. Besides, extended traveling is a good final test of how well the two of you really get along before you go tying any knots. You can always get married again here for her family's sake.

Edited March 23, 2010 by Bottlerocket

[beechguy]

The proof of income is for your "o" visa. All you need is 400k in your thai bank account.

You seem to have the $$$. So marry the girl already!!!!

Only a few consulates ask to see 400,000 Baht for a visa, it is not a normal requirement. The 400,000 or an income of 40,000 per month, is a requirement for a one year "Extension of Stay" based on marriage, that is not a visa. If he doesn't plan on staying in Thailand, there is no need to try to meet that requirement.

Sarahsbloke, gotlost, and others have already posted correct information.

Edited March 23, 2010 by beechguy

[lopburi3]

1. There is no requirement for 40k income to get married - that is only for extensions of stay while in Thailand.

2. There is no requirement for 400k to obtain a non immigrant visa for Thailand. For single entry have never seen anything other than the normal 20k (not often checked) requirement. For multi entry KL requires 100k in in a bank account.

3. The Embassy document required for marriage lists your employment/income as I recall so the District Office likely could refuse to register if they felt that way. You are expected to be able to support your wife.

4. Once married she might have a very hard time obtaining an education visa I suspect as the presumption would be they are trying to avoid the immigration visa process.

5. You can only get married once. You can have ceremonies but not multi weddings.

[john_bkk919]

5. You can only get married once. You can have ceremonies but not multi weddings.

You mean you can only register one marriage at a time, right?

Divorced and want to marry someone else, can.

Married in US and want to register (with same person) in Thailand, can.

The rest was quite good, especially the info about KL visas.

[thaihome]

The OP should realize he can make his GF's mother happy by just having the ceremony now, there is no need to register it.

Like Lop said, if she is married to a USC living in the US, they will likely not give the education visa.

TH

[lopburi3]

5. You can only get married once. You can have ceremonies but not multi weddings.

You mean you can only register one marriage at a time, right?

Divorced and want to marry someone else, can.

Married in US and want to register (with same person) in Thailand, can.

The rest was quite good, especially the info about KL visas.

Only with the divorce paperwork would a new marriage be allowed for someone already married.

You can not marry again. What you do in Thailand is register the marriage certificate with the District Office (if you want to do so - or need for extension of stay reasons). This requires your Embassy certify/translation made/registered with Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a legal document. That is then taken to a District Office and the copy is kept there and a ledger receipt made and provided. You use the ledger receipt for Immigration or other legal reasons.