Just Went For Marriage Visa Extension At Chiangmai

[sarahsbloke]

Heard they didn't want to give these out, heard you had to arrive early but thought I would give it a go anyway.

This is my first time for a marriage extension.

The wife and I started at the Amphur Office for a Kor Sor 2 at 8:30, drove into town and asked bank for an immigration letter at 9:10. Arrived at CM immigration at 9:30, hadn't done any photocopying yet, went to get the ticket, oh dear I'm next!

So run out to photocopy lady, 20 people queuing but 5 mins later and 100bht lighter I'm done

Back in and they have already called my ticket so straight in.

What they wanted

Form TM7, 2 of these filled in (no photocopy)

Passport photo (me x2)

Letter from bank manager stating 400kbht+, and 1 photocopy of letter (100bht from Siam commercial while you wait)

bank book (photocopies ALL pages x2)

house rental agreement (photocopies x2)

Passport (Visa, info, entry stamp pages x2)

Marriage certificate (photocopies x2)

Kor Sor 2 (both sides photocopies x2, 10bht from Amphur office)

Her Tabien Ban book (info page plus her page photocopies x2)

Her ID card (both sides photocopies x2)

Photos of us at home (they selected 2 out of a photo album I took, one of us standing together outside house, one of us together in kitchen)

Hand drawn map to our house

1,900bht

They inspected the originals of her ID, my passport, my bank book

(We did have the originals of everything with us)

It took about 3 trips out to the photocopy lady for everything, but no rush we were the only people applying.

My wife and the immigration lady were chatting quite intensely during the whole process ...... HANG ON A MINUTE, I interrupted, what was that you just said, immigration lady smiles, blushes and says to me "I think you can understand Thai, we don't tell you". What they had just been talking about was how many babies the wife was going to produce (I think they agreed two was good), and the wife had told her it might take a while because husband very old, but she thinks she might already be carrying. Immigration lady then proudly produces her mobile phone to show us pictures of her son, good-looking lad, and a very nice immigration lady. They didn't ask me any questions to try to identify if our relationship is 'real', maybe the home visit will do that, or maybe all the baby talk satisfied that requirement.

Took about 60 minutes of paper pushing, every photocopy had to be signed, sometimes by both of us.

Plenty of other forms the immigration lady filled in we had to both countersign as well.

The lady produced two thick duplicate wads of forms to be sent off to Bangkok.

Previous posts hadn't prepared me for the house rental agreement or the TWO required T.M.7 forms.

Anyway, I am now "under consideration", awaiting a home visit by an immigration official later this week, then a return to immigration a couple of weeks later.

Hope this helps somebody.

Edited April 19, 2010 by sarahsbloke

[steve187]

a very good and easily understood post, thank you

[Rob5060]

Great post thanks, I'm not too far away from doing the same

One question what is a Kor Sor 2 I assume to do with the house

My wife owns our house but I didnt know we had to show ownership details

Cheers

[lopburi3]

There are two documents issued for marriage - one is Kor Sor 2 and the other Kor Sor 3. It used to be only the marriage certificate was required but lately they have also wanted the ledger entry document also. If marriage from years ago you likely do not have that and will have to visit a District Office to obtain a copy.

[sarahsbloke]

Kor Sor 2 is a document from the Amphur Office where you got married, it shows your current marriage status (i.e. not divorced).

Same as the bank letter, I believe it needs to be obtained shortly before the visit to immigration.

I already had my Kor Sor 2 from my wedding day (2 months earlier), but wanted one with todays date, just in case (only 10bht so why not)

My Amphur Office knew exactly what I wanted when I said "Ow Kor Sor song cap" (they did ask for my wifes ID card and our date of marriage)

Edited April 19, 2010 by sarahsbloke

[Gladiator]

Thanks for taking the time to post as particularly applicable to me as I am just about to go through the same process.

Cheers

[sarahsbloke]

OK, so today I had a 'surprise' home visit from immigration officers, no warning of visit given.

They didn't speak to me at all, apart from hello and to confirm me and my wife's name.

But they went round to the neighbours houses and rounded up the other wives ...... everyone got told off for not reporting ferrang living in the houses, all threatened with dire consequences if didn't send the men to immigration to report where they were living. But we were all forgiven this one time.

They only wanted to see my last paid electricity bill, my mother in law and my step daughter were both here but immigration didn't really talk to them. No difficult questions were asked of me and the conversation was pretty much only Thai.

So far, so good (I think)

Edited April 27, 2010 by sarahsbloke

[worldfun]

oh boy they doing house visits for every applicant in CM or all provinces even bkk now???

and what's with this ampur marriage status update doc? that's req. in other provinces/bkk too? anyone?

Edited May 1, 2010 by worldfun

[lopburi3]

It has been asked for several years now - recent marriages got both documents and it is a copy of the actual ledger entry of your marriage. Immigration now wants a copy of that as well as marriage certificate in your file. You can obtain from any office.

[highlander403]

sarahsbloke wrote

"Kor Sor 2 is a document from the Amphur Office where you got married, it shows your current marriage status (i.e. not divorced). "

does this in fact mean that if you got married in bkk say 17 years ago and wanted to apply for marriage visa in ubon, then you would have to go to the amphur in bkk for this kor-sor 2 where the marriage was originally done ?

scotty

[thaiphoon]

You would be applying for extension of stay based on marriage (not a visa). Most immigration offices are now asking for sight of Kor Sor 2 document, so best to check with Ubon. Believe if records are online can obtain Kor Sor 2 document from any amphur; otherwise will need to go to amphur where marriage was registered.

[lopburi3]

Believe they can obtain from any District Office by computer now. Although 17 years may be out of that range. Check to see before you make a trip to Bangkok.

[tijnebijn]

I've got to make extension in about 2 months . That khor 2 is new to me .

As are the pictures and a map to our home .

In the years I never had to show them , never had a visit either .

Wonder if they only ask those for first timers , guess I just take them anyway but

only take them out when asked . I'm married for over 7 years .

I wonder what to do when you really got 2 addresses ? because wifes business is far from our home ,

which leaves us stay at both places depending on convenience , I don't report that .

But good update from OP .

[worldfun]

don't confuse with 2 adr. just use the one you prefer (most convenient province to IMM office / most likely to be at home if surprise visit / anywhere else than bkk!).

I did not have to update kor sor 2 this year eaither (today @ nonthaburi) just used the original gotten at marriage ~5 years ago bkk as any other year so far.

But every time I had to show map to residence + at least 2 photos (2-4)!

cheers!

[racefan]

I've got to make extension in about 2 months . That khor 2 is new to me .

As are the pictures and a map to our home .

In the years I never had to show them , never had a visit either .

Wonder if they only ask those for first timers , guess I just take them anyway but

only take them out when asked . I'm married for over 7 years .

I wonder what to do when you really got 2 addresses ? because wifes business is far from our home ,

which leaves us stay at both places depending on convenience , I don't report that .

But good update from OP .

I submitted my renewal of my married persons extension of stay at Pattaya Imm yesterday and they insisted on the Kor Lor 2, which thanks to posters on TV I already had, plus 2 x copies of the photos they selected out of the 7 I took of the wife and I at home.

When we obtained the Kor Lor 2 last week from the Amphur in Khon Kaen where we were married we were told that you can get a copy from any Amphur office on production of your wifes ID as it is all on computer.

[sarahsbloke]

Went in today to get my new Visa extension after the 'under consideration', waited for 30 minutes.

Sorry, paperwork not finished, come back in 30 days, new 'under consideration' period stamp in passport.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...................

Next time I'm doing the Kuala Lumpur run, one year multiple non immigrant o (that lasts 15 months) to visit wife, done overnight, only need 100kbht in bank.

Air fare only 2,700bht each way from CM, no home visit, no hassle.

Edited May 10, 2010 by sarahsbloke

[YORKSHIREPUD]

a very good and easily understood post, thank you

I agree ,it is very good and helpful, just one think though,How much income did you have to prove to tham ?????

[Mario2008]

a very good and easily understood post, thank you

I agree ,it is very good and helpful, just one think though,How much income did you have to prove to tham ?????

For an extension based on having a Thai wife (being a family meber of a Thai national) you either show an income of at least 40,000 THB a month OR 400,000 in a Thai bank acocunt for at least 2 months.

Income can be from abroad, in which you must show a letter from your embassy confirming your income. Income from within Thailand must be proven with tax documents.

[siftasam]

I must congratulate sarahsbloke for a great post! We went to Chiang Mai Immigration this week for a 12 month marriage extension (my first). I had been seriously worried about what documentation I would need but in my case sarahsbloke was almost spot on. The only difference was that the Immigration lady was not at all interested in the Kor Sor 2 document (whatever it's called). Unlike sarahsbloke I had obtained this and the bank letter the day before we went because I wanted to be first in the queue. We arrived at 8.15 Tuesday (it 'opens' at 8.30) to find about 30 people there already queuing by the ticket machine. We were interviewed at about 10.00. The Thai lady was very 'brusque' but (mercifully!) also brisk. The paperwork took 35 minutes, then we waited for the checking and return of my passport in a side room for another 30 minutes. She stamped my passport for a month and told me when to return and which window to report to.

I went for the 40,000 baht a month route and she took a. a letter from the British consulate stating that I received an occupational pension of 'x' pounds The letter cost me 2480 baht (ouch!) b. a letter from my home branch of SCB stating that I've received at least 40,000 baht a month from England since I opened my account 13 months ago c. the same letter stated how much I had in my bank account that day (the day before we went to immigration - it was nowhere near 400,000 baht. The SCB letter cost me 200 baht. I had two photocopies of every page in my SCB passbook and she took those.

The only extra unexpected thing I was asked for was 2 copies of my tabien baan Yellow Book. I showed her a Letter of Residence from the British Consulate but she wasn't interested in that. I had my Yellow Book and had to dash out and get two copies from the very helpful photocopy ladies just outside the door. (2 baht a single side - 4 baht double side - also take your photo if required!). While I was there my wife obligingly handed over all the other documents I had taken including originals about my UK tax and pension which I need to keep. I had to retrieve them from the lady and dash out to the photocopiers again.

The lady gave a cursory glance at the photos of my wife and I at home (taken only a couple of hours before after I suddenly remembered!) and kept only one - of us in the dining room. She perused the map and told us to expect a visitation.

Good luck to all who apply.

[john_bkk919]

OP:

What documentation was required in KL?

[moe666]

Sounds like the service I got when extending my tourist visa, no nonsense and with help when needed. The copy lady knows exactly what you need.

[siftasam]

Incidentally, when the Immigration lady saw my annual occupational penson statement it was of course in pounds. She asked us how many bahts to the pound that day. My wife checked on her mobile (she has it messaged every day) and showed her - the lady grabbed a calculator and worked it out (correctly!).

[sarahsbloke]

The deal has now been done!

It's official, I now have to pay to leave Thailand for the next year, wife very happy.

Short point here, you don't have to get a ticket and wait when your passport has an 'under consideration' appointment stamped in it.

But the guy/girl handing out the tickets and the guy at the front window don't appear to know this, save yourself an all day wait and INSIST they show your passport to the lady on desk 4/5/6 right from the get go.

If they refuse, wave to her yourself or walk into the back office and ask her at her desk.