Foreigner Married To Thai Citizen - Citizenship & Work Permit Granted Automatically?

[stepfuni]

Hello everyone,

I am from Hong Kong and will be marrying a Thai citizen this year. I would like to work in Thailand as well.

My questions is: Do I become a Thai citizen/resident and can work legally in Thailand after I married? Or do I still need to get a work permit to work?

I know that to get permanent residency, we need to go through some interviews/tests and I need to speak Thai. Do I need to go through that procedures? I don't speak and read Thai at all! ><

Thank you,

Stephanie

[goldfinger]

I know that to get permanent residency, we need to go through some interviews/tests.....

Who told you this...?

[lopburi3]

I take it you are female? It can make things easier but there is no automatic citizenship. But the path may be easier.

You will require a work permit to work and visa and extension of visa to stay.

Permanent Residency also requires being here on an extension of stay for three years before application is accepted.

If you are female I would suggest you visit the ladies forum and believe some of them have gone through the process and will be able to advise. For men it is normally a much harder/longer path.

[jsnho]

yes, it's not easy to get a PR whether you are male or female, unless you have connection or well your soon to be hubby is rich enough to get you one.

most probably you will need to get a marriage visa follow by work permit to work here. marriage visa can be extend but work permit will depend on your employer.

but if your hubby own a company in thailand with a gd record, it will be easy for u to get a work permit.

[stepfuni]

Thank you for the responses! So I should get a marriage visa and then a work permit in order to work in Thailand.. I always thought I will become Thai if I married to a Thai citizen LOL

[Sunbelt Asia]

Hi Stepfuni,

Ah, if things were only so simple! Unfortunately, they're not. There is nothing automatically granted to you. Even though you will be marrying a Thai national you need a non-immigrant marriage visa, apply for a work permit and -- far down the line -- worry about permanent residency. The residency part is so far off that I will not cover that here. There is lots of info available about what's required for that.

The working assumption in this thread is that you are female, but just in case I'll give you the list of the documents required for both male and female (as they are different).

First you need to apply for the Non-Immigrant O visa based on marriage. This need only be a single-entry 90-day visa. You will then apply for an extension of stay inside Thailand that will extend this to a full year.

List of documents for extension Thai spouse visa

Note: 2 copies of each item are required.

1. Application form T.M. 7 with one photograph size 4x6 cm. and Visa Fee 1900.-Baht

2. Copy of passport ( with certified true copy )

3. Required documentation for applying visa in case of

* For supporting Thai wife

1. Marriage Certificate

2. Child's birth certificate (if any)

3. Wife’s house registration

4. Wife’s identity card

* Incase of Working

1. A copy of work permit or receiving work permit form ( WP.2 )

2. The letter from the applicant’s company to certify salary that the applicant receives not less than 40,000 baht per month (identifier position and salary) or husband or wife working has Income including at least 40,000 baht/month

3. Personal Corporation income Tax (PND.1) in latest 3 months and personal income tax for previous year with receipt

4. Recording interviewing the husband and wife for confirming status of husband and wife

5. House’s map

6. Other such as Registration Company

7. Picture of house and family

* To be supported from Thai husband

1. Marriage certificate

2. Child’s Birth certificate

3. Husband’s house registration

4. Husband’s identity card

5. Recording interviewing the husband and wife for confirming status of husband and wife

6. House’s map, picture of House’s and family

Application for further stay for non-Thai wife to receive the support from a husband who is a Thai citizen or a Thai permanent resident of the Kingdom of Thailand.

The husband who has Thai nationality

1. Immigration form 7 (Tor Mor 7)

2. A copy of passport

3. A 4 cm. X 6 cm. Photograph

4. 1,900 baht application fee

5. A Marriage Certificate

6. A copy of Census Registration, a copy of Identification Card

7. Birth Certificate of the applicant's children (if any)

8. A record of interviewing the applicant and her husband

9. Applicant must accompany her husband to the Immigration Bureau office to certify of all the documents. The couple will be able to confirm that they are still husband and wife.

10. The officials reserve the rights to examine or ask for additional documents if necessary.

The husband who is a permanent resident in the Kingdom of Thailand

1. Immigration form 7 (Tor Mor 7)

2. A copy of passport

3. A 4 cm. X 6 cm. Photograph

4. 1,900 baht application fee

5. Marriage Certificate

6. A certified copy of the husband's passport, a non-Thai Identification Card of the husband, permanent Residence Certificate of the husband

7. Birth Certificate of the applicant's children (if any)

8. A record of the interview of the applicant and her husband

9. Applicant must accompany her husband to the Immigration Bureau office to certify of all the documents. The couple will be able to confirm that they are still husband and wife.

10. Evidence of husband's income together with related documents such as: -

* Bank pass-book

* Bank Statement from the Bank where the applicant has an account

* Evidence of employment and income

11. Evidence of income tax payment (if any)

12. The officials reserve the rights to examine or ask for additional documents if necessary.

As for the work permit, these are the things you'll need to have:

• For non-permanent residents: A valid passport containing a Non-Immigrant visa.

• CV or Resume showing application's educational qualifications and describing in detail the applicant's past position, duties, performance, and place and length of employment.

• A recent medical certificate from a first-class licensed physician in Thailand stating that the applicant is not of unsound mind and not suffering from leprosy, acute tuberculosis, elephantiasis, narcotic addition or habitual alcoholism.

• Three 5x6 cm. full-faced, bareheaded, black and white or color photographs, taken no more than six months prior to the filing of the application.

• If the job applied for is subject to a license under a particular law, in addition to the Alien Occupation Law, a photocopy of such license, (e.g. teacher's license, physician's license, press card from the Public Relations Department, certificate of missionary status from the Office of Religious Affairs, etc.) shall be attached.

• If the applicant is married to a Thai national, the original and photocopies of the following must be presented: Marriage certificate, spouse's identity card, birth certificates of children, household registration, as well as photocopy of every page of the applicant's passport.

As you can see, you're looking at a lot of paperwork. Our expert Legal Advisors can provide you a more detailed information about visa requirements, work permit and company legal issues.

www.sunbeltasia.com

26th Floor Fortune Town BR, 1 Ratchadapisek Rd, 10400 Bangkok

Tel: 02-642-0213 Fax: 02-641-1995

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[Tatsujin]

I always thought I will become Thai if I married to a Thai citizen LOL

If only it was that simple!

[Maestro]

To avoid possible misunderstandings, there is no "marriage visa". You apply at a Thai consulate for a non-immigrant visa category 'O' (non-O visa for short on this forum), purpose of visit: "visit Thai spouse". On arrival in Thailand you receive permission to stay for 90 days. During the last 30 days you apply at your local immigration office for an annual extension of stay for the reason of living with your Thai spouse.

--

Maestro

[gotglue]

AND, you'll need to have 400,000 bt in a thai bank, in your own name for 3 months..6 months, cant remember.

[Lite Beer]

AND, you'll need to have 400,000 bt in a thai bank, in your own name for 3 months..6 months, cant remember.

Assuming the op is female she will not need money in the bank.

[frankthetank]

AND, you'll need to have 400,000 bt in a thai bank, in your own name for 3 months..6 months, cant remember.

Any tips on how one can get a Thai bank account, in order to satisfy this rule?

[lopburi3]

As said above if the applicant is female there is no money requirement of her - and if male it would be 400k in bank account 2 months which provides plenty of time to obtain a bank account and transfer funds during the 90 day stay allowed on a non immigrant O visa entry.

[Arkady]

As a woman married to a Thai national you are entitled to apply for Thai citizenship after you have been married for 3 years or 1 year, if you have a child together. You will need to be registered in your husband's house registration book (tabien baan) by your local district office. Other than that the requirements are not that much for you but your husband needs to demonstrate that he has an income from a job or business and show audited tax receipts. Although it is not a specific requirement, you should be able to speak enough basic Thai to talk to officials at Special Branch and the Interior Ministry but I think your husband is allowed to accompany you to all these meetings. However, applicants with nil or negligible Thai are likely to make an unfavorable impression and would be advised to work on their Thai before applying. All the women I have met who got Thai citizenship through their husbands speak very good Thai. I don't think there is much point in applying for permanent residence in this situation, since the process is not likely to be quicker or easier and it provides less benefits.

Edited November 17, 2010 by Arkady