Renewing Or Restarting My Non Immigrant Marriage Visa

[JustAnotherFarang]

Hi

I am British and presently staying in Thailand on a marriage visa Where I am due to report in October. I will then report again 90 days later around the end of December and after being given another 90 days visa, I will then begin the procedure for renewing my marriage visa. The main criteria being that I must have 400,000 bht in my bank for 3 consecutive months January through to March.

The problem is that I want to be able to access my funds in January as I am in the process of building a house. So I thought that if I left the country on the next day of reporting, this would end my visa and that I might get a 15 day tourist visa on arrival. I could then re-apply for my marriage visa and show that I have had the funds for the previous 3 months and in doing so, get my visa and have access to my cash......it seemed simple enough.

My wife rang the immigration service this morning and explained what i intended to do, but they said that I would have to pay 1000-1200 bht to leave the country and on arrival, I would then be given another 90 visa and continue my previous visa as I am unable to cancel it. This would defeat the object of my purposes as I still would not be able to access my funds in January.

Is this right ? It seems quite strange that I cannot leave the country at will and more than a little annoying to watch my own cash stagnate when I need it most

Thanks for your help

JAF

[Lite Beer]

You appear to have a 12 month extension of stay based on having a Thai Wife.

It is not a Visa.

The 90 day address reports are nothing to do with this extension. They are to report your address to Immigration after 90 days of continuous stay in the kingdom.

If you wish to leave the country and keep your extension alive you need a Re Entry Permit 1,000 Baht.

If you do not have this, your extension will end on the day you exit, whenever you do so.

Your best option would be to stay with this extension until it almost finishes in March.

Then apply for a 60 days Extension at Immigration for the reason of visiting your Wife.

This will give you the time needed to have the money in the bank for 3 months.

[lopburi3]

A visa requires that you exit the country to obtain a new 90 day stay.

Or are you on an immigration extension of stay for one year and report your address every 90 days?

If you are on an extension of stay and leave Thailand without a re-entry permit (1,000 baht) the extension will end and land return would be 15 days visa exempt entry. But you can not extend on that so you would have to obtain a non immigrant visa entry and that normally requires at least 15 days remaining on entry stamp. If you return by air for 30 day entry it would not be a problem.

Another option that might work is obtain a two month extension of stay at your normal extension of stay time on basis of visiting wife and then do the one year after funds have that extra two months.

[JustAnotherFarang]

Hi Guys

Yes, it is a 12 month extension of stay, sorry I did not make that clearer.

Reading into what you say above, it seems that I dont have any real option other than flying out and then flying back into the country to restart the process anew. I was hoping a quick trip to Burma would have done the trick.

So do I only need to show proof of funds for 2 months, that may help a little as I could always extend my visa by 60 days to visit my wife and use that period of time to accumulate the neccesary funds

Its all a bit convoluted isn't it

JAF

[Lite Beer]

You have the option of applying for a 60 day extension when your current stay is almost finished.

You do not have to show any funds for this.

Apply for the 12 month extension towards the end of the 60 days.

[JustAnotherFarang]

You have the option of applying for a 60 day extension when your current stay is almost finished.

You do not have to show any funds for this.

Apply for the 12 month extension towards the end of the 60 days.

Thanks guys for your advice, speedy and wise

Cheers

JAF

[steve187]

The other option would be, applying for a 60 day extension when your current stay is almost finished,as both litebeer and lopburi3 suggest, but instead of obtaining another extension of stay at the end of the 60days, obtain a multi entry non immigrant 'o' visa from Kuala Lumper. You would only need 100.000baht in your bank for that, but would have to do 90 day border runs though, but the visa would last 15 months nearly, by doing a border run the day before the visa expires.

all the best

[mxyzptlk]

You have the option of applying for a 60 day extension when your current stay is almost finished.

You do not have to show any funds for this.

Apply for the 12 month extension towards the end of the 60 days.

Is the decision for the 60 day extension immediate, or do you get an "under consideration" stamp?

[Lite Beer]

You have the option of applying for a 60 day extension when your current stay is almost finished.

You do not have to show any funds for this.

Apply for the 12 month extension towards the end of the 60 days.

Is the decision for the 60 day extension immediate, or do you get an "under consideration" stamp?

It is given on the spot if you qualify.

[mxyzptlk]

You have the option of applying for a 60 day extension when your current stay is almost finished.

You do not have to show any funds for this.

Apply for the 12 month extension towards the end of the 60 days.

Is the decision for the 60 day extension immediate, or do you get an "under consideration" stamp?

It is given on the spot if you qualify.

Thanks LB

[surayu]

but would have to do 90 day border runs though

Sorry, can someone tell me why there is a need for the border runs? it's not just an annual Non Imm O were only 90 days reportings are needed? or the reports are only for the "extensions" of the Visa and not the Visa itself? thanks

[lopburi3]

It is a multi entry non immigrant O visa which is valid for one year of stays of 90 days or less. You must leave to obtain a new 90 days stay. This is a for someone who can not afford the extension of stay requirements or who normally travels a lot.

90 day address reports are only required if you stay that long without leaving (which on 90 day visa entries you do not).

[mxyzptlk]

When you apply for the 60 day extension to enable the seasoning of your bank balance, do you have to produce the same supporting documents (apart from the financials) that you would need for the 1 year extension and would the wife still need to be interviewed?

[digitalchromakey]

When you apply for the 60 day extension to enable the seasoning of your bank balance, do you have to produce the same supporting documents (apart from the financials) that you would need for the 1 year extension and would the wife still need to be interviewed?

Rules in the Consideration of Alien Applications for Temporary Stay in the Kingdom of Thailand according to clause 2 of the order of the Royal Thai Police Headquarters no. 777/2551 dated on 25 November B.E.2551

Case 2.24 In the case of an alien visiting a Thai spouse or child:

Permission will be granted for a period of not more than 60 days at a time

Basis for Consideration

(1) Proof of relationship.

(2) In the case of a spouse, their marital relationship shall be de jure (legitimate) and de facto.

So the answer to your question is almost certainly yes.

[mxyzptlk]

OK Thanks digitalchromakey

Edited October 30, 2010 by mxyzptlk