Extending My O

[baabaabobo]

I have just returned from Phuket immigration where despite having all the documents required I was told to return with a Thai national who could validate our marriage. I have been married now for 15 years and have just moved to Phuket with my family - we have not had time to make many friends.

I was a little bit upset as we were allready told to come back after lunch as there was nobody on duty ( I thought they were open during lunch) and we left without resolving anything.

As far as I know I have all the requirements:

A Thai wife and son

A house in Phuket in my wife's name

400 k in the bank and letter from the bank

A medical cert.

etc.

Am I just unlucky or is this a new requirement that has just been added?

Anyone had this experience?

Another question

I am awaiting funds from farangland and may have to dip into the 400 k - how soon can I touch it after getting my extension?

Great forum - keep up the good work

[BlackJack]

hello

what you should have done is said thank you very much

turned around, walked out the door - have a drink a ciggy and then gone back in and made your enquiry again

I think you would have been successful the second time in as in that short space of time they would have forgotten who you were and what they were doing

and remember

they forgot who you were because to thais all you white people look the same

dah dahhhhhhh

[lopburi3]

You do not need a medical certificate of any kind for a support Thai wife extension nor do you need a house in the name of your wife, or a son. What you do need is:

1. Marriage certificate/copies signed by you both.

2. Letter from bank within last 7 days confirming your bank balance. You probably need a copy also in Phuket.

3. Your bank deposit book and copies of all pages signed by you (both if joint account).

4. Your passport with copies of all pertinent pages signed by you.

5. Photos of you and wife together at home (this is why they want a Thai to verify you live together as man and wife) - they either have to visit you or use this information type of proof.

6. Wife and her id card and copies signed.

7. Home register of wife and copies signed.

8. They might also ask for bank receipts of money transferred into your account from overseas but often just the bank book will suffice.

9. Having a son will also (I suspect) require having his birth certificate and probably copies.

You should keep the account above 400k until you receive the final one year stay stamp as they will often check during the review and if below they may wait for it to get above before they approve the extension (at least that is what some have experienced). Remember that any exit of Thailand must now have a re entry permit before travel or you lose extension.

[baabaabobo]

You do not need a medical certificate of any kind for a support Thai wife extension nor do you need a house in the name of your wife, or a son.  What you do need is:

1.  Marriage certificate/copies signed by you both.

2.  Letter from bank within last 7 days confirming your bank balance.  You probably need a copy also in Phuket.

3.  Your bank deposit book and copies of all pages signed by you (both if joint account).

4.  Your passport with copies of all pertinent pages signed by you.

5.  Photos of you and wife together at home (this is why they want a Thai to verify you live together as man and wife) - they either have to visit you or use this information type of proof.

6.  Wife and her id card and copies signed.

7.  Home register of wife and copies signed.

8.  They might also ask for bank receipts of money transferred into your account from overseas but often just the bank book will suffice.

9.  Having a son will also (I suspect) require having his birth certificate and probably copies.

You should keep the account above 400k until you receive the final one year stay stamp as they will often check during the review and if below they may wait for it to get above before they approve the extension (at least that is what some have experienced).  Remember that any exit of Thailand must now have a re entry permit before travel or you lose extension.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks Lopburi3,

It went quite well today as I turned up with a Thai witness who was given alot of bumf to sign and was sent on her way. Our mariage cert. was not translated into Thai but this did not seem to cause a problem and after 45 minutes I was told to return in 1 month for the 1 year extension.

I will chance using the money as there will be more coming in a week or so.

BTW no photos were asked for although I had a stack in my bag - the witness probably was enough but I post this to help others who, like myself, have all the paperwork but may need another Thai to sign stuff.

The officer said that this is only required for the first application.

[lopburi3]

Good news. One other thing if they did not mention it you are probably close to having a 90 day report due. The extension visit does not count so when you have 90 days from your current entry (plus/minus 7) you should visit and fill out a TM.47 form and get it stapled into your passport.

[baabaabobo]

Good news.  One other thing if they did not mention it you are probably close to having a 90 day report due.  The extension visit does not count so when you have 90 days from your current entry (plus/minus 7) you should visit and fill out a TM.47 form and get it stapled into your passport.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Eek - where do I get this form and who do I give it to? Immigration? Police station? It was never mentioned.

[Maestro]

Eek - where do I get this form and who do I give it to? Immigration? Police station? It was never mentioned.

You get the form here or at the Immigration Office, and you submit it to the Immigration Office.

The 90-day reporting requirement is mentioned on form TM.6, the arrival/departure card you filled out on the plane to Bangkok and the departure part of which was stapled into your passport at the immigration desk upon your arrival. See notice No. 6.

<Tried to attach scanned picture of TM.6, but it did not work>

Edited September 20, 2005 by maestro

[Axel]

....

The 90-day reporting requirement is mentioned on form TM.6, the arrival/departure card you filled out on the plane to Bangkok and the departure part of which was stapled into your passport at the immigration desk upon your arrival. See notice No. 6.

<Tried to attach scanned picture of TM.6, but it did not work>

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No longer shown, maestro, but this does not mean that the rule has been cancelled

[Maestro]

No longer shown, maestro, but this does not mean that the rule has been cancelled

A new TM.6 – lovely, very modern-looking. I shall get to fill it out this December when I fly from Milan to BKK. I see that they are no longer interested in knowing my place of birth (which isn’t shown in my passport anyway)

[Kringle]

A couple of things to add to this thread to make things go easier for you besides bring all the required documents. I keep all of this in a folder just for this occasion. I ALWAYS go with my wife and little girl to immigration for my 1 year extensions as I was told that I had to have them there on the first visit and I think they would rather you have them there on every visit after that. I think this is because they would like to know that you are with the same person. I am always courtious to the staff there and them seeing my little girl running around seems to make things go smoother. They asked my wife a lot of questions the first time but hardly asked anything of her on our second visit. (just wanted to know if she was happy, that's what my wife said they asked)

The 90 day reporting is really easy to do and it is required. I screwed up with my last one and was 14 days late. I just went in yesterday and got it straightened out at a cost of 2000 baht for being over 7 days late. As far as I can figure from the law is that you can be 6 days late but on the 7th day you will pull the fine of 2000 baht. It doesn't get higher than that.

The 400k in the bank is for you to live on and what Immigration wants to see is that you are using it (not just a deposit one day and then the money disappears a few days later) I'm a DAV from the Army and on a pension and just show a statement from the US Embassy stating that I do infact receive such pension and what amount. I also show them my Thai bank passbook and a letter from the bank. Immigration would think it strange to just keep your money in the bank without using it and may cause problems for you.

The main thing about doing ANYTHING with immigration is to remain calm, show respect and be nice. Like the old saying: You draw more bees with honey than you do with vinegar.

[baabaabobo]

Just back from third visit and they said I did not need the T.47 as they have given me a month until papers come back from BKK. The money is needed for a car and although I have more coming there will be a period when account is very low. I take your point about using the money - good advice.