Marriage Visa

[olddog]

First, I am sorry if this topic is already covered. I've looked, but not found the info I need.

Here's the story - the nice lady at N***** P***** Immigration has a well-deserved reputation for making life difficult for the farang. The forms she passes out ("shopping list" for visa application) are inaccurate and incomplete, through inefficiency or bad will, and create a lot of headaches for the poor souls just trying to furnish the right information. In addition, she creates obstacles on her own initiative (many horror stories), including the following:

A friend of mine recently went for his first three-monthly stamp on his marriage visa. She asked him for his bank book, and as he had it with him he showed it. His balance was under the 400k limit you need to apply for a marriage visa - for which he had already successfully applied. She told him he had, therefore, to leave the country and come back in on the standard Non-Imm "O" visa run. As he's the unargumentative sort and was unsure of his rights (such as we ever have here), he complied.

As far as I understand it, you are not required to show funds in excess of 400k at each three-monthly session - this is just a requirement for visa application. As far as I understand it, the nice lady has no right to demand this information, let alone act upon it in this way.

I only want to do what is required of me, as ever. I am keen and able to comply with Thai law. But I do not want to be bullied and lied to by the nice lady. So here's what I need - is there anywhere an official bit of paper I could print out which shows my legal obligations at the three-monthly report? Preferably originating in The Kingdom? I don't want to have to rely on what I think is correct, I would like to delicately place before her the authoritative written code of practice as agreed by her government. Actually that's not quite what I'd like to do with it, but I'm being polite here.

Any information on where I could find a written copy of the legal requirements and obligations will be immensely appreciated!

(Incidentally, someone has already hinted to me that I should just give her a thousand baht, but that's a last resort, and I get the feeling she might make a fuss about that anyway.)

Thanks to you all as ever!

[Tod Daniels]

I take it your referring to doing "90 day reporting" after having secured a yearly extension of stay based on marriage to a Thai national?

In Bangkok (I know not all that applicable to your situation), you take your passport and the completed T.M47 form, that’s it. You don’t even hafta go in person nor authorize the person you send to report for you.

Once you’ve got your yearly extension, well, you’ve got your extension! The 90 day reporting isn’t tied to ANY financial requirements that I'm aware of.

It is discouraging to read reports like this since Thai Immigrations implemented the “Zone Immigrations” dealy; where you must use a designated office in your zone (often an office FURTHER away from your house than one in a neighboring zone). I don't like the fact so much ‘creative license’ is being taken by the Immigrations staff in some zones.

They do have an Immigrations hot-line, where you can call in problems, and you can do it anonymously. You better have a native Thai speaker with you when you call to explain the situation fully. I dunno if any positive results have been experienced by using it, but it’s worth a shot!

Sad really.

The Immigrations rules in Thai, I believe are in one of the pinned topics on this sub-forum.

I looked & couldn’t find it offhand; but I’m not the sharpest knife in the drawer either..

FWIW: I just call the Thai Immigrations Hot-Line at 1111.

They gave me two phone numbers for the Nakhon Phanom Immigrations office (if in fact N***** P***** from your O/P really means Nakhon Phanom ). The numbers are:

04-251-1473

04-251-1235

You could have a Thai call and ask them their interpretation of the 'rules'.

Edited April 18, 2011 by tod-daniels

[ljerams]

I agree with Tod. Last time I did my 90 day report, I asked an Official "what can I do when I become too old to report myself" Previously, it was a requirement to report in person but she confirmed that now, someone else can do it for you. This was at Chaeng Wattana.

In many years of reporting I did notice that the lady checked her computer, my passport and the form many times? Of course, I have no idea if she was new to the job but the other Staff were much quicker.

[olddog]

Thank you both for your responses. You can perhaps understand why I am reluctant to call The Immigration office direct, as what she says is inconsistent and inaccurate.

Other tricks the Nice Lady has pulled:

- Refused a Marriage Visa application on the grounds that the applicant hadn't taken a medical examination (not required - but he took one anyway just to get it done)

- Refused another application on the grounds that the applicant had had 400k in the bank for only two months prior to application as specified in the paperwork she supplies, and not the three months required by law.

- Refused another application because it did not include a letter of guarantee from the bank manager (not included in her "shopping list" and therefore complete news to the applicant)

- Refused another application (where supplied paperwork was 100% perfect) on the grounds that it was made too soon - "Come back next month" - and then writing a date which conflicted with the date she gave verbally.

These are just instances known to me; presumably there are others.

I'll try the hotline, but it was really written information I'm after. Surprisingly, the Thai Immigration Department's web site is of no use.

Thanks again - and if there is any more advice, please keep it coming!

(and yes, Tod, you guessed right...)

[Tod Daniels]

This is the P/M I sent you about 30 minutes ago when I called Immigrations at Nakhon Phanom and the info I got from them.

I can’t see any reason not to post it here as there's no 'classified info' on it;

I thought it'd be easier to P/M you rather than add it to your post.

I just called the first number I gave you; spoke to an officer up there at Nakhon Phanom Immigrations (a really pleasant guy).

Although the conversation was conducted in Thai only, I told him I lived in the Zone which is controlled by Nakhon Phanom Immigrations, was married to a Thai national, already had a yearly extension of stay, and needed to turn in the T.M47 for being in Thailand longer than 90 days.

He said bring my passport, the completed form and a picture too. I dunno why he wanted to pic as there’s no place to stick it on that form .

I specifically asked if I needed ANY other documentation and he said no. Then I asked if he was certain about not needing any other documentation and he said that was it.

He was quite friendly and even my American accented Thai was understood by him quite easily.

Then again, in reviewing the possible Thai provinces which fit your “fill-in-the-blanks”; it would appear there are actually two out of a possible SIX provinces here that begin with Nakhon and could fit P*****. It’s either the one I just called; Nakhon Phanom or it’s Nakhon Phatom. FWIW: I ruled out Nakhon P- Thammarat, and Nakhon P-Ratchasima, as they didn't fit, 555+.

Oh, I see you said I did guess correctly, so I won’t bother tracking the other number down.

Still hope it helps some. ..

Tod Daniels

[Badbanker]

I have just completed my 1 year extension based on marriage and a Thai Child. I have an unfair advantage in that I am known to most people at immigration and I have done this many times before. This is my 5th consecutive extension in 25 years of doing this!

Normally I make a preliminary run to immigration before hand to check thins out but as I go there so often I thought it is going to be OK.

So this time I was told I would need to bring my son with me to sign as a sponsor. This is new and I can tell you from experience every time I go there that there is aways a new slant that in individual officer puts on things.

Remember that they can and do ask for almost anything to establish the genuine nature of your visa extension request!

Fortunately I was able to get around the problem and got the application accepted.

BB