I have a misdemeanor charge dating back 28 years ago...Will this prevent me from obtaining a marriage or retirement visa...? How thorough do they check your history...? I wonder how many different answers I will get for this question...I really need to know and thanks ...anyone ??

There is no check for a visa based on marriage, only if you apply for a O-A visa would you require a police check. How torough that is depends on your own country, as they do the check.

However, based on retirement you can also apply for a non-O visa, for which there is no police check (or medical).

Come here without a Visa, 30 days on entry.

Buy extensions from within Thailand, as no medical or police checks are done or required here.

Wihout a visa he might be denied boarding with a one way ticket. Getting a non-O visa makes things much easier.

Lol you really think they keep criminals out of Thailand? This place is filled with all kinds of nefarious people. Never ceases to amaze the amount of crazy people I meet living here. I am not even talking petty crime like the question listed about but serious criminals.

Poster appears to be in Thailand so in fact suspect is asking about extensions of stay which do not require police check.

I agree with previous posts. If you are afraid you could apply for a pardon in your country, after a pardon your record is not public information, and any further police checks show no record.

Edited November 21, 201114 yr by Colabamumbai

Not sure if you are American, Brit, Oz, etc. But, to answer your question from an American standpoint.

The Embassy and state agencies will only conduct a NAC (National Agency Check) which is a quick check of the FBI database. This would NOT include misdemeanor arrests at the local level. There is a check called the NACLC (National Agency Check with Local Agency Check & Credit Check) which includes checking arrest records at the local (state and country) level for the past 5 years for arrest records and 7 years for employment, credit and residence checks. (This is the type of check they use to begin a USG clearance check.)

So, you are fine. Especially since its a misdemeanor that is 28 years ago.

(I disagree that if you get a pardon, the original crime isn't public knowledge. Its still available to government agencies for background checks. But, that wouldn't matter in this case as you are talking about a misdemeanor from 28 years ago.)

Not sure if you are American, Brit, Oz, etc. But, to answer your question from an American standpoint.

The Embassy and state agencies will only conduct a NAC (National Agency Check) which is a quick check of the FBI database. This would NOT include misdemeanor arrests at the local level. There is a check called the NACLC (National Agency Check with Local Agency Check & Credit Check) which includes checking arrest records at the local (state and country) level for the past 5 years for arrest records and 7 years for employment, credit and residence checks. (This is the type of check they use to begin a USG clearance check.)

So, you are fine. Especially since its a misdemeanor that is 28 years ago.

(I disagree that if you get a pardon, the original crime isn't public knowledge. Its still available to government agencies for background checks. But, that wouldn't matter in this case as you are talking about a misdemeanor from 28 years ago.)

Stopped by Canadian police for speeding many years ago, cop asked me if I had a record, I said yes, but I was waiting for my pardon. He ran me through his computer and told me, my pardon must have been granted because there was no criminal record on me. I heard it from him before I got the actual documents.

Not sure if you are American, Brit, Oz, etc. But, to answer your question from an American standpoint.

The Embassy and state agencies will only conduct a NAC (National Agency Check) which is a quick check of the FBI database. This would NOT include misdemeanor arrests at the local level. There is a check called the NACLC (National Agency Check with Local Agency Check & Credit Check) which includes checking arrest records at the local (state and country) level for the past 5 years for arrest records and 7 years for employment, credit and residence checks. (This is the type of check they use to begin a USG clearance check.)

So, you are fine. Especially since its a misdemeanor that is 28 years ago.

(I disagree that if you get a pardon, the original crime isn't public knowledge. Its still available to government agencies for background checks. But, that wouldn't matter in this case as you are talking about a misdemeanor from 28 years ago.)

Stopped by Canadian police for speeding many years ago, cop asked me if I had a record, I said yes, but I was waiting for my pardon. He ran me through his computer and told me, my pardon must have been granted because there was no criminal record on me. I heard it from him before I got the actual documents.

Well, great. And I don't have any experience with the Canadian system. But, in the States it would still show up on an NACLC check - even sealed records show up - during a government check for clearances. I know this, because part of my job when I was working for the USG was conducting background investigations.

I had an old conviction for fishing for salmon with barbed hooks, which in California is a misdemeanor. I went back to the court after several years without any other convictions and paid a fee to the court for a judge to expunge my record. It still shows up, but now it says the charges were dismissed. I submitted a printout from my county court, for my O-A visa and it was approved. From what I read, every state has a different procedure and we still don't know the OP's nationality...

I had an old conviction for fishing for salmon with barbed hooks, which in California is a misdemeanor. I went back to the court after several years without any other convictions and paid a fee to the court for a judge to expunge my record. It still shows up, but now it says the charges were dismissed. I submitted a printout from my county court, for my O-A visa and it was approved. From what I read, every state has a different procedure and we still don't know the OP's nationality...

Got to love California!

If Farangs had to have a police check for retirement or spouse extension Pattaya would have a lot less Farangs living there.

Apparently the Thai authorities are on the lookout for a fly fisher called Teddy Davis

Not sure if you are American, Brit, Oz, etc. But, to answer your question from an American standpoint.

The Embassy and state agencies will only conduct a NAC (National Agency Check) which is a quick check of the FBI database. This would NOT include misdemeanor arrests at the local level. There is a check called the NACLC (National Agency Check with Local Agency Check & Credit Check) which includes checking arrest records at the local (state and country) level for the past 5 years for arrest records and 7 years for employment, credit and residence checks. (This is the type of check they use to begin a USG clearance check.)

So, you are fine. Especially since its a misdemeanor that is 28 years ago.

(I disagree that if you get a pardon, the original crime isn't public knowledge. Its still available to government agencies for background checks. But, that wouldn't matter in this case as you are talking about a misdemeanor from 28 years ago.)

Stopped by Canadian police for speeding many years ago, cop asked me if I had a record, I said yes, but I was waiting for my pardon. He ran me through his computer and told me, my pardon must have been granted because there was no criminal record on me. I heard it from him before I got the actual documents.

Well, great. And I don't have any experience with the Canadian system. But, in the States it would still show up on an NACLC check - even sealed records show up - during a government check for clearances. I know this, because part of my job when I was working for the USG was conducting background investigations.

I think that a government agency in Canada would have to fill out paperwork to receive the information, I know obviously it is not available easily to the police.

The first question on any job application in Canada now is, do you have a criminal record?

Apparently the Thai authorities are on the lookout for a fly fisher called Teddy Davis

hahahahahaha you are so damned bloody hilarious....

If Farangs had to have a police check for retirement or spouse extension Pattaya would have a lot less Farangs living there.

First...I am America...(unfortunately)

Second...Had you read my post you would discover that I am looking to OBTAIN A MARRIAGE VISA....NOT A STUPID EXTENSION...

Third...I don't live in Pattaya and have no desire to...Nice place...Just don't want to live there. I live in Sihanoukville Cambodia...I will live in Chiang Rai when I get married...

There is no such visa. There is a non immigrant O visa (issued for 'other' reasons) which marriage to a Thai would qualify you for or the 'Thai wife' extension of stay which is what most people in Thailand would be interested in obtaining after marriage.

Are you sure you are not asking about an extension?