nicholasmerwood Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Hi All, I'm 26 and my Thai wife is 29, we both live in Australia and have done so for the last 4 years. She has PR here. Recently we have been looking at the possibility of moving back to Thailand. I have been looking at obtaining a non-o visa in Australia, and once in Thailand wanted to extend it to 12 months. A few questions; 1. Does the visa have to be extended in Bangkok or can it be done locally, and is there a list of immigration offices where this can be performed? 2. Can I extend this visa indefinately or do I need to return to Australia once/year for it to be re-issued? 3. I have read that a requirement for this visa is for my wife to provide copies of her house registration, what if we do not own a house in Thailand (we own a house in Australia)? 4. Do we need to be married in Thailand or is an Australian marriage legally recognised for purposes of this visa? 5. Is there any advantage or disadvantage in having a non-o visa with a work permit in comparison to a non-b visa with a work permit (if I want to work/start up a company in Thailand in the future)? 6. Last but not least, is there a difference between a marriage visa and a non-b visa or are they the same thing? Thanks in advance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PoorSucker Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 1. Can be done at any immigrations office. 2. You can extend your stay with one year at the time, I have not exited Thailand since 2008. 3. All Thais are in a house registration book (Thabien Bahn), not need to live there, your wife is probably in her fathers book. 4. You will need to translate it to Thai, register the translation at Ministry of foreign affair (MFA) and then register the marriage at the Amphur. 5. Some labour offices will not give a WP on non-O, Phuket is the only one as far as I know. 6. Class non-O (other) is based on marriage, non-B is for business, not the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicholasmerwood Posted January 22, 2012 Author Share Posted January 22, 2012 (edited) Thanks for that, very helpful! So if we live in phuket and I wish to get a work permit then I will definately have to get a non-b visa? correct? Is there much difficulty in changing from a non-o to a non-b? Also for 5. I was supposed to type - is there a difference between non-o (not non- b ) and marriage visa. Cheers Edited January 22, 2012 by nicholasmerwood Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopburi3 Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 There is no such thing as a marriage visa. You will qualify for O by marriage to a Thai. Change of visa may require exit to a nearby Consulate to obtain a B visa after application for work permit is made. There is a list of immigration offices and map with exact locations available in the pinned useful information at top of Thai visa section. For Thai wife extension of stay the financial requirement is 40k per month income or 400k in your bank account 2 months prior to each one year extension application. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicholasmerwood Posted January 22, 2012 Author Share Posted January 22, 2012 Thanks again - I thought that recently the 400k in the bank account was removed as a qualifier, and now you had to show a regular stream of income (40k+/month) going into a Thai bank account. Does the Thai account need to be under my name or can it be under the wifes? We already have a SCB account under her name. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digitalchromakey Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Please note that in Phuket it is certainly possible to extend a Non Immgrant B entry for one year on the basis of Marriage to a Thai (Police Order 777/2551 Clause 2.18 with 40K pcm ioncome or 400k THB in bank for 2 months preceding application) and that following this specific route is no obstacle towards further extensions or obtaining a Work Permit. If you plan to get a WP then an initial non Immigrant B Visa is a much better bet - you can then extend this for one year on the basis of marriage to a Thai (you will need to register the marriage at Amphur, etc). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicholasmerwood Posted January 22, 2012 Author Share Posted January 22, 2012 (edited) A non-b would be much more difficult to get seeing as though we don't (yet) have a business set up. We were planning to do that over the next 6-12 months after scoping certain areas out. My plan was non-o -->extension --> work permit.... Just have to avoid HKT. Other option is to put business in wifes name and hence avoid all the things that go along with having to get a work permit, reporting VAT etc. Then just keep extending based on marriage. Edited January 22, 2012 by nicholasmerwood Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digitalchromakey Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 A non-b would be much more difficult to get seeing as though we don't (yet) have a business set up. We were planning to do that over the next 6-12 months after scoping certain areas out. My plan was non-o -->extension --> work permit.... Just have to avoid HKT. Other option is to put business in wifes name and hence avoid all the things that go along with having to get a work permit etc. Then just keep extending based on marriage. Your choice - please note that the criteria to extend your visa on the basis of marriage to a Thai are the same whether you are on a non O or a non B visa entry.If you plan to start a business in Thailand within the year, then a non B visa is the best visa and the Consulate you go to in Australia might well be prepared to issue a non B on that basis with some kind of supporting 'invitation' letter - maybe your wife's family in Thailand could help with this.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicholasmerwood Posted January 22, 2012 Author Share Posted January 22, 2012 Perhaps I could get a letter from her father in Thai asking me to come tap some rubber for him haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopburi3 Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 The account must be in your name. And if using income it must be yours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicholasmerwood Posted January 22, 2012 Author Share Posted January 22, 2012 (edited) The account must be in your name. And if using income it must be yours. If legitimate income must be made then a work permit is necessary, and therefore it may be better to just get a non-b. Would a letter from Thailand (translated into English) from my wife's father inviting me to work for him on the rubber plantations suffice, or is that on the restricted list? Another option would be to open up a new bank account with my name or joint names, and deposit 400k into it 2 months before every renewal - no pwobwem. right? Edited January 22, 2012 by nicholasmerwood Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mario2008 Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Believe that job will be on the estircted list. Anyhow, suspect that consuates in the region will want to see that you have applied for a work permit and can show a WP3 form. Account must be in your name only if you go that route. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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