Retirement Visa Vs Mariage Visa

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

1. Address reporting is due after 90 days and can be submitted 15 days early until 7 day late using TM.47 form.

2. Not using a re-entry permit would end the previous extension of stay and if no visa obtained only visa exempt would be available. But for most an in-country visa entry could be obtained from that for 2,000 baht to start the extension process again.

Lopburi, correct me if I'm wrong, but... I believe there is no after the due date reporting permitted for mail-in 90 day reports. Those must be submitted on or before the due date... The grace period only applies to in-person 90-day reporting.

As for the 2000 baht approach you mention above, I'm assuming you're talking about a situation, for example, where someone is stamped into Thailand with a visa-exempt entry (due to their extension of stay lapsing because of no re-entry permit or some other reason) and then going to Immigration in BKK to convert the visa exempt entry into a single entry 90-day visa... en route to a new extension -- assuming the person qualified in the first place for one of the extension types???

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I use the term entry visa to mean visa on arrival which lopburi3 calls visa exempt. I honestly don't know what the most official name is for the stamp you get when you show up at an entry point without a visa.

Those are different things... Visa exempt is not the same as visa on arrival.

As an American, for example, I can travel to Thailand with no visa, because none is required for Americans provided their stay doesn't exceed 30 days. That entry would be called visa-exempt.

But visa on arrival means, I believe, actually applying for and paying for a visa once you arrive at the BKK Airport.

[Jayman]

Thanks for clearing that up for me. I'm American as well as always assumed that what I was getting was a visa on arrival if I didn't bother getting a tourist visa or another kind of visa prior to arrival. Now it all makes sense.

So back on my previous post.. I meant visa-exempt when I used the term visa.

Edited February 27, 2012 by Jayman

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

The entry rules in Thailand are different for different people depending on their country of citizenship/passport.

A lot of the larger western countries' citizens are given 30-day visa exempt entries. Some countries' citizens get longer stamps, some get shorter stamps. Some aren't given visa-exempt status at all, and must obtain some kind of visa in order to enter.

Here's the info from the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs re Visa on Arrival and to whom it applies:

According to the Interior Ministerial Announcements, passport holders from 28 countries and territories may apply for visas at the immigration checkpoints for the purpose of tourism for the period of not exceeding 15 days.

- The applicant must possess means of living expenses at the amount of 10,000 Baht per person and 20,000 Baht per family accordingly.

- The applicant must possess a passport with at least six-month validity and must present full paid ticket which is usable within 15 days since the date of entry

- Visa on arrival is provided at 24 designated international checkpoints and applicants should submit the application form duly filled out and to which his/her recent photograph (4 x 6 cm) is attached. The application fee is 1,000 Baht.

- Visitors who enter the Kingdom with Visa on Arrival generally cannot file an application for extension of stay except in special cases such as illness which prevents them from travelling, etc. They can submit an application at the Office of Immigration Bureau , Immigration Division 1, Government Center B, Chaengwattana Soi 7, Laksi, Bangkok 10210.

List of countries and territories is as follows :

1. Bhutan : Kingdom of Bhutan

2. China : People’s Republic of China

3. Cyprus : Republic of Cyprus

4. Czech : Czech Republic

5. Estonia : Republic of Estonia

6. Hungary : Republic of Hungary

7. India : Republic of India

8. Kazakhstan : Republic of Kazakhstan

9. Latvia : Republic of Latvia

10. Liechtenstein : Principality of Liechtenstein

11. Lithuania : Republic of Lithuania

12. Maldives : Republic of Maldives

13. Mauritius : Republic of Mauritius

14. Oman : Sultanate of Oman

15. Poland : Republic of Poland

16. Russian Federation

17. Saudi Arabia : Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

18. Slovakia : Slovak Republic

19. Slovenia : Republic of Slovenia

20. Uzbekistan

21. Ukraine

22. Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

23. Taiwan

24. Bulgaria

25. Andorra

26. Malta

27. Romania

28.SanMarino

http://www.mfa.go.th...482.php?id=2491

Edited February 27, 2012 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[T_Dog]

Some excellent posts on this thread from folks that are experienced with the marriage visa. In converting from an O-A retirement visa to the marriage visa, can you apply at any time, or is it handled as a yearly stay-extension?

[lopburi3]

Both are yearly stay extensions that your would do in the last 30 days of permitted to stay time.

[jingjoe8]

I have a "marriage visa" and have just recently moved from jomtien to chumpon in southern thailand,i am due to report in a few weeks,what paper work will i need?Is the new house lease enough or will i have to provide all the other docs as well including new photos,we have a 4month old baby now,so maybe a copy of his birth certificate will also be needed.

[Mario2008]

Are you talking about a 90 day report or applying for an extension of stay?

[jingjoe8]

Are you talking about a 90 day report or applying for an extension of stay?

it will be a 90day report,

[Mario2008]

Than you provide only the usual, with a copy of the lease to show that you now live in their area.

[lopburi3]

You might also want to fill out a TM.28 if you have not filed your change as some offices could require that also.

[Mario2008]

Indeed.

Link to form tm28: http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/download/tm28.doc

[jingjoe8]

thanks for the advice,

[jingjoe8]

Indeed.

Link to form tm28: http://www.immigrati...wnload/tm28.doc

can i get an original doc tm28 from somewhere or do i have to print it out from the link,i am still leasing the house up north for a few months until that lease expires,so at the moment technically i have 2 rental leases

[maprao]

I have obtained first at a Thai Embassy a Non Immigrant visa and then every year an "extension"

The extension was applied for based on "marriage" to a Thai national.

This requires indeed some paperwork but it is not terrible but I am lucky enough that my wife has a university degree and can do the talking to the Immigration officers...I am just sitting next to her and smiling.

So only wives with university degrees can talk to immigration officers? We had better make sure that this new requirement is well advertised!

[Mario2008]

You can get one from immigration if you don't want to print it out.

You report at the office for where you actually live. If you want to report at your new area, you are advised to inform them of the address change.

[attrayant]

Every Immigration Office will be different but on the last two occasions my Wife had to fill a form in asking questions about me.

Name. Age. How long in Thailand. Father's name. Mother's name. How many brothers and sisters. Simple things like that.

If she did not know she asked me for the answer.

Update: I went through my extension application process today. The immigration officer did indeed interview us separately. First I was asked to step away while she asked my wife about ten questions. Then I came back and my wife was excused while I was asked the same questions. They were basic questions that any spouse would know after living together for a few months, but some could be caught off guard.

Some examples off the top of my head:

Are your wife's parents living or deceased?

How did you come here today? If by car, what kind of car and/or what color is it?

How many siblings does your wife have?

Does your wife rent or own her place?

What part of Bangkok do you live in?

What date did you get married on?

How did you meet and become acquainted?

Where does your wife work (what kind of job is it)?

And there were a few similar questions about me that I assume my wife had already been asked and now my answers were being used to see if she was correct.

Surprisingly, I got the "what part of Bangkok do you live in wrong because I named the neighborhood, and the examiner wanted to hear me say Don Mueang. So I missed this one because I was too specific. When she told me that I didn't give the answer she was expecting, I explained my reason (that I thought she was asking for the specific neighborhood and not the larger area of DM, and she seemed to understand. But I still think I got dinged on that one.

I also missed the color of car question. I remembered the make and model but for some reason I totally drew a blank on the color.

Most of the other questions I think I knew purely by chance. I never met her sisters but at some point I learned that she had two of them. I wasn't sure if her parents were living or not, so I just said that I didn't know. So overall I think I scored about a 70-80%.

Oh, and the immigration officer wanted to see the affidavit to marry, which I thought was strange since I have never seen that on any document requirements list for visa extension. I had it but didn't bring it with me. The officer was nice enough to finish the process and let me go home and get it and bring it back, which I did in about an hour.

So I am "under consideration". I go back in a month and hopefully pick up my extension.

[poanoi]

Well....the authorities in BKK & Embassies accepted my documentation and gave marriage visa,

but the immigration office in Jomtien refused to renew it after 90 days.....

2 times, so after that i went back to tourist visa.

[lopburi3]

Am not sure what you are talking about as there is no marriage visa (suspect you obtained a non immigrant O visa) and you do not renew a visa at Immigration - only initial conversion visa for extension of stay or actual extension of stay is available. For extension of stay for Thai wife you require proof of 400k in bank account for 2 months or 40k per month income - without that the one year extension can not be obtained. Although a 60 day extension can be provided. If you are married there is no reason to be using tourist visas for entry as non immigrant O visa is always available.

[attrayant]

...the immigration office in Jomtien refused to renew it after 90 days...

I assume you mean they denied your request for 1 year extension. Did they say why?

[GiantFan]

I have read this thread and have learned a lot. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find the answer to my problem. If anybody has any ideas, I would appreciate your help.

I have a non-imm B that is valid for about 6 more months. I (we) have a thai registered company that we do the annual audit for, but it is currently listed as "dormant". Currently, no WP but would like to keep my B visa to keep this option open.

I would like to get my 1 year extension to stay via marriage but the local immigration officer (Ubon) stated that I needed an O visa. I have read that I could get the extension with a B visa, but I assume that the immigration office has never seen this sort of request and is reluctant to ask his boss. He didn't ask for any documents, so no WP and "dormant" company were unknown to him but I have a feeling that these issues will crop up later.

I would rather not travel out of the country obviously if I can avoid it. Financial requirements are no problem.

Any ideas?

[attrayant]

What is your objection to travelling out of the country for a switch to an O visa? The Vietnam consulate is pleasant to deal with and that country is just a $100 plane ticket away (plus the visa).

[GiantFan]

I still would like to extend the B visa, but may be beating a dead horse. Savannakhet in Laos seems pretty simple for an O visa.

[poanoi]

...the immigration office in Jomtien refused to renew it after 90 days...

I assume you mean they denied your request for 1 year extension. Did they say why?

She kept asking for more and more proof every time i came back with what she asked for last time, until time ran out and i had to make a new in Laos.

When i came back, it was the same thing again, refusing and demanding copy of my visa card & whatnot, until time yet again ran out.

Example, "prove you brought money from abroad"

she assumed i hadnt save recipe, but when i came back with them,

OK, let me figure out something else that you can't possibly fix before time's up

Edited April 19, 2012 by poanoi

[Mario2008]

I still would like to extend the B visa, but may be beating a dead horse. Savannakhet in Laos seems pretty simple for an O visa.

You can extend your stay based on being married to a Thai, it should not be a problem. But you will have to take your wife with you and a lot of documents.

[wonder6281]

My situation is similar where I will be coming to live this year with any luck. I will probably be required to travel back to Oz about every three months to maintain supplementary income aside from my Employment pension. Plan to go through the Non-O as I am married to a Thai national, but not sure if I have such a Visa how often I can come and go or I am restricted in doing so??

[beechguy]

My situation is similar where I will be coming to live this year with any luck. I will probably be required to travel back to Oz about every three months to maintain supplementary income aside from my Employment pension. Plan to go through the Non-O as I am married to a Thai national, but not sure if I have such a Visa how often I can come and go or I am restricted in doing so??

If you get a one year multi-entry Non-Immigrant "O" Visa, you can enter as many times as you need and receive permission to stay 90 days each entry, even if entering just before the visa expiration date.

Edited April 19, 2012 by beechguy

[wonder6281]

Thank you for your reply.

[peterquixote]

With Non Immigration O-A Visa;

There are numerous mentions here of the necessity to visit Immigration Office after 90 days

and also every following three months.

The Visa stamp from New Zealand cost a solid $NZ 250.

At the airport they stamped my passport valid for exactly twelve months stay,

There is no request for reporting, and normally I would not have thought of reporting.

Advice here seems to indicate that I must report

I have also a re-entry form made out for if I go to Laos.

[Mario2008]

You must report.

Look at your O-A visa, if it is a multiple you don't need a re-entry permit to leave and enter Thailand, as long as you return before the date the VISA from NZ itself expires.