Current Marriage Extension Requirements At Cm

[mallmagician]

Hi all,

As these seem to change slightly from year to year and of course office to office, can someone please confirm what the current requirements are for a one year extension based on marriage. I want to ensure we have everything required all set to go.

Thanks

[BB1955]

Can tell you what they were three months ago

2 copies of each

copy of wife house hold registry

copy of lease where we live current as well

copy of marrage certificate

copy of marrage being registered in her home province

2 photos in front of house showing house numbers and us

map to house

affiadavit of income from the embassy

proof of income from state pension

and the normal form you fill out

wife came as well

Only difference from last year was the proof from my pension provider .

Also copy of wifes id card

[zippydedodah]

hmm...when i got mine about 3 months ago, the officer tossed out the affidavit of income from the embassy and told me that i had wasted my money... and for the first time in 3 yrs, she asked for hard copies of my pension statements from CalPers...so i agree with above list, but suggest that the embassy statement is no longer being used... anyone else have similar recent experience?

[Pond Life]

A few months ago I was turned away from the Mae Hongson office because I didn't have my wife with me (extension to a marriage visa).

Has anyone else been refused for this reason ?

[DavidOxon]

Must take the wife (and any kids) too.

[mallmagician]

Thanks for the replies folks. Think I've got it all covered.

Thanks again

[zippydedodah]

never had to take the kid... but first year we were asked to make sure and get her house card registered.. as kid has dual citizenship/passport... we had never gotten around to house card... but they wanted the kids house card copy and i would not be surprised, if going forward, they require the kids national id card... since technically that is required for a thai child... if they ask for mom's (wife) id card, why not the kid too?

[uptheos]

In a developed country a marriage certificate would be sufficient.

On second thoughts in a developed country none of this BS would be necessary after the initial granting of the visa.

Edited April 16, 2012 by uptheos

[Mapguy]

Why the slur about Thailand? Rather than "BS," I suggest that the problem from time to time has to do with Immigration's apparently periodic concern with "marriages of convenience" and nothing to do with economic development, or whatever "development" Uptheos had in mind. Official Thai concern should be no surprise, certainly! And that concern might be increasing.

Although it doesn't address Uptheos' point exactly (Yes, I have read his post!), to find somewhat similar concern, one would only have to refer to America where immigration officials are quite sensitive to "marriages of convenience" and can be extremely rigorous in confirming the bona fides of a marriage. Granted that that has to do with initial approval of visa status, but, given a lack of rigor and the extraordinary tolerance of Thai Immigration in the past, it might just be that Thai officials need to do some "double checking." What about divorces or compliant girl friends, for example? Are you surprised ?!

On another point, having to do with asking for documentation of pensions, again I ask if are you

surprised !! The cheating of Americans, in particular, is common knowledge just as there is cheating more broadly concerning minimum Thai bank deposits to demonstrate personal financial capability to Immigration.

[mallmagician]

Does anyone have a copy of the form we are to fill in when we do the extension. I like to go prepared. Is there a link to it somewhere?

Thanks

[mallmagician]

Ah, its ok, I have spares from last year I have just discovered.

Thanks for the input everyone.

Cheers

Phil

[NancyL]

hmm...when i got mine about 3 months ago, the officer tossed out the affidavit of income from the embassy and told me that i had wasted my money... and for the first time in 3 yrs, she asked for hard copies of my pension statements from CalPers...so i agree with above list, but suggest that the embassy statement is no longer being used... anyone else have similar recent experience?

This is big news. Hubby would love to just show immigration some pension statements, maybe our 1040 form (perhaps the kind people at Immigration can explain it to us). It would save him $50 a year if the income affidavit from the U.S. consulate was really a "waste of money" and all he had to do was show pension statements to get a 12-month retirement extension.

Or, Zippy, are you saying that the special treatment is just for those applying for a 12-month marriage extension?

Has anyone else had the same experience as Zippy?

[cardinalblue]

Can someone else verify that the approval from the USA embassy is no longer required and thus only hard copies of various income documents suffice?

CB

[zippydedodah]

hmm...when i got mine about 3 months ago, the officer tossed out the affidavit of income from the embassy and told me that i had wasted my money... and for the first time in 3 yrs, she asked for hard copies of my pension statements from CalPers...so i agree with above list, but suggest that the embassy statement is no longer being used... anyone else have similar recent experience?

This is big news. Hubby would love to just show immigration some pension statements, maybe our 1040 form (perhaps the kind people at Immigration can explain it to us). It would save him $50 a year if the income affidavit from the U.S. consulate was really a "waste of money" and all he had to do was show pension statements to get a 12-month retirement extension.

Or, Zippy, are you saying that the special treatment is just for those applying for a 12-month marriage extension?

Has anyone else had the same experience as Zippy?

i have no idea if the same "rule" is being applied to retirement visas (meaning, no need to show consulate notarized statement). I don't even know if the "rule" will apply to me next year! hahahaha... i have seen the same officer apply a different requirement for a friend of mine, just the next day after my application. in his case, she demanded he provide the original leases (from his properties in UK), and then provide his bank statements from his british account, showing that those lease amounts did indeed get deposited.... and she made no mention of his consular income statement.... so, as with so many things in thailand, mileage may vary. However, next year, i will not pay for or provide a consular statement and see what she says... she remembers us from year to year as she always talks to my wife and tells my wife to quit wasting rent money and tells her about good properties to buy, etc... and we have only been here 3 yrs, going on 4...

[Lifer]

In a developed country a marriage certificate would be sufficient.

On second thoughts in a developed country none of this BS would be necessary after the initial granting of the visa.

That's for sure!

[Lifer]

Why the slur about Thailand? Rather than "BS," I suggest that the problem from time to time has to do with Immigration's apparently periodic concern with "marriages of convenience" and nothing to do with economic development, or whatever "development" Uptheos had in mind. Official Thai concern should be no surprise, certainly! And that concern might be increasing.

Although it doesn't address Uptheos' point exactly (Yes, I have read his post!), to find somewhat similar concern, one would only have to refer to America where immigration officials are quite sensitive to "marriages of convenience" and can be extremely rigorous in confirming the bona fides of a marriage. Granted that that has to do with initial approval of visa status, but, given a lack of rigor and the extraordinary tolerance of Thai Immigration in the past, it might just be that Thai officials need to do some "double checking." What about divorces or compliant girl friends, for example? Are you surprised ?!

On another point, having to do with asking for documentation of pensions, again I ask if are you

surprised !! The cheating of Americans, in particular, is common knowledge just as there is cheating more broadly concerning minimum Thai bank deposits to demonstrate personal financial capability to Immigration.

I hope they ask for it all, if it, means getting rid of the ones that try to slide by falsifying documents. If they are marrying for convenience I suggest that one day they will be getting divorced for the convenience of the Thai spouse.

Edited April 18, 2012 by Lifer

[Lifer]

hmm...when i got mine about 3 months ago, the officer tossed out the affidavit of income from the embassy and told me that i had wasted my money... and for the first time in 3 yrs, she asked for hard copies of my pension statements from CalPers...so i agree with above list, but suggest that the embassy statement is no longer being used... anyone else have similar recent experience?

Think that is an anomaly. Not a good idea to let TV married members think it that affidavit isn't accepted. Do not know which office you are referring to, but accepted for sure at Chiangmai office. Everyone should go prepared. If one doesn't want to pay the fee, transfer the required money into a bank account and get your bank letter and copies of book showing money in the bank.

[Lifer]

Regrding the marriage extension: My personal opinion ( sure nobody wants it, but giving it anyway) is that immigration officers take into account everything about your case, kind of like profiling for lack of a better word, by looking at the documents you present, how long you've been married, etc. etc. (including how your dressed) Then decide what they want to ask for within their scope of responsibility based on each couple. My wife and I have been doing it so long now and never have any of the problems posters talk about. Only in the firwst couple years when I wasn't preapred with the required docs did we have an adjustment period. Now I go with more than required just in case they ask.

I do know that when the top boss in the office changes, the new one may have the officers ask for additional information. We went many years without any map and pictures. Now they ask. We provide them. Only once about three years (out of 14) ago did she spotcheck for proof of affidavit amount. I had the proof ready for her. Next time I offered it, she said no, just need the affidavit.

If your above board and have everything ready no problems. If not, you will be ask for the missing items. Just get them and your finished. Read many posters on TV that get mad at immigration when things don't go their way. It's not their fault. Would you want their jobs at immigration and have to deal with hordes of customers day in, day out all needing some service. And please don't tell me they get paid mfor being there. There is not enough pay in the vault to entice me to work in that office.

[chiangmaibruce]

Thanks for the replies folks. Think I've got it all covered.

Hi. Would you mind letting us know how you fare? esp. in relation to the embassy statement

I am also due for the 12 month ext visit quite soon. Cheers. Bruce

[BB1955]

I made sure to ask before I left CM immigration last time, that if I provided my statments from my pension office , would I still need the affidavit from the US embassy . She assured me that I would still need it . This was the first time I had ever been asked for proof I had income to match the embassy affidavit .