Can any kind soul tell me, do you need a Police Clearance Certificate/letter from your local gendarmerie (saying you have been a good boy) to apply for either a Marriage "O" visa or a Retirement "OA" visa in BKK or overseas?

Any reply about applying in BKK or overseas would be grateful as some websites (incl Immigration Soi Suan Plu and Thai Visa.com) do not mention it, but some overseas embassies & consulates say it is a must!!

TiT!!

If the embassy says it's needed, then that embassy wants to see it. They make up their own rules.

Can any kind soul tell me, do you need a Police Clearance Certificate/letter from your local gendarmerie (saying you have been a good boy) to apply for either a Marriage "O" visa or a Retirement "OA" visa in BKK or overseas?

Any reply about applying in BKK or overseas would be grateful as some websites (incl Immigration Soi Suan Plu and Thai Visa.com) do not mention it, but some overseas embassies & consulates say it is a must!!

TiT!!

In 2003, the Houston consulate required a criminal history record from my local law enforcement office when I initially applied for an O-A retirement visa. In 2005 when I applied for another O-A retirement visa, they no longer required the criminal history record.

If you need to get police certificates from other countries for Thailand, see how to get them under "related links" in Police Clearances & Offences.

Can any kind soul tell me, do you need a Police Clearance Certificate/letter from your local gendarmerie (saying you have been a good boy) to apply for either a Marriage "O" visa or a Retirement "OA" visa in BKK or overseas?

Yes.

Required for:

– Non-immigrant visa OA

Not required for:

– Non-immigrant visa O, for any purpose

– Extension of stay based on non-immigrant O, for any purpose.

TiT!!

No TIT involved here. It’s all very straight forward and has been reported in this forum umpteen times.

--------------

Maestro

Edited March 13, 200620 yr by maestro

Cheers my dears for all above info.

Really, at the end of the day, to stay in LOS, 400K under yer belt (for a Marriage Visa with no gendarmarie letter is tantamount to the same as a Retirement Visa (800K, soon to be 1.2 mill??? with a letter from the local boys in blue).

Is Singapore a better bet than Penang for a Non Imm Marriage application, anyone know?

Big A

In 2003, the Houston consulate required a criminal history record from my local law enforcement office when I initially applied for an O-A retirement visa. In 2005 when I applied for another O-A retirement visa, they no longer required the criminal history record.

That seems strange to me.

Just out of idle curiosity, why did you need to apply for another O-A?

Really, at the end of the day, to stay in LOS, 400K under yer belt (for a Marriage Visa with no gendarmarie letter is tantamount to the same as a Retirement Visa (800K, soon to be 1.2 mill??? with a letter from the local boys in blue).

If you apply for a non-imm O for purpose of retirement, then in Thailand apply for annual extension, no police clearance is required.

There are some notable differences between extensions of an non-imm O for support of Thai wife or for retirement, aside from the required amount of funds in the bank:

Option to apply for work permit: “support” yes, “retirement” no.

Speed of extension approval: “support” mostly 40 days, 3 trips to immigration (some recent reports mentioned immediate approval for 2nd and subsequent extensions); “retirement” immediate approval, 1 trip only to immigration.

Presence of wife required at immigration: “support” yes, “retirement” no.

--------------

Maestro