Marriage Visa Is Making Me Grumpy!

[mjj]

I just got back from immigration after submitting some paperwork for them to check before I have the necessary 2 months 400k and they drop a bombshell on me. We do not own a house so my wife is in the blue book for he grandmothers house. Because of this we have to go to that province to apply for the visa. We do not live in that province. What a massive pain in the aris.

So do all of you guys either own a house, live in your wife's home town or make the trek across provinces?

[lopburi3]

You are required to make application in the province you actually reside. If she is not on that blue book just get copy of the book she is listed and then alternate proof of residence. Immigration must be able to visit you in home to check your living together at the location you provide them.

[mjj]

Yeah, that makes sense, but it is not what immigration have told us. We live in Trang and they refused to do the visa, so we called Nakhon Sri Thammarrat immigration (where my wife is registered) and they said we have to do it there. And we need to take a guarantor to act as proof that we live together.

[CWMcMurray]

In the past, before we bought our house but renting in Bangkok, we were still able to do the extension here

We had rental contract and I was working, so had a work permit showing my company here in Bangkok

They also asked me to write a letter advising that we actually lived in Bangkok and stating that it would be a hardship to do the extension in the same location as wife was registered in Blue book

Then submitted the letter to supervisor and was approved to extend in Bangkok. Did so every year since... Although we bought a house here a few years back, so no longer an issue

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

[lopburi3]

Trang province does not have an immigration office - only a checkpoint AFAIK so should refer you to Satun which covers Trang province. But if NST agrees to provide would just go there if that is the home ledger location.

Satun Immigration Office

Last Updated by Maestro on Oct 9, 2009

—— Postal address —— Immigration Office
Buriwanich Road
Amphoe Mueang
Satun 91000
ถนนบุรีวานิช
ตำบลพิมาน
อ.เมือง
จ.สตูล 91000

[mjj]

I said Trang as its a province and people may have heard of it. The actual office is in Kantang.

[lopburi3]

And that is just a checkpoint - not a real immigration office for extensions of stay - this is the most current information we have and the places that issue extensions are the black color on it - Satun covers the province of Trang as well as Satun.

http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/2notice/20120208_imm_map.jpg

[mjj]

That's further away lol!

Thanks anyway.

[muratremix]

My wife's blue book still registered in Buriram but we live in Bangkok, never had a problem with extension in Bangkok Immigration.

First one was tricky, they asked condo rental agreement. Second one (last year) I don't remember about asking for rental agreement or anything. We live in a house now but my wife did not moved herself to this new tabien ban yet.

[MichaelJohn]

Don't you just need to show where you live?

My wife still has her ID in Buriram but when we lived in BKK I took a copy of the condo rental agreement (only her name not mine) and got visa in BKK.

Now we moved to Korat and have our own house we have a blue book (with no one registered in it) and we go to Korat immigration office (my wife is still registerd in Buriram).

[mjj]

Maybe the office in Kantang is just being awkward. Either way it is causing a bit of a headache. A month ago we went to the Kantang office to make sure we had everything, which we did, now a week before my visa runs out we get told this. Really annoying. Plus we have to go and register our son in a blue book also, which means an extra 4 hours on the trip.

I really don't get this blue book thing. My wife hasn't been at that address for over 10 years and my son has never and will never live at that address. But c'est la vie....

Thanks for the replies guys.

[lopburi3]

Off-topic rant and reply removed.

[Maestro]

Maybe the office in Kantang is just being awkward. Either way it is causing a bit of a headache. A month ago we went to the Kantang office to make sure we had everything, which we did, now a week before my visa runs out we get told this. Really annoying. Plus we have to go and register our son in a blue book also, which means an extra 4 hours on the trip.

I really don't get this blue book thing. My wife hasn't been at that address for over 10 years and my son has never and will never live at that address. But c'est la vie....

Thanks for the replies guys.

Is this the first extension of stay for living with your wife you are doing?

[SamsonSW]

I'm not an expert, but since no one's mentioned it just for practicality, it's not a big drama for a Thai to change their house registration.

The landlord needs to be willing of course, and only worth doing if you're planning on staying for a few years but for what it's worth another option.

[Maestro]

I have deleted two off-topic posts.

[Maestro]

I'm not an expert, but since no one's mentioned it just for practicality, it's not a big drama for a Thai to change their house registration.

The landlord needs to be willing of course, and only worth doing if you're planning on staying for a few years but for what it's worth another option.

You are right. Since the marriage extension is for living with Thai wife it is not unreasonable for the immigration officer to want to see proof that the applicant and his wife are registered as living at the same address.

[mjj]

Maybe the office in Kantang is just being awkward. Either way it is causing a bit of a headache. A month ago we went to the Kantang office to make sure we had everything, which we did, now a week before my visa runs out we get told this. Really annoying. Plus we have to go and register our son in a blue book also, which means an extra 4 hours on the trip.

I really don't get this blue book thing. My wife hasn't been at that address for over 10 years and my son has never and will never live at that address. But c'est la vie....

Thanks for the replies guys.

Is this the first extension of stay for living with your wife you are doing?

This will be my first marriage visa.

Changing my wife's registration to our current house (that we have been in for 2.5 years) is not an option as we are moving next month. Also as I was previously on a working visa (non b, I think) last year we had to show our rental contract and state we are both living at this address. It's all a bit barmy if you ask me.

[Shaunduhpostman]

You just never know what immigration will say or do. I have been here on work visas, student visas, now marriage and they have always made it a complete nightmare. I prefer to get a multiple entry non-O marriage which is a breeze to obtain at the Jakarta consulate and once I have that, leave the country every three months. To hell with the arbitrary immigration and going into their swamp to attempt to get the extension for the year. It is just state terror done poorly and I say done poorly because they allow you the option to simply avoid the whole thing by getting a multiple and going through the simple, straightforward process of getting stamped in upon rentering the Kingdom. Tho' apparently some officials feel that approach is some kind of crime, I saw some post where the guy described going to the embassy in Kuala Lumpur and they asked him, " Why were you leaving the country every three months? Why didn't you get an extension? You can't do that!"

[LeeThayer]

Ok, not a rocket scientist here. An extension of stay is very easy. For your wife, she need's to be registered in the town where you are together. I do beleive it is Thai law that changing places of residence, needs to be updated on their their ID cards within 90 days. Takes 30 minutes and about 40 baht for this, and is easy. By the way, you will need a paper from the Amphur for marriage, every year, this takes 20 minutes to, easy to do and not rocket science. Why not show the proof of residence and be done with it?

I have been doing the extensions for 8 years, no problem if you have the papaerwork correct

[mjj]

Ok, not a rocket scientist here. An extension of stay is very easy. For your wife, she need's to be registered in the town where you are together. I do beleive it is Thai law that changing places of residence, needs to be updated on their their ID cards within 90 days. Takes 30 minutes and about 40 baht for this, and is easy. By the way, you will need a paper from the Amphur for marriage, every year, this takes 20 minutes to, easy to do and not rocket science. Why not show the proof of residence and be done with it?

I have been doing the extensions for 8 years, no problem if you have the papaerwork correct

Well I'm certainly not a rocket scientist (isn't that just find something flammable and ignite it?).

When you say she just needs to change where her residence is, which applies to he ID card also, do you mean her blue book or is this something different.

They already have proof of residence and would be no problem to do it again. I hope it is as simple as you suggest, which leads me to wonder why immigration didn't just say that??

We have the paper for marriage from the Amphur, although ours is 10 years old which was OK for Kantang, but Nakhon needs one less that 6 months - which we got today.

[mjj]

Oh, just want to add that the Nakhon office said they will send someone from Hat Yai to visit us for proof that we live together - some 2 hours drive away!

[Maestro]

...I do beleive it is Thai law that changing places of residence, needs to be updated on their their ID cards within 90 days...

I believe the card holder's address is not stated on the Thai ID card.

[Maestro]

This will be my first marriage visa.

Changing my wife's registration to our current house (that we have been in for 2.5 years) is not an option as we are moving next month. Also as I was previously on a working visa (non b, I think) last year we had to show our rental contract and state we are both living at this address. It's all a bit barmy if you ask me.

So last year you got a one-year extension for employment? At what immigration office was that extension issued? Looking at the the extension stamp, you will probably find the office name at the top of the stamp.

[Maestro]

I have removed a troll post and the reply to it.

[IsaanAndy]

You just never know what immigration will say or do. I have been here on work visas, student visas, now marriage and they have always made it a complete nightmare. I prefer to get a multiple entry non-O marriage which is a breeze to obtain at the Jakarta consulate and once I have that, leave the country every three months. To hell with the arbitrary immigration and going into their swamp to attempt to get the extension for the year. It is just state terror done poorly and I say done poorly because they allow you the option to simply avoid the whole thing by getting a multiple and going through the simple, straightforward process of getting stamped in upon rentering the Kingdom. Tho' apparently some officials feel that approach is some kind of crime, I saw some post where the guy described going to the embassy in Kuala Lumpur and they asked him, " Why were you leaving the country every three months? Why didn't you get an extension? You can't do that!"

If you have a Non O marriage visa then you can get a 1 year extension my submitting the correct paperwork as detailed on the Thai Imm' website. I have been doing this for 5 years. It is your choice to leave every 3 months and not report to your nearest Imm' office every 90 days.

[jacko45k]

I have a friend who will prepare 2 packages for submittal, one with the necessary 400k and a marriage visa application, plus another that certifies his pension, and will get him up to the 800k limit for a regular retirement extension. He claims you are never sure where the marriage one will go, they don't like doing them, and might put obstacles before him.

Good luck.

[mjj]

This will be my first marriage visa.

Changing my wife's registration to our current house (that we have been in for 2.5 years) is not an option as we are moving next month. Also as I was previously on a working visa (non b, I think) last year we had to show our rental contract and state we are both living at this address. It's all a bit barmy if you ask me.

So last year you got a one-year extension for employment? At what immigration office was that extension issued? Looking at the the extension stamp, you will probably find the office name at the top of the stamp.

All at the same Kantang office, by the same person. I have been on a non b for two years now.

Anyway, I will be going for a nice 7 hour drive today to hopefully get everything in place for Nakhon.

[Rsquared]

Ok, not a rocket scientist here. An extension of stay is very easy. For your wife, she need's to be registered in the town where you are together. I do beleive it is Thai law that changing places of residence, needs to be updated on their their ID cards within 90 days. Takes 30 minutes and about 40 baht for this, and is easy. By the way, you will need a paper from the Amphur for marriage, every year, this takes 20 minutes to, easy to do and not rocket science. Why not show the proof of residence and be done with it?

I have been doing the extensions for 8 years, no problem if you have the papaerwork correct

Not rocket science you say.....my local Amphur has no idea what a marriage certificate is or a Kor Ror 22 is for that matter. I would get a better response if I walked in there and asked for a return ticket to the moon.

I am going in today for the fifth time, dragging a "well known" member of our village to try and get some common sense out of these people to hopefully get my KR 22......rocket science is child's play compared to getting anything done at this place.

[asiaexpat]

...I do beleive it is Thai law that changing places of residence, needs to be updated on their their ID cards within 90 days...

I believe the card holder's address is not stated on the Thai ID card.

Thai ID card states the persons address on the front side lower parts and must match Tabein Baan per law (not enforced well.) When applying for Thai welfare benefits such as medical card the clerk checks for this and may refuse the service if they do not match.

[Maestro]

So last year you got a one-year extension for employment? At what immigration office was that extension issued? Looking at the the extension stamp, you will probably find the office name at the top of the stamp.

All at the same Kantang office, by the same person. I have been on a non b for two years now.

Anyway, I will be going for a nice 7 hour drive today to hopefully get everything in place for Nakhon.

So this confirms that the Kantang office does issue extensions of stay, after all, even though current information on the Immigration Bureau website does not list it as one of the offices authorised for it:

www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/en/base.php?page=south