My Options as A Farang woman marrying a Thai Guy

[snowpea83]

Hi All,

I am currently in Thailand on a non-b visa with a work permit. I work full-time (well much more than full time actually), but I would like to know the opinions of other farang women who have married Thai's.

I worry about down the road with babies etc and not being able to work... Should I apply to change to a marriage visa? Will this give me more flexibility in regards to working or not working. Being a mum etc? I intend on continuing to work, but I would like the option of just being a mum in the future and worry about getting kicked out of the country!

If anyone else has been down this road before, your input would be helpful. I would post this in the visa section, but I think for us women their are a lot more considerations at stake than just a visa.

I would love to hear how others how managed this, both career girls and stay at home mums

Thanks,

Sophie

[Lite Beer]

Getting a twelve month extension from Immigration based on your marriage would be pretty straight forward and much easier than a foreign man in the same position.

You can also get a work permit with this option.

[crazykopite]

I would imagine it would be easy to get an extension of stay plus a work permit if married to a Thai national good luck for your forthcoming marraige I am sure a Thai male is no better/worse than any other male whatever their nationality

[Boo]

Several posts removed.

The op asked for advise on visa not to hear bitter vitriol about Thai men.

Keep it to yourself. No one cares.

[Mudcrab]

Visa is the last thing you should be concerned about...it will work itself out. If you love your man and are happy...go for it...wish you well for your future together

Don't listen to the many losers on TV...be happy and enjoy life with your hubby and future family

[Boo]

If you, for whatever reason lose your job having a non o based on marriage & extentions is a good idea anyway as it means you dont have to apply for a new visa.

[96tehtarp]

If you marry, or are married, best get your extension (1-year) based on marriage.

That way you can get a work permit anytime you want or don't want, and it will not affect your extension. Many people have 1-year extension based on retirement/marriage and still work with a work permit. This way if you quit your job and your work permit is cancelled you can still stay in Thailand as the grounds for your extension is not work.

[thaipak]

Based on marriage/ teacher work permit status you would be eligible to apply and get resident status depending on your nationality in 3-5 year time, which will take care of your yearly visa requirements once for all. Also, you will not need to do 90 days reporting even you still carry a work permit. If you want to leave for another country you get a re-entry visa. Another thing if you still want to teach after marriage you can do so or just stop teaching and become house wife based on your married status. No need work permit.

ALI

[Boo]

I've removed yet more post of no benefit to the ops question.

No one cares if your wifes ex thai husband was no good, my mum married an english man who drank, took drugs, cheated & never sent any money. Maybe your wife should have avoided a western man because of it. Really. It's laughable how tiny minded some of you are.

The op didn't ask for relationship advice so go spout your views down the pub where someone might give some poos for your opinion.

[Cmmum]

Being on a spouse non o myself, i have found that it is definitely an advantage to be able to choose the option of being a stay at home mum (the option I have currently chosen!) or being able to work instead it's certainly worth a thought! Good luck either way.

[Cmmum]

I'm just thinking though, for ease, if I was sure that I wanted to work for the rest of my current visa/extension, I would wait to change it to a marriage extension when my next extension is due - others might have more thoughts on that though

[lostmebike]

If you are married, just get an o visa. No worries with not working if your visa is connected to your marriage, yet if you wish to work, you can also work on the o.

Edited November 29, 2013 by lostmebike

[bitcoinbob]

i have been happily married to my thai wife ofr 13 years, have two boys no problems in marriage only problem we have are visa related. first few years its cute immigration 5 times a year with a marriage visa 90 day check ins and yearly renewal, now its is just a hassle that grinds at me. if i had to do it over again i would have married a women were there was a clear path to citizenship. just something to think about

[notbkk]

Keep in mind that even if you get residence status by marrying, you are not guaranteed a workpermit as the company you works for must oblige to the 'one farang, four Thai' rule. (Thanks for removing my very informative post of marrying a Thai man)

Sent from my RM-821_apac_thailand_319 using Tapatalk

[FiftyTwo]

If you are married, just apply for Thai citizenship.

Hardly any hard requirements for a foreign lady married to a Thai man.

[Boo]

There is some requirement, not as simple as some people might think plus a long (several years) waiting, there is a tax requirement & a period of continuous extensions but it could be an option for the OP. Check in the thailand visa section. There is a long thread about citizenship there & most information relating to the application is included.

[wileycoyote]

Enjoy being in love

[FiftyTwo]

There is some requirement, not as simple as some people might think plus a long (several years) waiting, there is a tax requirement & a period of continuous extensions but it could be an option for the OP. Check in the thailand visa section. There is a long thread about citizenship there & most information relating to the application is included.

1 years tax records showing an income of 15k/month, after a married person extension of stay for 1 year.

No financial requirement for the woman to get the marriage extension of stay.

[Boo]

A reminder for those unable to read.

The op is aking for information on a visa. Any posts slagging off thai people will be removed.

Anyone with a post already removed will next get a warning & suspension if they post the same drivel again

[dighambara]

In your shoes, I would look into a residence permit. I have met a few foreign women married to Thai men - all received permanent residence permits within a few weeks of their husband applying on their behalf.

I do not know if country of citizenship is important, but two of the women were from Laos and one from the Philippines.

[TheNativeSon]

I've removed yet more post of no benefit to the ops question.

No one cares if your wifes ex thai husband was no good, my mum married an english man who drank, took drugs, cheated & never sent any money. Maybe your wife should have avoided a western man because of it. Really. It's laughable how tiny minded some of you are.

The op didn't ask for relationship advice so go spout your views down the pub where someone might give some poos for your opinion.

[guavagirl]

You can get an extension based on marriage with a non-imm B visa. The visa and WP are connected to your work but the extension is not, therefore if you leave your job you do not lose your extension of stay.

As far as residency is concerned, I was told that even with this as a foreigner you still need a WP to work. Not sure if it is true or not but this is what I was told when I was looking into it.

[sadhukar]

Damn, looks like I was too late for the show

Boo: these people are the same sad tossers every topic, everywhere. Maybe you guys should think about actually suspending some of them?

OP: I am genuinely curious and not trying to troll or flane here, but why a Thai man? Reason I ask is because white women generally aren't attracted to asian men. Or it seems so anyway.

Edited November 29, 2013 by sadhukar

[sbk]

Or so some like to think, I am married to a Thai man as is Boo. Everyone has different tastes and best leave it at that.

And yes, the sad boys who can't seem to keep their own unwanted opinions to themselves will find themselves suspended if they post one more.

Back to the topic

There is no need for PR its expensive and unnecessary.

Convert to a non-O on your next renewal and then get the one year extension based on marriage to a Thai husband, her wp would still be up to how many employees regardless of what visa she has so that information while well meant is irrelevant.

Once you have the non-O you have some breathing room to apply for citizenship.

[menorah]

Hi Sophie,

from my male perspective, I would favour obtaining the most comprehensive visa available or for that matter seeking residency.

Irrespective of the possible pitfalls of this or any other interracial marriage, there may be pre-existing benefits or benefits in the future upon which you may later be able to draw.

As a previously married foreigner to a Thai wife, I enjoyed zero benefits from my visa and I'm sure you're aware that Thailand central government isn't the most embracing of foreign governments. That said, I believe it may hold a more lenient view with regard to a farang wife.

Bearing in mind the Thai 'mantra' of family cohesion, it would appear very counterproductive to Thai image if a legally resident, married judicious foreign woman, was forcibly separated from her Thai child and husband over some technicality or subsequent change to Thai immigration law.

Assuming you have tangible experience of Thailand;...living, working, language; both verbal & written and are in no sense 'running away from your past', then you have every chance of making a success of things....even more so if your partner is supportive, encouraging, hugely patient and damn good looking : )

I hesitate to include love too early in the text as, from experience I can vouch that no matter how much you love someone it helps exponentially more if you know them too !

Best of luck whatever you decide to do.

[Lucie]

Hi Sophie,

I have been in Thailand for 17 years, and was on a non-immigrant B visa for a few years while working. Then when I married, I went and got a non-immigrant O visa instead, which is easy as long as you find out beforehand what documents they need (loads, but not generally hard to find).

While foreign men married to Thai women need to show an income or huge savings in order to extend their visa, for once sexism works in our favour - by law, it is deemed that your husband is financially supporting you, and so you don't need to show any savings or income. You turn up once a year at the immigration office, with your husband and a pile of documents, and you get a one-year extension for 1,900 Baht. (90-day reporting still has to be done, but that can be done by post so is not a hassle).

There is an option to apply for permanent residency or citizenship a few years down the line, but I have never felt the need - although it's cheap and easy for natives of other Asian countries, it's extremely expensive and time-consuming for Westerners. The once-a-year extensions are easy.

Then if you take time off work to look after children (which I did for a year for each of my two kids) then you don't have to bother with changing visas. You can carry on renewing your O visa without a break. When you DO work, you can get a work permit on that visa, no problem.

I hope this helps!

[FiftyTwo]

There is an option to apply for permanent residency or citizenship a few years down the line, but I have never felt the need - although it's cheap and easy for natives of other Asian countries, it's extremely expensive and time-consuming for Westerners. The once-a-year extensions are easy.

Just to correct you.

There is no requirement for a married person to apply or obtain PR. (PR first was removed in 2008)

The application fee for citizenship is 5,000bht. Hardly expensive.

[DGIE]

bitcoinbob said:

Posted Today, 17:29

i have been happily married to my thai wife ofr 13 years, have two boys no problems in marriage only problem we have are visa related.

maybe you will think now if you continue to marry..

[Boo]

OP is asking for OPTIONS on visas not OPINIONS on her relationship. Just sayin'

[phitsanulokjohn]

I wish you all the very best sweetheart.