Obtaining A One-years Visa

[Toni]

Hi!

I am sure that some questions I pose have been answered already over and over and over! I tried to avoid double questions by studying a lot of oldies but at the end one is getting lost or I am not clever enough.

At the moment I have at least 8 Cambodian tourist visa in my passport covering a 4-months stay and, upto now, a 6 months stay continuing. In between the 2 stays a lap of 2 months (out of the Kingdom).

I have been self-employed in Europe and now “free-lance”, so without monthly proves of income (50+).

I am legally married with a Thai woman.

As I am tired of the lasting visa-runs I will transfer shortly around Baht 400.000 to be able to generate the necessary guarantee as demanded by Immigration.

So, I think, I have to go for a 12 month, multi entry NI visa to be obtained at any Thai Embassy/Consulate in the world because of I am married to a Thai citizen (I am not stuck to the country I live).

* Now, some rules concerning the monthly income are not 100% clear to me: being married and showing Baht 400.000 (which have to stay at the bank-account for 40 days?) is sufficient or can it be that some Embassies are insisting to see prove of monthly income?

* As I don’t want to go back to Europe to visit the Embassy in the country I “live”

Which Asian country can be recommended to go to? Once I have heard that Sri Lanka has an “easy-going” Embassy but I don’t want to go on holidays.

* Immigration mentioned somewhere in the rules that it is necessary to show a non criminal record, which I only can obtain in the country where I lived I think. If so that means that I have to go back to Europe to obtain. I almost cannot believe that they are asking such a document when I read your news clips!

*As I am selling my property in Europe isn’t it better to wait until I have sold and to enter with millions in stead of 400.000 before doing unnecessary things?

Worrying is the statement: “And, the final decision on visa application/issue or entry into the Kingdom will always be at the discretion of the immigration officer”.

That means, that when you encounter an officer in a bad mood (like we experienced already in a District office to marry) you stay with empty hands in another country!

Thanks in advance

[lopburi3]

1. You are married which means you can obtain a single entry non immigrant O visa from most Consulates. The multi entry is not available at most Consulates but you do not need that to extend your stay on a yearly basis inside Thailand in any case. For the visa you will need to show your marriage certificate and likely a copy of you wife ID card. There is no other requirement at most Consulates.

2. With that visa you enter Thailand and receive a 90 day permitted to stay. During the last 30 days of that you visit immigration office with wife and paperwork for an extension of stay (bank book with the 400k or more will then be required). You fill out a form TM.7 extension of stay and put 365 days and pay 1,900 baht and are interviewed. You are then given a short extension of stay and return to get your full year (from date of last arrival). This may take 45 days or some months and during that time it is advisable to keep account above 400k or not lower than would be a normal month or two requirement for support.

3. If you do not want to do the immigration extension of stay you, being over 50, can probably obtain a multi entry non immigrant O visa from Penang by just showing a bank account book from Thailand with several hundred thousand baht in it. But then would have to make visa runs every 90 days.

4. The criminal record is normally a part of application for a retirement one year pre approved visa in your home country - not for a normal visa.

5. At the very least I would do para 3 now.

[astral]

You should apply for a single entry Non Imm O visa, based on your marriage.

You will need to show your marriage certificate and a copy of you wife's

id, plus your own passport and photo.

The embassy will not be interested in your income or bank statement.

Then you can enter Thailand and will be stamped in for 3 months.

Near the end of the 3 months you can go to immigration with your wife and apply for a 1 year extension based on marriage.

At this time you need the 400K in the bank and need to keep it there until the application procedure is complete, around 40 days usually.

At this time your wife will be interviewed about where you met and life together etc. Your home will be visited and someone local will need to vouch that you live together as man and wife. It is a good idea to have the wedding photos available to show the visiting officers.

It may be a little tedious, but a fairly routine procedure.

Strangely enough there is no need for a criminal record check.

That is only for retirees applying for a oney year visa, overseas.

I hope this clarifies matters for you.