Marry an Indonesian girl and get a 25 year visa.

[fatdrunkandstupid]

For those members who are contemplating marrying a Thai girl to get an O visa, I would suggest that marrying an Indonesian girl is a much better option.

There has recently been legislation passed in Indonesia to improve the rights of those married to one of its citizens.

It is a FIVE YEAR visa with a five extensions for a total of 25 years stay.

Having a family friendly visa option like this still remains a distant dream for those married to a Thai.

[bermondburi]

Sounds good.

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[wym]

Surely people choose who to marry and where to live on more important criteria than just the visa issues.

And what happens at the end of 25 years?

You might have to do a little paperwork once a year in Thailand, but barring unforeseen changes, you're free to stay here for life.

The whole WP/visa thing really isn't that big a deal IMO, minor inconvenience at most.

[Spoonman]

So will this Indonesia visa allow me to live in Thailand ?

[fatdrunkandstupid]

Surely people choose who to marry and where to live on more important criteria than just the visa issues.

And what happens at the end of 25 years?

You might have to do a little paperwork once a year in Thailand, but barring unforeseen changes, you're free to stay here for life.

The whole WP/visa thing really isn't that big a deal IMO, minor inconvenience at most.

Stay here for FREE....you're joking right....

Everyone here, even those married for years with kids and a business are here on a STRICTLY user pays basis.

Oh and with the Indonesian visa, after the final fifth extentsion (25 years) you pay for another visa which can also be extended for 25 years...simple.

[wym]

Surely people choose who to marry and where to live on more important criteria than just the visa issues.

And what happens at the end of 25 years?

You might have to do a little paperwork once a year in Thailand, but barring unforeseen changes, you're free to stay here for life.

The whole WP/visa thing really isn't that big a deal IMO, minor inconvenience at most.

Stay here for FREE....you're joking right....

Everyone here, even those married for years with kids and a business are here on a STRICTLY user pays basis.

Oh and with the Indonesian visa, after the final fifth extentsion (25 years) you pay for another visa which can also be extended for 25 years...simple.

I think you misunderstood my phrase "free to stay here for life"; I certainly didn't mean "free as in beer" - see here for clarification.

Personally I don't expect anyone to let me live somewhere for free, happy to pay as long as it's not that much per month on average.

My main point is that visa/wp arrangements are not an important factor in deciding where to live. The only thing I see as better in Indonesia is the restrictions on alcohol, but that preference is probably not shared by many here.

[fatdrunkandstupid]

Wym

My apologies.

Your comments on my other thread were lucid and well informed. You are obviously a wise bloke.

As an expat I view all potential places to live as products.

There products include various facets and attributes such as pricing, visa availability and ease of use, ammenities, dating opportunities....etc...etc...

The overwhelmingly negative facet of product Thailand for me is their visas.

I find their policies disgustingly anti family. Forced visa runs for O visas are a relevant example. Absence of a long term spouse visa is another.

[whiteman]

can you buy and own land there??? that could also be a big plus

[wym]

Thanks for the kind words, but IMO marrying someone specifically to get a visa isn't really "family friendly" either.

I'm not an expert, but once you have an "O" and are getting annual extensions to stay, are further visa runs really required?

[fatdrunkandstupid]

Thanks for the kind words, but IMO marrying someone specifically to get a visa isn't really "family friendly" either.

I'm not an expert, but once you have an "O" and are getting annual extensions to stay, are further visa runs really required?

And how often do you have to do you O paperwork?

[beachproperty]

WOW.....interesting thread .....marry someone just because you can get a longer visa and less hassle....NOT because you love them.

[BookMan]

WOW.....interesting thread .....marry someone just because you can get a longer visa and less hassle....NOT because you love them.

Lots of people in Indonesia, so I'm sure you could have both love and a visa

[speedtripler]

WOW.....interesting thread .....marry someone just because you can get a longer visa and less hassle....NOT because you love them.

most ex-pat or international marriages have some sort of visa / hassle attatched for at least one of the entrants .......love

[simon43]

FDaS - where did you get this interesting information from? Do you have an 'official' link?

Thanks

Simon

[beachproperty]

Thought this was a Thailand forum.....NOT an Indonesian one.

AND maybe this topic would be better in the Visa section

Be that as it may......Marry an American women and you can permanent residency, work, and own property! and after an certain time can even get citizenship!

Have great weather in Florida, New Mexico, Arizona etc.....with CHEAP places to live TOO!

[kingalfred]

WOW.....interesting thread .....marry someone just because you can get a longer visa and less hassle....NOT because you love them.

He is saying you can marry for love and have a loyal partner in Indo.Of course Thai women always, if not usually,marry farang for love. Hahahaahah

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Edited March 2, 2014 by kingalfred

[thailiketoo]

Surely people choose who to marry and where to live on more important criteria than just the visa issues.

And what happens at the end of 25 years?

You might have to do a little paperwork once a year in Thailand, but barring unforeseen changes, you're free to stay here for life.

The whole WP/visa thing really isn't that big a deal IMO, minor inconvenience at most.

Stay here for FREE....you're joking right....

Everyone here, even those married for years with kids and a business are here on a STRICTLY user pays basis.

Oh and with the Indonesian visa, after the final fifth extentsion (25 years) you pay for another visa which can also be extended for 25 years...simple.

My visa extension costs about 5 baht per day. I have not left Thailand in more than a decade.

[Beetlejuice]

Surely people choose who to marry and where to live on more important criteria than just the visa issues.

And what happens at the end of 25 years?

You might have to do a little paperwork once a year in Thailand, but barring unforeseen changes, you're free to stay here for life.

The whole WP/visa thing really isn't that big a deal IMO, minor inconvenience at most.

Stay here for FREE....you're joking right....

Everyone here, even those married for years with kids and a business are here on a STRICTLY user pays basis.

Oh and with the Indonesian visa, after the final fifth extentsion (25 years) you pay for another visa which can also be extended for 25 years...simple.

I would not live in Indonesia if they gave me an Indonesian passport with a home and car thrown in for free. Who would want to live in a country one has to take pills for?

Yes true, ex-pats are only welcome to stay long term in Thailand if they can pay their way and fulfil the requirements as imposed by the Immigration department. For many of us this is not a problem and there are no complaints. It`s only tough on those who have to hassle here to financially sustain themselves, the ones that run illegal businesses, work illegally, having to be forever on their guard and struggling to continue on in Thailand.

Thailand only wants Westerners that are of benefit to the country; it is not a grazing ground of charitable status for those who want to escape their mundane lives back home. For me and others in similar situations, we obtain our incomes from abroad, pensions and so on, spend it in Thailand and in return we receive a much better standard of living for cheaper, it`s a give and take relationship. This is how the system works or is suppose to work.

If some people believe there are other countries that offer those of little wealth better deals, than why complain about how they are treated in Thailand? And why not go elsewhere instead? I can assure these people they would not be missed.

For those who plonk themselves here on a hope and a prayer that all will work out but struggle to hack it in Thailand, tough titties. No point it jumping into the deep end and moaning about it later.

[fatdrunkandstupid]

FDaS - where did you get this interesting information from? Do you have an 'official' link?

Thanks

Simon

Simon

No big secret, just not well known. The legislation was only acented recently.

Copy of legislation here:

http://www.expat.or.id/info/UU6-Tahun2011-ImmigrationLaw.pdf

Summarized as follows here:

http://www.indonesiaimmigration.com/index.php?mib=products.detail&id=0000000382

And yes you are allowed to work to provide for your family.

Cost of the visa is 3 million rupiah. About USD260.

[larsjohnsson]

WOW.....interesting thread .....marry someone just because you can get a longer visa and less hassle....NOT because you love them.

Well most Thai girls that marry farangs don't do it because they are in love

So it would't be worse if a farang did it for a long visa

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[fatdrunkandstupid]

So will this Indonesia visa allow me to live in Thailand ?

No but you can visit as often as you want, and not have Indonesian immigration burn up the pages in your passport with ridiculous re-entry permits and charge you 1000THB every time you want to leave the country...

[vtjforyou]

Guys really marry because of love ?

Feel pity on them to be so stupid to believe that love will last...

[andrewrooney]

This thread gives me such a warm fuzzy feeling ... thanks, everyone, for showing me that romance isn't dead!

[fatdrunkandstupid]

This thread gives me such a warm fuzzy feeling ... thanks, everyone, for showing me that romance isn't dead!

No this thread isn't about romance.

It is about the fact that the Indonesian Government has recently acknowledge that a better visa (residency) solution should be provided to expats married to an indonesian citizen.

They should be commended for their family friendly stance.

Here in Thailand expats can only dream of a 25 year visa...

And for those of you who have been talking down Indonesia, have you ever actually been there?

Of course I am not referring to Bali. It was great 25 years ago, but now it is a sh-thole like Phuket.

[lakecross]

Surely people choose who to marry and where to live on more important criteria than just the visa issues.

Marriage to me is a tool to citizenship, tax benefits, or other perks, it has no emotional connotations. I think marriage is an outdated concept, nobody needs a piece of paper to prove they love somebody and the younger generations in particular realise this.

[liddelljohn]

Indonesia has a religious restriction on marriage ,, and its strictly enforced different faiths cant marry ,

[SDM0712]

I'm not an expert, but once you have an "O" and are getting annual extensions to stay, are further visa runs really required?

No. Once you convert your visa to a marriage visa (it doesn't say that anywhere on the stamp) you don't need to do visa runs, just report to immigration every 90 days, and you are entitled to a work permit.

You have to apply for an extension to this visa every year at a cost of 1900 baht.

SDM

[Tywais]

Thought this was a Thailand forum.....NOT an Indonesian one.

Take a look at the top of the page and note it says 'Southeast Asia Forum'.

[RandomSand]

So will this Indonesia visa allow me to live in Thailand ?

No but you can visit as often as you want, and not have Indonesian immigration burn up the pages in your passport with ridiculous re-entry permits and charge you 1000THB every time you want to leave the country...

Indonesian have a entry/exit system that's linked to if you've paid tax!

Also, in my experience, Indonesia is a very bureaucrat country to sort visas out. It's far more complicated than Thailand. They won't even speak to you in English!! What about marriage... do you have to put down a $50k deposit to marry a local?

-All this, and more, is not clear and many bule do not trust the laws will be upheld.

[blabth]

It's amazing to see all this arguments towards the Thai rules. Guys check the situation in your own country if you would be Thai and come to live in your country. You think visa runs O visa etc. would be options. In most countries you have to know the language. With all the hassle Thailand is still easy going. To have 400K Baht on a bank account should not be a problem. You can get a work permit, what else you want?

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