extra documents were requested for non-immi O (marriage) in Phuket office

[andreww]

Folks,

Today I applied for my marriage-based non-immi O visa in Phuket office, and the following documents were requested in addition to the list I was given by a farang volunteer 2 months ago (thaivisa list is incomplete too):

1) Child's birth certificate. However, you dont have to mention your child anywhere else, which means if you dont bring your child along to the immigration office, they won't bother about the certificate. English version was accepted after my wife's frown.

2) Witness' house book. Moreover, one farang officer mentioned that witness could not be my or wife's relative, but Thai officer said it would be okay... anyway, we brought our masseur as a witness and had to drive back to Bangtao to grab her house book.

3) Copy of my ATM card... that was super weird request as the card does not even have my name on it. My income was proven by stat. decl. from AU embassy + Oz bank statements, but thai officer requested my wife's account statement too, but this requirement again was waived after my she stepped in.

4) Copy of our real estate agent's passport.. That's in addition to condo house book + confirmation from the agency that we rent there + rental agreement.

All that seemed like a clumsy bribetaking attempt, but as we strongly oppose such culture, the issue was promptly escalated to the main officer, and she somewhat stopped the first guy from requesting more nonsense papers from us.

As we were sitting there, my wife spotted a thai lady trying to offer a 1000 baht note to an officer to "help her with papers", but officer noted my wife's attention and refused the money, "not now" he said.

So, heads up, everyone. A farang officer said "each of them [thai officers] has different requirements", which I think means they expected to be bribed, even if all necessary documentation is in place and you're 100% eligible for requested visa type.

[digitalchromakey]

Also presume that you were in fact applying for an extension of Permission to Stay based on Thai Family (National Police Order 777/2551 Case 2.18[3] - Thai Spouse).

Nothing that unusual about your list of extra documents requested in Phuket, other than.

I) Not sure why you were asked to produce a witness.

ii) Photocopy of your ATM Card, now that's weird.

Copies of the landlords ID Card and House book are normally requested, but your landlord is a foreigner, hence the passport - I am surprised that Phuket didn't want to see the Agent's Work Permit as well, they must have been busy.

It may well feel like they are trying to get you to pay 'under the table', but in Phuket such payment is not necessary, providing that you can produce the correct requested documents.

[IMA_FARANG]

It is always possible for the immigration officer to ask for "other documents as required"....... to prove your case.

How that statement is interpreted is their choice.

But they have the right to legally ask if they desire to.

[PattayaPhom]

Witness required for 1st extension

[96tehtarp]

Nothing that unusual about your list of extra documents requested in Phuket, other than.

I) Not sure why you were asked to produce a witness.

ii) Photocopy of your ATM Card, now that's weird.

To compare experiences here; my application for extension based on marriage was made well before this latest coup d'état and I was not asked for a witness.

The Thai immigration police instead came to my house, 4 of them, and interviewed one of my neighbors. They took a written statement from him, and copies of his ID, Tabian Bahn etc.

It seems the witness requirement is being implemented differently in different regions. It shouldn't be a worry. I listened closely to the interview given to my neighbor and it was a simple verification of the facts my wife and I gave at our interview earlier at the immigration office.

I'm still scratching my head wondering why the OP was required to provide a copy of his ATM.

During my home visit by the four smiling immigration police they made sure to shoot lots of video around the house with their (i)pads. I thought they were quite sly about that.

[Headgame]

ATM is asked for in Phuket to 'prove' you have a method for withdrawing funds from a foreign bank account.

[digitalchromakey]

Witness required for 1st extension

Never come across this in Phuket before.