UPDATE on Spousal Visa and the new rules

[eeworldwide]

Just to provide some very clear and "from the horse's mouth'" information I have received, direct from Immigration in Chaeng Wattana.

I have been travelling into Thailand on a 30 day tourist visa for some time.

I am married to a Thai and we have 4 children. We have been married for 11 years.

I have a business in the UK and travel in and out of Thailand regularly.

Just before my 30 day Tourist Visa expires, I visit Immigration in Chaeng Wattana and apply for a "visiting thai wife and children" visa.

Immigration gives me 60 days.

Today I was told that I can continue my process as usual - when this 60 day visa is up, I can fly into any neighbouring country and reenter immediately on a tourist visa.

Then I can begin the cycle again.

They are not targeting people in my category. They are targeting visa runners and those abusing the system or working illegally.

HOWEVER.

WARNING - DO NOT OVERSTAY ON YOUR VISA!!! The rules (suitably vague, Thai-style) State that if you can over-stay for "LESS THAN 1 YEAR" they can ban you from re-entering for at least another year.

If you are caught at immigration at the airport ( which you WILL be if you have overstayed) you are playing with fire. Even if you have overstayed by a couple of days.

This is information that I have direct from immigration officers today.

So there you have it. For those in my category, I hope this makes brings a little ray of clarity.

They also told me that if you are a tourist and doing border runs, they are not necessarily going to completely deny you re-entry.

What they have said to me today, is that if you are doing a land border run, when you try to re-enter, they may be lenient and give 3-5 days, depending on the judgement of the officer on duty.

They MAY deny you entry if they suspect that you are working illegally or abusing the system.

I was also told that if you do an AIR Visa Run, you are less likely to encounter problems on re-entry.

Please don't shoot this messenger, I am just passing on what I was told from a top official in the immigration dept today.

Thanks for reading.

Edited July 18, 2014 by eeworldwide

[Franky Bear]

Thanks

[RandomSand]

Not very clear information (thanks Thailand) but thanks, OP, for sharing.

Edited July 18, 2014 by RandomSand

[cornishcarlos]

You mentioned visas a couple times?

Do you mean you come in on the 30 day visa exempt option and then extend that for 60 days (marriage).

That is what I usually do but was thinking about going to Savvankhet next month for a 12 month multi entry Non O visa.

Did they say that after a 60 day extension, you can do an out/in and back onto a 30 day exempt ??

This seems to be the biggest area of confusion for lots of people, actual visas and extensions.

[Rooo]

Moved to visa forum.

[Lite Beer]

Yes, the op is confused.

He obtains a Visa excempt entry at the airport.

He obtains a 60 day extension of stay at Immigration.

[ChrisB87]

"If you are caught at immigration at the airport ( which you WILL be if you have overstayed) you are playing with fire. Even if you have overstayed by a couple of days"

I though it was only people who overstay by more than 90 days will be blacklisted?

[ubonjoe]

There are a lot of posts that are now gone. Time to start all over again.

To the OP you have been getting visa 30 day exempt entries not tourist visas. The form you fill in on entry is your arrival card not an application.

You obtained a 60 day extension to visit your wife at immigration.

It would be much better to get a multiple entry non-o visa based upon marriage rather than what you have been doing. You can get one in Savannakhet Laos.

The new overstay rules have not gone into effect yet. A stay of less than 90 days will not result in blacklisting unless you are caught with it not on departure from the airport.. This has been covered in topics of this forum.

[Lite Beer]

Not saying your information was wrong.

Just that using the wrong terminology confuses the issue.

Visa. Visa on Arrival. Visa Exempt Entry. Extension of Stay.

All totally different things.

[eeworldwide]

"If you are caught at immigration at the airport ( which you WILL be if you have overstayed) you are playing with fire. Even if you have overstayed by a couple of days"

I though it was only people who overstay by more than 90 days will be blacklisted?

that's exactly what I thought.

I may well be wrong - however - I guess it depends on the "being apprehended" issue:

[up-country_sinclair]

I remember reading that immigration officers at Suvarnabhumi used to let people slide if they were less than 24 hours overstay. Is that still true, or is any amount of overstay going to bring down the hammer?

[ubonjoe]

I remember reading that immigration officers at Suvarnabhumi used to let people slide if they were less than 24 hours overstay. Is that still true, or is any amount of overstay going to bring down the hammer?

That is still being done. You don't pay the fine for an overstay of less than 24 hours.

I don't think the new rules will change that.

[ubonjoe]

"If you are caught at immigration at the airport ( which you WILL be if you have overstayed) you are playing with fire. Even if you have overstayed by a couple of days"

I though it was only people who overstay by more than 90 days will be blacklisted?

that's exactly what I thought.

I may well be wrong - however - I guess it depends on the "being apprehended" issue:

There are 2 parts to what you posted the upper one covers doing it voluntarily which is what going to the airport and paying the fine.

Apprehended means being caught with it at a check point and etc. When that happens there is no 90 days.

[vtjforyou]

And you believe what this guy has told you ?

You certainly also play lottery...

This guy is nothing and know nothing just as any other, the guy who decides is the guy at the border and will stop you IF HE WANTS !

[enuff said]

.

This is just the type of rambling, semi-coherent post that causes more confusion and concern than it alleviates.

I know the OP is trying to help but, lawd a' mighty does he twist up the effort.

I hope he takes the good advice and gets the proper visa as he really is not a tourist.

'nuff said

~

[Time Traveller]

Well hopefully they make the marriage extension of stay less cumbersome. The outside and inside house pictures, the bank statements, letters, balance updates, the rental contract + house registration of the landlord + ID card of the landlord + non-related thai witness + ID card of witness + childrens birth certificates etc etc.

Supposing your landlord refuses to give you a copy of their ID card or house registration. Then what do you do?

[krisb]

Hmm, Aussies in a similar situation (married to a Thai) can get 90 days, then re enter.

That info comes from the Thai consul in Aust.

Not sure how long that can go on for, or even how long the re entry is issued for, I never asked.

[krisb]

Well hopefully they make the marriage extension of stay less cumbersome. The outside and inside house pictures, the bank statements, letters, balance updates, the rental contract + house registration of the landlord + ID card of the landlord + non-related thai witness + ID card of witness + childrens birth certificates etc etc.

Supposing your landlord refuses to give you a copy of their ID card or house registration. Then what do you do?

Find a new landlord, or buy a property.

[balford]

I don't see the relevance of this in terms of a Spouse/Marriage Visa which is renewed annually.

The rules as I know them are that Baht 400,000 is required in a bank account in the applicant's name OR Baht 40,000 per month income, plus the marriage certificate, photos of the property, plans of the property, etc., and then you await the process which may take quite a while before you have the visa extension stamp. I have a retirement visa so correct me if I'm wrong.

But, the Thai embassy in Canberra has informed a mate who is settling in Thailand later this year that the Spouse/Marriage visa no longer requires the Baht 400,000 and that the application form is much simpler and takes only three days to process. I have seen nothing in support of this and I wonder what the interpretation will be (if it is confirmed) at the various immigration offices and Chiangmai in particular.

Bob A. Relaxed in Lampang

[nahkit]

I arrived on a 30 day visa exempt expecting to stay for 21 days but due to circumstances beyond my control I can't return to work. I went to the immigration yesterday to get a 60 day extension based on marriage which they gave me. I asked the immigration official what my options were if at the end of the extension I still wanted to stay in Thailand. He told me to do exactly what the op was told "leave and come back on a new 30 day exempt".

[cornishcarlos]

I don't see the relevance of this in terms of a Spouse/Marriage Visa which is renewed annually.

The rules as I know them are that Baht 400,000 is required in a bank account in the applicant's name OR Baht 40,000 per month income, plus the marriage certificate, photos of the property, plans of the property, etc., and then you await the process which may take quite a while before you have the visa extension stamp. I have a retirement visa so correct me if I'm wrong.

But, the Thai embassy in Canberra has informed a mate who is settling in Thailand later this year that the Spouse/Marriage visa no longer requires the Baht 400,000 and that the application form is much simpler and takes only three days to process. I have seen nothing in support of this and I wonder what the interpretation will be (if it is confirmed) at the various immigration offices and Chiangmai in particular.

Bob A. Relaxed in Lampang

Again, terminology confusion..

A Non O visa (based on marriage) does not require 400k.. A year extension of stay based on marriage does require this financial commitment.

Maybe an immigration 'terminology' page needs to be pinned for people to reference what they have/need ??

[ubonjoe]

I don't see the relevance of this in terms of a Spouse/Marriage Visa which is renewed annually.

The rules as I know them are that Baht 400,000 is required in a bank account in the applicant's name OR Baht 40,000 per month income, plus the marriage certificate, photos of the property, plans of the property, etc., and then you await the process which may take quite a while before you have the visa extension stamp. I have a retirement visa so correct me if I'm wrong.

But, the Thai embassy in Canberra has informed a mate who is settling in Thailand later this year that the Spouse/Marriage visa no longer requires the Baht 400,000 and that the application form is much simpler and takes only three days to process. I have seen nothing in support of this and I wonder what the interpretation will be (if it is confirmed) at the various immigration offices and Chiangmai in particular.

Bob A. Relaxed in Lampang

That would be to get multiple entry non-o visa based upon marriage at the embassy not an extension of stay at immigration they were talking about.

[laislica]

I don't see the relevance of this in terms of a Spouse/Marriage Visa which is renewed annually.

The rules as I know them are that Baht 400,000 is required in a bank account in the applicant's name OR Baht 40,000 per month income, plus the marriage certificate, photos of the property, plans of the property, etc., and then you await the process which may take quite a while before you have the visa extension stamp. I have a retirement visa so correct me if I'm wrong.

But, the Thai embassy in Canberra has informed a mate who is settling in Thailand later this year that the Spouse/Marriage visa no longer requires the Baht 400,000 and that the application form is much simpler and takes only three days to process. I have seen nothing in support of this and I wonder what the interpretation will be (if it is confirmed) at the various immigration offices and Chiangmai in particular.

Bob A. Relaxed in Lampang

I am sure that UbonJoe can clarify this.

The visa required is a Non Imm- O, when based on marriage and the marriage certificate is presented, the visa is easily obtained.

Later, in Thailand and before the visa expires, you apply for an Extension based on Marriage.

Then the 400Kb, the photos, the blue book, the ID card copies, independent witnesses etc are required.

Initially you get a 30 day stamp whilst all paperwork is "sent to head office", within 30 days, when approved, you visit Imm again for a stamp for the balance of 11 months.

The retirement extension is easier to get but requires 800Kb and you CANNOT have a WP.

Like you, I also go with the retirement extension as it's easier and done on the spot for a year if all your paperwork is in order.

[ubonjoe]

I don't see the relevance of this in terms of a Spouse/Marriage Visa which is renewed annually.

The rules as I know them are that Baht 400,000 is required in a bank account in the applicant's name OR Baht 40,000 per month income, plus the marriage certificate, photos of the property, plans of the property, etc., and then you await the process which may take quite a while before you have the visa extension stamp. I have a retirement visa so correct me if I'm wrong.

But, the Thai embassy in Canberra has informed a mate who is settling in Thailand later this year that the Spouse/Marriage visa no longer requires the Baht 400,000 and that the application form is much simpler and takes only three days to process. I have seen nothing in support of this and I wonder what the interpretation will be (if it is confirmed) at the various immigration offices and Chiangmai in particular.

Bob A. Relaxed in Lampang

I am sure that UbonJoe can clarify this.

The visa required is a Non Imm- O, when based on marriage and the marriage certificate is presented, the visa is easily obtained.

Later, in Thailand and before the visa expires, you apply for an Extension based on Marriage.

Then the 400Kb, the photos, the blue book, the ID card copies, independent witnesses etc are required.

Initially you get a 30 day stamp whilst all paperwork is "sent to head office", within 30 days, when approved, you visit Imm again for a stamp for the balance of 11 months.

The retirement extension is easier to get but requires 800Kb and you CANNOT have a WP.

Like you, I also go with the retirement extension as it's easier and done on the spot for a year if all your paperwork is in order.

People do exaggerate what is needed.

Most of what you wrote is correct.

The witnesses are not needed at all offices. Some offices do that instead of doing a home visit.

It is 400k baht for 2 months or an income of 40k baht income.

You get an under consideration stamp with a report back date either 30 days from the date you apply or from your permit to stay date (it varies by region). The application is sent to the regional headquarters for the part of the country where you live. You will get a one year extension of stay stamp after approval because the 30 days is not an extension.

I have done 6 extensions (number 7 in a couple of weeks) of stay based upon marriage and have found them not that hard to get. A few extra documents, 4 photos and one additional trip to immigration is certainly not worth the extra financial proof needed to get an extension for retirement.

Getting an extension of stay based upon marriage does allow you to get a work permit and work which retirement does not allow.

[laislica]

<deleted quote of a removed post and a reference to it>

I want to stay long time in Thailand and also a long time in outside countries I need an extension to a non imm o visa true or a new non imm O visa every year.

The costs of a new visa is more than the extension when you take into account the costs of secure courier and the visa fee than the retirement extension plus re-entry permit.

I choose a single re-entry permit as that is usually all I need and saves me 2,800b.

(This year is different due to a family tragedy) I had to buy a second re-entry permit 1,000b.

(Still 1,800b ahead assuming we stay on schedule from now on)

Since I don't want to work, I don't need a WP.

I am lucky that the funds at 800Kb is no problem.

So why need a much longer time to get my extension?

The timing of the extension is important if you are not totally full time in Thailand.

The initial 30 day stamp extends that period.

From what UbonJoe wrote, do you always get a 30 day stamp on application, followed by a years extension once the application is approved?

If that's the case, the renewal time extends by one month every year and that would not suit me.

Some Imm offices allow renewal applications up to 45 days before expiry, some 30 but it would quickly become a timing problem for me, I would have to be in Thailand for more than a month to obtain the extension, at a time that didn't suit me. It is not allowed to get the extension unless you are in Thailand.

I prefer to be in Thailand from mid November to about April/May.

I make sure that the funds are in a liquid bank account 90 days before application for the extension, I am here and can do that easily.

I extend mid to end March. Then I can lock the funds in a higher interest account for 8 months or so.

I can repeat this procedure every year at the same time with the retirement extension. Not sure about the marriage extension so I don't even think about it.

If my assumption about the 30 day stamp above is wrong, then maybe I will consider a marriage ext in future to lock up less funds.

I hope this answers your question.

Edited July 19, 2014 by ubonjoe

[sturdyd]

Well hopefully they make the marriage extension of stay less cumbersome. The outside and inside house pictures, the bank statements, letters, balance updates, the rental contract + house registration of the landlord + ID card of the landlord + non-related thai witness + ID card of witness + childrens birth certificates etc etc.

Supposing your landlord refuses to give you a copy of their ID card or house registration. Then what do you do?

You've got something there. If they'd like to cut down on visa abusers why not make obtaining the proper visa less cumbersome? And, yikes!, then renew every year, report every 90 days? Come on, give us guys trying to follow the rules a little break, huh?

[bamboozled]

Here is a post from yesterday about someone getting a Non-O in London. It seems very simple and he did not show any income proof. Is this a fluke?

"I have just received my passport back from the Thai Embassy in London, complete with multiple entry Non-immigrant O visa based on marriage to a Thai. Just to confrim I did not need to show proof of any income to get this, just a copy of my Thai wedding certificate and copies of wifes Thai ID card and passport all of which were signed by her. The application took just 48 hours to process, cost £135 which included special delivery return, but can only be paid for by cash or postal order.

It appears that the information on the Embassy Website is misleading, i checked before submitting the application, both with the Embassy and a couple of the consulates and was told you only needed to show proof of income if applying for a non-immigrant o visa if you intend to get married in Thailand and apply for a marriage visa.

Hope this clears up a lot of the confusion regarding non immigrant visas based on marriage to a Thai."

[ubonjoe]

<deleted quote of a removed post and a reference to it>

I want to stay long time in Thailand and also a long time in outside countries I need an extension to a non imm o visa true or a new non imm O visa every year.

The costs of a new visa is more than the extension when you take into account the costs of secure courier and the visa fee than the retirement extension plus re-entry permit.

I choose a single re-entry permit as that is usually all I need and saves me 2,800b.

(This year is different due to a family tragedy) I had to buy a second re-entry permit 1,000b.

(Still 1,800b ahead assuming we stay on schedule from now on)

Since I don't want to work, I don't need a WP.

I am lucky that the funds at 800Kb is no problem.

So why need a much longer time to get my extension?

The timing of the extension is important if you are not totally full time in Thailand.

The initial 30 day stamp extends that period.

From what UbonJoe wrote, do you always get a 30 day stamp on application, followed by a years extension once the application is approved?

If that's the case, the renewal time extends by one month every year and that would not suit me.

Some Imm offices allow renewal applications up to 45 days before expiry, some 30 but it would quickly become a timing problem for me, I would have to be in Thailand for more than a month to obtain the extension, at a time that didn't suit me. It is not allowed to get the extension unless you are in Thailand.

I prefer to be in Thailand from mid November to about April/May.

I make sure that the funds are in a liquid bank account 90 days before application for the extension, I am here and can do that easily.

I extend mid to end March. Then I can lock the funds in a higher interest account for 8 months or so.

I can repeat this procedure every year at the same time with the retirement extension. Not sure about the marriage extension so I don't even think about it.

If my assumption about the 30 day stamp above is wrong, then maybe I will consider a marriage ext in future to lock up less funds.

I hope this answers your question.

The 30 day under consideration stamp does does not extend your permit to stay. When you get your new extension stamp it starts from the date your permit to stay ends.

My permit to stay date is in the same day and month it was when I got my first extension 6 years ago.only the year has changed.

[apalink_thailand]

Not saying your information was wrong.

Just that using the wrong terminology confuses the issue.

Visa. Visa on Arrival. Visa Exempt Entry. Extension of Stay.

All totally different things.

I don't suppose someone has reliable knowledge of how many visa exempt entries are allowed per year? I do not mean back to back. I travel out of Thailand for work for 28 days,then return on visa exempt 30 day stamp for 28 days. This has been happening since October last year soI have had 5 of these entries so far (Oct, Dec, Feb, Apr and June). I am due back in to Bangkok for the next 28 day leave on Tuesday. Worried I am gonna get stopped and sent back.

Anyone have any idea?

[ubonjoe]

Not saying your information was wrong.

Just that using the wrong terminology confuses the issue.

Visa. Visa on Arrival. Visa Exempt Entry. Extension of Stay.

All totally different things.

I don't suppose someone has reliable knowledge of how many visa exempt entries are allowed per year? I do not mean back to back. I travel out of Thailand for work for 28 days,then return on visa exempt 30 day stamp for 28 days. This has been happening since October last year soI have had 5 of these entries so far (Oct, Dec, Feb, Apr and June). I am due back in to Bangkok for the next 28 day leave on Tuesday. Worried I am gonna get stopped and sent back.

Anyone have any idea?

There will be no annual limit on the number of entries you can do.

The will be looking for out/in entries. Meaning just leaving for no other reason than re-entering to get another 30 day entry. Your 28 day rotation does fall under that.. You should not have a problem entering. Perhaps an extra question or two is all,