Embassy Document for Marriage Registration - Letter from Employer?

[kanomsugar]

Hello,

I am from Austria and I am planning to marry my Thai boyfriend.

We have now already gathered all documents required from the Austrian embassy to issue a letter that we are allowed to marry (that is, we have got the "affirmation of marriage" from my home country, and we have my birth certificate, home registration, and - since I am currently working as a teacher in Thailand - a letter from my employer, stating that I am a full-time teacher at the school)

However - here is the problem:

I have only been employed by the school since September, and I am now still on a tourist visa since I just came back from Austria after renewing my passport. My plan was to get all the documents for marriage registration ready and apply for the work permit with the school with the marriage visa after we got married .

We will submit the documents to the embassy next week in order to get the required letter. However, I am now worried there could be a problem because the letter from my employer states that I am a full-time employee, but the visa in my passport is a tourist visa!

What do you think? And what do you suggest??

Thank you very much in advance!

(PS: The documents required for the embassy letter include a letter from the employer OR a bank statement. However, I am not rich and do not have 400,000 thb in a bank account in Austria :-( - and no regular salary besides my work here in Thailand! I know that women normally do not have to show a financial prove - at least for the visa - but I don't know how it works for this letter. Please advise. Thank you!)

[Falcon]

Hi,

There is no requirement for you to submit any letter from your employer in order to get legally married here in Thailand. All you need basically is the affirmation of free to marry signed and stamped from your embassy. There should be no financial proof or anything else needed from your embassy for this affirmation, except probably a payment for their services. They are giving you nothing but a letter saying you are not married in your own country, or anywhere else, and are free to marry. The 400k would be to show the immigration along with other things to obtain your 1 year extension of stay once you are legally married. Good luck,

[kanomsugar]

Ohh I just saw your reply now. Thank you! :-)

The legal requirement to show 400k exists for men only - but I am a woman ;-)

I have two more questions:

1) I will change my name. Do you think I can apply for marriage visa with my old passport after we get married, or do I need to apply for a new one first?

2) Is it possible to change from tourist visa to marriage visa in Bangkok, or do I have to leave the country and apply for a new visa from abroad as usual? (I have heard different opinions)

Thank you very much in advance! ^^

[Liquorice]

Your probably aware that your working illegally, so I wouldn't mention 'employer' to the authorities.

To answer your questions;

1. As far as I'm aware you can use either your maiden name or married name. You have the evidence of your birth certificate as proof of name in Passport and your marriage certificate as proof of changing name due to marriage. I would get your marriage certificate translated into English, but I see no need to change your passport.

2. Your correct that a woman doesn't need any proof of finances for a marriage 'extension'....not a Visa.

You cannot get a 'marriage extension' though from a Tourist Visa, you will first of all need to change your Tourist Visa to a Non Imm O Visa, which can then be changed to the marriage extension. You can get a work permit once you have that extension and legally work.

You can get everything completed in Bangkok. Agents can get you a Non Imm O and an extension based on marriage in one swoop, but the costs are high, almost 900,000 baht. It depends on your finances and need of urgency.

The other option is just to get your Tourist Visa changed to a Non Imm O Visa in Bangkok. You can then go to your own local Immigration Office to get an 'extension of stay' based on marriage. Takes more time but a lot cheaper doing it yourself.

[CharlieH]

At request.

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