I was just in Penang two weeks ago (July 17-July 21st) to renew my visa as I am married to a Thai citizen and have children born in Thailand; and when I presented my marriage certificate and children's birth certificates, they asked me for a bank statement which I never had to bring before. I went ahead and paid the 500 ringit fee for a multi-entry one year non-immigrant "o" visa; and the man working there said that it was not enough; and he claimed that I needed to have a bank statement with proof that I have over 500,000 baht in the bank. I told him that I didn't have that and turned in my paperwork plus the visa fee anyway. And the next day, I picked up my passport with a one year multi-entry non-immigrant "o" visa in it; and the man asked me to bring a bank statement next time. Has anyone else heard of this new requirement for the Royal Thai Consulate in Penang? And is the way it is going to be down there from now on? Please let me know. Thanks.

I was just in Penang two weeks ago (July 17-July 21st) to renew my visa as I am married to a Thai citizen and have children born in Thailand; and when I presented my marriage certificate and children's birth certificates, they asked me for a bank statement which I never had to bring before. I went ahead and paid the 500 ringit fee for a multi-entry one year non-immigrant "o" visa; and the man working there said that it was not enough; and he claimed that I needed to have a bank statement with proof that I have over 500,000 baht in the bank. I told him that I didn't have that and turned in my paperwork plus the visa fee anyway. And the next day, I picked up my passport with a one year multi-entry non-immigrant "o" visa in it; and the man asked me to bring a bank statement next time. Has anyone else heard of this new requirement for the Royal Thai Consulate in Penang? And is the way it is going to be down there from now on? Please let me know. Thanks.

My opinion is that the consulate in Penang prefers to deal with the Visa agents rather than people turning up on their doorstep Last year I renewed my 'O' visa with just my marriage certificate ....This year I've a different problem, that nobody's answered yet ? -

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=77217

Edited July 31, 200619 yr by geoffphuket

Geoff Phuket,

Did you use an agent last year? And all you needed was your Thai marriage certificate? Thanks for you reply.