What are the advantages of getting a registered marriage re visas etc

[Kenny202]

Pretty much aware of the disadvantages of a registered marriage but was wondering what the advantages

were as far as the need to renew visas, government health care etc. Anything else?

[gopis108]

With a spousal visa we are allowed a one year stay but we still have to do 90 days reports.I am married but I was on a retirement one year visa,the imm.officials told me it is better to use the spousal because that leads one to the option of applying for the permanent residence after three years.Also the marriage(spousal) visa money requirement is only 400,000 baht rather than 800,000 Baht for the retirement visa.Cheers.

[Krataiboy]

None. Unless you are desperately hard up and/or daft enough to want residency.

[OmarZaidMD]

It depends on how conscious one is of one's destiny. I accepted mine wholeheartedly and since our official registration, my wife whips out my "yellow card' residency certificate and the smiles become genuine--for the most part--thus greasing whatever metaphysical skids need it at the moment. And since she's a retired schoolteacher and former beauty pageant winner, and once they are told I am a Medical Doctor, things change for the positive even if our goal cannot be reached.

I also made it a point to sponsor her son's 'monkdom' and since then the entire village speaks rather highly of this tolerant and generous falang who is madly in love with one of their prominent daughters and also happens to be a Muslim.

I'd say it's for the better, all-in-all, provided you know the lady well enough to also know she and the decision are, how shall I say it? -- 'In the Cards' eh?

Edited November 20, 2014 by OmarZaidMD

[mihalis]

Depends, if you think she's a gold digger, then why marry... Just like being married elsewhere in the world, all has to be registered, to be legal..

[BKKSnowBird]

How about health insurance if she is a government employee?

[Liquorice]

It's not a Visa, it's an extension of stay based on marriage to a Thai citizen.

There is no government healthcare plan.

You can get a Work Permit based on marriage to a Thai, but not based on retirement.

Extension of stay based on retirement requires 800,000 baht in a Thai bank, or a monthly income of 65,000 baht, or a combination of the two to meet the financial requirements.

Extension of stay based on marriage requires 400,000 baht in a Thai bank, or a monthly income of 40,000 baht to meet the financial requirement.

[Liquorice]

BKKSnowBird, on 20 Nov 2014 - 11:14, said:

How about health insurance if she is a government employee?

A lot of government 'employees' do not get any health cover.

Government Officials/Officers and some 'employees' do get healthcare which includes their spouses.

It depends on their individual contracts of employment.

[BKKSnowBird]

I knew an american guy covered because his wife worked for the government. Maybe she had a good job. Also new a guy covered and his wife was a nurse at a government hospital.

Edited November 20, 2014 by BKKSnowBird

[Hatyaier]

How about health insurance if she is a government employee?

I am covered by wife's insurance from her government job even though she has since retired.

I have to pay up front, then she gets reimbursed. (Of course I don't get to see that money.)

Apparently I can get my fingerprints scanned, then no need to pay but haven't got around to it.

Edited November 20, 2014 by Hatyaier

[Anon999]

BKKSnowBird, on 20 Nov 2014 - 11:14, said:

How about health insurance if she is a government employee?

A lot of government 'employees' do not get any health cover.

Government Officials/Officers and some 'employees' do get healthcare which includes their spouses.

It depends on their individual contracts of employment.

As far as I'm aware if they are Civil Servants they get healthcare along with their spouse and parents, and other close relatives.

[Anon999]

How about health insurance if she is a government employee?

I am covered by wife's insurance from her government job even though she has since retired.

I have to pay up front, then she gets reimbursed. (Of course I don't get to see that money.)

Apparently I can get my fingerprints scanned, then no need to pay but haven't got around to it.

For most things I just have to sign, however, some items are outside the scheme. Never had my fingerprints scanned.

[HHTel]

There is no government healthcare plan.

You can get a Work Permit based on marriage to a Thai, but not based on retirement.

There's always one idiot that spouts crap and pretends to 'know things'. YES there is a government healthcare plan and NO you cannot get a work permit based on marriage to a Thai!

What planet do you people come from.

"A wise man speaks when he has something to say"

"A fool speaks when he wants to say something"

[Liquorice]

HHTel, on 21 Nov 2014 - 02:11, said:

Faz, on 20 Nov 2014 - 11:17, said:

There is no government healthcare plan.

You can get a Work Permit based on marriage to a Thai, but not based on retirement.

There's always one idiot that spouts crap and pretends to 'know things'. YES there is a government healthcare plan and NO you cannot get a work permit based on marriage to a Thai!

What planet do you people come from.

"A wise man speaks when he has something to say"

"A fool speaks when he wants to say something"

HH, As it was a foreigner who asked the question, I replied accordingly to his situation. There is no Government Health scheme for foreigners.

The previous 'Health Scheme for Foreigners' card that was being issued last year, was stopped in June. That scheme was only meant for Lao, Cambodian and Myanmar workers, not general foreigners. It ceased when they realised the error of their ways.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/739396-health-cards-for-foreigners-ceased/page-2?hl=%2Bmedical+%2Bhealth+%2Bscheme+%2Bfor+%2Bforeigners+%2Bceased#entry8444952

I know a few foreigners without any qualifications who have a WP based on marriage to a Thai.

http://www.thaiembassy.com/thailand/work-permit-basics.php

First of all, you will need to have a Non-Immigrant Visa before being able to apply for a Work Permit. The Thai Work Permit can be granted to expatriates who satisfy any or most of the following conditions:

If you are married to a Thai citizen with a legalized marriage registration, publicly cohabiting as husband and wife, and with a legal profession.

“The only thing more frustrating than slanderers is those foolish enough to listen to them.”

[BritManToo]

You are either married or not married.

Farcical outdated religious ceremonies are not considered marriage in any country.

A government marriage license is.

[OmarZaidMD]

It's not a Visa, it's an extension of stay based on marriage to a Thai citizen.

There is no government healthcare plan.

You can get a Work Permit based on marriage to a Thai, but not based on retirement.

Extension of stay based on retirement requires 800,000 baht in a Thai bank, or a monthly income of 65,000 baht, or a combination of the two to meet the financial requirements.

Extension of stay based on marriage requires 400,000 baht in a Thai bank, or a monthly income of 40,000 baht to meet the financial requirement.

My wife is retired government employee (teacher, 30 years) and i have full coverage under her benefits... so far have had teeth taken care of (dentures), and a new hearing aid, and even eye-glasses.

[Liquorice]

OmarZaidMD, on 21 Nov 2014 - 12:04, said:

Faz, on 20 Nov 2014 - 11:17, said:

It's not a Visa, it's an extension of stay based on marriage to a Thai citizen.

There is no government healthcare plan.

You can get a Work Permit based on marriage to a Thai, but not based on retirement.

Extension of stay based on retirement requires 800,000 baht in a Thai bank, or a monthly income of 65,000 baht, or a combination of the two to meet the financial requirements.

Extension of stay based on marriage requires 400,000 baht in a Thai bank, or a monthly income of 40,000 baht to meet the financial requirement.

My wife is retired government employee (teacher, 30 years) and i have full coverage under her benefits... so far have had teeth taken care of (dentures), and a new hearing aid, and even eye-glasses.

With the greatest of respect Omar, you are only covered because you are the spouse of a retired Government official.

A 'Civil Servant' is classified by definition as a member of the Civil Service, i.e. public servant, government official, government worker, civil service employee.

That would be our understanding from a western point of view.

In Thailand it isn't as such. Many government workers do not get free health care, nurses, doctors, teachers, police and those classified as Government Officers or Officials will get free health care but many of the administration staff and manual workers do not get free health care although they are employed by the government. I have a good Thai friend who is an Official for the tax office. She has a staff of 23 employees to run. Besides herself only 3 other members of staff have the 'Free Medical Insurance' as part of their contract.

Many of the Government ancillary workers are not afforded this benefit.

It is not so simple to say all 'Civil Servants' get the same benefits under their contract of employment in Thailand, it very much depends on their role and importance to the Government.

[marquis22]

There is no government healthcare plan.

You can get a Work Permit based on marriage to a Thai, but not based on retirement.

There's always one idiot that spouts crap and pretends to 'know things'. YES there is a government healthcare plan and NO you cannot get a work permit based on marriage to a Thai!

What planet do you people come from.

"A wise man speaks when he has something to say"

"A fool speaks when he wants to say something"

I think he knows more than you do!

"The only difference between a flower and a weed is someones opinion."

[colinneil]

My wife is a school director, free health care for me (finger prints scanned).

I had a serious accident 7 months in hospital,confined to my bed everything paid by Thai government.

Saturday had to go to hospital (change catheter). Wife showed my card no problem in /out 30 minutes.

Yes if you are married to senior government employee it helps.

No marraige certificate no help.

[Liquorice]

Gentleman, please read the links I posted in #14, before you make judgements.

Once again there is no government health scheme for foreigners in Thailand.

There are health schemes for Thais, which spouses and family members also get the benefits of. So if your fortunate enough to be married to a Thai who gets free health care as part of their contract of employment, you are indeed fortunate.

If you are married to a Thai and have an extension of stay based on marriage, you can get a Work Permit.

That fact is well documented in Thai Visa, Residency and Work Permits section

[Kenny202]

Sort of got off the track here a bit or maybe I wasn't clear. What I was really interested in was there any

residency benefits to marrying a Thai.....Ie not having to renew Visa's every year

Not really interested in a work permit however some sort of medical back up would have been good.

She doesn't work at a government office or factory or anything like that so she has no sort of plan

cover but she tells me Thais get very basic / limited free health at the local clinic.....something like

a pat on the back and a couple of para. If she was to have an emergency or accident she says she

gets free care in the hospital but its rough

[Liquorice]

Kenny202, on 24 Nov 2014 - 09:54, said:

Sort of got off the track here a bit or maybe I wasn't clear. What I was really interested in was there any

residency benefits to marrying a Thai.....Ie not having to renew Visa's every year

Not really interested in a work permit however some sort of medical back up would have been good.

She doesn't work at a government office or factory or anything like that so she has no sort of plan

cover but she tells me Thais get very basic / limited free health at the local clinic.....something like

a pat on the back and a couple of para. If she was to have an emergency or accident she says she

gets free care in the hospital but its rough

No in short.

Provided your over 50 you can either get a yearly extension of stay based on retirement or marriage.

To qualify for a marriage extension you must have either 400,000 baht deposited in a Thai bank, or a monthly income of 40,000 baht.

Your girlfriend is referring to what is commonly known as the 20 baht scheme.

It's a government health scheme for Thai citizens who have no other form of medical cover.

Some government hospitals charge 20 baht for a consultation, others charge nothing.

Depending on the diagnosis, medical treatment, surgery etc is available.

You will be notified of any costs for further treatment/operation.

Foreigners can register at the government hospitals and get the same treatment for the same cost.

They are usually very busy, overcrowded and a lack of English speaking staff.

There are private hospitals, but expensive for most.

[Kenny202]

I'm starting to wonder how secure retirement may be here for the future. I mean if you come here and make a life

who knows what could happen in a few years time if the Thais get sick of retirees living here. Is there any period of time

or conditions you can apply for permanent residency?

[Liquorice]

Kenny202, on 24 Nov 2014 - 21:21, said:

I'm starting to wonder how secure retirement may be here for the future. I mean if you come here and make a life

who knows what could happen in a few years time if the Thais get sick of retirees living here. Is there any period of time

or conditions you can apply for permanent residency?

http://www.thaiembassy.com/thailand/thai-permanent-residency.php

Thailand will never tire of retirees staying here. It provides a major source of income to their economy.

Good weather, good food, cheap cost of living.