GF is Thai, we are from US moving back to stay in Thailand

[Ksarwono]

Hello, im new to this forum but learned alot from all the thread here.

Me (indonesian) and my gf (thai national) met here in US and got engaged (not married yet)

and now we both are planning to move to Thailand for good.

So, I do have a little question regarding Visa and etc.

-Should i apply for a tourist visa when i'm going there with my gf (thai national) and then get married there or should i apply for another type of visa before i go there?

-My understanding is that, once i arrive, as fast as i could i would go to Indonesian embassy and get an affirmation to get married and legalized them in Thai language i could go to "khet" to get my marriage certificate, is that correct?

if yes when would i need to change my tourist visa? and to get what visa exactly?

-I know the tourist visa is only valid for 30 days, how do i extend them and what is the conditions?

Thank you all in advance for all the help/input. I cant wait to be there and get to know Thai in person

[Mario2008]

You should apply for a tourist visa, which gives you a stay of 60 days and that can be extended by 30 days.

If you want, you can get married in the US.

Once in Thailand you go to your embassy for an affirmation letter, with the proof your embassy requires to issue such letter. Once you have the letter you have it translated into Thai by a translation egency. next step is to have the letter and translation certified by the Thai foreign office, consular department. When that is done you should make copies of the documents for later (immigration can ask for them). Next you go to any amphur (or khet in BKK) to get married.

If you can then ask for a conversion to a non-immigrant visa based on your marriage, but will need proof of an income of 40,000 baht OR of having 400,000 baht in a bank account in Thailand.

[Ksarwono]

You should apply for a tourist visa, which gives you a stay of 60 days and that can be extended by 30 days.

If you want, you can get married in the US.

Once in Thailand you go to your embassy for an affirmation letter, with the proof your embassy requires to issue such letter. Once you have the letter you have it translated into Thai by a translation egency. next step is to have the letter and translation certified by the Thai foreign office, consular department. When that is done you should make copies of the documents for later (immigration can ask for them). Next you go to any amphur (or khet in BKK) to get married.

If you can then ask for a conversion to a non-immigrant visa based on your marriage, but will need proof of an income of 40,000 baht OR of having 400,000 baht in a bank account in Thailand.

Okay, lets say i do all things above. then i will need to apply a non-immigrant visa? how long after that til i can get my thai residency? was it 1 year if i have a baby and could provide all income req? Thank you !

[CaptHaddock]

If he were to get married in the US, he wouldn't need the affirmation letter. My wife and I were married in the US, although some years before, and I didn't have to get any documentation from the US Embassy. My wife did register the marriage with the amphur here in Thailand. If married in the US, he can get the non-imm O visa from a Thai consulate in the US. No documentation of assets required at that point.

[ubonjoe]

Okay, lets say i do all things above. then i will need to apply a non-immigrant visa? how long after that til i can get my thai residency? was it 1 year if i have a baby and could provide all income req? Thank you !

You can apply for residency or Thai citizenship if you are working here with a work permit and paying taxes for 3 years.

You have to be on extensions of stay for 3 years not a non-o visa.

[willyumiii]

If he were to get married in the US, he wouldn't need the affirmation letter. My wife and I were married in the US, although some years before, and I didn't have to get any documentation from the US Embassy. My wife did register the marriage with the amphur here in Thailand. If married in the US, he can get the non-imm O visa from a Thai consulate in the US. No documentation of assets required at that point.

I'm not so sure about this.

I married a Thai here in Thailand, after two and a half years she got her visa to live with me in the U.S. ( a very difficult and long process )

Six years later, we decide to live here in Thailand.

It was much easier for me to get my Non Immigrant ( based on marriage ) visa to stay here in Thailand than to get her into the U.S.

But.....I did have to show proof of income ( or money in a Thai bank ) to get the visa and have had to provide proof of income every year since to get my extensions.

If no documentation of assets is required, I wish you would inform the immigration office!

Edited January 8, 2015 by willyumiii

[TerryLH]

"If no documentation of assets is required, I wish you would inform the immigration office!"

I think you need to reread the post that upset you.

Thai immigration has nothing to do with getting a visa at a consulate.

If you extend the visa at an immigration office, there are financial requirements.

[CaptHaddock]

If he were to get married in the US, he wouldn't need the affirmation letter. My wife and I were married in the US, although some years before, and I didn't have to get any documentation from the US Embassy. My wife did register the marriage with the amphur here in Thailand. If married in the US, he can get the non-imm O visa from a Thai consulate in the US. No documentation of assets required at that point.

I'm not so sure about this.

I married a Thai here in Thailand, after two and a half years she got her visa to live with me in the U.S. ( a very difficult and long process )

Six years later, we decide to live here in Thailand.

It was much easier for me to get my Non Immigrant ( based on marriage ) visa to stay here in Thailand than to get her into the U.S.

But.....I did have to show proof of income ( or money in a Thai bank ) to get the visa and have had to provide proof of income every year since to get my extensions.

If no documentation of assets is required, I wish you would inform the immigration office!

When I got my first non-imm O at the Thai consulate in New York, no proof of assets (or income) was required. That first visa granted in NY allowed me to live in Thailand for a year, but I had to leave and re-enter every 90 days. I did leave at the first 90 day mark, but then applied for an extension for which only the 90 day reporting was required. With that extension and all the others since, I certainly did have to prove assets/income. At the time of the first application in NY I was surprised that no documentation of assets was required, but it makes sense. After all I could hardly be expected to show a balance in a Thai bank never having lived in Thailand at that point.

The Thai Consulate in NY was very easy to deal with. No waiting, no hassle.

Edited January 8, 2015 by CaptHaddock

[Ksarwono]

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If he were to get married in the US, he wouldn't need the affirmation letter. My wife and I were married in the US, although some years before, and I didn't have to get any documentation from the US Embassy. My wife did register the marriage with the amphur here in Thailand. If married in the US, he can get the non-imm O visa from a Thai consulate in the US. No documentation of assets required at that point.

Okay, lets say i do all things above. then i will need to apply a non-immigrant visa? how long after that til i can get my thai residency? was it 1 year if i have a baby and could provide all income req? Thank you !

You can apply for residency or Thai citizenship if you are working here with a work permit and paying taxes for 3 years.

You have to be on extensions of stay for 3 years not a non-o visa.

Thanks for all the input+stories but really, what is the best option here? to get marriage certificate in here or in Thai and should i apply as a tourist visa first then change it after i married there????

[paz]

Thanks for all the input+stories but really, what is the best option here? to get marriage certificate in here or in Thai and should i apply as a tourist visa first then change it after i married there????

If you marry in the US you can obtain a non-imm Visa in the US, then obtain an extension of stay in Thialnd with Bt 400,000 in bank.

If you marry in Thailand you can obtain the visa in a nearby country, or convert the tourist visa or visa exempt in Thailand when you obtain the extension above.

If you do not have money for the extension you will need get a multi-entry tourist visa in Laos and 60 days extension at time.

The final result is the same at the end the choice is your about where you want to marry.

Edited January 8, 2015 by paz

[ubonjoe]

If you get married in the US you will still need to register your foreign marriage here at an Amphoe to get a Kor Ror 22 if you want to get an extension of stay based upon marriage. The paperwork is almost the same as getting married here. It may even be more complex because you may have more difficulty doing a certification of the US marriage certificate.

IMO it would be best to get a tourist visa and get married here.

You can change to a non immigrant visa at immigration in Bangkok if you can meet the financial requirements for an extension of stay based upon marriage.

You can also go out and get a single or multiple entry non-o visa with no need for financial proof.

[Ksarwono]

If you get married in the US you will still need to register your foreign marriage here at an Amphoe to get a Kor Ror 22 if you want to get an extension of stay based upon marriage. The paperwork is almost the same as getting married here. It may even be more complex because you may have more difficulty doing a certification of the US marriage certificate.

IMO it would be best to get a tourist visa and get married here.

You can change to a non immigrant visa at immigration in Bangkok if you can meet the financial requirements for an extension of stay based upon marriage.

You can also go out and get a single or multiple entry non-o visa with no need for financial proof.

Thank you for the replies, but yes i think i will OPT for this option, get a tourist visa from US and then get married and do all paperwork in BKK then change my visa to O visa.

So just to be clear, IF i have 40kBaht in my bank acct i dont need to re-enter the country with the O visa correct? Also O visa is valid for 3 years?

[ubonjoe]

If you get married in the US you will still need to register your foreign marriage here at an Amphoe to get a Kor Ror 22 if you want to get an extension of stay based upon marriage. The paperwork is almost the same as getting married here. It may even be more complex because you may have more difficulty doing a certification of the US marriage certificate.

IMO it would be best to get a tourist visa and get married here.

You can change to a non immigrant visa at immigration in Bangkok if you can meet the financial requirements for an extension of stay based upon marriage.

You can also go out and get a single or multiple entry non-o visa with no need for financial proof.

Thank you for the replies, but yes i think i will OPT for this option, get a tourist visa from US and then get married and do all paperwork in BKK then change my visa to O visa.

So just to be clear, IF i have 40kBaht in my bank acct i dont need to re-enter the country with the O visa correct? Also O visa is valid for 3 years?

To get a one year extension of stay (it is not a visa) based upon marriage you need 400k baht in a Thai bank in your name only for 60 days or proof of 40k baht income.

To do a conversion from a tourist visa entry at Bangkok immigration to a non immigrant visa the money only has to be in the bank on date you apply.

To do the conversion requires 2 trips to immigration in Bangkok to get the visa/entry stamp. Unless live in or near Bangkok it would be best to go to any nearby embassy or consulate and get a single entry non-o visa.