What advantages to visa based on marriage?

[Cabrinha]

My business is in Vietnam and I travel there EVERY month, usually twice. I've been based in Thailand or Vietnam for 6 years. I'm married to a Thai. I've never bothered to get a Thai visa as I just always enter under the 30 day stamp. I don't really see many benefits to me to go and get one.

The one benefit I can think of is I can apply for a Thai driving licence if I have the visa. I've driven here for 6 years on my European and international driving licence. I've shown those to bib and they always wave me on.

So apart from the driving licence can anyone tell me any other benefit there would be for me to get the visa? I'm thinking at this stage that I do need to do it for the licence but it sounds like a whole lot of hassle.

Thanks for your advice in advance.

[ubonjoe]

Since you travel frequently a multiple entry non-o visa based upon marriage would be your best choice. It would give you unlimited 90 day entries for a year. You can get one in Savannakhet Laos for a fee of 5000 baht. No financial proof would be needed.

With the non-o you would not face the possibility of being pulled to the side on entry to be questioned about what you are doing here because you have done so many of them.

Plus the drivers license would be easier to get.

The other option is a one year extension of stay based upon marriage that requires 400k baht in a Thai bank for 60 days or proof of 40k baht income. But with your work schedule it would be difficult for you to apply for it due to the timing needed to apply and the 30 day under consideration period after applying.

[Cabrinha]

Thanks for the advice ubonjoe.

[Cabrinha]

If I get the multiple entry non o based on marriage as you suggest am I still required to do any reporting at immigration offices when I'm here?

[ubonjoe]

No reporting to immigration will be needed.

[connda]

Since you travel frequently a multiple entry non-o visa based upon marriage would be your best choice. It would give you unlimited 90 day entries for a year. You can get one in Savannakhet Laos for a fee of 5000 baht. No financial proof would be needed.

With the non-o you would not face the possibility of being pulled to the side on entry to be questioned about what you are doing here because you have done so many of them.

Plus the drivers license would be easier to get.

The other option is a one year extension of stay based upon marriage that requires 400k baht in a Thai bank for 60 days or proof of 40k baht income. But with your work schedule it would be difficult for you to apply for it due to the timing needed to apply and the 30 day under consideration period after applying.

Rhetorical question: but if no financial proof is needed, than what stops a foreigner married to a Thai from heading to Laos to apply for a new Marriage Visa every year if he doesn't have the funds necessary for an extension based on marriage?

[paz]

Rhetorical question: but if no financial proof is needed, than what stops a foreigner married to a Thai from heading to Laos to apply for a new Marriage Visa every year if he doesn't have the funds necessary for an extension based on marriage?

Nothing. Many people do that.

Edited January 27, 2015 by paz

[connda]

Rhetorical question: but if no financial proof is needed, than what stops a foreigner married to a Thai from heading to Laos to apply for a new Marriage Visa every year if he doesn't have the funds necessary for an extension based on marriage?

Nothing. Many people do that.

Hummm. Good to know. I always wonder what options farangs are going to have if their county's currency crashes against the Thai baht or the Thai baht appreciates against farang currencies. One day you're making 50K ฿ a month, the next you're making 25K ฿ because the exchange rate goes bonkers. "Bye bye honey. Say goodbye to the family and kids for me. The Thai government's kicking me out of the country because because I'm no longer 'making enough money' to stay in country. Hope you can find someone else to support you."

I do think about that - much too often in this day and age.

Edited January 27, 2015 by connda

[wileycoyote]

Interesting posting

[ColdSingha]

Rhetorical question: but if no financial proof is needed, than what stops a foreigner married to a Thai from heading to Laos to apply for a new Marriage Visa every year if he doesn't have the funds necessary for an extension based on marriage?

Nothing. Many people do that.

Hummm. Good to know. I always wonder what options farangs are going to have if their county's currency crashes against the Thai baht or the Thai baht appreciates against farang currencies. One day you're making 50K ฿ a month, the next you're making 25K ฿ because the exchange rate goes bonkers. "Bye bye honey. Say goodbye to the family and kids for me. The Thai government's kicking me out of the country because because I'm no longer 'making enough money' to stay in country. Hope you can find someone else to support you."

I do think about that - much too often in this day and age.

put 400K baht in a thai bank and this is not a problem

[MZurf]

"My business is in Vietnam and I travel there EVERY month, usually twice. I've been based in Thailand or Vietnam for 6 years. I'm married to a Thai. I've never bothered to get a Thai visa as I just always enter under the 30 day stamp."

I thought this option was no longer available due to the restrictions in the use of multiple visa-excempt entries per year. Am I missing something?

[ubonjoe]

"My business is in Vietnam and I travel there EVERY month, usually twice. I've been based in Thailand or Vietnam for 6 years. I'm married to a Thai. I've never bothered to get a Thai visa as I just always enter under the 30 day stamp."

I thought this option was no longer available due to the restrictions in the use of multiple visa-excempt entries per year. Am I missing something?

There is no limit on the number of visa exempt entries that can be done within any amount of time.

The only restriction is staying for the full 30 days and then leaving and re-entering immediately to get another entry.

[grabitanrun]

If I understand it, if I leave £8k in a Thai bank, which isn't really a lot of money, I will have no problems getting a visa when I start to spend more time in Thailand with my wife. Thinking of doing either 3 or 6 months at time and then going back to UK or travelling.

[Phimeow]

@UbonJoe,

Re: your comment "No reporting to immigration will be needed."

for clarity - you are saying that a farang with multi entry O visa based on marriage does not need to report to Immigration every 90 days?

I never knew that.

[paz]

Re: your comment "No reporting to immigration will be needed."

for clarity - you are saying that a farang with multi entry O visa based on marriage does not need to report to Immigration every 90 days?

I never knew that.

Since each stay (before possible extensions) is permitted up to 90 days, the foreigner does not need to report.

[mca]

@UbonJoe,

Re: your comment "No reporting to immigration will be needed."

for clarity - you are saying that a farang with multi entry O visa based on marriage does not need to report to Immigration every 90 days?

I never knew that.

I was trying to explain this to a pal last night - spooky!

The 90 day report is only for people who stay in Thailand for a consecutive 90 days. As a multi-entry only permits you to stay up to 90 days before requiring you to leave the country and-re-enter there's never any need to report.

For example , I am on a yearly extension through marriage which requires me to report my address to immigration every 90 days.

As I don't travel abroad often and don't leave the country I report every 90 days but I went on holiday back to England last year about one month before my 90 day report was due so I didn't have to report. When I returned to Thailand my 90 day clock started again from scratch so I had to report 90 days from when I re-entered Thailand.

Some people ( like my pal) think that the 90 days refers to time in total spent in Thailand such as:

In Thailand 30 days and left for a week

Returned and stayed 60 days so that's 90 days.

That isn't the case as it's not 90 consecutive days.

Hope that helps.

[Phimeow]

Thanks for further clarification.

No report if you leave before your 90 says are up.

Report if you stay 90 consecutive days and want to stay longer.

[fitzcaraldo]

if i understand well this visa is only available in savanaket, is that right , ?

[mca]

Thanks for further clarification.

No report if you leave before your 90 says are up.

Report if you stay 90 consecutive days and want to stay longer.

Yes that's it but the ninety day report is only for people like myself with a yearly extension through marriage using the 400k in the bank method. If you've got a multiple entry you have to leave after 90 days to then come back and activate the next part of the multiple entry. I don't have to ever leave just extend every year ( If I meet the immi regs of course)

Edited January 30, 2015 by mca

[longstebe]

So what's the rule regarding leaving the country for then?

If I'm on a non o based on marriage and I intend to stay the full duration (15 months Max) I Dont need to leave the country?

[mca]

So what's the rule regarding leaving the country for then?

If I'm on a non o based on marriage and I intend to stay the full duration (15 months Max) I Dont need to leave the country?

If you're on a marriage extension like me using the 400k in the bank method you don't have to leave the country over the course of the year. Just report your address every 90 days.

I Initially got a single entry 90 day non-O outside the country and just before that expired applied for a year extension at my local immi after meeting all the regs.

With a multi-entry you have to leave every 90 days.

Edited January 30, 2015 by mca

[longstebe]

Right got it.

So basically if you have the 400k this would be the better choice.

1. Cheaper visa

2. Save on visa runs

3. Save on your life by not travelling in them mini vans.

[longstebe]

Another question.

Can you use any immigration office in Thailand?

I'm guessing the Jomtien one is always chocker so living near Sattahip it would be better using the Rayong one?

[NanLaew]

Another question.

Can you use any immigration office in Thailand?

I'm guessing the Jomtien one is always chocker so living near Sattahip it would be better using the Rayong one?

I believe Sattahip is within Chonburi province so your Jomtien would have jurisdiction, not Rayong.

[longstebe]

Another question.

Can you use any immigration office in Thailand?

I'm guessing the Jomtien one is always chocker so living near Sattahip it would be better using the Rayong one?

I believe Sattahip is within Chonburi province so your Jomtien would have jurisdiction, not Rayong.

Yes it is mate.........ah well, cheers anyway.

[NanLaew]

Since 2005, I used a multi-O based on business. When that got harder to acquire, I got a multi-O in 2010 and extended that based on marriage. After 3 years of that rigmarole, I converted to a retirement extension. All this time, I am still working outside Thailand so never had to do 90-day reports (exit/re-entry resets the 90-day clock).

Ubonjoe's recommendation is the best for the OP: multi-O based on marriage issued at Savanakhet and just keep popping in and out.

If the OP does chose to get marriage extensions instead of a new visa (maybe the Savanakhet rules will change by 2016) check with the local Immigration office on how flexible they are. When I did my marriage extensions with Udon Immigration, they were very agreeable to allowing me to get a Re-entry permit during the 30-day 'approval' period and didn't have any issues getting the actual extension stamped a few weeks later than planned when I got back from work.

[mca]

Right got it.

So basically if you have the 400k this would be the better choice.

1. Cheaper visa

2. Save on visa runs

3. Save on your life by not travelling in them mini vans.

Personally I prefer the 400k route. Khon Kaen immi allow you to do your 90 day report by post so I only need to see them once a year to submit my marriage extension docs and then return a month later to pick up the approved extension itself.

I've lived and worked in Thailand for many years and always gone the annual extension through work or marriage. To be honest I can't be bothered to go through all the rigmarole of hopping across the border every three months. Basically because I'm a lazy sod.

[DrChopper]

For proving income for a non o or extension is it possible to use bank statements from a non Thai bank?

Can you show internet banking print offs?

Thanks

[paz]

For proving income for a non o or extension is it possible to use bank statements from a non Thai bank?

Can you show internet banking print offs?

Income is demonstrated with an affidavit from your consulate or embassy. So the answer depends from what your consulate accepts.

[DrChopper]

I see. So specifically could I get that affidavit from my embassy in Singapore or does it have to be the Bangkok one?

Thanks in advance