One year extension (Marriage) - New requirement

[Bsd]

I have been informed that there is a new requirement when getting a 1 year extension on a marriage visa at Samui Immigration. They now require you to bring in either a police officer or government official from the Amphur that is licensed to sign government documents, to vouch the you are actually married.

This applies to anyone getting an extension on the marriage visa for the first time (if you are extending an existing 1 year extension you are ok) or anyone whose previous extension has lapsed for any reason (either you spend some time outside of Thailand and got a new visa when you moved back or you failed an earlier extension) even if you have a history of extensions in the same passport.

The official that you bring in has to bring photocopies of their Thai ID and Police/Government licence.

I was told this both by one of the lovely ladies behind the desk and later by the big bird himself.

[sketcher]

Not sure how official they have to be, my landlady was allowed to do it for me last month, but boss man knew her already.

[hugocnx]

Thought the Kor Ror 2 was enough evidence. It is an extension right? Would think...bloblocks

Edited June 10, 2015 by hugocnx

[NieTan]

Just went for my marriage extension all paperwork with me and refused. Reason i didnt had a witness with me who works for the goverment. I tought another trick from mr bird.... now i read this it makes more sense to me but still Its rediculous as its my 4th extension. What is the reason why they make it so hard to do marriage extensions in Samui? I think its more work then a retired visa as it needs to go via bkk and the bird dont like to move his ass! Getting really tired of it and every time there is some new shit you need to be aware of..

[MAJIC]

"They now require you to bring in either a police officer or government official from the Amphur that is licensed to sign government documents, to vouch the you are actually married" (Is this a bad joke?)

Next year it may get that ridiculous that I fully expect you may have to bring in the government official,police officer,Amphur officials whole family in as well!

And a warm welcome toThailand,your contribution to the Thai economy is very much appreciated!

Edited June 10, 2015 by MAJIC

[Samui Coconut]

Bsd is correct and it has nothing to do with the Bird Man...its just a new rule. Whilst not the most convenient, it should not be a major problem either for someone who lives in Samui.....

[northernboy]

It has to do with the thousands of fake marriage registered by Thai official registry offices to Thai wives (they were just done on paper and many Thais did not know they were registered, and some did it for money) and they just want to weed the marriages for visas out of the system.

They getting married as a foreigner now is very hard none of been done in Chiang Mai city for weeks. and other places are also unwilling to do it. as well. Some will still.

[Bredbury Blue]

Is this only in Samui or elsewhere? Samut Prakarn?

[Bsd]

It has to do with the thousands of fake marriage registered by Thai official registry offices to Thai wives (they were just done on paper and many Thais did not know they were registered, and some did it for money) and they just want to weed the marriages for visas out of the system.

They getting married as a foreigner now is very hard none of been done in Chiang Mai city for weeks. and other places are also unwilling to do it. as well. Some will still.

So the Thai wife sitting next to you at immigration with copies of her ID etc isn't proof that she knows she is married to you?

Bsd is correct and it has nothing to do with the Bird Man...its just a new rule. Whilst not the most convenient, it should not be a major problem either for someone who lives in Samui.....

While finding someone on Samui who can take 30 minutes off work to drive from Nathon to the immigration office isn't too difficult (although for those doing their first extension and not knowing any government officials it will be harder), for those of us on Phangan and Tao finding someone who can take a day off work to come in isn't going to be easy.

[gandalf12]

Be a bit of a problem in Bangkok

[evadgib]

Is this gender neutral or are Thai males with foreign wives exempt as per the financial hurdles?

Edited June 11, 2015 by evadgib

[grahamg]

Two neighbours from the village vouched me,

when three very nice officers from Korat Immigration office turned up.

I copied their ID cards for them they wrote a statement finished.

[SOTIRIOS]

...going backwards...

...duh...what purpose does a document serve.....

[Guest]

did not have to do that at khon kaen recently so maybe not here

[Swans1932]

Just a question regards Neighbors as Witness do they have to go with you or is signed statement from them OK

Thanks

[Bsd]

Just a question regards Neighbors as Witness do they have to go with you or is signed statement from them OK

Thanks

As I said in in original post neighbours are not enough (neither is a retired police officer I asked) Samui Immigration wants a serving police officer or government official, they have to come with you to the immigration office.

I am guessing from reading the some of the other comments about neighbours that it was ok, when the immigration staff came to your house to make sure you were actually living there.

[ronaldo0]

I'm quite lucky then !. 2 of my 3 neighbors are police and the husband of the woman who built my house is the head of the people sent out to catch people without visas!!

[crazykopite]

I am a foreigner married to a foreigner we got married in a Ampur seven years ago after getting all our paperwork translated into Thai from our Embassy the birdman said it would be a lot easier for him if we did that so I will be well and truly hacked off if when we do our yearly extension next week he BIRDMAN tells us we now need to bring in an official as a witness . I get the feeling they no longer want us to contribute to the Thai economy it was only the other day when I applied for my yellow house registration book that the woman behind the desk in Nathon Municiple offices asked me for 30,000 baht of which I refused to pay, there are things happening on the island that leaves a very bad taste in the mouth !!!

[mfharrison]

If your Thai wife is a government official does that tick the box already??

[Fullstop]

What if you or your wife don't know any cops or gov officials?

Would a street sweeper employed by the Thai Government do?

Edited June 11, 2015 by Fullstop

[Bsd]

What if you or your wife don't know any cops or gov officials?

Would a street sweeper employed by the Thai Government do?

The government official has to be licensed to sign official documents so even the regular clerical staff at the Amphur wouldn't do, it would have to be one of the big bosses. And to answer your first question I guess the answer is you leave the country.

[Fullstop]

What if you or your wife don't know any cops or gov officials?

Would a street sweeper employed by the Thai Government do?

The government official has to be licensed to sign official documents so even the regular clerical staff at the Amphur wouldn't do, it would have to be one of the big bosses. And to answer your first question I guess the answer is you leave the country.

What a "quaint" system.

[newcomer71]

If this will be applied from BKK Immigration I guess lots of expat will fly back home...

WTH, seriously.

[pizzachang]

Just a question regards Neighbors as Witness do they have to go with you or is signed statement from them OK

Thanks

As I said in in original post neighbours are not enough (neither is a retired police officer I asked) Samui Immigration wants a serving police officer or government official, they have to come with you to the immigration office.

I am guessing from reading the some of the other comments about neighbours that it was ok, when the immigration staff came to your house to make sure you were actually living there.

I think the question is: How would any "policeman" know that you are in fact married? If the original marriage license document is not sufficient, what is? You'd have to compare this to a Thai Drivers License not being sufficient proof that you're licensed to drive. Also, what is to stop people from paying random policemen to swear to your marriage? The same office that issues the documents (proof of marriage) also issues the Yellow Tabien baan. Can we assume that the Yellow Tabien baan is also not sufficient proof of residence?

[notmyself]

Who on Earth dreamt this little nugget up!

[Laisze]

I think that this may be a new immigration "law" that applies particularly to the Samui office and its "bird".

Edited June 11, 2015 by Laisze

[Fullstop]

Little inefficient tin-hat provincial generals everywhere.

Edited June 11, 2015 by Fullstop

[Anon999]

Who on Earth dreamt this little nugget up!

By the look of it someone that doesn't want any Western farang married to a Thai living here. Any other reasons will be read with interest!

[gwyd1982]

Anyone have recent experience with this? I planning to do this soon... I live in Koh Tao, it will be impossible to get a policeman, or government official to go all the way to Samui!!!

[TheLobster]

Anyone have recent experience with this? I planning to do this soon... I live in Koh Tao, it will be impossible to get a policeman, or government official to go all the way to Samui!!!

We could have done as we know business owners and policemen but didn't provide someone to vouch for us in my application for an extension based on marriage. My only gripe in the application process is that some of the office staff are a bit pedantic such as saying a passport photocopy was in portrait when it should be in landscape. (It was on A4, so the same, you just need to turn it 90 degrees to look at it either way).

Subsequent to submitting the application we were visited by two apparently 'senior' immigration officials who checked and took copies of our identification documents, looked around the house and took photos of us in our house together with one of the officials. They didn't raise any issues, they could quite clearly see that we live together and that it wasn't a marriage of convenience or a business venture.

The immigration officials were reasonably polite and didn't ask for any money.

If this is the new system and it weeds out people that are staying illegally then I see no problem with it.