Tourist Visa, 30d Extension, Non Imm O Marriage - How To Stay 3 More Months?

[pmhmaster]

I am 37,m and from Austria, which is on the 40 or so countries list for VOA.

I arrived Thailand Oct. 29th with a 60 days Tourist Visa from my homecountry, which allows me to stay until Nov. 27th. In my passport is a history of some stamps from recent visa runs before July 12th 2006 and tourist visas as well.

Whats the best way to stay 3-4 months longer, if possible, until feb or mar 2007?

I just gave up everything in my homecountry to come to LOS to live with my gf and the day I subrented my apt. back home I read about the new visa rules on that forum, which gave me sleepness nights. I just need some months to stay here before I am ready to go back and take my girlfriend there with me, for her visa in my country I need to proof 3 months back of income too, which is not possible anymore due to my move to LOS, Arrrgl...

I am a newbie at this forum, so I tried to figure out as much as possible by reading the posts, which leave open many questions and confusion.

First I could try to have a 30 day extension:

- Can it be refused? Read it in a recent post, that it could happen now.

- When to apply, shortly before my 60 days end? Or if I apply earlier, and be refused, do I loose the rest of my 60 days that´ve granted already?

And after the extension I´d like to go to penang and apply for a new tourist visa:

- Some on the forum think they maybe refuse because the 90 days rule applies to that too, others not, can someone see clear for that?

-Again: when to go, do I loose my existing days already, when refused?

If all goes wrong, I gonna marry my thai gf in the meantime ( which was planned anyway ) and try to get a non imm o (marriage) visa for 3 months:

-Do I need to show 40K(she can)/400K for that first 3 months too? Some document that tells about my whereabout in Thailand?

-Any problems experienced to get that first Visa? Where to get it best, Penang?

Any advice appreciated, thanks!

Phil

[astral]

60 day tourist visa, plus 30 day extension = 90 day.

[lopburi3]

1. 30 day extension should not be a problem and you can do the week before the 60 days are over and you will still get the 30 days extra and they would not make you lose anything even if it were not approved.

2. 90 day rule is for entry without visa. It does not apply to visa entry but Consulates will be watching for those with history that does not appear to be tourist and can refuse to issue visas or limit there issue. I believe you would probably get at least one visa from Penang if your passport does not show you being in Thailand most of the year. As soon as you leave Thailand your current stay is over so not sure what your question about losing days is about. You go to Penang when your current stay is at its end.

3. The first non immigrant O visa should not require any income. Only marriage certificate, her ID card, her home register and your passport. Plus the cash/photos.

[pmhmaster]

Thanks a lot lopburi3, very kind!

Do you know which document the ampur like to see for the marriage beside my passport and some kind of single certificate from my homecountry? I heard maybe some letter of my embassy.

Phil

[lopburi3]

If married before your divorce paperwork will be required and always required is a paper you fill out at your Embassy that is notarized and then translated into Thai and registered at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (to make it a legal document). Translation service can normally do this. Other than that two witness and a Thai speaker. Which the District often can provide. Plus the intended and her paperwork.

[lung]

1. 30 day extension should not be a problem and you can do the week before the 60 days are over and you will still get the 30 days extra and they would not make you lose anything even if it were not approved.

are u sure ?

i think on the day you go to the IMMI they start the 30days

or not ?

[lopburi3]

Believe on a tourist visa (60 day entry) the days start at the end of your current permitted to stay stamp.

[gavstah]

Do you know which document the ampur like to see for the marriage beside my passport and some kind of single certificate from my homecountry? I heard maybe some letter of my embassy.

Phil

In order to get married at your local amphur office, you will need the following:

Copy of your passport

Wife and her ID

Letter/Affidavit from your Embassy that you are not currently married (if you are divorced, there may be additional paperwork required - check with sunbelt on that).

You have to get an official translation of the letter/affadavit into Thai, which you must then present to the Foreign Ministry for their certification. The foreign ministry will notarize and stamp the official translation as well as your original.

Be prepared to spend an entire day handling the step with your embassy letter and the foreign ministry. They offer an "express service" for your paperwork - two hours for 800 baht - but this can easily turn into 4+ hours if there is any kind of snag (in my case, the translator had made an error in my translation, which took another 1.5 hours to sort out).

In addition, the Foreign Ministry is for some reason located on the northern edge of Bangkok - last BTS stop plus a taxi ride. Took us over an hour to get there from the middle of BKK. (This is also the place where Thais get their passports).

Once you are done with the foreign ministry step, you can then get married at any amphur office in Thailand. In my case, we went to my wife's hometown near Korat, but my understanding is that you can do it at your local amphur office as well.

One thing you definitely should do if you're planning on staying here on a non-immigrant O visa: While you are at your embassy, get your income letter/statement from them - you'll need this later during the visa extension process.