Marriage Visa - another unpublished change ?

[osmond]

10 days ago I went to Chiang Rai immigration to check if requirements for Marriage Visa extension had changed from last year.  Apart from the new form for a map to the house everything the same as previous year I was told.

 

So hoping that every attempt to make all the documentation correct would work I went to extend the visa.

Nope . . .

Nothing missing BUT the documentation was rejected because :

• Scanned copies of passport / previous visas / bank book  are no longer acceptable. MUST be photocopies.
• Photos of house / family must be in full colour ( colour printer version acceptable )

 

I was told 10 days ago, "why not do retirement visa - easier for all of us " and again yesterday; but the money had not been in the bank long enough and visa due in 6 days.

The reason for the new requirement was "new boss , new rules".

 

It seems to me that there is an active policy to discourage use of marriage visas !!

Totally agree it is a lot more paperwork for all, but there are reasons for using them for some of us who are entitled to them . . .

 

Interested to know if this is just Chiang Rai or just a 'one off' ...  so if you are using Chiang Rai immigration for marriage visa extension be warned :)

 

Osmond . . .

 

[Rhys]

...it seemed to take a long time for me as well... an extension of stay based on marriage.   An office required this place (Southern office) requires the lat and long coordinates on your house googled map....

 

 

 

[ubonjoe]

13 minutes ago, osmond said:

• Scanned copies of passport / previous visas / bank book  are no longer acceptable. MUST be photocopies.
• Photos of house / family must be in full colour ( colour printer version acceptable )

 

Curious as to  how they would know they were scanned copies instead of photocopies. Were the scanned copies the same size as the originals?

For the photos I agree with them that they should be in color.

[YetAnother]

who knows, maybe retirement visa (yes , UBJ, EXTENSIONs) may also be updated ; NOT in our favor

[jeab1980]

18 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Curious as to  how they would know they were scanned copies instead of photocopies. Were the scanned copies the same size as the originals?

For the photos I agree with them that they should be in color.

Why should they be in color joe what is the diffrence b/w or color same photo same surroundings that makes no sense at all.

[simoh1490]

If you live here long enough you'll come to realise that some offices have staff who like to make sure you understand they are in control - this may include not having sufficient copies of a particular document, a set of photographs that don't contain a certain aspect, a bank book that was updated yesterday instead of today and so on, minutiae and then some! I personally have been there more times than I care to recall.

 

Don't fight it, go with it, smile and say yes. If you were ever in the armed services you will know how this goes with NCO's making sure new recruits understand who is in charge.

 

 

[ubonjoe]

24 minutes ago, jeab1980 said:

Why should they be in color joe what is the diffrence b/w or color same photo same surroundings that makes no sense at all.

The requirement is photos. How many photos have you seen in black and white lately.

Some offices even insist they are individual 4" X 6" photos.

[elviajero]

1 hour ago, osmond said:

It seems to me that there is an active policy to discourage use of marriage visas !!

Totally agree it is a lot more paperwork for all, but there are reasons for using them for some of us who are entitled to them . . .

 

Interested to know if this is just Chiang Rai or just a 'one off' ...  so if you are using Chiang Rai immigration for marriage visa extension be warned :)

It happens at other offices and is simply because it is easier for them to issue an extension based on retirement rather than one for marriage. If you have enough in the bank,/income and are over 50, they will often encourage you to go the retirement route. Unless you are planning to work it makes little difference which way you go.

Edited May 23, 2017 by elviajero

[osmond]

The question on "how do they know the difference" between scanned and photocopy  . . .

If you scan using "Grayscale" setting ( which I have done for the past 5 years ) it is more obvious.  If you use "black and white" or "monochrome" it looks more like a photo copy.

 

Co-ordinates :  Not asked for.

 

Photos : They asked for one of us in house, one from the road, one outside house and one with house number.  Went away and took them , and got photocopies of everything.  On return they binned all the photos except the one showing house number.

 

End result - accepted - but a lot of paper binned and printer cartridges consumed :)

 

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[Tony M]

Went to do my marriage extension at Jomtien last week.  This is the 7th extension. The lady that does them knows us now.  This time she told us to go away and bring a  witness who knew we are living together.  When I asked why, she said that maybe we didn't live together. I was going to remind her that 2 years ago, Jomtien immigration had said that all applications for marriage extensions needed a witness to attend. We had done so, and she had asked why we had brought a witness as she knew that we had lived together for 5 years. My wife restrained me from saying what I wanted to say.  All the documentation was complete, apart from this (new) witness requirement. We went away, got a witness, and came back. She got her boss to interview the witness, took copies of his documents, and the application was accepted. Extension will hopefully be issued in a month.

[jeab1980]

2 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

The requirement is photos. How many photos have you seen in black and white lately.

Some offices even insist they are individual 4" X 6" photos.

Well not to be funny but i have seen loads in B/w as its my hobby far more detail in B/W. So as you say stating the obvious as you did the requirements are photos 4x4 3x3 6x4 all the same. (Yet another reason i stick with a non o visa)

[ubonjoe]

9 hours ago, jeab1980 said:

Well not to be funny but i have seen loads in B/w as its my hobby far more detail in B/W. So as you say stating the obvious as you did the requirements are photos 4x4 3x3 6x4 all the same. (Yet another reason i stick with a non o visa)

I was just saying that black and white photos are not very common now. 

I wrote that there are some offices want them in a standard photo size not all.

I print mine as two 5 X 7 photos on A4 photo paper. Last year after everything was done the ladies at immigration were looking at the family photo with the house number showing and commenting how pretty my daughter is.

[TravelerEastWest]

13 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

I was just saying that black and white photos are not very common now. 

I wrote that there are some offices want them in a standard photo size not all.

I print mine as two 5 X 7 photos on A4 photo paper. Last year after everything was done the ladies at immigration were looking at the family photo with the house number showing and commenting how pretty my daughter is.

I have found in all Thai offices bringing the kids helps to make everything go smoothly; that and wearing a proper shirt and tie.

 

Now as the kids are growing up they are busy in school so I have to do without them in person and photos will have to do...

[BritTim]

13 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

13 hours ago, osmond said:

• Scanned copies of passport / previous visas / bank book  are no longer acceptable. MUST be photocopies.
• Photos of house / family must be in full colour ( colour printer version acceptable )

 

Curious as to  how they would know they were scanned copies instead of photocopies. Were the scanned copies the same size as the originals?

For the photos I agree with them that they should be in color.

Even if the copies were a different size from the originals, that still does not distinguish between photocopies and printed copies from a scan. I wonder if the print was done in such a way that there were page headings added, rather than an exact printout of the original. That would justify immigration not liking them.

[hellstens]

I did my married visa yesterday in Uthai Thani

2 copy of every thing

Scanned copy OK

Colour photo for set one, B/W scanned copy for set 2 OK

Map, (Hand Drawing) to the house OK

take about 30 minutes (need to sign all document)

 

 

[jeab1980]

13 minutes ago, TravelerEastWest said:

I have found in all Thai offices bringing the kids helps to make everything go smoothly; that and wearing a proper shirt and tie.

 

Now as the kids are growing up they are busy in school so I have to do without them in person and photos will have to do...

Oh dear so married with kids dragging them along to IO office and wearing a shirt and tie smooths the way. Last time i was in IO office getting an Extension Head IO asked two sets of parents to take there children outside as they were being to noisy and disruptive. Got a lot of support from most people suffering in there.

Edited May 24, 2017 by jeab1980

[ubonjoe]

1 minute ago, BritTim said:

Even if the copies were a different size from the originals, that still does not distinguish between photocopies and printed copies from a scan.

I was mostly referring to the passport, bank book, house book, wife's ID card and etc being smaller or larger.

[wgdanson]

13 hours ago, jeab1980 said:

Why should they be in color joe what is the diffrence b/w or color same photo same surroundings that makes no sense at all.

Because they say they must be in colour.

[RayD]

"I print mine as two 5 X 7 photos on A4 photo paper."

 

I did that once and was given a pair of scissors.

 

Also witnesses asked for, provided, and not spoken to. The IO did glance at them, though.

 

Non 'O' is so much simpler.

 

[OmarZaid]

Don't forget to grease the skids.

[ubonjoe]

Just now, OmarZaid said:

Don't forget to grease the skids.

Why?

It is not needed or accepted at most offices.

[Beats56]

Easier to take pictures with a camera and go to photo shop.and have them make two copies for you. Saves on printer ink and cheaper too. On a side note my neighbor that just did his marriage extention said the pics have to.be glued to a A4 paper with enough space underneath for IO to write on the paper. This is Maptaput.

[toofarnorth]

It would seem that there are variations with Imm. offices. I went to Maesai Imm. on the 5th to pick up my marriage certificate stamp, I handed over my passport and she passed it back saying " Come back on the 7th "  I said ok but it is a Sunday will you be here ?  " Not Sunday ".

Off she went downstairs to await the post . 25mins later it arrived and sorted.   No one came to the house to see if we lived there but after 5 years they know us and can't be bothered.  I think those at Imm. do as they are told and the paper work just makes them work for their money.  Next week the 90 day report and not like a 5min visit now back to 40 sheets of paper.

[Suradit69]

16 hours ago, simoh1490 said:

f you live here long enough you'll come to realise that some offices have staff who like to make sure you understand they are in control

And some applicants seem to have the sort of attitude that begs for that kind of response. For everyone who complains about a difficult experience he's had at immigrations, hundreds, possibly thousands, sail through the process without a hitch year after year.

 

From the way some complaints are written, it's apparent that the applicant simply doesn't understand what is required and, rather than accept his error, then tries to lecture the officer on the "correct" procedure. Considering the number of people they have to deal with on a daily basis, I would say that most officers are remarkably patient and accommodating. 

 

Even on ThaiVisa some people pose a question, get a perfectly correct answer from people like UJ, Elviajero or BritTim and then the person who asked the question proceeds to argue about it, sometimes rather impolitely and at length. If I were an immigration officer, I'm pretty sure I'd have to be heavily dosed on Xanax.

 

 

 

Edited May 24, 2017 by Suradit69

[jaiyenyen]

I did my extension yesterday at Cheang Wattana, Bangkok. As always, I take two B/W copies of everything and get told they only need one. 7x5 colour copies of my wife and I, 1x inside and 1x outside the house, printed at home on separate A4 paper. Sailed through as always.

[khunbillmex]

Khon Kaen 17-22 May getting 2nd 1yr extension based on marriage:

 

Step 1-  17 May we went to  immigration office to get the current requirements to apply for a 1 yr extension of stay based on marriage.    The information person gave those details to us.

One concern I had was the 'age' of my Income letter which was dated in March. I was told it was OK.

 

Step 2- 19 May with completed paperwork we go to immigration office.

    The immigration officer [the lone guy] reviewed my submission and said it was for the wrong type of extension [Retirement]. He gave  details of the more burdensome paperwork required for the extension based on marriage,

 

 Over the weekend we compiled the documents/photos requested and made copies of everything.

 

Step 3 - 22 May  we returned to immigration and it looked like our least favorite  IO might be up next but we lucked out and went to a desk of one of the other officers.  That officer reviews the documents and it appears they are all in order but before going on she takes out her calculator and multiplies my income by the Thai baht rate.  She asks "...why bother with the marriage extension when you can easily qualify for the retirement visa". She hands back 90% of our paperwork takes 1900 baht and stamps my passport for 1 year and also stamps in red "RETIREMENT" .

 

Out we go simple as that!

 

[Tofer]

14 hours ago, Tony M said:

Went to do my marriage extension at Jomtien last week.  This is the 7th extension. The lady that does them knows us now.  This time she told us to go away and bring a  witness who knew we are living together.  When I asked why, she said that maybe we didn't live together. I was going to remind her that 2 years ago, Jomtien immigration had said that all applications for marriage extensions needed a witness to attend. We had done so, and she had asked why we had brought a witness as she knew that we had lived together for 5 years. My wife restrained me from saying what I wanted to say.  All the documentation was complete, apart from this (new) witness requirement. We went away, got a witness, and came back. She got her boss to interview the witness, took copies of his documents, and the application was accepted. Extension will hopefully be issued in a month.

Same story from Krabi, need a witness who works in the Government. Come on - what the heck does a stranger know about our marital circumstances......  Furthermore they told us they would need to visit our home, would that not be evidence enough? The recording of our marriage in the Amphur Office required 2 witnesses who knew us, that made sense, but then Immigration would not accept that as verification even though the document was only one month old. This was never mentioned to us on 2 previous visits to confirm requirements, but on the day we needed to apply (last day of my visa) they threw that one in. As I'd already been caught out with insufficient funds for the retirement visa 3 months earlier, requiring a trip to KL for a new Non-O entry visa, I made sure there were enough funds for a retirement visa this time.

 

Oddly we were not asked for photos, just a map which I scribbled on a scrap of paper in-front of them - accepted. Maybe they will throw the photo requirement in next time when I turn up with a witness....

 

It is a fact, they cannot be bothered with the administration of a marriage visa, too much like hard work, particularly as the fee is the same as a retirement visa.

 

Sounds like your wife is just as sensible as mine, my shins are black and blue whenever we do anything official! In fact this is the only office I bother to enter now, just sit in the car down the road.

[Gary A]

I used to threaten the immigration officer. Not actually threaten , more like just teasing him. He always found something for my retirement extension to nit pick.. At that point, I'd pull my paperwork back and tell him that I want to change to the support visa. He always decided that my paperwork was acceptable just THIS time. He did admit that the support visa was a lot of work for them. I never did have a support visa, always retirement.

[thaibeachlovers]

2 hours ago, Suradit69 said:

And some applicants seem to have the sort of attitude that begs for that kind of response. For everyone who complains about a difficult experience he's had at immigrations, hundreds, possibly thousands, sail through the process without a hitch year after year.

 

From the way some complaints are written, it's apparent that the applicant simply doesn't understand what is required and, rather than accept his error, then tries to lecture the officer on the "correct" procedure. Considering the number of people they have to deal with on a daily basis, I would say that most officers are remarkably patient and accommodating. 

 

Even on ThaiVisa some people pose a question, get a perfectly correct answer from people like UJ, Elviajero or BritTim and then the person who asked the question proceeds to argue about it, sometimes rather impolitely and at length. If I were an immigration officer, I'm pretty sure I'd have to be heavily dosed on Xanax.

 

 

 

How can one "understand what is required" when they add more, unpublished requirements every time?

Why should one have to take a lot of stuff just in case, because they make it more difficult every time?

The requirements should be published and the same for every office and consulate.

[jeab1980]

5 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I think he was making the point that whatever they want on that day at that time is what they want- no reason required, and tomorrow it can be different.

 

I am getting very apprehensive that my next extension may be declined for some arbritary, nonsensical reason. The requirements change every time I have applied, and are always unpublished.

I can only assume that someone on high is asking Immigration to make it so hard that would be expats are  so discouraged that they give up.

So far, I have read reports that Samui Imm. ask for a medical exam for retirement, which is not required elsewhere, and require witnesses and photos as to residence. Since when did being on a retirement extension require a permanent dwelling.

Now I read that Chiang Rai want GPS co ordinates of the house. 

 

I had planned a last long stay in LOS before returning to my home country for ?ever, but now I have to doubt that I'll get more than a single entry 60 day TV because I have to have a paid for flight out before applying, when we all know the duration is 90 days with an extension. 

 

There is still much to love about LOS, but the bureaucracy is not one of them.

Sorry to harp on about this,  what you write is so true whats acceptable today is not tomorow. Or what one IO wants another doesnt. Thats the main reason why i stick to Non O visa's straight forward no hassle and very little contact with immigration which is the biggest plus.