13 replies to this topic

[darkcloud]

documents you need for this visa  and how much do you need in the bank and how long in the bank before you apply going back in jan with thai wife can anyone give some advice dont have a pension only rent on houses 2 and i'm 55yrs old

Edited by darkcloud, 10 November 2011 - 04:00 PM.

[darkcloud]

can anyone give some advice on marriage visa's

[forqalso]

Can you be a little more clearer? Do you need a visa for your Thai wife to go to England or a visa for you to live in Thailand?

[darkcloud]

for me to live in thailand

[Wolf Cat]

If you are 55 and want to stay in Thailand with your Thai wife it's better for you to get the retirement visa and not the marriage visa.  There are many posts on this all over the web (just google thai retirement visa requirements) so I'll just give you the basic; have at least 800,000 baht in a Thai bank for the past 3 months, you'll have be outside of Thailand to apply, no major criminal record in your home country, no major diseases.  If you are still in your home country, contact the Thai embassy and ask them.
good luck

[travelling_man]

Wolf Cat, on 18 November 2011 - 06:04 PM, said:

...  If you are still in your home country, contact the Thai embassy and ask them.
good luck

If you return to your home country annually, you can obtain a NON-IMMIGRANT "0" visa from the Thai Embassy by providing a copy of your Thai marriage certificate and a copy of her ID card.  That gives you a one-year visa, but you must exit every day days (visa run).  If you are already planning to travel, it is not a big deal.

The guys telling you about the retirement visa versus a Marriage Visa are 100% correct.  Obtaining and maintaining a Marriage visa is a pain ... the retirement visa is an easier process.

[kansuwan]

Acess this site http://www.thaiconsu...-and-visas.aspx, read and post any further questions here.

[altec123]

Retirement visa is the way to go although they will give you a Non Immigrant O visa in Jomtein.  Bring your wife, marriage certificate and her id card.

[merlin99]

travelling_man, on 19 November 2011 - 02:56 AM, said:

If you return to your home country annually, you can obtain a NON-IMMIGRANT "0" visa from the Thai Embassy by providing a copy of your Thai marriage certificate and a copy of her ID card.  That gives you a one-year visa, but you must exit every day days (visa run).  If you are already planning to travel, it is not a big deal.

The guys telling you about the retirement visa versus a Marriage Visa are 100% correct.  Obtaining and maintaining a Marriage visa is a pain ... the retirement visa is an easier process.

if you have a marriage visa you dont have to go on visa runs every 90 days all you do is go to the immigration office and fill in a form and confirm your address

[Scumbag]

Wolf Cat, on 18 November 2011 - 06:04 PM, said:

If you are 55 and want to stay in Thailand with your Thai wife it's better for you to get the retirement visa and not the marriage visa.  There are many posts on this all over the web (just google thai retirement visa requirements) so I'll just give you the basic; have at least 800,000 baht in a Thai bank for the past 3 months, you'll have be outside of Thailand to apply, no major criminal record in your home country, no major diseases.  If you are still in your home country, contact the Thai embassy and ask them.
good luck

The no major diseases bit may be a little misleading. There are only a few diseases that will cause a problem with none of them being a likely problem for a westerner (eg TB, leprosy and third stage of syphilis). Having HIV/AIDS is not a reason for being refused entry to Thailand.

merlin99, on 19 November 2011 - 12:32 PM, said:

if you have a marriage visa you dont have to go on visa runs every 90 days all you do is go to the immigration office and fill in a form and confirm your address

Unless my understanding is incorrect the visa that will be issued in his home country is a non-immigrant type-O visa. On this visa he will need to leave the country every 90 days.

[eclectic7]

There is still an income requirement for the O marriage visa,  The requirement is
400,000 baht in a thai bank for two months, or a combination of income and money
in the bank. -- less money than for a retirement visa but still could be significant.

from:  www.pattaya-funtown.com/visa_marriage.html

If you are legally married to a Thai citizen, then you can apply for a one-year Non-immigrant visa type "O", often referred to as "marriage visa".
Initially you will have to apply for this type of visa at a Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate abroad, preferably in your respective home country. You will then receive a permission to enter Thailand for initially 90 days.
This visa can be extended to a maximum of a full year at a local Thai immigration office and may be renewed at the Thai immigration bureau in Bangkok every year.
In order to qualify for a 1-year extension, you'll need to show a minimum deposit of 400,000 THB on a Thai bank account (if your extension was approved before October 2006, in which case the "grandfather clause" applies when renewing your visa) and/or proof a family income in Thailand of 40,000 Baht per month.

At the moment, it is only little transparent how "marriage visa" applications are proceeded. While some Thai embassies, such as the one on Penang in Malaysia (where you can easily apply for a multiple-entry Non-Immigrant visa "O"), may be happy with either a bank deposit of 400,000 Baht or the submission of an income letter stating a minimum income of 40,000 Baht a month, others might require both in order to issue your desired visa. Please consult your local Thai embassy in advance and enquire about the requirements and documents needed in your case.
The basic documents required for a successful visa application and the subsequent extension to a full one-year permission of stay include your marriage certificate, child's birth certificate (if any) and "positive evidence" (=bank statement) of a 400,000-Baht deposit in a Thai bank, respectively proof of income (=income letter).
Please note that you'll actually have to live with your spouse (and prove this!), and must keep the 400,000 Baht on your account until the full one-year length of the "marriage visa" is being granted after 90 days.
Documents required for the visa extension may include the wife’s house registration and ID card, pictures of the house and family, as well as a recording interviewing the husband (visa applicant) and his Thai spouse to confim their status of husband and wife.

As Thai Immigration law requires the proof of a family income, it had become a popular option for less 'wealthy' partners of Thai spouses to apply for a Non-Immigrant visa "type O" on the grounds that they're being supported by their spouse provided he/she has a sufficient monthly income and can proof this by submission of tax statements.
However, it seems, in November 2008 Thai Immigration have changed the rules yet again and the minimum income of 40,000 Baht per month, or the 400,000-Baht deposit on a local bank account must be the husband's.
From Police order 777/2551: In case of marriage with a Thai woman, the husband who is an alien must have an average annual income of not less than 40,000 Baht per month or a money deposit in a local Thai bank of not less than 400,000 Baht ...
Full List of Documents required for Marriage Visa Extension

Another kind of Non-Immigrant visa "O" ("dependant" visa) is available to those married to holders of a Non-Immigrant visa of either type or their children. Applicants will have to submit their birth or marriage certificate respectively.

To find Royal Thai embassies or consulates worldwide, please visit www.thaiembassy.org (official website) or click here.
To download visa application forms, please visit the website of the Ministry Of Foreign Affairs.

For up-to-date visa information, or forum discussions of visa-related issues, please have a look at the Thai Visa Expat Forum. For legal advisors or law firms that can help you with the application process, please check the links on our Business In Pattaya page.
   *****************************************
So the question is, do you have the 400,000 baht, or combo of savings and verified income to meet the requirement?
If not, probably the next best thing is if you will live in Thailand in a place such as Pattaya, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, or other
decent size city to attend a language school on a yearly basis.  

check out www.thaiwalen.com/  as an example.   Can get one year ed visa (requires 90 renewals) for 25,000 baht in class expenses for a year, plus 1900 per 90 day renewal.   Expensive sure, but no border runs, and you can do this for a year or two, while you
save to meet marriage O visa requirements.

O visa marriage visa is best if you have the resources, because can qualify for a work permit-- where as retirement visa you can't.


If you are

[Scumbag]

eclectic7, on 28 November 2011 - 08:20 AM, said:

There is still an income requirement for the O marriage visa,  The requirement is
400,000 baht in a thai bank for two months, or a combination of income and money
in the bank. -- less money than for a retirement visa but still could be significant.

The requirements do vary if you obtain one outside of Thailand. For instance in Kualla Lumpur they only require 100 000 Baht in a Thai account.

[darkcloud]

thanks electric 7 i do have the funds in the bank sent last week so it will have been in the thai bank 2 months  when i get there 10th jan i also own a condo and no kids i think the best route is get the 90 day o visa in england as i'm over 50yrs change it to a marriage visa in jomtiem after a month ,been told to do it in thailand not england so the visa can be renewed every year.just like to so to everyone who as given advice its great to read all the post's sent thank you so much...............darkcloud

[travelling_man]

Scumbag, on 24 November 2011 - 02:13 PM, said:

...
Unless my understanding is incorrect the visa that will be issued in his home country is a non-immigrant type-O visa. On this visa he will need to leave the country every 90 days.

Your understanding is correct ... and when obtained in some consulates/embassies outside of Thailand, *NO* income information is provided.