Marriage visa extension nightmare beware!

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mr passout
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Marriage visa extension nightmare beware!

Post by mr passout » November 17, 2014, 10:46 am

Went to apply for one year marriage extension. Previously extended in 2010-2012,anyway applied on Thursday and the lady in the middle said that they wanted the affirmation of marriage(certificate of qualification)that you get from your embassy to originally marry in Thailand,been married 10 years, and they are asking for something I don't have.i just been to my embassy in Bangkok and signed a statuary declaration saying something similar to what was said 10 years ago.i already had the kor ror song in thai and english and that was still not good enough according to immigration here in Udon,my embassy was completed baffled by this request.So the head lady at the embassy rang them direct and with my fresh paperwork will try again this week. Will keep you updated if not will speak to a higher ranking officer/ supervisor. As the embassy checked out all there ranks on there computer system and miss money penny has stuff all rank.
Also was told by Udon immigration that if i kept renewing my 2010-12 visa they would not require this,think they are taking the piss,married with two kids living on/off in Udon for 10 years.
The visa extension cost 1900baht and that's is all i am paying,why should i even contemplate paying more,when everything is above board.
can not apply for retirement because of my age. :mad:



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Bandung_Dero
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Marriage visa extension nightmare beware!

Post by Bandung_Dero » November 17, 2014, 11:29 am

Could well have something to do with this:-

http://www.udonmap.com/udonthaniforum/u ... 35481.html
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stattointhailand
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Marriage visa extension nightmare beware!

Post by stattointhailand » November 17, 2014, 11:35 am

Not sure why they would possibly want to see the "affirmation" as, by the fact you are married (and presumably have the certificate to prove it), you MUST have produced it at the time of your marriage :-k

Only thing I can think of is a "stich up" .... Any friends/relatives/neighbours you have had a run in with lately, that might want to cause you problems? after all TIT

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mr passout
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Marriage visa extension nightmare beware!

Post by mr passout » November 17, 2014, 12:01 pm

no problem with anyone,only immigration first time last week.

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Marriage visa extension nightmare beware!

Post by goshawk » November 17, 2014, 1:22 pm

i was asked for ''Affirmation to marry'' in August this was my first time Applying for extension,i had left it at home thinking i would not need it as i had the marriage cert and everything else(silly me should know better) was told,''no problem go get'' i returned home while the officer carried on processing papers with the wife,i came back then signed about 2 kilo,s worth of paper got the stamp and was told to come back in 2 months.

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mr passout
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Marriage visa extension nightmare beware!

Post by mr passout » November 17, 2014, 1:46 pm

I got married in Bangkok around 10 years ago never got anything like that back only marriage certificate and kor ror song,we both lived overseas for a while so all is transferred to english notarised and went to embassy on friday chasing this problem up,and they say the best they could do was complete a statuary declaration say more or less the same thing as a power of affirmation,can not give me new one as i am married.
I will try again,if not the lady at the embassy will ring them up if not successful myself.
like i said i completed 2 previous extensions without any fuss.
so i will wait and see this week.

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stattointhailand
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Marriage visa extension nightmare beware!

Post by stattointhailand » November 17, 2014, 2:00 pm

Hope all goes well, and keep us updated :D

retired
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Marriage visa extension nightmare beware!

Post by retired » November 17, 2014, 8:05 pm

This over reaction by wanting to see the Affirmation may be the result of the recent reports of many sham marriages.
If you recall it was initiated by a lady from Khon Kaen who went to get married with her long term boyfriend to be told she was already married.
As we know the Affirmation is a sworn statement confirmed by our Embassys' that we are free to marry.

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Marriage visa extension nightmare beware!

Post by eagle » November 17, 2014, 8:28 pm

I was asked to deliver same. I do understand that some of foreigners have managed to get married even they did not have that paper and in fact they were not diversed, when they married. So, Immigration has new rules, but we can not thank Immigration. We have to thank our fellows, who have managed to get married without a right to marry. Now we all have to do more wotk because of those.

Just an advice, if you do not have a copy, they should have a copy at the amphur, where your marriage is registered. It is the easiest and cheapest way to get that paper... Of course not, I got mine from my wife. I have a very good wife.

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samuel
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Marriage visa extension nightmare beware!

Post by samuel » November 17, 2014, 11:01 pm

eagle wrote:Just an advice, if you do not have a copy, they should have a copy at the amphur, where your marriage is registered.
I married my thai wife some 21 years ago abroad.
our marriage was registred at the ministry of foreign affairs in BKK last year and not at any amphur.
ministry_of_foreign_affairs_stamp.png
ministry_of_foreign_affairs_stamp.png (122.07 KiB) Viewed 3366 times
So for what the hell do i need a copy of what and where do i get it for my next extension?
it is all - really all - already very very well documented at the immigration office in Udon Thani.
this paperwork is making me paranoid!

Immigration has new rules? what's the name of the game?
:Huh:

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noosard
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Marriage visa extension nightmare beware!

Post by noosard » November 18, 2014, 6:53 am

forget the marriage one
use the 2 kids for the visa
surely you have birth certs

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Marriage visa extension nightmare beware!

Post by dogger » November 18, 2014, 7:32 am

noosard wrote:forget the marriage one
use the 2 kids for the visa
surely you have birth certs

Maybe that is the way to go, last time 18 months ago I had a prob at immigration, so I went to savanaket where I just produced my marriage cert and good to go but next time I will use this info info or use the children to get my permission to say, I have two children of my own and have the birth certs to prove I am the daddy.

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samuel
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Marriage visa extension nightmare beware!

Post by samuel » November 18, 2014, 8:34 am

noosard wrote:forget the marriage one
use the 2 kids for the visa
surely you have birth certs
What about those expats who are married to a thai and who have no children (e.g. me)?

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Zidane
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Marriage visa extension nightmare beware!

Post by Zidane » November 18, 2014, 8:50 am

You can still get a multi entry non immigrant o visa at Savannakhet based on marriage to a Thai.
This can last you up to 15 months but the problem is you have to exit to Laos every 90 days and you get a Lao stamp every time,which uses up a page of your passport which soon becomes full.
Maybe best if you go and have a chat with Udon Immigration to see what exactly they would require in your case.
Just when I thought our chance had passed,you go and save the best for last.

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noosard
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Marriage visa extension nightmare beware!

Post by noosard » November 18, 2014, 9:26 am

What about those expats who are married to a thai and who have no children (e.g. me)?[/quote]

3 choices
1 have marriage paperwork that Imm accepts
2 go to savanaket they sound easy
3 have kids

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samuel
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Marriage visa extension nightmare beware!

Post by samuel » November 18, 2014, 11:01 am

noosard wrote:have marriage paperwork that Imm accepts
that's what i had for the last 3 extensions before.
but if they request even more and more documents every year, who will know what comes next?

and about going to a chat with them about the requirements: that's what i did last year 2 weeks ahead of the day. they told me "same as last year". ok the day arrived and .... surprise surprise .... this time they told me with that typical thai grin "have a new law" and i was forced to rush the streets of udon for no understandable reason and with no visible sign of any grin on my face.

Conclusion: wait for the day and be prepared for a new law out of the box.

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mr passout
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Marriage visa extension nightmare beware!

Post by mr passout » November 18, 2014, 12:10 pm

Will be going in with my son and wife,reading up regarding extensions based on supporting your children,if you are still married then they want you to extended based on marriage,if you are divorced and supporting your child/children then yes.
9-10 years ago when got married first step go to embassy power of affirmation,translate that to Thai.go get all that notarised with the ministry of foreign affairs,then we just got married in a registrar office in Bangrak Bangkok.
When i received all my paperwork in the lovely burgundy folder i kept everything inside there,hence never having the power of affirmation as the bangrak registrar office must of kept that.
Bangrak also said that they can give me a replacement kor ror song or marriage certificate(can do at any Amphur office),but as far as power of affirmation files of that age they get burned every so many years.hence me going to my embassy stating something very similar to what was said originally on a statuary declaration.And will see how i get on this week.
The embassy has already spoken to them a length and will do so again if i am not successful.

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Marriage visa extension nightmare beware!

Post by Firfox » November 18, 2014, 5:40 pm

I am in the same position as the original poster. I have had three extentions based on marriage and have been married for ten years. I also registered my marriage in Bangkok (very close to the British Embassy). I obtained my two certificates and the additional papers but the Amphure kept my affirmation to marry.

My extention is not due while next March but after reading the thread I called into immigration to ask if this new requirement is here to stay. I was told definetly yes and I was advised to go to the British Embassy and obtain a letter/comfirmation that ten years ago I was single and elegible to marry.

I work in Thailand and I could get a Non B but this will mean cancelling my work permit and lots of messing about. I invest in this country via my wife and pay taxes and social security and this is how I am treat.

I know that this will cost money and take time before it is resolved.

I am now seriously considerring other options rather than stopping here in Thailand.
I can understand they need to keep reviewing visa laws but to ask for a peice of paper from ten years ago and their own government agencies destroy all paperwork after a number of years is ridecolous.

Many people will say just smile and follow the rules. Yes I have done this for a number of years but I am now getting fed up of this and lets be honest there are many other options in South East Asia.

Andy

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Marriage visa extension nightmare beware!

Post by tamada » November 18, 2014, 6:09 pm

^ Andy. Keep in mind that wherever you pitch your tent in SE Asia, you will have similar issues. I am working with a New Zealand chap who has been settled in Vietnam for years and from his conversations, there's nothing cut and dried there either. The 3-year visa option that he (and others) bought into several years ago suddenly disappears. If you get stopped on your motorbike, they have a laminated card that states the fine in English for each violation. The local, un-laminated version details the same violations but fines are around 10% of what they ask of foreigners. Plus the traffic cops beat you with sticks if you breeze by without stopping.

Back on topic, this requirement for a copy (or original) sighting of the original affidavit of freedom to marry is totally bizarre. What value in confirming that you were single 10, 15, 20 years ago and have been married ever since? Unless they have some notion that Mr & Mrs Smith are actually swapping partners somewhere along the line. Like Mr Smith up and dies but some Nigerian slinks in and assumes the dead guys married status before the bugger is cremated. More likely that these sham marriages have maybe relied on fake affidavits. Isn't it also a case of these shonky marriages that the Thai ladies have their ID's filched and then are unknowingly shackled to a west African brother only to find out about it after the fact when renewing something at the local Amphur? Asking for a copy of the original one will guarantee that you are who you say you are but since the Amphur keeps (and apparently burns) these, then you're buggered. Luckily, I kept a copy of mine... but I do retirement extensions now.

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samuel
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Marriage visa extension nightmare beware!

Post by samuel » November 18, 2014, 8:19 pm

Firfox wrote:My extention is not due while next March but after reading the thread I called into immigration to ask if this new requirement is here to stay. I was told definetly yes and I was advised to go to the British Embassy and obtain a letter/comfirmation that ten years ago I was single and elegible to marry.
As i mentioned before, i got married 21 years ago abroad. do you really think the Udon Thani Immigration would want a paper from my embassy stating that i was single when i got married ABROAD last century?

I will contact my embassy to see if they already know about this "new law" and what they can do for that for my next extension due in april 2015.
gosh - this is killing me....

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