Marriage Visa

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LoneTraveler
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Marriage Visa

Post by LoneTraveler » January 9, 2019, 10:25 am

Would someone share their recent experience(s) in obtaining a Visa because of marriage to a Thai. I am currently on an O-A retirement visa and have been for the last 12 years. I am considering changes to a marriage Visa due to the recent clarification of the Immigration policies for both retirement and married Visas. I have always used the US Embassy Letter to certify verification of income. Now that is longer longer an option, I would rather put 400K or maintain 40K a month in a Thai bank than tie up 800K. I am a US citizen and was hoping not to file a FBAR but it looks as though which ever Visa I obtain, I will be required to do so.

I have been told by Udon Immigration that I have to go to the Bangkok Office to get a marriage Visa. I am hoping for some insight as to the process although, in many ways should be the same requirements for a Retirement Visa. Some tell me photos are required, a map to home etc. And because I have to use letter from bank and update bank book on the same day as my application, is there a Bangkok Bank near the immigration office in Bangkok. I had to go a building near by to get my documents for a marriage license but I do not recall see a Bangkok Bank in the area.

Thank you in advance



tutone
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Re: Marriage Visa

Post by tutone » January 9, 2019, 12:12 pm

LoneTraveler wrote:
January 9, 2019, 10:25 am
Would someone share their recent experience(s) in obtaining a Visa because of marriage to a Thai. I am currently on an O-A retirement visa and have been for the last 12 years. I am considering changes to a marriage Visa due to the recent clarification of the Immigration policies for both retirement and married Visas. I have always used the US Embassy Letter to certify verification of income. Now that is longer longer an option, I would rather put 400K or maintain 40K a month in a Thai bank than tie up 800K. I am a US citizen and was hoping not to file a FBAR but it looks as though which ever Visa I obtain, I will be required to do so.

I have been told by Udon Immigration that I have to go to the Bangkok Office to get a marriage Visa. I am hoping for some insight as to the process although, in many ways should be the same requirements for a Retirement Visa. Some tell me photos are required, a map to home etc. And because I have to use letter from bank and update bank book on the same day as my application, is there a Bangkok Bank near the immigration office in Bangkok. I had to go a building near by to get my documents for a marriage license but I do not recall see a Bangkok Bank in the area.

Thank you in advance
Hope this link helps. It appears there is at least one close to immigration.
https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1CH ... 93026!5i15

Wide Awake
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Re: Marriage Visa

Post by Wide Awake » January 9, 2019, 12:23 pm

Hey LoneTraveler, I just signed up on Udonmap, but have lived here 9 yrs now. I went through the whole "legal" marriage route and have done it every year since. Its alot of BS and paper pushing, copies of everything..you will end up with about a 1 inch stack of papers. yes, then the 400,000 in the Bank, and you have to go to the bank to get a copy of your account, "The same day you submit" your paperwork for marriage Visa. There are a few "cheats", but I won't post them on here. I would be happy to help you with other questions.
But, if I may, I would like to add a new question to your post. And i hope others can help here..some of you old heads on here. My wife pushed me to do the whole "Legal" marriage route, meaning we had to apply for a Marriage license through the US, translate many documents, and alot more BS. This makes her entitled to all my things , should I die, I am quessing. Maybe thats what she wanted. OK, my questions here is : Can you go to the Ompur here, do the marriage cerimony and will this be accepted by Immigration as a "marriage" to use for the marriage Visa. Because in all actuality, going through the US for anything only makes you more of a slave to the US control of everything. You need a license to do almost anything in the US, soon you will need one to blow your nose. Where there is License, there is TAXES. and these Taxes on everything is getting way out of control. What is this? The revised Roman Empire? Someone, please help with this...thanks in advance.

Wide Awake
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Re: Marriage Visa

Post by Wide Awake » January 9, 2019, 12:29 pm

I forgot to add, we took my papers and Documents (you will need proof showing you are divorced, if you are), to a lady not far from the Waterfall round about, (close to Landmark building) an she translated everything AND she went to BKK and submitted all the paperwork and brought back the Marriage liecense. And did all this for less than 6000tb.

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semperfiguy
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Re: Marriage Visa

Post by semperfiguy » January 9, 2019, 2:59 pm

LoneTraveler wrote:
January 9, 2019, 10:25 am
Would someone share their recent experience(s) in obtaining a Visa because of marriage to a Thai. I am currently on an O-A retirement visa and have been for the last 12 years. I am considering changes to a marriage Visa due to the recent clarification of the Immigration policies for both retirement and married Visas. I have always used the US Embassy Letter to certify verification of income. Now that is longer longer an option, I would rather put 400K or maintain 40K a month in a Thai bank than tie up 800K. I am a US citizen and was hoping not to file a FBAR but it looks as though which ever Visa I obtain, I will be required to do so.

I have been told by Udon Immigration that I have to go to the Bangkok Office to get a marriage Visa. I am hoping for some insight as to the process although, in many ways should be the same requirements for a Retirement Visa. Some tell me photos are required, a map to home etc. And because I have to use letter from bank and update bank book on the same day as my application, is there a Bangkok Bank near the immigration office in Bangkok. I had to go a building near by to get my documents for a marriage license but I do not recall see a Bangkok Bank in the area.

Thank you in advance

LoneTraveler, I plan to do the same thing this coming May and I'm sure many others are considering this as well, but I had no idea that we would be told to go to Bangkok. Is this current information from the Udon Immigration Office? Is there a chance that perhaps you misunderstood what you were told? Maybe they told you that extensions of stay based on marriage are sent off the Bangkok for approval and you must wait 30 day for the final stamp of approval. That would certainly be true.
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Lone Star
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Re: Marriage Visa

Post by Lone Star » January 9, 2019, 3:25 pm

semperfiguy wrote:
January 9, 2019, 2:59 pm

LoneTraveler, I plan to do the same thing this coming May and I'm sure many others are considering this as well, but I had no idea that we would be told to go to Bangkok. Is this current information from the Udon Immigration Office? Is there a chance that perhaps you misunderstood what you were told? Maybe they told you that extensions of stay based on marriage are sent off the Bangkok for approval and you must wait 30 day for the final stamp of approval. That would certainly be true.
I've never heard of anyone having to do that, but these are different times.

Best bet would be to go to UTH Immigration office and ask them. With all immigration offices being different on different days, it may only be the case with LT's immigration stop.
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MusicalBars
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Re: Marriage Visa

Post by MusicalBars » January 9, 2019, 3:53 pm

you certainlayare not required to go to Bangkok for a child dependancy visawhich is the same as a marrige visa
check again with udon they have a guide in english and thai stating the requirements

LoneTraveler
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Re: Marriage Visa

Post by LoneTraveler » January 9, 2019, 4:24 pm

semperfiguy wrote:
January 9, 2019, 2:59 pm
LoneTraveler wrote:
January 9, 2019, 10:25 am
Would someone share their recent experience(s) in obtaining a Visa because of marriage to a Thai. I am currently on an O-A retirement visa and have been for the last 12 years. I am considering changes to a marriage Visa due to the recent clarification of the Immigration policies for both retirement and married Visas. I have always used the US Embassy Letter to certify verification of income. Now that is longer longer an option, I would rather put 400K or maintain 40K a month in a Thai bank than tie up 800K. I am a US citizen and was hoping not to file a FBAR but it looks as though which ever Visa I obtain, I will be required to do so.

I have been told by Udon Immigration that I have to go to the Bangkok Office to get a marriage Visa. I am hoping for some insight as to the process although, in many ways should be the same requirements for a Retirement Visa. Some tell me photos are required, a map to home etc. And because I have to use letter from bank and update bank book on the same day as my application, is there a Bangkok Bank near the immigration office in Bangkok. I had to go a building near by to get my documents for a marriage license but I do not recall see a Bangkok Bank in the area.

Thank you in advance

LoneTraveler, I plan to do the same thing this coming May and I'm sure many others are considering this as well, but I had no idea that we would be told to go to Bangkok. Is this current information from the Udon Immigration Office? Is there a chance that perhaps you misunderstood what you were told? Maybe they told you that extensions of stay based on marriage are sent off the Bangkok for approval and you must wait 30 day for the final stamp of approval. That would certainly be true.
It is possible I misunderstood. However, this is not the first time I have gotten conflicting advice from there. This was recently, but I am to return next month for my 90 day and will ask again, I will bring my wife to hopefully alleviate any misunderstanding. My wife has talked to friends who have gone through the process and they all stated "have to go to Bangkok" They have also given her requirements that I know are untrue. I will have to wait until my next 90 to get a clear direction from Udon Immigration.

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Hoopoe
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Re: Marriage Visa

Post by Hoopoe » January 9, 2019, 4:35 pm

This is a translation simplified from theirs , it's one i wrote last year , hope it helps ,i will have to amend number 3 due to the changes in income letter ,
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Requirements for Visa extension based on marriage.jpg

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Lone Star
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Re: Marriage Visa

Post by Lone Star » January 9, 2019, 4:43 pm

Hoopoe wrote:
January 9, 2019, 4:35 pm
This is a translation simplified from theirs , it's one i wrote last year , hope it helps ,i will have to amend number 3 due to the changes in income letter ,
Yes, that's how I've always understood it.

The issue right now is whether or not someone has to go to BKK to convert a O-A Visa to a Marriage or Retirement Visa.

If it's about getting paperwork that shows your marital status (married/divorced/single, etc.) from your home country, then yes, I had to go to BKK to complete that document. Since I already had done all of that, when my conversion occurred from O-A to Marriage, I didn't have to go to BKK to complete the conversion.
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Hoopoe
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Re: Marriage Visa

Post by Hoopoe » January 10, 2019, 2:34 am

As far as my understanding goes , o-A visa , extension of based on marriage or retirement , i came on a one year multiple entry o visa non employment ,got pissed of with going over the bridge ,so into immigration ,the same 0 visa EXTENSION based on retirement one year ,no problems , then a few years later the same o Visa Extension based on marriage ,a few years after that i reverted to retirement EXTENSION ,Now i'm back on the Original O Visa EXTENSION Based on marriage , have never had to go to BKK,, i started this a long long time ago ,, the question now is ,since they had all the fake .sham marriages , have they moved the goal post's so that on your first extension based on marriage you have to go to BKK

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sometimewoodworker
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Re: Marriage Visa

Post by sometimewoodworker » January 10, 2019, 1:54 pm

LoneTraveler wrote:
January 9, 2019, 10:25 am
Would someone share their recent experience(s) in obtaining a Visa because of marriage to a Thai. I am currently on an O-A retirement visa and have been for the last 12 years. I am considering changes to a marriage Visa due to the recent clarification of the Immigration policies for both retirement and married Visas. I have always used the US Embassy Letter to certify verification of income. Now that is longer longer an option, I would rather put 400K or maintain 40K a month in a Thai bank than tie up 800K. I am a US citizen and was hoping not to file a FBAR but it looks as though which ever Visa I obtain, I will be required to do so.

I have been told by Udon Immigration that I have to go to the Bangkok Office to get a marriage Visa. I am hoping for some insight as to the process although, in many ways should be the same requirements for a Retirement Visa. Some tell me photos are required, a map to home etc. And because I have to use letter from bank and update bank book on the same day as my application, is there a Bangkok Bank near the immigration office in Bangkok. I had to go a building near by to get my documents for a marriage license but I do not recall see a Bangkok Bank in the area.

Thank you in advance
You do not get visas from immigration, only extensions of stay except in 1 special case.

The Non-OA is never issued in Thailand, so you either do not have a Non-OA visa or have been making regular trips to the US to get them.

To change the reason for an extension of stay from retirement to marriage to, or support of a Thai child , does not require doing it in Bangkok, neither does it need a new visa prior to the change. In fact you must do it in the area you live so can not do it in Bangkok. You can change the reason from retirement to marriage when you renew.

If immigration are being difficult then if you wish (and you do not have a current reentry permit) you can pop over to Vientiane near the finish of your current extension (if you have a reentry permit you have to make sure that the extension finishes while you are in Laos) get a Non-O (Thai spouse) visa then after 2 months go to immigration for the standard "marriage" extension.

I suspect there has been some miscommunication with immigration
Last edited by sometimewoodworker on January 10, 2019, 2:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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sometimewoodworker
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Re: Marriage Visa

Post by sometimewoodworker » January 10, 2019, 2:05 pm

Hoopoe wrote:
January 10, 2019, 2:34 am
As far as my understanding goes , o-A visa , extension of based on marriage or retirement , i came on a one year multiple entry o visa non employment ,got pissed of with going over the bridge ,so into immigration ,the same 0 visa EXTENSION based on retirement one year ,no problems , then a few years later the same o Visa Extension based on marriage ,a few years after that i reverted to retirement EXTENSION ,Now i'm back on the Original O Visa EXTENSION Based on marriage , have never had to go to BKK,, i started this a long long time ago ,, the question now is ,since they had all the fake .sham marriages , have they moved the goal post's so that on your first extension based on marriage you have to go to BKK
Visas are never (can never be) extended.
Permissions to stay are extended. The reason for extending a permission to stay can be changed when doing the annual extension, (retirement, support of your Thai child, marriage to Thai citizen) if you have Thai children/child there is no seasoning of money, marriage should be 2 months retirement 3 months.

Income is a little different and possibly a little difficult.
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sometimewoodworker
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Re: Marriage Visa

Post by sometimewoodworker » January 10, 2019, 2:18 pm

Hoopoe wrote:
January 9, 2019, 4:35 pm
This is a translation simplified from theirs , it's one i wrote last year , hope it helps ,i will have to amend number 3 due to the changes in income letter ,
AFIK The certification of embassy letters has been dropped
Also it isn't a visa extension
It is an extension of stay.
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sometimewoodworker
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Re: Marriage Visa

Post by sometimewoodworker » January 10, 2019, 2:26 pm

LoneTraveler wrote:
January 9, 2019, 4:24 pm

It is possible I misunderstood. However, this is not the first time I have gotten conflicting advice from there.
They have a leaflet in thai and English they will give you, I can't post my copy as I'm in Bangkok at the moment.
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glalt
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Re: Marriage Visa

Post by glalt » January 10, 2019, 8:33 pm

LoneTraveler wrote:
January 9, 2019, 10:25 am
Would someone share their recent experience(s) in obtaining a Visa because of marriage to a Thai. I am currently on an O-A retirement visa and have been for the last 12 years. I am considering changes to a marriage Visa due to the recent clarification of the Immigration policies for both retirement and married Visas. I have always used the US Embassy Letter to certify verification of income. Now that is longer longer an option, I would rather put 400K or maintain 40K a month in a Thai bank than tie up 800K. I am a US citizen and was hoping not to file a FBAR but it looks as though which ever Visa I obtain, I will be required to do so.

I have been told by Udon Immigration that I have to go to the Bangkok Office to get a marriage Visa. I am hoping for some insight as to the process although, in many ways should be the same requirements for a Retirement Visa. Some tell me photos are required, a map to home etc. And because I have to use letter from bank and update bank book on the same day as my application, is there a Bangkok Bank near the immigration office in Bangkok. I had to go a building near by to get my documents for a marriage license but I do not recall see a Bangkok Bank in the area.

Thank you in advance
I think you'll find that most immigration offices don't like to do the marriage visas. It is a lot of extra work for them, so they tell you that you have to go to Bangkok. As I understand it, all marriage visas do have to be approved by Bangkok immigration regardless of the office you use. That doesn't mean that you have to go to Bangkok.

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Lone Star
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Re: Marriage Visa

Post by Lone Star » January 10, 2019, 8:38 pm

glalt wrote:
January 10, 2019, 8:33 pm

I think you'll find that most immigration offices don't like to do the marriage visas. It is a lot of extra work for them, so they tell you that you have to go to Bangkok. As I understand it, all marriage visas do have to be approved by Bangkok immigration regardless of the office you use. That doesn't mean that you have to go to Bangkok.
You might be right about LT's IO reasons in all this, glalt.

All of what you say has happened in my experience. Every year they would ask me to go regular retirement instead of marriage route because of all the paperwork. Finally did so after about 5 or so years. Glad I did. And yes, all that paperwork has been sent to BKK in the past for final approval, which is why I always had to come back a few weeks later for final stamps.

Maybe all of that is why LT's IO is sending him to BKK -- so they don't have to fool with any of it. You might be onto something.
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Hoopoe
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Re: Marriage Visa

Post by Hoopoe » January 11, 2019, 5:53 am

It would seem the political brigade are in ,
A visa extension ,is the common term used by most , when in actual fact it's an extension of permission to stay (365 days ,) ,but at the first one ,your are actually getting permission to stay (most 365 days ) on your expiring non O visa etc ,

Hoopoe wrote: ↑January 9, 2019, 4:35 pm
This is a translation simplified from theirs , it's one i wrote last year , hope it helps ,i will have to amend number 3 due to the changes in income letter ,

AFIK The certification of embassy letters has been dropped
Also it isn't a visa extension
It is an extension of stay.

why bother replying with the above AFIK , it states that number 3 will be amended ,TIT , the exact reason it has not yet been amended is due to the fact ,it changes like the wind here , so i'm waiting till the dust settles before re-writing to suit the evidence in the bank ,ie , 1 years proof on income ,monthly etc ,if that doesn't change again

ANd P/C again can't resist putting in , "Also it isn't a visa extension
It is an extension of stay."

And just for the he said they said ,the permission to stay based on marriage as far as Udonthani Immigration are concerned the paperwork is sent to Khon Kaen , i have asked twice and got the same answer (even that in it's self is unusual )Never has it been mentioned :it has to go to BKK , ,so for me it's anyone's guess , and does it really matter where it goes ,

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sometimewoodworker
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Re: Marriage Visa

Post by sometimewoodworker » January 11, 2019, 10:03 am

Hoopoe wrote:
January 11, 2019, 5:53 am
It would seem the political brigade are in ,
A visa extension ,is the common term used by most , when in actual fact it's an extension of permission to stay (365 days ,) ,but at the first one ,your are actually getting permission to stay (most 365 days ) on your expiring non O visa etc ,

Hoopoe wrote: ↑January 9, 2019, 4:35 pm
This is a translation simplified from theirs , it's one i wrote last year , hope it helps ,i will have to amend number 3 due to the changes in income letter ,

AFIK The certification of embassy letters has been dropped
Also it isn't a visa extension
It is an extension of stay.

why bother replying with the above AFIK , it states that number 3 will be amended ,

You are not staying on an expiring Non-O visa as for a single entry visa it is used/finished/dead the moment you are stamped into the country,

You are on a permission to stay (to be accurate and pedantic) that has been given due to entering with a Non-O visa, that permission to stay can be extended.

The reason for correction /question of the term visa is that it certainly is possible for someone to stay long term using a visa ( for example by going back to their home country every couple of years,) so and any answers are different for that than and an extension of stay. They are different beasts. The difference is important. It is not being pedantic or politically correct. It is being able to give accurate answers, without assuming that someone means extension of stay when they say Visa when they certainly could mean visa when they say visa

As to number 3 (certification requirements) that was a point that you may not have been aware of.

The simplified English Gide is a good idea but the title leads to misunderstanding. That immigration uses the mistaken term is understandable as they are not native English users, it doesn't excuse our usage.

As far as I know Thailand is unique in having such a pronounced disconnect between the Visa limits and permission to stay and the 2 have subtle, and not so subtle but important differences.
Most countries have the 2 linked so the distinction is not important and the terms are interchangeable with no problems or confusion, many people have experienced the visa/Stay system in other countries and mistakenly think Thailand is similar, some, only to discover too late that it isn't and being bitten by the difference.
Last edited by sometimewoodworker on January 11, 2019, 10:15 am, edited 1 time in total.
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glalt
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Re: Marriage Visa

Post by glalt » January 11, 2019, 10:12 am

Concerning the visa based on marriage, I first applied in Loei immigration. The officer there tried his best to discourage me from going that route. He told me that would require a lot of paperwork and that I would have to supply pictures of us together, our clothes closet and a map to our house. An immigration officer would then come to question the village chief and neighbors and also inspect our house to make sure that we did live together there. I would also have to make a number of trips to the immigration office which is a two hundred kilometer round trip. Even after all that, it isn't a sure thing that it would be approved because Bangkok immigration would have to give the final approval. I then decided that the visa based on retirement with the 800,000 baht in a Thai bank.was indeed the easiest way to go. It's entirely possible that the officer tried to over complicate the process to discourage me.

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