Marriage visa

Hi, It will be simple to get 1 year retirement visa as you are over 50 years old, even immigration here often ask people under spouse visa to apply for retirement visa when they reach the age of 50 years old. Process is simple but financial requirement higher. Why do you need a law firm ? are you aldready married ? marriage in Thailand or in UK ?

I take it your wife is Thai. you can do every thing yourself. will you be wanting to live in the Bangkok area? if so that makes it easier. I will be getting my 1yr visa next month. let me know when you plan to come, and we can talk and maybe help you.

JOHNMELL wrote:

I am on holiday at the moment with the wife in thailand but when i get back to england want to start the process of getting a marriage visa to stay in thailand Am retired aged 60 and not looking for work.Anyone been through this process with any tips would be good and any good law firms that can be recommended to help would be useful.

Hi John
Yes been through the process every Year since 2008(extension of stay). I am married to a Thai but I use a yearly retirement extension(Not Visa) which is easier to obtain than marriage extension(not Visa). Two trips to immigration needed for the latter. That said financial requirements are lower for marriage extension. I arrived in country on an O visa in 2008 which I extended at Thai immigration and now renew every year(no need for a new visa).

Are you aware of conditions for marriage/retirement extensions?
Are you aware of visa requirements?

Even if you are not,  DO NOT waste your hard earned cash with agents or law firms. Process is very easy to do yourself. There is plenty of info here and on other web sites to ease you through the process.

BTW I take it your wife is Thai........you don't say,  if not the some of the above does not apply.

Hi,
      Thanks for your interest.Yes I am married to a Thai.We have a house and car in north east Thailand about 50km west of Nakhon Phanom.For a marriage visa need 400,000 in bank or income same.Must be in bank for 2 months.I believe for marriage visa you don't need police checks or medical report (not that I have anything to worry about there).Retirement visa 800,000.
If anything happened to the wife god forbid, I would return to England so probably better for me to get a marriage visa.We married in Thailand 4 years ago.
                                          Many thanks
                                                 John

JOHNMELL wrote:

Hi,
      Thanks for your interest.Yes I am married to a Thai.We have a house and car in north east Thailand about 50km west of Nakhon Phanom.For a marriage visa need 400,000 in bank or income same.Must be in bank for 2 months.I believe for marriage visa you don't need police checks or medical report (not that I have anything to worry about there).Retirement visa 800,000.
If anything happened to the wife god forbid, I would return to England so probably better for me to get a marriage visa.We married in Thailand 4 years ago.
                                          Many thanks
                                                 John

Hi John

There is a difference between a VISA and an EXTENSION of stay.

A Thai visa allows access to Thailand for a set period of time and is obtained from a Thai consulate or embassy outside of Thailand.

An extension of stay is granted by Thai immigration in Thailand and can range from 7 days to 1 year.

In the UK a Thai O visa could be issued to visit your Thai wife.......there are no police checks and the visa usually single entry gives you a 90 day entry into Thailand. It can then be extended at Thai immigration in your case to either a marriage or a retirement extension.

An O-A(long stay visa) DOES requires a police check in your home country. This visa can give a stay up to 2 years in Thailand without extension if used effectively.

I'm Caadian and since 8 years I ask (in Thai consulate in Canada) a "marriage visa".
I need:
1. Photokopy of our marriage certificate
2. Photokopy of thai passport of my  wife.
3. $175 CDN.
No bank account in Thailand.
No address confirmation in Thailand.
Easy, no problem at all. 
I didn't try to extend this visa in Thailand  'cuz every year we fly for a few weeks to Canada and I request an other
1 year "marriage visa".

First step is to apply at the Thai embassy in your country for a Non Immigrant "O" visa for 12 months...This allows you to stay in the Kingdom for a year BUT you must exit every 90 days...Depending on where you live that means crossing into Laos for a visa stamp and return....During the 12 month stay you have to apply for the Marriage Visa at  Thailand Immigration...This isn't complicated but they are very strict on compliance these days since the military junta took power...It requires you to have bank account in your name only with 400.000 baht in it for 3 months prior to applying...
Other requirements are proof of marriage to a Thai national, house documents, 5 current photos of you both at this house including one of the address showing the house number and street etc...Immigration have the forms with all information on it in Thai so your wife can have all documentation ready at the time you apply....
MAKE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN you set up your bank account in an account that is accessible at all times...If you put it in a 6 or 12 month term deposit they will refuse your application...(this happened to me and it took 9 months before I was approved again after previously having a Marriage Visa for 3 years)...

Good luck

Col

With ALL my respect to you: Thai Embassy doesn't deliver visa to Thailand.  You have to apply in Thai CONSULATE (often in the same building).  Also: OF i have already 1 year "O"  visa in my passport WHY should I apply in Thailand for one year "Marriage Visa" ????  What's the reason?  IF I have only 30 days "Arrival Visa"- I have  a good reason to ask "Marriage Visa".   Other way (I think) one year "O" visa is enough for me, isnt't it?

You do what you want...I have been doing this for 6 years and know all the pitfalls......O visa gives you 90 days only before you MUST leave the country....Marriage visa means you do not, only report to Immigration for 90 day check...
1900 baht for annual Marriage visa as opposed to 4 trips to Laos to renew "O" visa and pay for entry to Laos..Cost me some 3300 baht per time from memory....You are supposed to stay in Laos for 1 night but they didn't enforce that on me...
I applied for my original "O" Visa at the Royal Thai Consulate in Adelaide Australia....I had a 12 month "O" Visa....Nearing the end of the 12 months I applied for the Marriage Visa as it is much cheaper and I don't have to leave Thailand every 3 months....
The decision is yours....

Understood what you wrote and agree with you 100%.  This is the best way if you stay here for 1 year.