O Visa - Marriage

Peciacake

Peciacake

Well-Known Member
Yuri and I attended the Immigration office in Surin yesterday with the intention of applying for O Visa - Marriage "Thai Wife Visa" (TWV). It did not go well.
We presented the required documentation and photos we were advised to include. We made sure our document checklist matched the requirements advised for a TWV: bank certificate; bank statement; copy of house book with statement from house owner; copy of passport and ID card all appropriately signed plus the right number of photos with the right subject matter.
When we presented the docs and advised the reason for being there, the desk clerk immediately rolled her eyes becoming very animated, going into a long tirade.
Yuri was quite taken back by the clerk's attitude. She translated the points raised by the clerk, summarised below:
- All TWV applications are sent to Khon Kaen for processing and may take up to a month to process
- There is no guarantee a TWV will be granted despite how carefully it is prepared. It needs a strong justification.
- If a TWV application is rejected, any other visa held by the applicant is automatically extinguished and the visa holder must leave Thailand before applying for another visa. I would have to go through the whole process to reapply for a O Visa - Retirement after re-entering Thailand (see last point below).
- TWV holders are subject to annual visits from the Immigration police around the time of the visa renewal date.
- She strongly asserted we shouldn't proceed with our application for a TWV. Her attitude goes against Yuri's experience when she phoned Kap Choeng for advice on applying for the TWV. Kap Choeng's advice and attitude could not have been more helpful.
This morning Yuri spoke with Thai Immigration in BKK who confirmed the requirement to leave Thailand and apply for a visa on re-entry if the TWV isn't approved. The person she spoke with also advised an O visa may not be automatically granted despite me having one previously.

Any advice / assistance on this topic would be very much appreciated.
 
You can only go onto an extension based on Thai wife from any other visa. then a visa exempt entry stamp. Is this how you entered Thailand? If it was. That is your bureaucratic problem. Technically you can not obtain any other visa while in Thailand. I understand a brown envelope is the only way. Or of course, go to Savanakhet and do it the legal way.
Once you have an O visa based on marriage from Savanakhet you can then branch to a extension based on Thai wife from that. I wonder if the bitch from hell is now moved up to Surin city.
I forgot to mention you have some terms really mixed up. You are applying for an extension of stay NOT A VISA.
 
Peciacake said:
Yuri and I attended the Immigration office in Surin yesterday with the intention of applying for O Visa - Marriage "Thai Wife Visa" (TWV). It did not go well.
We presented the required documentation and photos we were advised to include. We made sure our document checklist matched the requirements advised for a TWV: bank certificate; bank statement; copy of house book with statement from house owner; copy of passport and ID card all appropriately signed plus the right number of photos with the right subject matter.
When we presented the docs and advised the reason for being there, the desk clerk immediately rolled her eyes becoming very animated, going into a long tirade.
Yuri was quite taken back by the clerk's attitude. She translated the points raised by the clerk, summarised below:
- All TWV applications are sent to Khon Kaen for processing and may take up to a month to process
- There is no guarantee a TWV will be granted despite how carefully it is prepared. It needs a strong justification.
- If a TWV application is rejected, any other visa held by the applicant is automatically extinguished and the visa holder must leave Thailand before applying for another visa. I would have to go through the whole process to reapply for a O Visa - Retirement after re-entering Thailand (see last point below).
- TWV holders are subject to annual visits from the Immigration police around the time of the visa renewal date.
- She strongly asserted we shouldn't proceed with our application for a TWV. Her attitude goes against Yuri's experience when she phoned Kap Choeng for advice on applying for the TWV. Kap Choeng's advice and attitude could not have been more helpful.
This morning Yuri spoke with Thai Immigration in BKK who confirmed the requirement to leave Thailand and apply for a visa on re-entry if the TWV isn't approved. The person she spoke with also advised an O visa may not be automatically granted despite me having one previously.

Any advice / assistance on this topic would be very much appreciated.
Click to expand...
FORK SURIN. Come down to Kap Choeng. Its a snape.
 
Rice said:
You can only go onto an extension based on Thai wife from any other visa. then a visa exempt entry stamp. Is this how you entered Thailand? If it was. That is your beaurocratic problem. Technically you can not obtain any other visa while in Thailand. I understand a brown envelope is the only way. Or of course, go to Savanakhet and do it the legal way.
Once you have an O visa based on marriage from Savanakhet you can then branch to a extension based on Thai wife from that. I wonder if the bitch from hell is now moved up to Surin city.
Click to expand...
The only visa I had was from Royal Thai Consultant in Washington D.C.
 
Rice said:
You can only go onto an extension based on Thai wife from any other visa. then a visa exempt entry stamp. Is this how you entered Thailand? If it was. That is your beaurocratic problem. Technically you can not obtain any other visa while in Thailand. I understand a brown envelope is the only way. Or of course, go to Savanakhet and do it the legal way.
Once you have an O visa based on marriage from Savanakhet you can then branch to a extension based on Thai wife from that. I wonder if the bitch from hell is now moved up to Surin city.
Click to expand...

Sorry to hear your story, @Peciacake, what a bad experience. I have held an extension to stay based on retirement for the past 18 years or so. I can offer no help I am afraid. @Rice seems to know far more about your situation. A nice trip to Savannakhet would seem to be the way to go.
 
Rice said:
You are applying for an extension of stay NOT A VISA
Click to expand...
My current visa in Non-immigrant O (Retirement) that expires in December. I'm seeking a Non-immigrant O (Marriage) visa. So, from what you are saying, this is an extension of my existing visa, not a replacement. Have I got this right?
 
Peciacake said:
My current visa in Non-immigrant O (Retirement) that expires in December. I'm seeking a Non-immigrant O (Marriage) visa. So, from what you are saying, this is an extension of my existing visa, not a replacement. Have I got this right?
Click to expand...
It's an extention, based on being married to a Thai citizen. I believe that's what your applying for???.?
If you go to Laos, then your starting again, with a new visa, that can then be extended within Thailand.
 
Ivor the Engine said:
It's an extention, based on being married to a Thai citizen. I believe that's what your applying for???.?
If you go to Laos, then your starting again, with a new visa, that can then be extended within Thailand.
Click to expand...

Not that I've ever tried but I don't believe that you can extend a visa in Thailand (nor anywhere else).

Because this is Thailand, you probably can, unofficially, with a suitably sized brown envelope.
 
Peciacake said:
My current visa in Non-immigrant O (Retirement) that expires in December. I'm seeking a Non-immigrant O (Marriage) visa. So, from what you are saying, this is an extension of my existing visa, not a replacement. Have I got this right?
Click to expand...
Ok, That visa is fine. All you need to apply for is the extension of stay based on Thai wife. Don't let them scare you into getting a retirement visa. They like it better, because they have all the power over you. As you were told all marriage visa decisions are done in Khon Kaen. It sounds like you ticked all the boxes. Have you submitted the forms and paid your 1900 Baht. You will get a pending visa for one month then a visit to your home to see if you are the genuine article, then you go back to the office to get your full visa.
I hope you submitted a map to your house, that's required for a extension based on marriage.
Look if you have ticked all the boxes there is nothing to worry about. There is always that Officer that loves to see you squirm. Don't give them the pleasure. I most certainly don't.

A word of warning on your home visit you must have two witnesses. The Pu Yai Ban or the second is a must. I had the Pu Yai (wifes uncle) and one ultra cranky old lady. I love her dearly, She lives across the creek from me in a shanty shed. When they started throwing their weight around that little old lady ripped shreds of them and they ran away. It was a day to remember. I have looked after her ever since. Your lucky you can't speak Thai. At times I have wanted to kill them. They say the most dreadful things to your face and to your wife. Let me say the nasty folk are at least a minority. I would put it at 20%. I think these people hate their work and they hate foreigners.
PS They all paid a hefty sum to get that job as well.
 
Rice said:
Ok, That visa is fine. All you need to apply for is the extension of stay based on Thai wife. Don't let them scare you into getting a retirement visa. They like it better, because they have all the power over you. As you were told all marriage visa decisions are done in Khon Kaen. It sounds like you ticked all the boxes. Have you submitted the forms and paid your 1900 Baht. You will get a pending visa for one month then a visit to your home to see if you are the genuine article, then you go back to the office to get your full visa.
I hope you submitted a map to your house, that's required for a extension based on marriage.
Look if you have ticked all the boxes there is nothing to worry about. There is always that Officer that loves to see you squirm. Don't give them the pleasure. I most certainly don't.

A word of warning on your home visit you must have two witnesses. The Pu Yai Ban or the second is a must. I had the Pu Yai (wifes uncle) and one ultra cranky old lady. I love her dearly, She lives across the creek from me in a shanty shed. When they started throwing their weight around that little old lady ripped shreds of them and they ran away. It was a day to remember. I have looked after her ever since. Your lucky you can't speak Thai. At times I have wanted to kill them. They say the most dreadful things to your face and to your wife. Let me say the nasty folk are at least a minority. I would put it at 20%. I think these people hate their work and they hate foreigners.
PS They all paid a hefty sum to get that job as well.
Click to expand...
Some of them are jealous of the fact that a Thai lady has a farang husband. I think they like to flex their muscles and show off their cornflake packet stripes and medals. I didn’t know that the immigration officers could get nasty as well. May I ask a question. What happens if you are staying at a hotel or resort and you don’t have a Pu Yai Ban as a witness?
 
Prakhonchai Nick said:
Could you not just extend what you already have (you mention a retirement visa) Downgrading to a marriage visa seems to cause problems.
Click to expand...
When I first moved here, I chose the retirement option for reasons of simplicity and inexperiance. Two years later,
I decided to revert to the marriage option mainly for the reason of having to grandfather ฿800,000 in the bank, makes no sense to me.
The inital process was a pain in the ass with all the hoops to jump through and dealing with the immigration mafia.
Once done, doing my extension was still akward thanks to the Medusa on counter 6 @ Chonburi immigration even with all the correct paperwork.
My last one went smoothly with the tunnel c*nted medusa not throwing roadblocks at me---until next time. ;;bad simle;;
I commented to @Rice , the reason the perspex screens are in place is to prevent irate farangs drilling her between the eyes.
 
Can we just clarify - are you currently staying in Thailand based on an original VISA acquired outside of Thailand? ......... If so, is this a VISA granted on the basis of RETIREMENT?

That would have got you stamped in for 90 days and is the basis from which you are now applying for an EXTENSION OF STAY.

From your comments my assumption is that this is your first EXTENSION OF STAY APPLICATION.

I am not aware of any reason why you cannot apply for an extension based on MARRIAGE, even though your original VISA was based on RETIREMENT.


I see no reason why a MARRIAGE application would be denied - unless there is some technical reason (unknown to me) why the switch is not allowed. Even if there was such a reason (that required you to apply on the basis of RETIREMENT) it would not prevent you applying on the basis of MARRIAGE in 12 months time (as Ferret did) so where is the logic in preventing you doing it now?

IMO they are lazy b4stards and prefer the simplicity of processing an extension application based on retirement which they can approve 'in house'. Don't be put off by their attitude or obstacles - certainly taker no notice of the fear mongering about not getting a visa; as Ivor pointed out it is a piece of cake at Savannakhet - but it won't come to that, try a different IO or go to Kap Choeng.


Note:- I disagree with @Youngagain about IO jealousy - the reverse is more likely true, I have heard it said that Immigration will look down on the wife/partner of a Farang (because they cannot get a Thai husband and probably worked in the entertainment industry - that attitude, of course, does not stop the IOP shagging his mia noi from the karaoke).

Later:- I posted the question (as I understood it) on ASEAN NOW forum to get the wisdom of visa experts on there - a sample response:-

"It doesn't matter on what basis he applied for the Non Imm O Visa.
If legally married to a Thai, he can apply for an extension of stay based on Thai spouse.

You can change the 'reason' for an extension from retirement to Thai spouse and vice versa provided you meet the requirements".

The thread is running here:-

 
Last edited:
CO-CO said:
Can we just clarify - are you currently staying in Thailand based on an original VISA acquired outside of Thailand? ......... If so, is this a VISA granted on the basis of RETIREMENT?

That would have got you stamped in for 90 days and is the basis from which you are now applying for an EXTENSION OF STAY.

From your comments my assumption is that this is your first EXTENSION OF STAY APPLICATION.

I am not aware of any reason why you cannot apply for an extension based on MARRIAGE, even though your original VISA was based on RETIREMENT.


I see no reason why a MARRIAGE application would be denied - unless there is some technical reason (unknown to me) why the switch is not allowed. Even if there was such a reason (that required you to apply on the basis of RETIREMENT) it would not prevent you applying on the basis of MARRIAGE in 12 months time (as Ferret did) so where is the logic in preventing you doing it now?

IMO they are lazy b4stards and prefer the simplicity of processing an extension application based on retirement which they can approve 'in house'. Don't be put off by their attitude or obstacles - certainly taker no notice of the fear mongering about not getting a visa; as Ivor pointed out it is a piece of cake at Savannakhet - but it won't come to that, try a different IO or go to Kap Choeng.


Note:- I disagree with @Youngagain about IO jealousy - the reverse is more likely true, I have heard it said that Immigration will look down on the wife/partner of a Farang (because they cannot get a Thai husband and probably worked in the entertainment industry - that attitude, of course, does not stop the IOP shagging his mia noi from the karaoke).

Later:- I posted the question (as I understood it) on ASEAN NOW forum to get the wisdom of visa experts on there - a sample response:-

"It doesn't matter on what basis he applied for the Non Imm O Visa.
If legally married to a Thai, he can apply for an extension of stay based on Thai spouse.

You can change the 'reason' for an extension from retirement to Thai spouse and vice versa provided you meet the requirements".

The thread is running here:-

Click to expand...
My next issue I can see with the immigration mafia will be registering my change of address to the new house.
I feel it in my water.
 
FERRET said:
My next issue I can see with the immigration mafia will be registering my change of address to the new house.
I feel it in my water.
Click to expand...


TM30 is a piece of cake. Not your job, it is Pat's - it gets very busy in that room on the left.


I believe it can also be done online:- https://aseannow.com/topic/1274435-tm30-question/#comment-17658978


My advice to you Ferret is stay as far away from Jomtien Immigration as you can. You and them don't seem to mix well! :grinning: :grinning:
 
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