Marriage Extension

[Liam Dale]

Process is tightening up. Bouncing me from officer to officer at immigration with different priorities but all good. Literally the next day Immigration police turned up at the house to verify us, house and the village leader. All good. First time process. No idea if subsequent and I had to have 400k in bank for TWO months. I understand 3 for re-newals in future. Officers were far more interested in asking village leader about any Farang who fight with wives. This is apparently their criteria for working out false/finance marriages now. He also told us there had been 600+ false marriage busts around Issan especially Nong Bua Lam Phu. They were now not only booting the farang but jailing the wives AND the guarantors. Hmm factor. Just recent info. No qq please.

[SJP17]

600 ! I never thought it would have been as high as that.

So its 65k a month guaranteed by uk embassy, translated and certified at ministry of foreign affairs , doesn't sound too bad

[Lone Star]

.

[SJP17]

Ok , cool ive still got 30 years till retirement anyway

[samuel]

@Liam Dale

• home visit is done only the first time you apply for the marriage extension. in our case, they did not even visit us again after we moved to a new house.
• financial proof is 1st time 2 month ahead and 3 month the following years.
• process is not tightening up, at least not in my case for the last 5 years.
• fake marriages > http://www.nationmultimedia.com/nationa ... 45768.html

[Laan Yaa Mo]

I got the marriage extension this morning at Khon Kaen Immigration by the bus station 3 (baw kaw saw). I forgot one thing. My e-visa was shown in my passport; however, they wanted to see the information the Thai Embassy in Ottawa, Canada had sent about the e-visa to my email address in Toronto. I wasn't even sure I had it anymore. Anyway, the police officer gave me the extension without the email and told me to go home and find it and bring the information to him quickly.

Happily, I found the email, and we took it to the officer in the afternoon. We also made a number of copies for next year, and the year, and the year after....

[Stantheman]

I got the marriage extension this morning at Khon Kaen Immigration by the bus station 3 (baw kaw saw). I forgot one thing. My e-visa was shown in my passport; however, they wanted to see the information the Thai Embassy in Ottawa, Canada had sent about the e-visa to my email address in Toronto. I wasn't even sure I had it anymore. Anyway, the police officer gave me the extension without the email and told me to go home and find it and bring the information to him quickly.

Happily, I found the email, and we took it to the officer in the afternoon. We also made a number of copies for next year, and the year, and the year after....

LYM,
Just quick question please, how many days was the e-visa for and what type? Plus was this your first extension request of any type?

[Laan Yaa Mo]

It's a non-immigrant O visa. I have been here one year, and Immigration needs me to submit personal and bank information, photos, and so on again. The Immigration officer stamped in my passport to return on May 11th when I should be approved.

I had a student visa to attend Chiang Mai University for two years in the mid-1980s. That visa was arranged between Chiang Mai University and the University of Wisconsin.

I'm off to Phanna Nikom for a few days. Enjoy the New Year.

[sometimewoodworker]

@Liam Dale

• home visit is done only the first time you apply for the marriage extension. in our case, they did not even visit us again after we moved to a new house.
• financial proof is 1st time 2 month ahead and 3 month the following years.
• process is not tightening up, at least not in my case for the last 5 years.
• fake marriages > http://www.nationmultimedia.com/nationa ... 45768.html

@samuel
The financial proof is not 3 months ahead for any extension. It is 2 months, even for a retirement extension though in the past it was 3 months for retirement and 2 months for marriage. The 2 months for retirement changed when the 800k 400k rule change occurred. Some immigration offices have asked for 3 months for marriage, Udon never has, or it has never been reported. It is specifically given in the guidelines dated 3rd'December 2008 that were being handed out in 2019

I couple of years ago some applicants were asked to prove that they still had the 400k (I was) in the bank during the under consideration period. I have heard no recent reports of this being asked, however absence of evidence is not evidence of absence, so it is perfectly possible that some people are being asked for this

[jackspratt]

Did you notice the date of that post, woody?

[sometimewoodworker]

Did you notice the date of that post, woody?

No however Since the requirements have been in place since 2008 and it had not been corrected my post is not invalid though rather late I agree.

[rick]

Did mine today, very quiet early on (got there about 9.10 a.m.). processing started 5 minutes later. Just handed over my document pack and they filled it all in, just had to sign everything as usual. Staff all professional and helpful to other customers, I noticed, unlike some complaints you see about other offices. finished by 10.30 a.m.; it was filling up by then.
Only minor hiccup - they wanted 4 photos, not 3. Told new rule. Easily solved, wife just Lined them an old photo, accepted.

[sometimewoodworker]

Only minor hiccup - they wanted 4 photos, not 3. Told new rule. Easily solved, wife just Lined them an old photo, accepted.

Not a new rule, just new to you. I have been supplying 4 photos for all the extensions (4 or 5) so I was probably told that in 2019. Though the guide is not completely clear on that point it is covered by the “immigration officer may ask for other documents” section

[glalt]

I am legally married to a Thai lady. I wanted to apply for a visa based on marriage. The immigration officer spent a lot of time explaining the requirements and all the extra work for him. He then told me that a visa based on retirement was very easy. I had the 800,000 baht in the bank and it was easy. Years later I still use the retirement visa and yes, I am still married to the same lady.

[FrazeeDK]

let's hope the process gets abbreviated somewhat.. I know they were starting a program down at Immigration in BKK where you would upload all relevant documents to their site, then, when complete, given an appointment to go in and process it.. Hopefully that would make it a 30 minute process.. Other than of course, in the case of a marriage extensions the 30 day "under consideration" period where your packet (or so they told me) is sent to Khon Khean for review, approval and return to Udon..

[Bandung_Dero]

Other than of course, in the case of a marriage extensions the 30 day "under consideration" period where your packet (or so they told me) is sent to Khon Khean for review, approval and return to Udon..

That was the case back in 2006 when I did my last marriage extension in Nong Khai (before the Udon office opened). Had enough of the crap and went Retirement, then it was only about 33% of the extended crap you guys are going through now.

[kopkei]

i did have to make 12 years marriage extensions first (not 50) and changed it also to retirement as this is way more easy ,i recently extended , and this is what i used (as every year)
filled in application form tm7
1 photo 4x6cm
copy full passport
copy bankbook (updated balance in my case fcd account , so have to make a withdraw ,50 euro to update )
year statement bank (100 baht)
monthly bank statements of the past year (200baht)
copy yellow tabien baan (house registration book)
and new this year !,never needed before
copy id card wife + copy blue house registration book
reset my 90 days and out in about 1hour , was busy at the time but as i had complete file it was handled quickly ...
as info ...

[rick]

Marriage ok for me. Getting a new Kor ror 2 each year (20 baht) takes wife 20 minutes, photos same, all other photocopying (of existing documents) done and photo printing done in 20 minutes at shop. Bank letter same as for retirement. Maybe spend 2-3 hours time getting all the documents and photos together.
Benefit - only need 400,000 baht in the bank for 3 months, and can spend all of it for the next 9 months. Interest rates in UK 3 times higher than Thailand, which means the extra 400,000 baht i do not need in a Thai bank earns an extra 12,000 baht approx. compared to Thailand.

I do not do monthly income because i am not in Thailand all the time

[tamada]

I recall reading on Aseannow that the seasoning for both FIRST TIME retirement or marriage extensions was standardized at two months in 2019. Since each office can make their own variations on these rules, is this the case in Udon immigration?

Does the seasoning period change for SUBSEQUENT renewals of either marriage or retirement extensions at Udon immigration?

Ta
tam

[Chriss]

Immigration have always told me my 400k should be in the bank 3 months prior to renewal, plus they want a transaction shown in my bank book for each of the months, due to the way Bangkok Bank now present their bank letter…