Marriage Extension

[sometimewoodworker]

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

The seasoning was always (at least from 2008) at 2 months before for marriage extensions, there was a period when Udon was requiring the 400k to be maintained during the under consideration period so making it effectively 3 months. AFIK this has stopped so it is back to 2 months prior to application.

The change to the seasoning change from 3 months to 2 months for the retirement extension AFIR was coincident with the changes in the post extension rules. So with 5 months at 800k and 7 months at 400k

2 months at 800k pre-extension 3 months at 800k post-extension 7 months at 400k between the 800k required

It is certainly possible that some immigration officials have given incorrect information, I am reasonably sure that if you want to challenge that by asking for clarification with the boss of Udon immigration the incorrect information will be corrected, of course this doesn’t mean that the next person will not be told the incorrect information.

These are standard for all extensions.

However the amounts are all absolute minimums. There are enough cases where the minimum was breached and the extension was going to be denied where a substantial contribution to the tea fund was required for discretionary authority to be implemented. Some people were allowed a tiny slip with no consequence.
There have been some cases where the tea fund contribution was not offered (or was refused) so the denial of extending the permit to stay became final.

It almost goes without saying that politely asking is going to be given a much better response (it doesn’t matter if you know you are correct) than any strongly voiced objections.

[sometimewoodworker]

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…

You have been given incorrect information or understood incorrect requirements. There has never been a requirement for monthly transactions if you are doing money in the bank, only for income.

It is most likely that there has been a degree of miscommunication and misunderstanding

[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…

You have been given incorrect information or understood incorrect requirements. There has never been a requirement for monthly transactions if you are doing money in the bank, only for income.

It is most likely that there has been a degree of miscommunication and misunderstanding
IMG_2008.png

No miscommunication or understanding, that’s what I’ve been asked for.. 2 years back I didn’t get a transaction for December, it was picked up on and passed over… if it makes my renewal run smoothly I’ll use the BKK Bank ATM once a month for 3 months, no biggy. The account’s not used apart from those 3 months…

[sometimewoodworker]

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…

You have been given incorrect information or understood incorrect requirements. There has never been a requirement for monthly transactions if you are doing money in the bank, only for income.

It is most likely that there has been a degree of miscommunication and misunderstanding
IMG_2008.png

No miscommunication or understanding, that’s what I’ve been asked for.. 2 years back I didn’t get a transaction for December, it was picked up on and passed over… if it makes my renewal run smoothly I’ll use the BKK Bank ATM once a month for 3 months, no biggy. The account’s not used apart from those 3 months…

That just demonstrates that there is no consistency, as for the last 4 years there has been a single transaction each year in my account, I have been tempted to do nothing at all but a single deposit once a year isn’t a problem.

Yours is the first marriage extension requiring 3 months (which has never been correct for that extension) in recent years.

[LoneTraveler]

Hello! I have been told by Udon Thani I/O recently that 3 months seasoning excluding "Under Consideration" period. There were other I/Os standing next to that person and there were no contradictions. And, I was also told by I/O doing my Marriage extension, that I needed to go back to bank and get a list of transaction showing activity for the past 6 months because my bankbook did not show any transactions for a 2 month period during the 6 months prior. I was also told by same person that I should make monthly transactions to be reflected in bankbook during the year prior to extension if not, I would be required to provide monthly transaction by the bank. Therefore, I deposit a small amount in bank each month for 12 months. This is my experience only, I was told this was required by new Boss. Perhaps this requirement has changed.

[Bandung_Dero]

I guess everyone does their own thing. In my case I deposit 100 Baht on the day then get it sorted. Bank statement was 6 pages long but the bank book correlated it to 5 entries. So long as the bottom line is same same with all 3 including the letter and all dated the day of extension = no problem.

[sometimewoodworker]

Hello! I have been told by Udon Thani I/O recently that 3 months seasoning excluding "Under Consideration" period. There were other I/Os standing next to that person and there were no contradictions. And, I was also told by I/O doing my Marriage extension, that I needed to go back to bank and get a list of transaction showing activity for the past 6 months because my bankbook did not show any transactions for a 2 month period during the 6 months prior. I was also told by same person that I should make monthly transactions to be reflected in bankbook during the year prior to extension if not, I would be required to provide monthly transaction by the bank. Therefore, I deposit a small amount in bank each month for 12 months. This is my experience only, I was told this was required by new Boss. Perhaps this requirement has changed.

It is good to have more data, so there may have been a new change. At some point in the next few months I will request a guide for marriage extensions.
However in police order 327/2557 29 August 2014 it states

2.19 (6) In the case of marriage to a Thai woman, the alien husband must earn an average annual income of no less than Baht 40,000 per month or must have no less than Baht 400,000 in a bank account in Thailand for the past two months to cover expenses for one year.

The translation is from Siam Translation for thaivisa.com and the Thai version translated by Google translate agrees with this.


It is certainly possible that there has been a police order subsequent to this that modified the rules though I haven’t seen one.

AFIK The above hasn’t changed since 2008

[rick]

Well, i have never been asked to do monthly transactions in my bank book, and couldn't anyway as i spend 2-3 months in the UK most years - one reason why i do 400,000 baht in the bank rather than monthly income.

Actually, i just realised that there is a transaction every month - Interest is added monthly. Also my account does not merge transactions if book is not updated frequently. My account is Krungsri's Mee Tae Dai - also offers approx . 3-4 times the interest of a standard savings account.

[Brian Davis]

Yeah, no great hassle in updating my bank book regularly, but then I live here permanently, regularly withdraw from the ATM/update. That said, providing the magnetic strip isn't damaged and the machine is actually working!
Seems a bit more bloody-mindedness by Immigration, as one has to provide a bank statement too which, without an example to hand, I thought included EVERY transaction and will agree with the bank book on several occasions anyway. I thought it was the bank statement which was used by the officers to 'draw lines' and check the monthly total too?

[LoneTraveler]

The reason I was asked to update bankbook, because I had the required amount (400,000) in my account 3 months prior to my expiration date of current visa extension and did not deposit or withdraw any funds from my account until 3 months later when due for extension. Yes, the bank statement reflects the current activity which included no activity for 3 months prior to extension. So, even though I had the money 3 months prior to my extension, they wanted to see any activity for the last 3 months that were blank in both the statement and bankbook. Even though I updated bankbook with a small deposit on the day of extension which was shown to have the 400K, I/O wanted to make sure I did not withdraw any funds during the 3 blank months that were shown on both bankbook and statement. Therefore, I now update my book with small deposits for 6 months prior to extension date. Which seemed to work because they did not say anything when I did extension recently.

[Bandung_Dero]

<snip>
shown to have the 400K, I/O wanted to make sure I did not withdraw any funds during the 3 blank months that were shown on both bankbook and statement.

I might be wrong but I assumed one could use their funds during the seasoning period so long as they did NOT lower the balance below 400K/800K Baht. If there has been zero activity on your acct. for 3 months, as shown in the official bank statement, how can an I/O question that? ---- Silly me!!!!

[sometimewoodworker]

<snip>
shown to have the 400K, I/O wanted to make sure I did not withdraw any funds during the 3 blank months that were shown on both bankbook and statement.

I might be wrong but I assumed one could use their funds during the seasoning period so long as they did NOT lower the balance below 400K/800K Baht. If there has been zero activity on your acct. for 3 months, as shown in the official bank statement, how can an I/O question that? ---- Silly me!!!!

I think you may have misunderstood the situation.
To be clear this thread is specifically about marriage extensions, so the MINIMUM that must be in the account during the seasoning period is 400k.
There is nothing to stop activity in and out during the period, just never let the balance drop under 400k. LT probably had the minimum 400k in the account so any withdrawal would mean a refusal of an extension.

As to why an IO would question anything? They are an IO, TIT they can question anything. Should they? Of course not. Will they? Who can know.

[Declan MacPherson]

I might be wrong but I assumed one could use their funds during the seasoning period so long as they did NOT lower the balance below 400K/800K Baht. If there has been zero activity on your acct. for 3 months, as shown in the official bank statement, how can an I/O question that? ---- Silly me!!!!

During my last extension, the IO asked why I hadn't made any withdrawals or deposits. There was absolutely no activity in the account for a year (other than posted interest).

I told her I didn't need any money from that account and that I use it only for my visa extension.

She accepted that explanation and continued her work.

I find it odd that Lone Traveler experienced scrutiny over months of no transactions despite the bank records provided. But as STWW stated, "TIT."

[Bandung_Dero]

I think you may have misunderstood the situation.
To be clear this thread is specifically about marriage extensions,

Yes I do understand what the thread covers. I used "400K/800K" as the seasoning rules are very similar in both types of extension.

[Declan MacPherson]

Yes I do understand what the thread covers. I used "400K/800K" as the seasoning rules are very similar in both types of extension.

I caught that right away.

[LoneTraveler]

Sometimewoodworker, you are correct, I had over the minimum 400K 3 months prior and therefore stopped making deposits and withdrawals which in turn left the entries in bankbook and the bank statement blank for the 3 months leading up to extension date. I am aware that I can withdraw or deposit funds during the seasoned period as long as the balance does not drop below the 400K. The I/O wanted to check if I maintained the 400K during the months I had no activity, I found the question reasonable by the I/O even though I had to make an extra trip to the bank to get documentation to show I had maintained 400K during the months left blank. As I said before, I now make deposit each month for a 12 month period.

[sometimewoodworker]

I think you may have misunderstood the situation.
To be clear this thread is specifically about marriage extensions,

Yes I do understand what the thread covers. I used "400K/800K" as the seasoning rules are very similar in both types of extension.

The retirement extension has a very different set of requirements.

[sometimewoodworker]

Sometimewoodworker, you are correct, I had over the minimum 400K 3 months prior and therefore stopped making deposits and withdrawals which in turn left the entries in bankbook and the bank statement blank for the 3 months leading up to extension date. I am aware that I can withdraw or deposit funds during the seasoned period as long as the balance does not drop below the 400K. The I/O wanted to check if I maintained the 400K during the months I had no activity, I found the question reasonable by the I/O even though I had to make an extra trip to the bank to get documentation to show I had maintained 400K during the months left blank. As I said before, I now make deposit each month for a 12 month period.

I think that possibly an account with a reasonable number of transactions per month that suddenly goes dormant could raise suspicions. Though I’m rather unsure that if you had a letter and a statement what else they would ask.

I probably do not get asked as I have a 4 year term deposit and just to show willing I make a deposit once a year, I suspect that I really don’t need to even do that.

I also suspect that your bank shows a blank statement if there is no activity Krungsri shows a balance an other one I have shows a totally blank statement.

Your update suggests that there has been no change and the majority will need to take no action, you were just slightly unlucky.