In this article you are going to learn how the Thai Marriage visa works, the requirements, the application process and also additional informations, such as the 90-day report and the re-entry permit.
Contents
Thai Marriage Visa
A Thai Marriage Visa is officially referred to as a Non-Immigrant O Marriage Visa, and it is for any foreign national who is legally married to a Thai foreign national. This visa will allow you to stay in Thailand for a period of one year, and it can be renewed annually from within Thailand, as long as you continue to remain married and meet all the criteria for the visa.
A Non-Immigrant O Visa does not allow you to work in Thailand, but it does allow you to apply for a work permit. It is illegal to start working in Thailand before being granted your work permit and doing so will mean risking fines, possible imprisonment, and the loss of your visa.
Requirements
In order to apply for a Thai Marriage Visa you must already be married to a Thai national. In order to prove this and meet the requirements of Thai Immigration you will need to provide the following documents:
- A recognized Marriage Certificate (you may also be required to present an Affirmation of Freedom to Marry from a Thai Embassy or Consulate from your home country.
- You must give proof that you have at least 400,000 baht in a Thai bank account in your name, and that it has been there for at least 2 months).
- Or, you must prove that you have a monthly income or pension of at least 40,000 baht per month (this can be done though an affidavit from your foreign embassy or.
- Or, have a combination of the money cleared in a Thai bank and an annual pension totaling at least 400,000 baht.
In order to prove how much you have in your Thai bank you will need to provide:
- An updated bank book or passbook.
- A letter from your bank stating that all money transferred to your bank from overseas was cleared at least two months prior to making your visa application.
- Other documents which may be requested:
- A Police Clearance.
- A Medical Certificate.
Marriage visa application process
Please note that there is no direct application for the Thailand marriage visa. It is important that you give proper attention to the requirements and other factors surrounding the entire procedure to eliminate possibility of unsuccessful visa application.
The basic guidelines when applying for a marriage visa are as follows:
- You must obtain a 90-day visa Non-Immigrant O visa at the Thai Embassy or Consulate from your home country or country of residence prior to your application for the Thai marriage visa. The 90-day Non-Immigrant visa may also be obtained from the nearby countries of Thailand.
- Once the non-immigrant visa is obtained, you must travel to Thailand to activate the initial non-immigrant O visa.
- You must prepare all needed documents for the conversion of your non-immigrant O visa to marriage visa.
- The extension will take place on the last 30 days of the 90-day permit to stay.
- The visa extension application is submitted to the Immigration Office with all the necessary documents for the visa application. The processing period may take about a month before issuance of the one year Thai marriage visa.
Additionally, the foreigner on a Visa Exemption stamp or a Tourist Visa can still apply for a Thai marriage visa inside Thailand as long as the foreigner has already met the requirements for the non-immigrant O visa and the one year Thai marriage visa applications. This can be done at the local Thai immigration office in the province where the foreigner and Thai spouse are residing.
Important information
90-day Reporting
Holders of a Non-Immigrant O Marriage Visa must report their current address to a Thai immigration office every 90 days.
This can be done three ways:
- In person at a Thai immigration office.
- By mail.
- Through an agent who has the Power of Attorney to report you status.
If you are not in Thailand on the date your 90-day reporting is due, you do not need to report your status, your 90-day reporting will begin again from day 1 on the date you re-enter Thailand.
Re-entry Permit
If you plan on leaving and re-entering Thailand whilst on Non-Immigrant O Marriage Visa, you will first need to get a re-entry permit in order to not lose your visa when you leave.
A re-entry permit can be secured from a Thai Immigration Office or International Airport. The fees are 1,000 Baht for a single re-entry, and 3,800 Baht for a multiple re-entry permit.
When re-entering Thailand, make sure to note the number of your re-entry permit on your immigration arrival form in order for your visa to be re-activated.
Divorce
If there is a divorce your Non-Immigrant O Marriage Visa will become invalid and you will be required to leave Thailand immediately. In some cases, you may be allowed to remain in the Thailand until the Thai Marriage Visa expires, but you must first check at a Thai Immigration Office.
You can also check out the following Visa alternatives:
Elite Visa: https://thailandmate.net/elitevisa/
Business Visa: https://thailandmate.net/business-visa/
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