Asking immigration about marriage visa requirements

[handdrummer]

Who pays to use their own money, from an institution that uses your money to make profit. They should be paying you.

they used to until they found out that they could cut their interest rates and people would still use them. Banking has been disreputable since the Medici's in the 14th. century. You know, it's the Golden Rule. He with the gold rules.

[hin]

Last year, 2017, my Bkk Bank acct where I keep ฿800,000 for extension of stay purposes paid ฿398792 interest = $112.72 at exchange rates at that time. Plus no $50 USA Embassy fee for an income certificate means I saved $163.72 by keeping that ฿800,000 in the bank. Plus savings of cost of a trip to Bkk with at least one night lodging + the inconvenience of making an appointment and doing the trip to Bkk. I do not regret keeping that money in Bkk Bank.

In addition to what I wrote in a previous post:

Beneficial anyway to keep the minimum 800,000 salted away in a separate account at all times, year around. Easy to put it out of mind after it has been there a while. If somthing morbidly bad happens to you your wife will have easier access to it than she would to some other resources = your own private insurance policy. If you do not know how to hide her name on the account, submerged from imm’s view, ask your bank. And you will not have to remember the date each year when it needs to be deposited for extension of stay - which can easily trip you up as you slip deeper into senility.

For most routine every day costs and expenses we use my USA zero fee VISA debit card from Schwab Bank. Schwab has also quit charging the $25 flat fee for international TT (wire transfer). We pay zero for transfering money except Bkk Bank’s small incoming fee, which I agree is backward - they should be paying me

[T.O.M.]

Last year, 2017, my Bkk Bank acct where I keep ฿800,000 for extension of stay purposes paid ฿398792 interest = $112.72 at exchange rates at that time. Plus no $50 USA Embassy fee for an income certificate means I saved $163.72 by keeping that ฿800,000 in the bank. Plus savings of cost of a trip to Bkk with at least one night lodging + the inconvenience of making an appointment and doing the trip to Bkk. I do not regret keeping that money in Bkk Bank.

In addition to what I wrote in a previous post:

Beneficial anyway to keep the minimum 800,000 salted away in a separate account at all times, year around. Easy to put it out of mind after it has been there a while. If somthing morbidly bad happens to you your wife will have easier access to it than she would to some other resources = your own private insurance policy. If you do not know how to hide her name on the account, submerged from imm’s view, ask your bank. And you will not have to remember the date each year when it needs to be deposited for extension of stay - which can easily trip you up as you slip deeper into senility.

For most routine every day costs and expenses we use my USA zero fee VISA debit card from Schwab Bank. Schwab has also quit charging the $25 flat fee for international TT (wire transfer). We pay zero for transfering money except Bkk Bank’s small incoming fee, which I agree is backward - they should be paying me

Almost 50% in interest...... Best bank in the world....!!

[Big Boy]

Crap exchange rate though

[hin]

Forgeting about a period can really screw things up.

[StevePIraq]

Forgeting about a period can really screw things up.

That's what she said

[hatyaidanny]

Regarding the Marriage Visa I do it every year and renewed it again on Friday of last week.
There are no problems as long as you have all the required papers, the only curve ball is that as the Visa needs to be approved in Bangkok you need 2 complete copies of everything so that they have 1 on file in HH and 1 goes to Bangers. I saw now evidence that they were trying to make the Marriage Visa more difficult

[PET]

I have just been to HH Immigration for my 90 day and took the opportunity of asking the lady about the annual extension as she mentioned that mine was due in February.
I started by saying that I had heard that HH Immigration did not like doing the marriage type of visa because it was more work as it had to be sent to Bangkok for processing. I told her that whilst I already had the funds in Thailand over 800,000 I still wanted to go the Thai marriage route. She just smiled. I asked her if she had a notice explaining the requirements for applying for a visa extension to support a Thai wife. She went into the computer and studied something for some time and then handed me a document in English explaining all the requirements, but added that it did not state a family photo and I should include this.
I am going to try and attach a scan of this document , if successful it will be below!!
FAILED, Sorry

Herewith attachment at long last !!!!

HH Img resized document Visa marriage.jpg (2.57 KiB) Viewed 1199 times

[Big Boy]

Thank you for that - just wish I could read it

[Edit] I did PM you a solution a while ago, but the PM remains unopened.

[Big Boy]

BTW I'm just going out - back at 5:15

Try this:

[laphanphon]

you need 2 complete copies of everything so that they have 1 on file in HH and 1 goes to Bangers. I saw no evidence that they were trying to make the Marriage Visa more difficult

THANK YOU for the current update ....

[laphanphon]

Follow up, applied for marriage visa, downgrading from retirement visa/extensions.

So basically, a first time application for marriage visa. Seasoning the ฿400k since first week of November. Just had to get my witness/landlord and bank letter agreeing to same day, today.

At the bank 0830, picked up letter and updated bankbook at 1100 hrs, got to Imm at 1300, in front of officer (same I queried 2 months earlier), at 1400 hrs, out the door at 1520 hrs, with no interruptions. So it's a bit time consuming, plan accordingly.

Asked for and received all that is listed on the requirement cheat sheet that they supplied 2 months prior.

2 copies of everything, AND, the originals, on hand, to peek at, then returned to you. A couple things, they did not forward to BKK, but wanted to see. Concerning the wife.

Her paperwork, mandatory, and certified copies of, Marriage Cert (from Amphur office), her previous divorce cert. and name change cert. Latter 2 being returned to us.

Myself, every used page in my passport, 2 copies of, which I had. Photos, lease, landlord's paperwork (house book / ID) along w/map, and whatever else on the cheat sheet.

Things to pay attention to;
1. Current photo of yourself. Mine, same as in Passport, meaning 7+ years old, and had to get some snaps done, so over to the copy / photo lass. ฿120 / 4 photos.

2. Bank statement ... 2 oops for myself, and generously accepted. 1. Account # not on the the bank statement ... Balance and dates match.

Second oops, bank book updated, but since not an actively used account, just seasoned money sitting in, so no transactions, except interest earned, logged on the 9th, so technically, bankbook not 'current'. When all done with paperwork, told to go to bank, make a deposit, and get updated with current date .....TODAY. So did that at local branch in HH, prior to them closing.

Photos handed in, and informed, he'll be popping by the house on Saturday, for his investigation. So be there, and wear different clothes than what worn in our photos. He'll also pick up copies of my updated bankbook.

And thank you very much for accepting both, as shy of 100 kms, house (PKK) to Imm.....one way for us.

Some reconfirmed info, already posted elsewhere. Income affidavits accepted, so those having, good for 6 months, so May or June, depending when your Embassy stopped issuing.

Also told, as asking if they plan on going back to 'monthly deposit income verification', and told, yes, they are accepting the ฿40k / 65k international deposited bank account bank statements for extension.

So I may go back to Retirement Visa next year, as my landlord has better things to do, than drive shy of 200 kms, and sit around for 3 hours, for all of a couple questions and a signature.

No complaints, as swift and courteous as could be, just time consuming. The redundancy of paperwork is frustrating, as most already in computer. Photos....why, if coming to the house to take your, and witness, again, you'll be there Saturday, and probably ask a neighbor, if we are in a real relationship. And better witness than my landlord, who has seen me 3 times in 2 year, for all of 5 minutes each visit. Really nice guy though.

Think I need to be less anti social, maybe find another ding dong farang in the PKK area, who extends the same time as myself, and we can play witness for each other.

With that, anyone out their doing extension for Mid February.....that works for me.

[handdrummer]

Last week I went to the imm. office in Hua Hin, with my wife, and she asked the list of question I'd prepared. The officer's supervisor was sitting next to him and if he made a mistake she corrected him. Vis a vis the money, for a marriage visa, this is what I was told. It's either 400,000 in the bank for 2 months prior to renewal or changing to the marriage visa, OR, 40,000 per month. If you have the 400,000 you don't have to prove where it came from and you can remove it after you have you're visa. If you're receiving 40,000 a month you must prove that it came from outside of Thailand and it's from a verifiable source, i.e. a pension find or social security. An investment acct., such as Schwab, is not acceptable. The officer was very polite and friendly. The paper work, for a marriage visa, is mind boggling and I won't attempt to go into it here.

[PET]

Last week I went to the imm. office in Hua Hin, with my wife, and she asked the list of question I'd prepared. The officer's supervisor was sitting next to him and if he made a mistake she corrected him. Vis a vis the money, for a marriage visa, this is what I was told. It's either 400,000 in the bank for 2 months prior to renewal or changing to the marriage visa, OR, 40,000 per month. If you have the 400,000 you don't have to prove where it came from and you can remove it after you have you're visa. If you're receiving 40,000 a month you must prove that it came from outside of Thailand and it's from a verifiable source, i.e. a pension find or social security. An investment acct., such as Schwab, is not acceptable. The officer was very polite and friendly. The paper work, for a marriage visa, is mind boggling and I won't attempt to go into it here.

I would be very interested if you can outline the whole issue/requirements as to the witness and what they have to do please?

[Big Boy]

If you're receiving 40,000 a month you must prove that it came from outside of Thailand and it's from a verifiable source, i.e. a pension find or social security.

Did they say in what form that proof had to be presented?