If you have registered your marriage in Thailand then you can apply for a number of visa options. The first is a marriage visa for Thailand which allows you to live with your Thai wife for 12 months at a time if you qualify by meeting the financial requirements for the visa. The process starts at the Thai Embassy most times in Asia.
Note that if you have a tourist visa then this can be changed inside Thailand without the need to leave the country to obtain a new visa. You will need to have at least 15 days left on the visa as it takes about 2 weeks to convert a tourist visa to a marriage visa for Thailand.
The Thai marriage visa for Thailand is also known as the Thai “O” visa. This Thai visa is for “Other” reasons for entering Thailand. Outside of the retirement visa for Thailand this is next most common visa issued for expats in Thailand. The visa is not only for a Thai wife but also to visit your Thai family or if you have Thai children. The good majority of extensions are however for marriage. The following is the requirements of the visa. Note that if you have a tourist visa then you can have this Thai visa converted in Thailand without the need to leave the country.
The requirements for the Thai marriage visa is as follows. These documents you need to have with you when you apply for the 90 day marriage visa at a Thai Embassy in your country.
- 1. Copy of your Thai marriage certificate (both versions);
- 2. Copy of your Thai wife’s Tabian Baan or “House Papers”;
- 3. Copy of your passport;
- 4. Copy of your Thai wife’s ID card or Thai passport;
- 5. Copy of your Thai bank account showing 400,000 THB.
Note that the Thai Embassy has become very strict about the money issue. You will need to show a copy of your Thai bank book for them to consider the visa being issued. These are the documents which are needed for the initial 90 day visa to be issued. Once you enter Thailand you will need to extend the visa for 12 months and you have to do this while there is still 1 month left on the visa. You will need the following documents in addition to the above.
- 1. Copy of your Thai marriage certificate (both versions);
- 2. Copy of your Thai wife’s Tabian Baan or “House Papers”;
- 3. Copy of your passport;
- 4. Copy of your Thai wife’s ID card or Thai passport;
- 5. Copy of marriage photos or you and your wife together;
- 6. Copy of your bank account showing 400,000THB or 40,000THB in income per month;
- 7. Copy of a map to your house, villa or apartment in Thailand;
- 8. Copy of your children birth certificates if they are Thai nationals;
The process takes 30 days to complete and it is dealing with red tape. Most tend to give all the documents to a law firm in Bangkok to do all of the work while only showing up at Thai immigration for the photos on the immigration computer system. If you need additional assistance then search this website or speak to an immigration lawyer in Thailand for advice and assistance.
