Being married to a Thai can be a boon for a foreigner who wishes to stay in Thailand long term. This is because a foreigner with a Thai spouse is entitled to a yearly renewable Thai Marriage Visa allowing him to stay in Thailand for good. The Thai Marriage Visa allows the foreigner to stay and work in Thailand provided that a valid Thai Work Permit can be obtained to go along with the visa. This is definitely advantageous to the foreigner’s employment prospects as the employer would only have to worry about the procurement of work permit.
If you are married to a Thai national then you can apply for a Thai marriage visa or Thai Non Immigrant “O” visa at a Thai embassy. Depending on the embassy this may take anywhere from overnight to 5 days. Each Thai Embassy has their own waiting period for the marriage visa. Most embassies in Asia tend to be 2-3 days to have the visa issued.
The Thai embassy needs all three documents for the marriage visa application. At times they may also need you to provide extra documents especially if you have had numerous Thai marriages visas issued before. Sometimes, they might deny the visa and issue you with a tourist visa if they feel that you will not extend the visa in Thailand. Once the visa is issued you need to extend the visa in Thailand and this become more complicated and takes on average 3-4 weeks to complete.
In order to have the Thai marriage visa extended you need to prove that you have 400,000 THB in a Thai bank account. This money has to be in your name and not in the name of your Thai wife. You can also show that you have an income of 40,000 THB per month. Speak to our immigration lawyer about what the income and deposit they will accept as proof as income. The rules for the extension of the marriage visa does change from time to time in Thailand and you will need to provide not only proof of income, marriage but also a map of your apartment or house where you are living in Thailand.
The marriage visa does not allow you to work while in Thailand. You will need to apply for a Thai work permit if you wish to work. This also holds for the Thai retirement visa. No work is permitted in Thailand without a valid work permit.
Thai Marriage Visa Application
Applying a Thai Marriage Visa commences with satisfying requirements set forth by the Bureau of Immigration or the Thai embassy or consulate where the application is submitted.
Thai Marriage Visa Requirments
When you apply for your marriage visa at the Thai embassy you need to provide them with both the fancy marriage certificate the Thai government issued and a signed copy of the multiple page marriage certificate. Both have to be handed in at the Embassy.
- Legally Married to Thai – This is substantiated through a Marriage Certificate
- Financial requirement – This is met through any of the following means:
- THB 400,000 in a Thai Bank Account for 2 months before the visa application; or
- THB 40,000 per month in income
- Police Clearance*
- Medical Certificate*
*These are not required if the visa application is consummated in Thailand.
Once this visa has been extended you need to ensure that you report your address to Thai immigration every 90 days. Failure to report your address leads to a fine of THB2,000 for late or not reporting. If you are leaving Thailand and wish to return later then you also need to ensure that you have a re-entry permit. Without the re-entry permit as soon as you leave Thailand your extended visa will be invalidated and you would need to start the process again.
