Can I obtain a dependent visa in Thailand if I marry my Swedish girlfriend who has an extension based on her Thai nationality?

Jul 17, 2018
6 years ago
Dick **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
I have a question...

My Swedish girlfriend with her Swedish passport got an extension for a year at immigrations yesterday because she used to be Thai since she was adopted from Thailand 1976 when she was 6 months old.

If we got married, can I get some kind of extension as well like a "dependent/spouse" visa/extension?

I really would like to hear what you have to say in this matter. Thanks in advance.
3,848
views
6
likes
128
all likes
69
replies
3
images
10
users
TLDR : Answer Summary
The original poster inquired about the possibility of obtaining a dependent visa in Thailand after marrying his Swedish girlfriend, who recently received a one-year extension based on her previous Thai nationality. Commenters provided insights on the requirements for dependent visas, emphasizing that marriage to a Thai national may not apply in this case until she resolves her Thai citizenship status. To be eligible for a marriage-based visa, she would need to prove her Thai nationality by acquiring a Thai ID. Discussions also highlighted complexities around citizenship for adopted individuals and the need for proper documentation.
NON-O RETIREMENT VISA RESOURCES / SERVICES
  • Go to the Retirement Visa Section for information on requirements, including age restrictions, financial requirements, and necessary documentation.
  • For immediate assistance, contact Thai Visa Centre directly via LINE at @ThaiVisaCentre or Email them.
  • Explore recent discussions by using the Non-O Retirement Visa tag in the search box at the top of the page.
  • Join the Thai Visa Advice Facebook Group to ask your questions, and get advice from others.
Marta ***********
I am not sure if this would help, but I have a friend from a european country, she has non-b + wp, and she is married (not to a thai citizen), and he got non-o dependent visa (1 year), so maybe you can ask at the immigration office..
Robert *******
Yes but it is not the same. She has a Non Immigrant B visa plus WP, not an Extension of Stay based on used to be a Thai Citizen as this Swedish/Thai lady friend.
Dick **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Yes, i was thinking in the same terms....
Tod *********
@Dick *********
, at the bottom of the image you shared you can see your g/f was issued a yearly extension based on Police Order
********
<- that's the current rules for extensions of stays, and she was granted that year on clause 2.23.
Tod *********
okay, I think we hashed out the fact that the person
@Dick *********
is talking about has already tried to re-acquire their thai citizenship and was unsuccessful. That means there is no visa option based on a relationship that the O/P could get. they'd need to get a visa on their own, as of right now the person in question is here on foreign passport
Dick **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Tod Daniels , we already tried that 2 years ago...

The problem is that her Thai ID number on her adoptions document she have in her possession isn't the same as they have in the archive in BKK.

So therefor she can not prove that she is the same person as the document in the archive.... We need some person that can vouch that she is the same person as the person in the archive but her Thai parent are dead :/

This sucks....
Tod *********
@Dick *********
in order to sort out your g/f's thai nationality you'd have to go back and find the original adoption records from the place she was adopted out at, trace it back to a relative and get them to vouch for her, then get a new thai i/d number issued. But I'm sure you already went that route.
Dick **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Tod ********
, ok thank you very much for trying to sort this out :)
Tod *********
@Dick *********
nope, not on that "formerly thai" you couldn't
Dick **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
But my though was that maybe I was able to "tag" along on her extension like other married people can do when one of them gets let say an Education visa..
Han ********
Tod if you or anyone could suggest me a lawyers office, which would be good in that, you would make someone very happy! Please PM me!
Dick **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Me too for sure :)
Tod *********
FWIW; That เดิมคนไทย stamp is also the extension that someone gets who is thai but enters thailand on a passport from another country.

All the thai has to do is show up at the immigration office show their thai i/d, pay 1900baht and they get a year extension.
Dick **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Tod ********
, and my though was that maybe I was able to "tag" along on her extension like other married people can do when one of them gets let say an Education visa..
Tod *********
@Dick *********
and that alone will NOT let you get any visa or extension based on a relationship with her.

Until she gets a thai i/d card all she can get is that year extension on her foreign passport that says she used to be thai
Dick **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Tod ********
, yes my Swedish gf have her old Thai baby passport but that does NOT make her a Thai citizen when she enters Thailand immigration....
Ron *******
Ron *******
@Tod ********
in one post he says that yes, in another he says no passport.

Seems strange either way that you can use a passport that would look nothing like you and be accepted at face value? With a Thai ID i could understand it but?
Tod *********
@Ron ******
unless I'm wrong the O/P mentions the woman had their baby thai passport
Ron *******
Weird considering the OP states she has no Thai ID and no Thai passport other than a baby passport from 40 plus years ago?
Tod *********
To answer the O/P's question, NO, even if you were married to this person because she is currently getting extensions in her passport from a foreign on the fact she "was thai" you would have no basis to get a visa or an extension.

She would have to get her thai i/d sorted out in order for you to qualify for a visa or an extension based on marriage
Robert *******
Next to that get information from the Amphur about the possibility of getting married. As she has no Thai ID number, she is probably not in the Thai databases. So will be seen as foreigner when getting married.
Robert *******
The only one who can tell you if you are legible if married to her for the dependent Visa is your local Immigration Office.
Robert *******
Did not even know you can have an Extension of Stay based on used to be Thai National. Keep Us informed how it can work out with Immigration and good luck to both of you.
Dick **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Thank you Robert, I guess this question don't have been asked so many times before? :)
Anna *************
No. She will have to proof she is Thai. She needs at least birth certificate for that. I have had extension based on "used to be Thai" but my mom sorted out my citizenship later and that sorted it. However it was extremely difficult to do.
Anna *************
Yep my mom also need a witness to confirm that yes i am her daughter.
Tod *********
It's not that hard to prove thai nationality even for kids adopted out at a young age. Last year I assisted with someone who was adopted out as a tiny baby and the copy they had of their records only listed them as "baby girl Roi Et" :O Yet we were able to track down the original records, find her parents (which were both dead) but then find a relative who would vouch for her and she got her thai nationality back.
Dick **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Anna, she have all the necessary papers but the problem is that her Thai ID number on all her papers also belong to another Thai male person.. So I guess that somebody made an error 42years ago when her papers was drawn up :/
Dick **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Anna, at least you had a parent that could help you with that :)

My gf Thai parents are dead, and that's the problem for us now...
Ron *******
How do you get a yearly extension because you 'Used to be Thai'? Sounds like the extension is a bent as the adoption papers or something isn't adding up?
Dick **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Anna ************
, yes and it's also says so in the text that is put up at the immigration windows here in Phuket town.... People that used to be a Thai citizen..
Dick **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Ron Angel, because she still have her old Thai baby passport as I already wrote.....
Anna *************
Child born before 1990 that BOTH parents arent Thai isnt given Thai nationality automatically. The thai parent must proof and make a request for it to be changed. This law was then cancel several years later. Some kids born then were issue "used to be thai" extension. I had it

It is not common but it does exist.
Han ********
As I learned, a Thai who got adopted once, will never be able to get back his Thai citizenship, even if he can provide birth certificate and kids passport!
Chay ******
@Han *******
as with many things here, there is discrepancies and different stories, it is possible but I guess each case differs depending on many factors
Dick **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Chay *****
, the same with my gf... She left Thailand 1976 with her Thai name then her new Swedish parent renamed her and got her a Swedish birth certificate with her Swedish name .....
Han ********
@Tod ********
wow, does age play a role? And if so, can they still keep the nationality gained through adoption?
Han ********
@Chay *****
I know one Boy who was adopted when he was 2 years old, he had birth certificate and got a Thai Passport issued to leave the country. He has no known family. When he was about 20, they went to BKK and tried to get citizenship back. A lawyer looked into it and they were told, not possible.
Tod *********
@Han *******
That is 100% NOT correct. If someone was thai and was adopted out as a child, they can indeed get their thai nationality back.
Chay ******
@Dick *********
he didn’t have a Thai family name on his Thai ID and passport as he was basically left at the care home, and now had a new name so it took a while to get Canadian embassy to confirm everything despite having original birth certificate, Thai ID, Passport and adoption papers. As I said it took over 3 months in total
Dick **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Chay *****
, but then I guess All papers and numbers was in order?
Chay ******
Not true, I got new Thai ID and Passport for one of my staff who was adopted at 2 years old, took approx 3 months and a couple of visits to BKK for him and his lawyer
Dick **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Han *******
, i know people in Sweden that tracked down their Thai family and then got their citizenship back....
Han ********
@Dick *********
let me know of one who did, I really interested!
Dick **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
That´s not 100% correct, but it is LOT harder to do it but its possible! I know people who actually did it :)
Robert *******
On what basis did she get than her Extension of Stay if the papers are fake?
Dick **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
But her baby Thai passport is not enough proof/evidence to get her old citizenship back again :( We know because we have tried to fix this for some years now :/
Dick **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Her baby Thai passport
Glenn ******************
Certainly you are married to a Thai. She would have to get her Thai nationality sorted first. Then you can get a Non O visa based on marriage. Look it up If I remember is 400k in a bank for 3 months. Subject to 90 day reporting lasts a year and costs 1900 Baht. As to getting her Nationality sorted as long as she has her documents then not a problem. Strange that she has not already done so as then she wouldn't need a visa. If I remember correctly you have to tell them you are given up your other nationality but they have no way of checking.
Jim *******
Dick Hallgren. Well it did not add up at all in simple maths to me. In 1976 you say she was 6 months old..!
Dick **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Jim ******
but what has this to do with my post???
Dick **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Jim ******
, she might be 42 also... I have to check my calender for that...
Dick **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Jim ******
, becsuse she dident come to Sweden as newborn....
Jim *******
@Dick *********
. If she was adopted in 1976,how can she be only 41?!
Dick **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Glenn *****************
, thanks...

That was the reason I posted the question here..

Because I have seen married people there one of them got an Education visa and then the spouse applied for a "spouse/dependent" visa or some kind of extension.

I just wonder if I could do the same thing if we got married, since she now have a residency/permit to stay for a whole year.
Glenn ******************
If you get married to a Thai. I cannot say for certain and I dont like to give incorrect information but I seriously doubt that her visa status as a Swedish national has any effect on yours. No doubt a visa agency could give you a definite answer but I have never seen anything that would make me think that it does. It seems a lot easier for you to just hold on till you are 50. Besides marrying your lady should be a choice based on other factors than your visa status.
Dick **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Glenn *****************
, because now she has a residency/permit to stay to 2019-08-09 :)
Dick **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Glenn *****************
but my question was this.

If we got married, can I get some kind of extension as well like a "dependent/spouse" visa/extension?
Glenn ******************
Well under 3 years to go seems easier for you to hang it out
Dick **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Glenn *****************
, the problem is that the paper she got is not the 100% the same they have in the archive in BKK.

The Thai ID number she has belongs to a some other guy in Thailand... There is hundreds of Thai adopted people that have the same problems now because of the corrupted lawyer who was behind the adoptions in 1976 to 1979 :(
Dick **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Glenn *****************
, yes I'm only 47 and my gf is 41 so get the retirement visa is out of the questions :/
Glenn ******************
The thought occurs if the adoption paperwork is fake then i actually might be easier as you dont have the adoption to cloud the issue. I am not sure of this but it may well be that if you are adopted than you may of had to give up your Thai nationality. I really dont know.
Dick **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Glenn *****************
, we have tried this for some years now but as her Thai parents are dead this seems impossible :/
Glenn ******************
As I said she would have to get that sorted first. Track down her original Birth certificate otherwise you are in the same boat as any other farang. I presume you are to young for a retirement visa a Education visa might be an option for you or get a job here.
Dick **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Glenn *****************
Her adoptions papers is "fake" so they don´t match up with the papers in Bangkok...

The lawyer who did the paperwork in 1976 is well known for human trafficking :(
Dick **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
No, No, No, she has NOT a Thai ID card an NO Thai passport therefore she is NOT a Thai in the authorities eyes :(
Robert *******
Is she going to get the Thai ID card and Passport as well?
Dick **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
NOOP, her adoptions papers is fake so they don´t match up with the papers in Bangkok...

The lawyer who did the paperwork in 1976 is well known for human trafficking :/
Thai Visa Advice
... members · 40% approval rate
The Thai Visa Advice group is a specialized Q&A forum for visa-related topics in Thailand, ensuring detailed responses.
Join the Group
Thai Visa Advice
View the Conversation
Thai Visa Advice