Is it easy to apply for the Non-Immigrant O marriage visa in Thailand, or should I use a visa agency?

I have never used an agent and although the process can be time-consuming and often very frustrating it is reasonably straightforward. Different offices have different requirements but as stated by others, go to your local immigration and ask all the questions you need to ask. I have always found the officers to be extremely helpful and professional. By explaining your particular situation I'm sure they'll be more than willing to advise you on what you need and how to succeed in your application. Remember, always smile and stay calm, even when presented with something that seems logical and unnecessary to you. At a total cost of 1,900B, why pay an agent up to 60,000B to do something you can learn to do yourself?

I am a little out of the loop as I have been married to a Thai national for 35 years . Just a suggestion . Why not work on getting you wife Australian residency / citizenship . It can work both ways . Your wife can freely enter Australia . It also makes it easier for you to travel / retire in Thailand . I have no issue with Thai immigration as I have a valid reason to enter Thailand . I normally get placed in the Thai national que at immigration

Most agents won’t mess with marriage visas you’ll need the 400k in a Thai bank in your name just do it yourself it’s a hassle but it is what it is

You get a Non-Immigrant O visa outside Thailand, then arrive in Thailand and open a bank account the next day. The biggest potential issue with immigration—they may require proof of residence from your landlord, and the landlord might not be willing to cooperate.

Otherwise, if you have the funds and you live together, you shouldn’t have any problems. If your documents are not in order, they won’t accept them and will tell you exactly what is missing, so you can handle everything on your own.

The 90-day single entry Non-Imm-O "family" visa and how to obtain a one-year extension of your stay permit based on being married to a Thai wife.

There is the "90-day single entry Non-Imm-O Family visa" option, which you can apply by the e-visa online system before you fly to Thailand.

You must provide a financial proof for both the 90-day visa and later at immigration for the application for a "one-year extension of the temporary stay permit based on being married to a Thai wife."

For the application to the initial visa, you EITHER have at least 400,000 THB (approximately $ 12,000) in a bank account in your sole name. In most countries, the e-visa application requires the upload of three months of account statements

(It is irrelevant for the visa application where the account is located – as long as there is a proof that the account is in your sole name)

However, when applying for the "1-year extension" from out of the 90-days stay permit you get stamped in upon entering Thailand, the 400,000 THB must have been in your Thai bank account for 2 months, and this “seasoning” must be proven with a "bank letter of guarantee" (in Thai: rab roong thanakan).

OR you use the income affidavit of your embassy in Thailand (only if applicable - as many embassies do not issue it any more. These are the embassies of the UK, the USA, Australia and Canada)

In case your embassy issues an income affidavit, you need to provide evidence of an income/pension of at least 40,000 THB (approximately $1200 USD).

For the application to the initial 90-days visa in your home country, you can use your original marriage documents.

However, for the application to the “1-year extension”, Immigration requires a Thai marriage registry printout - the Kor Ror 22 or 2 (whichever applies). This printout must be current, printed freshly by an Amphur office.

This is possible only if your marriage has already officially been acknowledged in Thailand. If you married outside of Thailand and your marriage has not been registered in Thailand, yet, you need to take action. It would require a legalization of your original marriage documents by the Thai embassy in your country, and this has to be co-legalized by the MfA in Bangkok, before you can register your marriage at an Amphur office.

The requirements may vary slightly between every one of the 85 Immigration offices in Thailand, this is why it is recommended to visit them right after you entered and ask for the list of requirements for the "extension of the temporary stay permit based on being married to a Thai wife."

What almost all immigration offices have in common is that they will only serve you if you have been properly registered at your place of accommodation via a TM30 registration.

Immigration normally will issue the "1-year extension of the stay permit" for 4 weeks "under consideration." They will ask for photos of the two of you together in front of your house, with the house number visible, a photo of you in the living room, in the bedroom, etc.

They will ask for a hand-drawn map of the route from your house to the Immigration office, or the Google Maps coordinates.

Some offices require not only the presence of your wife, but also of one witness.

Immigration will pay a visit at your home during these four weeks (with prior notice) and will question your neighbours about whether your marriage is "real."

After this visit, you visit Immigration and collect the stamp with your one-year extension of the temporary stay permit. (EOS)

NOTE: keep the 400,000 THB deposit in your bank account at least until you have gathered up the 1-year Marriage Extension stamp. You are free to spend the deposit, however the 400,000 THB need to be back in your account 2 months prior (some Immigrations ask for 3 months) to your next application for the 1-year extended stay permit.

NOTE: Always purchase a re-entry permit for your EOS.

A single re-entry costs 1000 THB, a multiple re-entry will be 3,800 THB.

The re-entry permit keeps your stay permit valid in case you leave the country. If you leave without a re-entry permit, your EOS will become invalid.

PLEASE use the correct terminology:

Technically spoken, there is no "visa extension", and the 1-year extension is not a “marriage visa”. Immigration does not extend any visa. That's technically not possible.

The use of this wording is improper English. You use the “90-days marriage visa” for entering Thailand, the visa becomes invalid. You will get stamped in for a 90-days stay permit. You then apply for a one-year extension of this stay permit. A stay permit is not a visa.

For you timing is going to be important due to your FIFO schedule. As you don't yet have a Thai bank account you are going to have to apply for a 90 day Non-O visa in your home country, when you arrive in Thailand you will get stamped in for 90 days. You'll need to get a bank account opened ASAP and transfer the required funds for an extension of stay into the account where it must sit for 2 months before you can apply for the extension, if you need to leave during this time you'll need a re-entry permit and to be back before the end of the 90 day period. Apply for the extension of stay which then goes under consideration for approximately 30 days, while immigration may want to visit during this period you can talk with them as to timing and again you'll need another re-entry permit if you need to leave during the 30 days. Finally you return to immigration on the agreed date and get the remainder of the 12 month extension stamped into your passport, and will also need a multiple re-entry permit to cover you for the years in and outs

What i would add to the already good advice, is, don't leave it too close to the current visa deadline. Leave time to sort any hurdles if there are any surprise additional requests.

Thai visa centre helped me out. I did the express package. They picked me up from my hotel in Bangkok took me go to a bank to open me up an account then to immigration. And in 6 hrs I had my non o retirement visa with multi entry in hand. Eazy peezy

It will take planning on your part to complete the process based on your FIFO schedule. Apply for a Non O visa, arrive, open bank account and deposit funds, after funds have been in account two months apply for extension of stay (visit your immigration office for list of required documents), be given under consideration stamp, report back to immigration on required date to have extension stamped in passport. Immigration will probably arrange a home visit during the under consideration period (normally 3 - 4 weeks) so you and your wife need to be present. Good luck.

Did mine and yea a bit of a battle the first time. Items I didn't totally understand were;

1. Had a 1yr non o though marriage , what can go wrong 1 yr to sort, then realized only a 90 day stamp.in passport.

2. Married 15 yrs in NZ got wedding cert translated before coming.

3. Went immigration got a list of what to do.

4. Went to Amphur for letter saying we are married, no Thai girl still single, wedding cert could be fake. If you married here no such problems.

5. Opened bank acc with letter from immigration, you already have one no problem.

6. Produced map on computer showing immigration to our place.

7. Had pics taken outside by house number and inside with change of shirt twice, wife told me to.

8 in my case had letter from Embassy showing NZ income.

9. Went to immigration gave them all the paperwork and they said they will visit, ringing wife on the day( only came on 1st application for extension)

10. About 3-4 weeks later they rand and turned up about midday looked at house, had food and drink spoke to our 2 referee's lucky one was villiage 2IC so knew her stuff when getting questioned.

11. About 3 weeks later visa extension approved Went Maha Sarakham and picked it up.

In our case only problem was our marriage cert and my passport so had company in Bangkok do all required and sent back to us all paperwork accepted by immigration.

Think it cost about 4 000 baht. Now for the last 4 years no problems and wife gets letter from.Amphur saying married.

I think it vastly depends on where you go. All of the immigration offices are different, and require different things. So its really hard to give you a direct answer. Most people on this form are fairly "anti agent" but ya. As Graham mentioned, the only issue you might run into the is the under consideration 30 day period where you cannot leave the country and they do a house visit. Some immigration offices do two house visits now as well. One during the under consideration stamp and one after

So you already have the funds in a Thai bank account and were married at your Amphur in Thailand. Go to your local Immigration Office and get their list of requirements for the initial Non-O. It may be difficult for you with your FIFO working because there is normally an under consideration period of about 30 days which includes house visits etc..