Should I apply for a marriage visa to Thailand before or after my arrival?

GentleGoose6420 you apply for the Non O immigrant visa while in your own country.

You enter Thailand, take your visa and passport to the bank and open up an account and deposit the 400,000baht.

Leave it there for 2 months untouched.

After you have used 60 days of your 90 day Non O visa take all documentation with you to immigration and apply for an " extension to stay based on marriage"

I have just done it.

Andreas Mueller- very comprehensive and helpful advice.

If I am granted, the “One year extension of stay permit, based on being married to a Thai wife” , if I am reading your advice correctly,  I should ask for a single reentry permit, which would allow me to exit and return to the country and not invalidate the extension of stay permit, is that correct? 

The 90-day non-O visa is valid for 90 days. That means you can apply anytime within 90 days of your trip. You can apply 2 months before your trip if you want to be safe.

They just ask for an arrival date and exit date. Put the exit date within 90 days of your arrival, since you'll only be getting a 90-day visa.

Is your marriage already registered in Thailand? If not, you have to do a bit of paperwork with the Thai embassy and state department BEFORE you go to Thailand, so you can register the marriage in Thailand once you arrive.

The process for obtaining long-term residency "due to marriage to a Thai citizen"

It starts with the "90-Day Non-Immigrant Family Visa based on marriage with a Thai wife," which can be applied for through the e-Visa system of Thai embassies and consulates.

The requirements for applying for this visa category are available on the websites of the Royal Thai embassies or consulates

On the 90-day single-entry Non-Immigrant Visa, you enter Thailand and receive 90-days stay permit.

On this visa. You can get a Thai bank account opened.

On this visa, you can apply for a one-year extension of your stay (the "1-year extension of stay permit based on marriage with a Thai wife") starting 30 days before the 90-day stay permit expires.

Immigration requires proof of sufficient funds:

Either

***You provide proof of a monthly income of at least 40,000 THB with an affidavit of income from your embassy.

In case your embassy does not issue such a document, you will need a minimum of 400,000 Thai Baht already sitting in your Thai bank account for two months

or

***On the day of application, you must have had a balance of at least 400,000 THB in a Thai bank account in your sole name for at least two months.

IMPORTANT: Some immigration offices require three months of "seasoning."

For this, you must go to the bank and obtain a "bank letter of guarantee" (in Thai, "rab roong thanakan").

Many immigration offices require this bank letter to be dated the same day. Some accept letters that are two or more days old. However, many immigration offices require you to make a (small) ATM withdrawal on the day of application and present the ATM receipt.

***The combined method, the mix of savings and income as possible with the "Retirement Extension," is unfortunately not possible for proof of financial means for someone married to a Thai citizen.

***In addition, you must also prove that you are still (!) married. For this, immigration requires a freshly printed marriage registry printout from the Amphur (Kor Ror 22 or Kor Ror 2, depending on which one applies).

You will initially receive the "1-year extension" stamped as "under consideration" for four weeks or as a small note stapled to your passport. During this time, immigration will visit you at home to verify that the marriage is not a sham.

They will interview your neighbors and inspect your home.

Immigration will also request permission from your neighbors. After the four weeks, you can return to immigration and receive your passport stamp for the remaining 11 months.

*** Here is a short list of the required documents and evidence for applying for the "1-year extension of stay permit" for those married to a Thai citizen (PLEASE NOTE: this list may not be complete – it is recommended to visit Immigration beforehand and obtain the information leaflet).

*** Proof of meeting the financial requirements (either using the deposit method or the income method, as explained above).

In addition, you will need copies of the following pages from your passport, signed in blue ink:

*** The page with your personal details

*** The page with the entry stamp

*** A copy of your visa (since the introduction of the online e-visa, this is a DIN A4 PDF printout)

*** And from May 1, 2025, the email confirmation of the TDAC form (the "Thai Digital Arrival Card"), which was completed and submitted online at least three days before arrival in Thailand.

*** A rental agreement (if applicable), the blue house registration book, and the Thai national identity card of the owner. of the landlord where you are staying

IMPORTANT: To be served at Immigration, you must register your residence with Immigration via TM30 within 24 hours of arrival at your accommodation, either in person or online.

For online TM30 registration, your landlord or hotel should register you in the system within 24 hours of your arrival.

You can also complete the TM30 in person at Immigration with proof of residence (blue house registration book and Thai ID card), accompanied by your wife, girlfriend, boyfriend, or landlord.

***A completed TM7 application for extension of residence permit

**Two to four passport photos (most Immigration offices now take digital photos, but it doesn't hurt to have a few recent passport photos on hand – for example, for the re-entry permit or proof of residence)

***Your Thai spouse should be present

***Photos are required showing both of you in front of your house, The house number must be clearly visible, and photos of you inside the house are required.

***The application for the extension itself costs 1900 Thai Baht.

***You should also purchase a single re-entry permit along with the extension, as this permit will keep your residency permit valid should you need to leave the country unexpectedly.

The second option – apply inside Thailand:

*** you can apply for a 60 days single entry Tourist Visa in your home country or enter Thailand “visa-exempt” (without a visa)

Enter Thailand, you will get stamped in for a 60-days stay permit, and as soon as possible, open a bank account in your sole name (if you haven’t done so yet) and deposit a minimum of 400.000.- THB

As of recently, opening a Thai bank account on a tourist visa or visa-exempt, has become VERY difficult. I suggest you ask visa agencies before you travel, if they are able and willing to open a Thai bank account for you, and how much it will cost.

Get a statement from the Thai bank over the deposit, and visit Immigration. There you apply for the “change of visa type” – a conversion from the 60-days tourist visa or the “visa-exempt entry”, to a “90-days Non-Imm-O Family Visa”

You need a minimum of 15 working days left on your stay permit to be allowed the application to the “change”

The 90-days Non-Imm-O Visa will be issued “under consideration” for 15 days. After this waiting period you can pick it up on Immigration.

As soon as there are 30 days left on this 90-days stay permit, you can apply for the “1-year Extension of Stay Permit based on marriage to a Thai wife”.

On the day of application to the EOS, the deposit of a minimum of 400.000.- THB must have seasoned for 2 months, proven with a letter from the bank

NOTE: as a U.S. and UK citizen, you cannot use the income method for the financial proof, as you first need a summary of 12 months of transfers to your Thai bank account coming in from abroad.

The U.S., Australian and the British embassy do not issue “income affidavits” any more. Other countries’ embassies however might still issue them, and they can be used for the financial proof of monthly income

The 1-year EOS will be issued “under consideration” for 4 weeks, and Immigration will visit you and your wife at home and interview your neighbors if your marriage is for real

Once having been issued a “1-year Extension of Stay based on marriage” it has an expiry of validity date, and you will need to apply again every other year, under the same requirements

FEEL FREE to read the following – requirements for a “change of visa type” from a Tourist Visa or a Visa Exempt, to the 90-days Non-Imm-O Family Visa

/6.FOR-PROVIDING-SUPPORT-TO-OR-BEING-A-DEPENDANT-OF-A-THAI-CITIZEN-SPOUSE-VISA-NON-O.pdf

The Thais change their rules and regulations like you change your socks

You cannot rely on any decision being permanent over there

On top of that, there are bribe payments to be made as well. These come into effect through their bent police force, whom love to make up rules and regulations as they see fit

Thailand is a very corrupt country where foreigners are concerned

BE AWARE

Non immigrant O visa for marriage. TM 38 on arrival and probably resident certificate. Find out what your chosen bank requires to open an account. Once open transfer money 500,000 baht, 4 for immigration and 1 for expenses.

Actual Visa documentation. Google enquiry "thai marriage visa requirements" and you will get requirements (fairly accurate).

You will need to find out more about meeting those requirements especially bank account and marriage license. Opening a bank account has been tightened up a lot over the last years. Marriage license is easy if you have registered with Thai Embassy/consulate in the US. Your local Anbon will just run off a copy. I assume your wife has a Thai ID and is on a family housebook

Or... if you have plenty of money get in touch with a reputable visa agency.

You Google and embassy and ask wife to look too

Advice on marriage visa. If you and your wife separated for any reason including death. The visa is null and void as of that date.

Best to apply before and essential to apply before if you don't already have a Thai bank account

Please be careful, Google's AI is not always current with information

Check bank statement 400,000 THB (3 months) and all documents required ,when ready , apply before enter Thailand is better (my opinion) save money and have time to prepare for a 1 Year visa

Unless you already have a Thai bank account then you must apply for a Non O visa based on marriage before you travel. Once issued you have a window of 90 days to use the visa and when you arrive you will be stamped in for 90 days. They do ask for a travel date but once the visa is issued you can change that date to suit your plans.