What are the challenges and experiences related to obtaining a marriage visa in Thailand?

I agree !

I’m single retiree😉👍

That is not the experience at all offices. I deal with Nakhon Sawan, and there is never a queue

Guys it's not difficult if you do your homework. After getting married, did it myself in CNX, was a breeze, but research it thoroughly first.

I always expect to have to make second visit, however well i prepare always a curve ball somewhere, and we’re on retirement….its a game to push people towards agents/brokers same nonsense at DLT office with long waiting lists……patience, deep breaths and a smile and think of that first beer when done 🙂

You probably won't see this as the thread is huge... But OP are there other offices you could get to? We had several trips to immigration, but I doubt we were ever there for more than an hour. Sounds like office is either slow- or maybe they suggested you return another day and you wanted to avoid the extra drive?

Why is it I don't have problems with extension based on marriage. I do it alone no agent. Yes they change a little every year like this year no visiting the home and 2 letters from the bank before only 1. If all your documentation required is correct your in and out opprox. 45 minutes

Thailand does not want foreigners living there, I don’t understand why so many people expect otherwise . They only want us as tourists

Thanks for the post this just verified why I am going to be getting a seven year retirement Visa when I arrive in 8 months. I don't particularly like the fact of having to put $800,000 baht into a bank account but it's better than having to deal with this crap. Years ago, a successful business friend taught me this mantra "it's not what it cost but what it's worth". I use this theory for everything I do, makes life much calmer. This coupled with my other belief that there's a difference between a need & a want. Now trying to explain that to my Thai wife not so easy. Lol

My main issue is that even when they know my wife and I are married and have been extending for over a decade, they still make me take new photos 3x over with and without kids. Or I signed something wrong and my signature doesn’t match. Or my photo looks several months old. There’s a long list of these things, including home visits and interviews with the neighbors several times —and I don’t even know who my neighbors are. People who say the extension is easy are correct in that it should be easy. They just make it difficult because they seem to not like the idea of foreigners marrying their ladies — not sure, but sometimes I feel that way.

your name . your picture . 4 extension of " marriage visa" and "money passed under the table " . why don't you show a picture of your passport ??? if I was you I'd get ready for a visit .

@John **********

immigration doesn’t read this crap 💩

Their to busy making new rules to their stupid visa requirements and dividing up the cash they made from agents and foreigners delivered under the table !!!

Have been doing it for 10 years and every year something different. The IO has different rules to the Immigration website.

Bad luck and bad immi. I have no problems with Udon Thani. And it doesn't take long. They were not happy with some of the photos and told me I could send them to their Line account instead of showing up again. Excellent service.

They want the same documentation every year.. so you just need to learn exactly what the requirements are.. and then make a list of everything you need.. preparation makes your life easy.. and unless it's your very first non-o married visa there should be no surprises in store for you.. especially when there are forums like this one to bounce things around and help you get it right.. apart from the learning curve on the first married visa application.. when i anticipated that i wouldn't be completing the submission on the day i rolled up at immigration.. every renewal has been straightforward and completed same day.. usually within a couple of hours.. the only noticeable changes have been things like 'we need 3 photos not 2' which is easily resolved if you took plenty and they are still on your phone.. or better still you printed 4-5 anyway so they could pick which one's they wanted.. and if i lived 2-hours or more away I'd definitely plan to stay overnight.. just in case i ran out of time (or rather they did) and they told me to come back in the morning.. it's really not rocket science but you do need to try and second guess everything they might throw at you and be ready for it 😉

only 8?

Why all this paranoia about people from the Thai government to allow retirees to live here ..most bring good money and spend it here, supporting wives, businesses and creating jobs for Thai's in most cases ...surely that a good thing ???? moving countries shouldn't be so bloody hard...

Lopburi IO marriage renewal looking at 20 to 30 minutes if not less. Most helpfull IO staff.

Certain Immigration offices exist to draw income from Visa agencies. Thais are infamous for over-complicating everything so they can wield power over their clients.

I have friends who use the marriage visa ( only because it’s less money to hold in the bank) but even after 24 years I still see them being asked for yet another photo or something.

Get a normal retirement visa and then you can live 2 hours away 😂

Such a waste of time and energy. Now you know why some just do visa runs to avoid being humiliated by public servants. Remember you are an ALIEN!

With the marriage visa do you have to leave the country every ninety days, or do reports?

They always find a way to need more papers, no matter how well you are prepared. 🤬

Chiangmai immagration runs like clockwork. Only problem is there are hundreds of applicants each day. I avoid weeks with holidays, mondays, and Fridays. I usually go Wednesdays. Non - O retirment exstention ,in and out in 2.5 to 3 hours. And another hour if i do a re entry permit. I've done 8 extentions now.

I have had the exact same treatment at Korat Immigration recently.

Just over 5 hours kept waiting while some IO checked through the paperwork with various runs to the copy people because nothing was good enough (this despite visiting previously and obtaining their list and asking questions and taking 2 copies of everything on the list)... they seemed to be inventing things up and just generally trying to make the process ridiculous and as difficult as possible (see below)... after a lifetime in the Information Office the paperwork was finally taken over to the main office for another IO to check. There we waited...and waited....and waited... again nothing was good enough more requests for further photocopies and more ludicrous requests for other information. It was like a circus act but IMHO a very deliberate and calculated one. It's my view that they are deliberately trying to make your life as difficult as possible...and why?...to force you into using an agent so their greasy paws 🐾 can be tapped! I have no doubt whatsoever that is their game.

The areas we encountered issues with were address of wife, they kept banging on about this until I stepped in and told them she was living with me in a rented house and I was on the rental contract therefore it was irrelevant! They then shut up and never mentioned it again. The other issue was the visit...that was disgusting... insisting on 3 witnesses despite the fact we don't know anyone.. and also insisting that we clear our dinner table, put it into the middle of the room and then there was a request to get more chairs meaning I had to get these out of a spare room. This was for the 2 IO to sit down and they insisted that the witnesses sit too (which we only managed to get at a second visit from begging the village headman, these 'witnesses' had never seen us prior to this meeting)...then they tried to be difficult again and started going on about the TM 30...at which I told them they had all this twice the day we submitted it all and I asked them why they didn't bring the paperwork with them...by this stage I was beginning to lose it as I knew what their game was!

To be honest I know they tried to create endless problems and at times I had no idea what was going on or what the problem was...I was seriously thinking of leaving the country at this point... I'm not sure what I'm going to do next time because I seriously don't think I can put up with another renewal like this again. I thought Samut Sakhon was bad but that was a breeze compared to Korat Immigration.

In my opinion it's all about money...or lack of it if you are not using an agent. It's a disgrace. I threatened them with making a complaint when I started to lose it with them and if there is a repeat next time around I'll do exactly that.

you didnt explain what mistakes you keep doing to get denied. THAT would actually be helpful information for this group. just put your process in a detailed post so that people can learn… this way its just cry cry cry…

one reason why i live in Krabi

First marriage extension is the worst. One you’re through the learning curve, subsequent year’s extensions become easier and easier, as you prepare your application to their specks.

Hire a lawyer

I suppose this goes for the visa on behalf of having a Thai child as well?

Find agent to help you

Avoiding marriage is easier lol 😆

I once waited four or five months for mine!

Under consideration…

Man, I hope it works out for you. Hope for the best.

Thailand doesn't want you to stay long term anymore. There was a time when they welcomed you and immigration was fairly simple. Prices are way up, immigration is a total hassle by design. They only want elite visa sales now.

Thais imm no like us..

I’m

Why I have come back to the UK I have had enough of them with the little surprises in the past I have had my gut full of the above immigration office

That's why so many go for the retirement visa instead of marriage visa

Yes, Korat is a pain. Very slow and unforgiving. Just an extension took me 2 trips and 4 hours. TM30 from hotel needed to be for a 7 day stay WTF? So we did it from a vacant block of land....go figure.

First time is the worst. Scan and save a lot of the paperwork for use again next year.

I'm going through it now and yes, it is a pain in the arse, good thing I'm retired and have plenty of spare time.

Just get the DTV.

Agencies are thriving. Because of this.

The very reason I just plunked another 400K in the bank and converted to retirement extensions. So much easier.

Yes it's a pain in the ass but Maha Sarakham Immigration Office is great. I was in and out in an hour.

Marriage visa pain in the arse .

it sounds easy compared to a marriage visa application in the United States

What province?