What is the best visa strategy for a US citizen married to a Thai national while waiting to register their marriage in Thailand?

Aug 21, 2023
a year ago
Clint *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
US citizen, married to a Thai woman, but in USA only, not registered in Thailand yet. She is in USA working, I'm in Thailand.

I arrived in January, 45 days, got a 30 day extension. Land border crossing, got 45 days, got 30 day extension. I went to Lao, got my 60 day tourist Visa, got my 30 day extension, expires Sept 10.

Question: If I leave the country, go KL, Bali, Japan for 1 week vacation, apply for a 2nd tourist visa at the Embassy, is that the best course of action until my wife gets here in December and we get registered for Thai marriage and then get marriage visa?
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The user, a US citizen married to a Thai woman residing in the USA, is currently navigating Thailand's visa regulations and considering options for extending their stay until their wife arrives for marriage registration. They seek advice on whether to travel to KL, Bali, or Japan to apply for a second tourist visa, while discussing the risks associated with long stays on tourist visas, and possible strategies for obtaining a marriage visa after registering their marriage. Users shared insights on the complexities of obtaining a marriage visa, the necessity of getting a US marriage certificate certified, and the suggestion that it may be more beneficial to return to the USA and apply for a marriage visa together.
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Martin *********
Ive done the same as you up to the border run 45 days left end of April came back three weeks ago and was pulled aside and told to get a retirement visa.
Clint *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Frank **********
Be sure to get your US marriage certificate certified before she leaves the US. The process takes 2-3 months and is kind of a pain. General process is:

Get a certified copy at the county office where you were married.

Have it certified by the state.

Send it to the state department (in Washington DC) for certification.

Send it to the Thai Embassy (in Washington DC) for certification.

Then, in Thailand, you need to have the document and your passport translated and then certified by the ministry of foreign affairs. This will require a trip to the US embassy to have your passport authenticated before it can be translated and certified... The US embassy will also provide certification of your passport via post. You need to check the embassy website for those details.

Then, you can go to the local amphur to have your wife register for a change of status. Then, you can begin the visa process.

There is a process to do this in Thailand, but it sounded more convoluted, and kind of like the exact same process, but just from here. Anyways, current processing times for the US part of this can vary depending on how quickly you can turnaround the document between certifications. Thai time frame depends on how quickly you can get in to the US Embassy for a certification of your passport. I used an agency that specializes in visas and passports in the US and a translation service in Thailand... Spent about 600 USD total including all shipping and charges from the respective agencies/embassies.
Frank **********
The agency I used in the US handled everything. We had a few certified copies of the certificate made when we got married, so minus that one step, they did everything on the US side including sending it to us via FedEx to Thailand when it was all complete. Aside from the validation of the passport, the translation agency handled everything on the Thai side. We met them at the ministry of foreign affairs for the certification because it trims some time off to be there in person. So overall, less a pain and more expensive, but worth it to use agencies.

Due to appointment availability at the embassy in Bangkok, we decided to go to Chiang Mai for the passport certification. The total process for us is right around 5 months from dropping off the marriage certificate at the agency in the US, to having a change of status completed at the local amphur. Would have been longer trying to DIY or waiting for an appointment in Bangkok. So... the lesson here is to get married in Thailand... :P
Frank **********
They are in Texas, but I'm sure they will happily charge extra for state certification if it is in some other state... May be best to find a local agency, but these guys are good and I have used them for everything from visas to expedited passports... Austin Passport Express. They are on FB and are responsive via phone, email, and chat if you catch them during business hours.
Clint *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Frank Alvarado Can you send me your private message with the agency that you used? My wife is great at doing paperwork, she did the k1 visa. I despise paperwork. It stresses me out more than anything
Chris *****
Heads up, all your read about the simplicity of getting married no longer applies. It’s now agent only, or takes 2-3 months if you DIY.
Graham ******
@Chris ****
already married
Paul *******
If for whatever reason you don't want to head back to the States, December is a LONG time to continue visa and border running in Thailand on tourist visas given yr already extensive history.

I'd suggest leaving for Lao or Cambodia, spending 2 or 3 months there (perhaps make yourself look more like a tourist by popping into Vietnam as well) THEN meet your wife in Savannakhet or Ho Chi Minh City in December to apply for a marriage visa (I think they'll issue one even if your marriage is registered in the USA).

Alternatively, apply for a tourist visa in Vientiane OR Savannakhet OR Phnom Penh in late November to give you enough time to do the marriage visa conversion in Thailand (after you register the marriage inside the country).
Clint *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Paul ******
I sent you a message if you have a moment to read it
Paul *******
I'd suggest spending some time with your wife in America, then coming back to Thailand together with a non-O marriage visa, obtained using your USA marriage license. If you can't get a 12 month one, go for the 90 days then extend in Thailand.
Bonnie *******
I would be more worried about messing things up for her in America.
Stefan ****
Maybe get another one from Lao
Brandon ************
Even with a tourist visa you still run the risk of getting pulled out of line at the airport and interrogated about why you're spending so much time in Thailand without a proper long term visa. It's no guarantee that you'll be allowed into the country.

You might also want to check the destinations you listed for example you can't get a tourist visa to Thailand from Bali as the Thai embassy there no longer serves foreigners, you can only apply at Jakarta. Other countries like Japan may only allow those with residency in Japan to use the embassy to apply for a visa.
John ********
@Brandon ***********
there isn’t a Thai embassy in Bali you might mean the consulate
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