I wrote a thread last week sharing my experience with CM immigration.. went in to apply for my 12-month non-o married visa before my 90-day initial visa expires on 4-Sep-23.. just to clarify, this is my first married visa so it was not a renewal.. they approved it in principle with an 'under consideration' period of 1-month.. meaning they extended the existing stamp by 1-month to 4-Oct-23, and i need to return then to get the actual 1-year visa stamped in my passport.. prior to leaving immigration last week the IO mentioned that i could get a phone call from somebody to ask me a few questions over the intervening period.. but strangely did not mention that we could get a home visit.. which i had anticipated from reading other threads in this group.. then today my wife got a phone call from an IO to tell her they needed to make a home visit and wanted to come tomorrow afternoon.. which is not a problem but somewhat short notice.. i guess it's their way of putting you on the spot though.. but the IO told her they needed to take some photos of us at home (which we have already provided) and that we would need to pay a fee for this.. although it wasn't quantified it left my wife believing they expected money to change hands to ensure a smooth process.. this necessity seems absurd to me given 'photos' are already part of the application i have filed.. and i just wondered if anyone in this group has any recent experience of this part of the process when interacting with Immigration in CM.. i have no worries whatsoever regarding the credibility of my application.. but do object to someone moonlighting to earn illegitimate income (ie. off the books) by insinuating their might be a problem if they don't get a sweetener!
UPDATE The IO visited this afternoon (Thursday) armed with a colour inkjet printer.. solitary person (unaccompanied) and a very jovial soul indeed.. the primary purpose was to get an attestation from our next door neighbour (who I've known for at least 8 years now) that we live here as a married couple.. she needed to produce her IC for him to copy and sign a couple of documents.. and have her photo taken with me and my wife sat on the sofa.. took all of 25 minutes and he was on his way.. no mention of fees (or sweeteners) whatsoever and he left with a bottle of iced water for his trouble.. all's well that ends well as they say.. but he did clarify that i can't leave Thailand until the full year visa gets stamped in my passport.. otherwise I'll disrupt the process and will have to start over again!.
TLDR : Answer Summary
The user shares their experience applying for a 12-month NON-O married visa at CM immigration and mentions an 'under consideration' period of one month. After receiving preliminary approval, they anticipate a home visit from an immigration officer (IO) who later confirms the visit. Initially concerned about possible fees or bribes, the user reports that the IO's visit was straightforward, requiring neighbor verification and took only 25 minutes, with no mention of fees. Several comments from the community reflect on their own experiences with home visits, often indicating a cultural nuance where offering food or drinks to the IO is common, but cash payments are typically not expected. Some users caution against making direct payments unless properly documented.
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.
