What new documentation is required for Non-O marriage visa extensions in Thailand?

Apr 27, 2023
2 years ago
Ludwig ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER
I just submitted my yearly Non-O marriage extension of stay application in Chiang Mai. My application was accepted this time, but I was informed that in the future I will have to include a new document in the file.

For people married outside of Thailand, they now want the local Thai embassy to certify the foreign marriage certificate. In my case, as I was married in England, I will need a certificate from the Thai embassy in London. I was shown a sample by the immigration officer. This is a new requirement in Chiang Mai.

Has anyone else had a similar experience in any other province?
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The post discusses a new requirement for expats applying for the Non-O marriage extension of stay in Chiang Mai, which mandates that foreign marriage certificates be certified by the local Thai embassy. The author shares their recent experience and inquires about others' experiences in different provinces. Comments reveal a mix of opinions, with some asserting that this requirement is not new and others sharing similar processes they've encountered. There are suggestions about handling document legalization effectively.
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Gordon ********
Why not register marriage at the local Ampur?
Ludwig ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Gordon *******
the marriage is already registered at the Amphur, but immigration still want the original certificate to be legalised.
Gordon ********
@Ludwig **********
Your embassy here should be able Authenticate the original and then get a translation from Thai Foreign Affairs.

Probably you did all that to register in thailand
Paul *******
What's this about Thai children? If you're simply applying for a Thai spousal visa, then whether you have children or not is irrelevant. Why are they even mentioning it? I've never mentioned it and no one has ever asked. None of their business.

I'd obviously need to mention it if I were applying for a visa extension to look after a Thai child. That's a similar though slightly different process.
Ludwig ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Paul ******
in CM they ask to include the birth certificates of your children in your application.
Paul ********
Yes, I am going through this process ready for my forthcoming extension, a right ball ache. A UK issued marriage certificate is accepted in almost all countries but for some reason not Thailand, a complete nonsense in my opinion. I have also had to have my passport translated which is another nonsense!
Paul *******
@Paul *******
I know. It's absurd.
Paul ********
@Paul ******
sure is
Paul *******
@Paul *******
Well, Thais can't read English, so the translation of your passport, which if I remember correctly, UK passports are obviously in English but also have a little French on them as well, makes sense.

It makes sense from that perspective, not from any other point of view of course.
Paul ********
@Paul ******
yes I get what your saying, but we don't need translations when we arrive in Thailand or any other country , just saying
John ********
@Paul *******
🤣😅😂 you will have to get used to it because it will never stop

The biggest problem is that the immigration officer has the right to adjust the rules to what they like and every office is different
Paul ********
@John *******
yes, I've realised that
Rod **********
Just stay single, you will be happier and wealthier.

Getting married can be expensive, Getting divorced let's not go there.

I've had a Thai girlfriend for 17 years, 25 years younger than me we have no children between us.

I live in Australia and visit her regularly which she is happy about.

All this stuffing around with visas getting documents signed, verified..

No thanks i want to live a longer life..
Paul *******
@Rod *********
Why not just get married and live in Australia and visit Thailand together from time to time? It's much easier for her to live in Australia than for someone like you to live in Thailand. No need to worry about visa hassles. No random immigration raids, unless there's a tip off about illegal workers. Certainly no one in Australia asks a foreigner to produce their passport while walking down the street or when passing through a roadblock. Much less stress.
Frank **********
I got married in the US. In order for my wife to use our marriage license with the local amphur, the process is to get a certified copy of the license from the county we got married in. Then have it certified by the state we got married in. Then have it certified by the US State Department. Then send it to the Thai Embassy in Washington DC to be certified for use in Thailand.

That is a total of about 10 weeks and 200 ish USD in fees and FedEx costs sending the documents back and forth with prepaid addressed envelopes (can not do most of this in person, even in you happen to be in Washington DC). We paid an agency in the US to handle it since we live in Thailand. There is supposedly a process for doing this in Thailand, but it seemed more complicated than just paying an agency to deal with it...
Frank **********
Not quite so easy... The appointments at the embassy were months out when we tried to do everything in Thailand, and no agent or law firm we contacted wanted to deal with it. The amphur made it sound like it was no problem, but we kept running in to obstacles. Way easier to just pay someone to do it when we went back to the states. They knew exactly what was needed, had all of the forms ready to go, and estimated that I would have it back before I would be able to get an appointment at the embassy in Bangkok.
Terence *********
Paul *******
@Frank *********
Isn't the way of dealing with it from Thailand to get the US embassy to certify the certificate, get it translated, then run it over the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to get stamped? Of course an agent or translation bureau can conduct the latter two tasks without the applicant needing to be present in person.
Craig **********
For the last few years I have read of many issues with Non O IMM Visa’s by marriage, especially given different immigration offices.

As such the advice I give mates thinking of retirement here (and I follow) as long as you’re over 50 and not so short of funds that you need the marriage visa from 800k to 400k!

Just transfer to the Non O retirement. Basically just a bank statement every year and you’re set.

No dramas with certificates, witnesses etc etc AND god forbid the marriage doesn’t last, you have a seamless transition to single Thai life😈
Craig **********
Ludwig ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Craig *********
In CM the Kor Ror 22 is not sufficient anymore, they want the original marriage certificate to be legalised by the MFA.
Paul *******
@Craig *********
Many embassies don't do income verifications anymore.
Craig **********
Craig **********
Paul *******
@Craig *********
Your advice is sound. My point is, if you're in a good marriage, got married in Thailand and are working (or intend to work) then the marriage extension (or the non-O obtained abroad) is still a good option.

If your circumstances are that you got married abroad, don't want to work in Thailand, are 50 and above then a retirement visa may be more suitable.
Ludwig ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Craig **********
@Paul ******
👍

Been in a couple of marriages that were good, until they weren’t🤣🤣
Paul *******
Paul *******
@Craig *********
I don't think any of that is necessary. With non-O visas you have three options. 400K in a bank account or 12 monthly transfers of 40K Baht. If you can satisfy this financial requirement and especially if you're married in Thailand, it's not a difficult process.

The other option is to go for a 12 month multiple entry non-O from one of the consulates that issues them, such as Savannakhet in Laos,or Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. These are the best options because they're right next to Thailand. Easy to drive or catch a bus to Savannakhet. A 1 hour flight from Bangkok to Saigon (or 80 minutes if you're coming from Phuket/90 mins from Chiang Mai).

Some consulates in western countries might also issue these but only worth going there if you're already there and know which ones offer them or you happen to know you can apply for one in your home country and since you go back home once a year it's the most convenient place for you to apply.
Craig **********
@Paul ******
Hi Paul, the 400k/40k amount is for marriage visa, for retirement it is
******
(the 65k/mth “from an international source” also seems to cause endless headaches), which can go down to 400 for most of the year. The big advantage of doing the Non O in Thailand is no requirement for health insurance each year.

My only point was if over 50, no criminal history, have an address and bank account and can leave 800k in the bank then it is effortless forever regardless of marriage status, translations, divorces etc…

Everyone will have different circumstances eg the author wanting to keep work visa option open which makes perfect sense.

I just think many guys/gals think because they are married they should take that visa, when in reality there is absolutely no need.
Ludwig ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Craig *********
Good advice, but I want to keep the possibility of getting a work permit open.
Andy *********
Not new - required for many years
Vernon *********
I think you can take your British marriage certificate to the British Embassy in Bangkok then certified at The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bangkok.
Henry *********
@Vernon ********
The British Embassy no longer do this. It has to be legalised in the UK by the UK Legalisation Office in Milton Keynes and then passed to the Thai Embassy in London.
Vernon *********
@Ludwig **********
My wife did it 20 years ago
Ludwig ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Vernon ********
Has anyone tried that already?
Will ************
Yes and I believe you have to do this every year to show you are not divorced
Ally ************
I'm married to a Thai.. but our marriage was solemnised in Singapore.. so we have just had a similar experience in preparing for my non-o (married) visa application in CM.. the Singapore marriage certificate had to be certified by the Singapore Embassy in Bangkok.. was then translated into Thai and certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Thailand.. we used an agent to expedite the process and on this occasion it was money well spent.. have also had to produce it when registering my residence with the local Amphur.. who wanted to keep the original instead of the photocopy i offered them.. telling me i could 'borrow it' if i ever needed it.. unbelievable! .. but after kicking up a mighty fuss.. explaining that immigration will also need to see the original.. as well as UK immigration at some point in the future.. and insisting they indemnify me for the cost of obtaining another one if they should lose it.. they eventually backed down and accepted the stamped copy.. i should add that the translation was also mandatory to obtain a residence certificate from the local Amphur.. and is also needed to get a 'yellow book' from the Municipality.. which I've recently learned is responsible for issuing them.. ie. not the Amphur directly.. so if you weren't married in Thailand it's pretty much essential for anyone planning on living here long term!
Henry *********
All UK docs need to be legalised by the Legalisation Office in Milton Keynes and then certified by the Thai Embassy in London. It's much easier to do if you're in the UK or have someone who can help there (or pay for a lawyer/agent to do it).
John ********
Why don't you just get married in Thailand as its going to save you a lot of trouble

And money
Henry *********
@John *******
I'll leave it to the experts, but I didn't think it was possible to get a Thai marriage certificate for a UK marriage.
John ********
@Henry ********
you just go to the registration office and get married take a couple of people as witnesses and you will have a thai marriage certificate as proof for the immigration.

You are not asking for certificate for a UK marriage certificate or anything else

It's not rocket science
Henry *********
@John *******
To get legally married in Thailand you need an Affirmation to Marry from your Embassy to show you're not already married. I think that what you're suggesting is not possible.
John ********
@Henry ********
yes that's right But it's to prove that you are not married to someone else nothing to do with the thai lady

Maybe I am wrong but I don't see any problem trying to find out
Henry *********
@John *******
They are already married!!
John ********
@Henry ********
yes I understand that but in the uk

So all they need to do is go the local registration office and get the thai married certificate and the thai immigration will be happy

It's to make life easier

It will cost them about 500thb
Ludwig ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@John *******
You cannot get married in Thailand if you are already married somewhere else. You can register your foreign marriage at your local Amphur, that was the requirement until now, but it seems it is changing.
John ********
@Ludwig **********
yes I have found out today I go to immigration to move the retirement visa from my old passport to my new passport

I had all the paperwork to complete the process

But then they asked me for my bank book I was not expecting this so I had a row with the officer, about it and she got her boss involved and I had to go down to the bank to get the statement for 6 months

I was lucky that the bank helped me as I didn't have my bank book with me
Av **********
They had me do that like 20 years ago, I don't think that's new
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