What has this post got to do with thailand visa advice ???

@Pete *********

shop around …… some are mid 20,000 THB and some mid 30,000THB …… it really isn’t too difficult (once you have a bank account and have the funds in the thai account) to go to your home embassy in your home country and apply (costs 1,900 THB) to get your retirement visa so better off researching and do it your self ……

@Nigel *************

totally agree ….. I tried several times on my own and was refused ….. pay an agent and get an account right away ….. no hassle just a little thinner wallet but worth it

@Jay *

well as I got married in to The USA (vegas elvis wedding - haha) I had to apply for a Nevada state authentication (Clarke county) it takes about 3 weeks to get this …. The USA state department authentication too over 12 weeks…. If you got married in Oz then may be worth while talking to the birth deaths and marriages in The state you got married to ask how to get the authentication of your marriage certificate ….. USA required 2 authentications as Thailand is not part of The Hague group

I have tried the marriage visa I am an Aussie living in the UK and married my thai wife in vegas (USA) the process went

1. Get my marriage certificate authenticated in Nevada

2. Get marriage certificate and Nevada authentication authenticated in the USA state separtment (in Washington DC)

3. had to send everything sent to the thai consulate to get authenticate

4. Then in Thailand had to get the marriage translated to thai

5. Immigration then come out to see you from time to time at your thai residence

Much better and easier to (if you are over 50years old) to get a retirement visa

Oh and good luck opening the thai bank account before you get your marriage visa …. I had to speak to a thai immigration visa office and pay them 7000 THB and I ended up with a Bangkok bank account with 600 THB …..