If you are considering using an agent because you want to avoid putting the required monies into a Thai bank account.. then you will be locked in to using them forever.. not only expensive but comes with the added risk of your visa being rescinded one day.. should the Thai govt ever decide to clean up the immigration practices that currently make this feasible.. not only that.. but if you ever move provinces and are faced with extending your visa at another immigration office.. then you won't be able to use the same agent who was smoothing the process for you.. and the deal with a new agent could be vastly different a few years down the road.. you are also assuming the initial agent is not going to increase his fees over time.. and if the 'friendly IO' gets greedy next year then that inflation will be passed on to you.. and should you decide you want to start handling the extensions yourself in the future.. the only way to do this will be to exit the country without a re-entry permit so as to invalidate your visa.. then begin the application process from scratch upon your return to Thailand.. ie. make a brand new application directly which isn't linked to the old visa paperwork.. whilst you opine that the cost of an agent is offset by interest on your, savings.. this assumes interest rates continue at the same level and that the agent fees don't escalate wildly.. neither of which are within your control.. and i believe there is minimal political risk in having monies on deposit with a Thai bank.. and anyway, after the first year when you come to extending the visa.. you can switch to the income method instead of using the capital method.. and the money can be withdrawn from the bank.. so it can be considered a temporary requirement in that respect.. and if you get the initial non-o visa in your home country before coming to Thailand.. then you won't need to have the money in a Thai bank until you come to renew it in-country so to speak.. so you get 12-months grace.. and can defer any agents' fees for a year!

If you enable roaming and connect to a UK network then your wife should receive all standard text messages.. whether they originate from Thailand or anywhere else.. which includes her bank OTP's.. it's completely irrelevant which country your wife (the handset) is in.. the only restriction is having the phone in 'plane mode' or having 'roaming' turned off.. but be aware that connecting to a UK network using the roaming function could incur a connection fee with the Thai network.. and she will usually be charged a premium rate for making calls or sending messages.. but if you only intend to turn it on to collect a text and then turn it off again and don't actively use the phone it should cost nothing.. i do this all the time when travelling overseas and have no problem receiving texts from my bank.. and this also applies in reverse.. meaning if you have an overseas bank account and an overseas sim in your phone and need to collect an OTP whilst in Thailand.

Ps. The Thai bank doesn't need to use the international code at all.. their system does not differentiate based upon geo-location.. it assumes the receiver will be connected to a Thai network of course.. and when you 'roam' you are bridging networks to your home network.. the originator of the SMS is unaware of this and has no control over your ability to receive the message.. which is controlled by your phone's tech and your home network's ability to connect to an overseas network.. so whilst your Thai provider's system knows you are roaming and can identify your geo-location.. this information is not conveyed to your bank!

If you contact the office holding the new passport and explain your predicament.. maybe they will agree to deliver the new passport to you by courier (eg. signed for secure package) upon payment of a small fee.. which would resolve your dilemma

Did you marry in Thailand or overseas.. additional documents are required if your marriage certificate is not in Thai.. such as a Kor Ror 22.

Where the marriage took place overseas and is not written in Thai.. Chiang Mai Immigration will require a translated and certified copy of the marriage certificate.. as well as a Kor Ror 22 from the local Amphur.. the KR22 simply confirms the registration of the marriage in your district.. but to achieve this the embassy of country where marriage was solemized must first certify the validity of the marriage by endorsing a copy of the original (eg. English version) marriage certificate.. which you then need to get translated into Thai and arrange for it to be endorsed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Thailand.. if you are already living in Thailand this would neccessitate visiting both said Embassy and the MoFA in Bangkok.. not to mention navigating the procedures and protocols to get it done in a timely manner.. probably one of the few times that an agent can really provide value imo.. since they are familiar with the process and will save you significant time and energy.. and most importantly will get it right.. but still likely to take around 3-weeks.. so you need to factor that in if you need it to apply for a non-o immigrant visa (or extension) since your existing stamp could expire in the interim.. just sharing knowledge from recent personal experience in the hope it helps other folk evaluate their own situation 😉

If you tick all the boxes then diy is best.. but if you don't and you need an agent to 'cheat' the system.. then be prepared to have your visa cancelled one day.. eg. if immigration ever clean up the process and start investigating certain agent activity.. as others have said.. the only way to safely switch from a visa obtained via an agent.. ie. if your situation supports a direct application when it's time to extend it.. would be to let the visa lapse.. eg. exit the country just before renewal without a re-entry permit.. and upon returning commence a new visa application from scratch that you attend to yourself.. one day the agent system will get purged imo.. and if the authorities perceive you have knowingly abused the system by making false declarations.. then you could be banned from entering the kingdom.. surely that's too big a risk for someone if their heart is set on living out their days here!

The local amphur should have a copy of the marriage certificate.. it is necessary to register your marriage there before you can apply for a non-o married visa.. so that is a good starting point.. if you have any friends still living in Thailand then maybe they can go in person and make some enquiries on your behalf.. though i'd suggest arming them with a letter of authority in advance.. and maybe a letter of enquiry signed by you asking all the questions you need answering.. or simply ask them to go visit your wife and ask her for information before going to the amphur for verification.. just a thought 🤔

@Brandon ***********

Entitlement to live in a country comes from your sovereignty.. it is defined as the 'state' where you were born.. which had a duty to accept you (eg. upon deportation) but that is on the proviso that your passport has not previously been rescinded.. if you haven't lived in your country of origin for 10, 20, or 30 years then you are no longer considered a resident by your home country.. you are deemed to have emigrated.. although you will retain your citizenship you are classed as a non-resident! The real solution here is for the Thai authorities to change the question.. and either ask you to input your nationality or country of birth.. or your domicile.. because domicile never changes regardless of where you choose to live.. or alternatively ask for your country of permanent residence prior to arriving in Thailand.. but this could also be a country other than your birth country!

@Kool ******

I cited 183 days because this means you will have spent more than half the year living in Thailand.. and by definition that it makes it your primary residence.. since you could not have lived elsewhere longer in said calendar year.. but since you raise 'tax residency' it follows that if you are considered resident for tax you meet the Thai definition of being resident 😬

@Kool ******

I would disagree my friend.. your passport reflects your domicile.. which is your country of birth or country of origin.. but the word residence pertains to where you habitually live.. and if you live in Thailand for more than 183 days in a calendar year then it is clearly your country of residence.. whilst you may not be a citizen or permanent resident as such.. anyone living here under a married or retirement visa has effectively been granted residence.. albeit on a renewable basis.. and if your primary home is here then your country of residence is clearly Thailand.. only if a form asks for nationality or country of birth will the answer be dictated by your passport.