@Ruth ******

could you please repost the link in a reply? I don't see a previous post with any link from you. Perhaps it was a comment on another page with this exact same question.

Not that I am disagreeing with you, I would just like to know the correct answer and the information on a US government website I posted says there is no law.

@Ruth ******

I perfectly understand that and basically said the same thing. Although I did some more looking into it and it is NOT a US law. I believe it is a law in some states though, which is why many like myself thought it was a US law. That would also explain why it wouldn't be enforced very well.

"Be aware the United States does not have exit controls or require two-parent consent for a minor to travel across international borders. Law enforcement may be unable to prevent an abduction without a valid court order clearly prohibiting the child’s travel outside of the United States"

@Cory *********

no property and only the minimum 400k required for my non-o visa. The application doesn't really give you a place to explain and as far as I understand the applicant really isn't given the opportunity to explain during the interview stage either. That's why I mentioned we filled in some field for a different question explaining the situation. My wife had read that suggestion on another page. Not sure if it made a difference or not, but that's what we did.

Yes. My wife and I were in the exact same situation last year. She had been denied a tourist visa before we were married or even engaged in Bangkok. I was still living and working in the US.

After I moved here permanently and we got married we wanted her to be able to travel back with me but didn't want to apply for the cr1 and have to stay there. So we thought we would give the tourist visa a try again in Chiang Mai. On the application I just picked a random field that allowed me to type what i wanted and explained the situation. Not sure if it was that or if chaing mai is a little more lenient but she was granted a 10 year tourist visa, which was all we needed. So it can be done.

@James ******

on top of that every state has different laws regarding divorce and the children. Perhaps it is actually law in the state I was married and divorced in and then as you say just hit or miss as to whether or not you'll be asked.

@James ******

huh. When I got divorced the lawyers and judge made it clear we needed a letter from the other parent acknowledging and approving the other to take the kids out of the country. I provided her one and although I can't definitively remember but I thought she was asked to provide it when they flew.

I applied for my initial non-o and two 1 year extensions all using duplicates of the exact same document. When we got married they gave us like 6 official copies. Immigration wanted 1 of those and the 2nd could be a photocopy. That was at chiang mai immigration. It may be different at other offices though.

@Rosfield *******

you can also search this group.

@Rosfield *******

my impression from this topic coming up often is the banks and branches that are easiest varies in each city. If you search "phuket bank" within this and other expat sites you'll likely find recommendations.

@Roberto **********

you absolutely can. You may need to visit a few more banks or branches, but still perfectly doable. It's easier if you have a work permit, which a tourist won't, but many people including myself convert from a tourist visa to a non-o in country. That would be impossible if you couldn't open a bank account on a tourist visa.