HELP::: Getting married what to do next for visa

[Prakhonchai Nick]

The" local marriage ceremony" often has a nasty habit of substantially eating into the 800,000bt required for the retirement visa!. Especially if MIL and the rest of the family have their way!

[dundeemk6]

Nick, I've been married 'officially' for 4 years, never did the thai thai sin sot idiocracy nor the local mariage and till this day the mum still 'hates' me for it ... although I spend more than 200.000 baht on her house, spend 250.000 baht on leveling her ricefields so her yearly yield went up 75%, giving to all her kids 30.000 baht (5 of them) ... Just do the 'Face' thing and you will be 'cheaper' off in the end !!!!

[Welsh Wonder]

Just do the 'Face' thing and you will be 'cheaper' off in the end !!!!

I got married in BKK and never had a village wedding even though I live in the Village.How much you hand over to the family is you choice and not an obligation but some wife's are very good at 'putting it on your 'as they say and many guys hand over cash for give family members loans { that never get repaid} just for an easy life.
There are lots of guys that can't afford the 800k ,so getting married is a way of reducing the funds they need in the bank by 50%.For some it works out ,for others it doesn't ,but that's life !!!

[toffo]

Not so many years ago you needed only 250 000 in the bank the day before you extended. You only needed passport, bank book, marriage visa and passport photo. Extensions were given on the spot. No need to send to Bangkok.

There is one Imm office, I think it is Pitsanulok, that now ask for a neighbour to varify the family photos. There is another office that insist on a home visit before extension can be given. They do not say when they are coming. If you happen to be out when they turn up then extension is refused.

Imagine if during the next Immigration merry go round that Chief is the next head guy at Khorat. That is why I said it is getting more difficult.

In July 2004 the Immigration law changed from 200k deposited in a Thai bank account to 400K ( never been 250k as far as I know ) to meet the requirements for an extension based on marriage.This was done because there was far to many short-term, co-operative loans between friends, a practice of which the Thai authorities disapproved of .( a practice that still goes on and there is even people that Advertise on TV that offer this service )
The others things you have mentioned are not the norm and are only done when the Immigration feel that the applicant may not be telling the whole truth,( which is their right )
Many guys come here with money in the bank but end up spending more money than they bargained for on keeping their trophy wife happy because their wife's insist on having new cars,big screen TV's and all the other thing families of farangs are supposed to have .They then have to do multi visa runs because their money has diminished and they can't meet the requirements.
Immigration laws change and that's life,so we better get used to it. 

PS..Toffo...as the TV link that I posted and Starman repeated you can change from a Tourist visa to a Non O but be prepared for some fun at the BKK Immagration,so keep your cool 

So i dont have to go to savannakhet to change from TV  to NON O?? I can go to bangkok to do this even with only 2 days left of my TV Need to know for sure before i go to bkk and get told different lol

[Welsh Wonder]

So i dont have to go to savannakhet to change from TV  to NON O?? I can go to bangkok to do this even with only 2 days left of my TV Need to know for sure before i go to bkk and get told different lol

Looks like your going to Savannakhet 

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/238237-change-60-day-tourist-visa-to-non-o-on-marriage-or-retirement/

Why don't you just telephone Korat Immigration and ask them what's best

The last time I arrived in Thailand I was on a 30 day tourist visa ( even though I was married ),I just went to Vientiane  after 30 days , got a 3 month Non O visa based on marriage and then got it extended as the previous post's .
IMHO I still think that's is the easiest way for you to obtain a Non O visa....but the choice is yours 

[urleft]

I had a TV and wanted to change to a retirement visa, went to Korat with 7 days left, got some flunky that told me I had to leave the country, go to a Thai embassy (or consulate) such as Laos and apply for a retirement visa there.  Or I could go to Bangkok and get Thai married.  They said I could pay 1900 baht and get a 7 day extention, I paid it as I was very close on time. 

In order to get Thai married you need 2 forms from your embassy, which I got.  I also obtained an "Income" form certified by the my embassy that I made so much a month. 

While getting these forms, my TG was on wireless road getting a coffee, and some hawker from a visa service got ahold of her.  We went there, they offered to get all the forms we needed and get us married in the next few hours for 15,000 baht.  Since I was desperate, I offered 12,000 baht and we were Thai married with the forms in 2 hours.  My TG kept saying we do by ourselves, but after the problems at the immigration office I was leary as this was during the floods and did not know what was open or if you could get there.  Bottom line for me, the 12K baht got me the required paperwork. 

This visa office then tried to talk me into getting a multi-entry retirement visa for only 90,000 baht.  This was way out of line, and they would keep my passport, so I said no.  The next morning we drove to Korat, and 40 minutes later I walked out with a retirement visa.  But I think I got the head lady that made things happen. 

Having the Thai marriage forms and the embassy income form is what made it work for me.  Korat immigration had some issues with the bank statement as it was in both our names, but the embassy income from overcame that.  She asked if I would let her keep the form, I said sure if it will get me the visa.  I handed her the form, and she gave it back to me and used our back statement. 

I have to go back next month for the 90 day checkin, and to get the type visa I want (multi-entry).  Hopefully that will go well.  Hope some of this info helps you.

[areeya]

Oh, you lose a lot of money....! Well, when you been here for some year you learn...But congratulation for marridge!

Frank

[Vombatus]

I had a TV and wanted to change to a retirement visa, went to Korat with 7 days left, got some flunky that told me I had to leave the country, go to a Thai embassy (or consulate) such as Laos and apply for a retirement visa there.  Or I could go to Bangkok and get Thai married.  They said I could pay 1900 baht and get a 7 day extention, I paid it as I was very close on time. 

In order to get Thai married you need 2 forms from your embassy, which I got.  I also obtained an "Income" form certified by the my embassy that I made so much a month. 

While getting these forms, my TG was on wireless road getting a coffee, and some hawker from a visa service got ahold of her.  We went there, they offered to get all the forms we needed and get us married in the next few hours for 15,000 baht.  Since I was desperate, I offered 12,000 baht and we were Thai married with the forms in 2 hours.  My TG kept saying we do by ourselves, but after the problems at the immigration office I was leary as this was during the floods and did not know what was open or if you could get there.  Bottom line for me, the 12K baht got me the required paperwork. 

This visa office then tried to talk me into getting a multi-entry retirement visa for only 90,000 baht.  This was way out of line, and they would keep my passport, so I said no.  The next morning we drove to Korat, and 40 minutes later I walked out with a retirement visa.  But I think I got the head lady that made things happen. 

Having the Thai marriage forms and the embassy income form is what made it work for me.  Korat immigration had some issues with the bank statement as it was in both our names, but the embassy income from overcame that.  She asked if I would let her keep the form, I said sure if it will get me the visa.  I handed her the form, and she gave it back to me and used our back statement. 

I have to go back next month for the 90 day checkin, and to get the type visa I want (multi-entry).  Hopefully that will go well.  Hope some of this info helps you.

I think he could extend and then go to Bangkok. For the sake of a few trips up the 24/3/1/9 roads it may be worth presenting yourself at Bangkok Immigration and just ask them what the best course of action is. Conversion (to Non-Inn O based on marriage/retirement and preferably showing some evidence) is best done at Bangkok and then arrange the extension at Dan Kwian. Worst case scenario is that you have to scoot out of the country and come on a 30 day visa exempt entry.

Phoning Korat is a fair second option - although the telephone advice can be variable according to some people.

[Welsh Wonder]

I think he could extend and then go to Bangkok. For the sake of a few trips up the 24/3/1/9 roads it may be worth presenting yourself at Bangkok Immigration and just ask them what the best course of action is. Conversion (to Non-Inn O based on marriage/retirement and preferably showing some evidence) is best done at Bangkok and then arrange the extension at Dan Kwian. Worst case scenario is that you have to scoot out of the country and come on a 30 day visa exempt entry.

Phoning Korat is a fair second option - although the telephone advice can be variable according to some people.

If you read the OP Toffo says" This is my situation as of now...Im on a double entry and this is my last extension of it for 1 month that runs out on jan 19th"
Sounds like to me, Toffo has already extended his TV for a month
I would go to Korat Immigration ASAP or phone them,as this is Toffo's local IO they will give him the Info that best suit's him. We all like to be experts or offer advice but when dealing with Immigration ,the problem is,what is OK at one IO may not be OK at another in some situations 
As you say CC" Worst case scenario is that you have to scoot out of the country " but get a 3 month Non O based on Marriage ,not on a 30 day visa exempt entry though