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Marriage Extension Report - Chiang Mai


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After many years of retirement extensions and a one-year Non-O Multiple-Entry visa from HCMC, I just completed my first marriage extension in Chiang Mai. I opted against continuing with the retirement extensions because I prefer to keep the 800K properly invested in dividend-paying securities.

I had intended to continue with the Non-O ME solution, except for the COVID-19 situation. I decided not to wait until July 31st to avoid long lines. I had already obtained a 60-day extension for visiting my Thai wife in early February. I last entered Thailand in Mid-November 2019.

 

Sequence of events:

1.      March 19: Due to my existing permission due to expire on April 13, we drove to Mae Sai to activate a new 90-day entry, only to be turned-back at the border (I was unaware of the border closing a few days earlier.)

2.      March 20: Transferred funds to cover the 400K requirement and requested a “Covid” letter from the U.S. Embassy.

3.      April 8: Applied for a “Covid” extension; was asked to produce the U.S. Embassy letter. Received an under-consideration stamp for May 8.

4.      May 8: Passport stamped with permission to stay until May 13.

5.      May 19: After obtaining the bank letter, visited CM Immigration to apply for 1-year marriage extension. Was told to return the next day since the seasoning requirement is 2 months, not 60 days.

6.      May 20: Updated the passbook, obtained a new bank letter, and returned to CM Immigration with all documents (as per ubonjoe’s list), some of which were left over from the 60-day extension in February. On both days, we went in the early afternoon and our waiting time was less than 30 minutes. The Immigration Officer had us sign several other forms, plus all the copies of the documents: either just my wife, just me, or both of us. I obtained an under-consideration stamp for June 19.

7.      Early June: received a visit from two Immigration officers who interviewed my wife, asked to interview a neighbor, and took photos of the three of us. My wife and I also posed for other photos in the living room, in the bedroom near the bed, and outside, near the street number. Our neighbor and my wife had to go to Immigration the following day to sign some papers. They explained that this was only for the initial extension and that it would be easier in subsequent years, provided there is no break in the extension requests.

8.      June 19: went to Immigration and received one-year extension within 5 minutes of arriving.

 

Overall, the process was straightforward. It was certainly more involved than with retirement extensions, and it did inconvenience our neighbor, but it did come with the added advantage of only 400K in the bank for 2 months, and the possibility of setting up a company and obtaining a work permit with only 2 Thai employees instead of 4 (should it become advisable in the future).

Throughout the entire process, the CM Immigration folks were super friendly and helpful, as had always been the case during my last 12 years here.

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5 hours ago, ukrules said:

That part I find unacceptable. It's a disgrace that they require this and do it in person.

Not by my immigration office. Photos are taking by us. This is a police order and is written as such. This requirement is standard throughout Thailand.

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In Phuket, two photos required, one outside together with the house number visible.   The second together inside (I supplied us both sat at our dining table).   Nothing else, and with regard to house visits, did my second marriage extension a couple of months ago, and no home visit for either.

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