Non O Marriage Visa, Extension Of Stay At Chaeng Wattana In 45 Minutes

[Bankrutfarang]

This is my first post. I'm a Swiss - so please excuse my English - 50, married with a Thai for 2 years and stay in Thailand since the last day of 2011. I came to Thailand with a 90 days Non O Visa and made my first extension of stay based on marriage in march 2012.

On tuesday, march 19, my wife and I went to Chaeng Watthana for my second extension of stay. Well prepared with all (actualized) documents, that were needed the year before, but still a little doubting, after the recent posts here on Thai Visa, we arrived at 10.55am at the ticket counter, got our ticket and sat down. Very surprisingly, there were only 4 in the queue and even more surprisingly, at 11.10am it was already our turn.

After a neither friendly nor unfriendly greeting, the lady took my documents. Beside the passport, she only wanted to have one copie of all, checked it within 20 minutes, then I had to sign a form, that I could be fined or kicked out of LOS, using the Visa for other purposes, than described, e.g. Working, and my wife had to sign another form with about the same content.

Than we were proceeded to her superior, this lady made just a quick check and at 11.40am, it was all done .

Some, maybe, noteworthy facts:

• I have my own (yellow) Tabien Baan (did apply and got it pretty easy last year from the ampher in Klong Samwa, BKK)
• Bankbook: saving account from the Government Savings Bank, with at least THB 410'000 in the last 3 month
• Brought 2 copies of all the documents, she only took 1
• Had the original Kor Ror 2 from the marriage and a new one from the ampher - the lady took the original
• Out of 6 pictures of my wife and me in and in front of our house the lady took 3 (quite impressing, how she glued them on an A4 paper )

[Mario2008]

For an extension based on marriage, the money needs to be there only for 2 months not 3.

Thanks for your report, all seems to be as usual.

[Mario2008]

1 off topic post removed.

[merijn]

For an extension based on marriage, the money needs to be there only for 2 months not 3.

Thanks for your report, all seems to be as usual.

As many times mentioned before this is not the case at all immigration offices.

As most people know, Phuket requires 3 months for consecutive extensions.

[LivinginKata]

one inflammatory post removed

[thaigold]

Thai visa laws and the requirements for them are quite straightforward and to the point. Every foreigner whom I have met, that followed the law, received the needed visa quite easily. Almost every Farang I've met who has had visa problems is always been of their own making. Wrong entry visa; trying to get an extension on a tourist visa; under fifty years old with no verifiable source of funds ... the list is long.

For all those who complain about Thai visas, try New Zealand; Australia; The US, or that king of problems, the UK. Unbelievable. For a legally married British Subject (don't you love that one?) a subject, his wife has to pass an English test before they let her in. Now I ask the Foreign Office: what about all the East Asians you're letting in that don't speak English; don't subscribe to your culture, and want you to adopt there native laws?

Glad I'm a Yank.

[pmarlin]

I went yesterday to CW for my retirement extension, arrived 0930am and out the door at 1000am with the stamp in my passport.

Provided them one TM7 with photo

Income letter from U.S. Embassy

signed copies of my passport plus TM6 departure card.

very routine and didn't observe any one having problems.

[asiaexpat]

Just to clarify: a Non-O extension based on Thai Wife does not prevent the holder from working. The document I signed mentioned 90 day reporting and swearing that what I stated in the interview was true and correct. There was nothing about not working on the Thai Wife extension.

[Pib]

From my experience getting a extension of stay at the Chaeng Wattana/Bangkok office is easy & quick as long as you have all your ducks lined-up (i.e., you have all your paperwork requirements met/in-hand). When I read the occasional horror story about an extension being disapproved but the poster's story implies he met all requirements I just wonder what duck was really not lined-up (or totally MIA) and glossed over in the post. Yeap, knock on wood, but the Chaeng Wattana office seems to have their act together and provide good service to the thousands of customers they serve each month.