The Marriage Visa Thailand (Non-immigrant O Marriage Visa Thailand) is a type of long-term visa that‘s specifically tailored for foreigners who are married to either a Thai national or a foreigner with residency in Thailand. Not only does successfully securing a Non-immigrant O Marriage Visa provide you with a convenient way to stay in Thailand, but it also offers you a wide range of additional benefits including a seamless route to permanent residency in Thailand.
Marriage Visa Thailand Benefits
Besides offering you a route to permanent residency in Thailand, the other benefits of the Marriage Visa Thailand are as follows:
- Extended stay in Thailand: With a Thai Marriage Visa, you will be able to stay in Thailand for up to 1 year; however, you must obtain a re-entry permit if you wish to leave Thailand and return without losing your visa.
- Work in Thailand: Unlike some other long-term visas in Thailand, you will be able to apply for a Thai work permit and work for a Thai company.
- Unlimited renewal: Your marriage visa can be renewed upon expiry an indefinite number of times, so long as you still meet the requirements for the Thailand Marriage Visa.
Thai Marriage Visa Requirements
In order to apply for a Thai Marriage Visa, you will need to meet the eligibility criteria and provide the following documents:
- Must be married to a Thai national
- This is substantiated through a Marriage Certificate (Kor Ror 3) and Marriage Registration (Kor Ror 2). If you had married abroad, either you or your spouse must report the marriage to the District Office (Amphur or Khet) and obtain Kor Ror 22. If there is any uncertainty regarding what these documents are or where to find them, contact Siam Legal and we will happily explain them to you.
- Must meet ONE of the financial requirements
- A security deposit of 400,000 THB in a Thai bank account that has been present for at least 2 months prior to the visa application OR
- A monthly income of at least 40,000 THB and a letter from your country’s embassy verifying this income.
- Supporting documents as proof of the security deposit in a Thai bank account are as follows:
- Updated bank book or passbook.
- Bank letter stating that the money was deposited to the account from an overseas source not less than 2 months prior.
- Other documents that may be required:
- Depending on the immigration office, there are instances when a copy of an Affirmation of Freedom to Marry is required. This affirmation is obtained from your country’s embassy in Thailand.
- If you are unable to obtain an income affidavit from your country’s embassy, you can present your monthly income in the form of a 12-month bank statement of your Thai bank account, which must show a monthly deposit of at least 40,000 THB.
It is important to note that if any documents aren’t in either English or Thai, you must first get them translated by an authorized translator as well as legalized by the relevant Embassy or Consulate notary before you submit them to Thai immigration.
Thailand Marriage Visa Application Process
There is no direct application for the Non-immigrant O Marriage Visa, as it is an extension of the 90-Day Non-Immigrant O Visa. However, to minimize the chances of an unsuccessful visa application, here is a basic guideline of the step-by-step process to follow when applying for a Thai Marriage Visa:
- You must obtain a 90-Day Non-Immigrant O Visa, preferably at the Thai Embassy or Consulate from your home country or country of residence prior to your application for the Thai Marriage Visa. This visa may also be obtained from countries near Thailand.
- Once the 90-Day Non-Immigrant O Visa is obtained, you must travel to Thailand to activate the visa.
- You must then prepare all the needed documents for the conversion of your Non-Immigrant O Visa to the Thai Marriage Visa. This extension will take place in the last 30 days of the 90-day permit to stay in Thailand.
- You will need to submit your visa extension application to the immigration office with all the necessary documents. The processing period may take about a month before the issuance of the 1-year Thai Marriage Visa.
If you possess a valid Visa Exemption stamp or a Tourist Visa, you can still apply for a Thailand Marriage Visa inside Thailand as long as you meet the requirements for the 90-Day Non-Immigrant O Visa and the Thailand Marriage Visa. You can do this at the local Thai Immigration Office in the province where you and your Thai spouse are residing.
Marriage Visa Thailand Obligations
Once you become a Thailand Marriage Visa holder, you will be obligated to do the following:
- 90-day Reporting: Notification of the nearest immigration office about your current address or residence is required every 90 days. If you leave Thailand before the 90-day reporting deadline, the counter will reset upon your return.
- Re-entry Permit: If you plan to travel in and out of Thailand during the year of your visa validity, you will need a re-entry permit to do so and to avoid your visa from getting canceled. If you plan to stay in Thailand for the duration of your visa, no such permit is required. If you need to leave the country quickly for whatever reason, you can apply for a re-entry permit at the nearest immigration office or at an international airport before leaving the country.
- Bank Account: The Thailand Marriage Visa is valid for a year and can be renewed by presenting the same documentation as during the initial application. Please note that the required amount of funds in your Thai bank account must be at least 3 months old before you can renew your visa, as opposed to the initial requirement of 2 months.
In the event of divorce, the validity of your marriage visa will be forfeited and you will have to leave the country immediately. In some cases though, you may be allowed to stay in the country until your current marriage visa expires.
Length of stay
You will first need to obtain a 90-day non-immigrant O visa at the Thai Embassy or consulate outside Thailand. Once you have received the non-immigrant visa, you will need to travel to Thailand to activate the non-immigrant O visa.
Within 90-days of entering Thailand, the visa holder can apply for a one-year extension. Before the extension ends, you can apply to extend it for another year. When you have lived in Thailand for three years, you can apply for a Thai permanent residency.
Requirements for the marriage visa
Requirements to meet when applying for the marriage visa are:
Passport with a validity of not less than six months
- Visa application
- Passport-sized photo
- Copy of the Thai marriage certificate
- Copy of your Thai wife’s identification card
- Copy of your Thai wife’s Tabien Baan
- Three-month bank statement with funds not less than THB 400,000 or a copy of your income statement showing THB 40,000 per month
In the case of a Thai husband, the foreign wife is not required to show a monthly income. However, the Thai husband must provide proof of paying Thai personal income tax.
US Embassy and Consulate in Thailand
Thai Embassy.com (Not official however, plenty of useful information)