Thailand visa question: Annual renewal Non immigrant O and income requirement for married couples
Dear Ronnie,
I am looking for options for my in-laws who both reside in Bangkok, they have a NON-IMM O visa. They have tried to obtain a year extension and unfortunately they have not succeeded as they need a letter of support from the embassy with a monthly income of 65.000 thb. The income is over 85.000 thb but is then shared by two people since married, one letter would most likely not be the desired year extension for two people.
Now there is nothing else to do than to undertake a visa run or something like that, if they cross a border via land, they can stay in Thailand for 90 days or is there another term of a number of days. Sometimes you read that a shorter period is granted by land than by plane.
- Can you clarify to me what conditions or requirements they must meet?
- How long is a stay allowed when leaving/entering through a country border or airline?
- Do you know or do you know a good visa agency in Bangkok? I have regularly heard less good reports from SiamLegal, unfortunately the website looks very promising.
Unfortunately there is some haste involved as the stamp is valid until next week.
Below is a message that I came across in an earlier post, but because there is a lot of different information, Chaeng Wattana ALSO spoke to 5 different officials yesterday and each answer was different? How do you think then, rules and legislation still apply to everyone who has his visa.
By the way, the price or rate of this NON-IMM O has become € 175, last paid in August 2019.
I am very curious about your response and certainly the updated visa file, which will probably cost you a lot of effort and time, which is greatly appreciated by many readers. Even if you don't always see or read that.
Yours faithfully,
Rennie
PS. Thank you very much for all the effort you put into managing a newsletter and blog every day.
Dear Rennie,
1. As for the year extension. In the link you can read what you need:
TB Immigration Info letter 024/19 – The Thai visa (8) – The Non-immigrant “O” visa (2/2)
There is also such a thing as the “Dependent” method. That can be used by foreigners who are married to a foreigner. Only one of the applicants must then meet the financial requirements. The partner then becomes a “Dependent” and does not have to meet the financial requirements. There are foreign couples on the blog who use this and may want to provide you with additional details about it.
Also included in the link. See there under comments.
“– If it concerns a marriage and neither partner has Thai nationality, one can also use the “Dependent” method. That is, one of them becomes the main applicant and the other goes as his/her “Dependent”. Only the main applicant must then meet the financial requirements of a “Retirement extension”. The other then goes as his/her “Dependent” and does not have to meet any financial requirements.”
2. As for a “Border Run”. You do not indicate whether they have a Non-immigrant “O” Single or Multiple entry. If it is a Single entry, the visa has been used. If it is a multiple entry, they can again obtain a stay of 90 days through a “border run”, provided the validity period of the visa has not expired.
With a visa you always obtain the period of stay that applies to that particular visa. For a Non-immigrant O this is 90 days. Never less.
Until a few years ago, there was a difference in entry with a “Visa Exemption” (visa exemption). By land it was 15 days, via an airport it was 30 days. That has been abolished for a long time now and you always get 30 days. It does not matter whether you enter via a border post over land or via an airport. The only restriction is that entries via an overland border post are limited to 2 entries per calendar year.
3. I have no experience with visa offices.
4. The fact that the prices have been adjusted has already been reported on the blog and is not only the case for Non-immigrant visas.
TB Immigration Info Brief 088/19 – Thai Visa – New Prices
5. As for the message at the bottom of your question. The text you provide is from the link for applying for a Non-immigrant O visa at the Embassy of The Hague. Apart from the price, that is still correct. But what are you actually with that text. Are you asking for information about an annual extension? Not for applying for a Non-immigrant O visa. You have to look at this link for that (repeat previous link)
TB Immigration Info letter 024/19 – The Thai visa (8) – The Non-immigrant “O” visa (2/2)
6. Hint. You can prevent the rush involved by obtaining information about extensions before departure or upon arrival.
Regards,
RonnyLatYa
Dear Rennie / Ronny
Last year I received an annual visa for me and my (Dutch) wife through the “dependent” procedure.
The condition is that you must prove that you are married, via a marriage certificate that has been legalized at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in The Hague and the Thai Embassy in The Hague. Also, the bank account into which the income comes in must only be in the name of the main applicant. With recent bank statements and possibly other proof of income, the main applicant can apply for an income statement at the Dutch embassy in Bangkok. With these supporting documents we both obtained our annual visa. So my wife hitchhiked with me as a “dependent”.
This must therefore be arranged in good time in the Netherlands. Good preparation is therefore very important.
With regards
Peter van Amelsvoort
I have the same experience as Peter. If, as a European couple, you can prove that you are married (European extract marriage certificate, legalized by the Belgian/Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then legalized by the Thai embassy, then legalized by the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bangkok), then only one of the spouses needs to comply with the financial requirements.
The questioner Rennie says: “By the way, the price or rate of this NON-IMM O has become €175, last paid in August 2019.”
From this I conclude that his/her parents received a multiple entry visa (M) and not a single entry (S) in August last (“M” costs €175, “S” costs €70).
This means that they have to leave the country (by land: pass immigration, cross the road and pass immigration) before about November 24, 2019 (“next week”) to get another 90-day stay.
They only have to apply for an “extension of stay” about one month before November 24, 2020.
Correction to the last sentence:
Only about 30 days before the expiry of the 90-day stay period that ends after the expiry date of the (Non-immigrant O multiple entry visa (+/- November 24, 2020) do they have to apply for an “extension of stay” to be allowed to stay longer ..
Clicked [Send] again too quickly. 🙁
Correction to the last sentence:
Only about 30 days before the expiry of the 90-day stay period that ends after the expiry date of the (Non-immigrant O multiple entry) visa (+/- August 24, 2020) do they have to apply for an “extension of stay” to stay longer. Allowed to stay.
I hope it gets Ronny's approval. 🙂
It will depend on when the visa was applied for/granted in August 2019. Early August, mid August? Add one year (-1 day) to that date to know the validity period of the visa. Then it still depends on when the last border run will be made before the end date of that validity period. It is then 90 days after that last entry.
That is therefore not automatically the same as 90 days after the validity period of the visa or +/- November 24, 2020.
You're right, but I wasn't really sure so I just mentioned both options.
In that case, they can indeed wait until next year to extend and make border runs in the meantime. The last entry will then be sometime in August 2020, but that is not necessary. Every period of 90 days you can request the annual extension.