Can You Work On Marriage Visa In Thailand

Thaivisa.com has been getting a lot of inquiries recently about the status of foreigners in Thailand who got married and applied for non-immigrant spouse visa (commonly known as marriage visa). After all, there are many people out there suggesting that non-immigrant visa is easy to get compared to marriage visa. Can you work on visa, how long does it take to process your application, how much does it cost etc. Let’s see where we stand at this moment.

As a non-American you can only start working in Thailand on an independent by obtaining a non-immigrant visa. The B visa is the most common type of visa, and is issued to tourists, foreign expats, and others who temporarily visit Thailand for business or pleasure. There are certain conditions which your Thai spouse must satisfy before you can apply for the B visa.

Can You Work On Marriage Visa In Thailand

Who says an expat retirement should be in a land which is far away from your country? One can also enjoy their retired life with family by coming to Thailand. Thailand is a very popular country for retiring especially for many expats who would like to have their own business, or have a family here. People who want to get married in Thailand are typically those who work here on a non-immigrant visas.

Things you need to know about the Thai marriage visa:

• Thailand marriage visa is the popular term for “1-Year Extension of Stay Based on Marriage”.
• This is a long term Thai visa issued to a foreign national who is married to a Thai and meets the other requirements of the immigration bureau.
• The Thai marriage visa holder is entitled permission to stay for a full year in Thailand without the need to exit the country.
• The visa is renewable every year and the renewal process can be done inside Thailand (requirements for the visa renewal still apply).
• The Thailand Marriage Visa also allows the holder to work in Thailand when the visa holder is able to obtain a valid Thai Work Permit to go along with the visa.

This is considered an advantage to prospective foreigner employees as the employer would only have to be concerned about the procurement of work permit.

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Qualifications of Thai Marriage Visa

• Must be married to a Thai nationalThis is substantiated through a Marriage Certificate (Kor Ror 3) and Marriage Registration (Kor Ror 2). If the applicant got married abroad, the applicant or the Thai spouse must report the marriage to the amphur and obtain Kor Ror 22.
• Must meet the financial requirement
  • Security deposit of THB 400,000 in a Thai Bank Account for at least 2 months prior to the visa application; or
  • Monthly income of at least THB 40,000. A letter from the foreigner embassy has to be shown to verify this income
  Supporting documents as proof of the security deposit in a Thai bank are as follows:
  • Updated bank book or passbook
  • Bank letter stating that the money had been deposited to the account from an overseas source for not less than 2 months.
• Other documents that may be required to be presented:*
  • There are instances depending on the immigration office when a copy of an Affirmation of Freedom to Marry is also required. This affirmation is obtained by the foreigner from his foreign embassy in Thailand.
  • For the foreign nationals who are unable to obtain income affidavit from their respective embassies, they can show monthly income in a form of 12-month bank statement of their Thai bank account showing monthly deposit of THB 40,000 per month.

Thailand Marriage Visa Application Process

Please note that there is no direct application for the Thailand marriage visa. It is important that you give proper attention to the requirements and other factors surrounding the entire procedure to eliminate possibility of unsuccessful visa application. The basic guidelines when applying for a marriage visa are as follows:

• You must obtain a 90-day visa Non-Immigrant O visa at the Thai Embassy or Consulate from your home country or country of residence prior to your application for the Thai marriage visa. The 90-day Non-Immigrant visa may also be obtained from the nearby countries of Thailand.
• Once the non-immigrant visa is obtained, you must travel to Thailand to activate the initial non-immigrant O visa.
• You must prepare all needed documents for the conversion of your non-immigrant O visa to marriage visa.
• The extension will take place on the last 30 days of the 90-day permit to stay.
• The visa extension application is submitted to the Immigration Office with all the necessary documents for the visa application. The processing period may take about a month before issuance of the one year Thai marriage visa.

Additionally, the foreigner on a Visa Exemption stamp or a Tourist Visa can still apply for a Thai marriage visa inside Thailand as long as the foreigner has already met the requirements for the non-immigrant O visa and the one year Thai marriage visa applications. This can be done at the local Thai immigration office in the province where the foreigner and Thai spouse are residing.

UPDATE: Due to COVID-19 pandemic, all foreigners entering Thailand are required to obtain a Certificate of Entry (COE) from the local Thai Embassy or Consulate in their current location prior to traveling to Thailand. The application for the COE requires Alternative Sate Quarantine Hotel (ASQ) reservation for the mandatory 14-day quarantine and COVID-19 Travel Insurance.