If you are planning to marry a Thai citizen, you need to get a Thai Marriage Visa in order to get married in Thailand. This visa requires a legal marriage and requires your marriage certificate to be validated by the governing body of the country of origin. If your marriage is not legal in your home country, you can obtain a translation of your marriage certificate and have it stamped by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Thailand. While obtaining your Thai marriage visa, you do not need to provide proof of funds in a Thai bank account or a monthly income.
Non-Immigrant “O” Visa
The Non-Immigrant “O” Visa for Thai marriage is required by the Thai government for foreign nationals who wish to marry a Thai citizen. Applicants may apply for this visa at a Thai embassy in their home country or at a Thai consulate abroad. Normally, the visa is valid for 90 days. However, the Thai government may extend the visa for up to one year, depending on the reason.
If you are planning on reentering Thailand after marriage, you will need to obtain a re-entry permit. The visa is valid for 90 days, and you will need to obtain a re-entry permit at least once every three months. The cost of a re-entry permit is 1,000 Baht for a single entry and 3,800 Baht for multiple entries.
Asset and Income Requirements
If you’re planning to get married in Thailand, you’ll need to meet the asset and income requirements before you can get married. These requirements are strictly enforced by the Thai government to ensure that foreigners are able to support themselves while living in Thailand and providing for their Thai spouse and children. Those who fail to meet the requirements risk denial of their marriage visa.
One way to meet the requirements is to apply for a residency visa in Thailand. To apply, you’ll need to show proof that you have a bank account in Thailand with a balance of at least 800,000 Baht and an income of at least Baht 1.2 million per year. For your residency visa, you’ll need to show a copy of your bank account and an official letter from your bank stating that you’ve been living in Thailand for at least two months.
Visa Validity
To obtain a Thai marriage visa, you should submit all the required documents and satisfy the eligibility requirements. For example, you must have at least THB 400,000 in the bank to demonstrate your ability to support your spouse in the event of the marriage. This amount is higher than the minimum amount needed to qualify for a tourist visa, but it is not necessarily the maximum amount you should have.
A Thai marriage visa is valid for 90 days and can be extended for another 90 days if you wish to extend the duration of your stay. However, this process is more complex and can take a few weeks. You should check the specific requirements of the consulate or embassy you wish to apply to. In most cases, they will require that you have 400,000 THB in a bank account in your country.
Re-entry Permit
If you’ve been in Thailand for a year and then need to return, a re-entry permit can be the solution. Getting a re-entry permit will help you avoid the hassle of applying for a new Thai visa, traveling to the Thai Embassy, and paying fees.
When you apply for a marriage visa in Thailand, you must notify the nearest Immigration office of your current residency and address. This notification must be made every 90 days. In the event of divorce, the marriage visa will be revoked. If you want to keep the marriage valid, you should consider getting a re-entry permit.