Thai Marriage Visa

These are the retirements for the Thai Marriage Visa. If you are married to a Thai and have already registered your marriage in Thailand then you can also stay in Thailand if you are not going back to Australia. The marriage certificate will allow you to apply for an Australian Spouse visa (if you are moving to Australia) and you can also apply for a Thai marriage visa (if you decide to stay in Thailand). These are your two options with your Thai wife.

Thai Marriage Visa

In order to stay in Thailand and obtain your 12 month extended Thai spouse visa you will need to start the process at a Thai Embassy either in Australia or anywhere in Asia as an Australian. Most Australians who apply for a Thai visa tend to apply in Perth for their visa. The visa is usually issued overnight and you need to provide the Thai Embassy with the following documents:

1. Your application form;
2. Copy of your Thai marriage certificate (both versions);
3. Copy of your Australian Marriage certificate (if married in Australia);
4. Also a copy of your Thai wife’s Tabian Baan;
5. Copy of your Thai wife’s government issued ID card;
6. As well as a copy of birth certificates of your children (optional);
7. Copy showing 400,000THB in a Thai bank account (optional);
8. Copy of your Islamic marriage certificate (optional);

Once you hand in the documents you usually get it back the following afternoon with your Thai visa in your passport. If it is at another Embassy in Asia it can take 3-4 days to get the visa issued however in Australia the Thai embassy normally issues it overnight. Once you have this visa you have 90 days to extend this visa when you enter Thailand. This extension is done at Thai immigration. Note that the marriage visa and the retirement visa is not the same as you don’t need a medical certificate or police clearance certificate for this visa.

Thai Marriage Visa Requirements

The following documents need to be handed in at Thai immigration for the extension of the visa. This process can take 3-4 weeks to complete and you need the following documents for this visa.

1. Your application form;
2. Copy of your Thai marriage certificate (both versions);
3. Copy of your Australian Marriage certificate (if married in Australia);
4. Also a copy of your Thai wife’s Tabian Baan;
5. Copy of your Thai wife’s government issued ID card;
6. Copy of birth certificates of your children (optional);
7. As well as a copy showing 400,000THB in a Thai bank account;
8. Copy showing a monthly income of 40,000THB in a Thai bank account;
9. Copy of your Islamic marriage certificate (optional);
10. Also a copy of a map to your house or apartment in Thailand;
11. Copy of photos showing you and your Thai wife together

All these documents need to be handed in at Thai immigration and you will have to wait for the extension to be granted. Most expats and foreigners tend to hand all the documents to a Thai lawyer to complete the process as the red tape can become complicated and tiresome. Note that once this visa is issued you need to do your 90 day reporting in Thailand as well as get a re-entry permit to leave the country without invalidating your extended Thai marriage visa.