It has been a common scenario to see visa applicants get confused with the non-immigrant “O” visa and Thailand marriage visa. The truth is the two visas are basically related as you would need a non-immigrant o visa to be then converted to 1-year marriage visa.
The non-immigrant “O” visa represents “other” activities. Majority of these applicants are spouses of those who are in Thailand, so in this case, being a spouse, as you will enter the Kingdom, it will serve as a dependent visa under marriage to a Thai national. This visa has been popularly called as Thailand’s marriage visa. Among the travel purpose that it supports is the entry of foreigners who are visiting their families and relatives in the country.
Marriage visa conditions
In order for Australians to qualify for Thai Marriage Visa application, a valid marriage must exist between the petitioner and the beneficiary. Since documentary evidence shall be asked, one cannot resort to data fabrication just to use this particular visa. Those who submit fake marriage contracts or certificates have a slim chance of gaining approval from the consular officers or authorities. What is even worse is that they can be blacklisted and thus prohibited from visiting Thailand again.
The Thailand marriage visa also has a financial requirement. Applicants can either show that they have a bank deposit of 400,000 THB or they receive a monthly income of THB 40,000. Another alternative is to show that the applicant bank deposit and monthly income amounts to THB 400,000. If the applicants fail to comply with these financial requirements, there is no assurance that the visa can be issued. The reason behind its strict imposition stems from the degree of guarantee that it renders to the Thai government. The financial requirement sees to it that the arriving spouse can support their stay in Thailand and shall never recourse to public funds for assistance.
Visa Validity and Extension
The Thailand marriage visa is both a single and multiple-entry visa. The single-entry visa is perfect for those who do not need to enter Thailand frequently. Its validity lasts for only 3 months and entitles its holders to stay for 90 days.
In the meantime, a multiple-entry visa is perfect for those who need to visit Thailand more often. Likewise, this permits a 90-day stay to its holders per entry. However, the visa can be used for several times. This is in stark contrast to single-entry marriage visas. Moreover, multiple-entry visas are valid for a year.
The Thailand marriage visa can be also extended. If approved, Australian spouses may remain in the country for a year. For those whose extensions have been approved thrice, they are now eligible to apply for permanent residency in Thailand.
Thailand Visa fees
Processing fee for single-entry visas costs AUD 90 while the charges for multiple-entry visas are pegged at AUD 225.