The Thai government has implemented immigration pathways for same-sex foreign national spouses who are legally married to a Thai national or to a foreign visa holder eligible to sponsor a spouse.
When initiating the visa process, a same-sex spouse may submit an application for a 90-day Non-Immigrant “O” visa at a Thai embassy overseas. Both a foreign marriage certificate and a Thai marriage certificate (Kor Ror 3) are accepted as part of the application. Applicants are strongly advised to review the specific requirements and announcements issued by the Thai embassy in their respective country, as these may vary by location.
If applying within Thailand for a Long-Stay One-Year visa, a same-sex spouse legally married to a Thai national may apply for a long-stay Thai spousal visa through the Thai Immigration Bureau. If the marriage was registered in a foreign country, a Family Status Registration (Kor Ror 22) must be completed in Thailand.
For same-sex spouses married to eligible foreign visa holders who intend to apply in Thailand, the immigration pathway—Long-Stay Dependent Visa for Same-Sex Spouses (In-Country Process)—is still being finalized. Therefore, same-sex spouses of foreign nationals holding a long-stay employment visa (Non-Immigrant B visa) under Board of Investment or regular business sponsorship will have to wait until the official guidelines are announced. Fragomen will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
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