Forced to change visa type after marriage?

[Na Fan]

Hello all

 

Lived here 8.5 years, worked 7.5 of that. Always with simple extensions of the original non-B.

 

Now that we got married in January, and I wanted to reduce the number of Thai staff (since you only need 2 "if married to a Thai wife"), I'm being told I need to change to a marriage visa, as opposed to the business visa I have.

 

First time I've heard this, and I wanted to check on a few things:

 

1) Is this true? Or is this again something the local office has just made up on a not-so-sunny day?

 

2) If this should happen, what are the implications? E.g. what are the differences between the two visa types (not technicalities, but stuff that would really have an impact on someone living here).

 

3) Would this also mean that private insurance then becomes mandatory ?

 

Thanks for your time!

 

Na Fan

 

Edited January 20, 2020 by Na Fan

[ubonjoe]

You can change the reason for your extension of stay based upon working to one based upon marriage to a Thai.

Number 1 is false but many offices will say you would have get a single entry non-o visa and then apply for a new extension of stay.

2. Nothing

You can still have a work permit and work with a non-o visa or extension of stay based upon marriage. You can also use your income from working to meet the 40k baht income requirement for the extension.

3. No insurance would be needed to apply for the extension.

[Na Fan]

Thank you Ubonjoe!

 

[Na Fan]

On 1/20/2020 at 6:51 PM, ubonjoe said:

You can change the reason for your extension of stay based upon working to one based upon marriage to a Thai.

Number 1 is false but many offices will say you would have get a single entry non-o visa and then apply for a new extension of stay.

2. Nothing

You can still have a work permit and work with a non-o visa or extension of stay based upon marriage. You can also use your income from working to meet the 40k baht income requirement for the extension.

3. No insurance would be needed to apply for the extension.

 

@ubonjoe

Sorry for the resurrect of an old thread - but is there anything in writing for Number 1 there being false?

 

 

[ubonjoe]

14 minutes ago, Na Fan said:

Sorry for the resurrect of an old thread - but is there anything in writing for Number 1 there being false?

It is a standard procedure and many people have done it. All that is required for either extension is non immigrant visa entry.

They do not make their procedures and policies public so I cannot provide any thing.

[yankee99]

not all labor offices follow the 2 thai employee rule so id verify that 100%

[Bredbury Blue]

Further to UbonJoe's reply, my experience of changing Non-B to Non-O Support Thai Wife, is that I've found the the latter is far easier to renew. The former you have to provide company tax and VAT documents for previous months, which can be a pain. I changed on the recommendation of the local IO office boss who advised us we'd find renewing annually a Non-O easier than a Non-B; it was a recommendation, i wasn't told to change. I don't see any benefit to holding a Non-B compared to a Non-O Support Thai Wife in your / my situation.

 

Regarding reduction of no. of Thai Employees, this was relatively simple to do. The amount of the registered capital is allowed to be 1 Million Baht and number of Thai employee is able to be only 2 persons. On renewal of work permit i was advised that i required to submit the following additional documents:
1. Marriage Certificate
2. Certificate of marriage registration (Khor. Ror. 2 Form).
You can apply for Khor. Ror. 2 Form at  The District Office .

In the end i think we just provided our UK marriage certificate and its translation.

 

[bluweyze]

Just a word of warning.

I am sure this will not happen to you but the day you divorce your marriage visa ends, not the day of the visa stamp!

 

Once you have changed to a marriage visa returning to the business visa starts the process all over again. It is as difficult as it was the first time.

 

[ubonjoe]

9 minutes ago, bluweyze said:

I am sure this will not happen to you but the day you divorce your marriage visa ends, not the day of the visa stamp!

if he had a entry from a non-o visa it would not be canceled on the date of divorce. Only a extension of stay based upon marriage would end.

If he had a multiple entry non-o visa it would remain valid until the date it expires.

[Suradit69]

58 minutes ago, bluweyze said:

Just a word of warning.

I am sure this will not happen to you but the day you divorce your marriage visa ends, not the day of the visa stamp!

 

Once you have changed to a marriage visa returning to the business visa starts the process all over again. It is as difficult as it was the first time.

 

An extension of stay ends the day the reason for it ends. An extension based on marriage ends when the marriage ends. .An extension based on employment ends when employment ends. A permission to stay granted on a  visa entry does not end for those reasons.

 

Once again the distinction between a visa and an extension of stay is not simply nitpicking. There are differences which can be significant.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 29, 2020 by Suradit69

[Na Fan]

On 1/29/2020 at 12:00 PM, bluweyze said:

Just a word of warning.

I am sure this will not happen to you but the day you divorce your marriage visa ends, not the day of the visa stamp!

 

Once you have changed to a marriage visa returning to the business visa starts the process all over again. It is as difficult as it was the first time.

 

And that, ladies and gentlemen is PRECISELY why I do not want to change to a non-O based on marriage. I don't want to be dependent like that.

If I can retain my non-B, my assets, my stay here, and my 2 cats, are a lot safer regardless of what the future may hold in store.