Change retirement visa to marriage visa

[MrMuddle]

Can this be done ? I've tried searches on here, but didn't find anything.

[ubonjoe]

You cannot change visas.

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

Just apply for an extension based upon marriage instead of retirement when your current one is close to ending.

Be sure your financial proof does not meet the requirement for retirement when you apply.

[MrMuddle]

"Does not meet the requirement" - which is 400,000 Baht.
So I should remove the other 400,000 (for a retirement visa) from the Bank account ? Leaving only 400, 000 Baht in the Bank.
 

Edited November 24, 2016 by MrMuddle
edited for clarity

[HampiK]

2 minutes ago, MrMuddle said:

"Does not meet the requirement" - which is 400,000 Baht.
So I should remove the other 400,000 (for a retirement visa) from the Bank account ?
 

 

I think it would be enough, if you look, that in the account you show to immigration is less than 800'000 baht.

 

I think (this someone with good knowledge should confirm) you can have more in the bank.. only not at the account you use to show to immigration... Not need to put the money under your bed for hidding

 

[MrMuddle]

Thank you. I can use our current account for the Marriage Visa, it will have under 800,000 in it, and the money will have been in the Bank for almost a year.
I'm considering my options in case the worst comes to the worst, with this new 10 year Visa malarkey. 

[elviajero]

11 minutes ago, MrMuddle said:

"Does not meet the requirement" - which is 400,000 Baht.
So I should remove the other 400,000 (for a retirement visa) from the Bank account ? Leaving only 400, 000 Baht in the Bank.

Yes it's a good idea to have less than 800K but 400K or more in the account otherwise the IO might process your extension based on retirement. They prefer retirement extensions as it's less paperwork and because the extension can, usually, be issued on the spot.

 

The 400K has to be in your account for 2 months before you apply.

[MrMuddle]

And a current (debit card) account is OK for this ? I should have no problem with the marriage requirements, we've been married 16 years.....and happy for a good few months of that !  

Edited November 24, 2016 by MrMuddle
humour ? added

[ubonjoe]

1 minute ago, MrMuddle said:

And a current (debit card) account is OK for this ? I should have no problem with the marriage requirements, we've been married 16 years.

A current account would be a checking account and immigration would not accept it.

If you mean a standard saving account with a bank book and ATM/debit card it would be accepted if it is in your name only.

[MrMuddle]

OK thank you. I can soon open one of those.

Edited November 24, 2016 by MrMuddle

[4MyEgo]

2 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

You cannot change visas.

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

Just apply for an extension based upon marriage instead of retirement when your current one is close to ending.

Be sure your financial proof does not meet the requirement for retirement when you apply.

 

Hey ubonjoe, I might be getting off the topic here, but my one year (1st) retirement visa expires on 27 February 2017 and I am also thinking of applying for the marriage visa with all the hype that's going on with retirement visa's, health insurance and the rest.

 

My question is, should I show also show less than 800,000 in the bank when applying for the marriage visa come February, and do you think it will be easier to get the marriage visa this way, I think you referred to it as an extension based on marriage, because the 1st and only time we went to applied for it, they said to apply for the retirement visa as it was easier and could be done on the spot which it was and 250 baht for food to eat 555

[elviajero]

4 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

Hey ubonjoe, I might be getting off the topic here, but my one year (1st) retirement visa expires on 27 February 2017 and I am also thinking of applying for the marriage visa with all the hype that's going on with retirement visa's, health insurance and the rest.

 

My question is, should I show also show less than 800,000 in the bank when applying for the marriage visa come February, and do you think it will be easier to get the marriage visa this way, I think you referred to it as an extension based on marriage, because the 1st and only time we went to applied for it, they said to apply for the retirement visa as it was easier and could be done on the spot which it was and 250 baht for food to eat 555

You don't have a retirement visa.

 

As it stands there is no change to extensions of stay based on retirement being proposed so no need to change, but if you want to apply for an extension based on marriage make sure you've less than 800K otherwise the IO may take the easy option and give you an extension based on retirement. Unless you plan to work it doesn't really matter which basis you apply for the extension.

[4MyEgo]

4 minutes ago, elviajero said:

You don't have a retirement visa.

 

As it stands there is no change to extensions of stay based on retirement being proposed so no need to change, but if you want to apply for an extension based on marriage make sure you've less than 800K otherwise the IO may take the easy option and give you an extension based on retirement. Unless you plan to work it doesn't really matter which basis you apply for the extension.

 

Thanks, do I refer to the one year visa in my passbook as, for reference, an extension of stay ?

[elviajero]

3 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

Thanks, do I refer to the one year visa in my passbook as, for reference, an extension of stay ?

If you mean the stamp in your passport then yes.

 

The original visa you used to enter the country is used/finished, and your permission to stay is issued each year in the form of a stamp in your passport. Somewhere on the stamp it should say 'extension of stay' and may also include the reason for the extension being ''retirement'.

[4MyEgo]

6 minutes ago, elviajero said:

If you mean the stamp in your passport then yes.

 

The original visa you used to enter the country is used/finished, and your permission to stay is issued each year in the form of a stamp in your passport. Somewhere on the stamp it should say 'extension of stay' and may also include the reason for the extension being ''retirement'.

 

Thanks, got it, Non Immigration category O entering, then extension of stay stamped "retirement"

[elviajero]

1 minute ago, 4MyEgo said:

 

Thanks, got it, Non Immigration category O entering, then extension of stay stamped "retirement"

Yep.

 

You needed to enter the country with a Non immigrant Visa in order to qualify for the extension of stay. Assuming you had a Single Entry Visa, it was used the second you entered the country, and you were given permission to stay for 90 days. Since then, each year, you are applying to extend your permission stay by 1 year.

[4MyEgo]

11 hours ago, elviajero said:

Yep.

 

You needed to enter the country with a Non immigrant Visa in order to qualify for the extension of stay. Assuming you had a Single Entry Visa, it was used the second you entered the country, and you were given permission to stay for 90 days. Since then, each year, you are applying to extend your permission stay by 1 year.

 

Thanks elviajero, that's exactly what happened, now all I have to do is reduce the amount of money in my account to just above 400,000 baht and switch or apply for the marriage visa/extension of stay.

 

If any different, please let me know.

[MrMuddle]

5 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

 

Thanks elviajero, that's exactly what happened, now all I have to do is reduce the amount of money in my account to just above 400,000 baht and switch or apply for the marriage visa/extension of stay.

 

If any different, please let me know.

Hope all goes well for you, 4MyEgo. Will you please post what happens in here ? Thank you.

[4MyEgo]

20 minutes ago, MrMuddle said:

Hope all goes well for you, 4MyEgo. Will you please post what happens in here ? Thank you.

 

Thanks, have made a note to send you a PM on the 25th February, but as my 90 reporting is due on or around the 23rd January we will be asking all the questions as to be prepared for when we return on or before 24th February when the renewal of stay of extension "retirement'" is due for another 12 months, which I hope to change to a marriage visa.

[harness]

They weren't too  happy when I did this five years ago in CM. Wanted to know why the change of heart. I'd been on a retirement extension for seven years , living with the same woman for ten years but only just married. Wanted to know why we'd only just decided to get married after all those years. In the end had to bring my brother in law to the immigration police where they interviewed him in private for almost half an hour.
After that though no problem.

[Eff1n2ret]

A pal did this not so long ago in Rayong. He went along beforehand with his missis to ascertain exactly what they wanted, it's probably not a bad idea to do the same. I don't know much detail, but there was quite a lot of paperwork, nothing difficult but all required in triplicate. When he applied he got a one-month "application pending" stamp, and after clearance by Bangkok and a home visit the extension was issued no problem. They told him that next time round the process would be less paper-heavy.  

[Swiss1960]

Yes it's a good idea to have less than 800K but 400K or more in the account otherwise the IO might process your extension based on retirement. They prefer retirement extensions as it's less paperwork and because the extension can, usually, be issued on the spot.
 
The 400K has to be in your account for 2 months before you apply.

Just applied for marriage extension (change from retirement) and showed proof of 800+ in the account which I had there since way back last year.

IO said nothing about that amount and no mentioning about retirement being easier, got my 30d stamp, had home visit 3 days ago and will head back 15th of Dec to get my marriage extension.

Maybe it is so, because Jomtien has different desks for the extensions (6 for family, 8 for retirement) and wife is also there, making it pretty clear what you want? IO was very helpful, pointed out the need for re-entry stamp (am travelling in that 30 day period) and efficient as always (in-out in less than 30 minutes)

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