tracy3eyes

18 hours ago, overherebc said:

We are not loaded, well I'm not ? however we do live what I woulld call a normal married life. Don't have family, kids and other hanger ons' living with us.

I'm retired ( BOF ? ) don't have a mortgage and cars paid off. Don't have kids but that's choice for both of us.

Expenses are utilities and food at home, both of us enjoy cooking so don't do a lot a of eating out in restaurants, we do have good nights having a barbie with friends etc.

To get back on topic if they bump the married or retired requirement we both agree we'll sell the house here on the coast buy a smallapartment in Spain Italy or somewhere and rotate between there and the Bangkok house. My pensions will go with me and my wife's income from the condos her father left her will go with us as well.

It won't break the Thai economy but at least we will know that the visa requirements will be more stable and not change every 6 months. I know they don't change as often as that but you sure as hell get the impression they do, or will next week.

If you may have interest in Spain in the future maybe I can help. I live in Chiangmai July & August every year and then back to Spain. My kids are in Spanish School.

Same goes for anyone else who may have interest.

Was trying to be helpful! My appols if that was not the case.

Let you guess my response.

I prefer face to face comms anyway!!1

But he has already been waiting since 21 May so he applied in sufficient time so I disagree with you!! His situation should be expedited on urgent and compassionate grounds. as its been over 9 weeks already!!!!!! If he was a paying customer then Im sure you would respond differently!! And dont lecture me!!!!

Long time reader, new poster.

You can add my wife and I to the list; We submitted 21/05 and are still waiting.

My wife is pregnant with twins and cannot fly after the end of next week. I'm back here in the UK working. We can deal with her staying out there for the birth and coming afterwards - as long as the visa application is successful that is!

Stressful times for all, my advice is to remain positive. Like 7by7 has said, you will look back on this as a short period in a long happy life.

Jonny

Try and send an email to this lady at the embassy/UKBA and explain your situation and give your application reference number. It may help! Worth a try. Save you some expense if your wife travels before the children are born.

Goodluck

Understand. But if this case is not very urgent or compassionate then no case is! Surely a small heads up to the embassy would be appreciated by them because they wouldnt want any stress or delay to cause any problems dont you think. The uk government would want to assist wherever possible with such cases!!!!

Dont you hava a contact number or an email address that JonnyReece could use to flag the urgency.

Also if his wife travel whilst she is pregnant this would save him a lot of money which could be used better for the childrens benefit!

Your response surprised me!

Think on..

Long time reader, new poster.

You can add my wife and I to the list; We submitted 21/05 and are still waiting.

My wife is pregnant with twins and cannot fly after the end of next week. I'm back here in the UK working. We can deal with her staying out there for the birth and coming afterwards - as long as the visa application is successful that is!

Stressful times for all, my advice is to remain positive. Like 7by7 has said, you will look back on this as a short period in a long happy life.

Why dont you contact user "VisasPlus". They posted last on page 22. I think they have some sort of pipeline into the embassy and may be able to send an email or make a phone call about your situation which Im sure would expedite your application so your wife would get her visa in time to still be able to fly.

Talk to the school(s) as soon as possible! There will be lots of paperwork and you will get a lot of application forms and councils/schools tend to go to sleep a bit in the summer,

We found direct negotiation with the schools of choice paid dividends as they found space where the council said there was none!

They will require proof of eligibility (passport/visa, address etc) at some stage before they start school but this can be last minute! If you hear nothing don't assume they are getting on with it! They mislaid the paperwork for my two nieces and there was a mad panic in the last week before term.

There is an on-going thread giving information about peoples waits for visas to be processed. I suspect the new rules will mean bedlam as applications flood in before 9th July!

Applications for places for them have been made already and we have been contact by the council.

They have British Passports.

We will stay on there case!

Thanks

Did you submit a copy of the page with your personal information; name, photograph etc, to show that you are a British citizen?

Did you submit a copy of the page with your Thai visa(s) on it to show that you have been living in Thailand?

That's all they really need.

Only info page

And my last entry stamp and arrival card

And copy of my 90 day report slip.

Have I screwed up? All the other docs point to the fact that we have lived together as a family for 6 years. Even the house chanote has my name on also as superficies.

Cant they check my passport number to see the last time I was in the UK? Which was actually Jan 2011.

Worried about this. Are they likely to refuse based on this alone? We are strong on everything else. Including my need to be in the UK for health reasons in future. Provided doc evidence of this.

I don't think you have anything to worry about. You have established that you are a British citizen. You have shown that you are in Thailand legally. If the ECO wants more information ( he can verify passport details at the Embassy) he can ask. If he doesn't ask, and if he refuses the application on this single matter, then you will win any appeal, should it come to that. I don't think you need to worry.

How long do you think we will have to wait for a decision? Kids start school begin Sept?

Did you submit a copy of the page with your personal information; name, photograph etc, to show that you are a British citizen?

Did you submit a copy of the page with your Thai visa(s) on it to show that you have been living in Thailand?

That's all they really need.

Only info page

And my last entry stamp and arrival card

And copy of my 90 day report slip.

Have I screwed up? All the other docs point to the fact that we have lived together as a family for 6 years. Even the house chanote has my name on also as superficies.

Cant they check my passport number to see the last time I was in the UK? Which was actually Jan 2011.

Worried about this. Are they likely to refuse based on this alone? We are strong on everything else. Including my need to be in the UK for health reasons in future. Provided doc evidence of this.

I don't think you have anything to worry about. You have established that you are a British citizen. You have shown that you are in Thailand legally. If the ECO wants more information ( he can verify passport details at the Embassy) he can ask. If he doesn't ask, and if he refuses the application on this single matter, then you will win any appeal, should it come to that. I don't think you need to worry.

Thankyou for your input.

Did you submit a copy of the page with your personal information; name, photograph etc, to show that you are a British citizen?

Did you submit a copy of the page with your Thai visa(s) on it to show that you have been living in Thailand?

That's all they really need.

Only info page

And my last entry stamp and arrival card

And copy of my 90 day report slip.

Have I screwed up? All the other docs point to the fact that we have lived together as a family for 6 years. Even the house chanote has my name on also as superficies.

Cant they check my passport number to see the last time I was in the UK? Which was actually Jan 2011.

Worried about this. Are they likely to refuse based on this alone? We are strong on everything else. Including my need to be in the UK for health reasons in future. Provided doc evidence of this.

Last week we did the unmarried partner UK settlement visa application and got an appointment this morning. We submitted extensive the documentation eg. below but failed to submit a full copy of my UK passport.

Partners passport

Bank Letters of savings (plentiful), Thai and UK, bank statements

Pension advices

P60s

Property Deeds Thai and estate agent sale agreement because we are selling up etc

Accommodation report etc

Medical papers/reasons for need to be in UK in future

We have 2 thai children aged 4 & 6 who already have British passports

Childrens birth certificates and copies of their british passports.

Email from Local government education office about the childrens school allocation

We have lived together for 6 years in Thai.

Family photos for the last 6 years.

Have I screwed the application by not including a full copy of my passport?

Has anyone else forgotten to do this and what happened?

Appreciate any input on this...

Don't believe so. When me & my GF went to the VFS I was asked to stand outside of the office as she had her submitted her application and had her biometrics taken. We will be applying for our settlement visa tomorrow and on our previous experience she will go alone and I'll just wait by the phone incase she has any questions.

Suspected as much.

Is the sponsor/partner able to accompany the visa applicant inside the VFS centre to ensure all documents are submitted as appropriate etc?

Also the application form asks if any children will be travelling with the applicant.

If you have 2 children with the applicant but they already have british citizenship do you need to add them to the applicants form or is the question about will any children be travelling with you only for children with thai nationality only?

The reason I ask is we dont know if the kids will travel beforehand because of school starting.

See my post number 11.

What the rule is, is ultimately decided by immigration head quarters, but currently CM immigration seems to think you can this time only extend based on marriage.

You can call the immigration hotline through 1111 (government information line) to see if it is allowed. if they say it is allowed you can go back to CM-immigration and ask again. If they refuse you politely tell them you checked with the immigration information line and they said you could, so if they could please consult with head quarters if it is allowed or not.

I just spoke with 1111 and they said I should be able to extend my non-o spouse visa based on retirement and they didnt understand the reason she gave. They said that maybe she worried you wont continue to support your children maybe. I said thats both ridiculous and im material to what the law states is the rule. They took my name and number and said they will call the CM office on monday to find out about the reason given. 1111 were surprised I was told that I would have to leave the country to get a new non-o visa for retirement. I said thats a waste of peoples time and money if the law states different!

I told 1111 my CM IO queue number and time I was there and described the lady.

1111 said they will call me back on Monday after speaking with the IO CM.

There appears to be a lack of understanding or adherence to the big rues.

Lets see what happens. I will update........monday...

What is it that you have?

I recently got a new non-visa - spouse at CW after having to do a conversion because I forgot re-entry permit on a 3 day trip out. They have stamped my passport until 31 July.

or

I currently have a non-o spouse visa but not yet done the extension.

Did you get a visa from abroad, or did you arrive in thailand without a visa and converted to a non-immigrant entry at CW?

Mario

I got my original visa from Thai embassy London in 2004 and renewed my extension every year since. In march this year I forgot to do a re-entry permit on an 3 day trip out to HK and only granted 30 days on my return. I then went to CW and they allowed me a 60 day conversion. I then put in a new non-o spouse visa at CW with my wife in attendance. I collected my 90 day stamp on 17 May. So I then had a stamp till 31 July.

So I still needed to do an extension to get the remaining 9 months. I was told that I could extend either for marriage or retirement because of my age.

So when I as at our other home in chiangmai I went to CM immigration to extend for retirement but was told by the IO that I could only extend for spouse which I thought was strange when you concider I have a non-o visa and the requirements for retirement are more. I was told that the only way I could do for retirement is if I left the country and got a new non-o visa for retirement first and I could then extend for retirement.

What is the true rule/law on this? Or is it yet another example of IO's deciding for themselves rather than follow the rule to the letter?

Appreciate your input on this because it soes need to be clarified. And where do you go to get the definative?

Thanks

By all reports CM will converse for reason of retirement, but not for reason of being a family member of a Thai national. At most, if not all, immirgation offices they will send you to BKK for that.

Mario

I currently have a non-o spouse visa but not yet done the extension. CM immigration mentioned nothing about being able to convert from spouse visa? Just said I had to do spouse extention and that if I wanted retirement I would have to leave the country to do! Should I go back and ask them to do conversion? Then submit retirement visa application? Your thoughts?

Believe Chiang Mai can do the conversion for retirement so the fact you used Chiang Watanna means it was for Thai Wife and thus they are holding to that I suspect. Did you try to do at Chiang Mai?

Yes I tried to do at CM. But they said nothing about conversion there!

What is the rule on this though? Is holding me to something the rules or is it possible to extend for either? I would love to know the law/rules on this one.

You pointed out in previous post you obtained this visa from Immigration in Bangkok - not from a Consulate - and they you had a Thai Wife extension prior to this. What financial proof did you provide Bangkok during this change? That might be the key. Suspect Chiang Mai may believe it was for spouse rather than retirement extension and holding you to that.

I have had a spouse extension for the last 8 years but had to do a conversion because of forgettng do do a re-entry permit. They gave me 60 days. I then Submitted a new non-on for spouse at CW and they stamped my passport till 31 July. I showed them bank book and letter from bank with cash over 800k. I was told that I could extend either for spouse or retirement. So whilst in CM this morning I tried to extend for retirement with a letter of income from Embassy well in excess of the 65000 a month. But she said I must extend for spouse only. I can do but its means more travel and trouble. Its just so frustrating! I mean what is the difference? Its more income requirement for retirement. What it nmeans is that if you split with your wife then you have to leave the country and get a new non-o for retirement. Why dont they let you convert and get 60 days and then do new non-o retirement at CW?

I suspect you obtained that immigration issued visa on basis of marriage extension of stay and they feel this can not be change (having been issued by Bangkok) so yes that is what you must do if that is what they say - or obtain a new entry/non immigrant O visa entry to do for retirement. Why not extend for Thai wife this time and then when next do change to retirement if that is what you want. Am sure Chiang Mai will be happy with that plan.

Yes I did but it would have actually been far easier to do the retirement at CW. No she said that I would have to get a new non-o from outside the country if I did the spouse extension this time. So it looks like you cannot change your mind or convert from one to the other for extension at CW or CM. Strange?

If you qualify for a retirement extension, you will find it much easier to continue that way rather than going for the support visa. I have been legally married for seven years and continue to go for the retirement option.

I would second that statement without any hesitation.

I just tried to do it the other way at chiangmai this morning. I have a non-ovisa for staying with spouse and tried to extend based on retirement and the lady immig off said I could only extend for staying with spouse which surprised me. Surely it should not matter? was she correct? She said I had to leave the country and get a new non-o based on retirement.

Thoughts?

If you have an extension of stay for work it ends the day your work ends and you are required to immediately cancel it in your passport and leave the country unless you apply for extension of stay normally (seven days). But if you are served by One Stop Center (BOI) you seem to get the seven days without need to cancel or pay. But if you want to extend for retirement you would have to do that at Chiang Watanna and expect you would have to make application immediately or obtain the 7 day extension. If you can meet the retirement requirements you should check for doing that and if not (you need time for getting the financials) you can exit and return on a single entry non immigrant O visa for a 90 day stay and extend during the last 30 days.

Lop

I recently got a new non-visa - spouse at CW after having to do a conversion because I forgot re-entry permit on a 3 day trip out. They have stamped my passport until 31 July.

I was told that I could do either a non-o extension for spouse or retirement to get the other 9 months. Well I went to Chiangmai immigration this morning with all the necessary paperwork and more. The Immig officer said I could only extend for staying with spouse and not retirement which I though was odd? She said if I wanted to do for retirement I would need to leave the country and get a new Non-o for retirement. Was she correct?

appreciate your input asap

As said you now have the non immigrant visa 90 day entry so you can extend for either reason if you can meet the financials and the extension will be 12 months from expiration of current 90 day stay.

Thanks guys

In March I forgot to do re-entry permit prior to a trip to HK

So only got 30 days on arrival back in Thai

Then had to do 60 day conversion and then put in a new non-o spouse visa app with 400k in bank

They gave me the ok and marked my passport for 90 days

Now im supposed to put in another spouse extended stay app to get the other 9 months.

I submitted all the papers for spouse visa.

Question:

Could I if I wanted because I am over 50 now do the extension for retirement rather than to stay with spouse?

Please advice because this would be simpler.

Thankyou

I asked this question earlier but a bit confused. I failed to get a re-entry permit on a few days trip out of thai. I had a 1 year extension based on marriage. Do I now just go to Chang wattana and do a conversion to non-o? will i need to leave the country to do the 1 year extension or not? When I go to CW immig can I put the 1 year extension app in at same time as conversion? please advise. Sorry if I trolling.

Thanks