howerde

No personal experience, but not easy to get, you might get more information on

www.immigrationboards.com  (free to join) lots of very useful information look at section immigration for family members

or www.freemovement.org.uk they have sections on this topic, though you might have to pay

3 minutes ago, Ian Roberts said:

My licence definitely says ‘Provisional’. It expires in October, and I assume I’ll then get a 5 year replacement.

Yes when you renew your 2 year license, you get a 5 year license, assuming you are not on a tourist visa or visa exempt entry if so then you get another 2 year

As i understand it the initial 2 year license is a provisional license, the 5 year license is a full license, would the UK know that?  I can not remember the wording on the 2 year license'

https://www.gov.uk/driving-nongb-licence

Using the link above it says you can drive on a full license, does not mention provisional as an option

3 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Russia has killed 400,000 to 500,000 Ukainian troops has it? Another propaganda wizard

Nope it is obvious, Ukraine has no functioning air force it has no integrated air defense system,  Russia strikes where it wants, how can you win a war if you do not control the air?

A medical certificate from Thailand is accepted, 

https://london.thaiembassy.org/en/page/retirement-visa

A medical certificate issued from the country where the application is submitted, showing no prohibitive diseases as indicated in the Ministerial Regulation No.14 (B.E. 2535) (certificate shall be valid for not more than three months)
 - Applicant must provide a medical certificate issued in the UK or Ireland or Thailand, showing that applicant has no prohibitive diseases (Leprosy, Tuberculosis, Elephantiasis, drug addiction, or third stage of Syphilis) with less than 3 months from the date of issue with official GP stamp and address. The medication certificate form can be downloaded below.

I did mine in Thailand the hospital did do the blood tests, i have read others just pay a few hundred baht and get the form signed, The NHS will not sign the form, there are private doctors who might sign the form put may want to carry out tests

12 minutes ago, oldscool said:

Ireland can't issue a Schengen visa, as it's not in Schengen.

 

Strictly speaking there is no such thing as a "Schengen visa" as such - there is a visa to a specific country which, if in Schengen, permits travel throughout the Schengen zone. You need to apply to the consulate of the Schengen country you intend to visit first of spend most time in.

 

Try the Spanish embassy/consulate in Bangkok.

yes correct no point asking Irish embassy, needs to be the first country you plan to enter or the one where you are going to spend the most time

I do not believe this will work, as your other half holds a visit visa, she is not resident in the UK, she can travel to Ireland as it is in the CTA, no issues, just passport showing her UK visa, the rest of Europe requires a schengen visa it can only be done from a country where she has residence,

edited i have taken out the bit about Irish embassy as the info was wrong

6 hours ago, crowned said:

Australian passport holder with O-X visa. 

My O-X is 10 years. 5 plus 5. The first 5 years finishes October 2025. 

The O-X has been difficult because Immigration officers don't understand it's details....they don't encounter it in everyday dealings. Also the financial requirement means too much cash tied up in bank. 

As I have a Thai wife, I want to change to a Marriage Visa. 

The I/O we've asked thinks I cannot change to a Marriage Visa unless my first 5 year extension comes around {in 18 months}, or they suggested going back to Australia and try to cancel my existing visa there, then apply for a 3 month visa and re-enter Thailand and apply to convert to Marriage Visa.

 

As I'm skeptical of the advice by I/O, I'm reaching out to other expats that may have an easy answer for me.

Thanks if others can assist.

I know the feeling i have an O-X visa and am trying to convert, the MFA website says you can convert to another type, however immigration here are separate to the MFA, and i was told by Chang Wattana immigration, that MFA rules are not their rules so that ended that attempt, The embassy in your home country will not be able to cancel it, only the MFA can. As you point out nobody in Thailand knows about the O-X,  from getting a driving license (told a O-X visa was not an immigration visa so they could not issue a 5 year license) was sorted after a lot of visiting different offices, last year at CW trying to transfer the stamp to a new passport was nightmare took 5 hours.

 I tried a few agents all said could not be done with one saying they might do it but would be a problem best stick with the O-X. So last November when i returned  from overseas,  i was going to tell immigration that i did not have health insurance hoping the would cancel it and give me a 30 visa exempt entry, he saw the o-x stared at it and said he had never seen one and called a supervisor  who told him to stamp to the 5 year point for me (March 2025) It was busy so had no chance to say i have no health insurance, they have never asked to see the insurance or bank book, and i have been in and out of Thailand a few times.

My next attempt will come later this year when i need to go to immigration for the yearly check of documents, i am intending to tell them i have no health insurance, and this is where it could go wrong, but i am counting on them, giving me 7 days to leave the country, which i will already have a ticket for, an then re enter and get a 30 day visa exempt and use non o retirement route, i never thought it could be so hard  to get rid of it.

31 minutes ago, BangkokHank said:

My understanding is that the online 90-day reporting has to be done 15 days before the due date. So doing it a week before the due date won't work.

It can be done from up to 15 days before up until the date due, you can not do it online during the 7 day grace period(you need to go in person), before you are fined 2000 baht

14 minutes ago, jerrymahoney said:

New passport in December 2023. Went to Immigration in person FEB 2024 to do TM47. May 4 for next 90 day report. Tried to do online before MAY 1 as I have for several years past but got the same REJECTION notice. Will go to IMM tomorrow or FRI.

 

So this now seems a system problem. I thought maybe the problem was that the USofA now has a letter in the passport number and I thought maybe that was the screw-up that the system couldn't handle that.

Duplication

11 minutes ago, jerrymahoney said:

New passport in December 2023. Went to Immigration in person FEB 2024 to do TM47. May 4 for next 90 day report. Tried to do online before MAY 1 as I have for several years past but got the same REJECTION notice. Will go to IMM tomorrow or FRI.

 

So this now seems a system problem. I thought maybe the problem was that the USofA now has a letter in the passport number and I thought maybe that was the screw-up that the system couldn't handle that.

Immigration are closed on Friday

https://bangkok.immigration.go.th/en/contact-goverment-complex/

https://www.gov.uk/driving-nongb-licence

The plan is to raise the threshold over the next year or to, the first  stage has come into effect on 11 th April

The plan is to raise it to 34000 GB supposedly some time in 2024

and at some point 38700 GBP in 2025

The last 2 figures can be adjusted or disregarded depending which party is in power and what they want to do

Bashing foreigners in any country is always a vote winner unfortunately

 https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn06724/

You would need to speak to a lawyer, as to what is required, they might want to see the original marriage certificate and official translation, not sure they would accept copies, but will make life easy for your wife if all is done correctly now, hopefully someone who has done it will come up with the answer

Also if you pass away in Thailand they are going to want death certificate/translation, if it goes to probate you need someone/ firm to do it, guess all depends on how much your assets are worth against the cost, of a UK lawyer dealing with it

Just now, PJ71 said:

Sorry, but a translation is needed for what exactly?

A translation of the Thai marriage certificate in to english, minimal cost in Thailand, if you have UK assets then i would get a UK will, you will need executer to carry out your wishes

You can not register a Thai marriage in the UK, a Thai marriage certificate/translation is accepted by the UK.

As long as there is a postcode on the address DHL will send it, i sent stuff to the RAF pension service, delivered within 36 hours there were no named people on the package just an address, it was signed for by someone, last year my passport was renewed UKVI use DHL again delivered within 36 hours and was signed for.

I know link refers to the Army but it likely refers to all services, so it would seem he would need to be released from Thai conscription, 

https://british-army.career-inspiration.com/app/discussions/view/102914/can-british-dual-citizen-thai-and-british-serve-in-the-british-army

This might help, see the the post from the British consular team

I transferred my stamp to a new passport last August at CW, and was given a hard time by the female IO, you need to fill in the form (visa transfer) number 22 from here. https://www.immigration.go.th/?page_id=3202

copies of both passports i had all my pages copied  in the old passport that was enough to get a ticket to queue for the transfer,

When it was my turn the IO wanted in addition to the above last 90 day report, bank letter with statement dated that day copy of bank book, the TM30 showing my address, which i did not have so had to go downstairs to get it printed off. none of this should have been needed, expect the unexpected, hopefully yours will go smoother

To be safe i would take all of the above, but only show the completed form and passport copies to start, then if you get the wrong IO you will have the other docs

PS  i was going to do my 90 day report as well, but after 5 hours, was not going to wait any longer, i did wonder if you now have a new passport so new number would they want to see a new TM30 with the new passport number

Dementia is very distressing and unpleasant for the carers, my mother felt unwell after a large amount of antibiotics, she had been a nurse so she knew something was wrong, the doctors just told her nothing wrong just age, after 3 or 4 months she started having tests, it could not be a stroke/Alzheimer's/dementia, all to quick, then after 6 months they said yes it is dementia, we all said cant be, they said yes  'rapid onset vascular  dementia' she passed away within 2 years