sbathon

According to Sunbelt, a visa-on-arrival cannot be converted to a Non-immigrant O within the country based on being a dependant.

If you obtain a Non-imm O outside the country, then you can get an extension in country based on being a dependant.

Anyone have any other experience in Bangkok Immigration?

Chiang Mai Immigration says they can change a visa-on-arrival to a non-immigrant 0 only for retirement purposes and the applicant must meet all requirements for retirement visa exentions. They cannot do it based on being a dependant.

Anyone know of a good agent to help with paperwork of non 0 visa application based on marriage to farang on retirement visa?

Sorry about the Chiang Mai typo.

I am looking for an agent (expediter?) to help with application to change from tourist visa to non immigrant 0 based on marriage to farang on extended retirement visa. Anyone know of any good ones?

Yes, I agree that I was confused on what to ask for. As I understand it now, after I get my O extended for another year, I can submit documents you cited to get a change for him from a visa-on-arrival to an non-imm O on the basis of our marriage? Is this commonly done? We had a discussion with the immigration officer about how to accomplish an extension of his stay and he did not suggest this option. He said he would have to leave the country to get an extension and then apply for the O when he returned and had all the income requirements in place. Why is this so hard? There is so much conflicting information out there.

Chiang Mai Immigration says he has to meet the extended retirement stay requirements (800k baht, etc.) in order to get a non-imm. 0, so that can't work for us. They are applying the same standards for the O and then the retirement extension. That's the problem. Are other offices giving the 0 using other criteria?

Thanks for the info on the marriage certificate. Now I am confused about what my husband will be applying for and where? At the usualy

CM immigration office? What do we exactly apply for?

As I said your husband does not qualify for a retirement extension of stay (it is not a visa) and unless he puts 800k baht into his own bank account will not qualify next year any more than he does this year. But that does not matter as long as you are married to him and agree that he is your husband. He can obtain matching extension of stay to yours on the basis of order 7.19

You obtain extension of stay for retirement under section 7.21 - five minutes later he obtains extension of stay under 7.19 using below

1. Application form

2. Copy of passport of the applicant

3. Copy of passport of the foreigner

who is granted permission to stay in

Thailand.

4. Copy of documents showing the

relationship such as the evidence of

marriage, copy of birth certificate,

evidence of the registration of

ordinary child adoption, certificate of

the registration of adopted child

adoption or other papers issued by

other related government

sectors/organizations.

Thanks so much! We have a copy of a certified copy of our marriage license. I took it to US Consulate and they wouldn't stamp it, but I did a notorized statement of our marriage and stated that the attached copy was a valid copy. Will this work for Thai immigration?

Also, I'd like to get another clarification for future referenc: When we both have retirement visas and apply for an extension next year, do we individually need to meet the requirements?

lopburi3, you are so helpful to all of us. Thank you.

Your husband can not obtain a retirement extension of stay without meeting the conditions. He does not.

Explain he wants to use section 7.19 of National Police Order 606/2006 for his extension of stay (as member of your family) (you are using section 7.21 for retirement).

Links to the order are in pinned item at the top of this forum.

Lopburi3, thanks so much for the information. Section 7.19 only references family members of Thai nationals? I'm a US citizen - does it still apply?

Hey, I opened a bank account on a tourist visa in Chaing Mai last year with no problem.

Ref. sbathon post re: couple applying for retirement visa on the basis of annuity income of one person.

Perhaps I didn't provide enough information, but my husband wasn't able to get the initial 90 day non-immigrant O.

We are a US retired couple who had retirement visas. My husband's retirement visa expired while we were out of the country, so he came in on a 30 day arrival visa. My retirement visa will expire in 28 days. We applied together for extensions for 1 year retirement visas. My application was no problem. I have a Thai bank account with a small balance and certified sufficient monthly annuity. The immigration officer rejected my husband's, which was based on my annuity and our joint Thai account. He said my husband needed to apply with his own annuity and/or his own bank account combination which would be sufficient to comply with the individual requirements.

This doesn't seem right. I understand that he has to have a Thai bank account in his own name when applying for an initial non-imm O. (I had that requirement last year when I applied for an O from a 30 day tourist visa. When I went back to request the extention from the initial 90 day O, I didn't need my own bank account; a joint account with my husband was OK. )

What I don't understand why he has to have his own income. If we're married, shouldn't one income that meets the requirement be sufficient? The problem for us is that he has no annuity income and we don't have 800,000 baht in Thailand at this time to transfer to a single account for him. We could transfer the money from our account in the US, but then he'll have to wait for the 90 day holding period, and make visa run(s). I think the officer was telling us that my husband was being treated this way because he was currently on a tourist visa, not extending a current retirement visa. Does this make sense?

Can anyone give us advice on what we can do to avoid having to leave the country to get my husband's 30 day visa extended to the initial O non-imm?

My husband and I (both Americans over 50) are applying for a retirement visa based on my monthly retirement income. How does this work for him? What does he need to submit?

You only need one retirement extension of stay - the spouse will receive the same period of stay; as your dependent. So I would use pension and spouse extend stay on the basis of your extension of stay for retirement.

I believe at least one person has reported obtaining a second retirement visa from home country but not sure if that was done without a break or not. It is designed to be a one time thing and then you extend at immigration inside Thailand.

Thanks, Loburi3. We'll do that. What do you need to apply for dependent's status?

We both have retirement visas and coming up on renewal. My visa was obtained in Thailand, based on a pension. My spouse's visa was obtained in USA based on bank account in USA. For renewal in Thailand, do we need seperate pension and/or bank accounts? If my spouse is in USA for renewal, can it be obtained again through the Thai Consulate in Washington, D.C. based on bank account in USA?

Any Tai Chi teachers or groups in Chiang Rai? I will be moving to Chiang Rai towards the end of the summer and looking for other Tai Chi-er's.

Also - any ideas on the best way to find a house to rent?

Thanks. I appreciate the advice on not using an agent, but we don't have a car and want to live in the city. (We're old and need someone to look for us.) There must be a good agent out there. We're prefer condominium - 1 or 2 beds.

Does anyone know of a good agent in Chiang Mai who could help us find a condo/apt/house rental for a year? We're looking for a 1 or 2 bedroom. Last year someone posted the name of an agent they highly recommmended. Anyone have that name and number? Or know of a place that's available?

Hi if you are still looking there is a A/C twobedroom furnished bungalow oppisite where I live in Norng Jom about 10 k. from town just off the majeoroad 4.000 baht a month looking for places to rent is not to easy if youcant read Thai but if your interested in this place it just in front of the city homes complex good friendly village

Khunphilip,

I passed through your area last week headed north on my bike, we spent about an hour looking for your village but was not successful, could not find anyone who actually knew where "City homes complex" was so we moved on. We will be back up in about three weeks (again on my motorcycle) and will look again if you would be kind enough to give addtitional directions.

There is a brand new serviced apartment opening in about a week on the canal road near Hang Dong. I have a friend who rented a unit for next month for 12,000 baht. I can get the info for you.

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Sainsai Sam: We are coming to Chiang Mai for 6 months. Both Viangbua and PT are booked already. Have you heard if the new apartment you refer to is nice? How can I get more information and book? Any other suggestions?

Does anyone have suggestions on where to buy household and personal basics? Items like shampoo, toilet paper, towels, silverware, underwear, toothpaste, etc.

I used my UK 8210 for calling the States from Muang Thai and no hassles and thought that was only dual band?

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Maybe dual 'system'. Unfortunately north america is at odds with the rest of the world on cellphone bands.

One thing another thread reminded me of is voltage. My Seimens phone and my Samsung have chargers that will work on 100-240volts, My Nokia doesn't (learned that the hard way )

Be sure to check before you leave. It should be stamped on the charger.

cv

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Thank you all so much for your information. Sounds like I just need to buy a new phone when I get to CM. The US is at odds with the rest of the world when it comes to cell phones!

We are coming to CM for 6 months from the US. Can we use our mobile phones and buy a chip from the local company, or do we have to buy a new phone there? Can anyone recommend a company to set up with?