Toolong

16 minutes ago, WDSmart said:

In my over 20 years living in Thailand on a Type-O Visa, I've switched back and forth between a One-year Stay Extension based on Marriage and Retirement. I've always used the same bank account, and Immigration doesn't care if you use that account as long as you keep the balance does not fall below the minimum requirement. I use the account as my main account and make withdrawals, pay for charges, and make deposits as I see fit. At least the three different Immigration offices I've used do not.  

I would advise you to check with the immigration office you will be using because (like many other things in Thailand) not all offices follow the same rules.

I keep a separate account for the 400k I currently use for the marriage extension. It's a choice based on knowing that I would probably get in a hell of a mess if I used the account for daily use, withdrawals & bill payments etc. Just safer for me to keep it separate & unused, although many would disagree and are able to be more organized and on top of things. 😉

32 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

For marriage 400k for two months prior to application and during under consideration period.

For retirement 800k two months prior + 3 months after and not below 400k is other months

33 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

For marriage 400k for two months prior to application and during under consideration period.

For retirement 800k two months prior + 3 months after and not below 400k is other months

Nice and clear. Thanks DrJack. I shall keep that in mind.

10 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

He is right.

For next extension based on retirement just have 800k in account 2 months prior to application.

Note your wife will need to attend immigration office. 

 

For others thinking about this change ...is it purely less paperwork etc.

The financials for extension marriage very easy compared to retirement 

Thanks for that, DrJack. Good point. For me, it's seeing how easy a retirement extension application 'appears' to be, to me, amongst the expat acquaintances of mine. But yes, more sitting cash in the account involved.

10 hours ago, Lite Beer said:

If you change your mind and decide to stick with marriage extension make sure the bank balance is below 800,000 or they will try to talk you into retirement.

That's an interesting insight into what could happen, Lite Beer. Thanks for the heads-up. 👍

13 minutes ago, Lite Beer said:

Just top it up to 800.000 Baht at least 2 months before application and change your reason for extension.

Assuming you're right, Lite beer, that's about as simple and perfect a reply as I could wish for. 

Thank you. 🙏👍

Hi all. 

On a yearly marriage extension thing. Been so for 3/4 years. 400k in bank. Never been touched, just the way they like it.

Anyway...expires in March '25. Want to MAYBE extend stay by changing to yearly retirement ext'. An extension that requires 800k in the bank. But maybe not. I could change my mind.

So my query: is it ok for me to add 400k to the current 400k now - 5 months ahead, which I can do - making it 800k, in readiness for a possible change to retirement ext', without messing things up if I later choose to stick with a marriage extension? 

So I guess, in other words....does immigration care if money is ADDED to an existing 400k marriage ext' account? Or do they get 'picky' about it? (I mean, I know withdrawing money to BELOW the 400k amount is unacceptable at the time of extension renewal, but are they fussy about money being ADDED to it at any time before? )

PS: forgive my vulgar capitalization of so many words, but wanted to make it clear. 🙏

Thanks in advance for your helpful comments. 

5 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Funds for extensions does not require proof funds came from abroad for money in bank method.

That's a relief! Thank you very much for the info, DrJack. 👍

10 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

That will not happen.

Be aware that for change to based on retirement your wife will need to attend immigration with you.

Also you will require 800k in Thai bank account in your name only for two months prior to date of application. 

Thanks DrJack. 

Btw....got another question you or others might be able to help with:

If I put another 400k cash on top of my marriage extension money (400k), to amount to 800k, do I have to show the money came from abroad? I ask, because it didn't come from abroad. (Well, some of it may, but basically I earned it here when I was working.)

10 hours ago, Upnotover said:

How could anybody have "actual evidence" of something that almost certainly won't happen.  I'd put good money on no insurance being needed, except of course gambling is prohibited.

Yes, 'actual evidence' didn't make much sense. 

Anyway, I hope you win your bet, prohibited or not. 👍😎

I'm in TH on marriage visa (my fourth), but thinking of changing to retirement next March. So much easier. 

Anybody reckon the no-insurance-required policy for in-country applications may change to 'required' by then? 

Yes, I know they change rules all the time, so prefer replies that indicate actual evidence, rather than just guessing. 

Akuna matata. 👍

54 minutes ago, swissman53 said:

Today I was at Korat Immi. I had 2 normal white pages with 2 color photos on each page. I was very happy to have an online appointment. The waiting room was full, but I had to wait only 10 min and my number was called. Do not forget to be around 30 min before your appointment there so that you have enough time for filling out some additional papers. The service was excellent and friendly as always.

Interesting, swissman. So color seems most likely what they want and a bit surprised they accepted only 4 photos. But 4 photos is fine with me, if that's all they require. Maybe 6 is just what people generally think is required. I usually give 5: 2 of house front (close up with number + whole house), bedroom, kitchen, living room. 

Those 'additional papers' add a bit to the time, but you're right, the appointment system works well.

👍

17 hours ago, swissman53 said:

I have to go tomorrow to Korat Immi for marriage extension. I made 2 pages normal printer paper with 2 color photos each. If they want B/W I can get a copy opposite the street. More important is that they can see the house number.

Yes, you're probably right about the house number's importance, swissman53. 👍

(Sorry, did you mean to say that if they want 'color', you can get copies across the street? You said B/W. Did you mean color?🙂

By the way.....if you did mean to say that you have made B/W copies, and they accept them ok, could you please let me know, swissman? I would really appreciate it.)

🙏 Thanks! 

4 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

I agree but my office TRAT has been consistent for 8yrs and of course there is always this one #14 

True. Some offices are indeed fairly consistent in their own requirements, which helps, yes. 👍

And of course, re #14.....yes, it's there in B&W....expect the unexpected! 🙂

3 hours ago, BillyBloggs said:

We just have ours on our phones and send them in the line app, had a problem with some forms (Buri Ram) for pension just had to send them on the line app when we got home love working with small IO's.

Send them in the Line app???? Easy peasy!😆

Wow...I wanna move to Buri Ram! 

Cheers 👍🙏

11 hours ago, MangoKorat said:

Always better to go the 'whole hog' with Korat, they say different things on different days.

Agree. Better to do that than not do it, but was just hoping that someone in Korat might reassure me that they'll accept B&W, no problem. To save me some hassle, that's all.

But again you're right. Best to go the whole hog if possible. 👍

Cheers 🙏

6 hours ago, brianthainess said:

Not quite framed, but they supply A4s with  ;  name........... printed at the top and ; signature...........at the bottom, to which you then have to use their glue stick to attach 2 photos to each A4 supplied,

6 photos x 2 copies, it's like being in a kindergarten, and not only that when they come for the home visit they take the same photos, so that's 18 photos they have all up. 

Well, that's a lot different from that required by Korat IO, I must say. Something I should now feel quite thankful about perhaps, after reading your comments!

(You know, I wouldn't mind so much about it all if it was completely standardized and applied the same by each office, consistently.)

Thanks for your comments 👍

7 hours ago, Bigz said:

Have your photos saved on your phone or a usb stick and print your black and white photos. In case the Io doesn't accept the black and white you can still go to a nearby print shop quickly.

Yes....that's a very wise suggestion, Bigz! 

If I can find an old USB that isn't 'problematic' with bugs, that I should have thrown out years ago! 😉 (No, just kidding.....I'll go mad and buy a new little cheapie one! 👍)

Thanks Bigz. 🙏

4 hours ago, brianthainess said:

I don't no about Korat but my IO must be glossy and in colour, just printed copies are not allowed. The photo shop we use he can just do it just using the QR scan.

Wow, your local IO is pretty fussy.....glossy?! 

(Do they need to be framed too?! 😉)

Korat IO has always accepted my colour-but-printed copies....until now anyway.

But your comments, brianthainess, do make me think that it's at least very possible that Korat might get picky about colour rather than B&W....especially if they are printed on non-glossy A4 standard. 

Thanks for your reply. 👍

4 hours ago, rice555 said:

As you are making your turn R. into Korat Imm. off the Soi. their is a shop

that does photocopies and mugshots for visas on your L. Across the Soi.

from Imm.

If they don't take the B&W pix's, she probably can do color from your files.

I've used it before.

rice555

Yes, I agree. 👍 I thought maybe that could be an option, rice555. If they don't accept B&W, then for sure that shop will have the means to produce colour ones if required, as long I remember to have that file with me. 🙂👍

Thanks. 

11 hours ago, Mutt Daeng said:

You could ring Korat IO and ask them directly if they accept B/W photos

That's a great idea, Mutt, if it's possible. 👍

But from experience I've found that trying that has been really difficult, just getting through. Actually 'impossible', as I never did get through.....though that was a few years ago. I'll give it another try. 🙂👍 Cheers.

17 minutes ago, Martin71 said:

I always take colour... they might then tell you black and white is OK for next time...but just to be on the safe side and not waste a journey for a few extra baht I would just take colour ones... they can be very picky there on a bad day...( or a good day)...

I always take colour too, except this year my printer's playing hardball with colour. Seriously clogged print heads, etc. (B&W's fine though for some reason.)

But like you say, best not to waste a (long) journey just saving a few baht by not getting a shop to print them off. 👍

Like I said, maybe really dumb question,  but does anyone know if Korat/Nakorn Ratchasima Immigration need photos of spouse & house etc (annual marriage extension) to be in colour rather than simple black & white? 

(In my defence.....and in my experience....each IO can have their own peculiar 'wants and desires'.....some making sense, many not. And they can change their requirements at sadistically random times without notice, bless them. 😉)

Comments allowing for unambiguous confirmation one way or the other appreciated. 👍

8 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Extensions outside Thailand are never done.

 

Whether you need insurance or not is determined by the visa you start with.

 

O-A available outside Thailand only requires insurance for the initial visa and all subsequent extensions in Thailand. 

 

O visa obtained inside or outside Thailand requires no insurance for the initial visa and all subsequent extensions in Thailand.

 

Obviously the best choice is to start with an O visa not an OA visa.

 

 

Thanks a lot for that very clear breakdown of what's what with OA & O re health insurance requirements, Jingthing.

I really appreciate it. 👍🙏.

On 12/31/2023 at 7:16 AM, Jingthing said:

Starting with an O vs. O-A visa makes the difference.

If you start with an O-A (obtainted outside Thailand) then you do need health insurance for that including all subsequent extensions.

If you start with an O visa, no such requirement.

Don't try to understand the logic of that. There isn't any. 

So, an annual retirement extension obtained in Thailand does NOT need health insurance and such an extension obtained outside Thailand does? 

I'm not disputing what you say. You may be right. But I thought it was the other way round, ie, obtained in Thailand = health insurance required; obtained outside = not required.

(I don't actually know the facts of it as I'm on a marriage extension, but may switch to retirement in future, so I would like to know.)

🙂👍

On 1/6/2024 at 1:26 PM, Cardano said:

Currently have HP Inktank wireless 410 but have had nothing but problems with it. So now looking for new printer and thinking as I only print about 200 pages per year that maybe cartridge printer is the way to go.

My budget is a max of 10,000 Baht, any recommendations?

My Epson L210 has been totally reliable and generally first class for about 5/6 years now. About 4000 baht new. When I buy next it'll be a more up to date wifi job, another Epson (L3250...about 5000 baht).