Globenauta

Hello @Tod Daniels, I came across your detailed advice in the forum, and I really appreciate how clearly you explained the process of changing from an employment extension to a retirement extension. I’m about to go through a similar process (Non-B to Marriage extension) and had a few follow-up questions if you don’t mind. You mentioned canceling the extension at Chamchuri Square up to three weeks before the official termination date and receiving a stamp allowing you to stay until the termination date. Could you clarify if the new extension can be requested before the termination date, or must I wait until that actual termination date to apply? Also, if it’s possible to apply earlier, can I submit the application directly at my local immigration office, or do I need to first notify Chamchuri Square? Thank you again for sharing your knowledge, it’s been incredibly helpful!

Hi @Liquorice, Thanks a lot for the detailed reply! It’s very helpful, and I appreciate your time. Thanks, I will ask the SP immigration office during my next visit. Luckily, the money requirement is not an issue. However, I’m still unclear about the advantages of applying for the Non-O from outside the country versus in-country. Would you say there’s any significant benefit to doing this in Savannakhet rather than here? The Amphur office gave me the attached document (translated via Google). It’s a list of required documents for the Yellow Book, which includes a birth certificate in addition to the passport. I’m in the process of obtaining the birth certificate through my embassy, but it looks like this may take some time. Also, there’s a discrepancy between documents issued in my home country and my passport, which doesn’t include my middle name for some reason. I’m concerned this might cause issues with the Amphur office and Immigration. I’ve already reached out to my embassy for advice and am waiting on their feedback. And no, I’m not from the UK. 😊

Hi Rob, Thanks again for the detailed reply! Here are my considerations, and I would appreciate your opinion if you have any. The HR is giving me confusing feedback, possibly because the visa and work permit are managed through an agency. A few months ago, when I visited the Labour Dept., they mentioned that the visa doesn’t need to be canceled at the same time as the work permit, but I keep getting mixed feedback about this. I'll ask my HR again and see if I can clarify the situation Yes, the main point is if I can get the Non-O without leaving the country or not. I already went to the IO twice, but the communication was difficult, partly because of the language barrier and partly because I didn’t know exactly what to ask. I’ll try to be clearer next time. Maybe getting help from a visa agency would be a good idea. Thank you for the tips about Laos! I’ll keep that in mind if I need to leave the country. Regarding the Non-O, my understanding is that the first application is a two-step process: first, you get a 90-day visa, and then you apply for a 1-year extension. As you may have gathered, I was considering applying for the Non-O based on retirement first, since that would give me time to gather the relevant documents to apply for a marriage-based extension after the initial 90 days. From what you’ve said, I now understand that’s not possible, right? From what I understood after my visit to the SSO and Amphur, I first need a birth certificate to get the Yellow Book. I’ve already made an appointment at my embassy to request the birth certificate, but it’s going to take some time. Also, I have a minor issue with a name mismatch between the documents issued in my country and my passport, which for some reason doesn’t include my middle name. I’ve asked my embassy how I can resolve this and I’m waiting for their feedback. Regarding the SSO, they told me that I have until the end of the year before being “timed out” from the SS system. I hope I can get everything sorted before that happens. Thanks again for your continued help! 🙏

All my visa extensions for the last 10 years (Non-B) have been handled at Chamchuri (BOI), though I actually reside in Samut Prakan. My current extension, which expires at the end of this year, will likely be canceled soon due to my employment ending, and I’m now exploring my options. From the helpful replies I’ve received so far, I’m getting mixed advice. Some suggest that I can apply for a new extension based on retirement or marriage, while others, like @Liquorice mentioned I may need to leave Thailand and apply for a new Non-O visa. I’d like to understand where I can get the most reliable information on this process. Should I consult the immigration office, or would a visa agent be more reliable in this case? Additionally, if I do go to immigration, should I visit Chamchuri, or go to Samut Prakan? Any guidance, or even recommendations for reliable visa agents, would be much appreciated! Thank you all in advance!

Hello everyone, I was wondering if anyone could recommend specific agencies that handle marriage visas in the Samut Prakan or Bangkok area. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

I’ve been thinking, and now I’m wondering: due to my time constraints, would it be possible to first apply for an extension based on retirement (since it seems easier), and then switch to a marriage visa while on that extension? Also, are there any agencies or consultants who can assist with this process and provide guidance? Thanks again!

Thank you, Recom, So, if I understand correctly, I should apply for an extension of my current stay based on marriage, rather than applying for a completely new marriage visa. This can be done without leaving the country - or at least, that’s my understanding. The challenge is timing. My company may cancel my current visa within a month or so, although they weren’t clear on the exact timeframe. That might not give me enough time to gather all the necessary documentation for the marriage extension. I visited the Samut Prakan immigration office, and they provided me with the attached list (which I translated using Google). Since I was married in Europe, obtaining the marriage certificate here is quite a lengthy process. I also understand that if I can't get the marriage extension while my current visa is still valid, I may need to leave the country, return on a temporary tourist visa, and then apply for a new marriage visa. Does that sound accurate? Thanks again for your reply!

Hello Rob, Thank you very much for your response, and apologies for not replying earlier. My employment has already been terminated, but my employer is holding off on canceling my WP for about another week. They've also mentioned that they could delay canceling the visa extension for about another month, though I’m not entirely clear on how that process works. Based on the preliminary information I received from the immigration office, the Non-O based on retirement does seem like a much easier option. To apply for the one based on marriage, I would need, among other things, a marriage certificate (translated and legalized), which is quite a lengthy process (we married in Europe). For this reason, I’m leaning towards applying for the retirement-based Non-O. My question is: if I switch to a Non-O based on retirement and later receive a job offer, would it be possible to then switch to a Non-O based on marriage to be eligible to work? Or would I need to apply for a completely new visa? Regarding Thai Social Security, that's a good point. My company has been paying it, and I’m planning to continue. I visited the SSO, and they told me I have until the end of the year to make the payments. I’ve also started gathering the necessary documents to apply for the yellow book, which includes a birth certificate (quite a hassle to get). Thank you again for your help!

Thanks a lot, DrJack! I now understand that I need to change the reason for the extension, rather than applying for a new visa altogether. It seems that I should be able to do this without leaving the country: my current extension would need to be canceled by my employer, and then I could apply for a new extension based on retirement (or marriage). However, after reading the entire thread you linked, it seems the OP encountered issues with getting the extension approved in the end. I’m also wondering whether it would be better to apply for an extension based on retirement or marriage. Since I’m planning to search for new job opportunities, would either option affect my ability to work in the future? Lastly, if I do find new employment, could I switch back to a business extension, or would I need to apply for a new Non-B visa? Thanks again!

Hello @scoutman360 could you please update me about what happened next? I am about to go through the same process and would appreciate your feedback. Could you eventually get the extension or did you have to leave the country? Thanks!

Hello, I've been in Thailand for about a decade on a Non-B visa as an employee of a foreign company. I recently ended my employment and am planning to explore new job opportunities. In the meantime, I've been considering applying for either a marriage visa (as I'm married to a Thai citizen) or a retirement visa. I've visited the local immigration office in Samut Prakan a couple of times, but the information I've received has been somewhat incomplete and unclear. In your experience, what would be the best visa option in my situation?