Transferring from non-B visa to non-O visa/extension, keeping WP

[thatmanagain]

Hi all,

 

I've been working in Bangkok (non-teaching I.T job with a work permit) for a few years now, but have never bothered transferring to an extension of stay - I've just been applying for a fresh 12-month multiple-entry non-B in Penang every year, for which I show a ton of company paperwork and my existing WP.  British passport, in case that matters.

 

I married my Thai wife last year, and like the idea of transferring to a non-O/marriage extension, but obviously don't want to invalidate my work permit. What are my options?

 

Ideally I'd like to transfer from my non-B visa entry (not an extension) to a non-O extension (12 months?) here in Bangkok. But if that's not possible, I guess I'd leave the country to apply for either a 12-month multiple-entry non-O, or a 90-day single entry which I can turn into a 12-month extension at immigration in Bangkok. Would I have to wait for my existing non-B to expire first before applying?

 

Are 12-month multiple-entry non-O visas available at all regional embassies/consulates, or are they as rare as the 12-month multiple-entry non-B? I'd prefer a long-term visa to an extension, if possible - the fewer visits to Immigration, the better.

 

Can I use my existing salary (which is comfortably more than 40,000 THB/mo) as proof of income for the non-O, or do I need to transfer 400k into a Thai account?

 

If the latter, can that 400k be invested in bonds/stocks? Or at least a fixed-term deposit? I don't really fancy watching it rot away against inflation...

 

Thanks all in advance - I did search the forum and found a few related topics, but those seemed to all be about transferring from an extension, rather than a visa entry.

[ubonjoe]

You can work and get a work permit with a non-o visa or an extension of stay based upon marriage.

You could apply for the extension of stay based upon marriage by proving your income is equal to or greater than 40k baht by showing tax payments during the last 30 days of any the 90 day entries from your non-b visa.

You can get a multiple entry non-o visa based upon marriage in Savannakhet Laos with no financial proof. Or in Penang with proof of 40k baht income.

[BritTim]

As ubonjoe suggests, you could get a multiple entry Non O visa (and continue the same way as before) without any effect on your work permit. You could also get an extension of your permission to stay based on marriage to a Thai. In theory, you can do this from your existing non immigrant entry on the Non B, but some immigration offices will decide you cannot. As any rate, getting a single entry Non O (which you can do at many consulates) would not be a big deal if necessary.