Retirement Visa For Widow

[JetsetBkk]

My farang friend is ill and will not be with us much longer. His farang wife is here as a dependent on his retirement visa.

What is the simplest way for her to get a retirement visa for herself. She is over the 50 year age limit and has sufficient funds.

 

Sensible and thoughtful replies only, please.

 

[ubonjoe]

She can apply for the extension based upon retirement. If using 800k baht in the bank it would have to be there for 3 months.

She would change the reason for her extension to retirement after canceling her current extension when he passes on. She would need the death certificate or other proof so that her current extension extension can be canceled. 

[elviajero]

As long as she can meet the financial requirements herself she will be able to change to an extension based on retirement in her own right. It can be done at the local immigration office. She wouldn’t need to leave the country.

 

She might be able to make the change before death of her husband, but that would be down to the office she applied at.

[JetsetBkk]

3 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

She can apply for the extension based upon retirement. If using 800k baht in the bank it would have to be there for 3 months.

She would change the reason for her extension to retirement after canceling her current extension when he passes on. She would need the death certificate or other proof so that her current extension extension can be canceled. 

{Sorry for the late reply - been getting "Error 504 Bad Gateway" responses.}

 

It used to be the case (10 - 15 years ago?) that the 800,000 was needed only before the first extension. Then immigration added the "3 month" period.

 

So do today's rules mean that she would need to show the 800,000 in a bank account for three months (in her own name) before applying for the retirement visa? The actual money is not a problem, it is merely getting it in the right account at the right time to obtain the visa with least problems.

 

Thanks for any further info.

[JetsetBkk]

3 hours ago, elviajero said:

As long as she can meet the financial requirements herself she will be able to change to an extension based on retirement in her own right. It can be done at the local immigration office. She wouldn’t need to leave the country.

 

She might be able to make the change before death of her husband, but that would be down to the office she applied at.

Leaving the country was one of her big worries, especially if the "3 month" period is enforced.

[elviajero]

16 minutes ago, JetsetBkk said:

Leaving the country was one of her big worries, especially if the "3 month" period is enforced.

They might only require 60 days if it’s the first extension in her own right. And it’s possible, depending on circumstances, for them to waive the condition altogether.

 

It would be worth contacting the local office to confirm your friends options, and to transfer at least 800K into an account in her sole name, asap.

[ubonjoe]

10 hours ago, JetsetBkk said:

It used to be the case (10 - 15 years ago?) that the 800,000 was needed only before the first extension. Then immigration added the "3 month" period.

For the first extension it has to be in the bank for 60 days and after that it is 3 months. Immigration considers the first extension to be one for a new 90 day entry from a non-o visa. Since she is already on an extension they normally would not consider it her first extension.

That might make an exception in her case though. Only the local immigration office can confirm what will be needed.

[JetsetBkk]

15 hours ago, elviajero said:

They might only require 60 days if it’s the first extension in her own right. And it’s possible, depending on circumstances, for them to waive the condition altogether.

 

It would be worth contacting the local office to confirm your friends options, and to transfer at least 800K into an account in her sole name, asap.

re. 60 days or waiver... that would be nice.

 

re. transfer 800,000 ASAP, I had thought of that but, as you can imagine, it's not a subject that is easily brought up at the moment.

 

 

 

 

[JetsetBkk]

5 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

For the first extension it has to be in the bank for 60 days and after that it is 3 months. Immigration considers the first extension to be one for a new 90 day entry from a non-o visa. Since she is already on an extension they normally would not consider it her first extension.

That might make an exception in her case though. Only the local immigration office can confirm what will be needed.

Thanks for the explanation. I hadn't thought of her sole retirement visa being considered as an extension to her husband's retirement visa.

 

I know Rosalyn Andrade who used to be a volunteer at Phuket Immigration, so I will email her for advice on this subject.

 

Thanks for your input - much appreciated.