Family Add-ons to Retirement Visa?

[jst]

I will be 50 yrs. old in December. I am an American. When can I apply for the Retirement Visa (I heard one month prior to turning 50 yrs). Can I add my wife (an American) and my American children who live here in Thailand with me? I know that for Non-Immigrant B (work permit) visas, the holder can add spouse and children.We did that in the past. What about with the Retirement Visa? Thanks.

[ubonjoe]

You cannot apply for a visa or extension of stay based upon retirement until your 50th birthday or after. There is no 30 days before allowance.

After you have applied for the the extension your family members can apply for extensions based upon yours.

You and your family members must have non immigrant visa entries to apply for the extensions.

[rwill]

http://www.thaiconsulatela.org/service_visa_detail.aspx?link_id=48

 

 1. A foreign national whose age is 50 years or above. (on the date of submitting the application)

 

If the applicant's spouse will be accompanying him or her, a copy of the applicant's valid marriage certificate must be presented as supporting documentation.  If the applicant's spouse is not qualified for the retirement visa (e.g. not age 50+), the spouse will be considered for the Non-Immigrant Visa Type “O” or Temporary Residents.
 

[Tanoshi]

30 minutes ago, rwill said:

http://www.thaiconsulatela.org/service_visa_detail.aspx?link_id=48

 

 1. A foreign national whose age is 50 years or above. (on the date of submitting the application)

 

If the applicant's spouse will be accompanying him or her, a copy of the applicant's valid marriage certificate must be presented as supporting documentation.  If the applicant's spouse is not qualified for the retirement visa (e.g. not age 50+), the spouse will be considered for the Non-Immigrant Visa Type “O” or Temporary Residents.
 

I think the OP is enquiring about an extension based on retirement (Thai Immigration), rather than a Visa (Thai Embassy/Consulate), based on the fact he states, 'Can I add my wife (an American) and my American children who live here in Thailand with me?'.

[smotherb]

1 hour ago, rwill said:

http://www.thaiconsulatela.org/service_visa_detail.aspx?link_id=48

 

 1. A foreign national whose age is 50 years or above. (on the date of submitting the application)

 

If the applicant's spouse will be accompanying him or her, a copy of the applicant's valid marriage certificate must be presented as supporting documentation.  If the applicant's spouse is not qualified for the retirement visa (e.g. not age 50+), the spouse will be considered for the Non-Immigrant Visa Type “O” or Temporary Residents.
 

Yeah, that website rather complicates what has been said on TV many times. That there is no retirement visa, it is a retirement extension. The Royal Thai Consulate site specifically refers to a  "Non-Immigrant O-A Retirement/Long-Stay Visa."  So, it appears there is such a visa, just that it can be extended each year rather than needing a new visa.

 

However, as you state, a spouse under 50 cannot qualify for this "retirement" visa, they can qualify for the Non-Immigrant O visa and still piggyback on the eligible spouse's retirement application.

 

My wife and I are on our twelfth such "retirement" arrangement and she was under 50 for the first few of them. I am not aware of the process with dependent children, but imagine it would be similar.

 

We've only encountered two hassles for her piggybacking with me. Twice the IOs wanted us to show B130k/mo, B65k for each of us, which my income statement already showed--however, there is no such requirement that each partner in a marriage retirement must have the minimum money. This last time, the IO's wanted a current copy of our marriage certificate; it seems the one we had used for eleven previous extensions was too old. Funny, I guess we had been married too long for them. However, what they wanted was a more recent notarized copy. So we got it.  

[jst]

Thanks for the information! I went to the consulate link and found the write up. Still not sure about my children; the website does not address this. I will inquire further. Thanks!

[ubonjoe]

9 hours ago, jst said:

Thanks for the information! I went to the consulate link and found the write up. Still not sure about my children; the website does not address this. I will inquire further. Thanks!

The non-o visa in general terms is for visiting family. Your wife and children would be entering the country to be with you. It is shown on this page of the LA consulate website. http://www.thaiconsulatela.org/service_visa_detail.aspx?link_id=34 For them to apply you would first have to have a non-o or a non-oa visa or a extension of stay.

For their extensions of stay it is in the police order for extension of stay clause 2.20. Your extension of stay for retirement is under clause 2.22.

 

 

[jst]

Thanks, Ubonjoe. That answers alot of questions. I have a few months to sort it all out. I appreciate your help.