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Changing O-A to "Marriage visa" in Thailand

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I have been married to my Thai wife one year, and want to convert my "retirement visa" to a "marriage visa" without leaving the country. Is this possible. I've always had the impression that it is. Thought I'd check with  expats before I go to my immigration office. If you've done this I'd appreciate your feedback.

Yes I have done this in my 2nd year, i.e. the 1st year when I applied for the marriage visa, immigration told me to get a retirement visa as it was easier and could be done on the spot, instead of being sent to Bangkok which I would have to wait for a month and I needed more documents.

 

I didn't like it, but took it on board, the following year I did the conversion, they didn't like it as they had to come to our place and get a photo taken with us, an hour 20 drive from immigration office, although they did ask for and receive 1,500 baht for petrol....lol

You cannot change visas within the country. 

But it is possible to change the reason for your extension of stay based upon retirement to one based upon marriage.

 

  • Author

Ubonjoe, if I change to the "extension of stay" for marriage will I still need health insurance?

you need go out the country the last month without re entry permit and kill your visa OA, and come back one day or 2 later or a week with exempt stamp if for your nationality ok,after 15 days go to immigration and change to NON O 90 days,after 60 days extend 1 year marriage,but ask also to the IO if i caccept this,i think so, confirmation ubonjoe.

you can switch in the country but your basis visa OA will stay and they can say that you need insurance because stay on OA

 

12 minutes ago, mhortig said:

Ubonjoe, if I change to the "extension of stay" for marriage will I still need health insurance?

No

There is no requirement for insurance for a extension based upon marriage. Same for retirement extensions in my opinion.

10 minutes ago, vivananahuahin said:

you can switch in the country but your basis visa OA will stay and they can say that you need insurance because stay on OA

 

How?

It is not written in the clause of the police order for extensions based upon marriage.

19 minutes ago, vivananahuahin said:

you need go out the country the last month without re entry permit and kill your visa OA, and come back one day or 2 later or a week with exempt stamp if for your nationality ok,after 15 days go to immigration and change to NON O 90 days,after 60 days extend 1 year marriage,but ask also to the IO if i caccept this,i think so, confirmation ubonjoe.

How can you kill a Non-OA that is already expired? Leaving the country would only make the extension of stay invalid.

If married to a Thai it would be best to go to a nearby embassy or consulate to get a single entry non-o visa rather than a visa exempt entry and go through the procedure of getting it at immigration.

Also you are wrong about the 15 daysw to apply for a non immigrant visa. You must have a least 15 days remaining on the entry to apply not wait for 15 days.

20 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

No

There is no requirement for insurance for a extension based upon marriage. Same for retirement extensions in my opinion.

But Ubonjoe I read the OP and he have got a O-A in the bottom and what I thought you have mentioned before, Retirement-extensions needs health-insurance if basis is a Non O-A....

 

Did I misunderstood you before, or now?? Grateful for explanation..

 

glegolo

Edited by glegolo

4 minutes ago, glegolo said:

Did I misunderstood you before, or now?

Before

I have been stating the same thing since day one. It is not required for extensions of stay based upon retirement.

Just now, ubonjoe said:

Before

I have been stating the same thing since day one. It is not required for extensions of stay based upon retirement.

Great, thank you UbonJoe,

 

so I can inform my friends who are asking me, that even though that they have an Non Immigrant O-A in the bottom, they will not be asked for a health insurtance when extending their or applying for, an extension of stay based on either marriage nor Retirement!!!

 

Thanks again,

glegolo

ubonjoe thank you for your opininon,i have an other one,is it possible via immigration office to switch from extension of OA visa to marriage extension visa and without problems  -- It can be done, BUT will still be based on your O-A Visa since that is the one you entered Thailand on. All long stay extensions for any purpose require the applicant to hold a Non-Immigrant Visa (any category). Thus, you can change the purpose for the extension, but the underlying Non-Immigrant Visa will be the same as used for previous extensions. So, to change the reason for extension without getting a new Non-Immigrant Visa with a different category than O-A may still require health insurance,i think really they are too much confusion and it is only the IO from your immigration office who can give his vieuw about this regulation or pilot project is very bad writed want they never speak about retroactive effect.

  • Author

If I have to go out of the country to get  O visa for marriage what documents are required. I've read that you might need a police clearance. How do I get that, and from where?  Also what country consulate is least hassle?

18 minutes ago, mhortig said:

If I have to go out of the country to get  O visa for marriage what documents are required. I've read that you might need a police clearance. How do I get that, and from where?  Also what country consulate is least hassle?

Marriage certificate plus a copy, copies of your wife's house book registry and ID card signed by her.

Police clearance is not needed anywhere.

Savannakhet and Vientiane are both good for a single entry non-o visa. Penang and KL require financial proof.

3 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Before

I have been stating the same thing since day one. It is not required for extensions of stay based upon retirement.

So this is NOT true then..... You really get me confused.... But I am still hoping that you are correct

 

glegolo

OA-Rules.thumb.jpg.fc8623b39fb330669bc161a24fa84ae4.jpg

14 minutes ago, glegolo said:

So this is NOT true then..... You really get me confused.... But I am still hoping that you are correct

It is a simple matter of people misreading it or mis understanding the reason for 2 and 6 being where they are. They are only in the police order to give immigration the authority to enforce the requirements on entry to the country for new OA visas.

4 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

It is a simple matter of people misreading it or mis understanding the reason for 2 and 6 being where they are. They are only in the police order to give immigration the authority to enforce the requirements on entry to the country for new OA visas.

Well english is not my first language, but I can clearly see in the policeorder I did enclose that the headline says; "Criteria for consideration of granting an alien´s Extension of stay"...

 

So Joe, this is clearly about Extension of stay in that police-order NOT new Immigrant O-A VISAS...... So I am still confused and do not know what to think about it....

 

glegolo

5 minutes ago, glegolo said:

So Joe, this is clearly about Extension of stay in that police-order NOT new Immigrant O-A VISAS...... So I am still confused and do not know what to think about it....

I have explained it dozens of time in the past month so I am done with it.

Did you notice its effective date of October 31st and no mention of it being retroactive.

1 minute ago, ubonjoe said:

I have explained it dozens of time in the past month so I am done with it.

Did you notice its effective date of October 31st and no mention of it being retroactive.

Alright got it...... or NOT really!! I really do believe you as you are almost always correct so I shall not press you anymore for an answer....

 

I will just say to people who asks, that it is still VERY unclear and that I have NOT seen anything sofar in writing, that says anything different than Non Immigrant O-A demands a health-insurance and an extension of stay based on retirement having an O-A in the bottom demands also an health-insurance.

 

glegolo

4 hours ago, glegolo said:

Great, thank you UbonJoe,

 

so I can inform my friends who are asking me, that even though that they have an Non Immigrant O-A in the bottom, they will not be asked for a health insurtance when extending their or applying for, an extension of stay based on either marriage nor Retirement!!!

 

 

The marriage extensions would appear to be safe...

 

The O-A based retirement extensions, not so safe, at least based on what various Immigration offices are doing right now, rightly or wrongly.

 

259560438_2019-11-1214_14_46.jpg.bedad37c03c263d04152aa12442bbf14.jpg

 

482737882_2019-11-1214_22_13.jpg.ddd2a343490772cfbe322ab80fb3cfe7.jpg

 

1880700488_CMReportofInsreqdforO-Aextensionofstay.jpg.49d73f76f507524fbc3162cb0fbb2fb6.jpg

On 11/12/2019 at 11:33 AM, ubonjoe said:

Before

I have been stating the same thing since day one. It is not required for extensions of stay based upon retirement.

I have a extension based on retirement due in a couple months and was told by Korat Immigration that I will need medical insurance.

1 hour ago, Rdrokit said:

I have a extension based on retirement due in a couple months and was told by Korat Immigration that I will need medical insurance.

 

Based on numerous reports/posts here, that's what Immigration Offices all around Thailand are telling people on retirement extensions of stay that date back to original O-A visas... 

 

Not to mention, that's also was the newly revised police order on requirements for retirement extensions pretty plainly says on its face...

 

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