marriage extension

[anwa]

Is there anyone in chiang mai who has O-A visa from the beginning. There after several retirement extension. Changed to spouse extension after 2019 10 31 and got it approved?

[Munsterman]

I have exactly the same question....

[steve187]

there is a 30 day under consideration period after applying for a yearly 'married ' extension, so there will be very few if any that have been approved and stamped in the passport, as its only the 2nd today.

[jeffandgop]

I see this as a 2-part question:

 

1.  On 1 November 2019 and onwards, has CMM IM accept an application for an extension of stay based on marriage from an applicant who had previously applied and received approvals of annual extensions of stay based on retirement (i.e., based on their OA Visa by which the applicant originally entered Thailand)?  

(Reports abound that retirees are being told by IO's that they must leave Thailand and return for (90 days) entry on the basis of an O Visa based on marriage and begin the process to apply for an extension of stay based on marriage if the retiree does not have the required health insurance)

 

2.  Then the second part of the question is did the CMM IMM approve the extension of stay based on marriage; or if not, why?

 

Edited December 2, 2019 by jeffandgop

[JimGant]

If you haven't already, check this related thread (this involves CM Immigration):

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1136904-getting-rid-of-non-o-a-specific-case/page/4/?tab=comments#comment-14829935

 

[Peter Denis]

OP asked > Is there anyone in chiang mai who has O-A visa from the beginning. There after several retirement extension. Changed to spouse extension after 2019 10 31 and got it approved?

Imo there is no reason to limit the question to applications done after Oct 31.  On that day the new health-insurance requirement for Non Imm OA - retirement Visas became effective, but that should have no effect on how the conversion was done earlier and how it will be done now.

It is also not a change of Visa, but an application for extension of your stay based on the original OA Visa but for a different reason, i.e. marriage instead of retirement.

Edited December 6, 2019 by Peter Denis

[cnxgary]

So by doing so by altering ones extension based on retirement to a extension based on marriage avoid insurance?

[jeffandgop]

14 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

OP asked > Is there anyone in chiang mai who has O-A visa from the beginning. There after several retirement extension. Changed to spouse extension after 2019 10 31 and got it approved?

Imo there is no reason to limit the question to applications done after Oct 31.  On that day the new health-insurance requirement for Non Imm OA - retirement Visas became effective, but that should have no effect on how the conversion was done earlier and how it will be done now.

It is also not a change of Visa, but an application for extension of your stay based on the original OA Visa but for a different reason, i.e. marriage instead of retirement.

There IS a reason- the basis for the OP's Q and my elaboration- what have been ANY ACTUAL experiences after 31Oct this year when applying for an extension of stay based on marriage for those who have previously extended based on retirement..whether it should or should not have any effect IS NOT the question here

[jeffandgop]

8 hours ago, cnxgary said:

So by doing so by altering ones extension based on retirement to a extension based on marriage avoid insurance?

Yes

[jeffandgop]

16 hours ago, JimGant said:

If you haven't already, check this related thread (this involves CM Immigration):

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1136904-getting-rid-of-non-o-a-specific-case/page/4/?tab=comments#comment-14829935

 

I can't find a single report by an individual who has applied at CM Immigration based on the specific criteria of the question in this thread.

[saengd]

"Is there anyone in chiang mai who has O-A visa from the beginning. There after several retirement extension. Changed to spouse extension after 2019 10 31 and got it approved?"

 

As said in a separate thread: I have held an extension to an O-A visa based on retirement since 2005. An established CM agent confirmed this week that Immi. will allow me to change to an O visa extension based on marriage, without leaving the country and that is now work in progress. I guess this is possible because of the agents connections, I have no idea what would happen if I'd tried to do this directly, I imagine it would be disallowed. The cost is circa 15k, split between agent and Immi. fees, for that I will get a 30 days under review followed by one year.

[jeffandgop]

1 hour ago, saengd said:

"Is there anyone in chiang mai who has O-A visa from the beginning. There after several retirement extension. Changed to spouse extension after 2019 10 31 and got it approved?"

 

As said in a separate thread: I have held an extension to an O-A visa based on retirement since 2005. An established CM agent confirmed this week that Immi. will allow me to change to an O visa extension based on marriage, without leaving the country and that is now work in progress. I guess this is possible because of the agents connections, I have no idea what would happen if I'd tried to do this directly, I imagine it would be disallowed. The cost is circa 15k, split between agent and Immi. fees, for that I will get a 30 days under review followed by one year.

Directly from the retiree applicant is the question here...not agent nor what people think would happen if the retiree applied.....

[saengd]

1 minute ago, jeffandgop said:

Directly from the retiree applicant is the question here...not agent nor what people think would happen if the retiree applied.....

Excuse me Mr Moderator but I replied to the OP, not to anything you may have written!

[cnxgary]

So Saengd can you please post again as soon as you have done the change over to marriage extension we are all waiting to see whether or not your conversion avoids insurance. Your post referred to a fee of B15,000 and you will get 30 days under review followed by 1 year is that not a O visa?

[saengd]

10 minutes ago, cnxgary said:

So Saengd can you please post again as soon as you have done the change over to marriage extension we are all waiting to see whether or not your conversion avoids insurance. Your post referred to a fee of B15,000 and you will get 30 days under review followed by 1 year is that not a O visa?

Yes it is and yes I will.

[saengd]

On 12/7/2019 at 8:42 AM, saengd said:

Yes it is and yes I will.

 

On 12/7/2019 at 8:31 AM, cnxgary said:

So Saengd can you please post again as soon as you have done the change over to marriage extension we are all waiting to see whether or not your conversion avoids insurance. Your post referred to a fee of B15,000 and you will get 30 days under review followed by 1 year is that not a O visa?

I just returned from Immigration and my passport is now stamped as "under consideration" and I must return on 17 January to get stamped for the remainder of the twelve months, I'm using the cash in bank method. To reiterate:

 

I was issued with an O-A visa based on retirement in 2004 and my extension of stay has been extended every May since using the cash in bank method.

 

We married four weeks ago and used a well known/regarded visa agent in Chiang Mai to make the change.

 

I am told by the agent this is now a type O visa extension but I don't have any stamp to confirm that.

 

I have not left Thailand to accomplish the above.

 

There is no requirement for me to buy health insurance for my current extension.

 

The total cost was 8,900 baht, not the 15,000 baht I mentioned previously, this was my mistake, sorry.

[steve187]

57 minutes ago, saengd said:

 

I just returned from Immigration and my passport is now stamped as "under consideration" and I must return on 17 January to get stamped for the remainder of the twelve months, I'm using the cash in bank method. To reiterate:

 

I was issued with an O-A visa based on retirement in 2004 and my extension of stay has been extended every May since using the cash in bank method.

 

We married four weeks ago and used a well known/regarded visa agent in Chiang Mai to make the change.

 

I am told by the agent this is now a type O visa extension but I don't have any stamp to confirm that.

 

I have not left Thailand to accomplish the above.

 

There is no requirement for me to buy health insurance for my current extension.

 

The total cost was 8,900 baht, not the 15,000 baht I mentioned previously, this was my mistake, sorry.

you still have the extension based on an 'O''A' visa, but is now for 'married' and not 'retirement', so now insurance not required for 'married' extension.

[eyecatcher]

It appears from the above post that an agent is charging 8900bt for their role in sorting out a marriage extension?

I assume thats 7000bt plus the 1900bt fee to Immig.

 

What benefit are you getting by using them.

 

I went to photocopy  all my documents today cost me 15 minutes and 40bt.

 

An agent cannot take your personal photos cannot go to the bank to get your statements and cannot do the process without you and the wife.

 

7000bt vs 40bt ???

[saengd]

1 hour ago, eyecatcher said:

It appears from the above post that an agent is charging 8900bt for their role in sorting out a marriage extension?

I assume thats 7000bt plus the 1900bt fee to Immig.

 

What benefit are you getting by using them.

 

I went to photocopy  all my documents today cost me 15 minutes and 40bt.

 

An agent cannot take your personal photos cannot go to the bank to get your statements and cannot do the process without you and the wife.

 

7000bt vs 40bt ???

I met a fellow Brit in the British Embassy whilst we were waiting for our marriage letter, he was there for the same reason and we struck up a conversation, it turned out he lives not far away from us. Later we bumped into him and his wife at the Amphur on the same day and at the same time that we were getting married, what's the chances of that I wonder!

 

We discussed the merits of DIY vs using an agent, he had chosen the DIY route. We've stayed in touch since we met and he reports that he had to make two trips to Immi. because they asked him for documents that weren't on the list plus he arrived at CM Immi. at 6am and was still number 50 in the queue. After waiting a long time the officer said he'd filled out the wrong form and he had to start all over again, that meant a second visit to Immi. for the same purpose.

 

I won the race and reached the end of the process whereas he's still processing. It was worth it for me not to have to go to Immi. at 6 am and to avoid all the frustration of extra documents and incorrect forms, I've been there before on that score and it's very frustrating. Others may be luckier/more skilled and it all may work perfectly first time, it does happen, I didn't think that for the sake of 7k in agent fees it was worth the risk. As it turns out we spent 15 minutes in Immi. today, arriving at pre arranged time and ushered to sit in front of a very agreeable lady who rubber stamped stuff and made polite small talk, after which we left, job done. Each to their own, what works/appeals to one may or may not do so for others, I'm over 70 and am not inclined to be messed around by this kind of thing so agents fit well for me..

 

 

 

 

Edited December 18, 2019 by saengd

[cnxgary]

So,... You have done the impossible according to some "experts" who say one can not change from OA to O. within the Kingdom. A fee Of B7000 seems to have changed things.

[saengd]

6 hours ago, cnxgary said:

So,... You have done the impossible according to some "experts" who say one can not change from OA to O. within the Kingdom. A fee Of B7000 seems to have changed things.

For sure I have changed the basis of the extension of stay from retirement to marriage, I'm very sceptical however that the underlying visa on which the extension is based, has changed. I shall have to wait until the 30 days are up and I can see what appears in my passport, I will report back.

 

BTW a fee of 7k Baht is pretty much the standard charge in this neck of the woods to extend any long long stay visa.