HI,

A TVF member PM-ed me, asking whether it is time-wise still possible for him to change the reason for extending his long-standing OA Visa from retirement to marriage.

His present permission to stay from the OA retirement Visa extension expires 19 January 2020.

His local IO is situated in Udon, and he proved his financials previously by providing evidence of 800.000 THB in his bank-account.

 

The requirements on the immigration website for a Non Imm O Visa extension for reason of marriage

> https://www.immigration.go.th/content/service_18

don't mention anything about the time-frame for doing the application.

 

As it is not an extension of a previous marriage-extension, but would be a switch from retirement to marriage there might be a time-constraint for doing the actual application.

As mentioned higher he still has approx 3 weeks before his permission to stay expires.

And he still needs to collect all the specific marriage-related documents for his application.

 

Information / experience re the details/practicalities of doing such a conversion would be welcome.

No different than other extensions that is 30 day before or 45 days at some office up to the last day.

But best to do it close to the day the current one ends since the new one will start form the date of application instead of from day it ends.

39 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

As it is not an extension of a previous marriage-extension, but would be a switch from retirement to marriage there might be a time-constraint for doing the actual application.

He can always get a 60 day extension to stay with his Thai wife (if he needs more time to prepare) but...

 

Has he already asked them about applying for an extension based upon a Thai spouse (without having to leave Thailand)?  If so, what did they say? 

 

I believe you said he is applying at the Udon Thani Immigration Office.  From what I understand, my local Office (Chiang Khan) is under the Udon Thani jurisdiction (big bot) and I have been told that I must leave LOS to kill my O-A and then re-enter on either a new Non-O or a visa exempt status to apply for an extension based upon marriage to a Thai.

 

Interested to know what they say and how it goes, thanks Peter!

18 minutes ago, MeePeeMai said:

I believe you said he is applying at the Udon Thani Immigration Office.  From what I understand, my local Office (Chiang Khan) is under the Udon Thani jurisdiction (big bot) and I have been told that I must leave LOS to kill my O-A and then re-enter on either a new Non-O or a visa exempt status to apply for an extension based upon marriage to a Thai.

Possibly the implementation of Health Insurance proof being required is being implemented differently by different offices?

 

I note the Thai Visa thread noted below where user "TwentyBaht" posted about a successful EXTENSION based on MARRIAGE on a Type-OA visa.   TwentyBaht noted being on a Type-OA since arriving in Thailand in year 2007.   Originally they typically extended for reason of retirement until two years ago and then they switched and extended for reason of marriage.  Their third marriage extension was done this month (December-2019). And, no Health insurance requirement was asked for or even mentioned. This was done in Chiang Rai Province.   ... 

 

Has the 'rule' for being able to change an extension from "RETIREMENT" to "MARRIAGE" also changed with the new proof of Health Insurance requirement (for those originally on a Type-OA)?  

 

It would surprise (and disappoint) me if the 'rule' has changed.  I suspect instead different Immigration Offices interpret differently what is permitted in the rules.

 

 

Applied for my Permission to Stay yesterday at Udonthani and made the switch from O-A Retirement to O-A Marriage. All and I mean ALL the paper work was accepted and now have a waiting approval stamp in passport and to return 13 Feb.  My last permission to stay ended 19 Jan, so waited as Ubonjoe recommended. So a little time spent saved me from buying useless insurance, thanks to Peter Denis and Ubonjoe.