Marriage Extension - How early to renew?

[Formaleins]

Just enquiring if this year anything has changed with the immigration system or not regarding earliest time to renew 1 year marriage extension. I did mine last time and was told I can do it up to 45 days before the previous extension expires, however, I could only find one post from some Thai lawyers online and they were saying 15 DAYS BEFORE! I had never heard that before, but the way they blow with the wind then it is anyone's guess.

 

Thanks.

[ubonjoe]

No change to how early you can do it. If you were told 45 days last year it is the same.

I think the 15 days before was for doing a application for a non immigrant visa at immigration not for an extension,

[Formaleins]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

No change to how early you can do it. If you were told 45 days last year it is the same.

I think the 15 days before was for doing a application for a non immigrant visa at immigration not for an extension,

Many thanks, appreciated!

[Formaleins]

There is another issue that has popped up when I was trying to find out about how early I can reapply - The same website (the one that said 15 days) also said that immigration were now requiring that for the marriage extension, the 400K needs to be shown again after the "under consideration" period. Do you know if this is true?

 

My current extension ends 1st March, normally I would apply for my extension end of January and they usually stamp me to return on 1st April - Why would I need to keep the 400K until April? I can understand it needing to be in the bank at the time the renewal is due on the 1st March, which is fair enough. 

 

According to the immigration bureau, the 400K is supposed to be there to "support" the Thai family... but it looks more like it is there to support the Thai banks if this is the case. These people just seem to make up these rules as an ad hoc tag on to the actual police / immigration rules. Every year there is a new hoop to jump through for the performing foreigner, and each one of these immigration offices seems to be able to make up their own rules as and when they feel like it, there must be some sort of standard that they have to be made to follow?

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, Formaleins said:

There is another issue that has popped up when I was trying to find out about how early I can reapply - The same website (the one that said 15 days) also said that immigration were now requiring that for the marriage extension, the 400K needs to be shown again after the "under consideration" period. Do you know if this is true?

Not all offices are requiring proof it is still in the bank at the end of the under consideration period. Some Division Level offices have directed offices under them to check it since they are the ones that approve the application.

It started after they changed the rules for retirement to make it more difficult for agents or people to borrow the money.

It appears the 30 days for the report back date is started from the end of your current extension. You could apply closer to the date your extension ends to reduce the wait time if your office want the check at the end of the 30 days.

 

[Formaleins]

8 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Not all offices are requiring proof it is still in the bank at the end of the under consideration period. Some Division Level offices have directed offices under them to check it since they are the ones that approve the application.

It started after they changed the rules for retirement to make it more difficult for agents or people to borrow the money.

It appears the 30 days for the report back date is started from the end of your current extension. You could apply closer to the date your extension ends to reduce the wait time if your office want the check at the end of the 30 days.

 

Thanks, but Chiang Mai (at least last year) make the under consideration 30 days from the expiry date. Problem is I need to get all of my paperwork in order ASAP as I need to get back to the UK as soon as possible as my mother is dying, so it is a bit of a balancing act trying to get everything in place to make sure I don't end up voiding my extension. So I need to get my extension in place ASAP, then hopefully be able to get a re entry permit that will cover me until the end of the under consideration period if that is possible. Everything is up in the air at the moment so I just want to be able to get all of this visa hassle out of the way as fast as possible.

[BritManToo]

29 minutes ago, Formaleins said:

Thanks, but Chiang Mai (at least last year) make the under consideration 30 days from the expiry date. Problem is I need to get all of my paperwork in order ASAP as I need to get back to the UK as soon as possible as my mother is dying, so it is a bit of a balancing act trying to get everything in place to make sure I don't end up voiding my extension. So I need to get my extension in place ASAP, then hopefully be able to get a re entry permit that will cover me until the end of the under consideration period if that is possible. Everything is up in the air at the moment so I just want to be able to get all of this visa hassle out of the way as fast as possible.

If it were me, now, I'd go back and see my mom, and just forget about extensions.

Sadly I didn't think that at the time and missed my chance.

[Formaleins]

5 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

If it were me, now, I'd go back and see my mom, and just forget about extensions.

Sadly I didn't think that at the time and missed my chance.

I know what you mean but I have family here too and I really cannot afford to mess this up as I am not as financially flexible as I used to be. (To be honest, I really do not even want to go back in this situation, I will not be able to stay indefinitely, and having to get on a flight back to Thailand when we both know that the next time I see her is probably going to be in a box.

[BritManToo]

Just now, Formaleins said:

I know what you mean but I have family here too and I really cannot afford to mess this up as I am not as financially flexible as I used to be. (To be honest, I really do not even want to go back in this situation, I will not be able to stay indefinitely, and having to get on a flight back to Thailand when we both know that the next time I see her is probably going to be in a box.

I'd go back until it was all over, no matter what it cost, you've only got one mom.

[ubonjoe]

57 minutes ago, Formaleins said:

Everything is up in the air at the moment so I just want to be able to get all of this visa hassle out of the way as fast as possible.

You could apply for a 60 day extension to visit your wife and then a re-entry permit for it. Have you ever applied for one since only one can be done per entry with a visa.

Then apply for the one year extension when your return.

[Formaleins]

4 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I'd go back until it was all over, no matter what it cost, you've only got one mom.

In theory....but I doubt the airlines would agree with that if you didn't have the cash to pay for the ticket! - (HSBC credit card is not working here at the moment so I am trying to fix that. Plus, unfortunately I wasn't able to see into the future at the time I did a bank transfer for my 400K, which I basically transferred the absolute MINIMUM to meet the extension due to the terrible exchange rates, which was almost 3 months back, so I was not able to foresee my old lady getting terminal cancer. There is no easy way around it, but she is not going to get better whatever happens and it is a bit pragmatic, but when all is said and done, I have to come back and look after my family here. A bit of a catch 22!

[Formaleins]

21 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You could apply for a 60 day extension to visa and a re-entry permit for it. Have you ever applied for one since only one can be done per entry with a visa.

Then apply for the one year extension when your return.

No, this I don't really understand? I haven't had a re entry since 2015..... how does this work? Thanks. ( am on a yearly marriage extension and have been for 15 years)

[ubonjoe]

20 minutes ago, Formaleins said:

No, this I don't really understand? I haven't had a re entry since 2015..... how does this work? Thanks. ( am on a yearly marriage extension and have been for 15 years)

I asked since some people have done one and tried to get another one. Some for the 90 day entry done years ago.

You would just apply for the 60 day extension that will start at the end of your current extension. Your wife will need to be with you when you apply. Copies of your marriage certificate and your wife's house book registry.

[Formaleins]

1 minute ago, ubonjoe said:

I asked since some people have done one and tried to get another one. Some for the 90 day entry done years ago.

You would just apply for the 60 day extension that will start at the end of your current extension. Your wife will need to be with you when you apply. Copies of your marriage certificate and your wife's house book registry.

Thank you for your help. So are you saying that we can get another 60 days breathing space tagged on to my current extension along with a re entry permit to match? - how does this work with the 400K in the bank? Is it timed from the day I apply for the 60 day extension, the original 2 months seasoning...  I realize I need to get back to the UK, but I also realize I need to keep everything legal here too. Thanks for your help!

[thequietman]

1 hour ago, Formaleins said:

I know what you mean but I have family here too and I really cannot afford to mess this up as I am not as financially flexible as I used to be. (To be honest, I really do not even want to go back in this situation, I will not be able to stay indefinitely, and having to get on a flight back to Thailand when we both know that the next time I see her is probably going to be in a box.

 ,,,,,,,,,,, and then, you need to spend more money to go back for the funeral. ????

 

If I am honest, if either of my parents died, I would just like to tell the members of the family to plant them without me. That's not my parents in that box anymore and I would much rather have my fond memories of how they used to look.

[ubonjoe]

9 minutes ago, Formaleins said:

So are you saying that we can get another 60 days breathing space tagged on to my current extension along with a re entry permit to match?

Yes

9 minutes ago, Formaleins said:

how does this work with the 400K in the bank? Is it timed from the day I apply for the 60 day extension, the original 2 months seasoning... 

The 400k baht will still need to be in the bank for 2 months on the day you apply for the one year extension near the end of the 60 day extension.

[Formaleins]

1 minute ago, thequietman said:

 ,,,,,,,,,,, and then, you need to spend more money to go back for the funeral. ????

 

If I am honest, if either of my parents died, I would just like to tell the members of the family to plant them without me. That's not my parents in that box anymore and I would much rather have my fond memories of how they used to look.

Totally agree. My old man died at 58, heart attack, but just died watching a movie on TV on a Sunday afternoon - I felt pretty <deleted> and cheated at the time, but over the years, I have realized just how good it must be to just be here one minute and die peacefully sleeping the next. This drawn out death sentence is a real killer for the families as well as those that are dying. I often think I would like to know my day and time so I could prepare, but when you see the hell it puts everyone through, i'd rather have a bottle of whisky and a pint of Morphine.

[Formaleins]

2 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Yes

The 400k baht will still need to be in the bank for 2 months on the day you apply for the one year extension near the end of the 60 day extension.

Many thanks Joe, appreciated. I can sort that out, should be OK. I will try for my yearly extension tomorrow or Thursday and if that is pear shaped I will try this 60 day malarkey.

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, Formaleins said:

In theory....but I doubt the airlines would agree with that if you didn't have the cash to pay for the ticket! - (HSBC credit card is not working here at the moment so I am trying to fix that. Plus, unfortunately I wasn't able to see into the future at the time I did a bank transfer for my 400K, which I basically transferred the absolute MINIMUM to meet the extension due to the terrible exchange rates, which was almost 3 months back, so I was not able to foresee my old lady getting terminal cancer. There is no easy way around it, but she is not going to get better whatever happens and it is a bit pragmatic, but when all is said and done, I have to come back and look after my family here. A bit of a catch 22!

Well, good luck with whatever you decide.