Must a Thai wife concur to change an extension based on marriage to one based on retirement?

[The Honeybadger]

I have a Non-O visa extension based on marriage to a Thai wife.  However, my wife and I are currently having difficulties with our marriage.  She doesn't want to accompany me to my IO when it's time to renew the extension.  Can I unilaterally change my extension to retirement at the IO without my wife's presence or concurrence?

[ubonjoe]

Some offices will want your wife to know about and approve of the change to a retirement exension.

[AndyAndyAndy]

What about doing a quick run to Laos (which would cancel your current visa), ask for a new non-o visa there, come back and extend them based on age?

[transam]

4 minutes ago, AndyAndyAndy said:

What about doing a quick run to Laos (which would cancel your current visa), ask for a new non-o visa there, come back and extend them based on age?

Borders are closed....

[JackThompson]

9 minutes ago, transam said:

Borders are closed....

Yes, but have until July 31 to get out, if the intention is to "start over" with a fresh visa-entry.

[ubonjoe]

A off topic post and a reply it it have been removed.

[Maestro]

18 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

Yes, but have until July 31 to get out, if the intention is to "start over" with a fresh visa-entry.

 

I have difficulty understanding what you mean with this post.

[JackThompson]

39 minutes ago, Maestro said:

I have difficulty understanding what you mean with this post.

If the poster cannot get another extension based on retirement, before his current extension based on marriage ends, he can go out for a new Visa based on retirement up to July 31.  No one will be hit with "overstay" if they leave by July 31. 

 

Hopefully the borders are open by July 31.  If the borders are NOT open by then, who knows what will happen - longer "automatic extensions," or ???

 

There is some debate over whether one can continue an ongoing series of 1-year extensions-of-stay if not applying before their current extension expires.  Some offices seem to be allowing late applications, but I would not advise assuming this. 

 

Best thing to do - try to just switch to retirement-based, before the current extension ends, w/o the uncooperative wife.  If the IO will not allow it, then the only other option is to go out for a new visa.

[wobblyjohn]

I did mine on my own some years ago in Pattaya without the wife not because we were splitting up but because I turned 50 and it was easier to renew each year

 

[Tracyb]

Perhaps a visa agent in your area could assist with information based on knowledge of the local IO.....

[thesetat2013]

20 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Some offices will want your wife to know about and approve of the change to a retirement exension.

I changed mine years ago and did not have to inform or have wife talk with immigration. It's a simple process if you have the money in the bank and immigration seems to prefer you having the retirement visa instead because there is less paperwork. You don't need to leave the country to change it over also. Just go to your local immigration office with the proper documents and ask them to change it. 

[Surasak]

I did mine a few years ago at KK on my own. My wife got fed up with the very rude questions and suggestions from the IO. However, that miserable s-d has since retired.

[Peter Denis]

21 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Some offices will want your wife to know about and approve of the change to a retirement extension.

I trust you are correct, but I cannot think of any reason why some IOs might want the consent and approval of your wife, to switch to a retirement-extension.

Any idea what could be the thinking behind this?

[ubonjoe]

8 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

Any idea what could be the thinking behind this?

Mostly due to the financial requirements being higher. By law the money is 50% hers. Tying up 800k baht could result in financial difficulties for example.

Also they might want confirmation that are still married and living together as husband and wife. If they had divorced the extension he was changing from would be gone already.

[Bangkok Barry]

Ask the uncooperative wife who pays the bills. And if it is you then tell her if she wants that to continue then she needs to accompany you. If it comes down to money it is amazing how cooperative people become.

[Max69xl]

20 hours ago, AndyAndyAndy said:

What about doing a quick run to Laos (which would cancel your current visa), ask for a new non-o visa there, come back and extend them based on age?

The borders are closed. Have you missed that?

[Peter Denis]

6 minutes ago, Max69xl said:

The borders are closed. Have you missed that?

Obviously the poster was referring to doing this once the borders are open again, and till then his present permission to stay is automatically extended.

And as @JackThompson pointed out in his fully correct post #8, he should only go that road if it turns out that his local IO is unwilling to change his 1-year permission to stay from marriage to retirement, when his permission to stay is due to expire.

He should of course also be aware that the financial requirements for a 1-year extension of stay for reason of retirement, require that he kept 800K in his personal thai bank-account during the first 3 and last 2 months of the preceding 12 months, and that he did not go under 400K during the intermediate 7 months.

[KMartinHandyman]

Didn’t involve my wife to switch. Fill out the forms and get in the qué. 

[Sumarianson]

No, I have done it in Changwattana.