Successful 60-day extension to visit wife (Bangkok)

[Huckfi]

Afternoon!

 

Just wanted to update about my mostly seamless and smooth experience in going from amnesty (originally on Tourist Visa with 30-day extension) to a 60-day extension to visit my wife as per number 24 here (thank you ubonjoe).

 

We originally got to Chaengwattana right after lunch on Tuesday, the building was not busy at all and there looked to only be a couple dozen people waiting throughout the counter areas inside. We spoke with a friendly immigration employee at the information desk who verified my passport was eligible and we had the correct papers, she then directed us to the new building at Muang Thong Thani (doh!), but that was fine because we wanted to eat there anyways. Just a heads up-Google Maps has the location but you're not able to travel the way it directs you as there's construction, I uploaded a rough map below, only took us 10 or so minutes to get there. We thought that we'd have to go to the counter K building (online appts. ONLY, no walk-in fyi), but after they again reviewed our paperwork directed us to the next building over to visit counter J, 3rd floor. We got there at close to 2 and guess what, we were the only ones there!!! The officials were super kind and in light moods, offered us some mints, a couple of the gals were even play dancing to some music they had on-it was glorious! We got walked through the whole process and they asked for the documents we expected...

 

• TM-7
• My passport and a copy of the bio page, arrival card, visa, and extension stamp.
• Original marriage certificate and copy (front and back)
• Original Kor Ror 2 and copy
• Copy of wife's ID
• Copy of wife's house book (which is where we live)
• Wife's family name change certificate copy
• Wife
• 1900 baht

 

They have a copy machine downstairs in case you need to do anything last minute, we didn't have a copy of her name change certificate but luckily had the original. Several minutes after all the documents were in order and I paid, my passport had a shiny new stamp allowing me to stay until NOV 25 which I have uploaded below (take note of the COVID notation, basically saying the Ministry had granted amnesty from April 7 to present for aliens due to the virus).

 

All in all, one of the most positive experiences in dealing with immigration despite the building mix up. It's amazing how painless the process can be when immigration is helpful and in good spirits, hope everyone that goes gets the same! Next will be the process for NON-O based on marriage as I was able to get a bank account today with the new stamp (went to over a dozen banks the last couple weeks and no manager would open an account without a current stamp.)

 

Cheers!

[BritManToo]

3 minutes ago, Huckfi said:

my passport had a shiny new stamp allowing me to stay until NOV 25 which I have uploaded below (take note of the COVID notation, basically saying the Ministry had granted amnesty from April 7 to present for aliens due to the virus).

 

All in all, one of the most positive experiences in dealing with immigration despite the building mix up. It's amazing how painless the process can be when immigration is helpful and in good spirits,

How happy will you be when the rest of us get another free extension until the end of the year, and you've wasted your one and only 60 day extension?

[bestie]

 

3 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

How happy will you be when the rest of us get another free extension until the end of the year, and you've wasted your one and only 60 day extension?

Don't be like that. ????  He is happy and that's ok. Don't become a TV whinging pom, say: Congratulations Huckfi.

 

Congratulations Huckfi.

Enjoy your stay. 

[DrJack54]

OP, well done.

Just out of interest, during the 60 days is your plan to obtain non o marriage and then annual extension?

[Huckfi]

11 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

OP, well done.

Just out of interest, during the 60 days is your plan to obtain non o marriage and then annual extension?

 

Yep, that's the plan! Pretty much got the stamp in order to open a bank account and start the process. I should've mentioned that when we spoke with each person along the way they had no idea about the "free stamp" that would give stay until SEP 26, so taking into account BritManToo's irrelevant comment, 1900 baht for peace of mind, the opportunity to finally open a bank account since amnesty started, and thus the start of a NON-O, it was well worth it.

 

Edit: We also wanted to open a joint bank account to further our supporting evidence of marriage for her US immigration visa we plan to file shortly as well, so another bonus ????

[greggraham]

Was your +30 extension the regular one or the embassy letter one? Just wondering it it makes a difference. 
 

glad it went well! 

[Huckfi]

2 minutes ago, greggraham said:

Was your +30 extension the regular one or the embassy letter one? Just wondering it it makes a difference. 
 

glad it went well! 

 

It was a regular one. And thank you!

[DrJack54]

11 minutes ago, Huckfi said:

We also wanted to open a joint bank account

Again well done. Weight off your mind.

Sound like you have all bases covered. I just highlighted your "open a joint bank acc" comment.

This guy has posted clear details of financials for your plan. @Peter Denis

Personally I would choose money in bank method if possible.

[Peter Denis]

@Huckfi

Thanks for the report, and glad to see that MTT provided your 60-day extension of stay starting from 27 Sept (til 25 Nov).  And that they not used the 'day of application' (reason some applicants are waiting for the final days of the Amnesty to apply).

 

So your next step will be opening a Bank Account, as you need a personal thai bank-account (not a joint one with your wife) to provide evidence of your financials when applying for the 90-day Non Imm O Visa for reason of marriage.

You need to apply for that Visa with at least 15 days (some offices even require 23 days) left on your permission to stay, so in your case Wednesday 11 November (or 3 Nov) being the dead-line for application.  But obviously it is recommended to do the application a few days earlier in case your application is not complete so that you still have time to get hold of any missing documents IO might require. 

 

There are several options to meet the financial requirements for that 90-day Non Imm O Visa application for reason of marriage.

> The 'cheapest' being the Embassy issued income-letter stating that your have monthly foreign income of at least +40K.  However, when being a citizen of US, UK or Australia your Embassy does not issue those income letters anymore. 

But if you are from another nationality, you can use that income letter and normally it will be accepted without any further questions asked.  Sometimes the immigration officer handling your application might ask you to provide evidence of the SOURCE of that income (which is basically the same evidence you showed the Embassy staff on which basis they issued the income letter).

> The 'easiest' method (if you are not eligible for the Embassy issued income letter) is the 400K funds-in-bank method.  You would need to provide evidence that the funds have been seasoned for two months on your personal thai bank-account, at the moment of application.  No need to prove their foreign origins or the source of those funds.  So your bank pass-book  (updated on date of application) would already provide evidence of the above.

Note: You would need to keep the 400K on your thai bank-account also during the under consideration period, but you are free to use the funds as you please once you got the 1-year permission to stay stamp in your passport.  And you would only need to top up again to 400K two months before the day of application for your next 1-year extension of stay.

> The 'difficult' method being the 40K monthly income transfer method.  Only if you are not able to keep 400K on your personal thai bank-account for 2 months + the 3-4 weeks till you receive the 1-year permission to stay stamp, would I recommend that method.

PM me if your finances do not allow you to use the 400K method, and that you are considering that 40K monthly income transfer method.  There are many caveats and hoops connected with using that method, so don't want to go in detail when you are not considering it.

 

[Zategnenc]

Hi everyone.

I see they wanted the certificate of wifes family name change. U need that also? My wife still has her own family name. Didnt need that one when i did my Non imm visa. 

Thanks 

[Peter Denis]

24 minutes ago, Zategnenc said:

Hi everyone.

I see they wanted the certificate of wifes family name change. U need that also? My wife still has her own family name. Didnt need that one when i did my Non imm visa. 

Thanks 

You only need that certificate of your wife's family name change, if she did in fact change her name.  If she did not change her family name to yours, her Thai ID-card will still be a full match with her name on the Kor Ror 3 and Kor Ror 2 documents, so then no need for that.

[Zategnenc]

6 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

You only need that certificate of your wife's family name change, if she did in fact change her name.  If she did not change her family name to yours, her Thai ID-card will still be a full match with her name on the Kor Ror 3 and Kor Ror 2 documents, so then no need for that.

Peter thanks so much 

[BritTim]

5 hours ago, BritManToo said:

How happy will you be when the rest of us get another free extension until the end of the year, and you've wasted your one and only 60 day extension?

He is intending to get a one-year extension of stay starting in November for 1,900 baht. I am sure being able to do that will make him very happy if the gamble others are taking every couple of months on an amnesty extension ever fails.

[BritManToo]

6 hours ago, Huckfi said:

Edit: We also wanted to open a joint bank account to further our supporting evidence of marriage for her US immigration visa we plan to file shortly as well, so another bonus ????

Don't put the 400k money for your extension funding in a joint bank account, it isn't accepted.

Bank account in your name only.

[playboy]

5 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

@Huckfi

Thanks for the report, and glad to see that MTT provided your 60-day extension of stay starting from 27 Sept (til 25 Nov).  And that they not used the 'day of application' (reason some applicants are waiting for the final days of the Amnesty to apply).

 

So your next step will be opening a Bank Account, as you need a personal thai bank-account (not a joint one with your wife) to provide evidence of your financials when applying for the 90-day Non Imm O Visa for reason of marriage.

You need to apply for that Visa with at least 15 days (some offices even require 23 days) left on your permission to stay, so in your case Wednesday 11 November (or 3 Nov) being the dead-line for application.  But obviously it is recommended to do the application a few days earlier in case your application is not complete so that you still have time to get hold of any missing documents IO might require. 

 

There are several options to meet the financial requirements for that 90-day Non Imm O Visa application for reason of marriage.

> The 'cheapest' being the Embassy issued income-letter stating that your have monthly foreign income of at least +40K.  However, when being a citizen of US, UK or Australia your Embassy does not issue those income letters anymore. 

But if you are from another nationality, you can use that income letter and normally it will be accepted without any further questions asked.  Sometimes the immigration officer handling your application might ask you to provide evidence of the SOURCE of that income (which is basically the same evidence you showed the Embassy staff on which basis they issued the income letter).

> The 'easiest' method (if you are not eligible for the Embassy issued income letter) is the 400K funds-in-bank method.  You would need to provide evidence that the funds have been seasoned for two months on your personal thai bank-account, at the moment of application.  No need to prove their foreign origins or the source of those funds.  So your bank pass-book  (updated on date of application) would already provide evidence of the above.

Note: You would need to keep the 400K on your thai bank-account also during the under consideration period, but you are free to use the funds as you please once you got the 1-year permission to stay stamp in your passport.  And you would only need to top up again to 400K two months before the day of application for your next 1-year extension of stay.

> The 'difficult' method being the 40K monthly income transfer method.  Only if you are not able to keep 400K on your personal thai bank-account for 2 months + the 3-4 weeks till you receive the 1-year permission to stay stamp, would I recommend that method.

PM me if your finances do not allow you to use the 400K method, and that you are considering that 40K monthly income transfer method.  There are many caveats and hoops connected with using that method, so don't want to go in detail when you are not considering it.

 

Hi, I am in the same situation and have 60 days extension of stay.  Which will be expired on 25 November.  I'm going to apply for retiree visa next month after my bank deposit money reach 2 months.  Do I need to apply first for 90 day retiree visa?  or can I apply for 1 year retiree?  Is that obligation to apply for 90 days first before I can apply for 1 year?   Thank you.

[BritTim]

2 hours ago, playboy said:

Hi, I am in the same situation and have 60 days extension of stay.  Which will be expired on 25 November.  I'm going to apply for retiree visa next month after my bank deposit money reach 2 months.  Do I need to apply first for 90 day retiree visa?  or can I apply for 1 year retiree?  Is that obligation to apply for 90 days first before I can apply for 1 year?   Thank you.

If you are here on a tourist visa or visa exempt entry, you first need the "conversion visa" so you are on a non immigrant permission to stay. This gives you a 90-day stay starting on the date the visa is issued. The main requirement is 800,000 baht (or equivalent in a foreign currency) in a Thai bank account in your sole name that you can withdraw from without penalty at any time. You need proof that the money in the account was transferred from your account overseas. If you entered Thailand on a Non Immigrant visa, this conversion step is not needed, and you should be able to proceed directly to the application for an extension.

 

Once you are on a non immigrant permission to stay, towards the end of that period, you can apply for a one-year extension of your permission to stay. The 800,000 baht must have been continuously in your account for the previous two months as of the date of application for the extension. There are also requirements about keeping money in the account through the following 12 months.

[Peter Denis]

10 hours ago, playboy said:

Hi, I am in the same situation and have 60 days extension of stay.  Which will be expired on 25 November.  I'm going to apply for retiree visa next month after my bank deposit money reach 2 months.  Do I need to apply first for 90 day retiree visa?  or can I apply for 1 year retiree?  Is that obligation to apply for 90 days first before I can apply for 1 year?   Thank you.

Hi, @BritTim already correctly answered your question in post #16 above.

Only when you entered Thailand Visa Exempt or on a Tourist Visa do you need to apply first for the 90-day Non Imm O Visa (in your case - for reason of retirement).  Such application does NOT need any seasoning of funds to meet the financial requirements.  When using the funds-in-bank method the funds only need to be on your personal thai bank-account (not a joint one with your wife) at the moment of application.  You would then need to leave them there and in the last month of that 90-days permission to stay the Visa provided you, you can then apply for the 1-year extension of stay. and obviously the funds would by then have been seasoned for two months.

When you entered Thailand on a Non Imm O Visa, such intermediate 90-day Non Imm O Visa application is not necessary (because you are already on a Non Imm O Visa).  But when applying for the 1-year extension of stay, you would need to show (when using the funds-in-bank method) that the funds for your application (800K for reason of retirement) have been seasoned for two months. 

 

[vandeventer]

Bangkok sounds like a good place to get it done. My friend just came back from 

CM yesterday and got rejected for 2 months extension.His wife was stuck in

Malaysia unable to leave so he took his daughter with him. With all the necessary

paperwork. The daughter showed her id card as she was born in Thailand but they

wanted her birth certificate. Also they wanted to see 400,000 baht in his account.

All this for a 2 month extension. Give me a break!

[BritTim]

7 minutes ago, vandeventer said:

Bangkok sounds like a good place to get it done. My friend just came back from 

CM yesterday and got rejected for 2 months extension.His wife was stuck in

Malaysia unable to leave so he took his daughter with him. With all the necessary

paperwork. The daughter showed her id card as she was born in Thailand but they

wanted her birth certificate. Also they wanted to see 400,000 baht in his account.

All this for a 2 month extension. Give me a break!

With his daughter in tow, it should be easy to get a printed page showing the same information as is on the birth certificate and with the amphoe stamp. At most immigration offices, this is accepted in lieu of the original birth certificate. The demand for financial proof is ludicrous when asking for the 60-day extension.

[Bangkok Barry]

18 hours ago, Huckfi said:

BritManToo's irrelevant comment

It wasn't irrelevant at all. You later revealed the reason you went for the extension, so you had good reason for getting it. But don't say his comment was irrelevant, as most people do not need to go the extension route yet, and in view of the PMs remarks about continuing to keep foreigners out it is increasingly likely that the amnesty for long-term visa holders will continue and an extension will not be needed for a while.

[AgMech Cowboy]

19 hours ago, BritManToo said:

How happy will you be when the rest of us get another free extension until the end of the year, and you've wasted your one and only 60 day extension?

@BritManTootut, tut... It's not nice to mock anyone. Besides, he may be the smart (happy) one.

Time will tell, but most will not agree with your prediction. (Personally, I do, but that's beside the point.

[kidneyw]

19 hours ago, Huckfi said:

she then directed us to the new building at Muang Thong Thani

So does this mean that you do not now go to CW but should go to Muang Thong Thani for a 60 day extension?

[AgMech Cowboy]

32 minutes ago, vandeventer said:

Bangkok sounds like a good place to get it done. My friend just came back from 

CM yesterday and got rejected for 2 months extension.His wife was stuck in

Malaysia unable to leave so he took his daughter with him. With all the necessary

paperwork. The daughter showed her id card as she was born in Thailand but they

wanted her birth certificate. Also they wanted to see 400,000 baht in his account.

All this for a 2 month extension. Give me a break!

 

22 minutes ago, BritTim said:

With his daughter in tow, it should be easy to get a printed page showing the same information as is on the birth certificate and with the amphoe stamp. At most immigration offices, this is accepted in lieu of the original birth certificate. The demand for financial proof is ludicrous when asking for the 60-day extension.

Yes, it is ludicrous, but it's the same demand that Pathum Thani made of me 4 yrs ago, which is why I am really dreading having to see them again. (I literally had to give them every document that was required for a Marriage extension). 

[AgMech Cowboy]

19 hours ago, Huckfi said:

...Just wanted to update about my mostly seamless and smooth experience in going from amnesty (originally on Tourist Visa with 30-day extension) to a 60-day extension to visit my wife as per number 24 here...

Hi @Huckfi ! Thank you for your report. Many people will appreciate it!!!

[ubonjoe]

11 minutes ago, kidneyw said:

So does this mean that you do not now go to CW but should go to Muang Thong Thani for a 60 day extension?

Yes

They have a section there for doing them there now.

[Bender Rodriguez]

why did you go for 60 days and not an extortion, sorry, extension ?

[Peter Denis]

14 minutes ago, Bender Rodriguez said:

why did you go for 60 days and not an extortion, sorry, extension ?

Often the 60-days would be needed in order to provide sufficient time to season the funds when using the funds-in-bank method (2 months seasoning required) when applying for the 1-year extension of stay.

[Huckfi]

On 9/2/2020 at 4:12 PM, Peter Denis said:

@Huckfi

Thanks for the report, and glad to see that MTT provided your 60-day extension of stay starting from 27 Sept (til 25 Nov).  And that they not used the 'day of application' (reason some applicants are waiting for the final days of the Amnesty to apply).

 

So your next step will be opening a Bank Account, as you need a personal thai bank-account (not a joint one with your wife) to provide evidence of your financials when applying for the 90-day Non Imm O Visa for reason of marriage.

You need to apply for that Visa with at least 15 days (some offices even require 23 days) left on your permission to stay, so in your case Wednesday 11 November (or 3 Nov) being the dead-line for application.  But obviously it is recommended to do the application a few days earlier in case your application is not complete so that you still have time to get hold of any missing documents IO might require. 

 

There are several options to meet the financial requirements for that 90-day Non Imm O Visa application for reason of marriage.

> The 'cheapest' being the Embassy issued income-letter stating that your have monthly foreign income of at least +40K.  However, when being a citizen of US, UK or Australia your Embassy does not issue those income letters anymore. 

But if you are from another nationality, you can use that income letter and normally it will be accepted without any further questions asked.  Sometimes the immigration officer handling your application might ask you to provide evidence of the SOURCE of that income (which is basically the same evidence you showed the Embassy staff on which basis they issued the income letter).

> The 'easiest' method (if you are not eligible for the Embassy issued income letter) is the 400K funds-in-bank method.  You would need to provide evidence that the funds have been seasoned for two months on your personal thai bank-account, at the moment of application.  No need to prove their foreign origins or the source of those funds.  So your bank pass-book  (updated on date of application) would already provide evidence of the above.

Note: You would need to keep the 400K on your thai bank-account also during the under consideration period, but you are free to use the funds as you please once you got the 1-year permission to stay stamp in your passport.  And you would only need to top up again to 400K two months before the day of application for your next 1-year extension of stay.

> The 'difficult' method being the 40K monthly income transfer method.  Only if you are not able to keep 400K on your personal thai bank-account for 2 months + the 3-4 weeks till you receive the 1-year permission to stay stamp, would I recommend that method.

PM me if your finances do not allow you to use the 400K method, and that you are considering that 40K monthly income transfer method.  There are many caveats and hoops connected with using that method, so don't want to go in detail when you are not considering it.

 

 

Hey there Peter! Sorry I wasn't able to reply earlier but wanted to give my huge thanks for this perfectly detailed and helpful post, thank you. I have since been able to open both a joint account as well as an account for me for the purpose of the 400k method and I'll be sure to update when we head in for the next step! ????

[Huckfi]

On 9/3/2020 at 9:52 AM, Bangkok Barry said:

It wasn't irrelevant at all. You later revealed the reason you went for the extension, so you had good reason for getting it. But don't say his comment was irrelevant, as most people do not need to go the extension route yet, and in view of the PMs remarks about continuing to keep foreigners out it is increasingly likely that the amnesty for long-term visa holders will continue and an extension will not be needed for a while.

I mean, it was a completely irrelevant reply regarding my post. Yeah, it won't matter for most others hoping for further amnesty with no other extension means, but I stated my reason for getting it in the bottom of my original post. Also, it was a tasteless comment and your defense is bizarre with the speculation of further amnesty being the basis...

[greg71]

Hello , i have a quick question . How many 60 days extensions for visiting my wife am i entitled to ?