Extension to stay based on marriage application window

[longway]

I came in on a 90 day Non-imm O based on marriage about a month ago and want to apply for a 1 year extension to stay. Everything I read states that it must be done in the final month before the visa expires. Problem is that i am due back to work on 11 November. Can I apply before the last month? I would prefer to apply now, as that will give me enough time to get the application processed before I have to head out of the country again.

 

Can it be done?

Edited October 1, 2020 by longway

[ubonjoe]

Some office will allow you to apply up to 45 days early. After applying for the extension and it is accepted you will get a under consideration stamp with a report back date 30 days from the day you apply.

You could ask your local immigration office about doing it earlier.

[longway]

Thanks for the info. How long does the process take? I tried to apply for it once before and was told it could take 4 weeks, but at that time I was living outside Bangkok. If I applied to the immigration office in Laksi, does anyone have any experience on how long it takes between handing in your passport and getting it back?

[billd766]

4 minutes ago, longway said:

Thanks for the info. How long does the process take? I tried to apply for it once before and was told it could take 4 weeks, but at that time I was living outside Bangkok. If I applied to the immigration office in Laksi, does anyone have any experience on how long it takes between handing in your passport and getting it back?

I renewed my marriage extension in August at Kamphaeng Phet immigration and it took me about 1 1/2 to 2 hours because I had all my ducks lined up in a row. I managed to get all the docuents that I needed + copies and we were the 2nd customers. Most of the conversation was between the IO and my wife. I suspect that I was only there to sign the paperwork and nod my head now and again.

 

Depending on the actual office (KPP comes under Chiang Mai) a second set of paperwork is required for the regional office.

 

Immigration don't keep your passport but you get a 30 day stamp only until approval is granted from the regional office. It would be unusual for the regional office to override the local office and not grant the extension. My IO rang me 3 days before I was due to go back to tell me that the extension was ready.

 

I have usually applied about 3 weeks before the extension was due but I had no reason to ask for an earlier than normal request. It all depends on the IO and the office as well.

 

Also I did my extension with no 400,000 in the bank, but with proof of pensions (original letters) and I was well over the 40,000 baht per month.

[jackdd]

1 hour ago, longway said:

how long it takes between handing in your passport and getting it back?

They don't keep your passport.

On the day you apply you get a stamp in your passport telling you to come back in 30 days, then you take your passport back home with you.

30 days later you take your passport to the immigration office again and they give you the actual extension stamp.

[longway]

9 minutes ago, jackdd said:

They don't keep your passport.

On the day you apply you get a stamp in your passport telling you to come back in 30 days, then you take your passport back home with you.

30 days later you take your passport to the immigration office again and they give you the actual extension stamp.

Ah. that's good. For some reason I had the impression they kept the passport. I will head down to Laksi tomorrow morning and see what they say.

[falang1969]

I have a similar question on this subject if someone can advise.

 

What is the LATEST you can apply? 

 

EG. my 60 day extension was from 27th Sept. 

 

How many days do they need to process the marriage 1 year extension and also once the application is "under consideration" are you ok until they make the decision, even if your 60 day extension expires in the meantime?

 

 

[jackdd]

27 minutes ago, falang1969 said:

What is the LATEST you can apply? 

 

EG. my 60 day extension was from 27th Sept. 

 

How many days do they need to process the marriage 1 year extension and also once the application is "under consideration" are you ok until they make the decision, even if your 60 day extension expires in the meantime?

The latest you can apply is the last day of your permission to stay.

So if your current stamp allows you to stay until 25th November, you could apply on this day.

The "under consideration" stamp allows you to further stay in Thailand until your extension application was decided.

But if you went on the last day, and there would be any problem, like a missing document, you might run into further problems.

So it's best to apply a bit earlier (you can apply up to 30 days early, some offices allow 45 days), then you have time to fix any potential problems. You also don't lose anything by applying earlier.

Edited October 2, 2020 by jackdd

[longway]

I feel pretty dumb right now, but here I am. I was going to head to the UK embassy tomorrow to get the letter to confirm my income. I checked out the embassy website to see what documents they require and found they stopped doing this service since December 2018.

 

So, is there anything else the Thai immigration will accept? I have all my payslips, I can get my company to confirm my income and I have my P60 confirming my income. Are any of these any good? I am going back to work mid-November, so don't have time to transfer money into my Thai bank account and let it sit there for 2 months.

 

Am I stuck, or is it worth going with the documents I do have and see what they say.

Edited October 13, 2020 by longway

[ubonjoe]

23 minutes ago, longway said:

So, is there anything else the Thai immigration will accept?

They will only accept transfers of at least 40k baht into Thai bank account in your name only from abroad.

The written rules state 2 months of transfer will be accepted for the first extension of stay application but many offices will not do it. They will insist on 12 months of transfers.

It appears your may not have any chance of applying for the extension before next month when you need to leave the country.

How long long do you expect to be out of the country?

[longway]

39 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

They will only accept transfers of at least 40k baht into Thai bank account in your name only from abroad.

The written rules state 2 months of transfer will be accepted for the first extension of stay application but many offices will not do it. They will insist on 12 months of transfers.

It appears your may not have any chance of applying for the extension before next month when you need to leave the country.

How long long do you expect to be out of the country?

Well, supposedly 6 weeks or so, but last time i left it took 7 months to come back. I thought of i have the extension to stay through marriage it might help me get back faster if thailand ends its burdensome certificate of entry requirement that i can only apply for in the uk. 

 

When i leave i wont have any valid stamp in my passport for thailand. 

 

 

[ubonjoe]

21 minutes ago, longway said:

When i leave i wont have any valid stamp in my passport for thailand. 

Not sure it would help with applying for a certificate of entry but you could apply for a 60 day extension to visit you wife and a re-entry permit to keep the remainder of it valid when you leave the country.

I think it will take less time than before to get the certificate of entry since everything is in place now.

Also there are more flight choices due them allowing those with one to fly on normal passenger flights to here instead of having to wait for a repatriation flight.

[longway]

2 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Not sure it would help with applying for a certificate of entry but you could apply for a 60 day extension to visit you wife and a re-entry permit to keep the remainder of it valid when you leave the country.

I think it will take less time than before to get the certificate of entry since everything is in place now.

Also there are more flight choices due them allowing those with one to fly on normal passenger flights to here instead of having to wait for a repatriation flight.

Thanks for that tip. I didnt realise you could do that. It would be good to have that re-entry permit in my passport when I leave. It at least increases my options. Much appreciated. 

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, longway said:

Thanks for that tip. I didnt realise you could do that. It would be good to have that re-entry permit in my passport when I leave. It at least increases my options. Much appreciated. 

Since you entered last month you 90 days will be valid until December and the 60 days will not start until it ends and the re-entry permit will be valid to the day the 60 days end.

[longway]

On 10/13/2020 at 8:32 PM, ubonjoe said:

Since you entered last month you 90 days will be valid until December and the 60 days will not start until it ends and the re-entry permit will be valid to the day the 60 days end.

I went to immigration in Laksi, and the officer at inner desk, where you get your queue ticket, told me that the extension started from the day I received the extension, not from the day my non O visa expired. Could he just be wrong and the officer who issues my extension will give me 2 months from the time my visa expires? I am due for an 7-8 week trip so that would be a big difference.

 

I was also told I could enter Thailand, if I entered prior to the day my 2 months extension expires, and then I could apply for my 1 year extension even if I was on overstay. If the 2 week quarantine is still in effect, then I would likely end up overstaying my 2 month extension, given what he told me.

Edited October 16, 2020 by longway

[ubonjoe]

29 minutes ago, longway said:

I went to immigration in Laksi, and the officer at inner desk, where you get your queue ticket, told me that the extension started from the day I received the extension, not from the day my non O visa expired. Could he just be wrong and the officer who issues my extension will give me 2 months from the time my visa expires? I am due for an 7-8 week trip so that would be a big difference.

He was wrong about the start date of the extension. It will start from the day your current permit to stay ends not when your visa expires.

They should do the extension but you may have to explain the situation to them since normally they might not do it that long before your current permit to stay ends. You should do the application as close to the day you plan on leaving as possible.

 

33 minutes ago, longway said:

I was also told I could enter Thailand, if I entered prior to the day my 2 months extension expires, and then I could apply for my 1 year extension even if I was on overstay. If the 2 week quarantine is still in effect, then I would likely end up overstaying my 2 month extension, given what he told me.

If the extension is started from the day your current permit to stay ends you should not be on a overstay.

Immigration can do the one year extension while on an overstay especially in your case since you would of been in quarantine.

[longway]

So, I have the 60 days extension until 29 January. I fly out for work tonight. IIRC there is a desk just prior to immigration where I can get a re-entry stamp. Is that correct? Do I need any other documents, other than my passport, to get the stamp? I should be back around 20 January or so, before the extension expires.

[fishtank]

Yep. A Re Entry Permit will protect your current permision to stay.

It does not add time.

Meaning that when you return you will be given a permision to stay until 29th Jan.

Make sure that you actually show them the permit when you return of they might miss it.

[longway]

Is the desk where I get the re=entry stamp located in the immigration hall, just prior before queuing up? Do I need to show any documents besides my passport?

[DILLIGAD]

On this subject of extensions based on marriage, are the financial requirements the same for a man, as a woman (Marrying a male Thai national) ???

[fishtank]

5 minutes ago, DILLIGAD said:

On this subject of extensions based on marriage, are the financial requirements the same for a man, as a woman (Marrying a male Thai national) ???

A Woman married to a Thai Man does not need to have any money in the bank.

Dark age Thailand.

[DILLIGAD]

1 hour ago, fishtank said:

A Woman married to a Thai Man does not need to have any money in the bank.

Dark age Thailand.

That's what I had heard fishtank and I thought surely that cannot be right (now, in this day & age)!!!