Change Class B To Class O Marriage Visa

[Bredbury Blue]

With my thai girlfriend (now wife) we opened a thai company in 2000, i received a Non-Imm class B visa and work permit. We have since married, have kids but i still have the Non-Imm class B visa.

Several of my buddies, also with Thai wifes and kids, hold work permit and Non-Imm class O-Marriage visa, so i've been considering changing to one.

One of the reasons i'm considering the change is that a year ago we 'mothballed' the company in order for me to take a corporate job (with their work permit). They have decided in their wisdom to close the BKK office and move it to Singapore. If i take their offer of relocation, obviously i lose my work permit and my Non-Imm class B visa and would have to fly back here (i would probably commute in the early days while i 'suck it and see') on a Tourist visa, so i'm thinking of maybe getting the company to change my status to a Non-Imm class O-Marriage visa before the move. Another major consideration is i also still want to be holding a Non-Imm visa come December so i can apply for Thai Residency.

What are the pro's and con's for me of changing to a Non-Imm class O-Marriage visa?

Is it easy enough to make the change, and could i do it myself without resorting to using the company (i.e. is it easy enough and would the company come wise of the change)?

All advice will be appreciated.

Edited June 6, 2007 by Bredbury Blue

[lopburi3]

I believe you are talking about one year extensions of stay from immigration rather than visas. Immigration can change the reason for your extension of stay to marriage if you can provide the required documentation (40k family income tax payments and the spouse). Not sure how they would handle it between normal extension periods however - you might want to discuss with sponsor Sunbelt or other legal team first as there may be timing/paperwork issues and you don't want any mistake if using for PR later.

[Bredbury Blue]

Thanks for the advice that changing the 'extension of stay' may be possible, but does anybody have any advice on the pro's and con's - i'm sure someone must have been down this road.

[lopburi3]

I don't see that you have any options - you have to change now to marriage extension of stay or you will lose the 3 year consecutive extensions required for PR application. And I believe you already know that. But do you have a high enough wage/tax history to support the PR application - especially now that you may be taxed overseas?

The general advantage is that you do not lose extension upon loss of job/work permit. The downside is that some companies do not want you to know that; or do not know how to process.

The marriage extension also opens a few more employment options as employer requirements are a little less restrictive.

But then how do you have marriage extension without a job history (unless the wife meets the 40k requirement).