Changing an Extension of Stay

[maxx58]

Greetings,

 

I have a Non "O” Visa with my extension of stay based on marriage that will need to be renewed next month This time I am thinking of switching to a retirement visa to make the process simpler. I read that Immigration prefers this, so I guess that it wouldn’t be a problem. I have the money seasoned in the bank, so that wouldn’t be an issue.

I have excellent universal  health care coverage that covers me very well here in Thailand from when I retired. My concern would be if they force all retirement visa holders to buy Thai health coverage in the future.

If that ever happened, would I be allowed to switch back to an extension of stay based on marriage?

I use Nonthaburi Immigration.

Thanks in advance!

[DrJack54]

You could switch back to marriage if you wanted to. 

Just keep in mind that even if at some point you wanted to switch back to marriage, the financial requirements for retirement would need to be maintained until you obtain the extension marriage.

 

Edited February 2, 2022 by DrJack54

[maxx58]

Thanks!

[MJCM]

Don't forget that the Retirement Extension of Stay needs 800.000 THB in the BANK or be able to show monthly income of 65.000 THB vs The Extension based on Marriage which only requires 400.000 THB or 40.000 THB income!!

 

[dsj]

Also don't forget that with an retirement visa you need to keep a minimal balance of $400,000 Baht all the time and another 400,000 Baht for 2 months before and 3 months after, so you would have 800,000 Baht tied up for 8 months. An extension base on marriage, you only need to show 400,000 Baht, and only keep only keep it in your bank 2 months before renewal and 1 month after for under consideration. Then there's always the income method.

[DrJack54]

16 minutes ago, dsj said:

An extension base on marriage, you only need to show 400,000 Baht, and only keep only keep it in your bank 2 months before renewal and 1 month after for under consideration.

That's correct and agree it's a pretty sweet deal.

Having said that, if I was married i personally would still opt for extensions based on retirement.

Many married guys do use retirement extensions. 

Less hassle is some ways. 

[Lite Beer]

Marriage extensions are just as easy as retirement .

I personally do not see any reason to change.

[Peterw42]

OP, Not sure that immigration "prefer" retire extension. Its just two different extensions with two different requirements.

You are free to switch between both extensions.

Nowadays with possible insurance, and extra money seasoning requirements, marriage extn isn't so bad. a couple of extra documents.

I know in my immigration office, the retire desk can be very busy with a queue, while the marriage desk is never busy. Any immigration changes have a history of not effecting marriage extensions.

 

[Tuvoc]

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

Having said that, if I was married i personally would still opt for extensions based on retirement.

Many married guys do use retirement extensions. 

Less hassle is some ways. 

Yes I did this recently, it was incredibly easy. Absolutely minimal amount of documentation. If at some point in future it makes sense to switch to marriage extensions (insurance requirements perhaps, or extra financial requirements) then I will do that. But until then I think I'll stick with retirement extensions.

[chilly07]

They have already added a tourist tax of 300bht to the 500 they already charge to cover health absconders and allowed OA visas to self insure so it is highly unlikely that they will change marriage extensions to include insurance. Immigration believe OA visa holders designed for multiple entry are much more likely to do a runner as they have no financial commitment to Thailand. Moving them onto self insurance plus the extra 300bht tax should allow Immigration to stop doing deals with the insurance scam industry!

[brianthainess]

5 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

OP, Not sure that immigration "prefer" retire extension. Its just two different extensions with two different requirements.

They do prefer it as it means less work for Them, i.e. less documents to check etc, and in most cases does not require checking by their head offices in other provinces,   

[Kalasin Jo]

I think I'm right in saying that one major disadvantage of an extension based on marriage is that it is terminated immediately on death of or divorce from your Thai spouse. I've heard that you then have a week to leave the country. Of course one might ask why immigration would ever know of either event until renewal time but if they did you would have to leave in short order, face overstay penalties, and start over again if you still can. Am I right Ubonjoe?

[ubonjoe]

7 hours ago, Kalasin Jo said:

I think I'm right in saying that one major disadvantage of an extension based on marriage is that it is terminated immediately on death of or divorce from your Thai spouse. I've heard that you then have a week to leave the country.

In case of the death of your spouse the extension remains valid until it expires.

If divorced it ends upon the day your divorce is final. But in the case of divorce you would have time to make arrangements for another type of extension since a divorce takes some time to get done.

[Kalasin Jo]

On 2/4/2022 at 1:40 AM, ubonjoe said:

In case of the death of your spouse the extension remains valid until it expires.

If divorced it ends upon the day your divorce is final. But in the case of divorce you would have time to make arrangements for another type of extension since a divorce takes some time to get done

Thanks for clearing that up Ubonjoe.

[arithai12]

On 2/2/2022 at 3:56 PM, maxx58 said:

I have excellent universal  health care coverage that covers me very well here in Thailand from when I retired. My concern would be if they force all retirement visa holders to buy Thai health coverage in the future.

I am on retirement and same situation wrt insurance. I do not have your worry. If it happens we'll see, but then I should worry about so many things. For example, they could raise the 800k which has been in place forever, or the retirement age to 65, or request fluency in Thai, or or or. Relax.

[arithai12]

On 2/3/2022 at 6:53 AM, Lite Beer said:

Marriage extensions are just as easy as retirement .

I personally do not see any reason to change.

If you say so. I am on retirement, I go there with appointment, TM7, bank letter, overstay form, STM2, passport copies. I spend maybe 2 minutes with the officer checking my documents and I am out with my extension stamp. I do need an extra stop at the bank, but it can be done on the same trip.

From what I read, marriage extensions need extra map, pictures inside the house, sometimes they come to check themselves, and you are under consideration for (a month?) which means at least two trips? If you live some distance from Imm it's not quite fun.

From what I observe, marriage "extensioners" always take double or triple time with the officer because the IO chats with the wife, then the wife translates to the guy, then the officer repeats to the guy, then the guy disagrees with the wife, then the wife chats with the officer...

 

Ret requires double the money, but Marriage requires a wife ????

Edited February 5, 2022 by arithai12

[steve187]

if changing reason for extension, the new extension will start from the date of application not from when the old one expires.

[Boomer6969]

5 hours ago, arithai12 said:

From what I observe, marriage "extensioners" always take double or triple time with the officer because the IO chats with the wife, then the wife translates to the guy, then the officer repeats to the guy, then the guy disagrees with the wife, then the wife chats with the officer...

 

Ret requires double the money, but Marriage requires a wife ????

Well, a "real marriage" gives you a wife, a partner in life for raising your children.

 

When the partnership works well, just let her handle the business with the IO. I hardly open my mouth during the process.

Edited February 6, 2022 by Boomer6969

[ubonjoe]

7 hours ago, arithai12 said:

From what I observe, marriage "extensioners" always take double or triple time with the officer because the IO chats with the wife, then the wife translates to the guy, then the officer repeats to the guy, then the guy disagrees with the wife, then the wife chats with the officer...

Most of the discussion is done to complete the affidavit the wife and you have to sign it in front of the officer who also signs it. My office completes the affidavit on their computer, saves it and then prints it out for us to sign. Then when you go in to do the next extension they open the file from the year before, confirms the info is still correct with my wife and then prints it out to be signed. Saves a lot of time that way.

I have done 14 of those extensions so I do know a lot about doing them.

[arithai12]

4 hours ago, Boomer6969 said:

Well, a "real marriage" gives you a wife, a partner in life for raising your children.

 

When the partnership works well, just let her handle the business with the IO. I hardly open my mouth during the process.

I was jesting. Retired or Spouse extension, has no bearing on the success of the marriage.

[arithai12]

2 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Most of the discussion is done to complete the affidavit the wife and you have to sign it in front of the officer who also signs it. My office completes the affidavit on their computer, saves it and then prints it out for us to sign. Then when you go in to do the next extension they open the file from the year before, confirms the info is still correct with my wife and then prints it out to be signed. Saves a lot of time that way.

I have done 14 of those extensions so I do know a lot about doing them.

Still I will beat you in a timed competition :-)

I am joking Ubonjoe. Clearly after many years of experience, we usually know how to deal with Imm and when all papers are in order things are usually smooth. Spouse or retirement. It is my just impression that there are more complaints on this forum from spouses, but obviousl you know the statistics better and also happy persons usually do not report.