Visa Options?

[gsj]

I'm a 52-year old Australian, resident in Manila with a Thai wife. We plan to return permanently to Thailand within the next couple of months, and I am exploring the advantages of a marriage visa versus a retirement visa. Does anyone have any recommendations on the advantages and disadvanatges of these visas?

[chuckd]

gsj:

I cannot speak to the marriage visa but I just got my retirement visa and it was a piece of cake. I entered with a non-immigrant visa, which is required. This is what I did:

I presented the following documents:

a. Request for extension form in duplicate.

b. 2 Photos.

c. Letter from US Embassy certifying monthly income.

d. Letter from bank certifying I have a bank account, along with bank book.

e. Birth certificate of my Thai daughter.

f. Divorce certificate from Thai wife, along with custody document from Amphur.

g. Chanod showing house ownership (not required).

h. Current passport.

i. 1,900 Baht.

Received passport back, with retirement visa completed, the next day as I played golf the afternoon I submitted it.

Hope this helps.

[gsj]

chuckd,

many thanks for your help, gsj

[JimGant]

Chuck,

Where in Thailand did you get this nice one-day turnaround?

Did you apply during the last 30 days of your visa -- or were you able to get it done earlier?

Bank and income statements. Did you need both to come up to minimum requirement, or did you take both just as insurance? And if the latter, were you able to just show one and not the other?

No medical certificate required?

Thanx.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I'm a 52-year old Australian, resident in Manila with a Thai wife. We plan to return permanently to Thailand within the next couple of months, and I am exploring the advantages of a marriage visa versus a retirement visa. Does anyone have any recommendations on the advantages and disadvanatges of these visas?

You need less banking / income on a marriage type extension, and when married to a Thai, and on an extended O visa, you can get a work permit if you ever want to do that.

[chuckd]

Mr. Gant:

I applied in Pattaya, Soi 8 Immigration office.

I had a one year multiple non-immigrant visa and applied about two weeks into my three week visit, the first entry on the non-imm visa.

I had a letter from the Embassy certifying that I have more than 65,000 monthly income. The Immigration officer did ask for a bank letter but indicated they just wanted to see that I had a bank account. I obtained a letter showing a balance of something like 320,000 baht as I had just bought a car. He wanted both.

No medical was required. They probably looked at me and thought anybody that looked like me had to be healthy. I dunno. I have a friend that was required to provide a medical letter.

[JimGant]

Chuck,

I had a one year multiple non-immigrant visa and applied about two weeks into my three week visit

Nice work! I had thought you had to be in-country at least 60 days before applying for an extension based on retirement (or 'support'). Just more proof that 'Thai Immigration Rules' is an oxymoron!

The medical thing is curious. Maybe because you qualified for both a retirement and 'support' extension (you had your Thai daughter's birth certificate with you), they applied the 'support' rules when it came to medical, i.e., no medical required.

"Three week visit." Did you get a reentry permit with your extension? Since your multiple entry non-immigrant visa is still good, probably not needed until the visa expires. But I'm not real certain how all this works.....? What kind of stamp do you get when you re-enter Thailand?

[JimGant]

gsj,

I'm in your boat, but haven't come to any real conclusion yet. As Doc says, if you want to work, the 'marriage' route is needed. Less finances and no medical required are also a plus for the marriage route.

Awhile back, a couple posters said that Immigration encouraged 'retirement' over 'marriage' if you qualified for both. No rationale given -- probably just wanted to see the higher financial requirement met.

What if widowed? Well, supposedly you'd then have to renew your next extension under 'retirement' criteria. But, again, if you meet that criteria, no big deal. (And even if you don't, would Immigration really deport a widower 'cause he now has to double his bank holdings, and can't? Any deported widowers out there? )

And getting the medical certificate is reportedly a piece of cake.

So, assuming your marriage and finances are strong, don't know what to tell you.

[chuckd]

Mr. Gant:

I got an exit/reentry visa the same day. I exited back to Saudi on that and will reenter on it, thus keeping my retirement visa in place. Had I left without obtaining an exit/reentry visa, I would have lost the retirement visa.

I don't know why they did not require the medical report. I look healthy and decided to leave my walker outside their office.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

gsj,

I'm in your boat, but haven't come to any real conclusion yet. As Doc says, if you want to work, the 'marriage' route is needed. Less finances and no medical required are also a plus for the marriage route.

Awhile back, a couple posters said that Immigration encouraged 'retirement' over 'marriage' if you qualified for both. No rationale given -- probably just wanted to see the higher financial requirement met.

What if widowed? Well, supposedly you'd then have to renew your next extension under 'retirement' criteria. But, again, if you meet that criteria, no big deal. (And even if you don't, would Immigration really deport a widower 'cause he now has to double his bank holdings, and can't? Any deported widowers out there? )

And getting the medical certificate is reportedly a piece of cake.

So, assuming your marriage and finances are strong, don't know what to tell you.

The doctor's assume that if you are well enough to walk into the hospital, you are obviously well enough to retire.

[JimGant]

decided to leave my walker outside their office.

[gsj]

many thanks to all who gave me a few clues on which visa is best (or not). it seems that a marriage visa is probably the best type in terms of options - and it is also cheaper!!

thanks, gsj