Type non-O visa retirement / spouse requirements

[ibjoe]

Hi all. I applied for and received my Thai Type O (retirement) visa. I had to deposit 800k bhat in a Thai bank to do this. Problem is bank doesn't pay interest, actually they charge an annual maintenance fee. So I'm loosing money as inflation continues. I think I can transfer the money out now that I have my visa? But I need to renew it in 90 days, so I'll have to transfer the money back in? How much in advance of visa renewal does the account need to show that 800k+ balance? Maybe best just to leave it there for the 90 days. Next issue is I'm marrying my Thai girlfriend next week. So I should be able to renew my Type O visa as a spouse visa instead of retirement visa, and for 1 year. I understand that with Type O (spouse) the requirement drops to 400k, an easier amount for me to maintain. How difficult is it to renew Type O visa as spouse instead of retirement? What extra documents, etc. are required?
 

[Celsius]

Is it really worth losing sleep over less than 1% interest banks pay?

[DrJack54]

OP, you are bit all over the shop.

To obtain another non O you would need to exit Thailand and reenter.

 

Forget the bank interest nonsense.

 

When married you only need 400k in bank for non O marriage.

 

For 12 month extension based on marriage you are required to have the 400k in bank for 2 months prior to application and maintained for the under consideration period. 

So 3 months all up and then you can withdraw it.

 

Extensions based on retirement are different and require 800k and ongoing requirements for the year.

 

Since you obtained non O retirement I'm not sure if immigration would allow you to obtain extension based on marriage for your first extension. 

 

One option would be to get the marriage all done and dusted and exit reenter visa exempt obtain non O marriage and subsequent 12 month extension.

 

Another alternative after marriage is to go to Savannakhet and obtain a ME non O marriage valid for 12 months. 

Provides up to ~17 month stay. 

 

Edited January 26, 2023 by DrJack54

[MJCM]

I find it very difficult to read. OP next time please use some line breaks

 

Kudos @DrJack54 and @Celsius for reading it all

[brianthainess]

22 minutes ago, Celsius said:

Is it really worth losing sleep over less than 1% interest banks pay?

IMO yes a free box of beer every month why not.

[brianthainess]

When asking anything about immigration Please tell us at what office you are using,  different rules apply at different offices. may not be relevant here but  asking what other Documents are needed it is very relevant. 

[MJCM]

37 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

When asking anything about immigration Please tell us at what office you are using,  different rules apply at different offices. may not be relevant here but  asking what other Documents are needed it is very relevant. 

I tend to agree, but then it could be a long wait for the person asking the question because some IO's only get a few people visiting them.

[ibjoe]

Thanks everyone for your responses. Sorry about multiple subjects in single paragraph. Breaking it down:

Primary question I have is how difficult is a spouse visa to get compared to a retirement visa? I'm working with Bangkok IO. My agent (also in Bangkok) tells me spouse visa is much more difficult, requires many forms of proof that we live together at her family home address, neighbors have to sign forms, etc. And actually we are not staying there now, we travel, adding to the difficulty. Is it really that hard?

I understand that IO might not renew my retirement visa as a spouse visa, it might be easier to leave, return on exempt, and then apply for the spouse visa.

Secondary question is how much in advance of visa renewal does the 800k (retirement visa) or 400k (spouse visa) need to be in my bank account? I've heard 60 days, but I'm not sure. For now I'm just leaving that 800k there, in anticipation of the 90 day renewal (to one year).

Comment on leaving 800k (or 400k) in Thai bank account that pays no interest. With current inflation ~5% the real value of this money drops ~5% per year. Even a bit of interest would take the edge off that. Also, if not locked up in Thai bank account it could be invested in something paying more interest than inflation. So that's why I'm interested in not leaving any more than necessary any longer than necessary in Thai non-interest account.
 

[oldcpu]

On 1/27/2023 at 5:34 PM, ibjoe said:

Primary question I have is how difficult is a spouse visa to get compared to a retirement visa? I'm working with Bangkok IO. My agent (also in Bangkok) tells me spouse visa is much more difficult, requires many forms of proof that we live together at her family home address, neighbors have to sign forms, etc. And actually we are not staying there now, we travel, adding to the difficulty. Is it really that hard?

I have obtained 1-year extensions on my previous Type-OA visa for reasons of retirement and marriage (in a separate year) and I can say unequivocally that obtain the extension based on marriage required massively more leg work to setup, and then massively more paperwork to get approved than based on "retirement", and finally massively more time to have approved (than based on "retirement").

 

My Thai wife and I were married in Canada.  So when back in Thailand, I had to have my passport and my marriage certificate translated to Thai language, have the translation certified by the Canadian embassy (if my memory serves me right) and then have the translated certificate certified by Thai Foreign affairs in Bangkok.  Then back here in Phuket we had to register our marriage here at City Hall, AND had to have two Thai people who knew us go to Phuket city hall to witness the marriage certificate, so to get a Thai Kor-22 document. Every year that Kor-22 has to be updated (to indicate/prove we are still married).  Further, there is MORE paper work when applying for the extension on the permission to stay (for reason of marriage, as opposed to retirement) and I suspect also likely true for the 1st application for the Visa. For example one needs copies of one's wife's ID in addition to all the other documents.  

 

It used to be in Phuket, only for 'marriage' would one have to draw a map to their place (for immigration) and expect a home visit, although recently Phuket immigration have expanded such extra proof (and paperwork) to include for 'retirement'.

 

Marriage typically takes longer than Retirement for processing:   While 1st getting the 90-day Type-O Visa for reason of "retirement" took 3+ weeks (for me in Phuket), it was still a bit less time than the time it took for me to get a 1-year extension (on a Type-OA Visa's permission to stay) for reason of "marriage" (which took 5 weeks).  Further, for me to get a 1-year extension on a Type-O Visa for reason of "retirement" took ONLY 1 day, as opposed to taking 5-weeks for an extension based on "marriage".

 

In my view, if money is not a big concern (and it appears for many on this forum it is a MAJOR concern), but if you don't mind having the extra money in the bank (800k THB vs 400k THB) or if you already easily have the proof (to Thai immigration satisfaction) of a higher monthly salary for permission to stay based on "retirement", then for a Type-O visa "retirement" is a FAR superior option. 

 

If on a Type-OA visa I have a different view, as Type-OA has a Health Insurance requirement which doesn't make sense for some of us (as our superior Health Insurance which we do not want to stop is not recognized by Thailand Immigration). Fortunately the Type-O visa does not at present have a Health Insurance requirement.

 

Also it reads like money IS a concern for you, so maybe for you the extra hassle of the paperwork, extra visits to Thai government offices, and extra time waiting to get the Visa (or the extensions) approved, that goes with a "marriage" reason, might be worth your while as you want the few extra thousand baht you may get by freeing up 400K Thai baht.

 

For me, that money difference is so small (between the two) there is no question that retirement is the way to go (as opposed to marriage).

Edited January 30, 2023 by oldcpu

[oldcpu]

On 1/27/2023 at 5:34 PM, ibjoe said:

My agent (also in Bangkok) tells me spouse visa is much more difficult, requires many forms of proof that we live together at her family home address, neighbors have to sign forms, etc. And actually we are not staying there now, we travel, adding to the difficulty. Is it really that hard?

I just read now, you typed "your agent" ??  You are planning to use an agent? That seems inconsistent to me with your desire to save money.

 

While I have friends who use agents (they are in their 70s) who swear by using agents (and they don't mind spending the money) as it saves them hassle (they go for extensions on Type-O visas for reason of "retirement"), ... agents cost money.  Some agents are shady. Some are very good.

 

Its highly possible any money you save by having only 400K in a Thai bank (and the other 400K used for a higher yielding investment) will be lost by your paying for the agent's fees. 

 

Its just my take on this - but I ask?  Do you really need an agent ?  or did you just ask an agent the question with no intent to follow through with an agent.

[youreavinalaff]

On 1/27/2023 at 10:34 AM, ibjoe said:

Thanks everyone for your responses. Sorry about multiple subjects in single paragraph. Breaking it down:

Primary question I have is how difficult is a spouse visa to get compared to a retirement visa? I'm working with Bangkok IO. My agent (also in Bangkok) tells me spouse visa is much more difficult, requires many forms of proof that we live together at her family home address, neighbors have to sign forms, etc. And actually we are not staying there now, we travel, adding to the difficulty. Is it really that hard?

I understand that IO might not renew my retirement visa as a spouse visa, it might be easier to leave, return on exempt, and then apply for the spouse visa.

Secondary question is how much in advance of visa renewal does the 800k (retirement visa) or 400k (spouse visa) need to be in my bank account? I've heard 60 days, but I'm not sure. For now I'm just leaving that 800k there, in anticipation of the 90 day renewal (to one year).

Comment on leaving 800k (or 400k) in Thai bank account that pays no interest. With current inflation ~5% the real value of this money drops ~5% per year. Even a bit of interest would take the edge off that. Also, if not locked up in Thai bank account it could be invested in something paying more interest than inflation. So that's why I'm interested in not leaving any more than necessary any longer than necessary in Thai non-interest account.
 

Please stop using the word "visa" when you are talking about extension of stay. It makes reading you posts confusing.

[ibjoe]

@oldcpu Thank you very much for your perspective! That marriage visa is more difficult to acquire and maintain than retirement visa. While I prefer not to lock up funds in a non-interest account I can do that as necessary to renew / extend my retirement visa, the apparently easier path. My experience so far is agents can significantly simplify the process, and help ensure I do it right the first time. I'm working with my agent on many things: my visa and its extension, my marriage to my Thai girlfriend, including prenuptial agreement, CR1 visa for her to come with me to USA, also visa for her child to come to the USA. Without someone who knows the system, I would be lost. Agent is somewhat expensive, but hopefully worth it.