I've had a Marriage Visa for the last 39 years here. I've heard that a Retirement Visa requires fewer documents. When I renewed my Marriage Visa the IO said I still need to take 10 photos of our house and I still need to have a neighbour vouch for me living where I do. I'll also need to have 800,000 Baht in a bank account for 3 months before the application. It seems like there is no difference between the two visas except that I don't need to show a marriage certificate and have the ampheur guarantee the certificate's validity. Is this right?

Advantages Retirement Extension

 

1- No under consideration period which can last up to 30 days+. (once I had to wait 45 days) In my office the Retirement one is granted the same day. (Took me 20 min last time)

2- No pictures needed of you and your wife

3- No visit to the Amphur for an Updated KR2

4- No stupid questions like do you have any kids together and when say NO getting strange looks (we are both in our 50's should we now start with kids )

 

Nr #1 was the one that decided for me to go for the Retirement one as I always hated it.

 

A friend was summoned back to the IO during the Under Consideration period because of some .... up, while he was away in BKK and had to rush back home

 

Although I have done the marriage extension in the past, for me, the clincher for doing the retirement extension (after age 50) was the fact that I could do this alone, without having to bother or depend on anyone else.

 

My policy in dealing with Thai Immo is that you will have much greater peace of mind if you know the ropes and that you can do it yourself - whatever it is.

 

Any reliance on someone else being there (or using an agent) means you are losing some degree of control of the process. 

 

Not worth it.

 

You are an ex-pat. 

 

Man up.

 

Show that you can do it yourself without holding anyone's hand.

 

'Nuff said.

1 minute ago, TaoNow said:

Although I have done the marriage extension in the past, for me, the clincher for doing the retirement extension (after age 50) was the fact that I could do this alone, without having to bother or depend on anyone else.

 

My policy in dealing with Thai Immo is that you will have much greater peace of mind if you know the ropes and that you can do it yourself - whatever it is.

 

Any reliance on someone else being there (or using an agent) means you are losing some degree of control of the process. 

 

Not worth it.

 

You are an ex-pat. 

 

Man up.

 

Show that you can do it yourself without holding anyone's hand.

 

'Nuff said.

Thank you for your reply. I can't do it myself because I am married and my wife and I have done the annual renewal since 1984. We've never used an agent. I'm just asking if there is any difference in the documents apart from what I've mentioned.

28 minutes ago, MJCM said:

Advantages Retirement Extension

 

1- No under consideration period which can last up to 30 days+. (once I had to wait 45 days) In my office the Retirement one is granted the same day. (Took me 20 min last time)

2- No pictures needed of you and your wife

3- No visit to the Amphur for an Updated KR2

4- No stupid questions like do you have any kids together and when say NO getting strange looks (we are both in our 50's should we now start with kids )

 

Nr #1 was the one that decided for me to go for the Retirement one as I always hated it.

 

A friend was summoned back to the IO during the Under Consideration period because of some .... up, while he was away in BKK and had to rush back home

 

Thank you. Do you need to show 10 photos of your home as in the Marriage Visa?

29 minutes ago, renaissanc said:

. I'll also need to have 800,000 Baht in a bank account for 3 months before the application

For extension based on marriage only 400k in bank for two months prior to application for extension and maintained durning under consideration period.

If the financial requirements were the same for marriage and retirement NO ONE would extend based on marriage from a non O .

 

The only group that would still opt for based on marriage is the folk doing extensions from a non O-A to avoid the insurance requirement. 

 

 

1 minute ago, renaissanc said:

Thank you. Do you need to show 10 photos of your home as in the Marriage Visa?

No photos

8 minutes ago, renaissanc said:

Thank you. Do you need to show 10 photos of your home as in the Marriage Visa?

NO Photo's except your passport pic on the application form. (See #2 in my list as I addressed it there)

 

But 10 Photo's? We had to show only 4 photo's.

If you qualify for the pensioner Long Term Resident visa, you're virtually undisturbed by Immigration for ten years except for the annual (vs 90-day) residence report and a review of financial qualifications at the five year mid-point.

12 hours ago, TaoNow said:

Although I have done the marriage extension in the past, for me, the clincher for doing the retirement extension (after age 50) was the fact that I could do this alone, without having to bother or depend on anyone else.

 

My policy in dealing with Thai Immo is that you will have much greater peace of mind if you know the ropes and that you can do it yourself - whatever it is.

Any reliance on someone else being there (or using an agent) means you are losing some degree of control of the process. 

Not worth it.

You are an ex-pat. 

Man up.

Show that you can do it yourself without holding anyone's hand.

'Nuff said.

I do 100% fully agree with what you say.... Too many people relay on their wifes and therefore loses control completely, and do not even know the rules that apply to these extensions...

Man up, like said......

 

I mean it reaks of misunderstandings from OP here....

13 hours ago, renaissanc said:

Thank you. Do you need to show 10 photos of your home as in the Marriage Visa?

#2 - no pictures required

800k needs to be banked 3 months before application and maintained at or above 2 months after, and never drop below 400k for the rest of the year, is that right?

6 minutes ago, daveAustin said:

800k needs to be banked 3 months before application and maintained at or above 2 months after, and never drop below 400k for the rest of the year, is that right?

Two months before, three after, rest correct.

In Chiang Mai, only two photographs are required and nothing required from neighbors, even that is overkill and unnecessary.

Try both and you'll know!

14 hours ago, renaissanc said:

Thank you. Do you need to show 10 photos of your home as in the Marriage Visa?

No photos, no neighbors, in Chiang Mai for 20+ years.

14 minutes ago, nigelforbes said:

In Chiang Mai, only two photographs are required and nothing required from neighbors, even that is overkill and unnecessary.

Never asked for photos or neighbors.  What are you doing to get such special attention?

14 hours ago, TaoNow said:

Although I have done the marriage extension in the past, for me, the clincher for doing the retirement extension (after age 50) was the fact that I could do this alone, without having to bother or depend on anyone else.

Amusing, I chose to get "marriage extensions" because I could let my wife handle the IO relationship, which she did quite well. Basically it was team work; we prepared the paper work together, at the IO I was sitting on the floor and panting will she was dealing with the p..ks. If I hadn't been able to rely on her I would have thought something was wrong in our marriage... Now I have gone the LTR route, which looked just too good to refuse. Future will tell.

1 hour ago, glegolo18 said:

I do 100% fully agree with what you say.... Too many people relay on their wifes and therefore loses control completely, and do not even know the rules that apply to these extensions...

Man up, like said......

 

I mean it reaks of misunderstandings from OP here....

I find your comments somewhat amusing about the wife etc. My experience with he female immigration officers in Jomtien is they refused to answer any of my questions. And this last time they told my wife to handle it all this coming year.

22 minutes ago, Dante99 said:

No photos, no neighbors, in Chiang Mai for 20+ years.

Then you are lucky. The last time they visited my home they informed me this would now be every year. Oddly the officer asked me about my cats which he remembered from a year ago…..I guess he’s a fan of them.

19 minutes ago, Dante99 said:

Never asked for photos or neighbors.  What are you doing to get such special attention?

I use a (legit) agent for convenience, I think the photo's are probably a part of their standard documentation request package. I've never been asked for anything regarding neighbors but it will be interesting if I am. One is of Far Eastern origin, who I think is being detained for selling expedited  visa's to his fellow countrymen, the other is a retired policeman of a most senior rank. 

The retirement visa is infinitely simpler. Far fewer hurdles, and paperwork and less proof required. 

 

I despised everything about the marriage visa application process. I began to hate immigration with a passion. Since going with the retirement visa, the entire experience is less obnoxious. It is worth the switch. 

Having done 15 years extensions based on O-A and just yesterday doing my 2nd extension based on marriage, firstly I agree with Dr Jack I primarily changed to avoid the worthless insurance requirement but also having 800,000 tied up for those 15 years. 
So, yesterday in KPP, I had spent an hour or so over the past few days doing all my copying at home, I’m perfectly happy to do that and cannot understand why others have a problem with it.
I downloaded a Google map plus drew a very bad copy of it, Wife went off to get the Kor Ror 2 then off to the bank and 30 minutes later we are at immi. Seen straight away by the boss who scrutinised everything but took issue with house book not having her name in it (she is registered in another province). So off to the local office who deal with such things and 40 minutes later we’re back at immi. Boss having her lunch so another officer chatted away with my wife while pretending to be doing something.  Boss comes back, she’s now very happy with everything, but looks at my pitiful map and draws meticulously a new one, makes am unmarked copy of it and tells me to use that in future (top marks to her), she then makes a special stamp on the Kor Ror 2 and tells me we don’t have to renew it in future but just use this one ( more top marks to her). Finally I sign this mountain of papers, pending stamp placed in passport and off home. Total time at immi around 2 hours, I had nothing better to do and not an unpleasant time at all. I’m perfectly happy to continue doing my extensions based on marriage. 

11 minutes ago, poppysdad said:

I’m perfectly happy to continue doing my extensions based on marriage

You certainly had a helpful io.

Do you have home visits? 

 

Strangely, that's one thing that would do my head in.

Can understand many saying that it's no big deal.

I wouldn't appreciate it. 

I've extended multiple times using both methods.

I would much prefer to still use retirement but have an

O-A visa and refuse to purchase the corrupt insurance that was added to the criteria long after issue. (I'm not able to buy this insurance now if I wanted it)

For some the marriage path is much more friendly financially, but I have always maintained more funds than is required for either method so is not a decider for me.

Marriage requires the photos and several other additional vexatious tasks, a much lengthier processing time on the day, and a waiting period of a month necessitating a second 125 km drive for the stamp,

I know, a border run to change to an "O" could make life easier, but it's not so easy for someone in a wheelchair.  I'll just have to man up!

In Bangkok, I never had to show a new CR22. I still use the same copy from the first one. But I asked about to change to retirement next year, and the officer told me, that for this they need a new CR22, and wife also have to come for the first time when changing married to retirement extension.

 

The main reason for me to change to retirement will be, that I don't have this 30 day under consideration period. 

 

One more point could be, that in case of divorce or death of your wife, your extension is still valid with retirement. with a marriage extension, I think you have to think about this visa process very fast. Especially in case of death, I can think of many other things to think about than to go to immigration to renew my extension.

Retirement extension. Either 800k in the bank 5 months of the year and 400k the other 7 months OR 65k a month from abroad (via Wise?) and you can spend every last satang of it. Bank statements and book copies required ONCE A YEAR. Done.

Dr. Jack, we had a home visit first time which was no problem whatsoever to us and there was no mention yesterday that we would be getting another this time. But yes we could still get a phone call to expect one.
As for some saying they feel they lose control of the situation, I’m perfectly happy as one other said it’s a joint operation between husband and wife. My wife happily and in a friendly manner chats away with all the immi officers while we sit there, I rarely get spoken to, my wife handles everything with them and it all flows very smoothly. Perhaps that’s part of the secret as we have all seen some bad examples of expats who think they no it all and argue away with the immi officers.

The marriage extension is easy I did mine last week at Chaengwattana, booked online for the appointment and was in and out in 30 mins and that would have been shorter but I forget to copy my bank book.

 

I went 11 days before my extension expired and my under-consideration period is 21 days because of Songkran holiday, or it would have been less.

 

The people who say it is difficult have generally never tried each to their own but in Bangkok after the first year i required no witness, no home visit, no paying agents as many do to circumvent the money in bank requirement. No insurance required and only 400k required for less time. I have never had to get my Kor Ror updated since my first extension 3 years ago I have used the same one.

 

How difficult is that.

 

 

49 minutes ago, BangkokAlan said:

I went 11 days before my extension expired and my under-consideration period is 21 days because of Songkran holiday, or it would have been less.

In our IO it would be 11 + 30 so 41 days.

 

Because for some strange reason they only start the under consideration period when your previous extension ends.