Extending a Non O Visa

[Phantom57]

Hi, I am asking for my German friend ( married Thai) who just entered Thailand on a new Non O from Munich. ( Even though had a valid unused  ReEntry Permit off a current Thai Wife extension 25 Apr 24). He states that after his initial 90 days,  the Munich website ( in German) says that he can renew for another 90 days. (New procedure from 28 November 23???). . I told him that only a 60 extension to visit wife or a 1 year extension for Retirement or Thai Wife was possible. Am I correct? Regards.

[DrJack54]

34 minutes ago, Phantom57 said:

He states that after his initial 90 days, the Munich website ( in German) says that he can renew for another 90 days. (New procedure from 28 November 23???).

Dont understand where that comes from.

Also don't understand why he obtained a new Non O (marriage) when he had a permission of stay protected by reentry permit.

Will be interesting when he reenters with new visa. 

[Red Phoenix]

When your friend entered Thailand on that new 90-day Non Imm O Marriage Visa, he cannot extend the Permission for another 90 days and so it looks like the Munich website is wrong,  And you are correct that his only extension options from that 90-day Non Imm O Marriage Visa are: 

- a one-time 60 day extension of stay for reason of visiting his wife;

- a 1-year extension for reason of Marriage (he cannot apply for reason of Retirement for his first 1-year extension, as that has to be for the same reason that the original 90-days Visa was provided).

[bigt3116]

12 hours ago, Phantom57 said:

who just entered Thailand on a new Non O from Munich.

 

12 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Will be interesting when he reenters with new visa. 

 

 

[Phantom57]

Thanks Guys, a little more info. After looking at his Passport, he has a Thai Wife extension to 25 Apr 24 with an unused Re Entry Permit ( Korat).  He was under the impression that you couldn’t use his 400K ( Bank Method) at all during the extension . Went home to Germany in Jun23 and arrived here early Dec23 with a New Non O visa ( Retirement, more easy  in Germany says he ), so he could then use his 400K in the bank. He interpreted the Munich site info and a fellow German to indicate that a second 90 day extension would be available after a new law was passed in Nov23??

He only spends 5 months a year here and plans with his wife to return to Germany in June.

His current 90 days runs out early Mar24.  I told him to contact or visit Korat Immigration for options. My option would be do a border bounce near here ( Cambodia) and enter on the Re Entry Permit giving 25 Apr24 then a 60 Day extension to visit wife taking him pass his return to Germany time. Any other ideas would be appreciated. Thanks again, regards.

[Red Phoenix]

1 hour ago, Phantom57 said:

Thanks Guys, a little more info. After looking at his Passport, he has a Thai Wife extension to 25 Apr 24 with an unused Re Entry Permit ( Korat).  He was under the impression that you couldn’t use his 400K ( Bank Method) at all during the extension . Went home to Germany in Jun23 and arrived here early Dec23 with a New Non O visa ( Retirement, more easy  in Germany says he ), so he could then use his 400K in the bank. He interpreted the Munich site info and a fellow German to indicate that a second 90 day extension would be available after a new law was passed in Nov23??

He only spends 5 months a year here and plans with his wife to return to Germany in June.

His current 90 days runs out early Mar24.  I told him to contact or visit Korat Immigration for options. My option would be do a border bounce near here ( Cambodia) and enter on the Re Entry Permit giving 25 Apr24 then a 60 Day extension to visit wife taking him pass his return to Germany time. Any other ideas would be appreciated. Thanks again, regards.

~ Oh boy, he got himself needlessly in problems.

# Obviously there was no need for him to apply for a new 90-day Non Imm O Visa for reason of Retirement in Germany, as he had a valid re-entry permit to safeguard the 1-year Permission to stay (valid till 25 April 2024) based on his earlier Non Imm O Visa for reason of Marriage.

# He was of course wrong when thinking that he could not use the 400K on his personal Thai bank-account during the whole 1-year Permission to stay period.  When you are on a 1-year Permission to stay based on a Non Imm O Marriage Visa, you are free to use the 400K funds when you get the 1-year Permission to stay stamp in your Passport after the 'under consideration' period (typically takes 1 month from date of application).  And you ONLY need to provide evidence of having +400K during the 2 months preceding the date of your next 1 year extension of stay application based on that original Non Imm O Marriage Visa.

# But having entered on a 90-day Non Imm O Retirement Visa now, he cannot apply for the 1-year extension for reason of Marriage for his first 1-year extension of stay application, as such first application needs to be done for same reason as the orginal Non Imm O Visa (in his case that's now for reason of Retirement).  And so he will now have to meet the requirements for a 1-year extension of stay for reason of Retirement, which means that when using the funds in bank method (which he used earlier for his Marriage Visa/extension) that he would now need to provide evidence of having +800K on his personal Thai bank account with foreign origins proven. And once he gets his 1-year extension of stay based on that 1-year Retirement extension application, he would need to keept those +800K semi-permanently on his personal Thai bank-account (only allowed to lower till +400K after 3 months from date of application and need to top up again to +800K two months before his next application for the 1-year extension for reason of Retirement.

# Considering that he only stays 5 months a year in Thailand, there is actually no need for him to apply for a Non Imm O Visa (be it for marriage or for retirement).  He could simply enter Thailand VisaExempt (without a Visa) which will provide him with a 30-day Permission to stay.  That 30-day Permssion to stay can then be easily extended for 30-days at any Thai Immigration office (costs 1900,- THB like any extension, is delivered on the spot, and the extra 30 days added to the expiry date of his 30-day Permission to stay).  After having done that, he can at the end of his 60 days in Thailand then apply at his local Imm Office for a 60-day extension of stay for reason of 'visiting his wife', which is once again provided on the spot (it needs evidence of being still married to your Thai wife, and a Kor-Ror-2 (extract from the Thai national marriage register) stating this can be gotten at any Thai Amphur on the spot for 20 - 100 THB.

So that's already 4 months, and at the end of those 4 months he can do a simple border-hop which can be done same day, and will provide him once again with a new 30-day Permission to stay, which - if needed if it is just short of the 5 months he intends to stay in Thailand - can be once again extended for 30-days at any Thai Immigration office.

# If he does not want to apply for the 1-year extension of stay for reason of retirement (which requires +800K on his personal Thai bank account with foreign origins of the funds proven) he could do the following:

At the end of his 90-day Permission to stay, simply apply for a 60-day extension of stay for reason of visiting his wife.  And at the end of the 90+60 days simply do a border-hop and re-enter Visa
Exempt (without a Visa) which would provide him with a 30-day Permission to stay, which can once again be extended for 30 days at his local Imm Office.  And if that is still not enough to stay till June when he returns to Germany then apply again for a 60-day extension of stay for reason of visiting his wife. 

# So due to his misunderstanding of the requirements he got himself into some unneeded trouble.  

Feel free to PM me if you or your German friend have questions or need additonal information on his best options. 

Edited December 14, 2023 by Red Phoenix

[CMBob]

 Please delete.

Edited December 14, 2023 by CMBob

[Phantom57]

Thanks Red Phoenix for your detailed reply. I will pass on to him now your reply and catch up with him in a few days.

I will also post his intentions and subsequent results later.  Thanks again for your help. Definitely will save a major problem later. Cheers.