Extension of stay based on current ext. Thai wife to retirement

[spetersen]

I'm about to do my annual visa extension within a month and would like to make a change from Thai wife to retirement , is that possible to do without leaving the country ? and what are the requirements.

[4MyEgo]

6 minutes ago, spetersen said:

I'm about to do my annual visa extension within a month and would like to make a change from Thai wife to retirement , is that possible to do without leaving the country ? and what are the requirements.

 

Too easy and they will love you for it.

 

The bank statement must show 800k baht in the bank for a few months beforehand, say 3 months to be safe the 1st time doing your retirement extension.

 

There will be less paperwork, but you will be required not to touch the funds for I believe 3 months after and 3 months before the next retirement extension and there must be 800k baht in the account again, and it must never fall below 400k baht.

 

 

[Old Croc]

Then just change the wording in the reason for extension on the TM7 to Retirement instead of Marriage.

[DrJack54]

31 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

but you will be required not to touch the funds for I believe 3 months after and 3 months before the next retirement extension and there must be 800k baht in the account again, and it must never fall below 400k baht.

800k for 2 months prior to day of application maintained for 3 months afterwards and back up to 800k 2 months prior to next extension and not below 400k in other months. 

[DrJack54]

39 minutes ago, spetersen said:

and what are the requirements

The main one is 800k in Thai bank account in your name only seasoned for 2 months prior to day of application.

Have you done that? 

BTW your wife will need to attend and your 12 month extension will commence date of application 

[Liquorice]

2 hours ago, spetersen said:

I'm about to do my annual visa extension within a month and would like to make a change from Thai wife to retirement ,

When changing the reason from Marriage to retirement, or vice versa, the new extension will be dated from the date you submit the application, not from when your current permission of stay ends, so advised to do it in the last 7 days.

[spetersen]

Regarding funds requirement , I know that 800k is required but as I understand you have also the option to transfer 65k monthly from overseas or  you can also combine transfer and funds in the bank , has any of these options changed ? I also would like to know what document is required if any of you know , and thank you all for the the replies ... appreciated 

[DrJack54]

4 minutes ago, spetersen said:

Regarding funds requirement , I know that 800k is required but as I understand you have also the option to transfer 65k monthly from overseas or  you can also combine transfer and funds in the bank , has any of these options changed ? I also would like to know what document is required if any of you know , and thank you all for the the replies ... appreciated 

Your posts are vague.

Does your passport country provide income letter? 

For better advice which immigration office do you deal with.

Most likely you have not seasoned 800k for 2 months.

Combination method or monthly transfers will not work for you

[Liquorice]

10 minutes ago, spetersen said:

Regarding funds requirement , I know that 800k is required but as I understand you have also the option to transfer 65k monthly from overseas or  you can also combine transfer and funds in the bank , has any of these options changed ?

Just to elaborate on Jacks information.
For extensions of stay based on retirement, the financial requirements are;
1, 800K deposited in a Thai bank account in your sole name for 2 months prior to submitting the application, then for 3 months thereafter after which you can withdraw up to 400K, but must maintain a balance of at least 400K.

2. 12 x 65K monthly overseas transfers to a Thai bank account in your sole name.
3. An Embassy income letter.

4. A combination of funds (1) and income (2) totalling 800K for the year. Example 400K funds + 12 x 35K overseas transfers.

 

Sent a PM re docs.

 

 

[rayinkrabi]

Not sure if this helps but I'm now using the monthly income method although have used the combination & marriage methods in previous years. They are very helpful here in Krabi but it's def best to make everything as complete & clear as possible.  Have bank statement printouts of each & every month and clearly 'highlight' each of your monthly bank overseas transfers/ deposits. I use different colour highlight pen for my transfers (I always use the 'Wise' service) & different colour for the corresponding deposits of the funds into the Thai bank account. I also number 1 to 12 each months transaction on the bank printouts & include a separate page for clarity with a summary simply listing each months date & amounts.

      

[Imd8ta]

I've got mine coming up next week. Currently on marriage visa. I stopped by the office in Udon yesterday asking about switching to a retirement visa as the time and effort is greatly shortened, the Ms. don't have to take a day off work and no witness is needed. Front desk girl said that "I don't think my boss will allow that because you were on a retirement visa before". She also told me that I'd have to provide an insurance policy. As my Ms. works for the government, I've got free medical. I believe she's way off about switching (could be divorced or widower) but it would be hard to show any insurance so I'll be staying with the marriage visa.      (BTW I've been using the same pics, map and other things needed for 4 years)

[PiHans]

Is it possible to make this change based on incomestatement of Embassy which proofs you get at least thb 65.000 per month, without making any deposit?

[DrJack54]

24 minutes ago, Imd8ta said:

She also told me that I'd have to provide an insurance policy.

Seems that you have been obtaining extensions from a non O-A.

Extensions from a non O-A based on retirement require insurance.

Extensions from a non O-A based on marriage do not require insurance 

 

Extensions from a non O do not require insurance.

If you really wish to kill off your non O-A then best option is to border bounce enter visa exempt and obtain non O retirement at your immigration office.

imo remain with extensions based on marriage.

Easy financial requirements. 

[KannikaP]

13 hours ago, Liquorice said:

4. A combination of funds (1) and income (2) totalling 800K for the year. Example 400K funds + 12 x 35K overseas transfers.

I have done this for past three years. The perfect combination for me.

[spetersen]

14 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Your posts are vague.

Does your passport country provide income letter? 

For better advice which immigration office do you deal with.

Most likely you have not seasoned 800k for 2 months.

Combination method or monthly transfers will not work for you

Thhe funds++ has been in the account for 2 years...

 

[spidermike007]

I highly recommend it, it's incredibly easy to switch, and the requirements for the retirement visa, other than the additional funds in the bank are very low. It is infinitely easier to renew every year. I was on the marriage visa for a while and I got so sick of trying to prove that I was married every year, and jumping over all the hurdles that they set up that are completely absent with the retirement Visa. I realized that I was really getting sick and tired of certain aspects of living in Thailand, and one of the biggest ones was dealing with immigration. I no longer have that annoyance in my life

 

Go for it you will never regret it. 

[PeachCH]

As you stay already stay in Thailand, you will know what would be the easiest and most convenient way to do it, without any financial burden . 😁👍

[WDSmart]

@spetersen: That should be no problem. Just bring in the required documents for an extension based on retirement, and they should proceed as normal. In my almost 20 years of living here, I've switched back and forth from using retirement to marriage and back to retirement on my visa.

[Imd8ta]

On 9/10/2024 at 11:09 AM, DrJack54 said:

Seems that you have been obtaining extensions from a non O-A.   YES

Extensions from a non O do not require insurance.     OK

If you really wish to kill off your non O-A then best option is to border bounce enter visa exempt and obtain non O retirement at your immigration office.    Requiring exit visa right?

imo remain with extensions based on marriage.  Would I till have to go thru the process of pics, witness, maps etc? That's what I'm trying to eliminate.

Easy financial requirements.    YUP

 

[DrJack54]

48 minutes ago, Imd8ta said:

Seems that you have been obtaining extensions from a non O-A.   YES

Extensions from a non O do not require insurance.     OK

If you really wish to kill off your non O-A then best option is to border bounce enter visa exempt and obtain non O retirement at your immigration office.    Requiring exit visa right?

imo remain with extensions based on marriage.  Would I till have to go thru the process of pics, witness, maps etc? That's what I'm trying to eliminate.

Easy financial requirements.    YUP

You seem to have good grasp of your options.

If you obtain extensions (marriage) from a non O-A or non O you will require the same items such as photos, home visits etc.

If you decide to have extensions based on retirement then best option is to kill off the non O-A.

Do that by exiting Thailand WITHOUT a reentry permit. 

Turn around and enter visa exempt.

From there obtain non O retirement at immigration and 2 months later with the 800k in bank during that 2 months obtain 12 month extension.

 

Some guys park the 800k in a bank account dedicated to immigration matters. 

It's true that the extensions based on retirement require far less hoops and paperwork. 

Some don't worry about home visit. I would.

Some don't worry about the under consideration period. I would. 

Attached thread outlines process visa exempt to non O and subsequent 12 month extension.

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1311886-visa-exempt-to-retirement-extension-process-and-cost/

[bigt3116]

On 9/10/2024 at 11:09 AM, DrJack54 said:

Extensions from a non O-A based on marriage do not require insurance 

 

Couple of things, are you sure that it is possible to change extension to one based on marriage if your original visa was a Non-OA ?

 

Secondly, as far as I have read, if you entered with a Non-OA, the insurance requirement sticks with you whatever you do, (that is why people leave to cancel the OA).

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, bigt3116 said:

 

Couple of things, are you sure that it is possible to change extension to one based on marriage if your original visa was a Non-OA ?

 

Secondly, as far as I have read, if you entered with a Non-OA, the insurance requirement sticks with you whatever you do, (that is why people leave to cancel the OA).

Absolutely sure.

Only caveat is that for first extension from an non O-A it would have to be based on retirement.

After that subsequent extensions can be applied for based on marriage and no insurance requirement. 

 

Edit: re exiting Thailand to kill off non O-A and reenter to obtain non O was done extensively for guys not married to Thai when insurance came into play..

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1290880-health-insurance-non-o-and-non-o-a/

[Liquorice]

1 hour ago, bigt3116 said:

Couple of things, are you sure that it is possible to change extension to one based on marriage if your original visa was a Non-OA ?

Concur with @DrJack54

For the very first extension of stay application following entry from a Non Imm O-A visa, Immigration will insist the extension is based on retirement as the O-A was specifically based on that reason. Thereafter, if married to a Thai, you can change the reason for the extension from retirement to marriage with no Health Insurance requirement.

 

1 hour ago, bigt3116 said:

Secondly, as far as I have read, if you entered with a Non-OA, the insurance requirement sticks with you whatever you do, (that is why people leave to cancel the OA).

It only sticks with you unless you change the type of visa, or the reason for an extension of stay.
Prior to Covid, many folk that entered on the Non Imm O-A and later obtained extensions of stay, departed Thailand without a re-entry permit to kill of any remaining permission of stay, then either re-entered on a Non Imm O visa, or VE > Non O > extension, to avail themselves of the mandatory Health Insurance requirements.