From marriage extension to retirement: single query.

[Toolong]

Hi all. 

 

On a yearly marriage extension thing. Been so for 3/4 years. 400k in bank. Never been touched, just the way they like it.

 

Anyway...expires in March '25. Want to MAYBE extend stay by changing to yearly retirement ext'. An extension that requires 800k in the bank. But maybe not. I could change my mind.

 

So my query: is it ok for me to add 400k to the current 400k now - 5 months ahead, which I can do - making it 800k, in readiness for a possible change to retirement ext', without messing things up if I later choose to stick with a marriage extension? 

 

So I guess, in other words....does immigration care if money is ADDED to an existing 400k marriage ext' account? Or do they get 'picky' about it? (I mean, I know withdrawing money to BELOW the 400k amount is unacceptable at the time of extension renewal, but are they fussy about money being ADDED to it at any time before? )

 

PS: forgive my vulgar capitalization of so many words, but wanted to make it clear. 🙏

 

Thanks in advance for your helpful comments. 

[Lite Beer]

Just top it up to 800.000 Baht at least 2 months before application and change your reason for extension.

[Toolong]

13 minutes ago, Lite Beer said:

Just top it up to 800.000 Baht at least 2 months before application and change your reason for extension.

Assuming you're right, Lite beer, that's about as simple and perfect a reply as I could wish for. 

 

Thank you. 🙏👍

[Lite Beer]

If you change your mind and decide to stick with marriage extension make sure the bank balance is below 800,000 or they will try to talk you into retirement.

[DrJack54]

16 minutes ago, Toolong said:

Assuming you're right, Lite beer, that's about as simple and perfect a reply as I could wish for. 

 

Thank you. 🙏👍

He is right.

For next extension based on retirement just have 800k in account 2 months prior to application.

Note your wife will need to attend immigration office. 

 

For others thinking about this change ...is it purely less paperwork etc.

The financials for extension marriage very easy compared to retirement 

[john donson]

marriage is 400k and you can actually use it

 

800k for retirement, can only go to 400k for a  few months and not lower...

[DrJack54]

7 minutes ago, john donson said:

marriage is 400k and you can actually use it

 

800k for retirement, can only go to 400k for a  few months and not lower...

For marriage 400k for two months prior to application and during under consideration period.

For retirement 800k two months prior + 3 months after and not below 400k is other months

[Toolong]

10 hours ago, Lite Beer said:

If you change your mind and decide to stick with marriage extension make sure the bank balance is below 800,000 or they will try to talk you into retirement.

That's an interesting insight into what could happen, Lite Beer. Thanks for the heads-up. 👍

[Toolong]

10 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

He is right.

For next extension based on retirement just have 800k in account 2 months prior to application.

Note your wife will need to attend immigration office. 

 

For others thinking about this change ...is it purely less paperwork etc.

The financials for extension marriage very easy compared to retirement 

Thanks for that, DrJack. Good point. For me, it's seeing how easy a retirement extension application 'appears' to be, to me, amongst the expat acquaintances of mine. But yes, more sitting cash in the account involved.

[Toolong]

32 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

For marriage 400k for two months prior to application and during under consideration period.

For retirement 800k two months prior + 3 months after and not below 400k is other months

 

33 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

For marriage 400k for two months prior to application and during under consideration period.

For retirement 800k two months prior + 3 months after and not below 400k is other months

Nice and clear. Thanks DrJack. I shall keep that in mind.

[1948wjm]

Medical Insurance ?? I could also be considering this same change from marriage - retirement but will I also need to then purchase some medical insurance ??? Thanks

[WDSmart]

11 hours ago, Toolong said:

Hi all. 

 

On a yearly marriage extension thing. Been so for 3/4 years. 400k in bank. Never been touched, just the way they like it.

 

Anyway...expires in March '25. Want to MAYBE extend stay by changing to yearly retirement ext'. An extension that requires 800k in the bank. But maybe not. I could change my mind.

 

So my query: is it ok for me to add 400k to the current 400k now - 5 months ahead, which I can do - making it 800k, in readiness for a possible change to retirement ext', without messing things up if I later choose to stick with a marriage extension? 

 

So I guess, in other words....does immigration care if money is ADDED to an existing 400k marriage ext' account? Or do they get 'picky' about it? (I mean, I know withdrawing money to BELOW the 400k amount is unacceptable at the time of extension renewal, but are they fussy about money being ADDED to it at any time before? )

 

PS: forgive my vulgar capitalization of so many words, but wanted to make it clear. 🙏

 

Thanks in advance for your helpful comments. 

In my over 20 years living in Thailand on a Type-O Visa, I've switched back and forth between a One-year Stay Extension based on Marriage and Retirement. I've always used the same bank account, and Immigration doesn't care if you use that account as long as you keep the balance does not fall below the minimum requirement. I use the account as my main account and make withdrawals, pay for charges, and make deposits as I see fit. At least the three different Immigration offices I've used do not.  

I would advise you to check with the immigration office you will be using because (like many other things in Thailand) not all offices follow the same rules.

[Toolong]

16 minutes ago, WDSmart said:

In my over 20 years living in Thailand on a Type-O Visa, I've switched back and forth between a One-year Stay Extension based on Marriage and Retirement. I've always used the same bank account, and Immigration doesn't care if you use that account as long as you keep the balance does not fall below the minimum requirement. I use the account as my main account and make withdrawals, pay for charges, and make deposits as I see fit. At least the three different Immigration offices I've used do not.  

I would advise you to check with the immigration office you will be using because (like many other things in Thailand) not all offices follow the same rules.

I keep a separate account for the 400k I currently use for the marriage extension. It's a choice based on knowing that I would probably get in a hell of a mess if I used the account for daily use, withdrawals & bill payments etc. Just safer for me to keep it separate & unused, although many would disagree and are able to be more organized and on top of things. 😉

[Toolong]

29 minutes ago, 1948wjm said:

Medical Insurance ?? I could also be considering this same change from marriage - retirement but will I also need to then purchase some medical insurance ??? Thanks

That's a good question. My understanding is that if applying INSIDE Thailand, you don't need it. If from OUTSIDE, you do. I could be wrong!

I hope someone here can clarify that! 😉 (DrJack54?)

[brianthainess]

12 hours ago, Toolong said:

So I guess, in other words....does immigration care if money is ADDED to an existing 400k marriage ext' account?

No they don't care, but if they Try to get you to change to retirement and you don't want to stick to your guns smile and get your marriage extension.

[WDSmart]

2 minutes ago, Toolong said:

35 minutes ago, 1948wjm said:

Medical Insurance ?? I could also be considering this same change from marriage - retirement but will I also need to then purchase some medical insurance ??? Thanks

That's a good question. My understanding is that if applying INSIDE Thailand, you don't need it. If from OUTSIDE, you do. I could be wrong!

I hope someone here can clarify that! 😉 (DrJack54?)

You don't need medical insurance if you only apply for a one-year stay extension on an existing Type-O visa. At least I never have.

[Toolong]

1 minute ago, brianthainess said:

No they don't care, but if they Try to get you to change to retirement and you don't want to stick to your guns smile and get your marriage extension.

I will keep your advice in mind if that happens! 😉 👍

[brianthainess]

11 hours ago, Lite Beer said:

If you change your mind and decide to stick with marriage extension make sure the bank balance is below 800,000 or they will try to talk you into retirement.

Well if they do, ignore them, it's only because they don't like the extra work involved, they try that with me every year 'coz I have more than 1 million in the bank.

[Toolong]

1 minute ago, WDSmart said:

You don't need medical insurance if you only apply for a one-year stay extension on an existing Type-O visa. At least I never have.

Thanks WDSmart. That appears to confirm what I thought. Having said that, others may think otherwise. I hope you're right!

[thaibeachlovers]

1 hour ago, john donson said:

marriage is 400k and you can actually use it

 

800k for retirement, can only go to 400k for a  few months and not lower...

I look at it from the point of view that if one can't afford to leave 800,000 in the bank year round, can one afford to live in LOS?

 

When I finally left for good, the 800,000 came in handy for getting set up back home and buying a car etc

[brianthainess]

3 minutes ago, Toolong said:

6 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

No they don't care, but if they Try to get you to change to retirement and you don't want to stick to your guns smile and get your marriage extension.

I will keep your advice in mind if that happens! 😉 👍

I meant to add you can always tell them no, I need that money to buy....a car, breast implants, whatever, sorry just joking 

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, Toolong said:

That's a good question. My understanding is that if applying INSIDE Thailand, you don't need it. If from OUTSIDE, you do. I could be wrong!

I hope someone here can clarify that! 😉 (DrJack54?)

A non O-A (retirement) is obtained in passport country and requires insurance.

Any extension of permission of stay (12 months) requires insurance.

At some point if extensions from a non O-A is changed from based on retirement to based on marriage then insurance is not required.

A non O retirement can be obtained at most Thai consulate and embassies in home country or elsewhere.

The application for the non O and subsequent extensions does not require insurance. 

If someone had a non O-A and is not married to a Thai then only way to get out of insurance requirement is to exit Thailand without reentry permit that kills off the non O-A.

 

Can even do that with a border bounce Reenter Thailand visa exempt and obtain non O retirement at local immigration office.

Not difficult 

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, brianthainess said:

Well if they do, ignore them, it's only because they don't like the extra work involved, they try that with me every year 'coz I have more than 1 million in the bank.

Correct.

Not necessary but sounds like you maintain funds in bank all year round. 

You could consider one dedicated account for immigration purposes (400k) and separate account for living expenses. 

 

[brianthainess]

6 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Correct.

Not necessary but sounds like you maintain funds in bank all year round. 

You could consider one dedicated account for immigration purposes (400k) and separate account for living expenses. 

 

No thanks I like my banking arrangements just as they are, and I'm not going to change it just to please immigration. But if ONE wants to up to them.

[Toolong]

4 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

A non O-A (retirement) is obtained in passport country and requires insurance.

Any extension of permission of stay (12 months) requires insurance.

At some point if extensions from a non O-A is changed from based on retirement to based on marriage then insurance is not required.

A non O retirement can be obtained at most Thai consulate and embassies in home country or elsewhere.

The application for the non O and subsequent extensions does not require insurance. 

If someone had a non O-A and is not married to a Thai then only way to get out of insurance requirement is to exit Thailand without reentry permit that kills off the non O-A.

 

Can even do that with a border bounce Reenter Thailand visa exempt and obtain non O retirement at local immigration office.

Not difficult 

DrJack, I thank you for that detailed explanation. 👍🙏

 

Now I will no doubt get a lot of 'flak' for this, for seeming to be so dumb, from yourself and/or others, so I apologize.....but I'm still not 100% sure whether I personally will need to have insurance if I change from marriage ext' to retirement. 

 

My situation in brief: had a 12 month, renewable extension related to work, for 20+ years here. Then quit the job & work altogether and, wanting to still live in TH, I applied for the marriage extension IN Thailand (Korat). Continued to renew the extension in same way for last 4 years. So, are you saying I WON'T require insurance if I change to retirement in-country?

 

(Please forgive me for being a bit slow getting my head around this. My old brain ain't what it was!! 🙏🙂)

[DrJack54]

19 minutes ago, Toolong said:

Continued to renew the extension in same way for last 4 years. So, are you saying I WON'T require insurance if I change to retirement in-country

You were working so sounds like extensions from a non B.

Certainly not a non O-A.

Now wishing to change from extension based on marriage to based on retirement.

You will not require insurance.

Note: your wife will need to attend and your 12 month extension will date from day of application. 

[Toolong]

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

You were working so sounds like extensions from a non B.

Certainly not a non O-A.

Now wishing to change from extension based on marriage to based on retirement.

You will not require insurance.

Note: your wife will need to attend and your 12 month extension will date from day of application. 

Yes, you're right, my extension at work was a 'non-B' (I couldn't remember what it was called, earlier).

 

So no insurance required.....that is good to know. 

 

I really appreciate your information and your (patient!) help in making things clear for me, DrJack54. 

 

Thanks!! 🙏

[proton]

My office at least still wants to see 800k in the bank 3 months before, people have been refused when they have only 2. I never risk it. 

[DrJack54]

7 minutes ago, proton said:

My office at least still wants to see 800k in the bank 3 months before, people have been refused when they have only 2. I never risk it. 

Would help if you named office.

I'm aware of one office that requires 3 month seasoning prior to application. The other ~80 do not

[proton]

16 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Would help if you named office.

I'm aware of one office that requires 3 month seasoning prior to application. The other ~80 do not

Samut Prakan there was a post on here before by somebody who was refused his extension due to this