Is The Marriage Visa The Best Option For

[everybody knows]

I am British and over 50, I have been working here with a work permit for a number of years. There is a chance this will not be renewed when it comes up again in three months time I would like to seek advice about the best way of continuing to live here should this happen. I understand I can apply for a retirement visa if I transfer 800,000 into this country and of course stop work. Would it be checked if I transfered my savings out of this country and then back again into a new account?

Also I have been living with a Thai woman for some years if I married her could I live here on a marriage visa and if so how much do I need to show in the bank

here and does it matter that it has not been transfered into this country? Any advice would be welcome.

[dman]

If you marry the Thai lady you can apply to get your current visa turned into a non-O marriage visa. Must show 200,000 THB in bank, this goes up to 400,000 this july. The retirement visa requires deposit in the bank of 800,000 THB. Depending on the immigration office, you need to show where the money originated. For me in Mai Sai they were easy and accepted a pile of ATM reciepts for withdrawels from my bank in the USA. Also you need original Thai marriage liscence, passport, the wife, and her ID card. They asked a few questions just to make sure you and your wife really live together and it is a real marriage, as they also came to our house just to check up on us and spoke to a few of the neighbors, no big deal. Also important you need a letter from your bank stating the funds are there, costs about 200BHT depending on the bank. The process for me from the day I applied to when I got the visa took 4 months, but I hear it is faster 40 days if you apply in BKK. It was fairly painless and I think it is the same as a retirement visa with the obvious difference you need to get married and the difference in how much money is required to be in the bank. Pick your poisen.

Hope this helps.

[Sojourner]

I am married to a Thai lady yet I prefer keeping my retirement visa requirements met. For one thing, the retirement visa requirements are 800K in the bank OR 60K+ coming in every month OR a combo of both. The marriage visa requirements, if I'm not mistaken, require 400K in the bank AND a sum of money, 40K I think, coming in from abroad every month.

More importantly, you are getting married for the wrong reason if a visa is the goal. Also, if something should happen to disolve the marriage, i.e. death or divorce, you have only a few weeks to get a new visa based on other options such as retirement or investment. If not, you are an overstayer as the marriage visa ends with a short grace period when the marriage is no longer.

IMO take a close look at all the options before you jump into marriage.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

If you marry the Thai lady you can apply to get your current visa turned into a non-O marriage visa. Must show 200,000 THB in bank, this goes up to 400,000 this july. The retirement visa requires deposit in the bank of 800,000 THB. Depending on the immigration office, you need to show where the money originated. For me in Mai Sai they were easy and accepted a pile of ATM reciepts for withdrawels from my bank in the USA. Also you need original Thai marriage liscence, passport, the wife, and her ID card. They asked a few questions just to make sure you and your wife really live together and it is a real marriage, as they also came to our house just to check up on us and spoke to a few of the neighbors, no big deal. Also important you need a letter from your bank stating the funds are there, costs about 200BHT depending on the bank. The process for me from the day I applied to when I got the visa took 4 months, but I hear it is faster 40 days if you apply in BKK. It was fairly painless and I think it is the same as a retirement visa with the obvious difference you need to get married and the difference in how much money is required to be in the bank. Pick your poisen.

Hope this helps.

It has been 400,000 baht for well over a year for a married person.

As long as the money comes in from abroad for the 800 k retirement visa, there's no problem for you. It is unlikely that outgoings of capital will be matched up.

[lopburi3]

I am married to a Thai lady yet I prefer keeping my retirement visa requirements met. For one thing, the retirement visa requirements are 800K in the bank OR 60K+ coming in every month OR a combo of both. The marriage visa requirements, if I'm not mistaken, require 400K in the bank AND a sum of money, 40K I think, coming in from abroad every month.

More importantly, you are getting married for the wrong reason if a visa is the goal. Also, if something should happen to disolve the marriage, i.e. death or divorce, you have only a few weeks to get a new visa based on other options such as retirement or investment. If not, you are an overstayer as the marriage visa ends with a short grace period when the marriage is no longer.

IMO take a close look at all the options before you jump into marriage.

The support for Thai wife extension of stay is the same as for retirement but at half the money requirements bank/income/combo and you have the option to work.

Other points are valid, about tied to marriage and you will have to report with wife each year for extensions.

[dman]

Must show 200,000 THB in bank, this goes up to 400,000 this july.

Apologies Doc for the misinformation. Dont know why I had the 200 to 400 in my mind. Thanks for the correction

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Must show 200,000 THB in bank, this goes up to 400,000 this july.

Apologies Doc for the misinformation. Dont know why I had the 200 to 400 in my mind. Thanks for the correction

Wishful thinking perhaps

[Martin_F]

This is the problem with living here. There is no security.

As you say you have been living with your 'common law wife' for a number of years but have just not gone through the legal steps of registering the marriage.

It is solely up to you and your wife to decide if you want to tie the knot - I would say that it is probably better as there are certain items that come easier - especially visas etc. and for going back to the UK, it is easier for a legal wife to enter the UK than a common law one.

You could also try a residency permit. This one is more expensive but removes the requirement for annual visa. I believe it is easier for married people.

Take a look at the related posts on here.

By the way on a retirement visa you are prohibited from working. This is one of the draw backs of the retirement visa - that you cannot even say teach English at the local temple school for free.

Therefore there are no avenues for topping up a pension with a little extra work.

Anyway good luck.

[everybody knows]

Many thanks for the advice may I just clarify then that with a marriage visa I can do some part time work and not have to make visa runs and it is ok that my savings in the bank here have not come from abroad. Should I decide on this option could you advice me of a site giving information on how to do it ie which forms and where to obtain them. Thank you again.

[lopburi3]

The marriage O visa does not allow you to work; you still need a work permit for that. It does allow you to obtain a work permit (if the job allows it).

Believe you can use money from within Thailand if you work here for the bank deposit.

To marry you should check the UK embassy web site as believe they will have it outlined. Basis is a document at embassy that gets translated and officially recorded at MFA and then you present yourselves to a District Office for formal paperwork. Really quite easy. Your Embassy will have the form and instructions.