Marriage Visa

[craig]

Always one to wonder what if? I am planning on changing my retirement visa to a marriage visa. I've been married to a Thai woman for five years and support her and her 3 school age kids. I thought that a marriage visa would be more secure than a retirement visa as rules and attiitudes change...then I thought...what if she dies...can I claim that as I am supporting her kids I should be able to stay?

I certainly don't wish any ill fortune to my wife but, if this happens, do I rush to find a new wife, or what? Certainly, this has happened before that the Thai spouse passes...what happened to the foreign husband. My wife's brother married an English woman and then he died but as she was here working with a visa for teaching at Regents School it wasn't an issue for her...she moved to Tasmania and is married there and raising sheep... I'd as soon stay here. Thanks

[ubonjoe]

If your wife was to die the reason for your extension would end also. But unless somebody was to notify immigration you would probably be ok until when your extension is due again. If the children are not yours by birth you might not even be able to claim them in order to get another extenstion. If you were able to adopt them then yes. Or have sole custody then it might be possible.

[henryalleman]

This will create a lot of problems for retirees. Just imagine you are 75 or 80 and have no connection what so ever with your home country, and you can't meet the 800 000 Baht rule.

This could well be one of the major future problems in the expat community in the years to come.

My only advise is put 800 000 Bath in a locked save account and forget it, till the time you need it.

And if you don't have....... START TO SAVE.