TW-extension To Retirement Extension

[rishi]

Hi,

Although the heat seems over for this time - she talked nicely to the dogs and didn't slam any doors when she closed them after walking by my workstation last time - this last discussion with threats of police, lawyers, and divorce made me think a bit about alternatives for extensions of my "permitted-to-stay-until" stamp. I'm currently on my fourth 1-year extension on grounds of being married to a Thai but am both old enough and rich enough to meet the requirements for an extension based on retirement. My current TW-extension is valid until October this year. All in all, I've got no immediate problems (I think), but I wonder about the available options to switch from a TW-extension to a retirement extension with as little hassle as possible for a guy in my situation. I know that its perfectly possible and am just concerned about minimizing hassle and costs.There seems to be three possible situations, each with their set of question(s):

1) No divorce procedures launched. Can I go to immigration and get a new 1-year extension based on retirement although there still are several months left on my current 1-year extension based on marriage to a Thai?

2) Divorce procedures launched and ALL relevant authorities properly notified: I figure the situation would be similar to situation 1) except for eventual law inflected bounds on the bank account where the required 800 K sits. Would a divorce procedure in progress mean that those 800 K aren't valid means for a retirement extension?

3) Divorce has become a fact: I figure this means that my TW-extension is absolute from the date the divorce is a legal fact. Would I then get the 7 days extension as for job/wp cancellation that applies to non-imm "B" extions or is the situation different when it's a marriage that has been cancelled? Could I for example go down to immigration and right away apply for a retirement extension (assumed I still got 800 K on a Thai bank account in my name)?

I'm not asking for advice about go talk to a lawyer, nor going to take any advice as a legal fact. I'm just posting to see if someone has some experience in similar matters, they don't mind to share.

I

[Maestro]

1. Normally, the immigration office wants you to apply for the new extension during the last 30 days of your current permission to stay (Pattaya/Jomtien is an exception in that they encourage application as early as 3 months in advance). However, since a retirement extension means less work for the immigration officer he may accept your application for it already now. Some immigration officers want the wife along to sign a document that she agrees with the change.

2. I don’t know about access to bank account during divorce proceedings but don’t think that immigration gets official notification of the start of such proceedings, but your wife might tell them.

3. Yes, you could right away apply for a new extension of stay for the reason of retirement

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Maestro

[Mobi]

I'm no expert, but it seems logical to me (Hey, what is logical in Thailand??) that once an extension has been given, then it it is valid until it's expiry, regardless of whether the circumstances under which it was issued have changed. E.G. if you had a retirement extension based on 800K or monthly income, and you suddenly lost all your money/income - would that invalidate your visa? I doubt it. It would only be when you come to renew the extension that you would have a problem.

If it was me, I'd leave well alone until, it is due for renewal, and the simply go and apply for a new extension based on retirement. If you have a savings account with 800k in your name, and you can get the requisite bank letter, then I wouldn't worry about it. As you probably know, retirement extensions, are far less onerous than marriage extensions, and all you really need to show is that you have the cash or income.