Switching Visa's - Is It Easy?

[coalminer]

I have been living in Thailand on a "Thai Spouse Visa".

But our relation is not very well lately, and I want to avoid to see my Visa extension refused because my wife would say "nasty things" at the interview.

I am 55 this year, and thus I have the required age for a "Retirement Visa".

I also have about 24,000 US$ at the Bangkok Bank and a certfied income of over 75,000 Baht/month by my Embassy.

I need to go for a Visa extension next month, and I would like to know if it is possible to change the existing "Thai Spouse Visa" to a "Retirement Visa" and if my financial situation is enough to meet the regulations.

Is the presence of my wife required at the application?

Any other pitfalls?

[ubonjoe]

You can change to a retirement extension (it's not a visa) with no problem. In fact immigration will be happy that you did it because it is less work for them.

Your wife does not have to be there.

[lopburi3]

Unless there has been a recent change she indeed does have to be present and sign a paper that she understands the change. I had this happen and two captains and processor all agreed that she must be present. The claim was Thai marriage laws required it.

That said - the winds may be blowing from a different direction this week.

[Lite Beer]

I changed a couple of years back without my Wife being present. Having said that , it was at the Samui office that seems to go it's own way anyway. I have read many times on here reports verifying what Lopburi said.

One more thing the age to get a retirement extension is 50.

[coalminer]

Unless there has been a recent change she indeed does have to be present and sign a paper that she understands the change. I had this happen and two captains and processor all agreed that she must be present. The claim was Thai marriage laws required it.

That said - the winds may be blowing from a different direction this week.

OOOoooooopppppssssss

What if she refuses to come to the Immigraton Center?

Will my application be refused?

Both the "Married to a Thai national" and the "Retirement" extension?

[lopburi3]

They will not even consider the marriage extension without the wife. You can try the retirement as some seem to have managed it - just be prepared if you get questions. In general they want people to use the retirement - so worst case would probably be having them give the wife a call and explain your change in status. But with any luck they will just provide.

[coalminer]

They will not even consider the marriage extension without the wife. You can try the retirement as some seem to have managed it - just be prepared if you get questions. In general they want people to use the retirement - so worst case would probably be having them give the wife a call and explain your change in status. But with any luck they will just provide.

I don't understand what implications on my wife a change of my Visa status can have.

Am I missing something here?

[lopburi3]

Thailand is a joint property state - and they seem to consider this something the spouse should be aware of - it may be an indication you are about to disappear to the current wife and perhaps she needs to pay more attention to the money trail? I can only say what happened - and what I was told. I did not try to dig deeper after getting the same word from two supervisor officers. They refunded the extension of stay cost and were very understanding but would not allow without wife knowing (you used to pay first - then proceed to extension office and it was not normally refundable).

[coalminer]

Thailand is a joint property state - and they seem to consider this something the spouse should be aware of - it may be an indication you are about to disappear to the current wife and perhaps she needs to pay more attention to the money trail? I can only say what happened - and what I was told. I did not try to dig deeper after getting the same word from two supervisor officers. They refunded the extension of stay cost and were very understanding but would not allow without wife knowing (you used to pay first - then proceed to extension office and it was not normally refundable).

Only for information (not that it change much), which Immigration Office did you apply to at the time and when was it?

[lopburi3]

Suan Phlu. mid 2005. There is also an extra stamp in passport of the change in status.

[inquisitive]

Thailand is a joint property state - and they seem to consider this something the spouse should be aware of - it may be an indication you are about to disappear to the current wife and perhaps she needs to pay more attention to the money trail? I can only say what happened - and what I was told. I did not try to dig deeper after getting the same word from two supervisor officers. They refunded the extension of stay cost and were very understanding but would not allow without wife knowing (you used to pay first - then proceed to extension office and it was not normally refundable).

This brings up the question as to which extension of stay is generally preferable. I can easily understand the concerns expressed here, and I can see how the retirement option would be peferable in this case. Would there be ANY circumstances it would be advantageous for where a 55+ year old male to opt for a "marriage visa" rather than the "retirement visa" except for the financial requirement?

[MrDream]

Would it be possible for him to return to his home country, and then get the new visa from his local home embassy without his wife being present? I don't know if thats even an option for you coalminer, but I am interested to see if that would work.

I know I had returned to the USA for a 1 month stay to take care of family business, and renewed my visa while I was there. To my surprise, when I returned to Thailand, they counted the remaining entry I had left on my old visa, at which point I will have to go to immigration I believe, but after that, a visa run and then my new visa kicks in. I don't know if thats normal if you have entries remaining left on your visa, then you already have a different status visa from the embassy in your passport, but they seemed to allow it. Hopefully that doesn't cause havoc for me coming back from a visa run lol.

[Lite Beer]

Would it be possible for him to return to his home country, and then get the new visa from his local home embassy without his wife being present? I don't know if thats even an option for you coalminer, but I am interested to see if that would work.

We are talking about extensions of stay. You are talking about a visa. There is nothing stopping him applying for a Non Imm O Visa at a Thai Consulate if he wishes.

[ubonjoe]

Thailand is a joint property state - and they seem to consider this something the spouse should be aware of - it may be an indication you are about to disappear to the current wife and perhaps she needs to pay more attention to the money trail? I can only say what happened - and what I was told. I did not try to dig deeper after getting the same word from two supervisor officers. They refunded the extension of stay cost and were very understanding but would not allow without wife knowing (you used to pay first - then proceed to extension office and it was not normally refundable).

This brings up the question as to which extension of stay is generally preferable. I can easily understand the concerns expressed here, and I can see how the retirement option would be peferable in this case. Would there be ANY circumstances it would be advantageous for where a 55+ year old male to opt for a "marriage visa" rather than the "retirement visa" except for the financial requirement?

The minimum age to get a reitirement extension is 50.

You can get a worik permit with an extension based upon marriage.

You can also apply for permanent residency after marriage extensions.

These are not visa's we are talking about they are extensions of stay.

[MrDream]

Can you apply within Thailand for a marriage visa, or extension of stay? If I am on a business visa now, but plan to switch over to a Thai spouse visa, can that be done within Thailand, or would I have to return home to get the new visa, or would the extension of stay conflict with a change in status?

[Lite Beer]

Can you apply within Thailand for a marriage visa, or extension of stay? If I am on a business visa now, but plan to switch over to a Thai spouse visa, can that be done within Thailand, or would I have to return home to get the new visa, or would the extension of stay conflict with a change in status?

You can apply for a 12 month extension of stay based on Marriage to a Thai National if you qualify. It can be done at Immigration in Thailand.

This is the rule.

(6) In case of marriage with a Thai lady, the husband who is an alien must have an average annual income of not less than 40,000 baht per month or a money deposit in a local Thai bank of not less than 400,000 baht for the past 2 months for expenses within a year.

[sassienie]

On date of visa extension at Immigration, visit on your own and request to change status for retirement. No problems with this. Do not mention any spouse relationship problems.

OK, these are the imposed requirements for non Immigrant (O) visas on the basis of retirement:

A pension income of 65000 baht per month or 800000 baht invested in a Thai bank or a mixture of both.

A document of pension certification is required from your embassy/consulate in the case of pension income.

A letter of certification of bank balance is required from your bank in the case of investment. Within 7 days prior to visa application.

Money invested into Thai bank must have been deposited within 3 months prior to visa application.

In the case of a joint account with spouse, 1.6 million baht is required to be invested with Thai bank. Double because of the 2 names. Joint accounts other than that of a spouse are not accepted.

If the Thai bank account is in joints names with a spouse, Immigration may request the presents of the wife at interview.

Bring with you, your passport including the JB arrival slip that should be attached to the passport, bank pass book/s, letter from bank and consulate if applicable, completed visa application form and the required size photos.

Just to be safe in case they ask: bring marriage certificate, proof of origin of funds, such as home country bank statements etc. Sometimes they ask, sometimes they don’t.

Any proof of living address in Thailand, again sometimes they ask, sometimes they don’t.

Photocopies: All the important pages of your passport including the JB arrival slip, all pages of your bank pass book, a copy of the bank letter/consulate letter, may be required or may not. Sign and date each photocopy page.

Immigration only requires 1 photocopy of each page, but I always make 2, just in case.

If you don’t wish to let the little lady on the photocopier at Immigration see your personal stuff, than ask your bank when you collect the letter to make copies of your bank book for you and it is cheaper to have copies made outside rather than in Immigration.

[coalminer]

On date of visa extension at Immigration, visit on your own and request to change status for retirement. No problems with this. Do not mention any spouse relationship problems.

OK, these are the imposed requirements for non Immigrant (O) visas on the basis of retirement:

Thanks for your (long) reply.

The required documents are not a problem for me, but sometimes for Immigration.

I keep all the original documents of me, my wife and our child in separate maps with 3 copies of each document inside.

I have a color printer/scanner/copier at home and making copies is a breeze.

I bring these 3 maps always with me and sometimes the Immigration officials get mad that I can provide every document they request on demand.

I also bring each year 3 fresh Bank Book copies with me along with the Bank Statement.

I have (besides my regular Bank Account) a Foreign Currency Account with the 800,000 Baht in US$.

Thus, this should be no problem also.

And as last, I bring every year a certified original (and 3 copies) of my Pension funds for Tax purposes, showing my Bruto and Netto income, and an Affidivait from the Embassy (also with 3 copies) declaring thay my net income.

But I have my doubt that Immigration Officials will not ask any questions why I want to switch from "Thai spouse" extension to "Retirement" extension.

[Lite Beer]

They will not ask because it make the job easier. They will be happy.

[lopburi3]

Although they will appreciate the change they might ask questions. It was 4 years ago but I was not allowed to make change without wife first signing form of her understanding what I was doing.

[CWMcMurray]

why not just go and try, if they say no then you can either ask you wife to go back with you or you can leave the country for a coulpe of days and get a new visa at one of the local embassies.

[coalminer]

why not just go and try, if they say no then you can either ask you wife to go back with you or you can leave the country for a coulpe of days and get a new visa at one of the local embassies.

I'm waiting for 2 important documents for my extension of stay.

As soon as they arrive, I will go to Immigration, with my wife, and give it a try to change visa's.

[ubonjoe]

You are not changing visas you are changing the reason for the extension of your permit to stay.

[sassienie]

Although they will appreciate the change they might ask questions. It was 4 years ago but I was not allowed to make change without wife first signing form of her understanding what I was doing.

I changed visa status from Thai spouse to retirement 4 years ago and my wife was not required to sign anything.

Suppose it`s all down to which officer you get lumbered with to deal with the application. Luck of the draw.

Visit Immigration about a week and a half before the due date of the current visa expiry date and try to change visa status without being accompanied by the wife. Nothing to lose.

If they insist on seeing the wife than at least the OP has 10 days to sort things out and decide what to do..