Hi i am hoping that somebody can help with a little advise,,I am currently on a 1 year retirment visa,i am married to a Thai national.The question i have is as my retirment visa is soon due for renewal(first time),what is my best option going forward?

I have the required money in a UK bank,but if possable would like not to transfer it at present to a Thai bank,i've heard about a married person extention,were you only need to show 400k in a Thai bank,firstly is this correct ? and secondly what sort of visa do i need to start with. All help greatfully recieved as this is all new and a bit confusing to me.

If you now have a 12 month extension for retirement you can change to a 12 month extension for Marriage next time.

2.18 In the case of a family

member of a Thai(applicable only to parents, spouse, child, adopted child or child

of his/her spouse):

Permission will be

granted for a period of

not more than 1 year at a time.

(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.

From Police order 777/2551

2.18 In the case of a family member of a Thai(applicable only to parents, spouse, child, adopted child or child of his/her spouse):

Permission will be granted for a period of not more than 1 year at a time.

(1) The alien has obtained a temporary visa (NON-IM)

(2) Proof of family relationship

(3) In the case of a spouse, the marital relationship shall be dejure (legitimate) and de facto;

(4) In the case of a child, adopted child or child of his/her spouse, the said person must not be married, must be living with the family, and must be less than 20 years of age; or

(5) In the case of a parent, one of parents must have an average annual income of not less than 40,000 baht per month or a money deposit of not less than 400,000 baht for expenses within a year.

(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.

Note: Two months first extension after that 3 months

Edited February 13, 201016 yr by PoorSucker

@camac,

You probably aware of this already but I just want to bring up that the money in the Thai bank may be less for marriage then retirement, but you now have to proof your marital status (#3). It is a trade off.

For extension of stay based on retirement: 800k in Thai bank for 2 months before first application OR 65k/month income OR combination to arrive at 800k.

For extension of stay based on marriage: 400k in Thai bank for 2 months before first application OR 40k/month income.

"...but you now have to proof your marital status (#3). It is a trade off."

When didn't you have to do that?

I have the required money in a UK bank

Sounds like you might have a Non Imm O-A visa....... Is that a multi entry O-A? If so, and it hasn't expired, you're good-to-go for another year, if you do a border out-and-in before it expires.

If expired, you're now at the mercy of the remaining time on your permission to stay stamp to obtain an in-country one-year extension of stay permit (status of your visa is irrelevant). If less than two months remains, you're out of luck going the money in Thai bank route, either 800k for a retirement extension *or* 400k for marriage extension. However, if you can prove to the Brit Embassy that you receive the equivalent of 65k baht per month in income, you can get a letter from them that will allow you to get a retirement one-year extension. (Proof of 40k per month can get you a marriage one-year extension, but is more of a bureaucratic hassle.) In the income route, you don't need two months left on your permission to stay stamp -- just need to apply at Immigration before it expires -- but usually no earlier than 30 days before expiration.

For a retirement extension, you can also combine income with money in the bank to approximate the 800k figure Immigration is looking for. AND this method doesn't require any time requirement in the bank. (Whether or not you can combine for a marriage extension -- someone more knowledgeable than me will have to answer.)

Also, the two months in the bank requirement MAY actually be three months in your case, as the two months was a nod to those first time applicants who entered on a 90-day stamp, and thus not able to meet the three months in the bank requirement. As you're here on a 365-day stamp, this 'nod' may not apply to you. Again, folks more in the know can confirm this.......

my retirement visa is soon due for renewal(first time)

Visas can't be renewed. If you can't meet the in-country extension requirements, above, you'll need to leave Thailand and obtain a Non Imm O visa (there are other ways, but that's probably best for you, being married to a Thai). Then, you'll have 90 days to go thru the above wickets.

Or, you can go back to jolly old England and get another Non Imm O-A visa -- meeting all the requirements you initially had to meet. If a journey home was in your plans, this might be the best way. Keeps all your money in England. And a multi entry version will give you nearly two years to never have to visit Thai Immigration (assuming you do your 90 day reporting by proxy).