A) I recently attended the new Immigration Office in Chokchai near Korat and was told:

1 I had to wait until my present O-visa had a month to go before I could apply for a 1-year retirement extension [there being only 12-days before my then next border run]. This is troubling as I read some people have been knocked back for being too early and others for being too late;

2 As a British subject I had to show only Bt40,000pm UK income or Bt400,000 in the bank and that the combination of the two was no longer allowed.

Reading this forum I see only reference to Bt65,000pm & Bt800,000 in the bank. Combination seems no longer possible.

There are some real experts on this forum; could I get their clarification please; must I now find BT40K or Bt65K pm from UK?

I have a Thai wife, marriage cert, house & documents. [Have had retirement extensions before on the Bt400,000 in bank basis].

I have a paper here announcing that the new Immigration Office in Chokchai will move again on 28th July 2010 to an address some 15-km away. A map shows it to be in or near Darl Kwean village. If this is new to the forum and of any use I can try to pinpoint it better for you.

C) I see that your text editor has converted my letter-B/close-bracket to a smiley face. Put a smile on mine so let it stand & let's see what it does with a letter-C & a close-bracket.

Edited June 25, 201016 yr by euca

You have two choices:

1. extension based on retirement:

800,000 in the bank

OR

65,000 a month income

OR

combination of money in the bank and yearly income totaling 800,000 baht.

2. extension based on marriage

400,000 in the bank

OR

40,000 a month income.

The marriage extension doesn't allow a combination of money in the bank and income, the extension based on retirement does.

1. As said, you are confusing a marriage extension with a retirement extension.

2. Applying within the last 30 days remaining on your non-immigrant visa, permission to stay stamp is normal.

Edited June 25, 201016 yr by InterestedObserver

Just to clarify a misunderstanding about extensions based on a Thai wife. Up to last year the Immigration did accept a combined income and Bank Balance exceeding Baht 400,000.-

I have received at least four extensions based on the combined approach. It was stopped by someone "upstairs" according to the Officer to whom I spoke.

I am still at loss to understand the logic when for a Retirement Extension, it is still acceptable

For Marriage Extensions there has never been an option for a combination of Income and Bank Balance. It has always been Income OR Bank Balance apart from a couple of years ago when it had to be Income only for new applicants.

Edited June 25, 201016 yr by Lite Beer

What did change about 18 months ago (with a year grace period) is that wife income can not be used. For a short period that was allowed so it could be wife account or income. It now must be husbands money only.

What I said in my earlier post is absolutely correct. It wasn't a published rule but one which the Immigration was prepared to offer and accept.

If you search back on this Forum some five years ago you should be able to find the Forum Sponser's Post which confirmed a combined income and bank balance was OK for an extension based on a Thai wife.

I am not confused, I have done it legally and formally for a number of years.

Now stopped by "upstairs" unfortunately.

I am not confused, I have done it legally and formally for a number of years.

Now stopped by "upstairs" unfortunately.

Probably because they were acting outside the regulations which did not permit it.

I understand there is a new Boss appointed last year at Immigration.

And I'm fairly certain that it is a case of a "new brush sweeps clean"