Retirement Visa Vs Mariage Visa

[luungmark]

whats the advantage of the mariage over the retirement

[lopburi3]

Lower financial amount and a work permit can often be obtained if needed. Otherwise the retirement is easier and will continue even in case of marriage ending. Believe you are really asking about one year extensions of stay rather than visas as there are no specific visas for marriage or retirement (although long stay is offered for retirement).

[UbonOz]

I would go with retirement.

See my recent thread regarding THB65,000/Month Income

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

God gave man a penis and a brain, unfortunately, did not give sufficient blood supply to run both at the same time.

[gamini]

None whatsoever. Getting a marriage visa is a real hassle. They want so many documents. You have to go twice to immigration. You have to prove that you are living together etc etc. My retirement visa took me less than 10 minutes on the last two applications!

[Lite Beer]

All very well for those that can match the higher income/savings level.

For those that cannot the Marriage option is really not that difficult.

[bangkokburning]

Marriage visa is anything from a hassle to a nightmare. The funny thing is with all the addl requirements - you still need half the income you would for the "retirement" visa. So it is not as though you get some big "pass" on the marriage visa.

I think the guys that got the marriage visa set up years ago and are perhaps 65+ do not seem to have nearly the hassles as the new guys. Esp if they live in BKK.

[Digitalbanana]

None whatsoever.

Well that's not correct as Lopburi3 already eluded to. If you have a marriage visa you can get employment / wp without need to leave the country. I have chosen this route over retirement and only needs half the bank money tied up. Paperwork easy if you know what's needed. Wife should be a big help on this, but ymmv.

Edited February 23, 2012 by Digitalbanana

[fvw53]

I have obtained first at a Thai Embassy a Non Immigrant visa and then every year an "extension"

The extension was applied for based on "marriage" to a Thai national.

This requires indeed some paperwork but it is not terrible but I am lucky enough that my wife has a university degree and can do the talking to the Immigration officers...I am just sitting next to her and smiling.

[swisstouristpattaya]

Ret. Visa is for plus 50, marriage visa is for plus 18...

[lopburi3]

The retirement can only be obtained by those over age 50 - they can also obtain another extension of stay if they qualify.

Marriage extension is for those with Thai spouse - they can also obtain other types of extensions if they qualify.

[bangkokburning]

Digitalbanana I am confused, I would think you would not be allowed a wp on a retirement visa becasue it is ...................... a RETIREMENT visa.

But hey, TiT.

[lopburi3]

I believe that is what he said and to be able to work he chose to obtain Thai wife extension of stay.

If you have a marriage visa you can get employment / wp without need to leave the country. I have chosen this route over retirement and only needs half the bank money tied up.

[attrayant]

[...] I am lucky enough that my wife has a university degree and can do the talking to the Immigration officers...I am just sitting next to her and smiling.

Can you (or anyone else who's been through this) expand on this a little? How does a degree-holding wife make the process any smoother? I'll be going through this process in a couple months and I'm wondering what's involved. Hopefully it's not as bad as the "green card" interview in the USA where they interview each spouse separately and then compare the answers.

[mstribling]

[...] I am lucky enough that my wife has a university degree and can do the talking to the Immigration officers...I am just sitting next to her and smiling.

Can you (or anyone else who's been through this) expand on this a little? How does a degree-holding wife make the process any smoother? I'll be going through this process in a couple months and I'm wondering what's involved. Hopefully it's not as bad as the "green card" interview in the USA where they interview each spouse separately and then compare the answers.

He means that he won't have a flat-footed farm girl, bling'd up,sitting next to him, and immigration will notice this and label him "better" old white dude.

[Lite Beer]

I'll be going through this process in a couple months and I'm wondering what's involved. Hopefully it's not as bad as the "green card" interview in the USA where they interview each spouse separately and then compare the answers.

Marriage Requirements

(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.

Letter from your Thai Bank showing balance and up to date bank book.

OR.

Letter from your Embassy showing income. Now may also need proof of income as back up.

Marriage Certificate

Marriage Registry entry.

Wife's Tabbien Baan and ID Card.

Your Passport.

Copies of everything.

Photos of you and your Wife in and around the house.

A map showing the way to your house.

Passport size photos and 1,900 Baht fee.

Take your Wife to be interviewed.

You will be given a 30 day under consideration stamp.

Go back in a month and get the remainder.

[swisstouristpattaya]

Copy of your wife in and out the house.

Why in? In bed?

Edited February 24, 2012 by swisstouristpattaya

[lopburi3]

Yes sitting on bed and with clothing hung together are two they normally want from reports here.

[attrayant]

Marriage Requirements

(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.

Letter from your Thai Bank showing balance and up to date bank book.

OR.

Letter from your Embassy showing income. Now may also need proof of income as back up.

Marriage Certificate

Marriage Registry entry.

Wife's Tabbien Baan and ID Card.

Your Passport.

Copies of everything.

Photos of you and your Wife in and around the house.

A map showing the way to your house.

Passport size photos and 1,900 Baht fee.

Take your Wife to be interviewed.

You will be given a 30 day under consideration stamp.

Go back in a month and get the remainder.

Yes thanks I've seen all of that before. I was asking for finer details about the "take your wife to be interviewed" part. I'm wondering what this interview is like. Are any questions asked of the applicant (the foreign husband)?

[Lite Beer]

Every Immigration Office will be different but on the last two occasions my Wife had to fill a form in asking questions about me.

Name. Age. How long in Thailand. Father's name. Mother's name. How many brothers and sisters. Simple things like that.

If she did not know she asked me for the answer.

[colinneil]

wife with university degree usually works for government she shows government id it works i know been there done that got the tee shirt

[peterquixote]

lopburi amuses me,

he says above for evidence of marriage

"Yes sitting on bed and with clothing hung together are two they normally want from reports here"

its so hard to know if that is utterly cynical or rational advice.

[lopburi3]

That is the requirement. But not the clothing you currenty have on.

[terryq]

Yes sitting on bed and with clothing hung together are two they normally want from reports here.

You forgot to mention printed sign hanging from wife's neck stating "No I've got a headache" , proof of "de facto" marriage, nothing else required.

[USNret]

lopburi amuses me,

he says above for evidence of marriage

"Yes sitting on bed and with clothing hung together are two they normally want from reports here"

its so hard to know if that is utterly cynical or rational advice.

Can it not be both?

[skydiver77]

Yes sitting on bed and with clothing hung together are two they normally want from reports here.

You forgot to mention printed sign hanging from wife's neck stating "No I've got a headache" , proof of "de facto" marriage, nothing else required.

Yes sitting on bed and with clothing hung together are two they normally want from reports here.

You forgot to mention printed sign hanging from wife's neck stating "No I've got a headache" , proof of "de facto" marriage, nothing else required.

lopburi is correct in that applying for a marriage extension is not that difficult. Providing you have all the requirements strung together.

It also makes sense for you both to be smartly dressed and be polite and project a pleasant disposition.

Over the last 6 yrs, I have never had any problems. I should also mention that while a map of your residence location will be asked for, we have never been visited by the BiB, including an address change 3yrs ago.

Having recently obtained my latest extension at Chang Wattana, I find they are pretty specific on photos required. No old stuff, especially the 2 visa type pics. House pics, which should show both of you together, are;

1. Outside in front of gate, showing number.

1. Behind front gate, showing no.

1. Sitting on sofa in living room.

1. In kitchen.

1. Sitting on bed in bedroom, wardrobe door open, showing his and her clothes hanging up.

terryq will be relieved to hear that, as yet, a pic of the happy couple on the job, is not required.....

[Jayman]

Yes sitting on bed and with clothing hung together are two they normally want from reports here.

They specifically asked for pictures of my family (wife and kids ) sitting on our bed as 1 of the 3 pictures. Also, on the sofa and 1 in front of house showing house number.

[spacebass]

[...] I am lucky enough that my wife has a university degree and can do the talking to the Immigration officers...I am just sitting next to her and smiling.

Can you (or anyone else who's been through this) expand on this a little? How does a degree-holding wife make the process any smoother? I'll be going through this process in a couple months and I'm wondering what's involved. Hopefully it's not as bad as the "green card" interview in the USA where they interview each spouse separately and then compare the answers.

Gentlemen, forget linear thought you are in Thailand, as far as the immigration office I have dealt with is concerned their object is to provide you with a 'bent[' marriage extension' from which they can profit , i.e they will somehow put you in touch with a 'broker' who will provide you with an extension for a lot more money than the correct fee. This as in many fields in Thailand is the ' Normal' way of conducting a government department, and my advice would be to forego paying the immigration office their cut of the 'bunce' and find your own broker and in the process avoid wasting a couple of days of your time running around in circles as they try and break down your Farang resolve.

The Gentleman who mentioned his lady with a degree probably means that she presents too much of an obstacle to the most likely less educated immigration department so they play the game, rather tjhan do anything difficult like argue with her.

Of course being Thailand nothing will be the same everywhre or most likely on a different day in the same place, but as we all know Thailand is a highly corrupt society and you are dealing with policemen in the immigration office it is likely that the foregoing has strong element of possibilty (note I will not say liklihood because that is too much of a Farang sentiement).

Finally as an example of the nonsense you may expect, I was told by the Thai immigration officer dealing with my application, that ; It was impossible that the money I had in My Thai bank account came from the sale of a condo because ' A farang needs to have a work permit in order to sell a condo'.

[o2eZy]

hi all

just a few questions on this subject

my wife and I live in australia,my wife is thai national and we have been hear for the past 5 years and plan to move back to BKK to be closer to the family

we are in the proceeds of looking into building a house in Pak Kret which will leave the bank account a bit thin

what I would like to know is do I apply for marriage visa in LOS or do I go to the Thai consulate in Brisbane

Would my wife's permanent Au visa be enough or will we have to supply all the evidence like we did here in Australia years ago

[connda]

It depends on your situation. There is pros and cons both ways.

Some posters indicate that getting a marriage visa (or extension based on marriage) is a hassle. There is more paperwork, but if you're organized, it goes relatively smoothly. With a marriage visa you can obtain a work permit and earn money or perform volunteer work. Also, the financial requirement are half of what they are for the retirement visa. The downside is that if anything happens to your marriage (divorce or death of you wife), you immediately need to get another visa. This personally pisses me off. The utter lack of compassion is incredible. If your wife dies, you don't even have time to make arrangements for a funeral or to grieve -- you must immediately present yourself to immigration and arrange an alternate visa, otherwise you risk jail time and deportation. This type of BS is unheard of in Western countries. Cold, jingoistic, uncompassionate -- the exact opposite of the Buddhist ideals that most people in this country claim to follow. That's probably the biggest downside.

The retirement visa (or extension based on retirement) is easier to obtain. You can not work, you can not obtain a work permit, which means that, legally, you can't perform any sort of work, including volunteering. In Western countries, what do many retirees do with their time? Volunteer work. Giving back to society. But in Thailand, the generosity and selflessness will get you thrown in jail and then kicked out of the country. It's a downside, and a real shame. Also, the financial requirement are pretty stiff. I'd personally recommend bringing the 800K over a putting in a bank. Immigration seems to like to change the rules (often) to make it increasingly difficult to live here. But, when they change the rules, they do seem to "grandfather" financial rules that applied to previous visa recipients. So my guess is that if you are on a 800K visa, and then they decide to up that to 1.6M, then you're probably going to be covered. Why would they do this -- who knows? The Thai government routinely does things that are counter-productive.

I'm on a marriage visa, but I keep 800K in my bank. If anything happens to my wife, I'll convert to a retirement (or business if I'm working). And if anything happens to my wife, I'll also be looking at Burma. If they ever open their borders, I'd consider moving there. I enjoy Buddhist SE Asia. I'm definitely not stuck on Thailand. Like the visas, there are pros and cons to living here. It's not the "end all."

Best of luck in your decision!

Edited February 26, 2012 by connda

[lopburi3]

hi all

just a few questions on this subject

my wife and I live in australia,my wife is thai national and we have been hear for the past 5 years and plan to move back to BKK to be closer to the family

we are in the proceeds of looking into building a house in Pak Kret which will leave the bank account a bit thin

what I would like to know is do I apply for marriage visa in LOS or do I go to the Thai consulate in Brisbane

Would my wife's permanent Au visa be enough or will we have to supply all the evidence like we did here in Australia years ago

If you can not meet the 400k/40k requirements for Thai wife extension of stay you have the multi entry non immigrant O visa available (but have to cross border every 90 days or less). Brisbane should issue with normal marriage certificate proof and KL will issue with that plus wife id/home register copies and show of 100k in bank account and Savannakhet with same but not needing bank account.