Retirement Visa Vs Mariage Visa

[connda]

Just a note on the paperwork and photo requirements. Be aware, they vary between immigration offices, and they may vary between employees at that office. The simplest way to find out what your immigration office requires is to go there with your wife and ask. Or, post the immigration office you report to on this forum and see if anyone has processed a marriage visa (extension) at the office. On your first trip to immigration to apply for the marriage extension, taking more paperwork than you need is usually a good idea. Plan ahead for the unexpected, and expect the unexpected. If someone recommends taking paperwork in duplicates, take it in triplicates. Cover all your bases. Be prepared and if things don't go your way -- smile and stay cool. Its just a game. If all your ducks are in a row, you'll eventually get your visa. Be tenacious.

[mstribling]

Just a note on the paperwork and photo requirements. Be aware, they vary between immigration offices, and they may vary between employees at that office. The simplest way to find out what your immigration office requires is to go there with your wife and ask. Or, post the immigration office you report to on this forum and see if anyone has processed a marriage visa (extension) at the office. On your first trip to immigration to apply for the marriage extension, taking more paperwork than you need is usually a good idea. Plan ahead for the unexpected, and expect the unexpected. If someone recommends taking paperwork in duplicates, take it in triplicates. Cover all your bases. Be prepared and if things don't go your way -- smile and stay cool. Its just a game. If all your ducks are in a row, you'll eventually get your visa. Be tenacious.

Second this advice.

I simply go to immigration. Ask the lady what documents she would like. I go compile these documents. Give them to her, and she smiles and gives me an extension.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

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 is an interesting issue... hopefully one I'll never have to face, since my wife is younger than me... (And I'm on a retirement extension, not a marriage-based one).

But maybe one of the mods can confirm about this... If someone is on a marriage extension and their Thai wife happens to die suddenly/unexpectedly, let's say mid-year for your marriage extension of stay, just exactly how soon after the death does the extension holder have to have a replacement/new status in place with Immigration?

As for marriage vs. retirement extension, I thought Connda highlighted the pluses and minuses pretty well. Here's the way I'd recap them:

Marriage Extension Advantages:

-lesser income or bank deposit requirement

-ability to obtain a work permit

-not requiring age 50 and above

Marriage Extension Disadvantages:

-dependent on continuing relationship with other person.

-somewhat more application paperwork/process involved.

-(I'm trying to remember on this???) marriage extensions don't allow combo method of income qualification.

Retirement Extension Advantages:

-Relatively simple application process.

-Only dependent on application's own status/circumstance.

-All three methods of meeting income requirement can be used (income, bank deposits, combo).

Retirement Extension Disadvantages:

--Only available to those age 50 plus.

--No work permit allowed.

--Higher income requirements than marriage extension.

[lopburi3]

Actually retirement is a local decision so immediate - the 30 days later to receive final stamp is a real problem for many people using Thai wife and still employed outside Thailand.

Have not seen any reports of action being taken on death of spouse and suspect in most cases it would not be an immediate issue (regardless of the law) but it potentially could create an overstay situation.

[JeffreyMcCollum]

Please remember there are 2 kinds of Mariage visa's

On mine I only needed to flash 100,000 Baht and never have to go to immigration for 90 day reports. And mine is good for 15 months at a time.

Took only 5 minutes of time to get and was very easy but only a few place you can go to get this type.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Please remember there are 2 kinds of Mariage visa's

On mine I only needed to flash 100,000 Baht and never have to go to immigration for 90 day reports. And mine is good for 15 months at a time.

Took only 5 minutes of time to get and was very easy but only a few place you can go to get this type.

It sounds like you're not talking about two different kinds of visas... but rather...

--the first being an O visa based on marriage to a Thai that's issued by a Thai consulate in another country (12 months plus an additional 90 days on one's last entry).

vs.

--the second being an extension of stay based on marriage to a Thai that's issued by Immigration inside Thailand that's valid for one year, and has the 90-day reporting requirement...but no requirement to leave the country.

[lopburi3]

Actually there are no marriage visas. But with 400k in account or 40k income you can extend your non immigrant visa entry for one year at a time from Immigration but any stay of more than 90 days will require you also report your address. This is called a Thai wife extension of stay.

There is a non immigrant O visa available from Consulates for up to 90 day stay which can be single entry or multi entry valid for up to one year. These may or may not require some show of funds but do not allow you to stay longer than 90 days per entry.

[Michaelaway]

1) "With a marriage visa you can obtain a work permit and earn money..."

2) "But with 400k in account or 40k income you can extend your non immigrant visa entry for one year at a time from Immigration but any stay of more than 90 days will require you also report your address. This is called a Thai wife extension of stay."

Please explain:

1) What steps does one take, after marriage, to get a work permit; are there any restrictions?

2) If living here full-time, does one check in every 90 days with a Thai wife extension of stay?

Thanks!

[lopburi3]

1. The same steps you would take before marriage - marriage does not allow work permit issue - only a job does that. But it may open a few more jobs as requirements for Thai workers/value of company may be less.

2. Any time you stay more than 90 days you need to report your address using a TM.47 form to immigration so if you do not travel you will have to do that every 90 days.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

And further...

Employment is generally not permitted under retirement-based extensions of stay. No employment, no work permit, no job...at least legally speaking.

Employment is permitted under marriage-based extensions of stay. If you can find a job somewhere, for your job to be legal, your employer would need to assist you with the documents you'd need to apply for a government work permit. You'd be eligible for one under a marriage-based extension of stay, assuming all the employment-related issues and rules were correctly handled.

People do get hired for jobs and do work in Thailand without work permits (teachers and/or language teachers being one example)... But doing so is illegal. And if you ever run into trouble with Immigration, working illegally without a work permit seems to be one of their favorite ways of kicking people out of the country.

Re the 90 day reporting for people on marriage-based extensions, some Immigration offices, including BKK, will accept mailed-in 90 day reports, meaning people don't always have to hoof it down to the nearest Immigration office every couple months. Just drop the correct form and supporting photocopied documents in the mail. But some Immigration offices also don't accept mail-ins. So it's best to check with the local Immigration office for where you live.

[thongsuknork]

Yes marriage visa is some thing easy if u know the procedure for below 50 i have the same so dont worry enjoy the marrige visa and be happy

[lifeincnx]

Here in Chiang Mai the marriage Visa was a snap. I used to have a retirement visa but as I don't have a monthly incoming pension yet I only needed to keep 400,000 baht tied up for two months versus 800,000 baht for three months. I keep my US dollars at a Kasikorn bank (two branches allow US dollar savings accounts) so less wire transfer fees. I pull them out in Thai baht when needed and when the rate is better.

They only wanted a couple of pics - in front of the gate and us in the house. They never ca,me to our home for an interview - instead we brought a neighbor and they asked very basis questions (who long have you know them, etc.) The entire process took about two hours in total and to renew the marriage visa is just as fast as a retirement visa.

If you would rather have better use of your money being tied up go with a marriage visa if you can.

[lopburi3]

The entire process took about two hours in total and to renew the marriage visa is just as fast as a retirement visa.

Actually that is not true as retirement normally only requires one visit of about 15 minutes and your renewal will require two visits and everything your first visit required except perhaps neighbors.

[sattahipchris]

What about exiting the country. I know that with a retirement visa you have to pay for either single or multiple exits is it the same with amarriage visa.

[lopburi3]

I believe you are talking about one year extensions of stay and yes any extension of stay requires a re-entry permit to keep it alive if you leave Thailand.

[ludditeman]

[...] 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.

It's dead easy, they chat with your wife for 10 minutes and ignore you, just a rubber stamp job.

I have never had any problems and I applied for my first one about one month after I was married.

[ludditeman]

Please remember there are 2 kinds of Mariage visa's

On mine I only needed to flash 100,000 Baht and never have to go to immigration for 90 day reports. And mine is good for 15 months at a time.

Took only 5 minutes of time to get and was very easy but only a few place you can go to get this type.

Oh dear, looks like you are in for a bit of a fine in the near future.

[Lite Beer]

Please remember there are 2 kinds of Mariage visa's

On mine I only needed to flash 100,000 Baht and never have to go to immigration for 90 day reports. And mine is good for 15 months at a time.

Took only 5 minutes of time to get and was very easy but only a few place you can go to get this type.

Oh dear, looks like you are in for a bit of a fine in the near future.

That would depend on whether he is leaving the country every 90 days or not.

[ludditeman]

Please remember there are 2 kinds of Mariage visa's

On mine I only needed to flash 100,000 Baht and never have to go to immigration for 90 day reports. And mine is good for 15 months at a time.

Took only 5 minutes of time to get and was very easy but only a few place you can go to get this type.

Oh dear, looks like you are in for a bit of a fine in the near future.

That would depend on whether he is leaving the country every 90 days or not.

When i come into the country, i visit immigration and they take my photo. He says he doesn't visit immigration.

posted using galaxy tab

[Lite Beer]

He doesn't need to if he has a Multi Entry Non Imm Visa.

[Jayman]

Lets be clear here so other readers don't get the wrong information. You MUST be seen by immigration at a minimum every 90 days regardless of what visa you have. That could mean at the land boarder, airport, or you walking into the immigration office to report. If you stay in the country for more than 90 days without seeing an immigration officer (at land border, airport, or office) then you are looking at fines.

As an edit: some immigration offices will let you mail in your 90 day reporting so it is possible to not be physically seen but rather just have your documents seen.

[lopburi3]

And you do not have to physically appear even if doing at office - you can send someone else or a service to do.

[Jayman]

And you do not have to physically appear even if doing at office - you can send someone else or a service to do.

thank you for that info. I am going to start sending my wife in to do it for me. There is another bonus to being married

[Lite Beer]

And if you are reporting to an Immigration office in Thailand every 90 days it is likely that you do not have a Visa but an Extension of your Permision to Stay.

But yes in one way or another you have to deal with Immigration every 90 days.

[lopburi3]

If this is Chiang Watanna you may regret that move as there is shopping one floor down.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I hope this is the correct recap:

O Visa holders: Must physically exit Thailand via land or air border prior to 90 consecutive days in country. But no 90 day reporting to Immigration.

Annual Extension of Stay via marriage or retirement holders: Must submit written forms to Immigration prior to 90 consecutive days in country, unless they voluntarily exit the country first. In that case, new 90 day period commences upon their return.

[Jayman]

That is good summation. I would like to add that without a re-entry permit your extension of stay is abandoned when you leave the country and you will be given a new entry visa when you return unless you have worked out another visa. If you are on a 1 year extension and plan to leave the country several times within the year then it's a good idea to get a multiple use re-ntry permit to keep your extension valid on your return.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Yes, re-entry permit is always required for those on extensions of stay who want to leave the country (Thailand). The re-entry permit keeps alive the extension of stay even when departing and returning.

But, if someone happens to leave Thailand while on extension without any re-entry permit, AFAIK, they won't be GIVEN (to use your word) a new visa upon their return.

They'll either have to apply from scratch and obtain a new visa at some Thai consulate outside Thailand, or, they'll return without a visa and most typically get a 30-day visa-exempt permission to stay stamp, assuming they're from one of the common Western tourist countries.

[lopburi3]

1. Address reporting is due after 90 days and can be submitted 15 days early until 7 day late using TM.47 form.

2. Not using a re-entry permit would end the previous extension of stay and if no visa obtained only visa exempt would be available. But for most an in-country visa entry could be obtained from that for 2,000 baht to start the extension process again.

[Jayman]

I use the term entry visa to mean visa on arrival which lopburi3 calls visa exempt. I honestly don't know what the most official name is for the stamp you get when you show up at an entry point without a visa.