Ok I've spent hours combing through previous posts and all I've done is confuse myself even further.

I am a 52 year old Australian, retired and married to a Thai and been living here for 20 months in the Ratchaburi Province, doing my "visa runs" every 90 days ( at Ranong).

I am currently on my second visa.....Non Immigrant O with Multiple entry.

I got my second visa when I had to go back to Australia earlier this year. Now this visa will expire on 14 March 2013.

Through my research (without having to go back to Oz and apply for another visa) I have found that I can fill out the form TM.7 "Application for Extension of Temporary Stay in The Kingdom" and with other documents, wife's ID, Blue house book, Marriage Cert......etc.

My question is....does this just allow for an extension of 90 days, or can I get it for 365 days with the same conditions as before (ie visa run every 90 days)?

Also I've noticed that others mention the 800k for single and 400k THB for married, in a Thai bank account (remember I am retired) is required...yet when I applied for my two previous visas, money was not an issue. I have enough in a Thai bank account to qualify, but I don't want to go down that path until I get my Supperannuatiion pay-out when I turn 56, because I may slip beneath the 400k by then. Afterwards when I turn 56 .....not a problem, I intend to go for the Retirement Visa.

Also for me to continue living here, without having to go back to Oz, do I simply continue to "extend" my visa?

Or...do I need to renew my visa.

Am I as confused as I think I am, or am I on the right track?

Cheers.

You have 400k in your (not shared) bank account?

You are married to a Thai Lady?

Get a extension for a year, no visa runs needed. (But re-entry permits, for coming back to Thailand, after a travel)

You wan't the visa runs, to get away from the wife, every now and then?

Don't extent, get a new multiple entry visa outside of Thailand. KL (prove of money and marriage cert's) will do

The money mentioned are for extensions of your permission to stay, not visas. If it is questionable about maintaining financial qualifications for the extension, why not continue to apply for multi-entry "O" visas, no need to go back to Australia, they are available in nearby countries.

Edited November 29, 201213 yr by beechguy

There is a difference bewteen a visa and an extension of stay. They have diffrent rules.

When you apply for an extension of stay, yu have to meet more conditions but can stay for up to 1 year (and renew every year again) without the need for leaving the country. But you must report your adress every 90 days.

You have two options for an extension:

- based on marriage (show 400,000 in the bank in Thailand for 2 months OR an income of 40,000 a month)

- based on being over 50 (show 800,000 in the bank in Thailand for 2 months and 3 months for every extension after the first one, OR an income of 65,000 a month OR a combination of money in the bank in Thailand and yearly income together being at least 800,000.

The retirement option requires more money int he bank/higher income but is much easier to get.

Income can be from abroad, in which case you need a letter from your embassy to confirm your income.

An extension based upon marriage to a Thai lady is 400K baht in the bank for 2 months or 40K baht income per month which would allow you to stay for one year. You can do the extension during the last 30 days of any 90 day entry you get from your current visa.

You can still do extensions based upon marriage even though you are qualified for a retirement extension you do not have to the retirement extension.

Thanks for the quick replies.

So let me get this right......if I show that I have 400k in my own account (which I do) I can apply for an extension for 1 year and no longer have to do the visa runs.....but every 90 days show that I still live at the same address?

....and do I have it correct, I use form TM.7 ?....and could someone please direct me to what other information I need...as Mario mentioned I need to meet more conditions.

Cheers.

Edited November 29, 201213 yr by Rsquared

Since you are over 50 and married to a Thai, you can apply for either a 1 year marriage extension, or a 1 year retirement extension. With either you do not have to leave Thailand during the year only do 90 day reports. The reirement requires more money but is easier to do. The requirements are here:

Marriage Requirements.doc

requirements extension based on retirement.doc

Since you are over 50 and married to a Thai, you can apply for either a 1 year marriage extension, or a 1 year retirement extension. With either you do not have to leave Thailand during the year only do 90 day reports. The reirement requires more money but is easier to do. The requirements are here:

Marriage Requirements.doc

requirements extension based on retirement.doc

Many Thanks Wayned......I have been going round in circles trying to get this sorted out in my tiny little brain.

Cheers.

p.s. Sorry.....just noticed one of the requirements is "Marriage Registry entry" Kor Ror 3....could you please explain this as we were married in Australia 8 years ago, but have not done anything here about it.

Cheers x 2

Edited November 29, 201213 yr by Rsquared

A Rough Guide.

(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.

One or two witnesses may be required.

You will be given a 30 day under consideration stamp.

Go back in a month and get the remainder.

Since you are over 50 and married to a Thai, you can apply for either a 1 year marriage extension, or a 1 year retirement extension. With either you do not have to leave Thailand during the year only do 90 day reports. The reirement requires more money but is easier to do. The requirements are here:

Marriage Requirements.doc

requirements extension based on retirement.doc

Many Thanks Wayned......I have been going round in circles trying to get this sorted out in my tiny little brain.

Cheers.

p.s. Sorry.....just noticed one of the requirements is "Marriage Registry entry" Kor Ror 3....could you please explain this as we were married in Australia 8 years ago, but have not done anything here about it.

Cheers x 2

You will need to register your foreign marriage her and get a khor rhor 22 form of that from the amphur.

Basically you need to have your marriage certificate legalised by yur embassy, have it translated into Thai and then have it certified by the Thai foreign ministry. When that is ready, you go to an amphur to have the foreign marriage recorded and you get the khor rhor 22 form of that from the amphur.

p.s. Sorry.....just noticed one of the requirements is "Marriage Registry entry" Kor Ror 3....could you please explain this as we were married in Australia 8 years ago, but have not done anything here about it.

Cheers x 2

A Kor Ror 2 (not 3)is a document you get from the local Amphoe (district office).

You and your wife will need to register your marriage at the Amphoe. To do this will require the original marriage certificate from Australia translated into Thai and then certified by the Ministry of Forign Affairs in Bangkok. Most translation services in Bangkok can get certification done for a small additional fee.

After the you do the registration at the Amphoe will give you a Kor Ror 22 which you would then use at immigration verses the Kor Ror 2.

The big advantage of 'retirement extension' is that you only have to renew yearly with Immigration.

Sure you have to report every 90 days - but you can do this by registered letter, which will cost ~

30baht and requires a few photocopies. AA

Same as with a Marriage Extension ^^^^

Thanks again to all.....your help is priceless.

Cheers.

Same as with a Marriage Extension ^^^^

Nope: Marriage extension needs the wife.

Retirement doesn't change, but....!

Same as with a Marriage Extension ^^^^

Nope: Marriage extension needs the wife.

Retirement doesn't change, but....!

I took it he was referring to the 90 day report portion of the post, but he was still correct, they are both done annually.

Edited November 29, 201213 yr by beechguy

Same as with a Marriage Extension ^^^^

Nope: Marriage extension needs the wife.

Retirement doesn't change, but....!

I took it he was referring to the 90 day report portion of the post, but he was still correct.

oopsy.

As mentioned you can also obtain multi entry non immigrant O visas in the area and for those doing much travel this may be a more viable option than extension (where you are tied down to specific dates to be in Thailand and require re-entry permits for any travel and have to make 90 day address reports). You can also extend any entry 60 days on basis of visiting wife for normal 1,900 baht fee from any entry. Choices/choices.