i have the money in the bank to quality for retirement visa and i know its less hassle to get than married extension, but i wonder, in a few years if i don't have the 800k and want to revert back to married extension, could there be a problem? is it better to keep the married extension going?

thx steve

Edited November 2, 201312 yr by stevehaigh

You wouldn't have a problem changing back.

But just think about it a little more. Is it really worth putting 400k baht more in the bank?

To me it's not.

Believe he is saying the money is in place so should he use it? I would.

i'm saying i have 800k now so i can go get a retirement extension now. i'm happy to leave all 800k in the bank for the foreseeable future but who knows, maybe i'll need it for something so maybe would have to go back to a marriage ext,.

do you think that might be a problem in future?

I said no already.

There are advantages and disadvantages to that.

Advantage:

You only need 400K instead of 800K in the bank for retirement.

Disadvantage:

More paperwork to do and harder to get approved.

Advantage of retirement:

You can combine your bank account and your pension income. So if you don't have 800K for the bank or 65K monthly pension income .... then you can COMBINE those incomes to get a total of 800K yearly income....and that qualifies you.

You CAN'T do this with a marriage extension ... for marriage it's either 400K or 40K monthly.

No combination allowed there.

Disadvantage of marriage:

If you get divorced, your extension goes away with the divorce.

So you have to consider the advantages and disadvantages carefully. No "one size fits all" answer.

There are advantages and disadvantages to that.

Advantage:

You only need 400K instead of 800K in the bank for retirement.

Disadvantage:

More paperwork to do and harder to get approved.

Advantage of retirement:

You can combine your bank account and your pension income. So if you don't have 800K for the bank or 65K monthly pension income .... then you can COMBINE those incomes to get a total of 800K yearly income....and that qualifies you.

You CAN'T do this with a marriage extension ... for marriage it's either 400K or 40K monthly.

No combination allowed there.

Disadvantage of marriage:

If you get divorced, your extension goes away with the divorce.

So you have to consider the advantages and disadvantages carefully. No "one size fits all" answer.

Unless you have recently done an extension of stay based upon marriage you cannot say it is harder to get it approved. The only difference in my own experience is a few extra documents and going back after the under consideration period for the extension stamp. To me it is not enough of a reason to change.

The combination of income and money in the bank in most cases would be irrelevant. If you were already making the income of 40k why would you change. It could mean you would need to put up to 320k baht in the bank.

If you got divorced you would have time to prepare for it prior to it happening.

Even if you lost your wife immigration is not so cold hearted as to allow you some time to get things sorted out.

Edited November 2, 201312 yr by ubonjoe

Hi Steve. I've extended several years now based on marriage. Each year the runaround gets worse. More paperwork, more nit-picking and requests for something extra. (Forget what the websites says - officers can and do interpret the rules how they want). Then the 30 stamp, then go back. Each year the officers always ask why I don't do the retirement visa. It's so much simpler. So I've put the money there and will change at the next extension.

There is always a possibility that financial thresholds will be increased. If they are, the current retirement 800k could be grandfathered, which would be a good future benefit too.

Hi Steve. I've extended several years now based on marriage. Each year the runaround gets worse. More paperwork, more nit-picking and requests for something extra. (Forget what the websites says - officers can and do interpret the rules how they want). Then the 30 stamp, then go back. Each year the officers always ask why I don't do the retirement visa. It's so much simpler. So I've put the money there and will change at the next extension. 

There is always a possibility that financial thresholds will be increased. If they are, the current retirement 800k could be grandfathered, which would be a good future benefit too.

  

Having done 6 extensions the only new document they have ever wanted was last year when they wanted the Kor Ror 2 for the first time.

Hi Steve. I've extended several years now based on marriage. Each year the runaround gets worse. More paperwork, more nit-picking and requests for something extra. (Forget what the websites says - officers can and do interpret the rules how they want). Then the 30 stamp, then go back. Each year the officers always ask why I don't do the retirement visa. It's so much simpler. So I've put the money there and will change at the next extension.

There is always a possibility that financial thresholds will be increased. If they are, the current retirement 800k could be grandfathered, which would be a good future benefit too.

Having done 6 extensions the only new document they have ever wanted was last year when they wanted the Kor Ror 2 for the first time.

Who cares - I let my wife of 15+ years do the running around

She's perfectly capable of dealing with her own country's petty officialdom and speaks the language too

If she wants to keep her personal ATM (which is all we are to the Thais) then she can do all the work !

There is no doubt in my mind that Thai Immigration gets a commission off every TB400,000/800,000 that's deposited.The officer probably gets a bonus too and it's also a great deal less work

I would never even consider having more than TB50,000 in a Thai bank, the problem is NOT paying it in - the problem is getting it out if and when the S-H-I-T hits the fan

I keep my money in the UK and my Will is with my UK solicitor with a codicil that if I die under suspicious circumstances (like falling off a balcony) NO money comes to Thailand.

Always be worth more alive than dead is not a bad principle to work on here

Edited November 3, 201312 yr by Papadragon

Sorry to answer a question with a question but isn't it a marraige visa? What's a married extention? I ask because, over the years, my future wife figured out my pin, stole my card, and removed 9 thou from my retirement visa account. So I now have little choice, that I know of, but to marry her.

Hi Steve. I've extended several years now based on marriage. Each year the runaround gets worse. More paperwork, more nit-picking and requests for something extra. (Forget what the websites says - officers can and do interpret the rules how they want). Then the 30 stamp, then go back. Each year the officers always ask why I don't do the retirement visa. It's so much simpler. So I've put the money there and will change at the next extension.

There is always a possibility that financial thresholds will be increased. If they are, the current retirement 800k could be grandfathered, which would be a good future benefit too.

Having done 6 extensions the only new document they have ever wanted was last year when they wanted the Kor Ror 2 for the first time.

Who cares - I let my wife of 15+ years do the running around

She's perfectly capable of dealing with her own country's petty officialdom and speaks the language too

If she wants to keep her personal ATM (which is all we are to the Thais) then she can do all the work !

There is no doubt in my mind that Thai Immigration gets a commission off every TB400,000/800,000 that's deposited.The officer probably gets a bonus too and it's also a great deal less work

I would never even consider having more than TB50,000 in a Thai bank, the problem is NOT paying it in - the problem is getting it out if and when the S-H-I-T hits the fan

I keep my money in the UK and my Will is with my UK solicitor with a codicil that if I die under suspicious circumstances (like falling off a balcony) NO money comes to Thailand.

Always be worth more alive than dead is not a bad principle to work on here

Sounds like you are enjoying life.

I would never even consider having more than TB50,000 in a Thai bank, the problem is NOT paying it in - the problem is getting it out if and when the S-H-I-T hits the fan

I keep my money in the UK ...

Ditto me. A further problem in my experience is that Thai banking security procedures are so lax as to be, in effect, tantamount to a fraudster's charter. In particular, I have had accounts with 2 separate banks "relieved" of significant sums through fraudulent ATM withdrawals. Had I relied on 800,000 THB being safely seasoned in either account, therefore, I could well have found myself high and dry at retirement annual extension of stay time! This is one of the reasons why I have opted for the Embassy letter method of proving 65,000 THB monthly income instead.

Sorry to answer a question with a question but isn't it a marraige visa? What's a married extention? I ask because, over the years, my future wife figured out my pin, stole my card, and removed 9 thou from my retirement visa account. So I now have little choice, that I know of, but to marry her.

Their no such thing as a marriage visa it would be non immigrant O visa based upon marriage that you obtain at an embassy or consulate.

An extension of stay based upon marriage is done at immigration. You have to show income of 40k baht or have 400k baht in the bank for 60 days.

Hi Steve. I've extended several years now based on marriage. Each year the runaround gets worse. More paperwork, more nit-picking and requests for something extra. (Forget what the websites says - officers can and do interpret the rules how they want). Then the 30 stamp, then go back. Each year the officers always ask why I don't do the retirement visa. It's so much simpler. So I've put the money there and will change at the next extension.

There is always a possibility that financial thresholds will be increased. If they are, the current retirement 800k could be grandfathered, which would be a good future benefit too.

Having done 6 extensions the only new document they have ever wanted was last year when they wanted the Kor Ror 2 for the first time.

The Kor Ror 2 is not a new document ....it is officially required.

It was new to the requirements at the immigration office I use. But it was not a problem to get my wife made a quick trip to the Amphoe near immigration and was back in just a few minutes with it.

Steve-I asked this question at the immigration and I was told that if one wants to move towards permanent residence then you have to keep up the marriage visa because the retirement visa cannot be used towards eventual permanent residence.

Steve-I asked this question at the immigration and I was told that if one wants to move towards permanent residence then you have to keep up the marriage visa because the retirement visa cannot  be used towards eventual  permanent residence.

Did they also tell you that you have to be working and paying taxes to get it.

You are much better off switching to a retirement extension, this makes you independent of your wife should she ever give you any agro, and/or you part company. I keep B800K in a term deposit account at 3.25% interest and use this to obtain my retirement extension which only took 15 minutes last time including the time at BBL downstairs at Chaeng Wattana obtaining the Bank letter.

Edited November 3, 201312 yr by Estrada

You wouldn't have a problem changing back.

But just think about it a little more. Is it really worth putting 400k baht more in the bank?

To me it's not.

If you cannot afford to keep B400K in the bank then you have no emergency fund and could be in dire straits if you have an emergency. I had a medical emergency in Australia and was faced with a medical bill of B975,000. BUPA would have only paid out B86,000 due to their limits set in the small print. Fortunately, I had the B800K in my time deposit account I use for obtaining my retirement extension so no problem.

I would never even consider having more than TB50,000 in a Thai bank, the problem is NOT paying it in - the problem is getting it out if and when the S-H-I-T hits the fan

I keep my money in the UK ...

Ditto me. A further problem in my experience is that Thai banking security procedures are so lax as to be, in effect, tantamount to a fraudster's charter. In particular, I have had accounts with 2 separate banks "relieved" of significant sums through fraudulent ATM withdrawals. Had I relied on 800,000 THB being safely seasoned in either account, therefore, I could well have found myself high and dry at retirement annual extension of stay time! This is one of the reasons why I have opted for the Embassy letter method of proving 65,000 THB monthly income instead.

You should have kept the B800K in a time deposit account at 3.25% interest, why on earth would you keep it in a less secure A.T.M. savings deposit account at zero to 0.75% interest? I have never had a problem with fraudulent ATM withdrawals but I do know of a number of expats whose wives or girlfriends have memorised their pin numbers while their mobile ATM is at the ATM. Have you thought how much time and money you are wasting obtaining the Embassy letter?

You wouldn't have a problem changing back.

But just think about it a little more. Is it really worth putting 400k baht more in the bank?

To me it's not.

If you cannot afford to keep B400K in the bank then you have no emergency fund and could be in dire straits if you have an emergency. I had a medical emergency in Australia and was faced with a medical bill of B975,000. BUPA would have only paid out B86,000 due to their limits set in the small print. Fortunately, I had the B800K in my time deposit account I use for obtaining my retirement extension so no problem.

There are ways to get a higher return on your money than what immigration allows. So that extra 400k baht could be used differently if you don't need it to show immigration.

I do my extensions based upon income. That means I can due what I want to do with my money.

Have you thought how much time and money you are wasting obtaining the Embassy letter?

This year about 250 extra baht for taxi/subway fees to visit Embassy (opposite direction) on way to Chiang Watanna and the $50 fee for income document. As went to Embassy first did not get extension until after lunch so a couple extra hours.

Have you thought how much time and money you are wasting obtaining the Embassy letter?

 

 

This year about 250 extra baht for taxi/subway fees to visit Embassy (opposite direction) on way to Chiang Watanna and the $50 fee for income document.  As went to Embassy first did not get extension until after lunch so a couple extra hours.

I have to make a trip to Bangkok for mine from here in Ubon. But it is still not worth putting money in the bank that fits immigrations requirements to me.

This year it was 2 trips because I included getting a new passport. But I saved a lot of money because I bought my tickets over 4 months in advance for my same day round trips.

I would never even consider having more than TB50,000 in a Thai bank, the problem is NOT paying it in - the problem is getting it out if and when the S-H-I-T hits the fan

I keep my money in the UK ...

Ditto me. A further problem in my experience is that Thai banking security procedures are so lax as to be, in effect, tantamount to a fraudster's charter. In particular, I have had accounts with 2 separate banks "relieved" of significant sums through fraudulent ATM withdrawals. Had I relied on 800,000 THB being safely seasoned in either account, therefore, I could well have found myself high and dry at retirement annual extension of stay time! This is one of the reasons why I have opted for the Embassy letter method of proving 65,000 THB monthly income instead.

Well I have two accounts one for emergency use and I have no ATM card for it. Why would you put the money in an account with no return on it and open to ATM fraud? By the way 8 years ago when I was still living in Canada we had ATM fraud cases happening there also.

Also people seem to be over looking the fact that the poster has the money and it is not a problem to lock it in.

I strongly agree with him. I have read many different posts on marriage extensions and seen some from no problem to ones where they have to have a picture of them sitting on their bed together and other photos.

To many horror stories on Marriage extensions Very few on retirement extensions. I use the guaranteed income as my money is invested in Canada and I don't need it for retirement extension purposes. Even if they raise the amount needed.

My wife is set up as the beneficiary if I die and my boy will receive power of attorney on it. He is very well familiar with Thailand and my wife. He and his two brothers have been telling me not to worry about them. They are doing quite well themselves.

You are much better off switching to a retirement extension, this makes you independent of your wife should she ever give you any agro, and/or you part company. I keep B800K in a term deposit account at 3.25% interest and use this to obtain my retirement extension which only took 15 minutes last time including the time at BBL downstairs at Chaeng Wattana obtaining the Bank letter.

Same here - and as others have mentioned the 800 K fixed deposit also serves as an emergency fund. No worries. Those who can't manage that should not be here in the first place...

Have you thought how much time and money you are wasting obtaining the Embassy letter?

This year about 250 extra baht for taxi/subway fees to visit Embassy (opposite direction) on way to Chiang Watanna and the $50 fee for income document. As went to Embassy first did not get extension until after lunch so a couple extra hours.

I have to make a trip to Bangkok for mine from here in Ubon. But it is still not worth putting money in the bank that fits immigrations requirements to me.

This year it was 2 trips because I included getting a new passport. But I saved a lot of money because I bought my tickets over 4 months in advance for my same day round trips.

Both are available by post, unless you had lost your passport.

Neither can be done by post at the US embassy. They will EMS passport to you when it comes in but I had to get the affidavit with new passport info on it.

Flame removed.

And another flame removed.