Jomtien Immigration - Changing Marriage Extension to Retirement

[NanLaew]

Since the Non-O (Thai spouse) and subsequent extensions is mostly unusable for the few jobs I get in Thailand, I am considering changing to a Retirement extension. This is approved (or otherwise) same day versus the 30-days Bangkok approval rigmarole, pictures, paper trail and possible home visits.

Can the current extension (Thai spouse) be 'converted' at the next renewal to retirement?

I believe I need to show 800k baht seeded locally for a couple of months. Do they accept proof of income to the equivalent of 800k baht in a foreign bank instead? This option is available for the 400k baht (or equivalent) on the marriage extension but not sure if the same rules apply to income proof for retirement extensions.

I assume that a proof of residence letter issued by Jomtien Immigration upon sighting the local rental agreement, land lady's ID card, tibian baan etc., is accepted by the chaps in the same office doing the visa extensions?

Thanks,

NL

[Sceptict11]

The reason for extension can be changed .......no problem. Just make sure you meet the financial requirements

800,00 in the bank , an income of 65,000/month or a combination.

[PoorSucker]

You will need 800.000 baht in a Thai bank account in your name only for three months or a letter from your embassy confirming an income of 65.000 baht / month.

Or a combination of both.

[OJAS]

Although para 2.22 of Police Order 777/2551 (http://www.thaivisa....ttach_id=153821) does permit 60-day seasoning of the 800,000 THB in a bank account for a first retirement extension, presumably it would still be 90 days for the OP on the grounds that he has previously obtained marriage extensions, would it not?

This point might also be relevant to the thread at http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/694542-hivaids-positive-applications-for-retirement-or-other-visas/ (see posts #33,#34 & #41 on that thread).

[PoorSucker]

Although para 2.22 of Police Order 777/2551 (http://www.thaivisa....ttach_id=153821) does permit 60-day seasoning of the 800,000 THB in a bank account for a first retirement extension, presumably it would still be 90 days for the OP on the grounds that he has previously obtained marriage extensions, would it not?

This point might also be relevant to the thread at http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/694542-hivaids-positive-applications-for-retirement-or-other-visas/ (see posts #33,#34 & #41 on that thread).

Correct, Police Order 777/2551 only states first extension.

[NanLaew]

The reason for extension can be changed .......no problem. Just make sure you meet the financial requirements

800,00 in the bank , an income of 65,000/month or a combination.

Per the police order:-

(3) Must have evidence of having income of no less than Baht 65,000 per month; or

(4) On the filing date, the applicant must have funds deposited in a bank in Thailand of no less than Baht 800,000 for the past three months. For the first year only, the applicant must have proof of a deposit account in which said amount of funds has been maintained for no less than 60 days prior to the filing date; or

(5) Must have an annual earning and funds deposited with a bank totaling no less than Baht 800,000 as of the filing date.

Regards (4), I cannot make the seasoning caveat on the 800k baht lump-sum in a local bank. I do however have evidence of an adequate and qualifying monthly income (foreign bank statements) for the past 12 months as well as corresponding evidence of adequate and qualifying inbound transfers to my local bank account for the past 12 months. The amounts exceed the 65k baht/month requirement stated in (3).

Does Jomtien Immigration have a 'local' opinion on a retirement extension using method (3)? Some Immigration offices have recently had issues with the Embassy-issued income verification letter that stated the money was in a non- Thai account.

[ubonjoe]

That was in Bangkok and was probably a one time occurrence.

You should not have a problem.

[johng]

Since the Non-O (Thai spouse) and subsequent extensions is mostly unusable for the few jobs I get in Thailand, I am considering changing to a Retirement extension.

I thought that work was prohibited on a retirement visa ????????

[PoorSucker]

Since the Non-O (Thai spouse) and subsequent extensions is mostly unusable for the few jobs I get in Thailand, I am considering changing to a Retirement extension.

I thought that work was prohibited on a retirement visa ????????

All kind of work if prohibited under any visa, all work requires a work permit.

Only non-B visa and O-visa based on marriage or volunteering will sufficient to receive a work permit.

[NanLaew]

Since the Non-O (Thai spouse) and subsequent extensions is mostly unusable for the few jobs I get in Thailand, I am considering changing to a Retirement extension.

I thought that work was prohibited on a retirement visa ????????

All kind of work if prohibited under any visa, all work requires a work permit.

Only non-B visa and O-visa based on marriage or volunteering will sufficient to receive a work permit.

Yes, my Non-O (Thai spouse) wasn't acceptable on my last local employment gig so I had to get a new Non-B in my OTHER passport.

Since the Non-O (Thai spouse) is mostly unacceptable (in my recent experience) for getting a WP and is quite an onerous extension song and dance, I may as well convert it to the easier to approve retirement option. If work pops up again, I will leave LOS, get the Non-B in the other passport and come back on that document.

[NanLaew]

That was in Bangkok and was probably a one time occurrence. You should not have a problem.

Thanks Joe. I like the path of least resistance!

[DrTuner]

Yes, my Non-O (Thai spouse) wasn't acceptable on my last local employment gig so I had to get a new Non-B in my OTHER passport.

Were you given any reason why an extension based on marriage would not qualify for a work permit ?

[blabth]

I have a marriage visa to get a work permit is not a problem. I thought a retirement visa will not allow you to get a work permit. The only problem which I have is to get a work permit because the salary is not reaching 50K as I want to use the option 400K on the bank or 40k monthly income or any combination. But the labour department told me that I have to earn 50k monthly to be entitled for a WP

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[ubonjoe]

There is no minimum salary requirement to get a work permit. Somebody gave you false info. Did you get told that directly from the work permit office?

[Mario2008]

Or are you using Phuket labour office? They indeed want to see 50,000 a month for a WP even if on an extension based on marriage.

[NanLaew]

Yes, my Non-O (Thai spouse) wasn't acceptable on my last local employment gig so I had to get a new Non-B in my OTHER passport.

Were you given any reason why an extension based on marriage would not qualify for a work permit ?

The Human Resources Manager of the Thai company advised me that the Non-O (marriage) visa in the passport that I used to enter Thailand at that time could not be used. I have no idea if that decision was her own, the advice of whatever agency they may retain for handling WP applications or the Immigration Office they processed their applicants through. I posted the experience on here at the time and the consensus was that some Immigration jurisdictions may take the view that a Non-O visa (and extension thereof) that has been acquired due to having a Thai spouse cannot have the enabling function, ie. marriage OR work, swapped about. I reckon that maybe they have to fill in an extra form or check an extra box on a computer screen when a marriage visa is being used in support of a WP and for some desk jockeys, that falls under the 'too hard' category and easier to fob off the applicant and tell them to get a Non-B.

I went ahead and sent my second passport along with the sponsoring company's paperwork to Hull for the Non-B. I then departed Thailand on the passport with the Non-O and re-entered on the passport with the new Non-B visa.

[ubonjoe]

Immigration has nothing to with work permits that is the labor ministry's job.

There are even labor ministry regulations for work permits that cover those that are married to a Thai. One is that the registered capital is only 1 million verses 2.