Hi,

I am British and 54 years old. My wife is South African and is 39.

My wife and I are staying in Phuket for seven months to see how we like it. We like it!

We are currently here on three-entry tourist visas. I know how these work so no problem there.

I want to change my visa to a non-O with retirement extension and my wife's to a non-O dependent visa, rather than apply for an OA visa (the only one offered by our local Thai Embassy in Johannesburg) and go through police clearance, medicals, etc. in South Africa, where we 'permanently' live at the moment. Also, if I can do this in Thailand we'll be set up to move here as soon as we return to SA and have sorted out our affairs there.

The problem:

When doing a 30-day extension on our visas yesterday, I asked the western guy who was assisting Thai Immigration (wearing a uniform with Thai Immigration credentials) how I would go about changing to a non-O visa. He said:

• I can convert to a non-O visa and apply from within Thailand, then, within the three-month validity of the non-O, apply for a retirement extension.
  No problem there. I know how to do this and the requirements for it.
  
  BUT
  
• My wife cannot apply for the non-O dependent visa while in Thailand!! We must leave for somewhere like Penang and apply from there.
  

Does anyone have any experience of this situation?

It clearly adds much complexity and expense to the process of arranging to settle here long-term...........or is it easy to do?

Another possible issue which I'd like an opinion on, please:

My wife is travelling on a passport in her maiden name as we are recently married and the new passport in her married name hadn't arrived when we applied for visas in SA.

We don't have a passport in her married name but we do have copies of our marriage certificates.

Does anyone know if she will be able to get the non-O dependent visa with her current passport and the marriage certificate copies?

Many thanks in advance for any help you can give me.

It is immigration policy not to do conversions that are based upon getting a dependent extension.

She will need to get the non-o in Penang or any of the nearby embassies or consulates.

You will need to wait until you have your extension of stay is completed by doing the conversion and then the extension. Then she can apply for the non-o by showing your marriage certificate and copies of your passport photo page and extension of stay stamp.

Then during the last 30 of the 90 day entry she will get from the visa she can apply for the extension as your dependent.

The passport having her maiden name on it should not be a problem.

Hi Ubonjoe,

Thanks for your reply.

We have 5 1/2 months left before I have to go back to South Africa.

Do you think I can do all this in that time?

If so, please will you sketch out a timescale for me? Do I have to apply for a non-O, get that and then apply for the retirement extension?

Many thanks in advance.

You could apply for the change of visa status tomorrow if you have 15 days or more remaining on your current entry and can meet the financial requirements.

Then in 60 days you could apply for your extension of stay.

Then your wife could go out for the non-o visa and then 60 days after entering the country apply for the dependent extension.

So in a little over 4 months she could have her extension done.

There is ample time for what you wish to be achieved.

The question is would it be worth the trouble if returning to S/A in the near future. ?

Apologies for late response:

Many thanks for the input, guys.

I have decided that it's too much trouble and expense to go for a change of visa now and so I'll do it when we get back to South Africa.

Thanks for helping me in my decision.

Hi,

I have the same situation, my wife is British and under 50, I am over 50 on a retirement extension.

Does she, as she is dependant on me and British, have to show funds in a bank account at the Thai Embassy for the non-o visa or is it just the marriage certificate and translations?

Also which is the best place to this from Phuket, KL or Penang?

Thanks

A dependent doesn't need to show any funds, just that the person she is dependent on has an extension of stay.

So copy of your passport and proof of marriage should do.

Thanks.

Air asia have a sale on and have a flight for 2,000 return, think it will be better sending her there than 14 hours in a van to Penang?