Hi I would be very grateful from you visa experts for some advice about the following.

I arrived in Thailand on a multiple entry O obtained from Hull. I have since extended it every twelve months for the reason of married to a Thai national for the past 5 years. I have recently applied for another extension and received the under consideration stamp and have to go back on the 28th May of this for the result. However I have just had a call from my mother who has informed me that the doctor has told her my father who is 99 will not be long before he passes way. So I have no choice in the matter and have to return asap to the UK before the result of my application is known. It is very doubtful that I will be able to return to Thailand before the 28th May to pick up the extension. Is it possible somehow I can I keep my current visa extension immigration status intact?. I will be dealing with Nong Khai Immigration if it makes any difference.

Regards

Doubt if that will be possible.

Obtain a single entry "o"visa prior to your return and restart the process.

Go talk to immigration at Nong Khai and see if they can help you.

Failing that, apply for a different extension. 60 days to visit your wife. Once you have that get a re-entry permit. When you return, apply for year long extension again.

If you can't make it back by the end of that extension, then come back with a new O Visa, or plan on getting a new O in Laos when you return.

You should check with them to see if your extension has been approved yet. The headquarters in Korat normally do the approval quickly after receiving the application.

If not you should at least get a re-entry permit if there is any chance at all that you will back by the 28th.

Doubt if that will be possible.

Obtain a single entry "o"visa prior to your return and restart the process.

Thanks for responding.

That is what they told me today if not back by the 28th, to go to Thai Embassy in London and get a new visa.

Go talk to immigration at Nong Khai and see if they can help you.

Failing that, apply for a different extension. 60 days to visit your wife. Once you have that get a re-entry permit. When you return, apply for year long extension again.

If you can't make it back by the end of that extension, then come back with a new O Visa, or plan on getting a new O in Laos when you return.

I went there today they could not help other than telling me to go get a new visa and start all over again. He never mentioned about a 60 day extension but I have already had one on this visa three years ago. They never mentioned going to Laos just told me to go to London for one.

You should check with them to see if your extension has been approved yet. The headquarters in Korat normally do the approval quickly after receiving the application.

If not you should at least get a re-entry permit if there is any chance at all that you will back by the 28th.

He checked but not back yet. Like you say should have been back by now especially when this is the fifth consecutive marriage extension using the exact same criteria and living in the same house. However there has been a couple of Thai public holidays I believe so that could have delayed the paperwork. I am fortunate to live within spitting distance of the place so I will check again on Monday, thanks for the advice.

Do you know if they called to check on it. If they wanted to help the could talk to Korat to see it could be hurried up a bit. They fax the approvals to the offices as soon they are done.

Do you know if they called to check on it. If they wanted to help the could talk to Korat to see it could be hurried up a bit. They fax the approvals to the offices as soon they are done.

The situation was explained to him by my wife in Thai. However the whole visit was over in less than ten minutes and no phone call was made on my behalf. He just picked up the filing basket containing all the applications picked their copy up of my paperwork and said "not come back". The only other thing he said several times was must go and get new O visa from Thai Consulate London and start again, which is really helpful advice seeing has my home town is in West Yorkshire. I think your words "if they wanted to help" says it all.

Seems you were unlucky in getting one of those govt officers who just don't give a damn. I'd consider going to a different immigration office if that's possible for your case.

Regarding the "under consideration" stamp, I just applied for a 1-year extension of my spousal non-O visa in BKK and was also given this stamp. This surprised me as I assumed all necessary scrutiny was done during the first non-O application and therefore thought that any extensions thereafter would more or less be automatic.

I've been married to my Thai wife for about a year and a half now. You've been married 5 years but are still getting this under consideration stamp. Is this to be expected every single year?

Edited May 14, 201412 yr by puuchaibaa

Yes, every single year.

Yes, every single year.

I can confirm that, every single year. Up to two years ago I had to provide two witnesses/referee's to verify my relationship etc when I applied for the marriage extension. I suspect if I have start again, these will be required once again.

Seems you were unlucky in getting one of those govt officers who just don't give a damn. I'd consider going to a different immigration office if that's possible for your case.

Regarding the "under consideration" stamp, I just applied for a 1-year extension of my spousal non-O visa in BKK and was also given this stamp. This surprised me as I assumed all necessary scrutiny was done during the first non-O application and therefore thought that any extensions thereafter would more or less be automatic.

I've been married to my Thai wife for about a year and a half now. You've been married 5 years but are still getting this under consideration stamp. Is this to be expected every single year?

Yes I did but not possible to change unfortunately because I live less than a kilometre from the office.

You would have thought so but no every single year your extension has to be officially approved. No doubt that this will stir a hornets nest up about being a cheapskate going down the marriage extension income route to stay in Thailand and not getting a "proper" extension ie retirement. I am 69 years old and I have no intention of taking money which I have worked hard for all my life out of a UK bank account and letting it sit in a Thai bank, especially with the current political climate in Thailand. Until I am to old and infirm to manage the paperwork needed each year, or immigration change the rules I will continue on the present path. However I often wonder what I would do if they refused the extension. I had the same thoughts about re entry when I used to do the border runs into Laos. It's been stated many times before on this forum that has a foreigner you can never be truly at ease with your situation and settled here in Thailand because you do not know what new rule they are going to come up with next. I would willingly hand over say a 100.000 baht for a ten year visa to have that security and I suspect so would the majority of long stayers in Thailand. Has for the wife she thinks it"s all crazy and can see no reason whatsoever for the same thing year after year.

The proper extension for you is the extension of stay based upon marriage to a Thai.

I could do an extension based upon retirement but in my opinion I am here to live with my family not retirement so I do mine on marriage (6)..

Until they change the rule that requires that an officer of a certain rank has to approve them we will be dong the under consideration period.

The proper extension for you is the extension of stay based upon marriage to a Thai.

I could do an extension based upon retirement but in my opinion I am here to live with my family not retirement so I do mine on marriage (6)..

Until they change the rule that requires that an officer of a certain rank has to approve them we will be dong the under consideration period.

Yes I understand fully and agree to what you say but immigration are a law unto themselves so that same officer of a certain rank could refuse it. I suspect you would not be given a reason for refusal or offered any form of appeal. That is why I stated rules can be changed at whim and you can never feel truly secure with your immigration status living in Thailand. If anybody can tell me any different I would love to hear it

I am not worried on them changing things to where I cannot get an extension. Having a Thai wife and family is probably the most secure of any of them.

The proper extension for you is the extension of stay based upon marriage to a Thai.

I could do an extension based upon retirement but in my opinion I am here to live with my family not retirement so I do mine on marriage (6)..

Until they change the rule that requires that an officer of a certain rank has to approve them we will be dong the under consideration period.

Yes I understand fully and agree to what you say but immigration are a law unto themselves so that same officer of a certain rank could refuse it. I suspect you would not be given a reason for refusal or offered any form of appeal. That is why I stated rules can be changed at whim and you can never feel truly secure with your immigration status living in Thailand. If anybody can tell me any different I would love to hear it

There is an appeal process.

The proper extension for you is the extension of stay based upon marriage to a Thai.

I could do an extension based upon retirement but in my opinion I am here to live with my family not retirement so I do mine on marriage (6)..

Until they change the rule that requires that an officer of a certain rank has to approve them we will be dong the under consideration period.

Yes I understand fully and agree to what you say but immigration are a law unto themselves so that same officer of a certain rank could refuse it. I suspect you would not be given a reason for refusal or offered any form of appeal. That is why I stated rules can be changed at whim and you can never feel truly secure with your immigration status living in Thailand. If anybody can tell me any different I would love to hear it

There is an appeal process.

Good to hear that. Could you still stay in the country whilst the appeal is being heard do you know?

Yes you can be remain in the country during the appeal.

The only extension that I can recall ever not being approved by the higher authority was because a person had taken all the money out of the bank while waiting for the extension to be approved. In another case they had taken about 60k out but they were allowed to replace it and it was approved.

Yes you can be remain in the country during the appeal.

The only extension that I can recall ever not being approved by the higher authority was because a person had taken all the money out of the bank while waiting for the extension to be approved. In another case they had taken about 60k out but they were allowed to replace it and it was approved.

That's also good to know.

If that's the case that the only refusals you can recall are applicants removing the funds before the extension is granted what then is the purpose of a under consideration stamp on people that have applied for the same extension year after year, living in the same house using the monthly income method. These people have solid evidence of a certain income each month/year usually, via a government/private pension or secure investments which are all validated after seeing evidence of such by a Embassy income letter.

Yes you can be remain in the country during the appeal.

The only extension that I can recall ever not being approved by the higher authority was because a person had taken all the money out of the bank while waiting for the extension to be approved. In another case they had taken about 60k out but they were allowed to replace it and it was approved.

That's also good to know.

If that's the case that the only refusals you can recall are applicants removing the funds before the extension is granted what then is the purpose of a under consideration stamp on people that have applied for the same extension year after year, living in the same house using the monthly income method. These people have solid evidence of a certain income each month/year usually, via a government/private pension or secure investments which are all validated after seeing evidence of such by a Embassy income letter.

It is not just because of the money in the bank thing.

It is because of an outdated rule that immigration has that requires an officer of a certain rank to approve them. At one time all approvals were sent to Bangkok until they set up the regional headquarters such as Korat is.