Help with marriage retirement visa

[maxcorrigan]

I daresay this question has arisen many times before, so my apologizes everytime i try to find info on the internet it turns out dated many years before so has probably changed.

I am about to apply for an "O" visa in London.

Is a year long visa better than a 90day i know it costs more, also as i am shipping a few personal effects via "anglo pacific" and as far as i can see, one of the customs requirement is a resident visa valid for one year, so presumably i must go for the one year option,does anyone have experience of this?

Can someone direct me to a site for the correct PDF printable forms for this purpose there seems to be so many and i want make sure i get the right one.

Do i have to show a return air ticket for this visa, even though i intend to retire in Thailand with my Thai wife who will be returning to Thailand with me,or indeed do i need an air ticket at all?

I am sorry for sounding a bit naive about this, and sights such TV offer a lot of common sense and help, while some posters trying to be helpful, offer different opinions and unfortunately end up just making the whole thing more confusing (for me anyrate)

Hope someone can help

Regards Maxc

[RolandRat]

Wrong place mate, you want the Visa section.

And your terminology is wrong, its a visa extension based on either being married to a Thai National OR based on Retirement.

You will still need to report every 90 days to immigration.

Edited October 29, 2014 by RolandRat

[Thanyaburi Mac]

Topic moved to the Thai Visa and Work Permit forum, up the page.

[paz]

I am sorry for sounding a bit naive about this, and sights such TV offer a lot of common sense and help, while some posters trying to be helpful, offer different opinions and unfortunately end up just making the whole thing more confusing (for me anyrate)

I don't think you will find "different opinions". In the end you should end obtaining an year-long extension of stay in Thailand for either reason of marriage, or being over 50 (if you are). There are running threads every that and they are all quite conclusive. For that it's enough that you start with the single-entry non-imm. 'O' as you mentioned. Edited October 29, 2014 by paz

[ubonjoe]

If you your Thai wife is in the UK your good can be imported duty free in her name: See: http://www.customs.go.th/wps/wcm/connect/custen/individuals/importing+used+or+secondhand+household+effects/importingusedsecondhandhouseholdeffects+

If not having a visa of any kind makes no difference for the shipment as far as paying duty goes unless you get a work permit after arriving here.

You can get a single entry non-o visa at embassy based upon marriage to a Thai and then get a one year extension of stay based upon marriage or retirement.

[Issangeorge]

Of course to make things more complicated and perhaps what you were talking about, you can get a one year multiple entry Non Immigrant Oa Visa. This will give you one year in Thailand, you have to report to immigration every 90 days (I do it by mail), but you do not have to leave the country. If you cross the border and come back in, before the Visa expires you will get another year. If you want to leave the country after the Visa expires, you will have to apply for a reentry permit to return on the same visa. I believe you can apply for a one year extension, based on retirement if you apply in the month your length of stay expires.

Edited October 30, 2014 by Issangeorge

[maxcorrigan]

Thanks ubonjoe and issangeorge and others also mod for putting my post in correct slot i have taken note! the site pointed out by ubanjoe is brilliant all the import answers are there,so much so i will pass it on to Anglo/Pacific for future ref. for anyone travelling to Thailand (if this is allowed by mod) so to sum up if it is my wife

(my pis-ed ning) doing the move from UK to LOS the second hand household goods will not attract duty, so therefore a three month non-o visa should be OK before changing to marriage/retirement visa after 2.5 months with the necessary funds in Thai bank for two months, this would be classed as a single entry visa correct?

The form for a non-o would be the "Standard Application Form" i presume, and the box asking for duration of stay would be what? "retirement"or three months entered, until i get official marriage/retirement for twelve months

The box "Purpose Of Current Visit" would be retirement,or long stay?proof of which would be marriage certificate

Sorry for being so naive about this but i want to insure i get form filled in correctly, before presenting to Consulate/Thai Embassy" in London

Regards Maxc

[ubonjoe]

Not problem to pass on the link to the customs department website.

You will apply for the non-o based upon marriage. Do not mention retirement on the application form or you would not get it at the embassy. You will be staying with or visiting your wife.

You will need copies of your marriage certificate, wife's house book and ID card attached to it.

[maxcorrigan]

Not problem to pass on the link to the customs department website.

You will apply for the non-o based upon marriage. Do not mention retirement on the application form or you would not get it at the embassy. You will be staying with or visiting your wife.

You will need copies of your marriage certificate, wife's house book and ID card attached to it.

Ubonjoe thanks again for your help, I have passed on your link,and have another query! i presume when i land at swampy hopefully with non-o eagerly clutched in hand, that they would want to see a return flight ticket, even though i intend retiring here after applying for an o-a? based on marriage, so would not require the return ticket

maxc

[paz]

Ubonjoe thanks again for your help, I have passed on your link,and have another query! i presume when i land at swampy hopefully with non-o eagerly clutched in hand, that they would want to see a return flight ticket, even though i intend retiring here after applying for an o-a? based on marriage, so would not require the return ticket

No return ticket is needed or will be asked.

[OJAS]

Of course to make things more complicated and perhaps what you were talking about, you can get a one year multiple entry Non Immigrant Oa Visa. This will give you one year in Thailand, you have to report to immigration every 90 days (I do it by mail), but you do not have to leave the country. If you cross the border and come back in, before the Visa expires you will get another year. If you want to leave the country after the Visa expires, you will have to apply for a reentry permit to return on the same visa. I believe you can apply for a one year extension, based on retirement if you apply in the month your length of stay expires.

He could only apply for an OA visa if he was over 50 and planning to move to LOS on retirement.

[maxcorrigan]

OK a great thanks everybody that posted to my questions they are a great help in clarifying things,sometimes i am a little wary posting as 1) they probably have all been posted many times before 2) I might be missing the stark staring obvious, but sometimes these things will only show up after a few visa requests, so it is the experience of you guys that are the guiding light! as for age i am well past 50 so there is no problems there.

Will be traveling to the Thai embassy in London on Monday, to apply for a non-o so if i get problems i will let you know, i will have to look up opening hours, as if i remember rightly it is a tight slot time wise.

Keep up the good work, this site to someone like me, and many others i'm sure, is invaluable.

Regards maxc

[OJAS]

i will have to look up opening hours, as if i remember rightly it is a tight slot time wise.

Public opening hours: Monday to Friday, from 9.00 - 12.30 hrs

http://www.thaiembassyuk.org.uk/?q=node/3

[maxcorrigan]

OK got the non-o today in London, the visa section has graduated from the basement and is now on ground floor and seems smaller than when it was in the basement, so well crushed in,the reason being i think, is that there is a Thai passport section crammed into the same small space.

The front door is opened via inter-com. except from 11-12am slot when the queue of people coming for returned visa stamped passports stretches out onto the pavement outside, and this was before 11am, with other people trying to get inside to present their application forms having to push their way through, complete shambles, and to pay for this they have doubled the fee for single entry to £50 even though the application form still states £25.

So anyone presenting an application in London go well before the 11am rush for passport pickups!

maxc

[Maestro]

OK got the non-o today in London...and to pay for this they have doubled the fee for single entry to £50 even though the application form still states £25...

If you paid GBP 25.00 for your last visa it was a single-entry tourist visa. Look in your passport to verify this.

Visa Fees

Visa Type Fee (£)

1. Tourist (per entry) 25.00

2. Transit (per entry) 20.00

3. Non-Immigrant (3 Month/ Single Entry) 50.00

4. Non-Immigrant (1 Year/ Multiple Entries) 125.00

5. Non-Immigrant (3 Year/ Multiple Entries) 250.00

6. Non-Immigrant O-A (3 Month/ Single Entry) 50.00

7. Non-Immigrant O-A (1 Year/ Multiple Entries) 125.00

Source: http://thaiembassyuk.org.uk/?q=node/76

[Maestro]

The website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists the fee for the single-entry non-immigrant visa as THB 2,000, and it is common practice for consulates to use exchange rates that result in a substantially higher Baht equivalent. In Switzerland, for example, THB 2,000 are currently about CHF 59.00, but the consulates charge CHF 80.00; this is +35%.

[maxcorrigan]

OK got the non-o today in London...and to pay for this they have doubled the fee for single entry to £50 even though the application form still states £25...

If you paid GBP 25.00 for your last visa it was a single-entry tourist visa. Look in your passport to verify this.

Visa Fees

Visa Type Fee (£)

1. Tourist (per entry) 25.00

2. Transit (per entry) 20.00

3. Non-Immigrant (3 Month/ Single Entry) 50.00

4. Non-Immigrant (1 Year/ Multiple Entries) 125.00

5. Non-Immigrant (3 Year/ Multiple Entries) 250.00

6. Non-Immigrant O-A (3 Month/ Single Entry) 50.00

7. Non-Immigrant O-A (1 Year/ Multiple Entries) 125.00

Source: http://thaiembassyuk.org.uk/?q=node/76

I think you are right it says in passport Non-Immigrant O S which was for ninety days so it seems, i may have paid more than i needed! will this make any difference when i go for the year stamp at the end of the three months, based on marriage?

Sorry if i have miss-lead anybody

maxc

[Maestro]

Yes, it makes a difference. Arriving with a tourist visa, you would have to pay THB 2,000 for the change to non-O visa before you could get your ono-year extension. As you will arrive now with a non-O visa, you can apply straight for the extension during the last 30 days of the 90-day permission to stay you get when you arrive in Thailand. GBP 25.00 more spent in London and THB 2,000 saved in Thailand, as well as saving an extra trip to the immigration office. Depending on where you are living in Thailand, the trip for the change of visa could have been quite long, as some offices are not permitted to make this change.

[maxcorrigan]

Yes, it makes a difference. Arriving with a tourist visa, you would have to pay THB 2,000 for the change to non-O visa before you could get your ono-year extension. As you will arrive now with a non-O visa, you can apply straight for the extension during the last 30 days of the 90-day permission to stay you get when you arrive in Thailand. GBP 25.00 more spent in London and THB 2,000 saved in Thailand, as well as saving an extra trip to the immigration office. Depending on where you are living in Thailand, the trip for the change of visa could have been quite long, as some offices are not permitted to make this change.

Thanks for the clarification, my house is in Sattahip so i assume the nearest office would be pattaya, which i think i have read TVF do not issue these extensions anymore, hope i am wrong!

maxc

[Maestro]

The Pattaya immigration office no longer does the change to non-O visa, but they do issue the various types extension of stay, including the marriage or retirement extension for which you apparently plan to apply.

[OJAS]

The Pattaya immigration office no longer does the change to non-O visa, but they do issue the various types extension of stay, including the marriage or retirement extension for which you apparently plan to apply.

And they do allow such extensions to be applied for up to 45 (rather than the normal 30) days before the existing permission to stay expires, I gather.

Edited November 12, 2014 by OJAS

[maxcorrigan]

The Pattaya immigration office no longer does the change to non-O visa, but they do issue the various types extension of stay, including the marriage or retirement extension for which you apparently plan to apply.

Yes Maestro that is exactly what i plan to do, so maybe i did myself a favour by going for the non-o for £50, if what you say is correct, and i have no reason to doubt it, i can get my extension in Pattaya instead of the long jaunt to Bangkok.

Thanks a lot for your input it has helped me a lot

Regards maxc