Marriage extension for disabled and elderly.

[gamini]

. I am thinking of changing from a retirement Visa to a marriage Visa. The main question is the 400k is for two months or three months. Because of course in the past I've had to keep the 800 K in the bank for three months.I want to free this money up for my medical expenses.

I am 85 years, disabled and I'm not sure if I can make it to the immigration again because I have deep vein thrombosis and I have to keep my legs up. So I can't be sitting in the car or sitting in emigration waiting. So I'm wondering what procedure there would be for a marriage Visa. Another problem is that my wife is not well. She is quite old and I don't know whether she can go to the immigration Department. Fortunately, we have a caregiver who looks after us both and drives us around. We got married 45 years ago outside of Thailand but did not register our marriage in Thailand until about five years ago..

Any suggestions how I should go about this matter would be much appreciated I really am in no shape to go through all this rigmarole with a marriage Visa. And now I have insufficient funds for retirement Visa. Would immigration be prepared to come to my home and do the visa. Any advice will be appreciated.

[sunnyjim5]

I understand .

Can you say where you are based ?

If in Chang Mai you should contact this organisation.

http://www.lannacarenet.org/

Edited to add link

Edited January 2, 2016 by sunnyjim5

[BritTim]

One of the admirable characteristics of the Thais is that they are usually very sympathetic towards the elderly and sick. I suggest you contact your local immigration by phone, explain your situation to them, and ask them to advise you on what to do. The answer will vary depending on the office and who answers the phone, but there is a good chance they will try hard to help within the limits of what the law allows.

[Evilbaz]

The starting point here is to get a letter from your doctor certifying you are permanently unfit to travel and requesting a visit from immigration.

Seeing as they are quite happy to visit to snoop around for marriage extensions (and in some areas retirement extensions) they may well accommodate this request for a modest "travel allowance".

Have all your documentation ready - the easier it is for them the more compliant they will be.

I emphasize with your situation - I can't climb the two flights of stairs at Phuket Immigration but still have some mobility.

Chok dee.

Edited January 3, 2016 by Evilbaz

[Evilbaz]

One of the admirable characteristics of the Thais is that they are usually very sympathetic towards the elderly and sick. I suggest you contact your local immigration by phone, explain your situation to them, and ask them to advise you on what to do. The answer will vary depending on the office and who answers the phone, but there is a good chance they will try hard to help within the limits of what the law allows.

I agree about respect for the elderly but they generally are abysmal about providing access for the disabled.

[ubonjoe]

The money only has to be in the bank for 2 months for an extension based upon marriage.

The best thing to do is contact your local immigration office.

Getting statements from a doctor that you cannot travel and then assigning someone to do your extension would be needed. They might then accept the application and do a home visit to do the statement you both need to sign during the 30 day under consideration period.

[IMA_FARANG]

Although you don't mention where you would be going to do the marriage extension I know that in Bangkok at Chaengwattana the immigration offices are wheelchair accessible.

Use the elevators (lifts) to get to the 2nd floor. There are designated lifts with wheelchair access.

They also will allow you to use a designated caretaker or helper, however you will need to physically sign the forms yourself in front of the immigration officer.

I have seen with my own eyes people in wheelchairs with helpers getting extensions in Chaengwattana.

It would b possible there in Chaengwattana.

[NancyL]

If you're in Chiang Mai, I'd suggest contacting either Assist Thai Visa http://assistthaivisa.com/ or OS Thai Visa http://www.chiangmaivisaservice.com/ and hiring them to arrange a marriage extension for you. They'd make sure all your documents are in order, get a queue number and take you out to the Immigration office at the appointed time where you'd be seen quickly.

I don't know if it would be possible to arrange a "house call" for a marriage extension any more because Immigration now says they need to photograph every applicant using the camera attached to the computer in their office. There isn't this requirement for a medical extension, however. (Note, I'm talking about Chiang Mai -- don't know about other provinces.)

I'd recommend that you try to stay on a marriage extension as long as possible before moving onto medical extension. Reason is that a marriage extension is valid for 12 months while a medical extension has just 90 day validity, same cost 1900 baht each time. Also, in Chiang Mai, they grant the extension from when the doctor writes the documents, not from the date of the previous extension, so you "lose days". It's difficult to get doctors to produce documents that meet the specifications of CM Immigration and doctors will insist on seeing a patient prior to writing each request for another 90 day extension. For most, the only time it makes sense to be on medical extensions long-term is if they are resident in a long-term care facility where the doctor sees them frequently.

[Evilbaz]

To enforce a procedure (it is not a promulgated Law or Regulation) such as "take a photo with the camera attached to the computer" then Immi must provide access.

In Phuket they are up two flights of stairs.

The OP would have to attend on a gurney in an ambulance as he cannot sit in a car and be carried upstairs!

That is just plain ridiculous and with a Doctor's certification (private hospitals know the procedure) I'd suggest appealing further up the chain of command if the local Colonel is recalcitrant.

They can visit, use a digital camera and upload to the computer - even old people can master this, so surely a Immi Officer can!

They can hardly tell him to "go home" if he can't travel.

Get your Embassy to assist if they can.

[NancyL]

To enforce a procedure (it is not a promulgated Law or Regulation) such as "take a photo with the camera attached to the computer" then Immi must provide access.

In Phuket they are up two flights of stairs.

The OP would have to attend on a gurney in an ambulance as he cannot sit in a car and be carried upstairs!

That is just plain ridiculous and with a Doctor's certification (private hospitals know the procedure) I'd suggest appealing further up the chain of command if the local Colonel is recalcitrant.

They can visit, use a digital camera and upload to the computer - even old people can master this, so surely a Immi Officer can!

They can hardly tell him to "go home" if he can't travel.

Get your Embassy to assist if they can.

The "answer" in Chiang Mai is to get a medical extension if someone can't get themselves into Imm., albeit briefly for a personal appearance.

That's why I suggested hiring a visa agent. They'll make the procedure for a 12-month marriage extension as quick as possible. Otherwise, if funds are limited, then the OP's caregiver or perhaps someone on the staff of the hospital (if he sees a doctor at a private hospital) will have to assist with a medical extension at least four times annually.

[gamini]

If you're in Chiang Mai, I'd suggest contacting either Assist Thai Visa http://assistthaivisa.com/ or OS Thai Visa http://www.chiangmaivisaservice.com/ and hiring them to arrange a marriage extension for you. They'd make sure all your documents are in order, get a queue number and take you out to the Immigration office at the appointed time where you'd be seen quickly.

I don't know if it would be possible to arrange a "house call" for a marriage extension any more because Immigration now says they need to photograph every applicant using the camera attached to the computer in their office. There isn't this requirement for a medical extension, however. (Note, I'm talking about Chiang Mai -- don't know about other provinces.)

I'd recommend that you try to stay on a marriage extension as long as possible before moving onto medical extension. Reason is that a marriage extension is valid for 12 months while a medical extension has just 90 day validity, same cost 1900 baht each time. Also, in Chiang Mai, they grant the extension from when the doctor writes the documents, not from the date of the previous extension, so you "lose days". It's difficult to get doctors to produce documents that meet the specifications of CM Immigration and doctors will insist on seeing a patient prior to writing each request for another 90 day extension. For most, the only time it makes sense to be on medical extensions long-term is if they are resident in a long-term care facility where the doctor sees them frequently.

last time I went for a retirement extension. They were very helpful. They let my caregiver do everything whilst I stayed in the car then they came to the car and took a photo. But now I have to do a marriage extension, which I have no experience of. But my wife may not be able to go to immigration.

I have to sign the documents. I doubt if I can sign anything next time because of gradual weakness in my arms.

The whole situation really upsets me. I just can't understand why immigration does not just leave us alone and let us die in peace. If I was not married to a Thai, I would have to have 800,000 sitting in my bank for three months unable to use it for my medical expenses.

All the advice is much appreciated. I am not looking for any sympathy, because I am well cared for. But I can do without all these ridiculous immigration requirements at my age which just make me angry.

[gamini]

I understand .

Can you say where you are based ?

If in Chang Mai you should contact this organisation.

http://www.lannacarenet.org/

Edited to add link

an hour south of hua hin

[BritTim]

If you're in Chiang Mai, I'd suggest contacting either Assist Thai Visa http://assistthaivisa.com/ or OS Thai Visa http://www.chiangmaivisaservice.com/ and hiring them to arrange a marriage extension for you. They'd make sure all your documents are in order, get a queue number and take you out to the Immigration office at the appointed time where you'd be seen quickly.

I don't know if it would be possible to arrange a "house call" for a marriage extension any more because Immigration now says they need to photograph every applicant using the camera attached to the computer in their office. There isn't this requirement for a medical extension, however. (Note, I'm talking about Chiang Mai -- don't know about other provinces.)

I'd recommend that you try to stay on a marriage extension as long as possible before moving onto medical extension. Reason is that a marriage extension is valid for 12 months while a medical extension has just 90 day validity, same cost 1900 baht each time. Also, in Chiang Mai, they grant the extension from when the doctor writes the documents, not from the date of the previous extension, so you "lose days". It's difficult to get doctors to produce documents that meet the specifications of CM Immigration and doctors will insist on seeing a patient prior to writing each request for another 90 day extension. For most, the only time it makes sense to be on medical extensions long-term is if they are resident in a long-term care facility where the doctor sees them frequently.

last time I went for a retirement extension. They were very helpful. They let my caregiver do everything whilst I stayed in the car then they came to the car and took a photo. But now I have to do a marriage extension, which I have no experience of. But my wife may not be able to go to immigration.

I have to sign the documents. I doubt if I can sign anything next time because of gradual weakness in my arms.

The whole situation really upsets me. I just can't understand why immigration does not just leave us alone and let us die in peace. If I was not married to a Thai, I would have to have 800,000 sitting in my bank for three months unable to use it for my medical expenses.

All the advice is much appreciated. I am not looking for any sympathy, because I am well cared for. But I can do without all these ridiculous immigration requirements at my age which just make me angry.

Some will consider my suggestion irresponsible. If, indeed, it is your intention to die in Thailand, never leaving the country again, you should consider simply going on overstay. Of course, this is against the rules, but they are likely to leave you alone. When you contact immigration, they need to follow their rule book. There is nothing in there that gives them discretion to waive the normal requirements. If you go on overstay, I am convinced they will simply turn a blind eye. What is their alternative? They are not going to lock you up in the immigration detention centre, and it would be mighty difficult to deport you in your current medical condition. A normal airline would not accept you, and an air ambulance would cost a fortune.

[ubonjoe]

You should do as I wrote in my previous post at #6.

I think you will get assistance from immigration if you are able to prove you cannot travel to immigration,

Immigration is not near as bad as some people like to say they are.