Marriage Visa...Wife dies..What happens?

[BookMan]

Someone asked me about this today and I had no idea. Just a general info/interest questions on my part.

1. Your wife dies and you are in Thailand on a marriage visa. What happens visa wise?

2. Your wife dies, and you are here on a marriage visa, with Thai kids. What happens? Options?

[ubonjoe]

1. A visa issued by an embassy or consulate always remains valid until it expires.

2. The next time you leave the country to apply for a new visa you could possibley apply for one based upon being the parent of a Thai.

[overherebc]

1. A visa issued by an embassy or consulate always remains valid until it expires.

2. The next time you leave the country to apply for a new visa you could possibley apply for one based upon being the parent of a Thai.

What would be the difference if on an extension and not an O visa.

Would it 'officially' end ?

[BritTim]

I suspect you really want to know what happens if on an extension of stay on the basis of marriage. As a practical matter, most Thais are compassionate (whatever some might think) and you will be allowed to remain until the current extension of stay expires. Technically, I think you are supposed to inform immigration promptly. They are then supposed to cancel your extension and (unless you can extend your stay on some other basis) give you 7 days to leave the country. With Thai kids of school age (assuming you are the legal parent) you can apply for an extension on that basis.

[elviajero]

Is your question meant to be about a visa or are you asking about a 1 year extension of stay issued on the basis of marriage?

[elviajero]

I suspect you really want to know what happens if on an extension of stay on the basis of marriage. As a practical matter, most Thais are compassionate (whatever some might think) and you will be allowed to remain until the current extension of stay expires. Technically, I think you are supposed to inform immigration promptly. They are then supposed to cancel your extension and (unless you can extend your stay on some other basis) give you 7 days to leave the country. With Thai kids of school age (assuming you are the legal parent) you can apply for an extension on that basis.

If he were married to the mother he would be the legal parent, and the Thai kids can be of any age if applying for an extension based on being a parent.

[BookMan]

Is your question meant to be about a visa or are you asking about a 1 year extension of stay issued on the basis of marriage?

I might have the terminology wrong.

The question related to what would happen with the current visa, and into the future, if you were on a marriage visa and your wife died

Would you be able to stay for a period of time...or would you be asked to leave.

And if you had children..how that would affect things

Edited April 18, 2016 by BookMan

[ubonjoe]

An extension of stay based upon marriage remains valid until it expires after the death of a spouse. See: acknow_con2stay.pdf

[johnatong]

Is your question meant to be about a visa or are you asking about a 1 year extension of stay issued on the basis of marriage?

I might have the terminology wrong.

The question related to what would happen with the current visa, and into the future, if you were on a marriage visa and your wife died

Would you be able to stay for a period of time...or would you be asked to leave.

And if you had children..how that would affect things

As already stated a VISA would remain valid until it expired.

[overherebc]

Is your question meant to be about a visa or are you asking about a 1 year extension of stay issued on the basis of marriage?

I might have the terminology wrong.

The question related to what would happen with the current visa, and into the future, if you were on a marriage visa and your wife died

Would you be able to stay for a period of time...or would you be asked to leave.

And if you had children..how that would affect things

In real terms there is no such thing as a married visa.

You can can get a one year o visa multi entry based on being married and have to leave and return every 90 days or a single O visa valid for 90 days and convert to an extension and do 90 day reports at Imm'

[Mudcrab]

Do you mean if you originally had a visa, then were married for a period and staying in country on extensions of stay based on marriage and then your long term wife dies? You don't have any Thai children?

A lot of people may find themselves in this position at some time - not everyone has Thai in-laws younger than themselves. I'm 60, the bride is 50 so it could happen to me at some stage.

Thankfully she is not an alcoholic like some Thai ladies. She has many friends her age from school who have passed away at a young age.

I guess the letter of the law may mean you no longer qualify to stay - similar to getting divorced.

If that is the case someone more knowledgeable in these matters may reply.

Look on the bright side though it won't be too hard to find another wife!!!

[BookMan]

An extension of stay based upon marriage remains valid until it expires after the death of a spouse. See:

Thanks Ubonjoe

[ubonjoe]

Do you mean if you originally had a visa, then were married for a period and staying in country on extensions of stay based on marriage and then your long term wife dies? You don't have any Thai children?

A lot of people may find themselves in this position at some time - not everyone has Thai in-laws younger than themselves. I'm 60, the bride is 50 so it could happen to me at some stage.

Thankfully she is not an alcoholic like some Thai ladies. She has many friends her age from school who have passed away at a young age.

I guess the letter of the law may mean you no longer qualify to stay - similar to getting divorced.

If that is the case someone more knowledgeable in these matters may reply.

Look on the bright side though it won't be too hard to find another wife!!!

You would have time to prepare to change the reason for your extension since the one based upon marriage would remain valid until it expires. In your case you could apply for an extension based upon retirement.

[elviajero]

Is your question meant to be about a visa or are you asking about a 1 year extension of stay issued on the basis of marriage?

I might have the terminology wrong.

The question related to what would happen with the current visa, and into the future, if you were on a marriage visa and your wife died

Would you be able to stay for a period of time...or would you be asked to leave.

And if you had children..how that would affect things

Assuming the current visa is a multiple entry non'O' visa,

• You could continue to enter the country (staying 90 days per entry) until the visa expires ('enter before' date).

If you have a 1 year extension of stay based on marriage,

• You can stay in the country until the permission to stay expires

If you have children.

• Multiple entry non 'O' visas are also available as a parent. So once the current visa expired you could apply for a new one as a parent.
• When the 1 year extension based on marriage expires you can apply for a new 1 year extension based on being a parent without leaving the country.

Edited April 18, 2016 by elviajero

[overherebc]

With no children and wife dies I don't think they would immediately tell you to leave but officially if you're on an extension, not O visa, then your reason for staying has gone and you could possibly go on retirement extension if you have the yearly 800,000 in the bank or income to justify the extension.

[ubonjoe]

With no children and wife dies I don't think they would immediately tell you to leave but officially if you're on an extension, not O visa, then your reason for staying has gone and you could possibly go on retirement extension if you have the yearly 800,000 in the bank or income to justify the extension.

Did you read what I posted earlier?

There 3 options for an extension based upon retirement. You left out a combination of money in bank and income totaling 800k baht.

[GarryP]

My extension of stay was based on marriage, and my salary was used as the basis of minimum monetary requirements for one year extension. When my wife died, I waited until the extension was nearly due to expire and then renewed based on employment.

I had a scare as at Chaengwattana the receptionists said I must leave the country immediately and that I was on overstay. It turns out they were wrong. Ubonjoe's advice is spot on.

For those who are not working here and above 50, they could later extend based on retirement, or supporting children as the case may be.

I reconfirm, you do not have to leave the country.

[Seismic]

On 4/18/2016 at 2:15 PM, ubonjoe said:

An extension of stay based upon marriage remains valid until it expires after the death of a spouse. See: acknow_con2stay.pdf

That document says that if the the conditions or status of stay changed in any way then you must inform them otherwise you could have the extension terminated.

[ubonjoe]

25 minutes ago, Seismic said:

That document says that if the the conditions or status of stay changed in any way then you must inform them otherwise you could have the extension terminated.

You took that out of context.