About to change from Retirement Extension of stay to Spouse Visa

[4MyEgo]

Hi Guys

 

Went to Sakon Nakhon office today to do my 90 day report without an issue as usual, in and out within 5 minutes.

 

They granted my extension to 24 February next month when the one year is up, I then advised them that my intention was to change to a Spouse Visa, and of course, no no no, you stay retirement visa, and my reply was not have enough money in bank, i.e. I reduced it to 400,000 baht so as to be ready to apply for the Spouse Visa come 24 February. The IO then started talking to the wife saying its a complicated process, and you will have to pay for the change in visa 2,000 baht, from retirement visa extension which will also cost you 1,900 baht and pay the costs for the IO to come to your house, 1 hour 20 drive, so how much is that my wife enquired, and he said, it depends on each case.

 

Can the visa guru's please clarify

 

1) If I have to pay 1,900 for a retirement visa extension of stay when my actual extension of stay expires on the same day that I will be applying for the change in visa (Spouse Visa)

2) If it is a common practice that one has to pay for the IO to come to our place.

3) If in fact I have to apply 21 days before hand for the change in visa as I saw something to that effect somewhere on TVF, but don't know if that applied to all visa changes, maybe it was for a work visa.

 

As usual, appreciate the heads up 

Edited January 23, 2017 by 4MyEgo

[Ron19]

I will be interested to see the outcome of this as I'm toying with the idea of doing the same thing.

I did a 90 day report today and queried the options with the head of the local immigration and he

went into some detail but never mentioned any charges. As far as the house visit is concerned, it

appears to be standard practise according to a number of posts on the subject elsewhere here.

 

[4MyEgo]

9 minutes ago, Ron19 said:

I will be interested to see the outcome of this as I'm toying with the idea of doing the same thing.

I did a 90 day report today and queried the options with the head of the local immigration and he

went into some detail but never mentioned any charges. As far as the house visit is concerned, it

appears to be standard practise according to a number of posts on the subject elsewhere here.

 

 

The office had all the fees on the board, but no mention of fees for the house visit, which I have heard before is standard for as visit.

 

I just don't understand if its correct, why you would have to pay another 1,900 baht for renewing a Retirement extension of stay when you won't be using it, i.e. I am changing visa's in actual fact, one expires on the 24th and the other application starts on the 24th, 2,000 baht for the application, as for any charges to come to our place, sounds to me like pocket money which they won't be getting. 

 

If its all above board I have no issues with it, that includes the extension of retirement visa to cross over to the spouse visa, as you can tell I am not too into the trust word 555

Edited January 23, 2017 by 4MyEgo

[phuketjock]

11 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

 

The office had all the fees on the board, but no mention of fees for the house visit, which I have heard before is standard for as visit.

 

I just don't understand if its correct, why you would have to pay another 1,900 baht for renewing a Retirement extension of stay when you won't be using it, i.e. I am changing visa's in actual fact, one expires on the 24th and the other application starts on the 24th, 2,000 baht for the application, as for any charges to come to our place, sounds to me like pocket money which they won't be getting. 

 

If its all above board I have no issues with it, that includes the extension of retirement visa to cross over to the spouse visa, as you can tell I am not too into the trust word 555

 

There is so much wrong with your post it is difficult to know where to start.

!. You have posted in the wrong forum this is the "Visa and migration to other countries" forum.

2. You do not have a retirement visa or a retirement extension visa, there is no such thing.

3. you cannot change from a retirement visa to a spousal visa because again there is no such thing.

4. you are not, and cannot change visas because you don't have one and any visa you did have was used and/or 

ran out some time ago.

5. You are, I believe, wishing to change from an extension of permission to stay in Thailand on the grounds of retirement to

an extension of permission to stay in Thailand on the grounds of marriage to a Thai national.

6. I suggest that you do some serious research before you make any further posts with such an amount of serious inaccuracies.

[4MyEgo]

1 minute ago, phuketjock said:

 

There is so much wrong with your post it is difficult to know where to start.

!. You have posted in the wrong forum this is the "Visa and migration to other countries" forum.

2. You do not have a retirement visa or a retirement extension visa, there is no such thing.

3. you cannot change from a retirement visa to a spousal visa because again there is no such thing.

4. you are not, and cannot change visas because you don't have one and any visa you did have was used and/or 

ran out some time ago.

5. You are, I believe, wishing to change from an extension of permission to stay in Thailand on the grounds of retirement to

an extension of permission to stay in Thailand on the grounds of marriage to a Thai national.

6. I suggest that you do some serious research before you make any further posts with such an amount of serious inaccuracies.

 

No one is perfect 555, suffice to say I am pretty sure most get my drift, as imperfect as it is, you see, you did.

 

 

[Upnotover]

Just now, 4MyEgo said:

 

No one is perfect 555, suffice to say I am pretty sure most get my drift, as imperfect as it is, you see, you did.

 

 

 

Don't worry, its a weekly contest.

[phuketjock]

2 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

 

No one is perfect 555, suffice to say I am pretty sure most get my drift, as imperfect as it is, you see, you did.

 

 

 

Fair enough but you are unlikely to get the help you appear to be seeking in the wrong forum??

Good luck anyway.                           

[4MyEgo]

15 minutes ago, phuketjock said:

 

Fair enough but you are unlikely to get the help you appear to be seeking in the wrong forum??

Good luck anyway.                           

 

Don't get me wrong, appreciate your input and have re-posted it in the correct forum, just hope my re-wording doesn't confuse anyone there 555 

Edited January 23, 2017 by 4MyEgo

[ubonjoe]

Where was this posted first?

I posted this in the topic you did here on this forum that has now been hidden.

I think they were talking nonsense to convince you not to change.  Changing from a retirement to marriage extension is routinely done.

A change of visa status can only be done with a tourist visa or visa exempt entry.

How did you obtain your non-o visa entry. Did you get a visa at a embassy or consulate for do a change from a tourist visa or visa exempt entry? There have been a few cases of offices refusing to allow changing from a retirement to marriage if a change was done at immigration based upon qualifying for a extension for retirement.

1. You only need to apply for the new extension. 

2. No But there have been reports of some offices charging for it.

3. As I said they would not really be able to change of visas. If you had tourist visa entry you need at least 15 days remaining to the chance and you would be given a new 90 day entry not an extension.

I suspect you would not get a receipt for the 2000 baht fee for a change of visa status.

[4MyEgo]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

Where was this posted first?

I posted this in the topic you did here on this forum that has now been hidden.

I think they were talking nonsense to convince you not to change.  Changing from a retirement to marriage extension is routinely done.

A change of visa status can only be done with a tourist visa or visa exempt entry.

How did you obtain your non-o visa entry. Did you get a visa at a embassy or consulate for do a change from a tourist visa or visa exempt entry? There have been a few cases of offices refusing to allow changing from a retirement to marriage if a change was done at immigration based upon qualifying for a extension for retirement.

1. You only need to apply for the new extension. 

2. No But there have been reports of some offices charging for it.

3. As I said they would not really be able to change of visas. If you had tourist visa entry you need at least 15 days remaining to the chance and you would be given a new 90 day entry not an extension.

I suspect you would not get a receipt for the 2000 baht fee for a change of visa status.

Hi Joe

 

I was told by someone else that I posted this in the wrong forum, so I changed it, sorry about the confusion.

 

Thanks for your detailed reply, I entered Nov 2015 with a non 0 visa single entry 90 days which was obtained from the Thai consulate in Sydney Australia and then changed to an extension of stay based on retirement grounds in February 2016, also having the required 800,000 plus baht in the bank, now wanting to change that to the marriage extension.

 

Yes I suspect it is too much work for the IO to come out to our place, sitting around the office is more appropriate, originally we tried for a the marriage extension in February 2016 and they said too hard, and put us onto the retirement extension, but I am over the BS and will dig in my heels to get what I wanted in the 1st place, a marriage extension, if that's what we call it.

 

I will let you all know what transpires on 24 February if not before hand, because I am going to get the Mrs to ring around to see what others are saying.

 

Cheers

 

 

[TerryLH]

You don't have to wait until the last day to do the extension.  You can do it 30 days in advance - with some offices allowing 45 days in advance.

 

Because of what you are doing, and the info you say you got from immigration, if it was me, I wouldn't wait until the last day to do the extension.

 

Added:  

 

You posted;

"Went to Sakon Nakhon office today to do my 90 day report without an issue as usual, in and out within 5 minutes.

They granted my extension to 24 February next month when the one year is up..."

 

The 90 day report of your address is not an extension.  They are different things.

Edited January 23, 2017 by TerryLH

[4MyEgo]

1 hour ago, TerryLH said:

You don't have to wait until the last day to do the extension.  You can do it 30 days in advance - with some offices allowing 45 days in advance.

 

Because of what you are doing, and the info you say you got from immigration, if it was me, I wouldn't wait until the last day to do the extension.

 

Added:  

 

You posted;

"Went to Sakon Nakhon office today to do my 90 day report without an issue as usual, in and out within 5 minutes.

They granted my extension to 24 February next month when the one year is up..."

 

The 90 day report of your address is not an extension.  They are different things.

Yes I believe the extension they gave me is till the end of the 12 month period, if that makes sense.

 

The Mrs has been given her orders, i.e. lets get this thing happening today, she is off to see the mayor tomorrow to get a letter from him confirming we live here and have been married for x amount of years and have kids etc etc.

 

I am looking at going back by months end with all the paperwork so as not to delay things past the the 24th of Feb as I believe the paperwork has to go back to BKK for signing off.

Edited January 23, 2017 by 4MyEgo

[ubonjoe]

11 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

I am looking at going back by months end with all the paperwork so as not to delay things past the the 24th of Feb as I believe the paperwork has to go back to BKK for signing off.

When you apply for the extension based upon marriage they will do a under consideration stamp with a report back date on it. I think the report back date will be 30 days from the date your current extension ends like most offices here in the NE do it. You get your one year extension stamp when you go back on the report back date.

You application will be sent to immigration division 4 headquarter in Korat for approval not to Bangkok.

Here is my general list of required documents for the extension application. Marriage Extension Requirements.pdf

[tutsiwarrior]

for my next extension in December I was gonna switch from a retirement to a marriage extension...I looked at Joe's list of documents and wonder what a Kor Sor 22 is? We were married in Abu Dhabi and have a certificate from the embassy there...

 

 

Edited January 24, 2017 by tutsiwarrior

[4MyEgo]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

When you apply for the extension based upon marriage they will do a under consideration stamp with a report back date on it. I think the report back date will be 30 days from the date your current extension ends like most offices here in the NE do it. You get your one year extension stamp when you go back on the report back date.

You application will be sent to immigration division 4 headquarter in Korat for approval not to Bangkok.

Here is my general list of required documents for the extension application. Marriage Extension Requirements.pdf

Thanks for that Joe

 

The Mrs is compiling the mountain of paperwork that we had last time, everything appears in order, she is at the Mayor's getting a letter as I write, she also mentioned that she is going to tell her auntie to come again and has her paperwork from last time.

 

I will make sure I get the house number on the fence as we don't have one when we take the photos's.

 

Will give her the list when she comes back just to make sure it matches up with the list they gave her.

 

Appreciate your help.

 

Have a good one 555

[4MyEgo]

8 minutes ago, tutsiwarrior said:

for my next extension in December I was gonna switch from a retirement to a marriage extension...I looked at Joe's list of documents and wonder what a Kor Sor 22 is? We were married in Abu Dhabi and have a certificate from the embassy there...

 

 

Note sure myself, but it might be the translation in Thai of your marriage which would be registered at your local registry in town, but like I said I am not sure, will ask the Mrs when she gets back

[ubonjoe]

8 minutes ago, tutsiwarrior said:

for my next extension in December I was gonna switch from a retirement to a marriage extension...I looked at Joe's list of documents and wonder what a Kor Sor 22 is? We were married in Abu Dhabi and have a certificate from the embassy there...

 

I assume Sor is typo and you meant Kor Ror 22.

A Kor Ror 22 is a marriage registry for a marriage done outside Thailand. If you have a marriage certificate issued by a Thai embassy you would need to go to a Amphoe and register your marriage there. They would then issue the Kor Ror 22.

The Kor Ror 2 or 22 is to prove you are still married. If divorced the Amphoe could not issue a updated one.

[tutsiwarrior]

the UAE thai embassy mariage certificate is in thai and english so no translation should be required...I'm wonderin' where do I get it? from the amphur like the other Kor Sor for thai marriages? the MFA (buddha forbid)?

 

and yeah...we got a stencil and put our house number on the front of our shop house and then posed proudly solely for purposes of the marriage extension photo requirement when I got my first extension many years ago...

 

edit: and yeah, sorry I meant Kor Ror...ye gots to roar...

 

 

Edited January 24, 2017 by tutsiwarrior

[ubonjoe]

2 minutes ago, tutsiwarrior said:

the UAE thai embassy mariage certificate is in thai and english so no translation should be required...I'm wonderin' where do I get it? from the amphur like the other Kor Sor for thai marriages? the MFA (buddha forbid)?

You get the Kor Ror 22 from a Amphoe after presenting you marriage certificate issued by the embassy. You would not need a translation of it.

A Thai marriage certificate done at an Amphoe would be a Kor Ror 3.

[somo]

A little off topic but sort of related and saves a new thread

When I apply for my next extension based upon marriage they will give me an under consideration stamp with a report back date on it. The report back date will be 30 days from the date my current extension ends. This report back date seems fixed regardless of whether or not I make the application earlier than required.
My problem is that I will be out of the country on my report back date. (roughly 20th July)
Any advice on on how I can get around this would be much appreciated.
I could do a retirement extension which I think they give the stamp immediately but it seems from this thread once I do that it may be tricky converting back to marriage extensions in the future if I don't have sufficient funds.

[ubonjoe]

10 minutes ago, somo said:

A little off topic but sort of related and saves a new thread

When I apply for my next extension based upon marriage they will give me an under consideration stamp with a report back date on it. The report back date will be 30 days from the date my current extension ends. This report back date seems fixed regardless of whether or not I make the application earlier than required.
My problem is that I will be out of the country on my report back date. (roughly 20th July)
Any advice on on how I can get around this would be much appreciated.
I could do a retirement extension which I think they give the stamp immediately but it seems from this thread once I do that it may be tricky converting back to marriage extensions in the future if I don't have sufficient funds.

I am not aware of anyway to get around the report back date unless the extension is approved early. My office starts the 30 days at the end of the my current extension also. This year my extension was approved by the division headquarters about 8 days after the date the 30 days started because I applied for the extension about 15 days early.

You could apply 30 days early and check with your immigration to find out if the approval was done early.

If you leave the country after you get the under consideration stamp you will need a re-entry permit that will be valid up to the report back date.

[somo]

Thanks for the reply. With the need to book flights etc I can't rely on hopefully getting an early approval. Looks like I either cancel the trip or do a retirement extension. When I do my next 90 day report I may ask if they can give me a longer under consideration period than the normal 30 days. I would have thought that should not really be a problem.

[ubonjoe]

4 minutes ago, somo said:

Thanks for the reply. With the need to book flights etc I can't rely on hopefully getting an early approval. Looks like I either cancel the trip or do a retirement extension. When I do my next 90 day report I may ask if they can give me a longer under consideration period than the normal 30 days. I would have thought that should not really be a problem.

They cannot do the under consideration stamp longer than 30 days after the your permit to stay ends. 

From police order 327/2551.

Quote

3. During the period pending the consideration for granting an alien extension of stay in the Kingdom under Clause 2 herein, said alien is allowed to stay in the Kingdom of Thailand while awaiting the results of the consideration. A permission to stay during the waiting period shall be stamped as many times as necessary by the competent officers: however, the total period of stay shall not exceed thirty days from the date following the date on which the permitted period has lapsed.

 

[somo]

Oh well, retirement it is then.

Seems a flaw in the system that could be easily rectified though.

[OJAS]

On 1/24/2017 at 9:23 AM, 4MyEgo said:

Thanks for that Joe

 

The Mrs is compiling the mountain of paperwork that we had last time, everything appears in order, she is at the Mayor's getting a letter as I write, she also mentioned that she is going to tell her auntie to come again and has her paperwork from last time.

 

I will make sure I get the house number on the fence as we don't have one when we take the photos's.

 

Will give her the list when she comes back just to make sure it matches up with the list they gave her.

 

Appreciate your help.

 

Have a good one 555

Were you not aware that you could have used a combination of income (as confirmed by your Embassy) and bank balance to prove finances for your next retirement extension (frequently referred on here as the "combo" method) and hence spared yourself all the hassle you (and your wife) are currently experiencing in switching from retirement to marriage? Too late now, of course, unless you are in receipt of income equating to around 35,000 THB per month to complement the 400,000 THB you now have in the bank.

Edited January 25, 2017 by OJAS

[4MyEgo]

5 hours ago, OJAS said:

Were you not aware that you could have used a combination of income (as confirmed by your Embassy) and bank balance to prove finances for your next retirement extension (frequently referred on here as the "combo" method) and hence spared yourself all the hassle you (and your wife) are currently experiencing in switching from retirement to marriage? Too late now, of course, unless you are in receipt of income equating to around 35,000 THB per month to complement the 400,000 THB you now have in the bank.

When we 1st went to the immigration office 12 months ago, we applied for the "Spouse Visa" ok, extension of stay on the grounds of being married to a Thai, we were told that it would be too difficult to get it approved, and that we should apply for the "retirement Visa" as I had more than sufficient funds in the bank, and if we applied for the extension of stay on the grounds of being married to a Thai, there was no guarantee that it would be approved as it 1st had to go to Bangkok, and it would be up to them, but the extension of stay on grounds of retirement would be approved on the spot, straight away, so we went along with it. 

 

I have a good monthly income from my country of birth which meets the criteria, however its beside the point, I would like what I originally applied for, i.e. an extension of stay based on the grounds of being married to a Thai, personally it has nothing to do with money, the extension of stays are there for a purpose, I am retired, but I am also married to a Thai, and I should be able to chose which extension of stay I would like, and that's exactly what we are applying for this time around to straighten it out.

 

The paperwork we had from last time is all in order, we have to go back by the 24th February anyway to apply for the extension on grounds of retirement so we will apply for the extension of stay based on the grounds of being married to a Thai just to stick it to them, I purchased the house numbers after I dropped the kids to school and put them up when I came back, took the photos, and the Auntie ready to come to immigration when we go, so like I said, no big deal, will get the letter from the bank before we go to immigration and lodge it all.

 

It's all about choice, it would too easy to apply for an extension of stay based on retirement, but that's not what I want, that's what they want, and yes I know, its 6 2 1 half dozen the other, but I am married to a Thai, have money and am paying for a service, so why not get what I want 555

[4MyEgo]

On 23/01/2017 at 5:59 PM, Ron19 said:

I will be interested to see the outcome of this as I'm toying with the idea of doing the same thing.

I did a 90 day report today and queried the options with the head of the local immigration and he

went into some detail but never mentioned any charges. As far as the house visit is concerned, it

appears to be standard practise according to a number of posts on the subject elsewhere here.

 

Update: Went into the IO today with all of the paperwork required and the witness, I dare say my wife was busy making sure she had everything (from last year when we were going to apply for the extension of stay base on being married to a Thai) and ended up with an extension of stay based on retirement, suffice to say everything went very smoothly, we were in at 9.30am and out by 11.00am, a lot of paper shuffling and some more copies for them, fortunately for us, they did the copying as we gave them what was required of us from our end.

 

There was no 2,000 baht charge for changing the extension of stay on the grounds of retirement to an extension of stay on the grounds of being married to a Thai as it is expiring in 3 weeks, so all I had to pay was the 1,900 baht fee (as I thought) for the application for an extension of stay on the grounds of being married to a Thai, however I didn't see the 100 baht change 555

 

The wife did 99.9% of the talking and I did see her count 1,500 baht in her bag, that's all I will say on the post as they have to come to inspect the house.

 

Apart from that I have to go back in a month to get the stamp in the passport (assuming it will be approved), which they advised, you won't have any problems based on your paperwork and they provided me with a temporary stamp in the passport for that period until the new stamp gets stamped in the passport when I go back.

 

Hope that helps.

 

If you need more information feel free to PM me. 

[4MyEgo]

On 23/01/2017 at 7:12 PM, ubonjoe said:

Where was this posted first?

I posted this in the topic you did here on this forum that has now been hidden.

I think they were talking nonsense to convince you not to change.  Changing from a retirement to marriage extension is routinely done.

A change of visa status can only be done with a tourist visa or visa exempt entry.

How did you obtain your non-o visa entry. Did you get a visa at a embassy or consulate for do a change from a tourist visa or visa exempt entry? There have been a few cases of offices refusing to allow changing from a retirement to marriage if a change was done at immigration based upon qualifying for a extension for retirement.

1. You only need to apply for the new extension. 

2. No But there have been reports of some offices charging for it.

3. As I said they would not really be able to change of visas. If you had tourist visa entry you need at least 15 days remaining to the chance and you would be given a new 90 day entry not an extension.

I suspect you would not get a receipt for the 2000 baht fee for a change of visa status.

All went well today Joe, and believe it or not there was no 2,000 baht fee for change in visa status as I suspected, but feel free to read the post above this post as it provides the process of today to another poster who wanted an update.

 

Again thanks for your assistance as its appreciated.

Edited January 31, 2017 by 4MyEgo

[4MyEgo]

Update: Immigration called today advising are coming late afternoon, two immigration officers turned up, asked for photo at front of house with me and the Mrs and then left, all in 60 seconds.  

[4MyEgo]

On 23/01/2017 at 5:59 PM, Ron19 said:

I will be interested to see the outcome of this as I'm toying with the idea of doing the same thing.

I did a 90 day report today and queried the options with the head of the local immigration and he

went into some detail but never mentioned any charges. As far as the house visit is concerned, it

appears to be standard practise according to a number of posts on the subject elsewhere here.

 

Immigration came out today, 60 seconds, photo with one of the IO's me and the wife in the photo and they were gone.