Extend non-immO before change to marriage or retirement visa

[Pagey]

Guys, esp Chaspul and Lomu who advised me on this thread : viewtopic.php?f=9&t=17484&start=15 and also with a pm from Chas.

I want to know what options are available as I thought I could extend to a 'retirement' visa a few days before my visa expired. After reading Lomu's advice I understand it has to be 30 days before my non imm O expires.

Heres my timeline :

I obtained a non imm O on 13/11/11 expires 12/11/12

Entered LOS on 2/2/12 given 90 days to 1/5/12

Left LOS on 30/4/12, re entered 11/5/12 given 90 days to 8/8/12

Left LOS on 7/8/12 given 90 days to 4/11/12, a week before my visa expires.

Question 1. If I leave LOS say 3/11/12, do I get 90 days permission to stay if I arrive back in LOS before my visa expires on 12/11/12 ?

Cash scenario

I deposited 400,000 k on 29/6/12 so matures after 2 months on 29/8/12, more than 2 months before my current non imm O expires to obtain a marriage visa.
I now have a fixed term policy mature so I am in a position to transfer another 400,000k this week , say, by 24/8/12, so 2 months by 24/10/12 but only 14 days approx before my non imm O expires.

So if the answer to Q 1 is yes, I get 90 days, my 800,000 with be matured and there will be more than 30 days before my permish to stay expires, so can I change to 'retirement' visa ?

I understand the 'retirement' visa is easier to obtain and requires less paperwork than the marriage visa which I understand has to go to Bkk for approval.


Do I need to upgrade or extend my current non imm O first ? can this be done so that the 800k can be seasoned before applying for retirement visa 30 days before expiry

[b]My preference is to obtain the 'retirement' visa.[/b]

Sorry if this is complex as it's v difficult to explain in writing without it getting confused !

All help appreciated.

[moja]

As long as you return to Thailand before your visa expires you will get another 90 days. Your application for visa extension does not have to be exactly 30 days but within the last 30 days we did our just 10 days before our visas expired as that was when the money had been in the account long enough.

[Big Boy]

One of the key points is that you must have the money seasoning for a full 3 months. Otherwise you will find it not impossible, but you will be vulnerable.

[Pagey]

BB : Is it now 3 months for a first time application ?

However, with what Moja says I can obtain another 90 days from 4/11/12 and my 800k will have been seasoned by approx end of November. I also misunderstood that I had to apply with less than 30 days remaining, I thought I had to apply with over 30 days remaining.

Thanks both.

[lomuamart]

You can extend within the last 30 days of any 90 day entry.
So, 30 days before is the max, that's all.

[Big Boy]

BB : Is it now 3 months for a first time application ?

Yes, I was vulnerable by about 3 days. However, we did work it out, and I got my retirement extension.

[lomuamart]

It's 3 months in HH for first extension. Nowhere else in Thailand, as far as I'm aware.
The law is quite clear - 2 months for first and 3 for subsequent. The reason for 2 months the first time is to accommodate people like BB who come over to retire on a single entry Non O visa. That gives 90 days on entry so, unless you've opened a bank account and have money in it already, you've got no chance to season it for 3 months. With 2 month's seasoning, you've got a month to get your finances sorted out.
C'est la vie here.

[certocito]

I'm currrently on a multi-entry O visa. My understanding now is that my wife and I can change to an O-A (retirement) visa at any time as long as we meet the usual criteria - monthly income, marriage licence etc. Does this change have to be done during the 30 day period leading up to the end of our current 90 day period or at any time.
My wife (non-Thai) is 50 in Dec this year and we were going to change then but I have been told that she can be included on my application (I'm over 60) therefore we don't have to wait until then to change (save on a couple of visa runs). Can some wise Oracle confirm this for us.

[lomuamart]

First off, you don't change your visa type to an OA or anything else. You get an annual extension to your O visa based, in your case, on retirement.
As long as you can show the financial requirements, you'll qualify and your wife can "piggy back" on your status as your dependent - ie no need to show the money twice.
You'll need to prove to Imm that the two of you are married de facto and de jure (marriage certificate). I think Moja has been through this so can hopefully explain this aspect in more detail. You apply for the annual extension within the last 30 days of any 90 day entry.
Edit Your wife dosn't have to be 50. She'll be your dependent and get an extension on that basis.

[moja]

As lomuamart says only one of you has to be over 50 but the financial requirements must be in your name only ie the income has to be yours and/or the bank account has to be in your name only. Until last year a marriage certificate in English was accpeted without a problem then last year they started asking for an "affirmation" of the marriage certificate from your embassy. The British embassy is more than happy to provide the affirmation but I cannot speak for any other embassy. Having said all this friends renewed their visa a couple of months ago and no affirmation was asked for; however a couple of months before other friends had to rush up to the British embassy and get it done - I think it depends who you see at Immigration!

[RAGE_715]

I hope we're not asked for affirmation because, even though we're both british, we were married in Barbados 2 yrs ago. Would anyone know if the British Embassy would be able do this if necessary? Or will we be looking for the Barbadian Embassy in Bangkok?

[moja]

The alternative would be to get 'something' from a notary public in the UK prior to your arrival here as I think that would suffice. If not it would be as well to check with the British Embassy here if they act for Barbados which I am sure they probably do.

[certocito]

Many thanks for the info guys...

[Pagey]

Back to the OP's question as I have just read Lomus reply to maccastimes Q on visa expiring.

Based on the scenario in my opening post this is my revised intention mainly based on Moja's reply.

I will exit Thailand before 4/11/12 and re enter before 12/11/12 when my visa expires. I will be given 90 days permission to stay so taking me to around 9/2/13 (even though by then my visa has expired ?)

I will transfer another 400k by 30/9/12 so it will be seasoned by 3 months by 30/12/12.

Between 10/1/13 and 9/2/13 (i.e. last 30 days of my permission to stay) I will apply for a visa (extension?) to my non imm O on the basis of retirement. (Over 50 and have 800k seasoned for 3 months).

Can I do this as my current visa will not be valid, ceases on 12/11/12 ?

Or do I need a trip to immigration to confirm ?

Thanks in advance

[moja]

We did exactly as you state above but knowing HH Immigration, as we all do, I would still check with them just in case they have changed the rules again!