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  1. #1
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    Visa based on marriage to Retirement and back

    Just for simplicity reasons I may go for the Retirement visa for the renewal.

    I have the B800 in the back it seems each year so really don't need to go the Visa based on marriage route. (B400) Maybe wife feels like she is a part of it all more but I don't think she really cares one way of the other.

    I know some if not a lot of you changed from the V B on Marriage to the simple retirement visa and happy you did.

    So, the question is, if 5 years say or whatever time wise I wish to switch back to the V B on Marriage do you think I will be able? Or once switch that's it.....
    Last edited by stewart888; 13-07-2014 at 09:58 PM.

  2. #2
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    why would u want to switch back?
    retirement extensions are so easy to do and dont have to worrying about ur other half to get it.

  3. #3
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    my understanding is if you have a v b on marriage its cancelled if the lady dies.
    were as the retirement visa cancels if you die

  4. #4
    . Neverna's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by stewart888 View Post
    Just for simplicity reasons I may go for the Retirement visa for the renewal.

    I have the B800 in the back it seems each year so really don't need to go the Visa based on marriage route. (B400) Maybe wife feels like she is a part of it all more but I don't think she really cares one way of the other.

    I know some if not a lot of you changed from the V B on Marriage to the simple retirement visa and happy you did.

    So, the question is, if 5 years say or whatever time wise I wish to switch back to the V B on Marriage do you think I will be able? Or once switch that's it.....
    Anything can happen in 5 years but the simple answer is yes you will be able to change back so long as you still qualify for it.

  5. #5
    Days Work Done! Norton's Avatar
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    ^ Yep. Simple matter of qualification.

  6. #6
    Thailand Expat Pragmatic's Avatar
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    Neverna is correct but why worry. Thailand can change the rules as and when. Worry about it in 5 years. I know a guy who obtains a Marriage extention from Pattaya and he ain't married.

  7. #7
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    Thanks all...ya been on the V B on Marriage for years but the silly hoops you have to go through....it's really not that bad but still....again thanks for taking your time to answer.
    Last edited by stewart888; 14-07-2014 at 09:34 PM.

  8. #8
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    "I know a guy who obtains a Marriage extention from Pattaya and he ain't married."

    Why would he do that Pragmatic? Maybe the B400 in the bank instead of the B800..or the monthly 40K vs the 65K?

  9. #9
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    I've been here for 12 years. Initially, I had to go the 'marriage' route due to the fact that I was under 50. Got really pissed off jumping through the hoops. Retirement is the way to go.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Pragmatic View Post
    Neverna is correct but why worry. Thailand can change the rules as and when. Worry about it in 5 years. I know a guy who obtains a Marriage extention from Pattaya and he ain't married.
    And, he's paying under the counter!

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by charleyboy View Post
    I've been here for 12 years. Initially, I had to go the 'marriage' route due to the fact that I was under 50. Got really pissed off jumping through the hoops. Retirement is the way to go.

    Yes, under 50 it would make sense. Now you are over 50 you go the easier route. I'm going to join you.

  12. #12
    Thailand Expat Pragmatic's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by stewart888
    Why would he do that Pragmatic? Maybe the B400 in the bank instead of the B800..or the monthly 40K vs the 65K?
    Apparently he doesn't show 400,000 Baht in the bank. All his money is in the UK.

  13. #13
    Thailand Expat Pragmatic's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by stewart888
    Yes, under 50 it would make sense. Now you are over 50 you go the easier route. I'm going to join you.
    Best thing. Originally i was told immigration wanted to see momement in ones account rather that having in a fixed term account. Until recently I was moving money in my account to comply. Now I just keep it in a fixed term account and they're happy.

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Pragmatic View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by stewart888
    Yes, under 50 it would make sense. Now you are over 50 you go the easier route. I'm going to join you.
    Best thing. Originally i was told immigration wanted to see momement in ones account rather that having in a fixed term account. Until recently I was moving money in my account to comply. Now I just keep it in a fixed term account and they're happy.
    That is what I have done with the required B400k...stick it in a fixed account..just keep rolling it over and scrap off the interest. Back home banks (old days) would give you a toaster or some gift to keep your money with them plus interest...so here the interest every 5 years pays.. even with B400k pays for a little Honda or Yamaha motorcycle better then a toaster...

  15. #15
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    Two options with marriage extension. 400K in a Thai bank 'seasoned' for the required period or proof of 40,000 baht per month income from your Embassy.

    Retirement , three ways to go...800K in the bank 'seasoned', proof of 65,000 baht per month from your Embassy or a mixture of both.

  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by charleyboy View Post
    Two options with marriage extension. 400K in a Thai bank 'seasoned' for the required period or proof of 40,000 baht per month income from your Embassy.

    Retirement , three ways to go...800K in the bank 'seasoned', proof of 65,000 baht per month from your Embassy or a mixture of both.
    This looks good Charley, thanks...but I bet you might be able to do the "three ways with the Marriage" too? not sure, but this thread is about changing from a Marriage to a Retirement visa....I've been doing the Marriage Extension for a while now...but decided just to go for the simple retirement visa way...

  17. #17
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    ^No chance with the marriage extension...No mixing.

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by charleyboy View Post
    ^No chance with the marriage extension...No mixing.

    Interesting, thanks Charlie..

  19. #19
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    There are several Immigrations offices up country who encourage people to switch from an extension of stay based on marriage to one based on retirement because it's less hassle for them.

    The reason those extensions based on marriage go "under review" for 30 days is they get send it to Bangkok to be approved. Of course during that time Immigrations in the zone where you live is supposed to get off their fat asses and come see you really live with your thai wife where you say you do. Sometimes they do, but sometimes they try to pressure you into donating because of travel etc. It's a crock of shite really, I mean that's their job so why would I pay someone to do it? I've never heard of Bangkok doin' this just up country offices.

    It's true the pile 'o paperwork required for an extension of stay based on marriage to a thai (at least in Bangkok) includes a hand drawn or Google map to your house, photos of you and your wife standing in front of your address numbers, you and your wife sitting in the house, pix of the thai wedding, the Kor Ror 2 & 3 you get when you register the marriage, etc are a LOT more than the stuff you show for an extension based on retirement.

    I know someone who, upon the urging of the local immigrations office went from an extension of stay based on marriage to one based on retirement when he was up country as soon as he hit 50 y/o. He's in Bangkok now and still gets retirement extensions.

    Also "charleyboy" is correct with an extension of stay based on marriage to a Thai it's one or the other, there is no "combo-method" like with a retirement extension. You either show verifiable income of 40K a month, or bank 400K in an account in your name only. At least here in Bangkok IF the account is a joint account they want 800K in it (in their eyes half is yours, half is your wife's I guess ). The good thing about the banked money is; unlike the extension based on retirement where the seasoning of the account is 60 days for the first year and 3 months for every subsequent year, marriage extensions only require seasoning for 2 months each time.

    Good luck. . .
    "Whoever said `Money can`t buy you love or joy` obviously was not making enough money." <- quote by Gene $immon$ of the rock group KISS

  20. #20
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    thanks all!

  21. #21
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    Had a day in Korat today getting my retirement visa renewed ---10 years in Pattaya and never never a problem --3 years in korat and mindboggling problems --a date 2 days before -no good, always some new rule -but today a new problem --got the letter from the bank dated today but the bank had addressed it to the chief immigration Officer ---no no no it must be addressed to the immigration officer in Korat ---off 27 klicks to the bank who just laughed after all its a certificate showing the money is there nothing else but in Korat its different and when they say jump all you can do is ask how high
    My wife has got so cross she wants me to change to a marriage visa as that gives them a lot more work
    I just wonder if they are hoping that people will give up trying to do it legally and just give them the 20,000 baht and then there are no requirements --we will keep jumping through their imaginary hoops so screw them

  22. #22
    Thailand Expat Pragmatic's Avatar
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    Thank goodness I don't have to use the Korat office. I now use Kap Choeng. Korat has to be the biggest bunch of fcuked up office in Thailand. My missus opinion of them is similar to your missus Donald36. She thinks they deliberately like to fcuk farangs about just because they can. Fcuk 'em.

  23. #23
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    I think the most vexing thing for foreigners doing their yearly extensions of stay here is the haphazard ways that different offices interpret the rules. They often make up new rules on their own and they try to "โชว์พาว" which is the thai-i-fied way of saying the english phrase "show power" (albeit the word power is just the first syllable 'pow'). It means someone in a position of real or imagined authority flexing their muscles and demonstrating they can make you jump thru hoops. Face it, if the thaiz have a phrase for this they also run into it when they deal with thai officialdom.

    Honestly, I'd get the officer's name and when you're done, call the Immigrations hotline. If they get enough complaints I know they'll do something about it.

    There are a few officers I've run up against in Chiang Mai and Nong Khai where I had to call the Immigrations line while sitting in the office tryin' to get an extension of stay by following the rules as they are written. I wasn't taking any b/s "you need this too" and just narc'd 'em out on the spot. In both cases someone from Bangkok called and made the cranky officer follow the real rules.

    In Nong Khai after the acquaintance got the yearly extension of stay, the officer told me "Mister Tod, I don't like you and you don't ever need to come back here." I told her in Thai, I don't like you either, just follow the rules and I won't ever come back." I guess I'm off her Christmas card list, lol..

    It's one reason I stopped doing "field trips" to the other Immigration zones with acquaintances anymore and just deal with Bangkok. They follow the rules pretty darned close..

    I truly feel sorry for you guys being forced to do that mindless hoop-jumping because some officer has a bee in their bonnet.

    Sad really..

  24. #24
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    move to phuket if ur over 50, easy as pie to get ur extension

  25. #25
    Thailand Expat Pragmatic's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Phuketrichard
    move to phuket if ur over 50, easy as pie to get ur extension
    And so it should be at any immigration office, but as indicated some officers find great pleasure in abusing their positions to fcuk farangs around.

    An example being that some years ago, Korat immigration anounced that they had restarted the 90 day report by post again. It was confirmed to my wife by an officer. The next time I reported I did it by post as told. Two weeks later the TM47 slip hadn't been returned. My wife phoned up and I was told to report in person. On reporting the officer informed me and my wife that 90 day report has to be done in person and postal reporting isn't allowed. My wife said "but we were told it was". Officer said "who told you that"? My wife replied "You". Officer clams up and just sat there looking at my passport. She then pulled herself together and told us to go to an office to see if the TM47 slip was there. If it wasn't she was going to fine me. Luckily it was there.

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