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Marriage Visa Or Retirement Visa


unit731
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Im about to go through this process, having been working away I will shortly return to Thailand on what I think will be quite a long stay, years hopefully. I could apply for either but my preference for now is to apply for a marriage based extension of stay. My understanding is that a retirement extension precludes work whereas a marriage based extension does not. Note that of course I realise a work permit is still required to work.

 

Out of interest I understand that it is ones wife who actually applies. Certainly all the forms we were given with the exception of the temporary extension application which I fill in are in Thai and intended for her to complete.

 

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As far as I know, you cannot work on a marriage visa.

 

Okay, thats's interesting. My understanding was verbal only but from the lady boss at the Pathum Thani immigration office when asked the specific question. She pointed out the bit about still needing a work permit too. But in common with a lot of Thai government departments I've had 6 different answers to a single question when asked of 5 different people, TIT.

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Gents -

 

I have been running a business services company since 2002, specializing in providing incorporation services, and assistance with work permit and Immigration processing to foreign clients seeking to operate businesses in Thailand. So - I know of what I speak.

 

Comparing Immigration processing for extensions of entry permits based on marriage, and based on retirement:

 

Marriage:

 

Advantages - If based on bank balance, need only maintain 400,000 baht minimum balance for 60 days (initial) or 90 days (renewal). In this status, you ARE permitted to work, with work permit - and as long as you have a previous tax year form PND.91 (personal income tax return), your employer may sponsor an extension your entry permit with just 1,000,000 baht registered capital, and two Thai employees (versus 2,000,000 baht registered capital and four Thai employees, if you do not have a Thai spouse).

 

Disadvantages - Requires substantial photographic evidence of "happy couple at home". Wife must appear with you at Immigration once per year. If you were married outside of Thailand, requires substantial bureaucratic certification of foreign marriage certificate. Processing involves a 30-day "under consideration" period, before receiving final "one year" extension.

 

Retirement

 

Advantages: Approval of one-year extension occurs on the spot - one-day processing.

 

Disadvantages: You may not work - not eligible to apply for work permit if holding Class O retirement extension. If extending based on bank balance, requires minimum balance of 800,000 baht for 60 days (initial) or 90 days (renewal). If extending based on pension, requires certification of pension by your country's Embassy in Thailand.

 

Cheers!

Stone Soup

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Disadvantages - Requires substantial photographic evidence of "happy couple at home".

 

A link to wife or daughters Facebook pages should be more than they could wish for then :D

 

Stone Soup

 

You have missed out the Main Disadvantage of Marriage Visa and that is being married to Thai

 

I think that's why they give you the 400,000 Baht discount for being married. :biggrin:

 

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Marriage visa now being issued outside of LOS, have been for over a year now. I am getting my second one next week. Far less work than within country. Another advantage disadvantage. Marriage visa takes longer and paper work not approved locally if you live in the sticks of Thailand, retirement is approved locally. If you have "friends" this can be an advantage. Regarding the 400,000, Aussie people can use a stat Dec and not use real money.

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As far as I know, you cannot work on a marriage visa.

 

 

Nope. I worked for years on a marriage visa. I just had to get the usual work permit and keep it up to date. But a marriage visa used to be much easier, go through all the paperwork required to get it one time and then renew it without any hassle each year. My wife only had to go with me the first time. Since then it's become much more involved, requiring considerable effort each renewal. It's actually easier to get a retirement visa these days. The first time takes some doing, but after that's it's relatively easy to renew ... just prove you have the required income or the minimum you need in a bank deposit (800,000).

 

You're not supposed to work on a retirement visa, but that is hardly enforced ... unless you try to get a full time job here that requires a work permit. Then they'll definitely come down on you. But a police colonel I used to know actually told me to go ahead and teach part time on a retirement visa. He said the police wouldn't bother you for anything as minor as that.

 

Also, another advantage of a retirement visa is that it depends only on you. I met a guy who'd made piles on money in the Middle East and bought himself home in Thailand. He was living here happily on his retirement visa, until he came one day home to find his 40-ish Thai wife had dropped dead of a heart attack. That meant he couldn't renew his marriage visa, since he had no longer had a wife. He decided to switch to a retirement visa, so he could take his time about finding a new Mrs.

 

p.s. Even if you're working in Thailand, it's better to have your own visa. If your visa is tied to your job, your visa suddenly ends if you lose your job. Your employer is required to inform Immigration, and I think they only give you a couple of week to get out, where you used to be allowed to run out your existing visa.

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p.s. Even if you're working in Thailand, it's better to have your own visa. If your visa is tied to your job, your visa suddenly ends if you lose your job. Your employer is required to inform Immigration, and I think they only give you a couple of week to get out, where you used to be allowed to run out your existing visa.

 

Seven days Flash,

 

I know since I was once that man, I had 7 days to rush to Aranyaprathet and across to Poipet. sort of "We are terminating your Contract with immediate effect your visa will be invalid within one week" As one could imagine I wasn't best pleased, just part of the fun and another hoop jumped through of being a long term resident, that was back in 2008.

 

I am in a similar position to Radioman i.e. working outside Thailand back for less than 30 days at a time. When my overseas gig expires I will apply for a Non-Imm O-A Long Stay AKA the 10 year Visa which came in August this year.Same requirements as a retirement visa except you require Health Insurance Cover of at least USD10,000, if one does not have such should be sent home anyway to have head examined and 3 Million THB deposited in a Thai bank.

 

3 Milio THB about USD 100,000, a pretty penny to put in some might say unless of course one already has such based upon Divorce settlement over 5 years ago. My 3 Millo + has just sat there, earning me better interest than offshore has to offer. Police Clearance ... I already have one issued from Royal Thai Police back in 2013, aye I went to RTP Rama I HQ mugshot and dabs etc for my Temporary Residence Card in Vietnam

 

For me its a no brainer apart from filling in a different form and handing over 10,000 THB fee everything else is covered, yes USD100,000 is a fair bit to have tied up, hence the reason the Non-Imm O-A Long Stay is also known as "The Rich Mans Visa" Better than "Elite Card" Elite one had to pay for.

 

Hopefully I won't need it soon, an option, I went to Vietnam for "A Few Months Work" that was over 4 years ago now, head down, mouth shut bank the money

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