What are the financial requirements and grace period for switching from a marriage visa to a retirement visa in Thailand after the spouse's death?

Retirement Visa Marriage Visa Visa Transition Financial Requirements Thai Immigration Rules NON-O Visa

Sep 28, 2024

a month ago

ORIGINAL POSTER

Apologies for this unusual request - I hope I have got my facts right. The financial requirements for a retirement visa (800,000 baht) are double that for a marriage visa (400,000 baht). If a guy's wife died he would have to revert to a retirement visa. This might entail complicated financial adjustments. Is there any grace period for these to be made?

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TLDR : Answer Summary

The financial requirements for a retirement visa in Thailand are indeed higher than for a marriage visa, needing 800,000 baht compared to 400,000 baht. If a foreign husband loses his Thai wife, he can remain in Thailand until the end of his current visa extension, but must meet the financial criteria to apply for a new visa type thereafter. There is no grace period after the expiration, necessitating the foreign husband to leave and re-enter Thailand under a different visa if all conditions, including required funds, are not met in time.

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Ian ***********************

ORIGINAL POSTER

So, to wrap things up.. it seems the only fail safe way to ensure a smooth transition from marriage to retirement visa (ignoring the income option) if time proves to be of the essence is to try and ensure 800,000 baht in the account even if you are on a marriage visa with a 400,000 baht requirement.

a month ago

Ian ***********************

ORIGINAL POSTER

I may be guilty of overthinking this but I recall when originally applying for a retirement visa (before I married and switched visas) that I had to supply many notarised documents including a medical certificate and police check. Would that still be the case in the circumstances we are talking about here?

25 days ago

Greg ***********

@Ian **********************

you are not changing between any visa. You got a "1-year extension of stay", so you visit Immigration and apply for the "change of the reason" this extension is based on, from "marriage" to "retirement". The 800.000.- THB must have seasoned for 2 months on the day of application

24 days ago

Ellie *******

@Ian **********************

, check the latest and detailed requirements for an extension based on retirement from your local immigration office. No police check is required.

25 days ago

Reply to

Ellie *******

@Ian **********************

, that would be the simplest way

a month ago

Reply to

Ellie *******

Ian ***********************

ORIGINAL POSTER

Worst case scenario is if the wife dies just before said deadline unless there is a special dispensation (which nobody has mentioned so I must assume there isn't one).

a month ago

Ellie *******

@Ian **********************

, sadly, no "grace period" once the current extension expires after the Thai spouse passes. The foreign husband must leave and enter Thailand again, either on a visa-exempt/waiver/tourist visa, or Non-O from the Thai consulate if he is eligible to apply.

a month ago

Reply to

Ellie *******

Ian ***********************

ORIGINAL POSTER

There are two issues here. Increasing the foreigner's funds from 400,000 to 800,000 baht. This could take a bit of time which is why I asked about a period of grace, by which I meant dispensation beyond the deadline for extension of visa.

a month ago

Tod *********

@Ian **********************

there is not "grace time" after the deadline, you either get the funds in at the required amount for the required time by the time the stamp runs out (as that's your last day to apply) or you go on overstay. Worst case you could bounce out/back to get off the extension you're on and come back in free stamp to start the process over from scratch

a month ago

Ian ***********************

ORIGINAL POSTER

Thanks Tod. I guessed as much. I knew it wouldn't be easy.

a month ago

Reply to

Ian ***********************

Robert *******

Yes, I'm sure you can stay until the last date and this should be known by everybody who applies for the 1 year Extension of Stay as this is one of the documents needed to apply.

You did sign this:

a month ago

Bobby *********

Can he show deposits (65k+ THB), from a foreign source each month into a Thai bank account for the last year, that maybe an option for showing financials.

a month ago

Robert *******

@Bobby ********

Depends on his country of origin of the passport, it might be the affidavit of income from the his Embassy

a month ago

Reply to

Robert *******

You are talking about the 1 year Extension of Stay.

In case the wife dies, this Extension of Stay does not have to be cancelled and the person can stay inside Thailand until the permitted up to date stamped in his passport.

IF you want to stay after that date, the person needs to apply for a NEW 1 year Extension of Stay based on one of the reasons.

This could be marriage IF the person marry another woman

Retirement or any of the many reasons used for the Non Immigrant O visa.

And yes, the person needs to meet the requirements of that 1 year Extension of Stay and in case of retirement the money in the banks becomes than 2 months prior application minimum 800.000 Thb and must stay there for at least 3 months after approval and the rest of the time of the Extension of Stay not less than 400.000 Thb.

a month ago

Ellie *******

In that case, if I understand right, foreign husband can stay until the the end of the current extension. So whether enough days remain or not depends.

@T**

should have a concert answer...

a month ago

Greg ***********

@Ellie ******

correct, if the Thai wife dies, the Extension remains valid until it's stamped end date. Only in case of a divorce, the Extension becomes invalid on the day the divorce is certified by a court

a month ago

Reply to

Greg ***********

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What are the current financial requirements for expats on a Thai marriage visa or retirement visa?

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