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Answered3 years ago

What are the steps and documents required for changing a retirement visa to a marriage visa in Thailand?

Kev **********
asked Mar 6, 2024
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My first request. I have been to immigration!

I have the "retirement visa". I am getting married to my Thai girlfriend.

Immigration advice for changing to marriage visa is go to Laos from Iran Thani, my retirement visa will be cancelled at the border. Go to the Thai embassy and request an O visa and return to Thailand and go to Udan Immigration to request a marriage visa.

All no problem.

But trying to find what documents the Thai embassy wants in Laos seems difficult.

Any advice and guidance would be welcome.

Thank you
Answer summary
The user has a retirement visa and is getting married to a Thai national. They seek advice on transitioning to a marriage visa while learning about the necessary documents required by the Thai embassy in Laos. Several comments clarify the visa situation, highlighting that it's possible to switch from a retirement extension to a marriage extension without leaving the country if requirements are met, though some prefer retaining the retirement visa for its simplicity. Additionally, discussions cover the differences between the retirement and marriage visas, including financial requirements and work eligibility.
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Peter *********
Peter *********
Stay on retirement visa a lot easier
Christopher *************
Christopher *************
400k as opposed to 800k
Jj ****
Jj ****
@Christopher ************
but less flexibility if cash isn't an issue
Christopher *************
Christopher *************
Then it is 'up to you'?
Us *****
Us *****
What are the benefits of a marriage visa or retirement visa?
Kool *******
Kool *******
@Us ****
under a marriage extension you can legally get a work permit and work. You can not work with any retirement extension. This becomes very important if you have any intention of getting permanent residency, or citizenship, as you must legally work and pay income tax for at least 3 years. This is never possible with a retirement extension.
Us *****
Us *****
@Kool ******
hmmm if you have a retirement visa already, it means you do not want to work. I just think that a marriage visa is a lot of work over retirement.
Kev **********
Kev **********
OP
@Us ****
retirement visa keep
*****
0 baht in one bank account. Marriage visa keep
*****
0 baht in one bank account
Gregor **********
Gregor **********
@Kev *********
Kev Giddings you seem not to understand the difference between a visa and a stay permit.

You keep confusing the two whenever you say that you are “on a retirement visa” but actually you are on a “1-year extension of stay permit”.

You do NOT “change the extension based on retirement” to a “marriage visa” . . . . . you only change the REASON the 1-year extension was issued on, from retirement to marriage with a Thai wife.

You actually don’t have to leave Thailand for changing the reason as long as you meet the requirements, but I think Immigration wanted it the "easy" way - obtain a Non-Imm-O family visa first in one of the neighbouring countries, before changing it into a one-year extension of stay inside Thailand
Bart **************
Bart **************
@Kev *********
unless you need a work permit, that's another difference.
Bart **************
Bart **************
@Kev *********
that is the benefit, but there are serious drawbacks of the marriage visa. Unless you really need to free up the 400,000 difference, the common approach is to stick with retirement. For reference: people who qualified for marriage before qualifying for retirement typically change the other way around.
Joe ********
Joe ********
@Bart *************
thank you your reply, yes they don't make it easy for us, I heard that immigration will come to the house and talk to the neighbours, we have friends on one side of us so hopefully that might help.
Bart **************
Bart **************
@Joe *******
it's just the way you're generally being approached by immigrations, and by the nonsensical rules they subject you to. They'll visit you to check if your marriage is de facto (not just legit). They'll interview people in your neighborhood to confirm your statements. If your neighbors are not home (but at work, to name an example) you risk that they cannot retrieve the required confirmation and have no choice but to reject the application. Friends of mine had to arrange that their neighbors stayed home on a particular day and they even had to supply personal docs of those neighbors as part of the initial application. The inspection visit also makes that you don't get the extension right away, but after a consideration period, requiring an extra visit to immigrations. And you can't go alone but you need to go with spouse.
Joe ********
Joe ********
@Bart *************
, genuine question, why is it better to have a retirement visa than a marriage visa, what are the drawbacks to marriage visa, I want to marry my girlfriend and not have to have 800,000thb sitting in a thai bank doing nothing.
Vernon *********
Vernon *********
Kev **********
Kev **********
OP
@Vernon ********
thanks so much for the information Vernon
Phil ******
Phil ******
@Kev *********
why don't you let your retirement visa run down then do border bounce so you get Visa Exempt then do married visa?
John *********
John *********
Get married but keep your retirement visa.
Stuart *********
Stuart *********
My guess is you don’t have a retirement visa, but an extension of stay (look at the wording on your passport).

If that’s the case when you are due to get your next year extension you just need to switch the reason from being over 50 to being married. Best to check with your immigration office for exactly what you’d need in order to do so.
Bart **************
Bart **************
@Stuart ********
it appears he already did that, and that they've sent him abroad to do the change.

Seems weird though that they didn't just guide him to do as you suggested. Changing in-country seems more logical to me as well. Unless he is not on an extension of stay now, but on his original visa still.
Kev **********
Kev **********
OP
@Stuart ********
have retirement visa but want to change to marriage visa. Have to go to Laos
Stuart *********
Stuart *********
@Kev *********
How long have you had the visa for?
John **********
John **********
@Stuart ********
I think the problem is he's trying to change now and because he's not in the last 30 days the won't let him change. He should stay on his retirement extension of stay until it's time to renew it then just change the reason for the extension at that time. Much easier
Stuart *********
Stuart *********
@Kev *********
What does the visa say? If possible can you send a picture with any personal data hidden.
Kev **********
Kev **********
OP

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