What are the steps to convert a Non-Imm O visa to a marriage or retirement visa in Thailand?

Jan 26, 2021
4 years ago
A bit confused, please any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I arrived in Thailand Jan 15, 2021 on a Non-IMM Visa. I'm married to a Thai women who traveled with me and am curious what is my best way to go about getting either a marriage visa or retirement visa, as my Visa is only valid until March 13. I get out of quarantine Feb 1, 2021 so I don't have much time, as we want to retire in the Kingdom. Where would I find the official website to find this information? I'm 54 and financially covered on both Visas, back in my home country; but I don't have my name on a bank account here yet!? Just wondering which option is the easiest and quickest. Any advice: I would welcome. TIA
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The user is seeking guidance on whether to apply for a marriage visa or retirement visa in Thailand, as their current Non-IMM Visa is set to expire soon. Comments suggest that for a marriage visa, the user should open a bank account and maintain a balance of 400,000 baht for two months, whereas for a retirement visa, they need 800,000 baht for the same time frame. It is advised to apply for a 90-day extension upon exiting quarantine, along with necessary documentation.
NON-O RETIREMENT VISA RESOURCES / SERVICES
  • Go to the Retirement Visa Section for information on requirements, including age restrictions, financial requirements, and necessary documentation.
  • For immediate assistance, contact Thai Visa Centre directly via LINE at @ThaiVisaCentre or Email them.
  • Explore recent discussions by using the Non-O Retirement Visa tag in the search box at the top of the page.
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Colin **********
BTW if your planning to work you can't on a retirement visa/ext, but can on marriage
Ken ********
Retirement visa need
*****
0 baht in bank 3 months before visa 3 months after. When you apply for first extension in 12 months time. Marriage visa only need
*****
0 in bank
Steve *******
You've already got the visa, Non Imm O(marriage/retirement visa). You need to open a bank account, season 400,000bt for 2 months and apply for a 1 year extention of stay based on marriage. Or season 800,000bt and apply for a 1 year extention of stay based on being over 50.
Tod *********
Conversely the up side for a yearly marriage extension US: you only bank 400K baht in the account for 2 months before you apply and you keep it in there only during the 30 day under consideration period, then you can do what ever you want with the money.

The down side IS, when you apply you get a 30 day under consideration stamp, during that 30 days the immigration office will send people to your house to do an in home visit (to make sure the marriage is on the up-n-up) THEN you go back to get the year extension inked in.
Tod *********
Okay, the up side of the yearly retirement extension IS; it's issued on the spot, no under consideration period at all. You meet the requirements and you get the extension stamped in

The down side IS if you're using banked money method to meet the financial requirements you need to have the 800K baht in the bank for 2 months before you apply, it needs to stay in the account for 3 months AFTER you get the extension and then the balance can't go below 400K baht the rest of the year.
Michael ********
I think you need check your visa. You should have had 3 months on entry with Non O. If arrived mid January should be good till mid April

This gives time to get money in bank for the two months
Warren ******************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Michael *******
yes Iโ€™m good until April 14. Just uncertain to apply for marriage or retirement visa. Have finances for both, and I have a Thai marriage certificate? Not sure the pros and cons of either one? TIA.
Michael ********
@Warren ******
Pros and cons

Pros for retirement, a little bit less hassle for paperwork.

Pros for Marriage, you can convert to a work permit whereas retirement you cannot.

I could have gone either way also, but i was stuck in Singapore when all the borders were closed, i managed to get back in July people who were on retirement visas couldnt get back in the country until september or october I believe, for that reason i am sticking to Marriage visa, yes the paperwork is a bit more to prove its not a scam marriage, but once its done its identical every time. Province i am in there are not too many foriegners so think it will be very easy in future
Warren ******************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Michael *******
thank You. Not looking to work, just looking for easiest Visa to stay In Ubon. Once I have 800k baht in bank for 2 months, how long (approximately) does the visa usually take to approve from application date to approval date?
Michael ********
@Warren ******
Not sure for retirement marriage visa 3 weeks. Thought i read Tods comments that retirement was straight away
Steven ********************
Kool *******
As soon as you get out of quarantine go, with your wife, to immigration. Take your marriage license with you, and copies of your passport, and her ID card. Tell them you want to apply for a type O visa extension based on marriage/Thai wife. They should issue you a 90 day extension in order to get everything in order, and get your bank account, and deposit, with all the rest of the documents needed for your one year extension. It sounds like currently you are on a 60 day visiting family visa, not a marriage visa extension. Also, if you were not married in Thailand, you will need to get your marriage license officially translated into Thai. Immigration will give you all the details. Right after you get out of quarantine open a bank account in your name, and deposit at least bt400,000 in it. Do these two things as soon as you get out of quarantine, and take your wife with you to do both. Thai banks have tightened up on who they will open new accounts for, if you don't have a work permit, so you'll have to try different ones.
Colin ********
I believe you can get a 30 extension on the 60 day visa.
Tod *********
@Kool ******
that is 100% FALSE. There is no "they'll give you a 90 day extension" from a Non-Imm Type O based on marriage.
Kool *******
@Tod ********
from his post, saying his visa expired in 60 days, he was on a visiting family visa, not marriage visa.
Tod *********
@Kool ******
this is what's false

๐—ง๐—ต๐—ฒ๐˜† ๐˜€๐—ต๐—ผ๐˜‚๐—น๐—ฑ ๐—ถ๐˜€๐˜€๐˜‚๐—ฒ ๐˜†๐—ผ๐˜‚ ๐—ฎ ๐Ÿต๐Ÿฌ ๐—ฑ๐—ฎ๐˜† ๐—ฒ๐˜…๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ป๐˜€๐—ถ๐—ผ๐—ป ๐—ถ๐—ป ๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐—ฑ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ ๐˜๐—ผ ๐—ด๐—ฒ๐˜ ๐—ฒ๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐˜†๐˜๐—ต๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด ๐—ถ๐—ป ๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐—ฑ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ, ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฑ ๐—ด๐—ฒ๐˜ ๐˜†๐—ผ๐˜‚๐—ฟ ๐—ฏ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ธ ๐—ฎ๐—ฐ๐—ฐ๐—ผ๐˜‚๐—ป๐˜, ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฑ ๐—ฑ๐—ฒ๐—ฝ๐—ผ๐˜€๐—ถ๐˜, ๐˜„๐—ถ๐˜๐—ต ๐—ฎ๐—น๐—น ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐˜€๐˜ ๐—ผ๐—ณ ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—ฑ๐—ผ๐—ฐ๐˜‚๐—บ๐—ฒ๐—ป๐˜๐˜€ ๐—ป๐—ฒ๐—ฒ๐—ฑ๐—ฒ๐—ฑ ๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐˜†๐—ผ๐˜‚๐—ฟ ๐—ผ๐—ป๐—ฒ ๐˜†๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ ๐—ฒ๐˜…๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ป๐˜€๐—ถ๐—ผ๐—ป

There is no 90 day extension based on marriage for any reason :(
Kool *******
@Tod ********
okay then. On a 60 day visiting family visa, now does he meet the timeframe after getting out of quarantine to get his marriage extension?
Warren ******************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Kool ******
Michael Dawson yes Iโ€™m good until April 14. Just uncertain to apply for marriage or retirement visa. Have finances for both, and I have a Thai marriage certificate? Not sure the pros and cons of either one? TIA.
Kool *******
@Warren ******
as Michael said, the biggest difference is with a marriage extension you can get a work permit, and work without having to change your extension. With a retirement extension you can not legally work. There is also the financial requirement. With a retirement extension you MUST keep at least bt400,000 in your bank account as long as you have your retirement extension. It can never drop below that amount. With a marriage extension you do not have that requirement. The money only has to be in the bank two months before you renew your extension. As far as paperwork, after the first time and you saved all copies of your required documents, the only thing needed with the marriage extension is all new pictures (you'll understand this when you do it the first time), and new letters from your bank, which is also required for the retirement extension. So the only difference after the first time is all new pictures, which takes about ten minutes.
Stuart *********
Youโ€™ll need to have a bank account in your name only and transfer funds over. 400k for a marriage extension or 800k for a retirement extension. Both need to be seasoned for 2 months prior to applying. The 400k usually is needed to be kept in for 1 month after ( the under consideration period) the 800k for 3 months after and balance canโ€™t go below 400k for the rest of the year
Warren ******************
ORIGINAL POSTER
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