You normally pay when you submit your application at the Immigration Office.

How long you have to have left on your current stamp varies.

This is something you would usually get from your home country or embassy somehow. Ask them.

@Mark ********

You can use monthly income under a marriage extension, but it might be difficult for your initial visa and first extension. But from the 2nd extension it should be pretty smooth sailing if you've got a monthly deposit of at least 40k.

Monthly income for farang men need to be 40k or for marriage visa.

@Michael *******

it does have to do with OPs question.

He wanted opinions and comparisons of the two types of visa reasons.

One let's you work in Thailand with a work permit, and opens a path to citizenship ( if you also fill other requirements )

The other does not.

That is the comparison. It is relevant.

@Kevin ******

The reason for your Non-O and extensions matter.

If the reason is marriage, AND you work with a work permit and make the minimum required income. Then you have a path towards citizenship. You can skip Permanent Residency too.

There are more requirements, of course.

But the path itself is there.

IF you are in the position of being able to and wanting a job in Thailand, a marriage visa will allow you to get a work permit.

This opens up a path towards citizenship for you.

The retirement visa does not do this.

You need more money in the bank for Retirement.

for Marriage visa you just need to show proof of marriage, proof of finances, some weird and somewhat intrusive photos of you as a couple( or family ) in various places in your home and whatever else your specific immigration office requires you to deliver as documents.

Shouldn't really be much harder than a retirement.

I would personally go for marriage.

Not normal.

I would get a cheap room somewhere else random for the TM30 and refuse to pay the landlord.

That's just bullshit, would not accept it. I would rather pay more for the one night rented room out of principle.

@Ning *****

Just adding that the pen even might have to have blue ink.

Had to rewrite a application once with a blue inked pen because the pen I had used was the wrong color. :P

@David *******

That is exempt, yes.

@Kai *****

all of them. More of less.