@Wayne *********

great thanks all for the advice ( btw I have 2 kids in Farang land already...lad age 21 and girl of 15 so I have felt the pain already - kind of expecting it to be easier being a father to a half Thai 😂🤔)

SO my plan is : cancel my current extension based on employment finishing on June 30th, apply for new extension based on retirement as I am 51 and have plenty of money in Thai bank ( been in the bank for 2 years)

Then when we marry in August I will change the reason of extension to marriage. Although I will start up the restaurant in July I only expect to start to ‘earn’ money from it in August. Once we are married ( expect this will be in August ) I will apply for a Work Permit.

Edit....

This last point is important s I will start up the restaurant while still on the retirement visa extension .... but I will not earn any money ( as I know you cannot earn money on a retirement visa.... but although not ‘earning’ what about the fact that I will be working to start the business up ?

ALL GOOD ?

@Tod ********

actually the money has been in my Thai account for years .... so it sounds like thats the best approach - eg take along current visa and wp, explain that my employment will end on 30 June, then apply for retirement visa. Then wait for my marriage ( so that I only have to employ 2 Thais and not 4) and transfer of limited company to me, then apply for new B visa and work permit and cancel my retirement visa ??

Yes ( sorry this is bouncing around but I did say from the start that it’s a bit complicated and the advice has evolved as I have added further clarity )

I really appreciate the advice - and am certainly not feeling disrespected whether clutching at straws or not 🙏

@Tod ********

Thanks 🙏 I will go and talk with them I think ( can take my partner with me tomorrow assuming baby doesn’t decide to come !)

One other question.... as I am 51 and have a considerable Thai bank balance .... is a retirement visa a better option ? And then apply for business visa once my restaurant starts trading ?

@Tod ********

apart from burr certificate and my passport what are the requirements for this visa ?

Does my Thai partner need to come ? ( hoping she doesn’t need c-section 😳)

@Tod ********

ok thanks. Well the baby is being induced tomorrow. So it looks like we get the birth certificate and go to immigration as soon as we can with current visa and wp , cancel it and apply for the 60 day Thai family visit visa there and then 👍

Also- do I understand from your advice that when it comes to applying for new visa ( married or business ) I will need to be outside Thailand ?

Thanks ....what is the benefit of cancelling the current visa and wp ‘now’ ? Vs just letting it get cancelled in early July ?

Also- to go on ‘amnesty’ do I need to go to immigration ? Or just do nothing ?