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Posted

Hi Folks,

If you are getting low on funds or dont want to change any money while the thai bht is strong and you are concidering changing from retire to married to thai visa here is my experiance at pattaya Imigration. I arrived with everything i needed copy two of everything ,lots of snaps house wife and me and baby everything . The first complaint

was i did not have everything in the order of her list. She gave me the list and told me to go away and put them in order which i did.I returned and she started to look at everything,The second complaint was i had stappeled the snaps

together only one stapple so not a big problem. At this point she said to me Why you not let wife do papers you stuppid. Next problem was i had brought my sons passport but not his birth certficate which was a must have so as i live a way off the imigration office i would have to return the following day. Next she gave my wife the papers she said go copy. the wife went got copys and then we sighned them. She said go come back tomorow with birth certificate.

I was glad to go by now.When we got home i sorted the papers and snaps she dident keep and there were three copys

the same as my wife went to get. I returned the following day paid the money gave her the birth certificate and she said come back in thirty days. I returned on the due date but no visa, come back in ten days .I did but no visa.Come back in six days. No visa . So the woman rang bangkok. She said they are looking into it come back in four days. I

returned in four days and bingo a new visa. Now i had to go get the stamp and things at a different desk and the chap there said you dident sighn in two week ago so you have to pay fine. I said i have been in and out of this office

waiting for visa and had forgoten about sighn in. i of course had to pay.. So next timei need a visa i will be getting a retirement visa which i have done seven times before and can be in and out of pattaya imigration in ten to twenty mins. the same thing is reqired each year for the married visa and i cant stand the strain May be the more expensive way but its by far the better way. pete

Posted

That is disappointing to hear. I was hoping to do the same when I am next in Thailand. The problem is that I am only there for 4 weeks at a time.

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Posted

I haven't done a Married Extension and don't plan to, but from what I do know that account sounds about par for the course.

 

The first thing they do when you apply is to give you a 30 day Extension. This is to allow them time to verify that it is a bona fide marriage and their checks may include coming out to the house to look at everything and even interrogating your neighbours. All in all it can be a PiA ...... the first time. In most cases, from what I hear, it's a breeze after that, so you've been through the worst of it.

 

The delays beyond the 30 days I hadn't heard of, but that could have been almost anything.

It would be nice to think that Bangkok or your lady 'helper' would realise that meant you were running over your 30 days and warn you - nice but not realistic.

Your Visa status is your responsibility I'm afraid.

 

Anyway, maybe you'll feel differently next time, now that you've 'passed your test', but I'd still go a couple of weeks before your current Extension runs out, whatever you do.

Posted

I don't have a marriage visa ... and won't.

 

Nothing (IMO) valuable comes out of the visa, and it is substantially more difficult to obtain and maintain. There are also provisions for "unannounced visits". Not that it would be an issue, except who really wants a Thai bureaucrat being able to drop in to your residence at his convenience and make you feel uncomfortable?

 

No thanks. Just my 2cents.

 

 

Posted

what was involved in getting the retirement visa?

Posted

I don't have a marriage visa ... and won't.

 

Nothing (IMO) valuable comes out of the visa, and it is substantially more difficult to obtain and maintain. There are also provisions for "unannounced visits". Not that it would be an issue, except who really wants a Thai bureaucrat being able to drop in to your residence at his convenience and make you feel uncomfortable?

 

No thanks. Just my 2cents.

If you are under 50 it is a good option.

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My moto for 2017: Don't argue with an idiot. Don't argue with.....

Posted

what was involved in getting the retirement visa?

 

 

This site, from the Thai Consulate in Hull in the UK (current as at February 2011), will give you an excellent idea about what's involved. Have a read and then post any specific follow-ups; I'm sure US national BMs who have gone down this road will be glad to help out.

 

There's a rumour that US applicants must demonstrate proficiency in the handling of glow-sticks. Dunno if it's true. :rolleyes:

Posted

what was involved in getting the retirement visa?

 

 

 

There are significant differences between a Retirement Visa, which you can only get in your own country, and an Extension of Stay (Retirement) which you can only get in Thailand and which is being referred to here.

 

The former is more trouble than it's worth IMO, whereas the latter, if you qualify, is a piece of cake.

 

 

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