luangtom

If all the writers ,whether they be Buddhist, Christian, Muslim, Jewish, agnostic or atheist, are so steadfast

in their beliefs, then NONE of what the others say should be upsetting or confrontational. A steadfast belief

in any system is what allows the system to survive or perish. Que sera........what will be will be. Do good,

avoid evil, purify the mind. Chok dee..........

If you wife does not currently have a Thai passport obtain one. Use that passport when she enters Thailand. That will take care of her.

You have the option to obtain a retirement visa in the US before you travel. It is called non immigrant O-A. It requires proof of bank account in US having 800k; police check paper, and a short medical paper that you don't have 5 conditions. This should be obtain in the multi entry version which will allow you a one year permitted to stay on any entry during the one year validity of the visa (so in effect takes care of you for up to 2 years).

You also have to option to obtain a non immigrant O visa on the basis of your marriage and then extend it here in Thailand. That will require bank account record of 3 months in Thailand and 800k deposit. Alternative is 65k annual income/pension and letter from Embassy confirming and supporting paperwork. To travel with this extension requires re-entry permits at 1,000 baht each of 3,800 baht per year so not really a savings over "O-A" for most people.

Thank you for the prompt response and useful information. I will definitely file it and utilize it when we

do apply for visa(s) in 2007. Khob khun maak....chok dee....

The only people able to use the 400k marriage support are those who were in the system prior to recent change. That option has been removed and now there is a flat 40k per month family income requirement (which can be husband/wife/joint).

The 3 month rule for retirement has not been applied to renewals as of yet as people have not been aware of the change but expect it will be in the future (when may be subject to individual situations).

Under the new law there is no written requirement (in the English translation) for money to be in bank for 3 months when using a joint 65k income/bank deposit provision that I can see. But I suspect it may be asked for.

lopburi3, you seem quite knowledgable in the correct facts and proceudres. Therefore, I will address

this to you.

I will be able to retire in January of 2007 or anytime during 2007 that I choose. I have a Thai wife

that is a US citizen. She possesses a new Thai id-card and is the sole name on a tabian baan for our

Isaan home. What will WE need for attaining our goal of a retirement status for the both of us to be

in Thailand for a time-frame beyond that of VOA? Funds of what amount in an account or proof of a

monthly income for me or both? Info such as this will be greatly appreciated. I have tried contacting

two Thai consulates here in the US and neither has responded.

"if she has an ID card and Tabien Baan she could apply for a Thai Passport in the US and use that to enter Thailand, then there is no need for a visa for her"

the U.S. does not allow dual citizenship as far as Thailand is concerned.

The US will not allow travel on the Thai passport without an entry-visa for the US. She is a

US-citizen and they will not issue a visa for re-entry for a US-citizen, as she has a US passport

to travel on. Their rules, not mine.

My original question was, "does she need a Thai-visa for extended-stay, or , does she automatically

get added to mine, with all of the same funds used for both of us?"

This is all overwhelming. I am married to a Thai wife from the Isaan for the past 32 years and have

resided in the US with annual return-trips back to visit family and friends on the 30-day tourist visas

upon arrival. We will retire in 2007 and wish to reside at least part of the year in Thailand, as we have

a home built there already. What is gonna happen for us? What sort of visa should we apply for? My

wife is a holder of a Thai-id, on the tabian-baan and yet is also a US-citizen and travels on a US pass-

port. What visa will be our best bet for ease of extended-stay? Any information will be helpful. All of

this new immigration-change is overwhelming........

Does your wife not have a Thai Passport?

Regardless, the obvious option for you is to apply for a Non-Immigrant 'O' visa. On the assumption You can apply on the grounds of supporting a Thai wife or retirement, the latter being on the assumption that you are at least fifty years of age.

Of course you will have to meet the financial requirements if you wish to extend, whichever of the above routes you take.

On the other hand, if you plan to spend three months or less in the Kingdom per annum, then a (real) Tourist Visa is also an option.

My wife has no Thai passport since she became a naturalized US citizen. She has her

old one that has expiried. She travels on the US passport. My question is will we BOTH

need to apply for visas? She has the Thai national ID-card and is listed as house-holder

on the tabian-baan for our residence. So, is her application for a visa necessary? I had

pretty much decided to use a "retirement" visa. Is this the avenue I should puruse?

This is all overwhelming. I am married to a Thai wife from the Isaan for the past 32 years and have

resided in the US with annual return-trips back to visit family and friends on the 30-day tourist visas

upon arrival. We will retire in 2007 and wish to reside at least part of the year in Thailand, as we have

a home built there already. What is gonna happen for us? What sort of visa should we apply for? My

wife is a holder of a Thai-id, on the tabian-baan and yet is also a US-citizen and travels on a US pass-

port. What visa will be our best bet for ease of extended-stay? Any information will be helpful. All of

this new immigration-change is overwhelming........

Sign me up!!!! Keep us posted on this. Khob khun maak. It put a smile on my

Thai wife's face sitting here in the hospital. She just had a brain-bypass that

was successful, so she is busy planning our next visit and future move to the

LOS.

googled:

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/moyamoya/moyamoya.htm

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I thank you for the info input. I have a number of sites that speak of MOYAMOYA.

I was just wondering if anyone in the LOS had experience with a family-member

having this disease and who or where in LOS it was treated.

I have just brought my Thai wife home from the Critical Care Hospital and she was

diagnosed as having "moyamoya disease". It is an artery-disease predominently

in those of Asian descent. Anyone heard of it? It exhibits stroke-like symptoms and

can be fatal. A cerebral-bleed is most often the cause of death. It is literally shrinking of the carotid-artery in the brain.

We are scheduled to go to the University Medical Center at the U of Minnesota on

June 1st for her to have an assessment to see if she is a candidate for an arterial-

bypass surgery. This seems to be the only method of help for this malady.

Anyone else out there either have experience with this or even hear of it?

I thank all for the responses on NokAir. The more one can save the more one can

spend on family and friends. Chok dee....

Is Nok Airlines a viable alternative to Thai Airways for domestic flights within LOS?

If so, where does one hook-up with it for tickets and check-in?

I am a frequent visitor to LOS, but spend so little time in Khrungthep. Which of

the two major venues for Muay Thai is recommended? Lumphini or Ratchadamnoen

for the best bouts for the money? Does it still hold true that Tuesday nights at

Lumphini provide some of the best boxing available? Upcoming visit will have us

hosting our adult sons for a visit to the land of their mother.

I thank all for their input thus far. My wife has a passport issued from the USA,

not Thailand. She is on the thabian-baan with her married-name. Her i.d.-card

has expired.

I do have contact with other expats in the Udon Thani area that have Thai wives.

I will hopefully be able to query them for additional information, too.

Again, khob khun maak.

I am new to this forum, so I am probably going to repeat past questions. Please

bear with me....

I am seeking information on the names of any Immigration Attorneys in the Isaan

that can help us attain the needed documentation and paperwork for my Thai wife,

that is also a US-citizen, for retirement in the next two to three years. We wish to

live in our Isaan home during our retirement years.

Thanks for any help that you can give.

Chok dee.

I am new at the Forums, so please bear with me if I ask past questions........

I have a Thai wife that is a US citizen and has lived in the USA for the past thirty

years with me. What will be required for her to claim her rightful place again as

a Thai citizen without losing her status as a US citizen? She is already on the

House-Registry in the amphoe where our Thai home is located.

We are approaching retirement within the next three years and wish to get some

of the prelims done as soon as we can. We wish to reside in our Thai home during

our retirement years.

Will she have to meet the financial obligations that I do?

Any answers to these questions would be appreciated or any recommendation of

an attorney in the Udon Thani area that could help with these matters would be

greatly appreciated.

Chok dee.