IgboChief

21 hours ago, Toosetinmyways said:

Name change Cert.

Good Morning Gentlemen,

can we try to bring some order into this. I have successfully gotten a new Non-Imm-O/Multiple entry based on marriage just last week. I did NOT present such Name Change Certificate (and have not been asked for), but only the copy of my wife's ID card and Blue Book and International Marriage Certificate and Kor Ror 22.

My wife took my family name at 2001 and it is stated on all of her above documents since.

However,  the man in front of me and the guy after me have been asked for that name change certificate. They did not have it and needed to call home.

So what could be the deciding factor, ruling out it was just luck? Is it the Kor Ror 22 (which the 2 other guys did not have, I think)?

Cheers

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I think they don’t trust me

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p:s : Indian national

Na, that definitely can't be. Why on earth should they not trust you, especially with that complete clean track record of visas.

But why not just talk to them? I assume based on your ED Visa you speak Thai fluently and can strike a good conversation to get to the root.

Just in case anyone else reads the topic with the misguiding headline for its purpose:

1) yes, you can leave while under consideration, but you will need new/separate re-entry permit (which will again expire on that "consideration date"). So for the 1 year extension renewal, you can end up with 3 multi-re-entry permits @ 3.9k each

2) you must be back on the "consideration" date to get your new extension stamped

3) your immigration officer can accelerate that process, but it will cost you dear (e.g. I paid 8k Baht, when I was at the end of the consideration but needed to leave country for 5 weeks -- but got what I paid for without drama)

4) if you travel a lot, for all the reasons above, I always advise to go to Savannaketh in order to dodge that  "under consideration" nonsense

Cheers

39 minutes ago, PeCeDe said:

To be fair the agent at the airline ticket counter is under a lot of pressure to get things right

And for that reason, nobody has any problem to explain the details and to show the visa and stamps when being asked kindly and professionally. (Which has been always the case with any airline staff I ever met in my life -- the skytrax ranking is a pretty good reflection of what to expect in my experience).

Immigration/Airport Security is a different kind of bunch though and I will have many more field days to explain to Nigerian officers, that they have no power to restrict me entering the KoT. Let's be all professional and the world would be a better place.

Avoid PH Airlines at all cost, they are crap -- especially for a national carrier.

Now on that Ticket request: happens to me frequently, especially in West Africa. I have a few PR's so the Airport security (never the Airline though) thinks I was flying out (instead I actually fly home). They do not understand the Non-O status (as it does not read PR, nor do they understand that Caucasians live in WA/SEA). Depends now on the people: some ask nicely and then I respond nicely and explain -- and next time we just shake hands and talk family. However sometimes they want to learn it the hard way and I have to ask them for their qualification and why they did not do their homework. Both ways work: the particular officer never asks me that question again.

3 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Plus, your entire plan above is simply about satisfying Immigration, but doesn't deal at all with the more fundamental issues of who will take care of you, should you need it, and your wife is not present at that time.

Yes, because this is the difficult part.

Getting a Nanny/Nurse/Mia Noi is very simple and can be arranged in one evening.

Another advantage of the Investors Visa is a kind of small fixed income in THB terms.

1 hour ago, Mattd said:

I would have thought that the requirement is for income tax payments and not capital gains tax payments, as it is an absolute requirement to have a work permit and so by definition be working and paying income tax?

This also means you will need to succeed before 60/65 as you won't get a WP after, so indeed starting to think about all of that right now seems reasonable. I actually was also thinking to go with the 20 year PE visa at 70 -- but of course nobody know what options will be available in 30 years, so a bit of an uncertain 2nd choice only. I only know that most of the time at least grandfathering of changed rules exists.

Buying a PR in Namibia seems to easier eventually.

Jim and saakura,

thank you for the info and the insight.

After thinking it through, my plan for the next 5 years looks like that:

1) get an Investor Visa (10 M. THB in Thai Government Bonds)

2) check if the tax on capital gains suffices, otherwise hire 2 Thais for my company, apply for WP, pay myself a (minimum) salary and pay the (minimum) income tax

3) go to school again, learn how to read/write Thai (unfortunately I find that alphabet quite annoying)

4) semi-annual contribution to the local temple and school

5) get a legal counsel and start the application for PR/citizenship

Hell of a project though, I would have started that earlier but I am concerned that my application never passes as I live in Isaan.

Cheers!

2 hours ago, saakura said:

paying tax here.

Minor issue: Will tax on capital gains suffice? Cause I do not work here (seriously) and so do not pay income tax.

Is there a minimum amount of annual tax to be paid for the PR?

Cheers

2 hours ago, saakura said:

OP, your question is indeed very valid and 40 is the right age to think about and start planning so that in 15-20 years, you can look forward to a secure and comfortable retired life. If you are earning decent wages and paying tax here, please apply for a Permanent Resident status. It is a long procedure and costs totally around 250k, valid until your death. No 90 day reports. You will need to go once a year to get a re-entry visa ONLY if you plan to travel out of Thailand. Nothing to worry if you have dementia or are incapacitated bcos you wont be travelling out in any case. Or aim for citizenship which takes longer but is cheaper.

Thank you very much, I think that is indeed the best approach then. The money is not the problem, I also speak some Thai -- but never read or written it.

Really hope everyone else's plan will work out, not nice to get deported at 80+ after having lived her for 15+ years.

Good Luck guys and cheers.

20 minutes ago, BritTim said:

The best solution to your immigration issues would likely be to work towards permanent residence. Once you have it, unless you need to travel outside Thailand, no further actions are needed.

Thank you for the good hint. I reckon that, but is that permanent residence not also good for 5 years only? (I have 2 other PR's, which are always bound to a company position and not unlimited).

5 minutes ago, phuketjock said:

What if your wife and you live to a ripe old age in happiness and love and your daughter gets married to a nice guy

and has your grandchildren, would that not be a better outlook for your future?

Best case scenario, wonderful.

Unfortunately I make money with probabilities, scenarios and stress tests and a have had to bail out a lot of people already who just thought about their next supper (but never about their last).

I really nobody planning ahead here? I start to regret already to have started the topic.

Just now, perthperson said:

Are you imagining that the Immigration Service are going to seek and deport some elderly demented person ? 

Actually, that is pretty much my point, especially when you occupy some nice property.

Also please keep in mind that just a "traffic control" can send you straight to detention when not having a valid visa (btw, in any country of the world, I am not picking Thailand on that).

7 minutes ago, perthperson said:

I presume you have long term, comprehensive health insurance which covers most eventualities ? 

Yes of course,  but that will not sort any visa/residence permit related challenge.

11 minutes ago, BEVUP said:

Wow your presuming a lot 

I do not presume anything and for that reason I like to have a plan and also a plan B -- served me always well so far.

But thank you already for your rich and helpful contribution.

Cheers

Hi Guys,

please let me apologize upfront for a morbid thread, but I just turned 40 so it is time to prepare a few things. I live 10 years plus in Thailand, am 12 years married with a Thai, have some property in my Thai daughter's name -- let's assume, family stays intact.

My concern is: what will happen when getting old and/or eventually survive my wife, while my daughter leaves Thailand (for business). How do you plan for the days, when you are not strong enough anymore to run through the annual visa procedure? (E.g. you get dementia or Alzheimer).

I know that Investor Visa and/or the "Thai Elite" option gives you a better tenor and I am seriously looking at that, but when you apply with 80 and then make it beyond 90, you suddenly face a process alone, which you can't handle yet, while you will have forgotten long time about you country of origin?! Looks a bit scary to me honestly.

Please allow me to ask with all due respect: How have the seniors on board planed for that scenario, especially the "last 3 years"? (Sorry for having not found better words).

Cheers

Get a date stamp and just stamp the date beside (same as they do at the immigration). Thais love stamps and you can get it everywhere, I even think you will get it on the other side of the road in Savannakhet.

And then have to leave the country every 90 days.

12 month extension is much easier and cheaper.

Simply incorrect, what you write. 5k THB for one year multiple entry is not more expensive than 1.9k for 1 year extension plus 4k for multiple re-netry permit. Not to talk about the 8k they squeezed out for shortening the 6 weeks consideration to 24 hours (when I needed to travel last year).

To be fair, Laos sets you back by 1,5k for the Laos Visa and 1,5k for the driver plus perhaps 3k for the "same day" service. Still it saves you a lot of time.

Cheers

Kannot,

extending my non-O based on marriage for 10 years now, I can feel you. Same bullshit, set under consideration for 6 weeks last year. (Which makes you a lame duck.)

So this year I went to Savannakhet, application went through in less than 3 minutes. No neighbor, no wife, no money, no consideration. Do yourself a favor, put the 400k on a 1 year fixed deposit account and fund a pleasant trip to Laos from the interest. Be aware that it is a dead version of Nakhorn Nowhere though.

Cheers!

Would you be willing to post a summary of Michael's account of what happened to provide us with a better understanding, and perhaps a reassurance that this was an isolated attack - or not? I would be interested in the exchanges that occurred at the beginning (warts and all), before the three Thai lads left for fifteen minutes. It might also stop spurious posts from second-guessing why it happened.

Stephen,

while I appreciate your kind interested and support, I would like to skip that one as I was not at the scene and do not know Michael for a long time and also do not feel, that this particular matter should be anyone's concern right now. Let the police do their job for good.

I think only Michael or his attorney should speak on his behalf. This kind of brute violence is never anyhow justified in any way, even if there was any kind of quarrel or dispute before.

What I can tell you for sure is this story A friend of mine was robbed at gun point at daylight in Sukhumvit Soi 78. She is Thai and does not stick out anyhow. There were also plenty of Thai people around, nobody helped her -- even after that incident, when she was left without money, phone and papers. Only when I guaranteed to pay back any loan (I was abroad at this time), people gave her some money to bridge a few days until my return.

So I do not think, it was anyhow an isolated event or even triggered by Michael, but just a bunch of drunk loosers spotting a "rich" but easy target.

I know a couple of nice (older) Thai people I would trust with my life. However, there is a grim reality under a shiny surface thinned by every day.

Cheers