Rob Browder

If you enter on a Non-O 90-Day visa based on marriage, your first 1-year extension would need to be based on "married to a Thai" - so need 400K Baht in the bank for 2 months prior to application, plus the other required documents, pictures, etc. In subsequent years, if you wish to change to a retirement-based extension, you will need to show 12 months of bank-statements of minimum 65K Baht/mo (every month - no missed/late transfers) - OR - 800K Baht in the bank for 2 months prior to application, leave it there 3 months after, and no less than 400K Baht in the bank the rest of the year.

Where the "rule" is - pay through their agent-partners, and make all the visa-exempt entries you want - no problem. They make a joke of their system with inconsistency / "crackdowns" and paperwork / "requirements" change-ups - all designed only to line their pockets. All is done right out in the open, with agents advertising their services. And yet, some farangs defend what they are doing as "enforcing the rules"? Life is easier here after accepting that things here are not the same here as in our passport-countries. Corruption rules the roost, and everything done is to preserve that corruption. I'm doing it "legit" on retirement for as long as I can - but always fully prepared I may have to pay an agent the next year, if they "change" something to force this.

You want me to do the google-search on this site for you? Choose to believe what you want - I've been reading such reports here for years - since before the name of the site changed. And, no, as in the victim tried to present the stated requirements for entry (20K Baht, hotel-booking, flight-out), and the IO literally waived it away - as in waived their hand "shoo shooo." Then, they told the person they were not allowing them to enter, because they "come too much" - and then, stamped a different reason (lie) in their passport as the "official" reason for denying entry - "not having money" - after refusing to look at / count the money presented.

... or DTV - the best option if under 50. There is a "smoother" way at some entry points, via agent-services. Airports have the "safe entry" option, and agent-vans which do runs to Cambodia plus one around Chiang Mai. I also recall reports of a "fee" for same day in/outs to Malaysia.

I read a few reports of questions - but no reports of locking DTV people up in immigration-jail at the airport, and making them fly back. I would have copies of all your paperwork used to apply for the DTV, plus proof of payment for the Visa. I recall one case of some Russian people being questioned at the airport entering on DTVs, and showing their payment-receipt for the visa ended the discussion - but that was when this visa was new. I would keep an eye out here for reports of problems entering on DTV. I would not be surprised if "safe entry" was pushed, at some point for DTV entries - but, hopefully not.

The latter is not unusual for marriage-based extensions. Consider yourself lucky the first one was actually nice. Even "civil" I considered very good luck, when doing these.

Freelancer, etc is expressly permitted to get the Visa. No "false pretenses" needed. Sure they do. Jomtien just wants more stuff.

As long as you meet the requirements - such as 3 years paying Thai taxes on non-imm extensions, that part is covered. You have to show a salary for that time in Thailand, regardless - and the higher, the better. If applying based on family, the fee is 1/2, but you have to provide "family" paperwork - not just work-based paperwork - and may include DNA test to prove parentage (if you have Thai children). Many have said going for citizenship requires nearly the same effort, if married to a Thai - worth looking into, if you have not already. Those who are not married to a Thai must get PR prior to citizenship.

This is like telling someone to go into the most dangerous part of town to buy a pack of cigarettes, at a store where patrons are routinely robbed.

If willing to spend 1-night-out of the country (maybe 2 - depending on the border), I don't see why not just DIY it. The DTV is literally what Immigration recommend for under-50s on longer stays, now. The only place I see being a potential problem is Aranya/Poipet - simply because they are infamous for creating problems for travelers, and sky-high extortion charges.

What rules, specifically? As an example, please link to the Thai Immigration website, where it lists the precise number of "days out of Thailand" between Visa-Exempt entries, after which there will be No Problem re-entering. 7 days? 30-days? Golly, I wonder why that information isn't provided? Answer: Thai Immigration Law specifies no "maximum number" of days one can spend in Thailand as a tourist. Thai Immigration Law also specifies that immigration may ONLY refuse-entry if a person is in violation of very specific reasons - not a blanket "at their discretion." This is why you cannot find a single case of a refused-entry passport stamped "Spent too much time in Thailand as a Tourist" - because denying entry for that reason IS ILLEGAL under Thai law. IOs don't want to confess to the crime they commit in writing, apparently, so they "stamp" a Lie, instead. We are doing Thailand a favor by spending our money into their economy - directly funding their citizens' paychecks. This creates no risk to them of benefits/handouts (unlike if they enter our countries). Those who break Thai law can be arrested, deported and banned = problem solved. Unless the visitor is from a country where the min-wage is less than an illegal-job in Thailand, there is no logical reason to prevent entry, absent a criminal record. All the hassling is about one thing only - brown envelopes.

Do you read this forum regularly? IOs have literally waived-away those trying to present their list of the required items - money, etc. They say, "You come too much" - then they break their own laws, by stamping a LIE reason in the passport for why they denied entry - "not having funds" - after refusing to look at the person trying to present the required funds. It's a racket - pay them via their agent, or play the denied-entry-fear lottery. That's their game.

You must apply while in the country where you are applying, and stay there until you get your visa. Not ideal, but worth it for a DTV. I would not bother for a SETV - just use a visa-run company for visa-exempt entry, next time - at least unless/until Visa-Exempt goes back to 30-days. Even with a "tourist visa," you could still get denied-entry for "You spend too much time/money in Thailand as a tourist, without paying us off via an agent."

The salary-route requires all the paperwork for both the Non-B type extension AND the Non-O marriage type extension. In the past, you only needed tax-returns showing the income - not any more - they made it a PITA. Even so, I would transition to the marriage-type, just to avoid having your permitted-stay tied to your job - then stockpile the 400K (or borrow it for 2+ months) for a future application. The "must be foreign funds" and "embassy certifications" does not apply when you are working in Thailand, and applying for a Non-O marriage-based extension using a Thai-sourced / job salary. Your WP is ending with your job. The question is will they process a Non-O marriage with salary for your current job, so you could get the switch made before your job ends. You can present a letter specifying a future date of termination to immigration, but then you cannot likely use salary (from the job which is ending) to support your application. As to returning on a new Visa - you would need to wait in the other country while this is processed, after submitting online (e-visa) while in that country. Check what financials are required. Turnaround in Vietnam is said to be approximately a week - could be longer in Laos, which are not as friendly as before. It is correct that the 7-day extension is the "end of the line" - must leave, after getting that - no further extensions possible. BUT, you can also apply for a 60-day extension to "visit your wife," if you have not yet done that since your last entry to Thailand (not counting re-entry permits). From that 60-day extension, you CAN then apply for a 1-year extension - no need to leave. If there is any way you can borrow 400K for 2+ months (or top-up to that amount), this is by far the easiest route. You can present your termination letter future-dated to immigration, and THEN change to a marriage-based 1-year extension. If the money is do-able, I would ask at Roi Et about this - see what they need - do not mention "new job in Bangkok" - only that your job is ending, and you want to switch to a marriage-based extension. They will not help with something related to a job in Bangkok. Alternatively, get the 60-day extension, move to Bangkok, then get your new-job to provide all the work paperwork to support your 1-year extension. I would go the marriage-based visa route to avoid ever having your "permitted stay" tied to your job, again.

Only certain types are restricted to "only your passport country" - the Multiple-Entry Tourist Visas and "Non-OA" are among those. The 5-year DTV, single-entry Tourist-Visas, Non-Ed, and Non-O based on Retirement or Marriage - all can be obtained in other countries.

That worked at Chiang Mai, this time - but many reports at the Bangkok airports of them ignoring you "checked all the boxes" - refusing to even look at your paperwork / money - and denying-entry, regardless.

Somehow, some folks seem to think immigration 'really care" about "the rules," as they run a payoff agent-workaround on the side. This system makes a mockery of "accordance with the law." Legally, there is no limit in the law for "how long" a person can be a "tourist" in Thailand - nor any published set of "rules" regarding how long you need to stay out between tourist-type entries. They clearly do not want people to be able to simply follow stated rules, as that would not facilitate their agent-system. It's time to take off the blinders - things work "differently" here. Ask any Thai how it goes dealing with their rural land-office; this is not a problem limited to Immigration.

Oh, Immigration HATE that. Remember how they dragged their feet on issuing the covid-extensions to the last minute? Their brown-envelope money was severely cut by that option - us foreigners "getting away" with spending our money here w/o paying them off - THE NERVE!! /s This could explain why they went nuts on your first re-entry visa-exempt. The best price I've seen quoted is here: https://aseannow.com/topic/1336926-setv-metv-still-around-now-that-visa-exempts-are-now-60-days/?do=findComment&comment=19217493

Yes, he can. He just needs to pay-off immigration through their agents - "safe entry" at airports, or a border-run service. Do that, and Immigration NEVER give folks any problem, even on the umpteenth same-day border-bounce in a row. Alternatively, an agent can 'set up a visa" solution - but it doesn't matter which, other than one's own convenience. The "refused entries" are just drumming up agent-service money. It's not like Westerners are coming to Thailand to compete with Burmese for under-the-table illegal jobs. They know that. They know all we do here is spend money into the Thai economy - helping create Thai jobs. They only care about their "cut" of the money.

It is like this because Immigration is a racket that captured a govt-agency, and which doesn't care about "What is Best for Thailand or Thai people." If worried about immigration on your trips, they offer an agent payoff method, to avoid the "refused entry" lottery, and you also get to skip the queue - see: https://aseannow.com/topic/1336926-setv-metv-still-around-now-that-visa-exempts-are-now-60-days/?do=findComment&comment=19217493

I rented when I got my 1st Yellow-Book - took months AFTER I had completed all paperwork / witnesses / etc. When I moved, I went only to the new amphur office, presented my Chanote, Blue-Book, Pink ID-Card, and old Yellow-Book, and got a new YB - nothing needed from the previous Amphur. It was done in an hour. The 2nd was my own condo, vs a rental - so as a renter, you would need the new-landlord to present their chanote / blue-book, and sign-off on it. Still, MUCH easier than the initial process.

They didn't plan to, or want to, at that time. They literally offered every off-ramp to war possible, and each was torpedoed by the "West" and their Coup-Regime in Kiev. Some history on how we got here ...

They are different, and folks do need advice on how things work differently in Thailand. But, it hard to get through to most - have to learn the hard way. "She's like no woman I ever knew" - you got THAT right. I say that as married to a Thai for over a decade. I don't regret it at all - but, a LOT of learning how the dynamic is different here was involved. There are areas you need to not budge an inch, and others where you must be very flexible, to make it work. Edit: (But, no, I did not meet her on a "dating site" - She was working a regular job. My advice - find one of those AFTER you get here, and get aquanted with Thailand, generally.)

I think it was 200K back then. Then 400K through 2007. Then 800K from 2008 to the present. All those folks were grandfathered-in, if they got continuous extensions. What was NOT grandfathered, was when they changed the 800K from ONLY "2 months before application" to the current system of 2-mo before + 3-mo after + 400K minimum. Suddenly, people needed a significant amount more "spare" money - vs transferring enough to "top up" to 800K + 2-months living-expenses, then spending it down the rest of the year. As to the agent-factor, which was hilariously claimed to be the "reason" for that last policy-change - while agent-business BOOMED in direct-response to it - I don't see how an increase would have much effect, given the "interest" on 2M vs 800K for "15 minutes" (tops) borrowing-time, is insignificant.

See the shelling of civilian areas - homes, schools, etc - in the Donbass - 2014-2022. After Russia's entry into this civil-war, they continued hitting civilian areas with things like "petal mines" - designed to blow one's foot off. Meanwhile, every time we watch a video of a Ukrainian "air-defense" missile going up, then back down on their own people, the "media" tells us "Russia targeted civilians" where it landed. No retraction is ever made - even when pictures show that the missile-pieces were from the type Ukraine was using. Remember when "Assad gassed his own people"? Then, the UN folks who were on-site reveal it wasn't true? Same same lies, from the same sort of liars. Why would anyone EVER believe anything they say or print.