KamnanT

Ummm, no offence to the OP intended, but what did your last slave die of? If you're asking other members for their experiences with obtaining Schengen visas through Chiang Mai consulates, that's fair enough, but your post makes it sound like you're asking others to do your research for you ("...only let me know when you are SURE that the 'post' can provide one.").

Google will get you phone numbers of Schengen Area consulates in Chiang Mai (here's a hint....Austria, France and Finland) and from there you can let your fingers do the walking.

Bellboy, the OP is Australian.

Although I am pretty sure that Australia allows dual citizenship (I know Thailand does) I am not sure of the procedure for obtaining an Australian passport for the child..

After registering the birth at the Australian Embassy (requires passport of Australian parent and suitable ID - passport or bàt bpràchaachon - from other parent, plus original Thai birth certificate), you will receive a certificate entitled "Extract of Register of Citizenship by Descent". This will be your child's proof of Australian citizenship and must be supplied when applying for an Australian passport. Australia does permit dual nationality.

Thai government savings bonds would be a good option. Interest rate is much better than bank term deposits (generally set at the government bond rate for the corresponding maturity plus 50-75 basis points) and while the term is fixed (discouraging the "frittering away" of capital), they can be redeemed if required. They are only issued once or twice a year and are always in high demand - line-ups at bank branches at 8am to subscribe. Only Thai nationals can apply, there is normally a limit on how much an individual can subscribe for and often they will give preference to seniors. Initial plans announced by the Finance Ministry in December were to raise THB 100 bln via government savings bonds in the first half of 2011, although I haven't seen any announcements since then.

£15,000, and this is just for extending leave to remain and a house call to collect the biometrics. No objection to the UKBA offering new services if they think there is sufficient demand, but isn't this likely to support those who argue that the UKBA is just about the money?

If you are a Swiss or EU national, you can exercise your right to free movement under the Schengen treaty - this extends to your spouse. Your wife (but not her friends, unless they are also married to EU nationals) can obtain a Schengen tourist visa by presenting an application form along with passport and proof of marriage. Questions 31 to 34 on the application form do not need to be answered in this case, which includes those dealing with source of funds and support during her visit.

Don't think about it but I assume I as EC passport holder get visa on arrival, if any.

Correct??

Incorrect. All visitors to Australia with the exception of Australian and New Zealand citizens require a visa before departing for Australia. EU nationals qualify for an eVisitor visa, a form of Electronic Travel Authority. An eVisitor visa can be applied for online for free of charge and if granted, your passport details will accessed electronically when you arrive - there is no need for a stamp or sticker in your passport. It is valid for multiple entries into Australia over a twelve month period, with each entry limited to 3 months. It is for tourism purposes only. The recommendation is to apply online at least 2 weeks before departure.

From my experience with the Swiss Embassy, you will need to supply a detailed itinerary including flight bookings and details of where you will be staying on every night of your proposed stay in Switzerland, If you are staying in hotels, you must supply copies of the reservations. If you are staying with friends in Switzerland, they must supply certification from their local gemeinde (= amphur) that they own or lease an appropriate residence. You must demonstrate sufficient funds for your stay and, most importantly, you must supply evidence that the applicant has compelling reasons to return to Thailand at the end of your visit. Details of your wife's ties to Thailand (immovable assets, employment, close family) are key. If you live and/or work in Thailand, then include evidence of your ties as well.

The form is a variant of the standard Schengen Zone visa application. Don't let the simplicity mislead you - the Swiss are quite tough. If a visa is granted, don't be surprised if it is a single entry valid for the exact days of your proposed stay.

You can certainly do a domestic transfer if you have internet banking. But I am pretty sure  for SWIFT transfers you have to fill in paperwork.

1. Salary of a foreigner working in Thailand (work permit, letter from employer stating compensation),

2. Education expenses of Thai relative studying overseas (tuition invoice),

3. Transfer to a Thai relative residing permanently overseas (proof of overseas residence status).

This evidence needs to be re-submitted each year in December (re-submission can be done by fax) or the overseas transfer capability will be disabled.  More detailed information is available at the Bualuang iBanking website.

So my retirement visa is not really looking that good, though I used to have a non imm B when I did work maybe my 9 years of living here will help though only married to my wife for 3.  Gee what an ordeal just to take her to see my country which to be honest I have no real desire to do and even less so with all this...thanks to Kamnan, Prothai and others for their advice...3 more weeks till my wife goes for her interview will report her outcome.

Apologies, I didn't mean to imply that those on retirement visas had weaker ties to Thailand than those who are working here. I meant only to highlight that someone who stayed in Thailand from time to time on visa exempt entries or tourist visas would be viewed as transient and thus not a particularly strong "reason to return" for a partner applying for a US visitor's visa.

"Compelling Reasons to return to Thailand" are the magic words.

Very true and two significant elements of this determination are (1) the perceived strength of the relationship and (2) the strength of your (not only her) ties to Thailand. If you are here on a visa exempt entry or a tourist visa, the consular officer is more likely to think that you are returning to the US and trying to take your GF with you than if you have a non-immigrant visa and a work permit. Marriage will certainly help with the "strength of relationship" part, but if you have few demonstrable ties to Thailand yourself, even that may not be enough for a B1 (visitor) visa.

I doubt that you need to employ the services of an agent for this one if you're willing to put the time into collecting the documentation yourself. An agent can help you organise the information and perhaps educate you about common pitfalls, but as you know they have no influence on the decision-making process. Up to you to determine if that is worth 40,000 baht.

IMHO, the greatest hurdle to overcome in your situation is the employer's reluctance to supply a letter verifying employment. Without this, you're likely to get the #1 reason for rejection: no compelling reason to return. Is your friend married? Does he have any children? Is any of the "miles and miles of land" registered in his name? Immediate family ties, immovable assets, employment and/or an ongoing, profitable business are the normal criteria used to assess an applicant's likelihood to return to Thailand.

P.S. I think the rough-looking, tattooed, long-haired people are Australian Rules Footballers.

And as clearly stated in the UK first link the list is not a required document listing. If having a visa or travel history can help your application you may submit old passports to prove it - there is no requirement to do so.

And thus my statement that "most embassies ask for all of the applicant's previous passports" rather than demand them. It would be interesting to see what would happen if, for example, an applicant for a UK entry clearance volunteered that they had previous passports but would not be including them with the application. What conclusion do you think the ECO might (fairly or unfairly) infer?

In any case, most embassies ask for all of the applicant's previous passports to be submitted with a visa application.

Name one? Your current passport and/or copy is all that is required by any country that I am aware of.

OK, let's start with:

1) United Kingdom (http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/resources/en/docs/1903073/supportingdocsvisituk),

2) France (https://www.tlscontact.com/th2fr/login.php),

3) United States (http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/root/pdfs/nivchecklist-english.pdf) if any previous passport contains a US visa.

(Apologies to the mods for all the links).

Yes, as david555 says you can always claim that previous passports were lost, stolen, accidentially washed, etc. However, unless there is something to hide, I would think that a documented history of overseas travel and timely return to Thailand would be considered positively in any visa application.

Passport numbers change on renewal, which can be a bit of a hassle in Thailand where passport numbers are routinely used by service providers as the "ID number" for foreigners. I've now had three passports while living in Thailand and on each renewal, I have to do the rounds of banks, phone compaines, ISPs, etc. telling them all to update their records.

As far as the visa database at the US State Department goes, I would imagine it is indexed on a number of personal attributes (name & date of birth, passport numbers, visa numbers). I wouldn't worry about them not finding your wife's previous visa details when she next applies --- they will. In any case, most embassies ask for all of the applicant's previous passports to be submitted with a visa application.

I think you will find that the law applying to the division of property upon breakdown of a marriage is determined by the jurisdiction at the time of divorce, not the jurisdiction of the marriage. Broadly speaking, it is the law of the country where the parties normally reside at the time of the divorce that will dictate how the marital (and pre-marital) assets will be divided. So, if a couple married in Thailand but who normally reside in the UK decide to divorce, UK law and procedures will apply. The only way to ensure that Thai law is applied to your divorce settlement is to reside in Thailand.

The Australian provisional residency visa does not carry any weight in the UK or France. She will need to apply separately for a UK Entry Clearance and a Schengen visa for France. As she is residing legally in Australia, she can apply by post to the British High Commission in Canberra for her UK Entry Clearance. For France, she will need to apply in person to the French Embassy in Canberra or the Greek Consulate-General in Adelaide, Melbourne or Perth (Greece now officially represents France in these cities).

Even after her Australian residency becomes permanent, she will still be a citizen of Thailand and will need a visa to travel to most European and North American countries. Should she elect to take Australian citizenship at some point in the future, that will get her visa exempt entry to the UK, Schengen zone, US and Canada amongst others.

"Both guys want to qualify for the retirement visa by having the minimum 400K baht in the bank. So they've decided to get married - obviously at a goverment office."

Just want to make sure these guys understand - you don't need to get married to qualify for an extension based on retirement. However, you do need 800K in the bank rather than 400K. If they are looking to get married so that they only need half as much capital in the bank, then technically they will be applying for an extension based on marriage, not on retirement.

As Aurelius says, Bangkok Bank doesn't use texted codes for transaction authorization but does require that the initial beneficiary setup be done in person at a branch. Authorization to use online telegraphic transfers must be renewed each calendar year and requires one of:

1. Proof of income letter from an employer in Thailand,

2. Proof of a Thai relative residing permanently outside of Thailand to whom you are transferring funds, or

3. Proof of a Thai relative studying outside of Thailand to whom you are transferring funds.

There is currently no limit on the number of visa exempt arrivals by air (30 days) or by land (15 days). If arriving by air, you may be required to show a onward airline ticket departing Thailand within 30 days of your arrival. This may be required by your airline before they allow you to board your flight to Thailand or (less likely) required by the immigration officer when you arrive in Thailand.

Thanks for the answer

She has a Canadian permanent residency card

Is she able to cross over to Canada then return to the USA?

Does she have to be out of USA for a set period of time?

Thanks

LL

Yes, she can cross into Canada and then return to the US and in theory is eligible for another stay of up to six months as long as her B1/B2 visa is still valid. However, permission to enter and the actual length of stay granted is entirely at the discretion of the CBP officer at the port of entry. If her first entry was for six months and she attempts to enter again after a short visit to Canada, she can expect to be questioned at length about the purpose of her visit and her future intentions. If the officer suspects she is not a genuine tourist but is intending to reside (or worse, work) in the US, then he/she can deny entry or admit with a shorter length of stay. A third attempted entry after two long stays would almost certainly result in denial unless there were some very unique mitigating circumstances.

The US isn't nearly as generous as Thailand when it comes to long-stay "tourists". Even Thailand's getting tougher.

Not sure about the Thai visa system not being crazy - surely having a regular outside income, a long established and sustainable business outside of Thailand, and no criminal or other record or dependency would be better sub 50 than over 50 years old with a very small pension, or like many i know - with nothing, just a Thai wife and trying to make a few bahthere and there in her name?

Not sure about the relative merits of young vs. old but I believe the logic behind the retirement extension is that retirees don't compete in the labour market, they just bring money from overseas and spend it. You could reasonably argue that in your situation you're doing the same thing (spending your overseas income in Thailand) but the existing immigration regulations don't make specific allowances for you and the many other folks in a similar situation. However, Thailand is not that different from other countries in this regard - try immigrating to the US, UK or Australia with the justification that you have an established business in another country and you just want to chill with your girlfriend. Unless that established business is substantial or one was committing to invest heavily in a new business in your adopted country, I'm guessing one wouldn't have much luck.

A number of options are available to you - which one you choose will essentially come down to how much hassle you want up front versus how much you want later:

1. Get married and then apply in Thailand for an Extension of Stay based on marriage to a Thai national. You will need to show that you have 400,000 baht in a savings account in Thailand, income in Thailand of 40,000 baht per month or some combination of the two that adds up to 400,000 baht per annum. If you're working in the MIddle East, I guess you would have to go the savings account route. The balance of the savings account must be 400,000 baht or more for the two months immediately preceding your application for extension of stay. You will also need original and copy of your Thai marriage certificate, original and copy of your spouse's Thai ID card and a letter from your bank certifying the balance of your account and dated on the same day as the application. Some offices also insist on seeing photographs of your residence and you and your spouse in the residence, along with a map showing where your home is located. Best to call the immigration office that covers the area in which you will reside and ask them what they will want to see. Even so, count on at least two visits before your application is accepted - it hardly ever gets done on the first visit.

The Extension of Stay costs 1,900 baht and permits you to remain in Thailand for a further 12 months - no need for border runs. If you want to leave and return during that 12 month period, you will need to get a Re-Entry Permit to keep your Extension of Stay valid: that costs 1,000 baht for a single re-entry and 3,800 baht for unlimited re-entries up to the end of your granted Extension of Stay.

Any foreign national (except those with permanent residence) must report their address to Immigration once they have been in Thailand continuously for 90 days and every 90 days thereafter. If you leave Thailand, the clock restarts from zero when you return and you have to report again 90 days later. The Immigration Office will not "wonder where the H*ll you are" if you don't report at any particular due date, as you are certainly permitted to leave the country. However, if you report at Immigration and your passport shows that you have been in Thailand for more than 90 days, you will face a fine for not reporting (2,000 baht, I believe). You can be caught when departing Thailand as well if they notice you have been in country more than 90 days and your reporting slip isn't current.

2. It sounds as though you will be splitting your time between Thailand and the Middle East. If you think that you won't be staying in Thailand more than 90 days at a time, a less expensive option would be to get a 12 month, multiple-entry Non-Immigrant "O" visa based on marriage to a Thai national at an Embassy outside of Thailand. Requirements vary by Embassy, but some will issue one with as little as a signed copy of your spouse's ID card and your marriage certificate. Some want evidence of sufficient funds. This visa will allow you to enter Thailand as many times as you like before the "Enter Before" date, but you will be limited to 90 days on each visit. If you arrive the day before the "Enter Before" date, you will still be granted a 90 day period of stay, essentially giving you 15 months for the price of 12.

3. As you're only going to stay in Thailand for four months, you could get a double-entry tourist visa before arriving in Thailand. These are currently free of charge at most embassies but some reports of particular embassies charging various admin fees to issue. Each tourist visa entry is valid for 60 days and each can be extended by a further 30 days at any Immigration Office, giving a total of 90 days (cost of extension is 1,900 baht). After the first 90 days, you would have to leave Thailand and return, using the second entry and getting another 60 + 30 days. Be careful to note the "Use Before" or "Enter Before" date on the visa itself: this is normally 90 days from the date of issue and if you don't use the second entry before that date, it is no longer valid. Of course, after your tourist visa has expired, you will have to get another one or revert to option #1 or #2.

#1 is the "money and hassle now instead of later" option. #2 is cheaper and less hassle but only allows you 90 days per entry. #3 is the cheapest initially and a lot less paperwork but once you've thrown in the cost of your visa run, probably about the same as #1 cost-wise. IMHO, better to go through the hassle of a marriage extension and give yourself 12 months of relatively painless entry and exit at your leisure. Just remember to report if you stay in Thailand for 90 days.

One thing is your views on becomming a permenant resident here? The thing with the 3 year clause is if a person wants to apply for Citizenship, NOT Resident. And if it's Citizenship you want may I ask "Why on god's green earth would you want to be a Citizen of Thailand and lose 25% of your future pesnsions etc in Oz?

The OP is correct - one of the prerequisites for obtaining Permanent Residency in Thailand is 3 years of continuous Extensions of Stay. The other requirements (and there are many) include evidence of employment and payment of income tax for at least 3 years. Applicants earning less than THB 100,000 per month are rarely accepted unless they can demonstrate a unique and valuable contribution to Thailand. Add to this the fact that all of the PR applications filed in December 2006 and subsequent years are still awaiting approval and you can see that PR is currently a pretty big hurdle to cross.

To apply for Thai citizenship, a foreigner must first obtain Permanent Residence and then wait a further 5 years (with the exception of a female foreign national who marries a Thai male, in which case there is no requirement to first obtain PR).

Not sure what you mean by "lose 25% of your future pensions in Oz". Entitlement to an Australian pension is not based on citizenship. If you are refering to overseas pension income being taxable in Thailand, then this would depend not on citizenship but on tax residency (different from immigration residency). From the Revenue Department web site:

"Taxpayers are classified into “resident” and “non-resident”. “Resident” means any person residing in Thailand for a period or periods aggregating more than 180 days in any tax (calendar) year. A resident of Thailand is liable to pay tax on income from sources in Thailand as well as on the portion of income from foreign sources that is brought into Thailand. A non-resident is, however, subject to tax only on income from sources in Thailand."

So, if you live in Thailand for more than 180 days in a calendar year, pension payments from overseas are taxable if you remit them to Thailand in the same year. Nothing to do with citizenship.

As a PR you have to declare your income and pay tax!!

I think you'll find that all persons with Thailand-source income (e.g. wages earned in Thailand, rent from a Thai property) need to declare their income and pay tax, regardless of whether they are permanent residents, temporary residents or even illegal aliens. "Residency" for tax purposes is separate from and different to "residency" for immigration purposes.

is the pizza company really a subsidiary of Yum brands?

No, the NTN guys got that part wrong. The Pizza Company is part of the Minor Food Group, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Minor International, a SET-listed company. Other Minor Food Group brands in Thailand include Swensen's, Dairy Queen, Sizzler and Burger King. Pizza Hut is a subsidiary of Yum Brands, which also owns KFC, Taco Bell and Long John Silver's.

But still, their satire always cracks me up.