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I am a 65 year old EU citizen married 20 years to a Thai lady and holder since 15 years of Non Immigrant Visa O

Based on this I can settle with my wife in Thailand : I understand I need a one year "extension" with obligation to report every 90 days to Immigration Office of my region.

There is a good explanation of what to do

http://www.thaivisa.com/323.0.html

....except that my income will be not be from work but from a pension.

- I understand that if I apply as "retired" I will need prove of income 65K+ a month or 800K+ in the bank next to other documents (I can fullfil those conditions)

- I understand also that if I apply "Supporting a family" I will need prove of income 40K+ a month or 400K+ in the bank next to other documents (I can fullfil those conditions too)

a) Which kind of application form (TM9?) will I need to fill in to get residence permit for "Supporting a family"?

Which kind of words will I need to use : I guess if I fill in "retired" that I will automatically be put in the category "retired" and that is what I want to avoid.

I understand all the other regulations about marriage certificate, translation, etc...

Just in case...

Nobody of the forum members with another nationality should make conclusions based on this discussion.

I have a friend who is unfortunate enough to have a passport which needs in most countries also a visa to be a few hours in transit (staying in the international departure hall to take a connecting flight without going through any passport check).

The people at check-in desk of any airline know this and would not let him on board without a visa.

The only reliable source of information is the nearest embassy or consulate of the country where you plan to put your foot on the ground (eventually also airline offices).

There is confusion about the amount of money :

The original question by RonThailand assumes 800.000 Baht in the bank

Peterpop writes : 400.000 in the bank or 40.000 a month

Do the experts agree that the amounts as written by Peterpop are correct?

May-be TG should try to attract Lufthansa as a shareholder : it would clean up the debt and a few German on the board would have a hard look at who is getting free tickets for no reason

Next time you go to the Embassy take first a good quality color photocopy of your passport and eventually the entry card in Thailand or the page with your Thai visa.

This way you have at least some evidence that you have a valid passport and that you were staying in Thailand respecting the local regulations.

In fact I always keep a scan of all my essential document (passport, driving licence, credit cards) on my hard disk.

I do not know if a hotel will accept this to check you in but you could try.

I do not know how many years I visited Thailand with a EU passport which upon arrival got automatically a stamp in the passport authorising a stay of 3 months : this was the rule at least from the early 1980ies until mid 1990 ies. To re-instate this would be more simple because in large countries potential tourists sometimes live many hundred kilometers from the closest Thai Embassy or Consulate.

- as normal debts are civil law disputes in the UK, they have no influence on Thai decision making about visa because the Thai authorities are not interested except if you would have a visa such as Non Immigrant O to support Thai wife or child to be issued in a Thai Embassy or Consulate in the UK and based on proven income in the UK. If debt collector would contact Thai consular officer - which I doubt strongly - then the officer will have a harder look at your financial means from other sources than UK to support visa.

- Thai authorities will look at criminal offences - which include debts made in a fraudulous way - but then the evidence provided by debt collector or bank must be supported by UK criminal court ruling which has to be submitted through diplomatic channels to Thailand.

- one element you have to consider, if you have no asset or no income right now in the UK : may-be one day you will inherit or be entitled to a UK pension and be assured that the debt collector will know this and by that time your small debt may have increased exponentially because of all kind of interests and mainly penalties.

In this case you should consult a UK Consumer Action Group without delay otherwise the debt collector will continue to harrass you to avoid that their claim legally expires.

- if you expect later income in the UK you could for instance propose to the debt collector to pay every month 20 GBP as an initial show of good will and I am sure they will have to accept and then they cannot charge you the strangling penalties (nevertheless consult UK Consumer Action Group)

I am resident and national of a EU country, where I live with my Thai wife since 20 years.

Our marriage is only registered in my home country.

Now as I am going to be 65 year and retire from professional activities in my home country, I would prefer to reside with my wife in Thailand in the future.

Question 1 : I guess that I will need to get translated in Thai language the documents issued by city hall at our EU home town as evidence that we are indeed married since 20 years. Will those translated and certified documents be sufficient or will we need also to register our marriage under Thai Law?

Question 2 : I guess that as an (EU) Alien married to a Thai wife I can take the option to have proof of income 40.000 Baht/month or 400.000 Baht in bank account even if this income is in fact a pension obtained after retirement in my home country. Or do retirees always have the obligation of 65.000 Baht/800.000 Baht whether they are officially married or not to a Thai wife?

Can somebody clarify "400.000 Baht in the bank method"

I am married to a Thai wife and I am staying in Thailand on Non Immigrant O but in 2009 I will retire at the age of 65.

Please keep in mind that if your Thai wife wants to stay in Spain for a period longer than six months the rules for visa do not apply : it means that also the Schengen agreement is not applicable. Your wife will need a residence permit and every country has its own rules about this (with this residence permit she can easily travel in the Schengen area)

For a Thai person only the Spanish Embassy in Bangkok can give you the correct answer, but they do not have the authority to decide : the Embassy will transmit your application to Madrid for approval.

Generally a Thai wife can get a residence permit in a EU country if :

a) she is employed based on a work permit (to be applied for by your Spanish employer before you arrive in Spain)

she is an investor and creates a company which will require special approval (kind of business permit)

c) if she goes to live with her husband or (retires) and then she will more than likely have to prove that she has financial means independent from you.

Unfortunately it happens that shortly after arrival in a EU country (also in Switzerland) the marriage breaks down and ends in divorce so that the Thai wife must have money to return to Thailand, otherwise she can becomea burden for the local authorities and in the worst case she will try to overstay illegally : this happens more than you think so the reluctance of the Embassy is not without reason.

I am citizen of a EU country and even after 10 years of marriage in my home country to a Thai wife, the Consulate of Switzerland in Munich refused to issue her a one day transit visa (to go with me by car to Italy) unless she could show to have enough money so that she is not totally financially dependent on me.They did not care about my passport, our marriage book, my bank account...they only wanted to see that there was money on her name.... So can you imagine how scared they are are for illegal overstays....

If you were a Spanish national the situation would be different but still not easy.

If you have relatives in Spain (Spanish nationals or other EU national with residence permit) it could help if they provide financial guarantees to the local authorities that they will help your wife to return to Thailand in case you would vanish (I am sorry if this sounds a little bit rude but I have been in the same situation as you until I could - after a lot of suffering - obtain a EU passport for my wife).