Jaggg88

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Incidentally those who love fried street food, tread carefully, it is ALL cooked with Palm Oil!

and palm sugar!

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Yes I know it's a right pain, I had a similar situation, when applying for a Retirment Visa it's important to get a multi entry Retirment visa, rather than a single one, which I previously had, and like you when I left Thailand for a few days, got told the same as yourself, I ended up having to go through the whole process again... Lesson learned though, but I just wish they had mentioned this when I originally applied.

All the best

 

You can't have a multiple entry retirement visa. You get an extension of your previous visa based on retirement if you fulfil the requirements.

 

Then, if you want to leave the country for any reason, you can apply for a re-entry permit, single or multiple as you need.  

 

Jeez, I do wish some people would post accurate information on here, and also learn the laws of the country you have chosen to live in.

 

It's not rocket science - and it's NOT your home country.  The laws are not the same.  Do some basic research and then you won't end up with egg on your face and a big bill.

 

I've had a retirement visa for three years, left the country six times and never had a problem.  It's called using your brain...

 

Well I took my friend to the Consulate in Hull a few weeks ago where he purchased a multi entry retirement visa for £125 - all he had to do was prove he receives the state pension (these are only available outside Thailand). Its called a multi entry because he has to leave Thailand every 90 days and come back. So I think you are confusing the issue with a multi exit permit which I believe you purchase from the immigration office when you have a retirement extension.

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OK Wasa ... awesome first post and welcome to the Forum ...  alt=cowboy.gif>

 

I am not so different from you ... a younger, but ballpark.

 

My choices didn't come down to ... I've found a nice Lady and she wants Children ... do I?

 

My choices were to find the Partner who I wanted to be together with for a long time and then decide if we wanted children.

 

I have and we did.

 

 

Just some facts ... and I'm not asking her age.

 

If your gf is of the age of 35 or younger, there is a good chance that she and you have a reasonable chance of conceiving.

 

Once the general age of 35 is reached, the likelyhood or a non-assisted conception diminishes.

 

Sure, there will be stories of Mothers, in their 40's bearing a child ... but that, medically, is the minority.

 

Source

 

As you can see from the graph above ... the age of 35 is a rough cross-over point.

 

By the age of 35, according to this chart a woman has approximately 6% of her ovarian reserves left.

.

Yeah I looked at stats like that and thought my wife would never get pregnant as she was married for 5 years before and never conceived. I was 56 and she was 39 and she arrived in the UK on 28th November and was pregnant on the 1st December - I must be firing some very live bullets  fortunately it was proved the child was conceived in the UK and I didn't have to pay hospital fees.

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you have to declare to the taxman that you have permanently left the UK by filling in the form P85 - leaving the UK getting your tax right. you should also have opened an online self assessment tax account although this is useless as living abroad you have to fill in a paper tax return form .... I still own a house in the UK so I fill in a tax return every year, I pay an accountant to do this so there's no mistakes, and pay no tax but once my house is sold will then ask the tax office permission to stop filling in a tax return as I have no intention of living in the UK again but if I did move back would then just declare myself again to the taxman.

if you are retired there are swings and roundabouts to declaring yourself as having permanently left the UK such as your state pension not rising although this is under discussion about giving British citizens the same pension rights worldwide although don't hold your breath about it happening anytime soon. also, if you don't have medical insurance in Thailand you might be better off not declaring having left. seek advice from professionals about this, I know of a firm of financial advisors with British advisors in Bangkok where I get newsletters emailed to me and they seem professional - Credenda Associates,Level 16, Prime Building, 24 Sukhumvit 21, Klong Toey, Wattana, Bangkok. as always caveat emptor, buyer beware.

I complete an online UK Self-Assessment tax return each year, even though I've lived and worked full-time in Thailand since 2005. I have no desire to be "non resident" as I may have to return to the UK at a moment's notice if I lose my job/work permit here. I'm quite happy to pay UK tax on my (minimal) UK earnings which are just interest on my UK bank accounts.

Being non resident for tax purposes does not stop you from returning to the UK - you can return and stay for up to 90 days per tax year or you can just return and change your status to resident. What you should be considering tho' is your pension position- you should at least consider paying voluntary National Insurance contributions while you're working abroad to maintain state pension, although this can only be done if you've paid at least 3 years NI already.

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Swampy should be the better airport but due to a lack of organisation (Planning) it is not. I usually use DM as we live in Ayutthaya and about 1 hour away. However we were going straight to Naklua a couple of weeks ago so I flew into Swampy. The plane landed and Taxied to God knows where for 15 minutes, We then stopped got of at a landing gate , were diverted downstairs and into a waiting Bus, by the time the Bus filled up and then crawled back across the airport it was another minutes. So half an hour just to get from landing in to the airport , I was fuming. Thai airways flight from Penang , its not cheap either and i'll be avoiding it in future

Yeah I've done that 20/30 min taxi and bus trip with Emirates at Swampy - just what you don't need after a 7 hr flight

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I use Citibank to do fee free international transfers anywhere.

They also utilise exchange rates which are better than the daily average

and

you can elect whether or not you take on the receiver's banks charges, if any.

Having make that election I have not been charged by the receiver's bank.

Free use of their ATMs anywhere. No fees for that in foreign countries.

I've only seen there ATMs in Bangkok

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The Ibiza rejects are already here

Yeah i did Ibiza back in the 80's - don't remember any of it, that's how I know I was there 

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What could be drugged that everyone in the same rail car could possibly consume???

Some sort of gas. In Spain my friends were gasses thro' their letterbox while they slept and were then robbed - none of them woke or saw anything.

Get a Mia Noi - more expensive than golf but much more fun

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My wife and I did not have to go to the britsih embassy. I had my late wife death certificate which I had translated into thai. We were married in our home with monks her family and nearly the whole village. Then we went to the local amphur office to have the marriage registered show them the death cert  and receive a marriage certificate. Have been living in Thailand for eight years on a marriage visa.     

Your local Amphur clearly does not understand the rules as you are required to produce an affidavit that you are free to marry. This must be notarised by your embassy, officially translated into Thai and then it must be authorised by the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs. You do not have to produce divorce papers or death certificates at the Amphur although some embassies will ask for them when you sign your affidavit. The UK embassy has a template which you can copy and print off for this purpose. The translators all crowd outside the Notary Office and the prices are negotiable. The Thai Ministry charges 400 baht or 800 baht express service (while you wait). The translators will tell you they have to take the document but this isn't true they are just trying to make more profit, although its much easier if you let them do it, just negotiate a good price. You can marry at any Amphur in Thailand with the correct documents but we were advised to marry in BKK as they were not fazed by the paperwork. You don't need an appointment just turn up fill in the form sign and you're married. Kor Ror 2 is the marriage certificate and you will also need Kor Ror 3 marriage entry certificate if you wish to apply for visas.

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Easiest way - go find one of the many outfits that specialise in this - tell them what you want, pay the price and get a result- costs money but no stress......

 

Are you talking about illegal providers ?

 

YES - my friend has just been quoted 40000 baht in Bangkok (just need an empty Thai bank account) whereas the current visa price is just 2400 baht so unless you're desperate don't bother

 

 

And what about car and motorbike rentals who ask for passport deposit? Is this now illegal?

At least in my case it's always been illegal. I don't own the passport, it belongs to my native country and I'm not allowed to give it to anybody.

 

So when you leave you passport to a foreign consulate to get a visa you would be breaking the law ? 

No, is not so. Anywaycountries do not clearly stipulate who has property of the material passport book, so we're discussing on smoke. 

 

 I can't speak for other countries but a UK passport is crown property and you are not allowed to leave it with anyone apart from UK embassies and consulates

 

 bear in mind a TT transfer costs around 1300 thb per month.

 

From a HSBC account, you can transfer up to £2000 for a cost of £4 or 220 baht.......

The rate they gave me was competitive....

 

Yes HSBC seem to be the cheapest for transfers - my friend told me he was only charged £4 - I paid £25 with Nationwide

Well, Janie. I am available.

I'm a little older than you but if you fancy a farang boyfriend who treats you with respect and love, I am your man. Please private message me for contact details. Thanks!

I like your style - nothing ventured nothing gained. I've already messaged her asking if she'll be my Mia Noi

Yep! Its all about Hygiene - not something Thais in general are very good at but I have noticed a marked improvement in recent years. I even spotted my mother in-law using my antibacterial soap once

http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/preventive-care/how-to-prevent-childhood-infections2.htm

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Don't go, the only reason you are invited to meet the parents is for a giant sinsot request.
If you go, you will wish you hadn't.

PS
Unlikely you will understand anything they say, parents always speak funny rural village dialects.

In Thai culture once you have met her parents there is no going back - it is a very significant step in your relationship equal to getting engaged. My mother in-law met me at the airport so I was goosed from the word go

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To the Op.. What is the acceptable age difference between a married Thai man and his Mia noi?

Sent from my LG-P970 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Half your age plus 7 years is the French formula but I think a bigger gap is acceptable in LOS  - I think they have a bank balance formula lol

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Biggest hassle was the Tax clearance you needed before departure, if you had stayed more than 180 days in one year you had to pay 7% tax on the money you spent in Thailand during your stay! So we all said that we did not spend any money or had rich Thai girlfriends etc. It worked for many year until they changed the boss at the tax office, the new boss was an old fat Thai-Chinese lady and first time I saw her she said: You pay tax 4000 Baht.  Crazy system. We did a Penang trip every 90 days with Thai from Phuket, it was just enough time between landing in Penang and return departure for 2 Tiger beer at the airport bar, compared to the Kloster and Singha Beer that was the only beer available than it was a nice change.

Are you sure this was 30 years ago (or it just seems that way)?  The 7% VAT was only started in 1992.

 

He didn't say it was VAT - just 7% tax

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This issue, understandably, comes up on a regular basis, a good source of information is the Citizens Advice Website charges for people from abroad

These are a few of the relevant points:

Some hospital treatment is free of charge for everyone who needs it, regardless of how long they have been or intend to stay in the UK. This is:-

• treatment for accidents and emergencies as an outpatient in a hospital’s accident and emergency department. In England and Wales, emergency treatment in a walk-in centre is also free of charge. However, if you are referred to an outpatient clinic or admitted to hospital from an accident and emergency department, you will be charged

You can receive free NHS hospital treatment if you:-

have come to the UK to take up permanent residence, for example, if you are a former UK resident who has returned from abroad, or if you have been granted leave to enter or remain as a spouse

Visitors who can sometimes receive NHS hospital treatment free of charge

You are entitled to free NHS hospital treatment if you are one of the following people and fall ill during your visit. You are not entitled to routine treatment for a pre-existing condition.

• If you get a UK state retirement pension or another state benefit and normally live in a non-EEA country. You must have lived lawfully in the UK for at least ten years continuously in the past, or worked for the UK government for at least ten years continuously. Your spouse, civil partner and dependent children are also entitled to free NHS hospital treatment if they fall ill. They must be living with you throughout your stay in the UK

At last some true facts! If you have been living abroad you do not qualify for anything other than emergency treatment when visiting but as a UK citizen you are entitled to return to the UK at anytime and take up residency. This then immediately qualifies you for full NHS treatment - no such thing as 6 month rule (urban myth). So you just tell them you used to live abroad but live here now. So we can all return to the UK if we become seriously ill and enjoy the service we contributed to (47 years in my case).

PS we currently reside in the UK and my Thai wife has full access to the NHS and has never contributed a penny so please don't feel guilty if you've been away a long time.

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I thought you were talking about the 3.03 cal Enfield.

i think you are referring to the Lee Enfield .303 Mk 4 - it also goes like a bullet!

Good advice to always have 2 banks. I use First Direct (HSBC) and Nationwide but I also have a Caxton account with one of their International debit cards. I load the card online from my banks and use like any other card. The Thai banks still charge me 150Baht for cash withdrawals but the Caxton exchange rate is good and there are no other charges whatsoever. Nationwide used to offer free cash withdrawals abroad but that has stopped now, although they are still one of the cheapest.

My understanding for sin sots is they are only paid to the parents if your wife is a virgin. So that rules out just about everybody When the subject was mentioned by my future wife I simply pointed that under Thai culture sin sots are not generally paid if the lady has been married before or has children and as she was divorced that was the last ever mention of it - but as the Thai saying goes 'visiting farangs leave their brains at the airport'.

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I think we can also expect non imm O to be next.

 

 

Started already, I made a post yesterday about how the over 50 NON O retirement visa has been changed ...its now a Non O BUT with NON O-A requirements of all that police medical stuff

 

 

 

 

Apology's for going off topic

 

here is the email:

 

 

 

the criteria for applying has changed since last year..

 

being aged between 50 and 64 to qualify for the non-immigrant 'O' visa you must meet and provide the following...

 

1) have a regular income of over £1400 a month or a lump sum of £20,000.00 in a current account (not a savings account) previous 3 months bank statements will need to be submitted

2) a police clearance showing no convictions, cautions past or present

3) a medical certificate confirming you have no infectious diseases

 

please note we can no longer accept postal applications, you would need to contact this consulate to book an appointment for the visa

 

Regards

RTC Cardiff

 

 

This is true for the ones that are 50-65 years,    Pensioners-65 and over need only to show the last 3 bank statements that the pension is shown.

Hull consulate UK.  BUT cannot issue on the same day as before--they are now processed in London and returned to Hull, 1 working week needed.

 

You scan them and email the scans to Hull and they forward them on to London who authorise and send them back to Hull. Make an appointment with Hull and pay £10 (i think) plus visa fee for issue on the day. Just one visit. I took my friend there a few weeks ago and it took just 3 days for them to process.

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I always love when people say Thais could teach English. There are certainly fluent english speakers here, but they can command a much higher salary doing almost anything else than teaching. Having taught a number of Teacher Training camps, the 'fluency' of Thai English teachers is a major factor in Thai students scoring so low on competency tests. Also there are more than a few ESL certificates that are rigourous in their training and include observed classroom instruction and have a internationally standardized grading system. Why wouldn't these people be qualifed to teach? They would be in other countries.

I agree Grimmbro. Just because someone has partied their way thro' a media studies degree doesn't make them  'qualified' to teach English - at least the TEFL course tries to give the prospective teacher some of the skills required. The TEFL course does need standardizing tho' as my friend recently took a TEFL course in Manchester and it took just one weekend with no real classroom practice whereas my friend in Thailand took his course in Pattaya and it took 5 days with 2 of those being monitored in a real classroom.

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So I've go tot get a ticket to Northern Vietnam for the wife ?

No just get her on a Malaysian flight to China