bangkokburning

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Any doctor going to touch my face would be the best money can buy.

BKK!

I think what they are simply stating as mentioned above. Students cant work because they have no permit. You are essentially working on a valid permit - and taking a bit of school. I dont see an issue in your case.

My 2b

Put b300 in an envelope

OOOH I thought you said 300 not 3000.

That puts the cop in a really greasy position of asking or demanding more.Even more venal than the first go.

Then say if it happens (and you already have the stamp). We dont have it but will see what we can do (never).

Next year get your visa outside Thailand, you know what they are willing and capable of. They can demand sn annual visit and loads of other hassles.

Id never do a marriage extension, but if I had to it would only be in BKK or PTY.

The story above illuminates the problem at its core. They are just winging it! That is a keeper for the memory bank.

Would suggest you gather your kids paperworkn and head off to Savan consulate. Met a guy on my visa run who scored 1yr visa based on his spawn.

Hotels have always been expensive in YGN. About 50% above same value in Thailand. AC room minimum us17-25 dollars.

I do not know about traveling wo passport. As I recall, they wanted ours on) the bus north. The times before (early 90s ) cant recall either.

Hotels will want your pp although I dont recall them asking to see it, we copied or provided details.

Why wouldnt you want to spend five days in Yangon and go up to Pagan anyway? Whats the rush. Lovely country and people.

It's not random at all. We simply are not privilaged to all goings ons behind the scenes.

The board does have a fairly good grasp of what is needed for these visa catagories. Of course, if there are issues like mistakes, omission, lies, bad interview...

From my experience where the common wisdom fails here is thinking that a it is not possible for average Thai to obtain visas. That huge sums and stellar jobs are required. Or even a bf with a job in Thailand. Character does play a big part. In the end, will s/he return from their HOLIDAY or visit?

Would like to clarify dboyz and craig. These are the types of K visas that will be accepted and have good chances of sucess. Let's look at Craig and the OP.

Craig: met the love of his life and after nearly a year decided they wanted to be in the US. He could have stayed on, done the two years, maybe never even leave. He removed himself from a life of leisure to go back and take "a job". He remained in contact with his gf and they worked together to make it happen. Committment, longevity, determination all this means and shiws love and caring. Same with dboyz example. Met in Thailand, lived together, this is so paramount - in Thailand. They have a relationship!

Meeting a person on the Internet, coming to Thailand to hang out for awhile and spend a few months with said person. That is merely the beginning of a relationship. Clearly. Now, in Ireland they might swallow it - but how many of these Internet based "loves" do you think USCIS sees out of BKK?

Finally, I would add to dboyz point 4: There are all sorts of minimum requirements, but without context it is an unknown. Fir instance maybe meeting your Hmong fiance 1x in Lao is minimum for some poor son of refugee living on a farm in South Carolina. But native born white guy from suburbia wanting to marry his Internet heart throb from Buriram. Not so much...

Done.

Calamine lotion is widely available but full of alcohol and low level of calamine.

Yes, I can tell you from experience that you will have problems. I just to be pretty footloose and while I was never disallowed entry, Ive been processed with my share of passive aggressive hassles. That is only utilizing the 14day in between visas.

If you look like Derp, not Dash Riprock

If you have a string of 14day stamps

If your pp is full of Thai/insert neighbor country here

Youre gonna have a bad time

As per Post #7 Page 1: He works in The US. Has his own business with family in the US, which he works for as well.

My humble best suggestion: Have him set up a family company subsidiary in Thailand.

That has to be about THE most stupid action I have ever heard suggested in order for someone to obtain a tourist visa fir a girlfriend. That would accomplish nothing and if any taxes were written off might even set the person up for tax fraud as what you are suggesting is some bs company here in Thailand which business is????

The issue is not him perse and not his great job. The problem is:

Fresh "relationship" of a few months. They have spent a few months together. So what? This is nothing to base a visitor visa on let alone a marriage visa.

Woman is student, lacks employment, employment record, job guarantee letter, bank account, passport showing evidence of return.

Wow, that is a dumb idea...

Hey Dad....met this chick from Thailand on the Internet. I went over and spent two months with her. We are in looooooove and want to marry. Derp on the Internet suggested we set up.a shell corporation so I could.....I could...well, not sure why pop. But Derp thought in a brainstorm.

Not to belabor, but I recall reading on the InternetS VJ and other sites that K1 from Thailand almost always rejected due to high rates of potential fraud and large numbers of dumbasses.

Please feel free to google it yourself.

I recall this while researching potentially bringing the wife back to states.

I think a marriage visa would be denied outright given they have only spent two months together and were wed. It smacks of genuine desperation, stupidity. At least a K1 they have 90 days of additional living together to decide to wed.

Yeah, met this chick on the Internet. Spent two months with her, we decided to marry. Shes the only one in the world for me.

If they reject, and they will - now the op is married. What a load of hassles and even possible legal issues. What if she demands 250k for a divorce?

IR1 only granted for marriages 2+ years so you are wrong on that count DB. Not an option.

CR1 applying from states, non DCF hah about two years plus all the hassles of her lack of English and dealing with the paperwork with her in Thai and he in USA. Not saying it cant be done but for a woman you have spent two months with?

Only option is K1 visa. Still he will have to show the relationship is legit. The shorter the time together, the longer the distance the more iffy it all looks - and is.

But again this is sll fraud as op stated wishes a visa for friends visit. There is no.marriage intent.

No sense in discussing what she will need to apply. Like I said only reason a student has to return is if the are in a professional degree in grad school. Even then its dicey. I know 2 or 3 wifes friends graduated as doctors, lawyers now housewives. A few more stopped study, was not worth the headache for the small money in Thailand.

I'm finding that Thailand is not so cheap these days. I'm not far from what I was paying to live in the USA now once I balance all expenses out at the end of the month. If things continue to rise I will rethink my long term strategy. There many advantages to living here, but slowly a lot of them are losing their luster.

Inflation rates. 2012

Us 1.8% UK 2.7 Australia 2.0% Thailand 3.2% I don't think 1 percent is really going to make much difference.

Wrong. The difference between two and three percent is 50% more inflation. 3.2 (perhaps really nearly 4%) is some serious inflation especially yoy.

5% inflation yoy for a few years coupled with 10% strengthening of thb against major fx and you will see legions of farang running for the doors.

Thailand has huge inflation pressures on it. Everyone is underpaid, food is underpriced, services are kept down because Thai simply cant afford service. It is this magic formula of exploitation that makes Thailand such a foreigners paradise in addition to agrocultural businesses with world class economies of scale.

Thais are often expected to work long hours for no extra pay. In fact, this is standard for low rnd management jobs in us as well. They make you a "supervisor" on salary then give you an extra ten hours lowering you pph by 25%.

My wife works an extra ten hoursva week easy. Im bullshit over it, but its not like she has other options. She has staked her claim at this company and it is not easy for Thai gen office workers to start over. Hell, she does not even have FTE status yet - this year we hope.

So suck it up if you want to work hete and stop being such a drama queen. You are not teaching English <deleted>.

In the end it could be as expensive as Dubai and all the single sociopaths wouldnt go back. The answer to it all is not money - but floozies. Most farang men in Thailand wouldn't get the time of day from a woman outside this country.

I've come to the conclusion it is still way cheaper in Thailand based on minimum lifestyle I would have in states or Thailand. Apples Apples is absurd.

I can tell you stellar house in a nice part of ruralish USA vs some box of crap in Samui or Phuket or BKK (6m).

Cant own land, business or even work on the Internet technically.

Seems Thai bureaucracy loves to make it as difficult as possible.

Decent schools for kids are private and $$$$

There are very good reasons to return if you have a solid marriage, esp if yiu have kids.

Most single men will stay though. Even I dont want to "date" women anywhere near my age. If they have not already fallen apart, they are bitter if not those two then they are out of my league as I am not interested in buying them all sorts of bs to fill their empty heads and lives.

The 40+ women in FL and CA are really toooooo much.

90% of this in states is a scam, imagine 110% in Thailand. Why would a company need a farang to mystery shop? Thailand I find has great service. In fact, I have expat friends visiting from their homebase in Himachal India. They looooove the service here. So it just sounds like another scam. Lets see...it involves you paying a fee to get started right? Does it come with a wp?

First, I must call fraud - initially, the post is about getting "his" Thai "girl" back for a visit. Next thing you know the notion of marriage is being tossed around. Is it a visit or marriage?!

Ah, meeting on the Internet...well, at least he had come here and spent some time with her.

If they are contemplating marriage, I see all sorts of hurdles for the relationship and so will immigration.

She has almost no chance for a B visa without a solid job or perhaps if she was in middle of professional grad school.

The only route I see is K1. You cannot DCF here without living in Thailand min six months AND hold nonimm visa.

Therefore, only route for the two lovebirds is the K1.

Marrying a person you have only spent two months with is insane. Just want to point that out, doesn't seem to be clear -because meeting a foriegner on the Internet isn't crazy enough already.

Im heading to my secret spot in a few weeks - for a few weeks. Train overnight, minibus and speedboat. The, camping two weeks. If you want the last and best Thailand has to offer, you have to work for it.

If you can pay a more, Im tossing out Koh Kood as well - just dont bother with the south for three days even if that includes two addl days transit. You want to go to Trat.

Nor would they return Scott. Education was never a priority for them. They always scoffed at it, a stupid piece of paper....If they did return, it is obviously for - a piece of paper. I think it really says it all. Many of these guys would be selling time shares or working boiler rooms if they could.

Being drunk in public, in the daytime no less, driving - pretty poor form.

From what I see, three types of teachers:

People for whatever reason made TEFL a career. They have the papers and are as legit as any teacher in west.

This is coming from a guy who only has a BA mind you... The BA is the new high school diploma. Standards are so low in HS that in order to evidence you have an education, you need a BA. In fact, widely thought now BA such low standard that its really an MA.

Lots of smart people making big money - high school drop outs. Making money and obtaining an education are in general two separate things. Studying Business does not mean you are educated. You are just educated in business.

Persons with degrees that have found themselves here, are competent to teach conversational English based on NES and education and classroom experience. Would an AA cut it? IMO perhaps, then the bar is so low now, all sorts of flunkies have one.

Finally, the punters...guys that wash up here. In this case some pull it off and some are trainwrecks.

The stories about all the losers, crazies, drunks...these are not stories about educated people in the vast majority of situations. Guaranteed.

Well, if you cant handle the minivans not many options left for you. Im sure you will find the motorcycle ride from Phuket to the border far safer than a few hours in those minivans.

I honestly don't know where people book these vans that they have so many problems. Seems to me the bigger problem is living in Phuket.

In the end Penang has burned a bridge to such extent no one bothers. So it appears know one knows. Personally, Ive been insulted there and wont return.

There's always KB, you can continue on your bike there or maybe KL - I mean, so brilliant to take a bike all the way down there scrounging a quick visa based on no evidence they will do the deal for you.

Flippancy aside, if your paperwork includes b400k bank account as opposed to 100k then it might be worth a gamble.

You can always continue on to KL...buses leave from Komtar and B'worth hourly, bbout 330myr

2013 marks my first trip.to East Asia. By end of year I was living out of a bag backpacking the region for next decade. Signed, the guy who hasnt been here that long.

Im not UK citizen but in US Id recommend...

Packet of paperwork that shows she has a reason to return

Most important - job guarantee fron work upon return also stating length of employment if impressive, if not of few yrs at least maybe that is better left off.

Papers on condo, car, motorcycle

Bankbooks

Photos of both of you together ganged on two sheets of paper.

Itinerary of what she will do in UK. IMO far more likey to approve if this is holiday and cultural trip as opposed to sitting around some crappy pub in East London.

Interview - have her take YOUR passport

My hunch is 90% of the losers mentioned do not have a university degree, if they do its from a marginal school and they were marginal students.

So you are in some backwater in Issan (quality you eh?) and you've run across some other losers at the end of the world....Im shocked!

Buy a bottle of JW Black if you want to make an impression but honestly, bottle of Red is plenty and shows you are not flash w/ cash. Either way, better than what the fools are swilling upcountry anyway.

Ive found my father in law actually has yakrn a shine to bourbon. So its sort of nice to bring "American" whiskey back as its an American gift. Just say...same like Jack Daniels ☺

Booze is not always cheaper in stores in US than Thai DF, depends on state.

Why does everyone have to fly everywhere?!

Based on the fact you (not me) are ok with Lanta, I am going to second Phayam. Koh Tao ferry is a hassle and you are looking at storms this time of year. Pretty crap beaches as well. Back side of island has no beaches.

Sine you think Lanta is a hassle (snd for three days I agree) , wont bother with any better recommendations but for three days...Id be looking at Koh Chang in Trat. Three days for an island is madness.

Just go have a look, its only b1150ow by train and thats from bkk. Gh cheap as 200b.