Hi all. You answered my last 2 questions very well, but my overactive mind came up with another unusual scenario. I am the 46 year young american moving to Bangkok next year to marry the Thai lady who has a good job. My question is twofold with a followup (as the journalists like to say) :

A. I get a job with a multinational before I move there to marry (in Bangkok) and they provide me with a Non-Immigrant-B visa. Should I change it to Non-Immigrant-O after my marriage??

B. I go to Bangkok, get married, get a Non-Immigrant-O visa, then find a good job that offers me a Non-Immigrant-B visa. Should I switch to a B or keep the O??

I would guess that I keep whatever I get first and worry about the rest later. BUT in either case, it seems I need the Non-Imm-O to start the 3 year count for a PR. Or will a Non-Imm-B count toward the 3 years needed for a PR?

Thanks in advance for your opinions.

ragtime3

Once you are married to a Thai you can get a work permit on an O class visa. The B visa does accumulate time towards eligibility for PR once you extend it at Thai Immigration and you need a work permit to do that extension.

You will basically be entering Thailand on an initial 90 day non-resident entry permit, issued against one or the other non-immigrant visa. If you will then seek to obtain a long-term extension of this visa on the basis of employment here, you will simply be "extending a non-immigrant visa on the basis of employment" - and Immigration does not care what sort of non-immigrant visa you have, as long as it is not "retirement".

Extension of a non-immigrant entry permit on the basis of employment can only be accomplished if your employer qualifies - and there are three main requirements:

1) For each foreigner employed with work permit, company must have 2,000,000 baht in paid-in capital

2) For each foreigner employed with work permit, company must have 4 Thai employees.

3) Employee receiving extension must be paying taxes on a qualifying salary,which will be 50,000 baht per month for Europeans, 60,0000 baht per month for Japanese and North Americans

With an entry permit issued against a Class O visa, you also have the option of obtaining a long-term extension of this entry permit based on demonstrating sufficient funds in the bank - 400,000 baht (starting in July). If you arrive, transfer 400,000 baht from overseas into a Thai bank account established IN YOUR NAME ONLY,then you can apply for an extended entry permit on the basis of supporting your Thai wife. This typically takes 40 days to come back approved. You can then apply for a long-term work permit, to match the entry permit period - and the Labor Ministry people do not care about paid-in capital, or number of Thai employees, or your salary level -as long as you pay at least 18,000 baht in annual personal income tax (equating to about a 30,000 baht per month salary).

So - the hidden trick to all this is that your main challenge is to get a long-term entry permit - which can then support a long-term work permit. Unless you do this, everything stops 90 days after you enter Thailand - you have to leave the country, reenter, and start all over again - with no credit toward your 3-year residency.

It is quicker and easier to get an extension against a Class O entry permit - if you can afford to place 400,000 baht into bank. Once you have that extension, getting work permit is easy - you just need an employer.

Getting an extension of a Class B entry permit takes 10 weeks (vs 6 weeks for Class O), and brings in the other three factors - paid-in capital, Thai employee head count, and minimum salary. Then - once the long-term extension is issued, you can obtain a long-term work permit to match - same as with Class O process.

Good luck!

Steve Sykes

Managing Director

Indo-Siam Group

Bangkok

[email protected]

www.thaistartup.com

If you arrive, transfer 400,000 baht from overseas into a Thai bank account established IN YOUR NAME ONLY,then you can apply for an extended entry permit on the basis of supporting your Thai wife.

The account can be a joint account with your wife.

If you arrive, transfer 400,000 baht from overseas into a Thai bank account established IN YOUR NAME ONLY,then you can apply for an extended entry permit on the basis of supporting your Thai wife.

The account can be a joint account with your wife.

That is true Lop.

Thanks ! You have all been very helpful. My stress level about moving to Bangkok is nil and now I am looking forward to the move.

Of course I will be around in here until my move next year. I will post my immigration experiences for those who care to know of them.

ragtime3

Good upon you Ragtime. I hope that it all goes well for you.