Non-o Visa Convert To One Year At Thailand

[iammelynn]

Hello Everybody,

I am new but I read thru the forum before but I can’t find my answer yet. I’m thai women and married with English husband last year on Dec. After married my husband went back to UK to make some money and come and live here with me forever. I don’t’t want to live at UK. I like Thailand better and want to have kids over here. We don’t know that we have a lot requirement to stay at Thailand. We both are not very rich couple. We don’t want to hire agency to do the paper work for us here cos I don’t know my husband will grant thai visa or not. We have very small amount for saving 50,000 baht. I work with on line business but don’t get much money cos I sell only small stuff.

My husband will ask for non-o visa from UK but we are not sure that he will get it or not. After that we will apply for one year extension at Thai immigration. We are so afraid that they will give my husband the visa cos I don’t want my husband to take a risk that he will give up everything to come live here without knowing that he will get visa or not. I know that they required to have 40,000 baht in the account every month.

So, we come up with divorcing because it is no way that we can be together even we are love each others so much. I mean it from my heart. I’m not a thai woman that want to get out of Thailand. I like to live it here and my husband like Thailand too. I have to file the divorce paper for my husband. But we want some advice with many people about doing the Non-O visa type and convert to one year visa here. My question is

1. What is the requirement for thai immigration to apply the one year visa?

2. Do we have to show where is the money come from? Because I sell some thing online in USD and transfer to my bank account when someone buy me my item.

3. Do they get refuse to this type of visa very easy? I just want to make sure that my husband will get the visa to live here with me.

4. What we have to show them at Thai Immigration?

5. Can my husband just get multiple entry visa and go to border every month for extend?

6. What is the best way that my husband can live here with me without being the trouble?

I know asking to settle at UK is hard too. We don’t know about what we have to do or prepared for the document. What if I asked for spouse visa to go to live at UK. Is it impossible for me? I don’t think so cos we just don’t have money.

I know that we will divorce for sure cos I can’t see the say that will be easy way for us. I felt lost and very upset right now. I’m sorry if my story is confuse cos I think I’m confuse right now with my story. We don’t want to divorce yet because maybe they will have some advice from people in this forum. I just don’t want my husband come here and get refused visa from them. And I can’t apply to settle at UK for sure.

Please give me any advice or whatever is the best way for us. We just want to know the idea before we are going to divorce.

Sorry if my English is not good to understand. …..Lynn

[kriswillems]

Your husband can get a multiple entry non-immigrant -O visa in UK showing his marriage certificate and a (signed) copy of your identity card.

With this visa he can stay 3 month per time that he enters Thailand.

He needs to go to the border every 3 months (just for 1 day).

After 12 months his visa will expire and he can't use that visa anymore to enter.

At that moment he can apply for a new visa at the embassy in UK or in signapore (but there he needs 400.000 Baht on a Thai bank account) or in Malaysia.

With this new visa he has to do the same as with the first visa.

If both of you get an income of 40.000 baht/month (together) you can apply for a 1 year extention. The 40.000 baht needs to be income on which you pay tax.

If your husband is older than 50 he can stay in Thailand, showing 800.000 baht on a Thai bank account (no income required).

The last years the visa rules always got more strict and it's difficult to say what the future will bring.

Edited February 1, 2007 by kriswillems

[iammelynn]

Your husband can get a multiple entry non-immigrant -O visa in UK showing his marriage certificate and a (signed) copy of your identity card.

With this visa he can stay 3 month per time that he enters Thailand.

He needs to go to the border every 3 months (just for 1 day).

After 12 months his visa will expire and he can't use that visa anymore to enter.

At that moment he can apply for a new visa at the embassy in UK or in signapore (but there he needs 400.000 Baht on a Thai bank account) or in Malaysia.

With this new visa he has to do the same as with the first visa.

If both of you get an income of 40.000 baht/month (together) you can apply for a 1 year extention. The 40.000 baht needs to be income on which you pay tax.

If your husband is older than 50 he can stay in Thailand, showing 800.000 baht on a Thai bank account (no income required).

The last years the visa rules always got more strict and it's difficult to say what the future will bring.

Thanks kriswillems for the quick reply. My husband is 26 yo and he will reply multi entry non-o visa before coming to thailnad. After 2 mos when he got here, can he go apply to 1 year extention for himself. My worry is he will not get the 1 year extendtion. What if he failed. He have to go back to UK immediately or something. We don't know much about this stuff. thx again

[kriswillems]

Your husband can get a multiple entry non-immigrant -O visa in UK showing his marriage certificate and a (signed) copy of your identity card.

With this visa he can stay 3 month per time that he enters Thailand.

He needs to go to the border every 3 months (just for 1 day).

After 12 months his visa will expire and he can't use that visa anymore to enter.

At that moment he can apply for a new visa at the embassy in UK or in signapore (but there he needs 400.000 Baht on a Thai bank account) or in Malaysia.

With this new visa he has to do the same as with the first visa.

If both of you get an income of 40.000 baht/month (together) you can apply for a 1 year extention. The 40.000 baht needs to be income on which you pay tax.

If your husband is older than 50 he can stay in Thailand, showing 800.000 baht on a Thai bank account (no income required).

The last years the visa rules always got more strict and it's difficult to say what the future will bring.

Thanks kriswillems for the quick reply. My husband is 26 yo and he will reply multi entry non-o visa before coming to thailnad. After 2 mos when he got here, can he go apply to 1 year extention for himself. My worry is he will not get the 1 year extendtion. What if he failed. He have to go back to UK immediately or something. We don't know much about this stuff. thx again

I wouldn't apply for the one year extention until I would have a tax paper proving that you get at least 40.000/month. They will probably not accept the 40.000/month if you get it during only 1 or 2 months. 40.000/month should your average (yearly) income.

If the 1 year extention is refused he can just keep his multiple entry non-immigrant -O visa and go to the border every 3 months.

[Mahout Angrit]

My husband is 26 yo and he will reply multi entry non-o visa before coming to thailnad. After 2 mos when he got here, can he go apply to 1 year extention for himself. My worry is he will not get the 1 year extendtion. What if he failed. He have to go back to UK immediately or something. We don't know much about this stuff. thx again

If your husband gets a multiple entry NonImm O Visa he can enter Thailand as many times as he wishes for 1 year. Each time he enters he will be given 90 days to stay in Thailand. So if he enters the last time on this Visa just before the 1 year expires he will get another 90 days so in fact the Visa will give him 15 months in Thailand with 4 trips to the nearest border.

At worst he could return to Uk and get another which will be good for another 15months if you cannot afford to get the extension with B40,000 per month income. He could also trip to a neighbouring country and get a single Non Imm O Visa or tourist Visa. He will never have to leave Thailand and leave you if you are both sensible and plan ahead.

A Non Imm O visa if you are married is unlikely to be refused. An extension will not be refused if you can meet the conditions.

Do not panic, DO NOT DIVORCE, there will always be a way for him to stay with you in Thailand.

If you really did want to go to UK, dont be afraid, you DO stand a chance of getting a settlement Visa. Money in the bank is not important. Your husband must just have a job and a place for you both to stay. If you really want to live in UK come back to the "Visas for other countres forum" and ask for help

Dont consider agencies, you can do it yourself, we can help you

Edited February 1, 2007 by Mahout Angrit

[Mahout Angrit]

A Non Imm O visa if you are married is unlikely to be refused. An extension will not be refused if you can meet the conditions.

I would not be so sure.

People are still getting Non Imm O visas in Uk for "visiting friends", no evidence of funds required, I think no problem with a marriage certificate.

Hey! I am happy to see an affected Thai woman standing up here! (But sad reading about your story).

So am I, her husband has a gem

[iammelynn]

THANK YOU GUYS!! Your posting is helpful alot but I am not sure that I can't do this because of my country's rule about Farang. I know what you mean. I just came back to live in thailand almost a year so I don't know much about all the rules here. I had been out of thailand over 10 years. I just so afraid that they will rufuse my husband application anyway. No one know the answer that they will give my husband. I just don't want to see my husband be a homeless, no job, no money, or give up entire life to live here with me if they they failed him. Now, he is at UK and work for a crappy job around the neighborhood to save up money to come here. I just can't stand the fact that my husband has to work outside during the cold and he have to save up money every penny. He won't eat right and the worst thing is he won't turn the heater on. I know the bill for heater is very expensive. We are still young, we dont have much money like the others. I asked the agency and some say they are still use regulation of immigration have to show thai bank 400,000 baht. Our plan is getting divorce and if in the future we can save up some money and don't meet anyone else, we will marry again. We just dont want to hold our life with marriage paper because we can't be together. I know that I can wait for someone that I love for the rest of my life but I dont know the guy tho. I don't plan to marry again for the rest of my life. I will go live with my mom and take care of her and her business in the future. I'm just one love woman. I know that true love and fight everything but now I don't think so. THe money is the important thing, i guess. I'm crying everyday since i know that I have to divorce my husband. I don't know that what if I get pregnant here, it is gonna be easy for him to get the extension. We just don't want to divorce but I think we have too. Because I am so afraid he will fail 1 year extendsion. I don't no anybody in thailand that can help me with this. I don't know that we will use the agency to help us or not. They said they will guranteed money back or whatever. I just dont believe them they will refund money if the case is refused.

I don't know how to thanks you guys about your advice but i'm just chicken out. that's all.

Lynn

[kriswillems]

If you get 40.000 B/month and you pay taxes on it the one year extention will not be refused. If not, it will be refused. So, you already know at this moment what's going to happen. If you're self-employed: we're talking about 40.000 baht profit, not sales.

He'll get a multiple-entry non-immigrant-O visa in UK, you can also be pretty sure of that. But it's not sure he'll get a new non-immigrant-O visa in the neighbour countries in the future (after 15 months). He might need to go back to UK. At this moment Kuala Lumpur seem to be the only place in the neigbour countries where it's easy to get a multiple-entry non-immigrant-O visa.

You shouldn't expect that your husband will have an easy life in Thailand. It will be difficult for him to find a job and get a work permit and he has virtually no rights in Thailand. He will also miss everything at home just as you have been missing for so long.

Getting pregnant will not help you, Thailand only gives visas to fathers if they are older than 50.

I feel sorry for you. My wife and I are in the same situation. Her parents are getting older and her mother has a successful business. My wife is going to take over that business in the middle of the year. I have no other possibility than following her and I already know that life will be hard for me over there, partly because of the absurd Thai visa regulations. I've saved some money and I will return to my country when I find no solution for the visa runs, even if that would mean that my wife would not folllow me. I love my wife but I don't want to be treated like a dog for the rest of my life.

Edited February 1, 2007 by kriswillems

[Mahout Angrit]

You dont say what your husband intends to do to earn money in Thailand. It will be very difficult for him to find a job, get a work permit and earn (together with you) more than B40,000 per month in Thailand.

If he intends to spend 3 months in UK to earn good money then come to Thailand for 9 months and live with you on the money he earned in UK then he can probably do that for a number of years to come. (things change, they always do in Thailand but the rules around applying for tourist and Non Imm visas haven't).

Dont give up, if you want to be together you will be somewhere, somehow.

....and dont believe any agency that can guarantee you success or will give you the money back. You can get all the advice (and correct advice) from these forums.

Edited February 2, 2007 by Mahout Angrit

[Sunbelt Asia]

I asked the agency and some say they are still use regulation of immigration have to show thai bank 400,000 baht.

Immigration can only use the 400K in the bank criteria, if your husband had the extension of stay based on marriage before Oct 1st 2006.

Best bet is for him to get a one year multi entry visa in the UK.

What kind of work does your husband do in the UK ?

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

[iammelynn]

You dont say what your husband intends to do to earn money in Thailand. It will be very difficult for him to find a job, get a work permit and earn (together with you) more than B40,000 per month in Thailand.

Thanks for your info. I don't have a regular job overhere because I sell some stuff on ebay, ioffer, yahoo auction and it is make good money for me to live here. I make only 20,000-30,000 baht a month because I only need just cover all my expense. My husband and me plan that we can sell more stuff on ebay to get more money. I don't know that do I have to pay tax to the thai government at this point or not. I don't know anything about tax thing cos we just sell stuff online. I used all my address at USA to sell there and sent the item from here. That's why I don't know that who I need to pay the tax for.

----Does he need a work permit after he is stay at thailand or before coming to thailand?

----Can he do the online business with me like family business? cos right now he gave money for me to buy more stuff to sell. I don't know this online job is allow or not. If I say that I do online job, what will happen to us. I kinda lost about this. just don't know how to start.

I don't want to give up yet. We love each other and want to be together forever. But everything is so hard for us cos we don't have saving money and a regular job. I'm just thinking that maybe we can move to stay at Laos if they have easy requirement for us but I don't know much about Laos.

I'm so sure these forum is the best helper. Thank you!!! =)

[wadsy]

A Non Imm O visa if you are married is unlikely to be refused. An extension will not be refused if you can meet the conditions.

I would not be so sure.

Clearly they want to see money (and taxes).

And since 01/10/2006, they want to see the sort of income that an average young Thai couple could only dream of!

Permanent stay on continuous "back to back" multiple entry visa is ABUSE of the system.

(Expect more doors to close in the future here too).

BUT DO NOT DIVORCE simply because your government is xenophobic (and insecure economically/politically).

They will no doubt face a lot of pressure from Farang spouses and parents (and hopefully their Thai families) when they seriously restrist issuance of NON-O visas.

(They are only at the the "level" of Visa-free entries for now).

Hey! I am happy to see an affected Thai woman standing up here! (But sad reading about your story).

Gee, just where do you get the information that permanent stay on 'back to back' multiple entry visa's are an abuse of the system? From my reading of the regulations it is perfectly legal and acceptable to leave every 90 days and then return and stay another 90 days irespective of how long the break is in between staying in another country, be it one day or one hundred days................. Whats your problem? Sounds like Chicken Little.......... the sky is falling....................

[iammelynn]

Immigration can only use the 400K in the bank criteria, if your husband had the extension of stay based on marriage before Oct 1st 2006.

Best bet is for him to get a one year multi entry visa in the UK.

What kind of work does your husband do in the UK ?

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

Thanks!! He will do the extension of stay based on marriage after Oct 1st 2006. He doesn't has a rugular job now, he just work around his neighbor to get money. He have the rugular job that start on March (artificail plants).

[kriswillems]

Does your husband have any special skills that could be used in Thailand? Teaching skills? Special education?

Can he speak thai?

Did he ever life in Thailand before?

Does your husband know anyone in Thailand that could give him a job?

I see only a few possible solutions, but whatever solution you take, your husband should always start with applying for a multiple-entry-non-immigrant-O visa.

1. your husband finds a job there, you pay taxes and both of you get 40.000 baht/month. You'll be paying between 25000 and 32000 baht tax (depending how the income is divided by the 2 of you). He'll get a 1 year extention.

2. You claim that you get 40.000 B/month and pay taxes on that (even if you don't really get 40.000 per month). You'll be paying 32.000 baht per year tax. He'll get a 1 year extention.

3. Your husband gets some income from UK and together with your income that's 40.000/month. You'll be paying around 25000 to 32000 baht per year tax (depending how the income is divided by the 2 of you). He'll get a one year extention.

4. Your husband has some saving money and gets interest on that. Together with your income it's 40.000/month. You'll be paying 25000 to 32000 baht per year tax (depending how the income is divided by the 2 of you). He'll get a one year extention.

5. You or your husband get income from rent (of property), or you claim that you get a certain income from rent (you might claim more than you actually get). Together with your income is 40000/month. You'll be paying 25000 to 32000 baht tax per year (depending how the income is divided by the 2 of you). He'll get a 1 year extention.

6. Your husband just uses the non-immigrant-O visa and keeps on doing visa runs until one of the other solutions can be used. He'll be paying upto 40.000 baht per year on visas and travel expenses.

Edited February 2, 2007 by kriswillems

[papakapbaan]

Gee, just where do you get the information that permanent stay on 'back to back' multiple entry visa's are an abuse of the system? From my reading of the regulations it is perfectly legal and acceptable to leave every 90 days and then return and stay another 90 days irespective of how long the break is in between staying in another country, be it one day or one hundred days................. Whats your problem? Sounds like Chicken Little.......... the sky is falling....................

You are right. The sky is not falling.

A lot of doors are being closed, simply.

It is perfectly fine (legal) to stay permanently on continuous 90 day permits to stay (multiple entry Non-Imm. visa).

Just like it WAS perfectly fine (and legal) to stay permanently on 30 day visa-free entries before 10/2006.

So... It's perfecty legal... until it's not anymore.

Obvious statement maybe. But look at what happened to 30 day visa-free entries and look at the odds of it happening with tourist visas and then with Non-Immigrant visas... Only a matter of time, actually.

Permanent stay = annual extension in country.

The rest is basically the same abuse of the system (legal ways but nonetheless abuse).

(Let me add: Tolerated and even, I believe, encouraged to some extend: they keep you revolving around, gravitating to them as long as they accept it).

Also: It's all a question of perspective. With family here (or business) you normally feel you need/want more/better than perpetual 90 day permits to stay.

(Sorry, another obvious remark?).

Edited February 3, 2007 by papakapbaan

[Mahout Angrit]

So... It's perfecty legal... until it's not anymore.

Obvious statement maybe. But look at what happened to 30 day visa-free entries and look at the odds of it happening with tourist visas and then with Non-Immigrant visas... Only a matter of time, actually.

I wonder........as far as I understand the restriction on the visa free entry was so that immigration can control and regulate who comes and goes, should they so wish. By forcing long term stayers to apply for visas they know who is in Thailand. They have denied there is any intention to restrict entry by visa. I do agree that with nearby consulates setting their own rules and limiting the issue of some visas does give cause for concern but it's been inconsistant on that front long before 1st October.

[Maestro]

Permanent stay = annual extension in country.

The rest is basically the same abuse of the system (legal ways but nonetheless abuse).

(Let me add: Tolerated and even, I believe, encouraged to some extend: they keep you revolving around, gravitating to them as long as they accept it).

I see some practical advice in what papakapbaan says.

In business, it is common to establish a worst-case scenario but we rarely do so in private life. After all, who wants to think about his own life like a commercial business?

I bet there are many who would have qualified for annual extension under the old rules and, where the rules changed, might now be allowed to continue extending under the old rules but, for the lack of a worst-case scenario – and I admit that I never made one for myself – did not do so. The lesson to be learnt from the sudden change of rules in October, as I see it, is that if you have family, plan to live long-term in Thailand and qualify for annual extensions under the current rules but have not yet applied, go and do this application now.

From reading this forum we know that is true that it is practically impossible now to get a tourist visa valid for more than one entry in a neighbouring country, and it is true that very few consulates in the region – Singapore and Kuala Lumpur come to mind – still issue multiple non-O visas for visiting family but fears abound that these may also stop them soon.

While the picture painted by papakapbaan does indeed look very bleak, as a worst-case scenario it is certainly valid, and the rule changes last October for the Immigration Bureau and restrictions by consulates in the region have shown how quickly and unexpectedly things can change for the worse.

--

Maestro

[papakapbaan]

So... It's perfecty legal... until it's not anymore.

Obvious statement maybe. But look at what happened to 30 day visa-free entries and look at the odds of it happening with tourist visas and then with Non-Immigrant visas... Only a matter of time, actually.

I wonder........as far as I understand the restriction on the visa free entry was so that immigration can control and regulate who comes and goes, should they so wish. By forcing long term stayers to apply for visas they know who is in Thailand. They have denied there is any intention to restrict entry by visa. I do agree that with nearby consulates setting their own rules and limiting the issue of some visas does give cause for concern but it's been inconsistant on that front long before 1st October.

Yes, better control (the offical version) together with more income from the "sale" of more visas (the optimistic view).

Contradicted by the bigger picture of an insecure country (its ruling classes) where foreigners are not welcome as long term residents.

(Interestingly, you yourself raise doubts....... hehehe)

[papakapbaan]

The lesson to be learnt from the sudden change of rules in October, as I see it, is that if you have family, plan to live long-term in Thailand and qualify for annual extensions under the current rules but have not yet applied, go and do this application now.

Maestro is very right.

If you are lucky to still fall in any category eligible for annual extension of stay, do your extension RIGHT NOW.

Besides the obvious further increases to financial requirements (they WILL increase and probably quick), you can imagine anything and *everything*.

Ex: There is a geriatric paradigm here to favour the "over 50" - but not every country in the world, far from that, has visa for retirees.

It may be a good idea to realize/keep in mind that long term residents are simply NOT welcome here.

-Spouses

-Parents

-Small and medium entrerprises

-Possibly even retirees in the future.

Basically you are not welcome.

Welcome here are:

-Tourists (for as long as they spend like tourists)

-Experts (for as long as they are needed)

-Investors (of the BOI level only - and they don't need to live here: cf. No more "investor visa").

-Retirees, only to some extend.

Do your extension RIGHT NOW also because you have very good chances to be "grandfathered" in the rules later when they raise the bar again and you don't meet a new criteria.

(You must give them credit when deserved. They have a lot of "grandfathering" clauses - apparently applied)

[Maestro]

Welcome here are:

...

-Retirees, only to some extend.

The word “retirees” brings us a little off topic but as I see it is in fact the retirees who have fared best through all the rule changes. The only basic restriction to obtain an annual extension is age, and the minimum age has been lowered over the years. When the amount of money to be shown in the bank was increased, retirees who already were on annual extension were “grandfathered”, i.e. were allowed to continue with annual extensions based on the lower amount specified in the old rules.

To the OP: you know now the requirements for your husband to apply for an annual extension based on marriage, and I wish him success in meeting these requirements.

Time to close the topic, I think.

--

Maestro