Does Being Married To A Thai Woman Facilitate Visa Process

[Pepe']

Still want to retire in Thailand, I think. Getting divorced here but not planning to file divorce in Thailand.

So far it's all been pretty amicable and we still talking about to go to Thailand to do business together.

We've always been better business partners despite the marital problems.

How much easier does it make it to stay in Thailand married to a Thai as opposed to not being married at

55 years old.

What's the bottom line?

PS Does getting divorced in the US automatically end the Thailand marriage as well.

Thanks in advance...

[Maestro]

How much easier does it make it to stay in Thailand married to a Thai as opposed to not being married at 55 years old.

Application for a non-O visa (at a Thai consulate) and subsequent application for extension of stay (at an immigration office in Thailand) is easier for “retirement” retirement than for “living with Thai wife”.

Thai wife:

Visa application: need marriage certificate, at some consulates also copy of wife’s ID card. Purpose of visit: “visit family”

Extension application: marriage certificate, wife’s ID card, presence of wife for interview, evidence of living together (unannounced visit by immigration officer), evidence of minimum 40,000 Baht monthly family income. Reason for extension: “live with Thai wife”

Retirement:

Visa application: evidence of age over 50 (passport). Purpose of visit: “explore retirement possibility”

Extension application: evidence of age over 50 (passport). 800,000 Baht in the bank or monthly income (pension, etc.) of minimum 65,000 Baht or a combination of both. Reason for extension: “retirement”

Important difference: with extension for living with Thai wife there is usually no problem obtaining a work permit if requirements are met, with extension for retirement the Labour Department reportedly does not like to issue a work permit.

Does getting divorced in the US automatically end the Thailand marriage as well.

You are married or you are unmarried (divorced) regardless where you are in the world. If you get divorced in a US court it is probably possible to pretend in Thailand that you are still married but you would commit a criminal offense if you signed documents (visa application, application for extension of stay) under such pretense and sooner or later you would be found out and most likely sent to prison. By all accounts, Thai prisons are not pleasant.

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Maestro

[Pepe']

How much easier does it make it to stay in Thailand married to a Thai as opposed to not being married at 55 years old.

Application for a non-O visa (at a Thai consulate) and subsequent application for extension of stay (at an immigration office in Thailand) is easier for “retirement” retirement than for “living with Thai wife”.

Thai wife:

Visa application: need marriage certificate, at some consulates also copy of wife’s ID card. Purpose of visit: “visit family”

Extension application: marriage certificate, wife’s ID card, presence of wife for interview, evidence of living together (unannounced visit by immigration officer), evidence of minimum 40,000 Baht monthly family income. Reason for extension: “live with Thai wife”

Retirement:

Visa application: evidence of age over 50 (passport). Purpose of visit: “explore retirement possibility”

Extension application: evidence of age over 50 (passport). 800,000 Baht in the bank or monthly income (pension, etc.) of minimum 65,000 Baht or a combination of both. Reason for extension: “retirement”

Important difference: with extension for living with Thai wife there is usually no problem obtaining a work permit if requirements are met, with extension for retirement the Labour Department reportedly does not like to issue a work permit.

Does getting divorced in the US automatically end the Thailand marriage as well.

You are married or you are unmarried (divorced) regardless where you are in the world. If you get divorced in a US court it is probably possible to pretend in Thailand that you are still married but you would commit a criminal offense if you signed documents (visa application, application for extension of stay) under such pretense and sooner or later you would be found out and most likely sent to prison. By all accounts, Thai prisons are not pleasant.

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Maestro

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Hi Maestro,

Really appreciate your quick reply. The info is clear and seems to take out the guess work.

One more question 800,000 Bhat is roughly equal to 23,000 US dollars. That's all I would have to do is to maintain that amount in a Thai bank?

I already have an account.

Doe's it matter if I bring in chunks of $10,000 or less in cash or are bank transfers what they want to see?

Again thanks in advance...

[Maestro]

Pepe, at the time of application for annual extension for retirement, your savings account book must show that during the preceding 3 months the balance was never below 800k, and you must give Immigration a letter from your bank, not older than 5 days, confirming your balance. With all requirements met, approval of your extension should be immediate and you can then start drawing the balance of your account below 800k.

At least 3 months before your next application for annual extension, you must top up your account to be again above 800k and maintain that minimum balance until application for extension and approval. It’s as simple as that...unless and until the rules change again.

If you and your wife are interested in reading the full text of the current rules, the English translation is here, the original Thai text here. See paragraph 7.17, clause (6) for extension based on marriage, paragraph 7.21 for retirement. Another English translation, made by a law firm, is here.

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Maestro

[dr_Pat_Pong]

How much easier does it make it to stay in Thailand married to a Thai as opposed to not being married at 55 years old.

Application for a non-O visa (at a Thai consulate) and subsequent application for extension of stay (at an immigration office in Thailand) is easier for “retirement” retirement than for “living with Thai wife”.

Thai wife:

Visa application: need marriage certificate, at some consulates also copy of wife’s ID card. Purpose of visit: “visit family”

Extension application: marriage certificate, wife’s ID card, presence of wife for interview, evidence of living together (unannounced visit by immigration officer), evidence of minimum 40,000 Baht monthly family income. Reason for extension: “live with Thai wife”

Retirement:

Visa application: evidence of age over 50 (passport). Purpose of visit: “explore retirement possibility”

Extension application: evidence of age over 50 (passport). 800,000 Baht in the bank or monthly income (pension, etc.) of minimum 65,000 Baht or a combination of both. Reason for extension: “retirement”

Important difference: with extension for living with Thai wife there is usually no problem obtaining a work permit if requirements are met, with extension for retirement the Labour Department reportedly does not like to issue a work permit.

Does getting divorced in the US automatically end the Thailand marriage as well.

You are married or you are unmarried (divorced) regardless where you are in the world. If you get divorced in a US court it is probably possible to pretend in Thailand that you are still married but you would commit a criminal offense if you signed documents (visa application, application for extension of stay) under such pretense and sooner or later you would be found out and most likely sent to prison. By all accounts, Thai prisons are not pleasant.

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Maestro

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Hi Maestro,

Really appreciate your quick reply. The info is clear and seems to take out the guess work.

One more question 800,000 Bhat is roughly equal to 23,000 US dollars. That's all I would have to do is to maintain that amount in a Thai bank?

I already have an account.

Doe's it matter if I bring in chunks of $10,000 or less in cash or are bank transfers what they want to see?

Again thanks in advance...

Hi Pepe

Immigration want to see the money coming from abroad, so tranfer funds from your bank there to your bank in Thailand. Keep all and every remittance below $20,000 USD.

[Pepe']

Hi Doc,

Long time no chat.

Thanks for the info but I was thinking that I had to keep transactions under $10,000 to be "smoother."

Good health,

Pepe'

[Maestro]

I was thinking that I had to keep transactions under $10,000 to be "smoother."

For Thailand, the “smoothness” threshold is USD 20,000. For the US side, I have seen no problems reported even for higher amounts. Of course, your US bank’s computer probably reports transactions to some Federal agency but you can never be sure what criteria, e.g. what minimum amount, is used.

It is customary nowadays, and many banks require it, to indicate the purpose of the remittance. This information goes into the field “message for beneficiary”. In your case you will probably write “personal expenses”.

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Maestro

[Pepe']

Thanks Maestro,

Thanks for your continued input.

Good Health,

Pepe'

[Maestro]

Thanks

De nada.

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Maestro

[Badbanker]

I was thinking that I had to keep transactions under $10,000 to be "smoother."

For Thailand, the "smoothness" threshold is USD 20,000. For the US side, I have seen no problems reported even for higher amounts. Of course, your US bank's computer probably reports transactions to some Federal agency but you can never be sure what criteria, e.g. what minimum amount, is used.

It is customary nowadays, and many banks require it, to indicate the purpose of the remittance. This information goes into the field "message for beneficiary". In your case you will probably write "personal expenses".

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Maestro

From the USA anything over USD10,000 is flagged and looked at more closely to ascertain if the source of funds are legitimate.  If you made a large cash deposit in your bank with funny white powder on some of the bills, the US Department of Justice WILL take an interest in you;)

If, as I imagine it is really just personal funds but you don't wish to raise any flags in the banking system, you could do three smaller transfers of say USD 8-9,500 to get the requisite 800,000 baht into your bank in Thailand.

Some of you may think this is an unimportant issue.  As a bad banker I can assure you that you are being watched when you transfer money out of the USA to Asia.

Remember that if you do bring in over USD cash 10,000 into Thailand you are required to declare.  This is not a problem but it must be done or you can and will have problems if you want to take it out again.

Depositing more than 2 million baht undocumented cash into your account in Thailand will also have to get Bank of Thailand approval.

The facts from a

Badbanker

[lopburi3]

Actually believe the amounts can be much lower than $10,000 as if I recall correctly it was about $4,000 in South Florida about 15 years ago due to the drug money in that area. It is not that you can't do it but believe special paperwork has to be prepared by the bank and banks don't like to make extra work for themselves.

[Badbanker]

Actually believe the amounts can be much lower than $10,000 as if I recall correctly it was about $4,000 in South Florida about 15 years ago due to the drug money in that area. It is not that you can't do it but believe special paperwork has to be prepared by the bank and banks don't like to make extra work for themselves.

I transfered 8k euro from Florida to Amsterdam 6 months ago and no hoops to jump through.  All the money was legit in nature and purpose and the bank knew!

Badbanker

[astral]

My!! You Americans are paranoid.

I just tell by Channel Islands bank the money is for living expenses

and off it goes.

[Pepe']

We have wired up to $40,000 from personal accounts here in San Diego for "loans" to my wifes mom. Perfectly legit. However any transaction over$10,000 is AUTOMATICALLY REPORTED TO THE IRS.

[Ricohoc]

Great info, maestro!

Can you tell me the length of time granted for the extensions of stay?

Thanks in advance!

[Maestro]

Can you tell me the length of time granted for the extensions of stay?

The form TM.7 asks you for how many days’ extension you wish to apply. The maximum available is one year, so you write 365 days or 366 days (leap year)

See here for application forms. Once on annual extension, you also need TM.8 if you plan to travel during the extension period.

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Maestro

[Ricohoc]

Appreciate the info and the downloads, my friend. Very informative!

Thank you!

Can you tell me the length of time granted for the extensions of stay?

The form TM.7 asks you for how many days' extension you wish to apply. The maximum available is one year, so you write 365 days or 366 days (leap year)

See here for application forms. Once on annual extension, you also need TM.8 if you plan to travel during the extension period.

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Maestro