Maximum stay for tourist visit?

[theritchie]

Hi all,

 

I've browsed around a lot - here and elsewhere - but not sure if I can find a definitive answer for this.  Or if there even is a definitive answer, judging by all the talk about regional variances.

 

Anyway, :-

 

• Me - 50-year old UK citizen.
• Girlfriend - Thai national, 50, lives in UK (~20 years now) on indefinite leave to stay from a previous marriage.
• Together 7 years but not married, we go back to Thailand 2-4 times per year, work & life depending

 

Last year she (thanks to her old school friend in the local government office) got me a Yellow Book and a pink Thai ID card.  On Christmas day, no less.

 

Anyway, the question is - do either of those IDs change my eligibility for maximum length of stay?  We're looking to retire over there in a few years, and I obviously don't want to get any black marks on my record ahead of that.  I've considered asking the same question at the embassy in the UK, but I don't want to raise any flags in case my acquisition of these docs was slightly iffy...

 

Appreciate any advice from those in the know, as it seems to be a bit of an arcane art trying to work out what's what.

[ubonjoe]

Having a yellow house book and a pink ID card changes nothing as far as immigration is concerned.

I would say there is nothing iffy about the house book and ID card. They can be useful for opening bank accounts and can be used for proof of residence for to get a driver's license and to register a vehicle.

[lopburi3]

If you are asking about Consulate issued tourist visas there should not be any issues if for short stays a few times a year - and with explanation of GF and work schedule outside Thailand even if asked should not be a problem.  If you are not obtaining actual visas and just using visa exempt entry there might be a bit more concern but probably not be an issue - but I would obtain and use visas myself. 

 

Probably best to keep those local ID stored as in this case would indicate you stay in Thailand to casual viewer (which is what they are concerned with - stay/work in Thailand without a work permit or proper visa).

[jimn]

Hi there. The yellow house book and pink ID are hardly worth having other than as Ubonjoe says for ID purposes. As you are over 50 you can obtain an extension based on retirement for a year, coupled with a re entry permit to keep it valid if you leave the country. Financially you need to prove 65,000 baht or more income or 800,000 in a Thai bank for over 3 months. 

I believe that you can enter Thailand on a visa exempt entry or a tourist visa and have this converted to a non o visa and the a retirement extension. Ubonjoe will clarify for you far better than I but that is a rough idea. 

[theritchie]

Thanks all.

 

I hadn't actually thought about applying for my retirement visa until I was, you know, retiring, but would this simplify things in general?  I'd still expect to only be spending ~3 months per year in Thailand for the next 3 or 4 years, but that split in any given year will be highly variable depending on (UK) work etc.

 

Realistically, I expect to be working part-time for the next 10 years-ish.  How I frame that in terms of 'living' in Thailand but working out in the world is the next part of the equation I need to try to work out.  Possibly complicated by the fact that my last few contracts have been very specific about being 'UK-based', no doubt in response to offshore tax shenanigans a-la Jimmy Carr etc.

[lopburi3]

As you would likely have issues with timing if on extensions of stay perhaps obtaining the multi entry non immigrant O-A visa in the UK would be a good option.  You may only need to obtain once every two years if timing works out well (new entry just before one year expiration of visa and then use re-entry permits.  With that type of visa you get a new one year stay on any entry made during the one year time it is valid.  Your financials can remain in UK accounts.  Only extra thing is a police report and short medical to obtain the visa itself.

[jimn]

7 hours ago, theritchie said:

Thanks all.

 

I hadn't actually thought about applying for my retirement visa until I was, you know, retiring, but would this simplify things in general?  I'd still expect to only be spending ~3 months per year in Thailand for the next 3 or 4 years, but that split in any given year will be highly variable depending on (UK) work etc.

 

Realistically, I expect to be working part-time for the next 10 years-ish.  How I frame that in terms of 'living' in Thailand but working out in the world is the next part of the equation I need to try to work out.  Possibly complicated by the fact that my last few contracts have been very specific about being 'UK-based', no doubt in response to offshore tax shenanigans a-la Jimmy Carr etc.

As lopburi3 pointed out you have to be in Thailand to renew when your extension expires, if not his option may suit you. I stay in Thailand 7 months out of 12 so am always here to renew. I use the income based for financials with a letter from tge British embassy. So do your sums and se what suits. I belive its 2000 baht to transfer from tourist visa to non o. Then 1900 per year for the extension of stay plus 1000 each re entry permit or 3800 for a multiple to keep the extension valid.