Stay With Wife In Bkk

[dragonfly94]

I have planned to move to bkk several years from now but sudden redundancy brings it foward to the next three months. I've read through the info here but still cannot solve my own situation.

I am from UK aged 55 but would not qualify for a retirement visa although I could deposit 400,000 in a thai bank

wife is earning but as she is self employed does not keep proper books so we could not use her earnings towards proof of income. My income would only be from savings and income from house if I decide to rent and not sell it. If sell I would have about £120.000 in the bank. It will be another 5 years before pensions kick in.

What is the best way to go about the visa problem. I know I should have more funds but staying over there as long as possible with the mrs would be infinately prefereble to living just as poorly on income support over here. Our joint income per month would be just over 40.000 baht (but could not proove it) until pensions kicked in. I don't need financial warnings, just some visa pointers, thanks

[lopburi3]

With no pension you will need 800k in a Thai bank account in your name for retirement extensions of stay. You say you have 400k so half way there. Can you borrow on your house (if not selling it) for another 400k and use rent to pay the loan and maybe provide some extra? That would take care of your visa worries.

[Mahout Angrit]

If regulations remain as they are you could stay in Thailand on a Multi Entry Non Imm O visa (based on the fact you have a Thai wife) for 15 months and return to UK to get another for another 15 months until your savings or income is sufficient to get an extension for 1 year. You would just have to do a visa run every 3 months to a neighbouring country which can be fun.

[dragonfly94]

If regulations remain as they are you could stay in Thailand on a Multi Entry Non Imm O visa (based on the fact you have a Thai wife) for 15 months and return to UK to get another for another 15 months until your savings or income is sufficient to get an extension for 1 year. You would just have to do a visa run every 3 months to a neighbouring country which can be fun.

Thanks for the advice, I asked the wife and she said look on thai visa! It turns out I would be entitled to work pension now only about 20.000 a month but comes with a lump sum so would have enough for thai bank deposit. Not sure I understand the the 15 months, would this be getting a non immigrant O visa here for 90 days with three re entries then doing three border runs for 90 days each before the visa runs out. Would I have to stay in UK for a while before applying for another three month 3 entry visa? Thanks again

[lopburi3]

The multi entry visa approach is a one year visa that allows unlimited stays of up to 90 days each so if last stay were just before your visa one year ends you would get 90 more days of permitted to stay time. So could be used for almost 15 months stay but requires you exit the country, enter another country, return at least every 90 days. At 55 plus that can get old fast. You do not have to stay out any longer than it takes to make the circuit but you do require a new visa every 15 months or so that may only be available from developed countries rather than in the local area these days (varies often as to availability/where).

With the money I would go with retirement option once you get here and have money in bank (or when you get tired of 90 day visa runs if you decide to try that for awhile). So advise would be obtain a multi entry non immigrant O visa and then decide when you want to make the switch to yearly extensions of stay. You should be able to obtain visa from Hull or other such Consulate easily and will provide plenty of time to make your plans. One thing to do before move is to arrange to have ability to make SWIFT type money transfers from your UK bank to account in Thailand and this probably will require doing some paperwork in person to allow you to do by internet/phone or fax after you get here.

[solo siam]

What about taking out a 10 year loan for 800,000 baht, pay it off monthly from the total and then finish paying it off after 5 years.