Hi Everyone

I am a little confused and I would appreciate some advice.

My wife and I are both British Citizens and each year we spend about a total of seven months over three trips here in Thailand.

We are here on Retirement visa's and next year will be applying for an extension based on Retirement.

Since the British Consulate will no longer issue proof of income letters, my question is, do I have transfer a minimum of 65,000 Baht into my Thai Bank each month that I am here or every month of the year?

The 800,000 deposit is not an option for us.

Also is the 65,000 Baht enough to include my wife?

Thank you for any advice

We don't yet know what -- if anything -- immigration will accept. But if they do start to accept transfers to a Thai bank, IMO, you will have to show transfers for the whole year.

 

Only one of you needs an income of 65K.

 

As you spend so much time out of Thailand you're best option would probably be to use the non '0-A' visa and try to time your trips so you get two visits from each visa.

Extensions of Stay for Retirement are granted for one year. I have never heard of a custom made one, granted for some unusual time period because of the limited financial resources of the applicant.

I would have thought the METV would best suit the OP's needs.

1 hour ago, elviajero said:

Only one of you needs an income of 65K.

Both are British citizen.... both should need to have the monthly 65k.

9 minutes ago, steve73 said:

I would have thought the METV would best suit the OP's needs.

I would go for the O-A and try to fit the timing in/out to get two years out of it.

3 minutes ago, steve73 said:

I would have thought the METV would best suit the OP's needs.

An option if they are happy to do border runs.

23 minutes ago, Rv Hawee said:

Both are British citizen.... both should need to have the monthly 65k.

So why shouldn´t they be able to do the dependent route than??????????????????????

wife tag along the husband on his income, No income needed for wife....................

 

glegolo

28 minutes ago, Rv Hawee said:

1 hour ago, elviajero said:

Only one of you needs an income of 65K.

Both are British citizen.... both should need to have the monthly 65k.

Not necessarily.

 

Both need to have non 'O' visas. One then applies for a 1 year extension of stay by demonstrating a 65K pm income. The other then applies for an extension as the SPOUSE of the first and doesn't need to provide any financials. The second effectively piggybacks the permit to stay of the first.

 

They only both need 65K if they both want to apply for extensions in their own right.

7 minutes ago, glegolo said:

So why shouldn´t they be able to do the dependent route than??????????????????????

wife tag along the husband on his income, No income needed for wife....................

 

glegolo

The wife tags along as a family member (spouse). Dependancy doesn't come in to it.

2 hours ago, geejay said:

Since the British Consulate will no longer issue proof of income letters, my question is, do I have transfer a minimum of 65,000 Baht into my Thai Bank each month that I am here or every month of the year?

As I understand it, Immigration will not accept that as "proof" of income, hence them wanting the Embassy letters...………..if that is not the case can someone update me?

5 minutes ago, xylophone said:

As I understand it, Immigration will not accept that as "proof" of income, hence them wanting the Embassy letters...………..if that is not the case can someone update me?

I believe there are 6000 recent posts addressing that issue in adjoining threads as we speak. 

21 minutes ago, elviajero said:

The wife tags along as a family member (spouse). Dependancy doesn't come in to it.

So out of "like to know..." What is then dependent? I thought that this was just dependent.. But plse explain to me...

 

glegolo

Are you of state pension age? if you get the  state pension, pin the state pension annual entitlement letter to a 1 year ME visa application to the London Embassy purpose "retirement".  Then you could do three trips of up to 90 days each, and not worry about the 65000 income for that application. 

 

I know someone that does this for three x 60 Day trips every year....(i.e. <181 Days not tax resident in Thailand), he has been retired for quite a while now!

22 minutes ago, glegolo said:

44 minutes ago, elviajero said:

The wife tags along as a family member (spouse). Dependancy doesn't come in to it.

So out of "like to know..." What is then dependent? I thought that this was just dependent.. But plse explain to me...

 

glegolo

Dependant

noun

a person who relies on another, especially a family member, for financial support.

 

The extension we are discussing is for a family member to be able to stay in the country with another family member that has been given permission to stay.

 

Qualification for the extension is dependent on (based on) relationship; not dependent (based on) on being dependant (reliant for financial support).

27 minutes ago, elviajero said:

Dependant

noun

a person who relies on another, especially a family member, for financial support.

 

The extension we are discussing is for a family member to be able to stay in the country with another family member that has been given permission to stay.

 

Qualification for the extension is dependent on (based on) relationship; not dependent (based on) on being dependant (reliant for financial support).

To be honest with you - I do not see at all what you are writing. I clearly see the OP asking if his wife can tag along his income.. And I translate that as being as DEPENDENT.....

 

So why you dismisses my dependent I dont know really.... 

 

glegolo

25 minutes ago, glegolo said:

To be honest with you - I do not see at all what you are writing. I clearly see the OP asking if his wife can tag along his income.. And I translate that as being as DEPENDENT.....

 

So why you dismisses my dependent I dont know really.... 

 

glegolo

I appreciate english isn't your first language.

 

Every extension of stay is dependent on something. The husbands extension is dependent on his income, but the wife's extension is dependent on her relationship with her husband.

2.11 In the case of being a family member of an alien who has been permitted a temporary stay in the Kingdom for enrollment in an educational institution according to Clauses 2.8 or 2.9 hereof (applicable only to parents, spouse, children, adopted children, or spouse’s children):

 

It doesn't matter whether or not the wife is financially dependant on her husband. Saying that the extension is issued based on dependancy implies it's issued based on financial dependancy, which it's not.

Yes you´re right, english is not my first language, so plse be patient.... I read the OP;s original post where he clearly ask if his wife can tag along on his 65K income...... Isn´t that dependancy based on finance or what?

 

THIS IS WHY I was questioning your dismissal of my original post....

 

glegolo

2 hours ago, marcusarelus said:

I believe there are 6000 recent posts addressing that issue in adjoining threads as we speak. 

Only 6000/    lol 

Its all here guys. Just take your time and read it. 

immigration_bureau_order_138-2557_2014_-_extension_documents.pdf

Hi yes the 65k bhat had to go into a Thai account every month,  

However if you are only spending 7-8 months here a year, you could do Multiple entry visa,  60 days then extend for an additional 30.

Do a border run and repeat.

 

No proof of funds going into a Thai bank required.

However you may need a flight out and you also maybe asked to prove enough funds, normally 20k Thai baht

 

6 hours ago, Davidmc0 said:

Hi yes the 65k bhat had to go into a Thai account every month,  

At what immigrtion office was that?

9 hours ago, Davidmc0 said:

Hi yes the 65k bhat had to go into a Thai account every month,  

However if you are only spending 7-8 months here a year, you could do Multiple entry visa,  60 days then extend for an additional 30.

Do a border run and repeat.

 

No proof of funds going into a Thai bank required.

However you may need a flight out and you also maybe asked to prove enough funds, normally 20k Thai baht

 

I've believe?  the wording on Thai Immigration doesn't say " Thai Bank " it just say " Bank "  for the 65K or monthly money. 

It does say for the 800K in a Thai Bank.

 

3 hours ago, Maestro said:

At what immigrtion office was that?

Yes, please tell.

15 hours ago, elviajero said:

We don't yet know what -- if anything -- immigration will accept. But if they do start to accept transfers to a Thai bank, IMO, you will have to show transfers for the whole year.

 

Only one of you needs an income of 65K.

 

As you spend so much time out of Thailand you're best option would probably be to use the non '0-A' visa and try to time your trips so you get two visits from each visa.

Pal of mine in Udon Thani has been coming here for 16 years for between 3 to 6 months per visit. He has always used multi entry non imm O visas from the Thai embassy in London. I don't think he's ever visited an immigration office.

12 hours ago, elviajero said:

Dependant

noun

a person who relies on another, especially a family member, for financial support.

 

The extension we are discussing is for a family member to be able to stay in the country with another family member that has been given permission to stay.

 

Qualification for the extension is dependent on (based on) relationship; not dependent (based on) on being dependant (reliant for financial support).

If the husband dies the spouse has 1 week to sort out her own extension or leave the country. I would call that dependant.

16 hours ago, elviajero said:

We don't yet know what -- if anything -- immigration will accept. But if they do start to accept transfers to a Thai bank, IMO, you will have to show transfers for the whole year.

 

Only one of you needs an income of 65K.

 

As you spend so much time out of Thailand you're best option would probably be to use the non '0-A' visa and try to time your trips so you get two visits from each visa.

I've been on an OA visa for years.. you have to prove your 65K income when you apply for your visa.. it can be a combination of income and available cash if your pension falls short.. once you have proven your income and have your visa you do not need to transfer 65 K each month.. just transfer what you need to live on..  You may or may not be aware that at the end of your first year if you exit Thailand and return befor the visa expires you get a further year 'permission to stay'.. but your reentries expire.. but you can buy a re-entry if you wish to depart and come back again in the second year.. Check and see if you can do postal 90 day reporting where you are staying.. makes life easy if you can.. good luck.. have fun..

 

14 hours ago, marcusarelus said:

I believe there are 6000 recent posts addressing that issue in adjoining threads as we speak. 

And you give the same smart a55 answer to all of them? Unhelpful tool

People are missing that this couple are planning on spending "about a total of seven months" per year,

spread over 3 trips.

As they are currently on Non-O visas apparently, and from the sounds of it will only be spending 2 to 2 1/2 months per trip, would it be better to just continue using Non-O Visas (up to 90 days before any extensions) or METV (60 days then a border run if needed) ?

According to the Thai Embassy (in London) site, the METV is 125 GBP and the Non-O is 250 GBP, so the METV would be the cheaper option. 

However, if they went the Non-O route and applied for an extension, wouldn't the financial requirement be 400k (or 35k/month) as it would be an Extension based on marriage ?
Maybe that is attainable. (Especially if they can afford to fly here 3 times a year.)

(I'm not familiar with the rules on foreign spouses. I'd assume that he would get the Extension and have to prove the financials and then she'd get an Extension as his spouse but not have to worry about the financial requirement ?)

2 x Non-O visas = 500GBP plus Extensions and Multi Re-entry permits (5,800 baht total or 135.5 GBP x 2 = 271 GBP) for a total of 771 GBP for the first Visa and Extension, then just the 271 GBP per year after that to renew the Extensions and get new Multi Re-entry permits.

Compared to 6 METVs per year (3 trips x 2 people) = 750 GBP every year.

So over the course of 2+ years, it would be cheaper to go the Non-O Visa (and then Extension) route, so long as the financial requirement can be met.

As it sounds like they won't be spending longer than 3 months on any 1 trip, they wouldn't have to worry about 90 Day reports. Nor have any worries about "overstaying" if they wanted to extend a trip longer than normal (and did their 90 Day reports of course).

Then again, if they are only going to be staying 2 to 2 1/2 months each trip - they could probably get away with just using SETVs and, if need be, get an extension (of 30 days) or do a border run and get a (30 day) Visa Exemption stamp to tide them over for the  rest of that particular trip.

I mean, if they get an METV and have to do a border run after 60 days anyways and only plan on staying another 2 weeks, why pay the extra for the METV when an SETV would provide more than enough time ? 

According to the Embassy website, an SETV is only 25 GBP so 6 of those per year would only be 150 GBP total.

 

2 minutes ago, Kerryd said:

(I'm not familiar with the rules on foreign spouses. I'd assume that he would get the Extension and have to prove the financials and then she'd get an Extension as his spouse but not have to worry about the financial requirement ?)

I think the 400k based on marriage you mention is with Thai spouse. My wife and I came from Australia together. I needed 800k in the bank but as my spouse she did not. However, as I mentioned above, if I died she had only 1 week to arrange something else or leave.