Can Anyone Help

[steve101]

hello please advise me

i am looking to move to thailand at the end of the year with my wife who is from thailand she has been living in uk with me for about 5 years

she has some land there where we are going to build a small appartment block with about 8 rooms and rent them out

the money from that we will live on...i have been there for about 8 weeks a time and can live there very cheap as the cost of living is very cheap

her family have a restuarant come street stall where i am fed each day which is lovely

what do i do for visas?

i understand i have to leave 400 thousand baht in an account and not touch it

do i have to leave the country and do visa runs??

what happens after a year will i have to return to uk?

[Sunbelt Asia]

"she has some land there where we are going to build a small appartment block with about 8 rooms and rent them out

the money from that we will live on...i have been there for about 8 weeks a time and can live there very cheap as the cost of living is very cheap"

Keep all construction receipts. When the building is finished, register it in your name not your wives name. Just in case something happens in the relationship or she dies.

" what do i do for visas?

i understand i have to leave 400 thousand baht in an account and not touch it "

Go to Hull or Birmingham. Show your marriage certificate. You’ll get a “0” visa. You then apply for a one year visa here.

"do i have to leave the country and do visa runs??"

no

"what happens after a year will i have to return to uk?"

You can stay in Thailand forever on a marriage visa as long as you stay married.

www.sunbeltasia.com

[Thaiboxer]

Hi Steve 101,

We're both in a similar situation....I am also married to a Thai and although we aren't renting out apartments, I have had to deal with the visa issue. Once you receive your Non-Immigrant Class O visa from an Embassy or Consulate in England you'll be permitted to stay for up to 90 days. After this is finished you'll be granted a 9 month extension (based on the 400,000+ Baht in the bank you previously mentioned) to finish off the year. Each extension after that will not require you to do visa runs. However, you'll need a bank statement (written/stamped by the bank, not just the little balance book) certifying that you have those funds, the standard form to extend your stay (completed with a passport sized color photo on it) and your wife with you when you go see immigration. What will likely happen is that you'll be given a month extension while they investigate your case. Once the month is over you'll simply go back with your wife and they should give you the next 11 months with no worries. This has been our situation twice so far, with the exception of the new required amount needed in the bank.

I'm assuming your wife will have the rental business in her name so that may change your situation slightly since the aforementioned Non-Immigrant Class O visa is a "support/marriage" visa for you to financially support her while you two live here. It sounds like she'll be the bread winner! I don't see any problems for you two as you should get the Class O anyway since you're married to a Thai. Chok dee krab!

[lopburi3]

You can try the method outlined above but I suspect there may be snags. If your extension is based on support they like (and may require) to see either income coming from overseas on a regular basis or a work permit/job here in Thailand paying the bills. The 400k is not intended to be a static deposit. You don't seem to be near 50 retirement age so there is no easy answer unless, perhaps, you have funds for setting up a company.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Hi Steve 101,

We're both in a similar situation....I am also married to a Thai and although we aren't renting out apartments, I have had to deal with the visa issue. Once you receive your Non-Immigrant Class O visa from an Embassy or Consulate in England you'll be permitted to stay for up to 90 days. After this is finished you'll be granted a 9 month extension (based on the 400,000+ Baht in the bank you previously mentioned) to finish off the year. Each extension after that will not require you to do visa runs. However, you'll need a bank statement (written/stamped by the bank, not just the little balance book) certifying that you have those funds, the standard form to extend your stay (completed with a passport sized color photo on it) and your wife with you when you go see immigration. What will likely happen is that you'll be given a month extension while they investigate your case. Once the month is over you'll simply go back with your wife and they should give you the next 11 months with no worries. This has been our situation twice so far, with the exception of the new required amount needed in the bank.

I'm assuming your wife will have the rental business in her name so that may change your situation slightly since the aforementioned Non-Immigrant Class O visa is a "support/marriage" visa for you to financially support her while you two live here. It sounds like she'll be the bread winner! I don't see any problems for you two as you should get the Class O anyway since you're married to a Thai. Chok dee krab!

Immigration usually ask for a letter from the bank on letterhead confirming your bank account status as well as your passbook.