Visa's For One Year For Expat Family From Usa

[niebla]

My family and I would like to spend one year in Chiang Mai starting in mid 2008. My wife and I are not of retirement age. Our daughters will be 3 and 6 years old. I have contacted the ROYAL THAI CONSULATE-GENERAL in Colorado. They were extremly responsive and helpful. Their representative said that I can apply for non immigrant visas for my family as long as I have a letter of acceptance for my daughter from an international school in Chaing Mai. My daughter's visa could be converted to an "E" visa in Thailand so she would not need to leave the country every 90 days. I have a couple of questions remaining that I was hoping could be answered here:

1. Should I get a single entry instead of a multiple enrty visa for my daughter as this will be converted to an "E" visa in the first 90 days?

2. If our three year old does not attend international school due to her age, will she need to cross the border every 90 days? If so I may enroll her in a preschool if this will allow her to get an "E" visa and not need to cross the border every 90 days.

Is this a good way to proceed? Any suggestions or better ways to do this?

I will post any additional information that I receive to assist others.

Thanks in advance for your assistance.

Edited April 10, 2007 by maestro
Font formatting codes removed for better readability.

[Maestro]

If the children do not plan to leave and re-enter Thailand during the one-year stay in Thailand they need only a single-entry non-immigrant visa type O (non-O visa, for short), because children of that age are not charged overstay fees, ie they don’t have to do a border run every 90 days, but you would have to leave the younger girl behind in somebody else’s care while the parents do the border runs. To be flexible, I would recommend that you get your younger daughter also a multiple-entry non-O visa. You may want to go on excursions to Laos or some other country in the region and take the girls along.

If you are definite about enrolling your elder daughter in a school, she needs only a single-entry non-O visa. After arrival in Chiang Mai and enrolling her, you can then, before the 90-day permission to stay expires, apply at the local Immigration office for an extension of stay for the duration of her enrollment. The cost for this extension is 1,900 Baht. Then, if the girl wants to leave and re-enter Thailand she will need a re-entry permit. The fee for this is 1,000 Baht for a single re-entry, 3,800 Baht for multiple re-entries.

--

Maestro

[applesple]

One of parent also can apply for 1-yr Guardian Visa which should do the same time with your elder daughter. You will need to have a 500k with the local thai bank for at least 3 months that mean when you come to Thailand, you need to open a bank account as soon as possible. You will need confirmation letter and statement from your bank, update your bank book then need Confirmation letter from your daughter school. The one of you can be at home while the other do visa run.

[lopburi3]

You mention retirement age. Did you inquire about a retirement visa? You have plenty of time to obtain the police check/medical and that would take care of everyone (they would extend there visas as dependents). There is no requirement you have to spend the remainder of your life here but if you decide to extend your stay further it makes good sense. You should probably talk with a full Consulate for retirement information.

[samran]

You mention retirement age. Did you inquire about a retirement visa? You have plenty of time to obtain the police check/medical and that would take care of everyone (they would extend there visas as dependents). There is no requirement you have to spend the remainder of your life here but if you decide to extend your stay further it makes good sense. You should probably talk with a full Consulate for retirement information.

they aren't of retirment age

Would appear the educational visa is the way to go.

[lopburi3]

OOps - missed the "not".

[niebla]

You guys, and this site is awesome! I had not heard about the guardian visa. Is this obtained inside or outside of Thailand? It sounds like inside Thailand. I will open the Thai bank account at a Thai bank in the US. I think the closest to me is in Los Angeles. I will do this at least three months before I arrive.

The Colorado consulate was very responsive and helpful. The Los Angeles consulate was not as responsive. They did respond after several days to ask if my wife was Thai, and the name of the International School my daughter is to attend. I responded immediately, but have not heard back yet.

Thanks again to all. I will post any additional information that I receive.

[Jimjim]

I bet you'd have more help from the Colorado consulate as you already mentioned as I'm sure the L.A. consulate is much busier. Just a note to use the less busy consulates will leave you much more happy as they usually have more time to serve you.

[phuketrichard]

hey good luck

My daughter is in the international school here in Phuket, I assume your going to send urs to the Prem center, good school :-)

You can have any visa to come to thailand, But if u can get a non O via the consulate that is cool if not no big deal. Once ur child is admitted they will issue u a paper with all the docs u need to extend to a 1 year. You then take that to an Embassy OUT of thailand and they will give u and ur wife a 1 year multple entry type O visa. You will need to leave every 90 days

Your kids do not have to leave until they are 15.

AS far as money. 500,000 for 3 months!!!! Before the extension is issued

The shool will help you out with everything is they are anything like the BISP here in Phuket

check out this thread

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=97697#

\for all the explainations u will need.

also http://www.lawyer.th.com/National_Police_O...er_Oct_2006.pdf

reason 7.10

In the case of foreign family whereas a member was granted to temporarily stay in the

Kingdom on the purpose of studying in the Kingdom in accordance to 7.7 or 7.8. This only applies to the father,mother, spouse, child adopted child or child of the spouse Permitted to stay for not more than 1 year per request

[kenk3z]

It may help the original message poster to have someone confirm or deny that they can open a "Thai" bank account at the USA branch of a Thai Bank. I'd like to know this as well. I have my doubts, because the money would be in US Dollars and I think they don't "compute" in Thailand.

You would more likely need a local Thai bank account. But I'm not absolutely sure. Of course it would be easier and a bit safer to have a US based "Thai" account.....

kenk3z

[niebla]

It may help the original message poster to have someone confirm or deny that they can open a "Thai" bank account at the USA branch of a Thai Bank. I'd like to know this as well. I have my doubts, because the money would be in US Dollars and I think they don't "compute" in Thailand.

You would more likely need a local Thai bank account. But I'm not absolutely sure. Of course it would be easier and a bit safer to have a US based "Thai" account.....

kenk3z

I'm going to drive to Los Angeles at the end of May. There are several Thai banks, Bangkok Bank, Thai Farmers Bank, and a Thai National Bank. I will try to open a savings account in Baht, and have the required amount 3 months before I get there. I will post my results.

[phuketrichard]

hey, don't know when u were tryig to communicate with the embassy in La but keep in mind that its Songkran and everything goverment based is closed from last thrusday till tuesday.

Contact the embassy in DC> they are great. Went in there to renew my thai daughters passport and a very helpful student filled out all the applications for me and then asked them to give me the stamp right away. :-)

You can most likely get a single entry NON O at any embassy by just telling them that your going to have your daughter in school. Once ur here you can work it out. Flights to Vietnam/Singapore/Malaysia are all cheap and u will then have all the school papers in hand.

Keep in mind that the school year starts end of August for international schools so ur better off starting her at the begining rather than mid year.

[sonicdragon]

I'm going to drive to Los Angeles at the end of May. There are several Thai banks, Bangkok Bank, Thai Farmers Bank, and a Thai National Bank. I will try to open a savings account in Baht, and have the required amount 3 months before I get there. I will post my results.

I might be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that won't work. A US branch of a thai bank is a US bank for regulatory and legal purposes. I believe immigration wants to see money in a bank *in* thailand (which doesn't need to be a thai bank in the sense of a local thai bank - it could be HSBC or Citibank for example)

Two other idea are:

1. the thai bank in LA may be able to help you open an account with their head office in thailand

2. a US bank operating in thailand (eg Citibank) may be able to open an account with their thai branch while you are in the US. I did this myself with citibank (opened an account with citibank thailand at their branch in HK where I have accounts.

Hope it helps

[RedQualia]

Ok, there is virtually NOTHING in the forums concerning a "guardian visa" (mentioned above). Can anyone enlighten me with regard to the specific circumstances to which such a visa applies?

Thanks...

[phuketrichard]

check out this thread

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=97697#

\for all the explainations u will need.

also http://www.lawyer.th.com/National_Police_O...er_Oct_2006.pdf

reason 7.10

In the case of foreign family whereas a member was granted to temporarily stay in the

Kingdom on the purpose of studying in the Kingdom in accordance to 7.7 or 7.8. This only applies to the father,mother, spouse, child adopted child or child of the spouse Permitted to stay for not more than 1 year per request

[niebla]

I'm going to drive to Los Angeles at the end of May. There are several Thai banks, Bangkok Bank, Thai Farmers Bank, and a Thai National Bank. I will try to open a savings account in Baht, and have the required amount 3 months before I get there. I will post my results.

I might be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that won't work. A US branch of a thai bank is a US bank for regulatory and legal purposes. I believe immigration wants to see money in a bank *in* thailand (which doesn't need to be a thai bank in the sense of a local thai bank - it could be HSBC or Citibank for example)

Two other idea are:

1. the thai bank in LA may be able to help you open an account with their head office in thailand

2. a US bank operating in thailand (eg Citibank) may be able to open an account with their thai branch while you are in the US. I did this myself with citibank (opened an account with citibank thailand at their branch in HK where I have accounts.

Hope it helps

I will call them before I go and post what they tell me.

[niebla]

check out this thread

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=97697#

\for all the explainations u will need.

also http://www.lawyer.th.com/National_Police_O...er_Oct_2006.pdf

reason 7.10

In the case of foreign family whereas a member was granted to temporarily stay in the

Kingdom on the purpose of studying in the Kingdom in accordance to 7.7 or 7.8. This only applies to the father,mother, spouse, child adopted child or child of the spouse Permitted to stay for not more than 1 year per request

Thanks Richard. This is very helpful. It looks like my wife, daughter, and I can qualify under this provision. I posted it below for others as I had some difficulty with the link. Prem is very pricey. Is it that much better?

Reason of Necessary Criteria List of Documents

7.10 In the case of foreign

family whereas a

member was granted to

temporarily stay in the

Kingdom on the purpose

of studying in the

Kingdom in accordance

to 7.7 or 7.8. This only

applies to the father,

mother, spouse, child

adopted child or child of

the spouse

Permitted to stay for not

more than 1 year per request.

(1) The foreigner must obtain permit

stamp for the temporary entry

and

(2) Must demonstrate proof of

relationship

(3) In the case spouse, must have a

legal and de facto relationship or

(4) In the case of child, adopted

child or the child of the spouse

must not be legally married and

must be residence in the same

household and must not be over

the age of 20 years old.

(5) In the case of the father or the

mother, the father and the

mother must have a bank

account in Thailand and in their

name showing the balance of no

less than 500,000 Baht during

the last 3 month.

1. Petition Forms

2. Copy of Passport of the Applicant

3. Copy of Passport of the foreigner who

has been granted a permit based on

education.

4. Copy of documents illustrating their

relationship e.g. copy of the marriage

certificate, birth certificate, or child

certification, house registration,

adoption documents or any other

document from a related government

sector.

5. In the case of (5), must also attach

certified letter issued by the bank plus

a copy of the bank account pass book.